Book Review: He Speaks to Me

He Speaks to Me: Preparing to Hear From God by Priscilla Shirer Trade Paperback: 208 pages Publisher: Moody Publishers First Released: 2006 Author Website

Source: Bought from Books-A-Milion

Back Cover Description:
Are you longing to hear God's voice but feeling disconnected?

Do you want to develop a more intimate prayer life? Even more, do you want to hear from God in practical ways? God wants to speak directly to each of His beloved children--not to just a few "spiritual elite." Priscilla Shirer looks at God's call to Samuel and uncovers six characteristics essential for hearing from God:

A simple RELATIONSHIP--unfettered by sin or pride.
A single-minded WORSHIP--focused on God and His glory.
A set-apart HOLINESS--determined to live a life that honors Him.
A still ATTENTIVENESS--willing to be silent before Him.
A sold-out HUNGER--passionately pursuing God's presence.
A servant SPIRIT--submitted to God's call.

Her warmth and honesty, combined with a wealth of practical help, will inspire you to cultivate these traits in your own life. By doing so, you will prepare yourself to draw closer to Him and to hear His voice more clearly.


Review:
He Speaks to Me was an excellent God-focused and Scripture-focused book. If you're interested in hearing from God, I'd recommend this book to get you prepared to hear from God and Listening For God by Marilyn Hontz to help you with practical ways to hear His voice and guidance.

Priscilla Shirer used the story of when Samuel heard God call to him as a boy as the frame for the points she made, then she explored what the rest of Scripture had to say. She used examples from the Bible and from her life to illustrate her points.

The book was easy-to-understand and had a lot of good, Biblical insights. While the author was writing this to a female audience (she referred to the reader as "sister"), the information does apply to men, too. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who feels disconnected or distant from God.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt from the Introduction
As believers, we oftentimes get used to and even become dependent upon hand-me-down revelations about God. We allow others to spoon-feed us the Word of God. But as you mature spiritually, don't you want God to send you a special gift-wrapped message with your name on it--for Him to reveal something very specific about your life? When that time comes, you need to know how to listen for His voice.

I believe that Scripture tells us how we can prepare ourselves to hear what God wants to say specifically to us. Please don't misunderstand. This isn't just some pie-in-the-sky religious issue. It's down-to-earth and intensely practical. When I began my study, the demands of life were threatening to overwhelm me. With a husband, two small children, and a ministry, I desperately needed to hear from God for instruction, guidance, and power. Yet I wasn't hearing from Him nearly enough.

The Lord doesn't speak in a whisper or in a dark corner somewhere where people can barely hear; nor does He try to trick us because He knows we can't understand what He's saying. "You are my witnesses," declares the Lord, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he" (Isaiah 43:10). God doesn't have a case of cosmic laryngitis, and nothing is wrong with His transmitter. Our receiving equipment, however, often leaves a lot to be desired.

When I wasn't hearing from God, I got into the Bible for myself to find out how I could hear His voice more clearly. As I searched Scripture, I saw that God often spoke to people because they were prepared to hear from Him, and I realized that maybe He was waiting on me to position myself to hear His voice.