Does God communicate with
humanity? If so, how?

A panel discussion during 2018-FEB-13 on ABC's "The View" discussed a comment by former White House staff member Omarosa Manigault Newman. She had discussed Vice President Mike Pence's faith, saying:

"I am Christian; I love Jesus, but he thinks Jesus tells him to say things."

On the panel, Joy Behar commented:

"It's one think to talk to Jesus. It's another think when Jesus talks to you. That's called mental illness, if I'm not correct, hearing voices.

VP Mike Pence responded later on another TV show:

"I actually heard that ABC has a program that compared my Christianity to mental illness. And I'd like to laugh about it, but I really can't.

It's just wrong. And it's an insult not to me, but to the vast majority of the American people who, like me, cherish their faith. My Christianity is the most important thing in my life.

I try to start every day by opening the Good Book. My wife and I try to have a prayer together before I leave every morning. I can honestly tell you my faith sustains me in all that I do and it's just a regular part of our lives. But I'm not unusual. I think I'm a very typical American, whatever your faith tradition, people understand that.

But I just think it demonstrates just how out of touch some in the mainstream media are with the faith and values of the American people that you could have a major network like ABC permit a forum for invective against religion like that. And I call them out on it. Not because of what was said about me. But it's just simply wrong for ABC to have a television program that expresses that kind of religious intolerance.

We're better than that. Our country's better than that. I'd like to be light about it, but I really can't. Not for my sake, but for the tens of millions of Americans who cherish their faith, I can't be silent."

	Genesis 44:5 discusses a silver drinking cup that Joseph used as a divination tool.
	Numbers 27:21 and 1 Samuel 28:6 discuss the Urim and Thummim which were two objects that might have been flat stones, that the high priest used as a divination tool.
	Daniel 5:11 discusses how Daniel the prophet was employed for many years in Babylon as the chief occultist to the king. He was supervisor "of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans and soothsayers".

However Exodus 22:18, Leviticus 19:26-26; 19:31; 20:6; Deuteronomy 18:10-11; Isaiah 8:19 and Malachai 3:5 condemn various techniques of divination.

Seeking a religious leader's opinion might not be particularly useful. There are over 30,000 Christian denominations and para-church organizations in World. They teach a wide range of sometimes conflicting beliefs about the afterlife, apologetics, creation vs. evolution, divorce, eschatology, female ordination, Hell, predestination, the rapture, the book of revelation, salvation, sanctification, eternal security, being homosexual, bisexual, transgender, and many other topics.

One person's truth may be  a second person's heresy. The second person's truth might be the first person's heresy. Neal Griffin, perhaps influenced by the "Sheep and Goats" section of Matthew 25, writes:

"This is the "zombie" mind-set that led the followers of Jim Jones to the cyanide tub. This is the same mentality that characterized the Branch Davidians. It is a blind willingness to place one's faith in the hands of another. We, in the final moment, will be judged on an individual basis. Justification is a very individual matter. Judgment will be based on the deeds that we have done, and not on the conduct of some cult, movement, institution, or organization." ₃

Author Bruce Waltke writes:

"The New Testament gives no command to 'find God's will,' nor can you find instructions on how to go about finding God's will. There isn't a magic formula offered Christians that will open some mysterious door of wonder, allowing us to get a glimpse of the mind of the Almighty." ₄

Plain Truth Ministries suggests:

"God expects and directs ... [believers] to think, research and seek counsel in order to make wise decisions."

The Word in Life study Bible states:

"God has clearly and objectively told us what He wants throughout the Bible. For example, the Ten Commandments give straightforward instructions to guide our behavior in numerous areas of life. Likewise, one of the New Testament letters to the Thessalonians says plainly, 'This is the will of God.' (1 Thessalonians 4:3)." ₅

Author George Mueller suggest that one use reason and biblical study to reach a tentative conclusion. If one's mind is at peace with the decision after a number of petitions to God, then he suggests accepting the decision. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- the Mormons -- often use this method. Mueller writes:

"Through prayer, the study of the Word and reflection, I come to a deliberate judgment according to the best of my ability and knowledge. If my mind is at peace and continues so after two or three more petitions, I proceed accordingly. I have found this method always effective in [either] trivial or important decisions." ₆

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