God talks to me; and I try to tell others what He says

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Mike Pence, vice president of the United States, is not hesitant about his Christian faith. He frequently talks about coming to faith in Christ as a student after a visit to a Christian music festival in 1978.

Martin Sanders, writing in Christianity Today, says, “He (Pence) demonstrably holds a deep and sincere belief in God.

“He is outspoken about his faith at work, regularly invoking God in meetings, or stopping proceedings to pray. Mike Pence is making sure that God – or at least, talking about Him – is at the heart of the White House.”

According to numerous sources the vice president has even had Jesus speak to him on occasion. That is not something unusual for a sincere believer to say. God speaks to His children through His written Word, the Bible. Sometimes it is a word of caution. Occasionally, it is a word of warning; and frequently, it is a word of reassurance. Through His Word God also speaks words of warning, words of admonition, and even words of instruction. He speaks to me through His Word.

God often speaks to me through music. One of the most deeply spiritual experiences I have had in recent years has been through the music of the Collinsworth Family at the First Baptist Church of Indian Trail near Charlotte, NC. In fact, I think God spoke to the entire church-filled congregation that evening. His voice was strong as His Spirit ministered to the congregation through the music of Zion.

He speaks to us through sermons we have heard and through godly counselors. God also speaks to us through the artistic genius and magnificent beauty of His creation.

Sometimes God speaks to us through circumstances like accidents, illnesses, births, and other unusual blessings. And since God is omnipotent and sovereign, I am not prepared to dismiss the possibility that God spoke to the vice president audibly.

Some years ago I had the opportunity to speak in chapel at Mid America Baptist Theological Seminary during the presidency of Dr. Grey Allison. We would have prayer together in his office, then he would say, “Go tell our students and faculty what God told you to tell us.” His comment convinced me that I should listen for God to tell me what to preach.

So, I don’t think it was unusual for Mike Pence to say that God spoke to Him. He could have spoken to the vice president in a multitude of ways.

However, Mr. Pence has been castigated and reviled for admitting that God spoke to him. Joy Behar, described by Todd Starnes as “one of the squawking magpies on ABC’s 'The View,' insisted that the vice president’s remarks qualified him as mentally ill.

Starnes continued by quoting Behar, “It’s one thing to talk to Jesus. It’s another thing when Jesus talks to you. That’s called mental illness, if I’m correct, hearing voices.”

The FOX News commentator added, “She also brought up Pence’s policy of refusing to be alone with a woman without his wife present – a noble and gentlemanly concept that was ridiculed by the Weinsteins, Wieners, and Lauers of the World.

“Can he talk to Mary Magdalene without his wife in the room?” the mocking magpie chirped.

“It’s understandable that a Christophobe like Behar be dumbfounded by such a concept as a believer having a conversation with God. The Almighty only peaks to those who know Him – who have a personal relationship with Him.”

Omarosa Manigault Newman, former White House staffer who is currently a contestant on "Celebrity Big Brother," started the criticism of Pence when she told fellow contestants on the reality show that they should not be too interested in impeaching President Trump since the vice president presents a greater threat to the nation than the president, because of his “extreme” faith.

Pence, who rarely responds to criticism, said that he could not let this go, because Behar’s comments was a mockery of the faith of millions of Americans.

Pence stated, “I just think it demonstrates how out of touch some people in the mainstream media are with the faith and values of the American people that you could have a major network like ABC permit a forum for invective against religion like that.

“I just call them out on it, not because of what was said about me, but it’s just simply wrong for ABC to have a television program that expresses that kind of religious intolerance. We’re better than that, our country is better than that.”

Are Christians being persecuted in America? They are certainly not being persecuted like believers in Middle Eastern countries and certain African countries, but Christians are certainly being marginalized and denigrated in many places in this country that was founded to ensure its population could have religious liberty.

James Emory White, writing for Crosswalk.com, explains, “What is happening in America is an increasing hostility and intolerance toward Christian beliefs and values that many perceive to be an attack on religious freedom. In current American culture, you are free to be a Christian as long as you don’t actually live out your faith, vote your faith, take a stand in relation to your faith, or believe others should embrace your faith.

“There is a real concern that the growing insistence that faith be privatized has now become a demand for faith to be compromised. It’s not enough that your beliefs can’t influence society; you must also embrace society’s beliefs.”

So, in case you are interested, God talks to me and I try to tell others what He said. Today He told me to tell you that His Son is the way, the truth, and the life and no man comes to the Father, but through Him (John 14:6): and that Satan has no truth in him and he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).

culture, devotion, Mike Pence, politics, prayer, The View