What was the Early Church's secret to reliably hear from God?

[TruthSeek3r]

We don't know, their works were lost, not rejected.

Do you seriously think that God would inspire them to write books of the Bible, and then fail to guarantee providentially that their works be preserved and included into the official canon? If you really think so, then we would be talking about at least 7 hypothetical Biblical authors whose writings didn't make it to the canon: Philip, Philip's four daughters, Barnabas and Agabus.

Why would God allow their contributions to the canon to be lost, according to your theory?

 

[Francis Drake]

The church heard God through apostolic succession.

Absolutely false.
In fact, the clear historic evidence is that your apostolic succession destroyed the hearing of God's voice, even murdering anyone who did hear that voice.

 

[Francis Drake]

I think that, as in many spiritual things, people are looking for the wrong thing. They are looking for some overwhelming spiritual ecstasy or some thundering voice.
It is the small still voice of the spirit. If you are reborn, consider your conscience to be the voice of the spirit. It is not that far from you and is not going to bowl you over. Just adapt a prayerful life with a note of praise and thanksgiving in your heart. Get close to Him and He will get close to you.

Agreed.
God speaks through our conscience, which is directly linked to our human spirit, and if we care to listen, we will find our hearing gets sharper and sharper, and God's voice clearer are clearer.

 

[Francis Drake]

It really depends I think what a person means by knowing the voice of God. To hear from God is a gift he gives, we can't demand it.

What about "Seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened?" etc.

I think the biggest problem for Christians is the thought that we can just ask God a question and demand/expect an answer. I have found that when I have that attitude, all I get is rubbish, no real communication with God. For me I need to seek God on an issue for hours before I can be assured of any real answer, even then He may not respond.

I think you've just contradicted yourself. You say we can't ask God a question and expect and answer, and then you go on about asking God for an answer.
I agree the answer doesn't always come immediately, but patience in listening invariably pays.

The area that I often get communication from God is in the area of witnessing, God will often speak or reveal things about a person I am witnessing to so I can be a better more natural witness. As the bible says:

I think we need to be faithful to what God gives us to hear/receive more, and our own unbelief or fears can be a big stumbling block.

Yes, I agree the stumbling is our own thinking.
In my view, we are like Adam in the garden with the 2 trees. The Tree of Life representing the Spirit of god, but the Tree of Knowledge is so tempting, full of human ideas, all of which, even the good ideas bring death.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

I think you've just contradicted yourself. You say we can't ask God a question and expect and answer, and then you go on about asking God for an answer.
I agree the answer doesn't always come immediately, but patience in listening invariably pays.

This is an area that I am still learning in. I just find that if I try to ask God a question, and listen for an immediate response (in my mind) I often get just rubbish. So my trust in such a method is low. Because I could be communicating with demons. I have another method to seek God, that some would disagree with, but it has helped me. I often get immediate responses from using it. I have cut and pasted an example below:

On the 10 of October 2012 the LORD prevented us from making a bad financial decision. Me and my wife had found a house that we thought could be a good investment for our future. But our pastor prayed about it and felt that it was not going to be a good investment. So I prayed that if it was not a good investment God would get the bible to open randomly to James 4:13-15, otherwise the bible would open to the verse in Mal 3:10 about God blessing our finances. I opened my bible on the computer and moved my hand quickly and randomly, first selecting a book of the bible, then a verse, all without looking where I was choosing, and it opened to James 4:13-15 so I knew that God did not want us to go ahead.

I use this sort of lot-based method, because primarily I stumbled upon it when in a time of need.

 

[GoldenKingGaze]

Do you seriously think that God would inspire them to write books of the Bible, and then fail to guarantee providentially that their works be preserved and included into the official canon? If you really think so, then we would be talking about at least 7 hypothetical Biblical authors whose writings didn't make it to the canon: Philip, Philip's four daughters, Barnabas and Agabus.

Why would God allow their contributions to the canon to be lost, according to your theory?

The first of three letters to the Corinthians and the letter to the Laodiceans were mentioned in the Bible and lost. It would be great to have recordings of the many preachings of Peter and Paul, James, John, Apollos and Timothy.

Also there was Mary sitting well at Jesus feet listening and learning, from the point of view of a repentant sinner, not forgetting Mary Jesus' mother. Their insights would have been a great contribution. I suspect any such writing was read to pieces and not lost because of disinterest.

The concept of "the Bible" is a work of men, after intense persecution. The ancient people did not have the press and good storage of information. If we look at Peter and Paul, they died under persecution maybe more than ten years before their natural lives' ends. Under these circumstances, Bible works were lost, with the authors.

Paul the apostle hadn't finished his works, but he described himself as having done the works of running the race, this is not to say he had finished a complete set of tasks for his life and was simply ready to die. Paul had not preached to the Roman Garrison... The Emperor was insane and wouldn't listen. He demanded worship. Centuries later Aquinas had to fill in works regarding Christian soldiers. I haven't read this work though.

Colossians 4:17-17. KJV
16And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. 17And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.