1 The Bible gives plenty of examples of God speaking to men and women. However it doesn't give any example of God speaking quietly on a frequency that only can be heard by those who have cultivated a special ability. The examples of Scripture prove the opposite what it says in this book. God doesn't whisper His words. When God speaks He is heard. There are no examples of God speaking and not be heard. There are no example of someone learning to hear from Him. If God is not speaking you will not hear Him it doesn't matter what disciplines of solicitude you cultivate. If He were to speak, then you could not miss Him. He never tries to speak. God DOESN'T WHISPER. 2 About Elijah First, the phrase which the NIV translates as “a gentle whisper” could also be translated as “a voice of gentle silence”, “a sound of soft stillness”, “a sound of a gentle blowing”, or “a sound, a thin silence.” The idea here is that God was in the quiet. Clearly the text is not teaching that God was whispering to Elijah so that he would draw close and hear God’s heart. Based upon the context, we see that Elijah was feeling very frustrated that God’s awesome display of power on Mount Carmel had not brought about a national revival as Elijah had anticipated. Therefore, God was simply teaching Elijah that His most powerful work is not done through outward displays of power, but behind the scenes through His Holy Spirit (Zechariah 4:6) quietly working to turn the hearts of unbelievers. Batterson is yet again trying to turn a descriptive text into a prescriptive text. Nowhere in the Bible does God promise to speak to Christians in whispers. In fact, He doesn’t even whisper to anyone else in the entire Bible. 3 If the position I'm advocating is true, then we would expect to find that when God speaks, He has no problem being heard. We would expect to see examples of both believers and unbelievers hearing God without ever having to learn how to hear His voice. This is exactly what we find. When God spoke to Moses(Exodus 3-4), He didn't need special instruction on how to tune in to God's frequency. (Joshua 1) didn't need to learn how to hear God's voice to receive God's message. Noah didn't need years of experience in misreading God's voice-making humiliating mistakes through trial and error-before he was able to accurately hear God. Scripture also gives examples of pagan rebellious harhearted unbelievers hearing God without any trying or error. Before God called Abraham out of Caldeans he and his family were idols worshipers(Joshua 24:2) when God gave instructions and promises to Abraham he didn't have problem in hearing God and understand God's message(Gênesis 22:1-4). Abraham was a pagan idolaters with no years of experience in discerning the "small voice of God" Did Saul of Tarsus learned how to hear the voice of God?(Acts 9:1-9). Nebuchadnezzar never learned to hear "small voice of God"(Daniel 4-31-32) and he heard God. Nebuchadnezzar, Paul, Abraham all prove that God is heard when He wills to be heard no special skills is necessary to hear Him. Why were these unbelievers able to hear God, but modern belivers can not without special instruction and training provided by others people? Why do belivers need years of practice, experience and trial and error to hear from God while an unbeliever like Saul or Abraham didn't? Anyone, including unbelievers, can hear God, just need to open the Bible and read, God's voice is in the written text(Bible). 4 Batterson claims that 1 Samuel 3 contains a seven-word prayer that can change your life: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Apparently we’re supposed to say that prayer and then stop talking and start listening for God’s whispers. This is an example of Batterson attempting to turn a descriptive text into a prescriptive text, which is a form of Bible twisting. Nowhere does the text say that believers should repeat this prayer, or that this prayer is a requirement to hear the voice of God. No other prophets in the Bible had to say this prayer before they could hear God’s voice, and notice that Jesus never mentioned this phrase when He taught the disciples how to pray (Luke 11:1-12 and Matthew 6:5-14). Prayer is one way communication and not two ways communication. 5 You can look long and hard throughout the Bible, and you won’t find any text that says you can go to certain places to hear the voice of God a little louder and a little clearer. Furthermore, two of the examples that Batterson gives don’t even match up with the definition he invented (David never heard God’s voice in the Cave of Adullam, and Daniel never heard God’s voice by the upstairs window)! 6 Nobody needs to learn how to hear God. My brother and sister what I can tell you is when you and me read the Word this is definitely 100% God speaking to us. John 1:1-3 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made" 7 The reason I believe that God speaks only through Scripture is because no verse of Scripture promises ongoing revelations. In fact, several texts imply the opposite: Paul said that Scripture is all we need to equip us for EVERY good work (2 Timothy 3:17). In other words, Scripture is sufficient; there’s nothing that God wants us to do for which we need additional revelation. Peter, who heard God speak audibly on the mount of transfiguration, described Scripture as a more sure prophetic word (2 Peter 1:18-19). Paul made it clear that not everyone has the gift of prophecy (1 Corinthians 12:29). In addition, only a handful of people in the entire Bible experienced direct revelation. Why should we suddenly expect direct revelation to be the norm for all Christians?The writer of Hebrews said that God spoke through the prophets IN THE PAST (Hebrews 1:1-2). In other words, don’t expect this to be an ongoing thing. Jude referred to Scripture as “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” (Jude 1:3). If the entire body of doctrine has already been delivered for the benefit of all Christians, then why should we expect additional private revelations just for individuals? According to Batterson, God spoke to Moses through the burning bush because Moses intentionally sought out a whispering spot where he could hear God more clearly. In other words, if you’re not hearing God, then it’s probably because you didn’t do what you were supposed to. I’m not sure where Batterson got his information, because there’s nothing in the Biblical account of Moses that says he was intentionally seeking God’s voice. Also, Moses actually heard and saw God in the burning bush. He didn’t get a prompting in his heart, and nowhere in the Bible does it say that God still speaks through promptings. Jesus is the Word, do you want to know the will of God? Read the Word! Do you want to hear God's voice loudly? Read the Bible in audible voice! Before we buy a book please let make sure the book is in agreement with the Bible. Don't follow your emotions, your experience, or your thoughts, just follow the Word. The voice of God is found in the written text. Joshua 1:8 "Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." God bless you!