Rickd, I don't think you're nuts! However, I have run across many well-meaning Christians who are ill-informed and questionably motivated who use these ideas for much harm both within and without the church. Some of them I might call nuts. Not literally insane, but not acting with the reason God gave them. Also, I get that lots of people are listed in the Bible as having spoken in tongues and prophesied (especially in relation to the day of Pentecost). However ,that does not mean it was a regular thing in their lives. It may have been, but it does not necessarily say that in the Scriptures. I just think with things that can be very subjective or easily misinterpreted we need to err on the side of caution.

Mark, thanks for not declaring me nuts. Part of our problem is that evangelicals lack teaching or experience with prophecy, the voice of the Lord, visions, etc. In reality, most books of the Old Testament were written by men who regularly heard the voice of the Lord. And most of the characters they wrote about also heard the voice of the Lord. All the writers of the New Testament spoke in tongues (the Holy Spirit praying through them) and prophesied. Luke tells us even that Jesus Mother, brothers and all the disciples, were in the upper room and spoke in tongues and prophesied. Paul later said, “I thank God I speak in tongues more than ye all” to the Corinthians. The ecclesiastic authority aggressively rid the church of the prophetic. Irenaeus said, “the gift of prophecy is safely hidden under the Bishop’s mitre.” Hearing the voice of the Lord is threatening to the authority of the church. No wonder Paul said, despise not prophesying. Idols "have mouths, but cannot speak". God speaks.

Of course, determining God's will is a serious subject and, as Mark Twain observed, "all His work must be contemplated with respect." Yet, I think the voice we often hear confirming or refuting our decisions sounds an awful like our own. Maybe God just wants us to use good ol' common sense - and the word of God. And if something more is needed, He will let us know.

Rickd, I guess we agree and disagree. I believe the Lord speaks about many things (and in many ways), but it does not mean He speaks about all things. I think the audible voice is rare in most people's experiences and I have known people who "heard" God's voice tell them to do all sorts of sinful and selfish things. I have also known people who have dreams/visions that proved true. I have known more people who have "prophesied" either consistently rosy things for the church they attend or consistently dire things about people who were doing things they thought sinful. In most cases, these were either made up or just things they wanted. I also believe a vision/angel is not the same as an audible voice. I agree that sometimes we don't hear God because we close ourselves off to certain modes of communication, but we also set people up for failure. I know some who's faith has suffered because they weren't hearing God in a certain way and felt they should have because others said so

Speaking is the most common way the Lord communicates after the resurrection. “Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions”...“He told them, “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!”...“an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south”...The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”...“Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”...“The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!”...“Cornelius!” the angel said.”... “A voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.”...”He told me, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard”...”And I heard a voice say, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.”... “Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming”...”the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee”...”The Holy Spirit told me to go with them”...”The Holy Spirit said, “Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work”...“The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner