After careful examination, I have come to the conclusion that God does not talk to anyone other than through Scripture.
The belief that He talks to one; other than through Scripture, is just that: a belief.
But beliefs are such that; outside of careful, truly objective observation, one believes one's beliefs are real.
And they feel real.
Sort of like when, as a child; one dreams they have come into some money, wakes up excited and all ready to spend it, only to realize that "aw shucks, it was just a dream..."
Or when one worries about a loved one and what one is worried about "feels real."
Believers learn to believe "God is talking..."
They pick up this belief in one manner or another.
I mean, even lost people go around talking about "I just know in my gut, that this" that, or the other.
And lets face it; we'd like to think that God is talking to us.
But this supposed sense of God talking outside of His Word is actually nothing more than our own "voice" desires, wishes, and memory by association, etc.
Its why such things are so "I wonder what that means" and or "I guess I was wrong about that one..."
Few bother to reflect on such hit or miss moments, whenever they experience them.
The way I understand this now is as follows...
One day, I was goofing off at work, bored out of my mind, when I thought 'okay, so how might I turn this around?'
That was me talking to me.
And since I was focused on how I might solve my problem, I was thinking about different options when, becuase that was what I was foucused on, one of the options I thought on was 'wait a minute; I'm a Believer (no, not song by The Monkees, lol). I'm always looking for ways to apply/obey what I learn in Scripture. How might I use this moment to do that?'
Next thing I knew, just like how that Monkees song just now popped in my head as I was writing the above ( it popped into my head from my memory and due to its word association with what I was writing about) a passage of Scripture related to what I was thinking about popped into my head through association, from my memory due to my having invested time in Scripture studying one thing or another out...
The paasage that popped into my mind was...
Ephesians 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
At which point I then thought 'that'll work; I'll just use this moment as an opportunity to obey that passage!'
The voice - no, not the TV show, lol - rather, my own voice, in light of what I was thinking on. Whoops, here this association goes again - just because of what I am talking about and just now used the words 'my own thoughts..'
What just now popped into my mind from memory, was my memory of the passage from....
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Having that, I've not needed "a still small voice..."
I have the great big loud voice of Scripture that is Gal. 4:30's "Nevertheless, what SAITH the Scripture."
And what it says about this (you see how I can just go on and on through "Word" (lol) associations that set off related memory?
What just came to mind was...
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
A passge in my memory from time invested in the Word towards doing what that passages instructs us to do - "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;" etc.
Whoops, here comes another one, lol
