Hearing God

So far, I’ve not been successful in telling God what to do. I can listen, but I can’t make him speak. I can pray, but I don’t always get an answer.
If I would push my imagination, I could see and hear whatever suited me, just calling it “God’s voice.” This is how the religious leaders labeled Jesus a servant of the devil and called for his death. So obviously, that’s not an option for me.
Some Christians seem to have a high-speed Internet connection with God, as if they can text any question and get an immediate response. Invariably, this gives them a strong feeling of self-confidence, that they can do anything because God has given them the strength.
I have a problem with people who say, “God told me to tell you . . .” when the words could be true for just about anybody.
An experienced “prophet,” or what we might call a psychic, may offer (1) insights that would be true for everyone, (2) opposing sides of a condition, keeping the one that connects, and (3) a supposition that is adjusted to whatever connects with a person’s experiences and belief.
Jesus didn’t need to ask leading questions to touch people hearts. His connection with the Father was real, allowing him to be specific, saying to Peter, “Go out to the lake. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, remove the coin, and go pay our taxes.”
Perhaps the best way to know if a word is from God is for the truth to resonate within my own heart.