The Experience of His Voice..... Craig Denison

 

The Experience of His Voice

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

To know God is to experience God. Just as we experience aspects of one another as we grow in friendship, we experience the wonders of God as we seek to simply know him. God is calling us to a life of seeking him with all we are. He is calling us to value relationship with him above all else that we would love no other but him. May you encounter wonderful aspects of relationship with your heavenly Father this week as we wholeheartedly seek to know him with all we are.

Scripture:“Whoever is of God hears the words of God.” John 8:47

Devotional:

To seek the fullness of relationship with God is to hear his voice. “Whoever is of God hears the words of God” (John 8:47). Just like when I seek true relationship with a person, a conversation must happen; when we seek to truly know God, he talks with us. He is not a God who is silent but a God who speaks to us in any and every way he can.

All throughout the New Testament, there is both teaching on hearing the voice of God and instances where the people of God had conversation with him. In John 14:16-17 Jesus says, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” And later in John 16:13 Jesus says, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”

God himself dwells within us and longs to speak to our hearts. He longs for us to know the will of our heavenly Father the way Jesus did. He longs for us to follow his leading moment by moment the way the apostles did. And he longs for us to engage in conversation with him as all those who are in true relationship with one another do.

God is constantly speaking to us. The problem is that we don’t know how to listen. Scripture tells us that he is declaring the invisible attributes of his nature through creation (Romans 1:20). When I take time to experience firsthand the things God has made, I feel his presence. There is a reason it’s peaceful to be in creation. There is a reason it’s restful to be in the mountains, lay on a beach, or swim in the sea. All of creation is declaring the wonderful character of our loving God. We just need to learn how to listen.

God speaks to us through his revealed word. The inspirer of Scripture dwells within us and longs to use the Bible as a wonderful avenue to encountering its Author. The Bible is not a biography written after someone has died. Rather, it is the living, active words of a living, active God who longs for relationship with us (Hebrews 4:12).

God speaks to us through one another. All of us as believers have been given the same Spirit who has called us to a lifestyle of encouraging one another. We are called to be a critical part of the process of discovering God’s heart and will in each other’s lives. If we will make time to learn how God speaks to us for others, we will discover the very words of God given by grace to the lips of man.

And God speaks to us directly from his Spirit to our spirit. The Holy Spirit is a vocal God. He longs for us to know his thoughts. He longs to direct us whether it be through words, a sense, a desire, an uneasiness, or a prompting. He is always speaking to us. In order to learn to hear his voice moment by moment, whether we’re in solitude or in chaos, we must make time in the secret place to seek the fullness of relationship with him. It’s in seeking relationship with God that we become familiar with his voice and are able to follow him as sheep with their Shepherd.

Take time in guided prayer to seek the face of your heavenly Father and hear his voice however he is choosing to speak. Don’t limit yourself to hearing him in only one way. The path to the fullness of relationship with him is marked by his voice in each of these ways and more. Open your heart to hearing him through any and every way he is speaking that you might grow in your relationship with a good and loving God.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on Scripture that declares God to be a vocal God. Allow Scripture to stir up your desire to hear God in every way he speaks.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27

“Whoever is of God hears the words of God.” John 8:47

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20

2. In what ways are you comfortable hearing God? What ways might be new to you? Know that there is grace to grow in every facet of your relationship with him. Don’t limit yourself to only what you’ve known or experienced up to this point. Rather, seek the truth of God’s word by his Spirit and discover a wealth of relationship you might not have yet experienced.

3. Choose one of the ways God speaks that’s new to you and ask him to help you have conversation with him through that avenue. Again, hearing his voice through all of these avenues is meant to be the byproduct of simply seeking relationship with him. Just as we don’t seek to hear the voice of another person but seek relationship with them and get a conversation as a result, simply seek to know God and talk with him.

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jeremiah 33:3

“And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” John 16:13

To have conversation with God might sound strange for some, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. Rather, to have conversation with God available to us and to not take advantage of it is strange. God longs to speak to you. The Creator of all longs to have dialogue with you. The King of kings and Lord of lords is inviting you to meet with him that you might have true relationship. Seek God with all your heart. Look to Scripture and the lives of biblical believers as your source of truth and normalcy. Because of God’s heart to speak to you, you can live your life in constant conversation with a God who is both near to you and loves you.

Extended Reading: John 10

How to Transform a Life Today, Biblically..... By John D. Barry

How to Transform a Life Today, Biblically
By John D. Barry

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” - Matthew 5:9, NIV

Our world is full of problems. It feels overwhelming. But the solution starts right here, with each of us. Here are some practical and biblical steps you can take today to transform a life.

SPEAK WORDS OF LOVE AND PEACE

Much of the rhetoric of today has become filled with anger and hate. The Bible calls us to be peacemakers.

If we truly think of ourselves as children of God, those saved by the grace of Jesus, then we should be peacemakers. Rather than lashing out at others with hateful rhetoric and disdain, we should consider how we can show other people the very love of Christ.

That can be difficult when we feel ostracized for our faith, but that’s the time when such actions are most needed. Just after Jesus’ line about peacemakers, he says:

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12 NIV).

If we experience persecution and difficulties truly for the sake of the gospel then Jesus considers us blessed. We have become like the prophets of old. Our response to pain, difficulties, and persecution should always be love.

Jesus even went so far as to tell us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48). We are to love and leave justice in Jesus’ hands. Jesus summarizes this nicely when he says to Peter:

“Put your sword back in its place … for all who draw the sword will die by the sword” (Matthew 26:52 NIV).

Peace is a masterful plan. It gives us the ability to completely trust God with our future. When we respond out of love, we silence hate.

REALLY LIVE THE BIBLE’S MESSAGE

Far too many people claim belief in the Bible but don’t really live its message. The Bible’s calling is clear: We are to self-sacrificially love others. It is not enough to claim belief in Jesus without taking action. The book of James puts it this way:

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?” (James 2:14, NIV).

Jesus explained this idea when he differentiated between authentic and inauthentic believers by their actions on behalf of the stranger, sick, and imprisoned (Matthew 5:31-46). For Jesus, anyone who claimed to have experienced his saving grace but did not act on behalf of the outsider, marginalized, and helpless simply did not know him.

Take action today to empower others—really live the Bible’s message. Make a self-sacrificial choice for the sake of the gospel.

BE PART OF THE SOLUTION

In my experience, there are many Christians who like to talk about ideas but when it comes to action, there is silence.

Jesus did not tell us to simply speak about the gospel; he told us to take action on behalf of the gospel. In the book of Acts, Jesus frames the message this way:

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8 NIV).

Jesus’ message necessitates action. The remainder of the book of Acts illustrates this point. Starting from Jerusalem and moving out to the rest of the world, the early church begins to spread the word about Jesus’ saving act.

When you truly experience Jesus, you can’t help but take action. For far too long, we have talked about the need to bring the gospel to unreached people groups yet there are still 3,000 people groups without a single missionary. In Bihar, India alone—where the organization I lead is working—there are 101 Million people who have never heard the name of Jesus.

We need solutions to these problems. And that starts with each of us taking action. We need to be willing to give of our time and resources for the sake of Jesus’ mission. We should be willing to do so, to the point it hurts.

At one point a man said to Jesus said, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62 NIV). What are you looking back at? What do you need to let go of? How can you take action for the sake of reaching the unreached today?

Thanksgiving: For Richer or Poorer..... By Shawn McEvoy

 Thanksgiving: For Richer or Poorer

By Shawn McEvoy

"Christians who are poor should be glad, for God has honored them." - James 1:9

The rich eat ham,
The poor eat tuna.
Doesn't take as long to cook,
So we eat soona.
--Jay Henze

The words of that heretofore unknown poem were uttered by my lifelong best friend sometime around our senior year of high school. He conjured it out of thin air while I was spending the night at his house. It was the result of one of those "I'm so tired I'm laughing at anything" sessions you'd often experience with close friends around midnight.

It was also the result of Jay's enduring awareness of the socio-economic differences between himself and many of his friends, like me, from the affluent north side of town. So whenever I think of ham, tuna, or Jay, I often think of richness and poorness as well.

Recently, thanks to a fantastic tour around the Missionary Learning Center, I was thinking about missions and outreach. It struck me as interesting that whenever a mission of mercy or evangelism is commissioned, it tends to be to an area where there is a high concentration of poverty, whether it's to India, Mexico, or inner-city Philadelphia. Well, yes, as it should be.

After all, Christ commanded us, if we loved Him, to tend to His lambs (John 21:15-17). James 2:15-16 admonishes us not to ignore those in need of food or clothing. Paul and the Apostles started churches among those who were poor (Acts 9:36; 10:4). Poverty was crippling in the time of Christ and so it continues to be now. The very fact that Jay had a roof over his head and the fish he despised came in a can rather than him having to catch it made him one of the wealthiest persons on the planet. So the holidays are certainly a time to think about - nay, physically assist - those less fortunate than ourselves (2 Corinthians 9:9).

Then again, are we missing something?

Consider James 1:9 - "Christians who are poor should be glad, for God has honored them." There are lots of ways to be poor, and Jesus told us they brought about blessing in the long run (Matthew 5:3-12). Those poor in spirit will inherit the kingdom of heaven. Those mourning loved ones will be comforted. Those who make peace rather than seeking their own profit will be called sons of God, Who chose the poor of this world to be rich in faith (James 2:5). 2 Corinthians 6:10 states: "Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything."

And what about the rich?

That's the hard part, literally. Jesus said it's very difficult for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of heaven. Those who love their life too much find it hard to lose it. James reminds us it's the rich who "oppress us and drag us into court, blaspheming the fair name by which we've been called (James 2:6-7)." The word "miserable" has at its root the word "miser." The love of money isn't just the source of evil, but also of depression and dissatisfaction.

So… doesn't that mean that the rich have just as many spiritual needs, if not more, than the poor? Who will go to them? Who will train them in the joy of giving their money away and not living by comparison to others? What mission trips are planned?

I contend that untold legions of us are making such a trip this very month, back home to our families and friends, where a big ham might fill the center of the table, people will put on their fineries, and a lot of the talk will focus on the daily drudgeries of keeping our precious lives in working order to cover up the hole that's getting bigger in the soul.

We might spend a few minutes at the table saying how we're thankful we're not like others, or that we have our health, or that our family is with us - before we stuff ourselves, stare blankly at the Dallas Cowboys or Detroit Lions to avoid looking at each other, or fall asleep. Of course, you probably know someone for whom Thanksgiving is an unwelcome chore, a painful experience of dodging rejection, annoyance, questions of future or romance, and Uncle Jimbo.

Or, if you're truly rich, as I am for marrying into a godly family, there will be genuine thanks, true giving, heartfelt prayers, and corporate worship.

Whatever the case in your gathering, let me encourage you to take the love of Christ with you and accept the difficult challenge of bringing it to the wealthy this Thanksgiving. Jesus said a camel fitting through a needle's-eye was difficult, not impossible (thank goodness for most of us).

Intersecting Faith & Life: While you're together, try to figure out a way your clan can come together to do something for the impoverished among us. Without that outpouring, the warm comfort of wealth can grow stale and dry. Meanwhile, the next time you think on the cloud of poverty and those who suffer at its chill, remember that, at least in the biblical view, it carries a silver lining of comfort, inheritance, peace, and, I suppose, eating soona. And if those elements are present at your table, then you have a cornucopia indeed.

Further Reading

1 Timothy 6:6-11
Matthew 5

An Advent Prayer to Our Prince of Peace..... by Lisa Appelo

 An Advent Prayer to Our Prince of Peace

by Lisa Appelo

“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him -- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD.” Isaiah 11:1-2 [NIV]

This passage talks about stumps and shoots. We have several big oak trees in our yard and when one of them started endangering the house, we had it cut all the way down to a stump. A few months later? New green shoots with glossy green leaves began growing right out of that stump. 

That’s the picture that the prophet Isaiah uses. Seven hundred years before Jesus was ever born, Isaiah prophesied that a Messiah would come from the root of Jesse. Jesse was the father of King David, an ancestor of both Mary and Joseph. While nearly all of King David’s royal line would be wiped out, God promised a Messiah would come from the stump of Jesse.  

That’s the picture that the prophet Isaiah uses. Seven hundred years before Jesus was ever born, Isaiah prophesied that a Messiah would come from the root of Jesse. Jesse was the father of King David, an ancestor of both Mary and Joseph. While nearly all of King David’s royal line would be wiped out, God promised a Messiah would come from the stump of Jesse.  

Out of what looked like a dead royal line -- when a pagan, Roman government rather than a Hebrew king ruled over Israel -- God brought about that new shoot: the Messiah – Jesus.

Jesus, didn’t rule like King David with an earthly palace or majestic throne or royal robes conquering enemy nations through a mighty army. Instead, Jesus came in poverty and humility, to reveal a heavenly kingdom and to conquer the curse of sin through his own death.

Advent Prayer:

O Father, we praise you that before the foundation of the world You chose Jesus, our Messiah, to come to earth and show us the Way to the heavenly kingdom and to be the Way to the heavenly kingdom. We thank you for making room for us who are redeemed in Your heavenly Kingdom.

Jesus, we worship you as King of Kings and Lord of lords. You are my King. You have rule over my heart and my life, my thoughts and time and goals. I bow to You only and give you full and free reign over my life. Help me not to grip anything so tightly that I am unwilling to release it to You. You are a just King; our Prince of Peace. Help me to desire Your kingdom above that of my own making and bow to Your will above my own.

Holy Spirit, lead me in the ways of the heavenly kingdom. Teach me wisdom from above and guide me in truth. Help me to have eyes that see and ears that hear all that God has for me. Help me to know the Lord, to fully understand His might, to fear turning away from Him and to know His grace.

We love you Lord. With all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind and all of our strength we love you. We lavish you with our worship. We come to adore You today. Amen.

Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord
That hath made Heaven and earth of nought
And with his blood mankind has bought.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel!

 

God Is Good! Give Thanks!..... by Doug Fields

 God Is Good! Give Thanks!

 by Doug Fields

Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His faithful love endures forever. —Psalm 106:1 (NLT)

It’s Thanksgiving-eve as I write. Even if this year's celebration will only include your immediate family, you will probably be busy. In the hustle and bustle of this day, there will likely be more reasons for why being thankful might not be on the top of your list today. Here are a couple of possibilities:

• The turkey is thawing in the kitchen and you didn’t know that your dog loves raw turkey until you noticed him gnawing on one of the drumsticks in the living room.

• You make a final trip to the grocery store and you can't find anything on your list!

Whatever your day-before-Thanksgiving brings, allow me to simply remind you that there is always at least one good reason to give thanks, whatever your circumstances and it is this: God is good.

Here are three of my favorite ways that God displays His goodness:

1) God is good because He gives us free gifts. Everyone loves a free gift, right? God is good because His gifts are amazing! We read in Ephesians 2:4-5, “But God is so rich in mercy, He loved us so much, that He gave us back our lives again when He raised Christ from the dead. Only by His undeserved favor have we been saved.”

Do we deserve God’s kindness? No. Do we deserve His mercy? No. Do we deserve His forgiveness? No. God loves us and He gives us these free gifts. This is a reason to be thankful!

2) God is good because He loves us unconditionally. God loves us not for what we’ve done, but for who we are. This is a core truth about God and worthy of our embrace. God's love isn’t based on our income. It’s not based on our job. It’s not based on our looks. It’s not based on the way we dress. God's love for us has no strings attached. There’s nothing you can do to earn God's love. This is a reason to be thankful!

3) God is good because He offers us life forever. In the midst of all of the craziness happening in the world, we can be thankful that God wants our future to include real life! He offers us life to the full—here and now (see John 10:10) and someday, life in heaven.

We read in 1 Peter 1:4-5, “and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.” This is a reason to be thankful! 

God is good! He gives amazing gifts! He loves you unconditionally! He gives us life now and a future in heaven. So, what are you waiting for? Thanksgiving Day? There’s no need to wait! Give thanks!

GOING DEEPER:

1. What are the most personal and meaningful ways that you are thankful for God’s goodness to you?

2. Wherever you find yourself today, take some moments to thank God for His goodness.

FURTHER READING:

1 Chronicles 16:34; 1 Thessalonians 5:18