How Do Christians Know When God Is Speaking to Them?

[The Valkyrie]

Well, in recent history it seems "god" told almost every Republican candidate to run for president.  He told a woman to kill her kids, and he's told various parents to pray and not get their kids medical treatment.

Over all, I would say don't listen to the voices in your head.

Unless it's Jeff, he's awesome!

If the voices contradict Jesus' message in the bible, then ignore them.

1 John 4:1English Standard Version (ESV)

Test the Spirits
4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

But this is the god who ordered Abraham to slaughter Isaac.

[Lek]

But this is the god who ordered Abraham to slaughter Isaac.

Ancient Israel was a theocracy. They didn't have an end to blood sacrifices, as we do because Jesus paid the price, and they didn't have him as their intercessor with the Father. God came directly to people with audible words. Demanding a blood sacrifice from Abraham was a legitimate demand, as it would be for any human because all had sinned and that was what was required. Of course, God was testing Abraham and stopped him before he was able to complete the sacrifice. Abraham also believed that God was able to resurrect Isaacc. God allowed the Israelites to substitute the blood of animals for their own. Yes. It was all pretty nasty, but that was the state of the world.

[The Valkyrie]

But this is the god who ordered Abraham to slaughter Isaac.

Ancient Israel was a theocracy.  They didn't have an end to blood sacrifices, as we do because Jesus paid the price, and they didn't have him as their intercessor with the Father.  God came directly to people with audible words.  Demanding a blood sacrifice from Abraham was a legitimate demand, as it would be for any human because all had sinned and that was what was required.  Of course, God was testing Abraham and stopped him before he was able to complete the sacrifice.  Abraham also believed that God was able to resurrect Isaacc.  God allowed the Israelites to substitute the blood of animals for their own.  Yes. It was all pretty nasty, but that was the state of the world.

Jesus was a blood sacrifice, assuming that Christian mythology is real.

[Whateverist]

But this is the god who ordered Abraham to slaughter Isaac.

Ancient Israel was a theocracy.  They didn't have an end to blood sacrifices, as we do because Jesus paid the price, and they didn't have him as their intercessor with the Father.  God came directly to people with audible words.  Demanding a blood sacrifice from Abraham was a legitimate demand, as it would be for any human because all had sinned and that was what was required.  Of course, God was testing Abraham and stopped him before he was able to complete the sacrifice.  Abraham also believed that God was able to resurrect Isaacc.  God allowed the Israelites to substitute the blood of animals for their own.  Yes. It was all pretty nasty, but that was the state of the world.

You've got to realize how this sounds from outside the kool-aid circle.  Blood sacrifices were correctly made of one's own children up until God put his seed inside a jewish girl to give birth to a son (himself) so as to torture and then sacrifice that son (himself) .. thereby alleviating his previous requirement of blood sacrifices.  Really?  Why not just end the sacrifices without all the rigamarole?

[dyresand]

Ancient Israel was a theocracy.  They didn't have an end to blood sacrifices, as we do because Jesus paid the price, and they didn't have him as their intercessor with the Father.  God came directly to people with audible words.  Demanding a blood sacrifice from Abraham was a legitimate demand, as it would be for any human because all had sinned and that was what was required.  Of course, God was testing Abraham and stopped him before he was able to complete the sacrifice.  Abraham also believed that God was able to resurrect Isaacc.  God allowed the Israelites to substitute the blood of animals for their own.  Yes. It was all pretty nasty, but that was the state of the world.

Jesus was a blood sacrifice, assuming that Christian mythology is real.

NO not it's not since you know all the biblical writers write about the guy years after the fact and never meet or knew him. 
There was other jesus like figures during that time jesus is not original by any means at all.

[robvalue]

A question to anyone who thinks God is speaking to them but doesn't actually directly hear it:

Which is the more likely scenario?

1) The creator and ruler of the whole universe is taking an interest in one particular planet, and not just that, but you specifically. He feels he has messages he needs to send to you. But he doesn't want to just give you the information, he wants to disguise these messages in ways that could just as easily have no significance whatsoever.

2) You're projecting significance onto events due to confirmation bias and wishful thinking. You're seeing what you want to see.

Where did I say anything about natural laws or human measurements?

OK.  After a rereading I get it.  I'll say God can do things that are seemingly impossible to you.

That makes more sense.

[popsthebuilder]

Ancient Israel was a theocracy.  They didn't have an end to blood sacrifices, as we do because Jesus paid the price, and they didn't have him as their intercessor with the Father.  God came directly to people with audible words.  Demanding a blood sacrifice from Abraham was a legitimate demand, as it would be for any human because all had sinned and that was what was required.  Of course, God was testing Abraham and stopped him before he was able to complete the sacrifice.  Abraham also believed that God was able to resurrect Isaacc.  God allowed the Israelites to substitute the blood of animals for their own.  Yes. It was all pretty nasty, but that was the state of the world.

You've got to realize how this sounds from outside the kool-aid circle.  Blood sacrifices were correctly made of one's own children up until God put his seed inside a jewish girl to give birth to a son (himself) so as to torture and then sacrifice that son (himself) .. thereby alleviating his previous requirement of blood sacrifices.  Really?  Why not just end the sacrifices without all the rigamarole?

Because that doctrine is false.

Faith in selfless Unity for Good.

[dyresand]

You've got to realize how this sounds from outside the kool-aid circle.  Blood sacrifices were correctly made of one's own children up until God put his seed inside a jewish girl to give birth to a son (himself) so as to torture and then sacrifice that son (himself) .. thereby alleviating his previous requirement of blood sacrifices.  Really?  Why not just end the sacrifices without all the rigamarole?

Because that doctrine is false.

Faith in selfless Unity for Good.

The irony with that people are leaving the faith like they should have done a already.

[popsthebuilder]

Because that doctrine is false.

Faith in selfless Unity for Good.

The irony with that people are leaving the faith like they should have done a already.

What?

Faith in selfless Unity for Good.

[Rhondazvous]

Did you really say that one of faith in a singular creative force is necessarily of a lower intellect than a nihilist?

I know you didn't use those exact words but still.

As if all scientific advancement was made by atheists or something.

Don't be so quick to make the opinion of the masses your own. Especially such a biased opinion as that.

Faith in selfless Unity for Good.

I don’t think intellect has anything to do with it. Theism and nihilism are just two extremes. The theist has too much imagination. The nihilist has none at all.

We need imagination. We need to be able to envision the world as we can make it. Otherwise, we’d still be living in caves because if you can’t visualize a house, you can’t build one.

Balance is of the essence. Without a god to tell us what life should be, we are free to make it what we want it to be. The mind that sinks from there to a point of hopeless meaningless ness is totally lacking in imagination.