Putting Words In God's Mouth

I have a friend who often uses the phrase "the Lord told me to..." or "the Lord told me not to..." or "the "Lord told me [this or that] will happen." Often times at I hear these words I sense in my own spirit that the word she received isn't what God would speak to her at all.

Do I believe that God speaks to us? Absolutely! I have my own testimony of dreams that I believe were given to me as a word from the Lord. However, I am also trying to learn to be very careful about putting words in God's mouth.

This morning, I read Jeremiah 23:36. God says, "You must not mention 'the oracle of the Lord' again, because every man's own word becomes his oracle so you distort the words of the Living God." The warning here is against false prophets. John also addressed false prophets when he said, "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1)

We can be false prophets ourselves. Whether we say "the Lord told me" to ourselves or someone else, we must be careful not to put words in God's mouth! It is easy to want God to be "on our side" about an issue, especially when we really want (or don't want) something. Most of us would confess that we've presented an issue with God on our side at some time in our lives. However, as mature Christians, we must learn to test that word by studying what God says about the matter in scripture and listening to the wise counsel of friends, family, and church leaders.

God most definitely wants to speak to each of us and He desires that we hear His voice. Let's be intentional about seeking out His Word in scripture and through Godly Counsel before we put words into His Mouth!

May His Voice ring clearly in your ears today.