The Kingdom of God, also referred to as The Kingdom of Heaven, is an everlasting kingdom, invisible to the human eye. The Kingdom of God is more real and lasting than all the earthly kingdoms of this world. It's a spiritual kingdom and only those born of the Spirit of God can enter. Entry is by faith in Jesus Christ, God's Son.
The Kingdom of God isn't some far off place. Jesus told us,
"The Kingdom of God is within you".
The Kingdom of God is a spiritual state in which the life of God and heaven is accessible to us. We can enjoy the Kingdom of God while here on earth.
On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit brought the Kingdom of God into the heart's of His disciples.
The mark of a kingdom is the presence of the king. When the Holy Spirit came down, Jesus came to be with His disciples. He is more near now than He could be while in the flesh.
The abiding nearness and fellowship of Jesus is the great blessing of the Kingdom.The Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to have Jesus with us all the time. His presence makes heaven around and within us.
Stop and think about that for a few minutes. We are never alone - Jesus is always with us.
What are you doing to remind yourself of this great truth?
We pray, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." This is possible because Jesus is with us through His Holy Spirit.
If we know God and have the Holy Spirit we are living in the Kingdom now - some of us are simply more aware of that than others.
Being in the Kingdom means living a life in which God rules over everything. The Kingdom of God is a place where His will is truly and gladly done. The blessedness that reigns in Heaven can be found on earth where His rule and reign are evident.
"The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit."
Life in the presence and the will and the power of God is possible. We can live in the Kingdom now.
We don't have to live mediocre lives. The Kingdom of God is here and we can have newness of life now.
It's time to trust His mighty power at work in us and recognise His presence with us.
For more on God's Presence see:
Walking in Eternal Life
How Real Is God To You?
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Hearing God - Through Nature
God speaks through His creation.
We can understand a lot about the spiritual realm by noticing things in the natural world. Colossians tells us that the natural world is a shadow of the spiritual.
We can connect with God through His creation and learn a lot about His ways.
When unnatural things occur, such as the fog that has been over the UK for the last few days, we need to ask,
"Lord what are you showing us through this?"
God speaks through His physical creation and through symbolic elements.
We need to be more sensitive to sudden changes in the weather and ask God to reveal any deeper meaning to us.
Ask for understanding of the times and seasons that we live in.
1 Chronicles 2:32
We can understand a lot about the spiritual realm by noticing things in the natural world. Colossians tells us that the natural world is a shadow of the spiritual.
We can connect with God through His creation and learn a lot about His ways.
When unnatural things occur, such as the fog that has been over the UK for the last few days, we need to ask,
"Lord what are you showing us through this?"
God speaks through His physical creation and through symbolic elements.
We need to be more sensitive to sudden changes in the weather and ask God to reveal any deeper meaning to us.
Ask for understanding of the times and seasons that we live in.
1 Chronicles 2:32
Monday, December 18, 2006
Rick Warren - TEDTalk
In this 15 minute talk, Rick Warren talks about 'world view' and the spiritual emptiness that has drawn people to buy his book, 'The Purpose Driven Life'.
He asks:
'What's in your hand?'
'What are you doing with what you've been given?'
And tells us, 'God smiles when you be you.'
Rick Warren - TEDTalks
It really is worth listening to.
He asks:
'What's in your hand?'
'What are you doing with what you've been given?'
And tells us, 'God smiles when you be you.'
Rick Warren - TEDTalks
It really is worth listening to.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Hearing God - Through Perception and Impressions
Sometimes we get a slight impression of something or a gut feeling. Some people call it intuition.
Intuition is knowing something spontaneously, without reasoning it out or discovering it.
Perception is understanding something by the senses or the mind, it involves intuitive awareness.
An impression is similar - we tend to use it to mean a nudge of the Holy Spirit.
We all have intuitive feelings at some level - it's like a gut feeling or just knowing something.
The New Testament speaks of the disciples as perceiving things, God gives us that ability too.
Whatever you call it, it is, in effect, knowing something without using your natural senses.
If we give Him the opportunity, the Holy Spirit will magnify these inner nudges. With the Holy Spirit's help we can develop our spiritual senses so that we can be aware of danger, of hidden things, even the thoughts and intentions of other people's hearts.
The more we take notice of these impressions, act on them and trust the Holy Spirit's nudges, the more sensitive we will become to God's promptings.
Our Father is speaking to us through subtle impressions. It's time to take notice of them, step out in faith and act on them.
We get better at something by practising. When you start out you will sometimes get it wrong. If you persist and learn from your mistakes you will eventually get it right more of the time.
Keep stepping out in faith and your level of spiritual awareness will increase.
Intuition is knowing something spontaneously, without reasoning it out or discovering it.
Perception is understanding something by the senses or the mind, it involves intuitive awareness.
An impression is similar - we tend to use it to mean a nudge of the Holy Spirit.
We all have intuitive feelings at some level - it's like a gut feeling or just knowing something.
The New Testament speaks of the disciples as perceiving things, God gives us that ability too.
Whatever you call it, it is, in effect, knowing something without using your natural senses.
If we give Him the opportunity, the Holy Spirit will magnify these inner nudges. With the Holy Spirit's help we can develop our spiritual senses so that we can be aware of danger, of hidden things, even the thoughts and intentions of other people's hearts.
The more we take notice of these impressions, act on them and trust the Holy Spirit's nudges, the more sensitive we will become to God's promptings.
Our Father is speaking to us through subtle impressions. It's time to take notice of them, step out in faith and act on them.
We get better at something by practising. When you start out you will sometimes get it wrong. If you persist and learn from your mistakes you will eventually get it right more of the time.
Keep stepping out in faith and your level of spiritual awareness will increase.
Monday, December 11, 2006
How To Hear God - Through Our Conscience
God speaks to everyone through their conscience.
Many of us hear through an inner voice or 'sense' that tells us which way to go.
God normally speaks in a voice that is best described as a 'still, small voice.' It's a voice that we can all hear. Our biggest problem is learning to distinguish the voice of God from all the other voices that speak to us.
How do we know whether the voice we associate with conscience is truly God’s and not merely the voice of our imperfect fathers, or mothers, or families, or friends, or teachers?
The voice of our conscience is the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to our human spirit - or the Holy Spirit agreeing with our conscience.
Jesus said that He would send His Holy Spirit to live in us and convict us of sin - that's the job of our conscience.
God gave us our conscience as a way of knowing right from wrong. It's an inner awareness of what is of God and what isn't.
It often goes with a sense of peace, a feeling of confirmation or a feeling of being troubled.
Some people have difficulty hearing because they have ignored their conscience for so long.
But, as we put ourselves in a position to listen and respond, our hearts will open and the whispering of God’s still small voice will begin to ring loud and clear in our ears.
Here's something to ponder:
"A well-beaten path does not always make the right road."
"Cowardice asks the question,
"Is it safe?"
Expedience asks the question,
"Is it political?"
Vanity asks,
"Is it popular?"
But conscience asks the question,
"Is it right?"
There comes a time when one must take a position that's neither safe, nor political, nor popular, but he must make it because his conscience tells him that it's right." - Martin Luther King Jr.
"Conscience is what hurts when everything else feels good."
"The voice of conscience is so delicate that it is easy to stifle it; but it is also so clear that it is impossible to mistake it." - Germaine de Stael
Are you listening to your conscience?
Is there something you need to do, or stop doing?
Talk to your Father about it. He's waiting for you to respond.
Many of us hear through an inner voice or 'sense' that tells us which way to go.
God normally speaks in a voice that is best described as a 'still, small voice.' It's a voice that we can all hear. Our biggest problem is learning to distinguish the voice of God from all the other voices that speak to us.
How do we know whether the voice we associate with conscience is truly God’s and not merely the voice of our imperfect fathers, or mothers, or families, or friends, or teachers?
The voice of our conscience is the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to our human spirit - or the Holy Spirit agreeing with our conscience.
Jesus said that He would send His Holy Spirit to live in us and convict us of sin - that's the job of our conscience.
God gave us our conscience as a way of knowing right from wrong. It's an inner awareness of what is of God and what isn't.
It often goes with a sense of peace, a feeling of confirmation or a feeling of being troubled.
Some people have difficulty hearing because they have ignored their conscience for so long.
But, as we put ourselves in a position to listen and respond, our hearts will open and the whispering of God’s still small voice will begin to ring loud and clear in our ears.
Here's something to ponder:
"A well-beaten path does not always make the right road."
"Cowardice asks the question,
"Is it safe?"
Expedience asks the question,
"Is it political?"
Vanity asks,
"Is it popular?"
But conscience asks the question,
"Is it right?"
There comes a time when one must take a position that's neither safe, nor political, nor popular, but he must make it because his conscience tells him that it's right." - Martin Luther King Jr.
"Conscience is what hurts when everything else feels good."
"The voice of conscience is so delicate that it is easy to stifle it; but it is also so clear that it is impossible to mistake it." - Germaine de Stael
Are you listening to your conscience?
Is there something you need to do, or stop doing?
Talk to your Father about it. He's waiting for you to respond.
Friday, December 08, 2006
How To Hear God - Silent Listening
What can we do to develop our spiritual hearing?
One of the things we can do is learn to still our minds and listen.
Listening prayer is a lost art.
Sometimes we simply need to sit down, not ask anything and just listen.
Have you ever tried just listening?
It's in those still, quiet times that we begin to sense God's heartbeat.
It's a bit like tuning to a radio station but you are tuning to God’s thoughts. Once you know what God's voice is like, it's easier to find it again.
Find a quiet place - little noises may be distracting, particularly at first.
Get into a comfortable position and relax.
Close your eyes to shut out distractions.
Wait and listen.
Wait some more.
God promised to lead us by His Spirit and he told us that his sheep will know His voice.
Decide to believe what God says and agree with His Word.
Say to yourself, 'Because I follow Jesus, I will know the voice of God. Thank you Father that I do know your voice and hear you speaking to me.'
Put your faith into action.
Open the ears of your heart and start listening for the voice of the Spirit.
The more you trust His voice and follow His leadings, the more clearly you'll hear Him.
Before long, hearing from God won't be something that happens every now and then, it will be part of you daily life, almost as natural as breathing.
What is the Spirit of God telling you today?
He's waiting for you to stop and tune in.
If you're ready for some more encouragement I recommend that you read 'Ever Increasing Faith' by Smith Wigglesworth. Wigglesworth was a very ordinary man who exercised extraordinary faith in God. God used him to work many miracles. If you e-mail me and put Wigglesworth in the subject line I'll send you a PDF file of 'Ever Increasing Faith'.
One of the things we can do is learn to still our minds and listen.
Listening prayer is a lost art.
Sometimes we simply need to sit down, not ask anything and just listen.
Have you ever tried just listening?
It's in those still, quiet times that we begin to sense God's heartbeat.
It's a bit like tuning to a radio station but you are tuning to God’s thoughts. Once you know what God's voice is like, it's easier to find it again.
Find a quiet place - little noises may be distracting, particularly at first.
Get into a comfortable position and relax.
Close your eyes to shut out distractions.
Wait and listen.
Wait some more.
God promised to lead us by His Spirit and he told us that his sheep will know His voice.
Decide to believe what God says and agree with His Word.
Say to yourself, 'Because I follow Jesus, I will know the voice of God. Thank you Father that I do know your voice and hear you speaking to me.'
Put your faith into action.
Open the ears of your heart and start listening for the voice of the Spirit.
The more you trust His voice and follow His leadings, the more clearly you'll hear Him.
Before long, hearing from God won't be something that happens every now and then, it will be part of you daily life, almost as natural as breathing.
What is the Spirit of God telling you today?
He's waiting for you to stop and tune in.
If you're ready for some more encouragement I recommend that you read 'Ever Increasing Faith' by Smith Wigglesworth. Wigglesworth was a very ordinary man who exercised extraordinary faith in God. God used him to work many miracles. If you e-mail me and put Wigglesworth in the subject line I'll send you a PDF file of 'Ever Increasing Faith'.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Obstacles To Hearing God’s Voice
If you want to continue hearing God, you need to be willing to act on what He says.
Hearing God involves being willing to line up your whole life with His purposes. When you come to God with an attitude of obedience it’s easier to receive what He has to say.
Jesus has opened up the way to God. The only obstacles that exist are those you allow to stay put or subconsciously put in the way.
What are the obstacles to hearing God speak?
The most obvious obstacle is unrepented sin. When you don't acknowledge your sin, or when you persist in sinful behaviour, you create a barrier.
If you’re living in a way that displeases God and have stopped listening to your conscience, your heart becomes hardened. A hardened heart is a result of ignoring the conviction of the Holy Spirit. The more hardened your heart, the more difficult it is to hear God and obey what He says.
How can you hear God when you continue to disobey Him?
Have you paid attention to the things He’s revealed before?
If you’ve only made a token effort and aren’t doing what God has said, it’s unrealistic to expect the Holy Spirit to reveal anything else to you. You can’t expect to receive further revelation from God when you aren’t doing the things He’s already revealed.
Do you really expect God to speak? Lack of expectation can keep you from revelation.
There are many reasons why you might struggle to hear God's voice.
Examine your relationship with God.
Are you tuned to the right frequency?
Have you got a good connection? Sin, wrong attitudes and unforgiveness can block communication. So can greed, selfish ambition, pride and your own agenda.
God can and does break through the sin barrier – Adam and Eve still heard God even though they had sinned – but sin that isn’t dealt with can get in the way and make it difficult to hear.
What’s your motivation?
If you’re seeking to hear God for selfish reasons and looking to profit from what you hear or if you’re looking to achieve your own ambitions – God’s unlikely to cooperate no matter how long you pray or fast.
Have you acted on what God has already told you? He’s looking for obedience and faith.
Have you died to self? Are you ready to lay down your own will and your own agenda and sincerely ask the Lord what He wants in the situation?
Are you resentful? Are angry that God isn’t doing things your way? Do you think you know best and are scandalised that God isn’t co-operating with you. Beware; resentment will make you deaf to God’s voice.
Selective hearing can keep you from hearing God. You might not hear because you think God always speaks in a particular way. When God doesn’t speak in the way that you expect you might not recognize that it’s God speaking to you. You need to be open to God speaking in any way He chooses.
Beware of sifting out what you don’t want to hear because it isn’t comfortable or it doesn’t fit with your plans.
Are you impatient? Are you in a rush to hear and not prepared to wait long enough. I wonder how many times you’ve missed God speaking by giving up just as you were about to break through.
Do you want to hear God enough to wait and listen, believing that He will speak?
Are you hungry to hear God?
"If you make Insight your priority, and won't take no for an answer, searching for it like a prospector panning for gold, like an adventurer on a treasure hunt, believe me, before you know it Fear of God will be yours; you'll have come upon the knowledge of God."
"Yes, beg for knowledge; plead for insight. Look for it as hard as you would for silver or some hidden treasure. If you do, you will know what it means to fear the Lord and you will succeed in learning about God."
Proverbs 2: 3-5
If you've given yourself a spiritual check up, you will hear God if you position yourself to hear. That is God's promise to you.
Be like Habakkuk - stand at you guard post, keep watch and see what He will speak to you.
Habakkuk 2:1-2
Hearing God involves being willing to line up your whole life with His purposes. When you come to God with an attitude of obedience it’s easier to receive what He has to say.
Jesus has opened up the way to God. The only obstacles that exist are those you allow to stay put or subconsciously put in the way.
What are the obstacles to hearing God speak?
The most obvious obstacle is unrepented sin. When you don't acknowledge your sin, or when you persist in sinful behaviour, you create a barrier.
If you’re living in a way that displeases God and have stopped listening to your conscience, your heart becomes hardened. A hardened heart is a result of ignoring the conviction of the Holy Spirit. The more hardened your heart, the more difficult it is to hear God and obey what He says.
How can you hear God when you continue to disobey Him?
Have you paid attention to the things He’s revealed before?
If you’ve only made a token effort and aren’t doing what God has said, it’s unrealistic to expect the Holy Spirit to reveal anything else to you. You can’t expect to receive further revelation from God when you aren’t doing the things He’s already revealed.
Do you really expect God to speak? Lack of expectation can keep you from revelation.
There are many reasons why you might struggle to hear God's voice.
Examine your relationship with God.
Are you tuned to the right frequency?
Have you got a good connection? Sin, wrong attitudes and unforgiveness can block communication. So can greed, selfish ambition, pride and your own agenda.
God can and does break through the sin barrier – Adam and Eve still heard God even though they had sinned – but sin that isn’t dealt with can get in the way and make it difficult to hear.
What’s your motivation?
If you’re seeking to hear God for selfish reasons and looking to profit from what you hear or if you’re looking to achieve your own ambitions – God’s unlikely to cooperate no matter how long you pray or fast.
Have you acted on what God has already told you? He’s looking for obedience and faith.
Have you died to self? Are you ready to lay down your own will and your own agenda and sincerely ask the Lord what He wants in the situation?
Are you resentful? Are angry that God isn’t doing things your way? Do you think you know best and are scandalised that God isn’t co-operating with you. Beware; resentment will make you deaf to God’s voice.
Selective hearing can keep you from hearing God. You might not hear because you think God always speaks in a particular way. When God doesn’t speak in the way that you expect you might not recognize that it’s God speaking to you. You need to be open to God speaking in any way He chooses.
Beware of sifting out what you don’t want to hear because it isn’t comfortable or it doesn’t fit with your plans.
Are you impatient? Are you in a rush to hear and not prepared to wait long enough. I wonder how many times you’ve missed God speaking by giving up just as you were about to break through.
Do you want to hear God enough to wait and listen, believing that He will speak?
Are you hungry to hear God?
"If you make Insight your priority, and won't take no for an answer, searching for it like a prospector panning for gold, like an adventurer on a treasure hunt, believe me, before you know it Fear of God will be yours; you'll have come upon the knowledge of God."
"Yes, beg for knowledge; plead for insight. Look for it as hard as you would for silver or some hidden treasure. If you do, you will know what it means to fear the Lord and you will succeed in learning about God."
Proverbs 2: 3-5
If you've given yourself a spiritual check up, you will hear God if you position yourself to hear. That is God's promise to you.
Be like Habakkuk - stand at you guard post, keep watch and see what He will speak to you.
Habakkuk 2:1-2
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Every Day Is A Day To Pay It Forward
Are you listening to the Holy Spirit's promptings?
This story was posted on the Elijah List.
I hope it encourages you as much as it does me.
Psalm 55:22 "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."
God will take care of you. Friends can be God's way of taking care of us, and He sends them when we need them.
The following was written by a Metro Denver Hospice Physician:
I just had one of the most amazing experiences of my life and wanted to share it with my family and dearest friends.
One evening, I was driving home from a meeting and got stuck in traffic on Colorado Boulevard, and my car started to choke, splutter, and die. I barely managed to coast while cursing into a gas station. I was only glad that I would not be blocking traffic and would have a somewhat warm spot to wait for the tow truck. My car wouldn't even turn over.
Before I could make the call to the tow company, I saw a woman walking out of the "quickie mart" building. It looked like she slipped on some ice and fell into a gas pump, so I got out to see if she was okay. When I got there, it appeared she was overcome by sobs because she had fallen. She was a young woman who looked really worn-down with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something, and as I helped her up, I picked it up to give it to her---it was a nickel.
At that moment, everything came into focus for me--the crying woman, the ancient suburban crammed full of stuff with three kids in the back (one in a car seat), and the gas pump reading $4.95.
I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she just kept saying, "I don't want my kids to see me crying," so we stood on the other side of the pump from her car. She said she was driving to California, and that things were very hard for her right now. So I asked, "And you were praying?" That made her back away from me a little, but I assured her I was not a crazy person and I said, "He heard you, and He sent me."
I took out my credit card and swiped it through the card reader on the pump, so she could fill-up her car completely. And while it was fueling, I walked next door to Mc Donald's, and bought two big bags of food, some gift certificates for more, and a big cup of coffee. She then gave the food to the kids in the car, who attacked it like wolves, and we stood by the pump eating fries and talking a little.
Her Story
She told me her name, and that she lived in Kansas City. Her boyfriend left two months ago, and she had not been able to make ends meet. This young mom knew she wouldn't have money to pay rent on January 1st, and finally in desperation, she called her parents, with whom she had not spoken to in about five years. They lived in California, and her parents said she could come live with them and try to get on her feet there. So she packed up everything she owned into the car, told the kids they were going to California for Christmas, but didn't tell them they were going to live there.
I gave her my gloves, a little hug, and said a quick prayer with her for safety on the road. As I was walking over to my car, she said, "So, are you like an angel or something?" This definitely made me cry. I said, "Sweetie, at this time of year, angels are really busy, so sometimes God uses regular people."
It was so incredible to be a part of someone else's miracle. And of course, you guessed it, when I got in my car, it started right away and got me home with no problem. I'll take it in the shop tomorrow to check, but I suspect the mechanic won't find anything wrong.
"Sometimes the angels fly close enough to you that you can hear the flutter of their wings..."
Psalms 55:22 "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."
Let's Remember to Pray for One Another
Prayer is powerful, and prayer is one of the best gifts we receive. There is no cost, but there a lot of rewards. Let's continue to pray for one another:
"Father, I ask You to bless my children, grandchildren, friends, relatives, and cyber friends reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and Your mercy. Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through Your grace, In Jesus' precious name. Amen."
When satan is knocking at your door, simply say, "Jesus, could You please get that for me?"
Remember - Tomorrow is not promised to us and waiting for another day may be too late.
Take advantage of the time!
If this is a blessing, feel free to pass it along to some friends!
Story submitted by Kim Alexis
www.kimalexis.com
Email: kim@kimalexis.com
www.elijahlist.com
If you'd like to know when the next article is posted, please click on the subscribe link in the right hand column.
You can send this page to a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
This story was posted on the Elijah List.
I hope it encourages you as much as it does me.
Psalm 55:22 "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."
God will take care of you. Friends can be God's way of taking care of us, and He sends them when we need them.
The following was written by a Metro Denver Hospice Physician:
I just had one of the most amazing experiences of my life and wanted to share it with my family and dearest friends.
One evening, I was driving home from a meeting and got stuck in traffic on Colorado Boulevard, and my car started to choke, splutter, and die. I barely managed to coast while cursing into a gas station. I was only glad that I would not be blocking traffic and would have a somewhat warm spot to wait for the tow truck. My car wouldn't even turn over.
Before I could make the call to the tow company, I saw a woman walking out of the "quickie mart" building. It looked like she slipped on some ice and fell into a gas pump, so I got out to see if she was okay. When I got there, it appeared she was overcome by sobs because she had fallen. She was a young woman who looked really worn-down with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something, and as I helped her up, I picked it up to give it to her---it was a nickel.
At that moment, everything came into focus for me--the crying woman, the ancient suburban crammed full of stuff with three kids in the back (one in a car seat), and the gas pump reading $4.95.
I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she just kept saying, "I don't want my kids to see me crying," so we stood on the other side of the pump from her car. She said she was driving to California, and that things were very hard for her right now. So I asked, "And you were praying?" That made her back away from me a little, but I assured her I was not a crazy person and I said, "He heard you, and He sent me."
I took out my credit card and swiped it through the card reader on the pump, so she could fill-up her car completely. And while it was fueling, I walked next door to Mc Donald's, and bought two big bags of food, some gift certificates for more, and a big cup of coffee. She then gave the food to the kids in the car, who attacked it like wolves, and we stood by the pump eating fries and talking a little.
Her Story
She told me her name, and that she lived in Kansas City. Her boyfriend left two months ago, and she had not been able to make ends meet. This young mom knew she wouldn't have money to pay rent on January 1st, and finally in desperation, she called her parents, with whom she had not spoken to in about five years. They lived in California, and her parents said she could come live with them and try to get on her feet there. So she packed up everything she owned into the car, told the kids they were going to California for Christmas, but didn't tell them they were going to live there.
I gave her my gloves, a little hug, and said a quick prayer with her for safety on the road. As I was walking over to my car, she said, "So, are you like an angel or something?" This definitely made me cry. I said, "Sweetie, at this time of year, angels are really busy, so sometimes God uses regular people."
It was so incredible to be a part of someone else's miracle. And of course, you guessed it, when I got in my car, it started right away and got me home with no problem. I'll take it in the shop tomorrow to check, but I suspect the mechanic won't find anything wrong.
"Sometimes the angels fly close enough to you that you can hear the flutter of their wings..."
Psalms 55:22 "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."
Let's Remember to Pray for One Another
Prayer is powerful, and prayer is one of the best gifts we receive. There is no cost, but there a lot of rewards. Let's continue to pray for one another:
"Father, I ask You to bless my children, grandchildren, friends, relatives, and cyber friends reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and Your mercy. Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through Your grace, In Jesus' precious name. Amen."
When satan is knocking at your door, simply say, "Jesus, could You please get that for me?"
Remember - Tomorrow is not promised to us and waiting for another day may be too late.
Take advantage of the time!
If this is a blessing, feel free to pass it along to some friends!
Story submitted by Kim Alexis
www.kimalexis.com
Email: kim@kimalexis.com
www.elijahlist.com
If you'd like to know when the next article is posted, please click on the subscribe link in the right hand column.
You can send this page to a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Hearing God Through His Word
The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
God speaks through His word. It's living and active and He's speaking to us through it today.
We need to read God's word, study it and meditate on it. It's a lamp to our feet and a plumb line to measure everything by.
When you read the Bible, read it with the expectation that God will speak to you.
When we first learn to hear from God, He mostly speaks to us through Scripture. A passage suddenly 'comes alive' to us - it jumps out and we understand it in a way we didn't before.
God speaks to us about things that aren't actually in the Bible but they always agree with the principles we find there - they line up with what the Bible says.
If we 'hear' something that doesn't agree with what the Bible says, we need to reject it as not being from God.
John 6:63 tells us that the words that Jesus spoke are spirit and life. We need to feed on God's word to be spiritually healthy. God's word is like to food to us and we need fresh food every day to grow strong in God.
The Bible guides us on many issues. It's important that we know what God says about things. If we don't know what the Bible says, we can easily be deceived into believing that what we think or hear is God leading us, when it isn't.
There are many ways to read God's word. Here are a few suggestions:
Read a whole book through at one sitting to get a feel for what God is saying
Read the same book in 5 different versions so that it really becomes a part of you
Take one verse or passage and meditate on it
Use study aids to unlock meaning
Read through the Psalms for months at a time
Read one chapter of Proverbs a day alongside whatever else you are reading
Personalise what you are reading and pray God's word back to Him
Invite the Holy Spirit to come alongside as you read and teach you
I can't stress how important it is to know what the word of God says so that we're not easily deceived.
If we have a dream, a prophecy, a vision, inner thoughts or an audible voice that doesn't line up with God's word, then it isn't God speaking to us.
Our Father has given us His written word to help keep us on track.
All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness ...
Timothy 3:16-17
When we read God's word we renew our minds
Beware of falling into the trap of taking words out of context so that they fit with what you believe God is saying.
If someone says they have revelation from God, one of the tests is whether or not it agrees with God's word.
When you are learning to hear God it's important to check everything out with the written word of God.
The Bible says many things about God's word, Psalm 119 has much to say about it. I recommend that you read it.
Dear friend, listen well to my words; tune your ears to my voice.
Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart!
Those who discover these words live, really live; body and soul, they're bursting with health.
Proverbs 4:20-22
As you learn other ways of hearing God, always remember the importance of God's written word - it will help you to go in the right direction.
Hebrews 4:12
God speaks through His word. It's living and active and He's speaking to us through it today.
We need to read God's word, study it and meditate on it. It's a lamp to our feet and a plumb line to measure everything by.
When you read the Bible, read it with the expectation that God will speak to you.
When we first learn to hear from God, He mostly speaks to us through Scripture. A passage suddenly 'comes alive' to us - it jumps out and we understand it in a way we didn't before.
God speaks to us about things that aren't actually in the Bible but they always agree with the principles we find there - they line up with what the Bible says.
If we 'hear' something that doesn't agree with what the Bible says, we need to reject it as not being from God.
John 6:63 tells us that the words that Jesus spoke are spirit and life. We need to feed on God's word to be spiritually healthy. God's word is like to food to us and we need fresh food every day to grow strong in God.
The Bible guides us on many issues. It's important that we know what God says about things. If we don't know what the Bible says, we can easily be deceived into believing that what we think or hear is God leading us, when it isn't.
There are many ways to read God's word. Here are a few suggestions:
Read a whole book through at one sitting to get a feel for what God is saying
Read the same book in 5 different versions so that it really becomes a part of you
Take one verse or passage and meditate on it
Use study aids to unlock meaning
Read through the Psalms for months at a time
Read one chapter of Proverbs a day alongside whatever else you are reading
Personalise what you are reading and pray God's word back to Him
Invite the Holy Spirit to come alongside as you read and teach you
I can't stress how important it is to know what the word of God says so that we're not easily deceived.
If we have a dream, a prophecy, a vision, inner thoughts or an audible voice that doesn't line up with God's word, then it isn't God speaking to us.
Our Father has given us His written word to help keep us on track.
All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness ...
Timothy 3:16-17
When we read God's word we renew our minds
Beware of falling into the trap of taking words out of context so that they fit with what you believe God is saying.
If someone says they have revelation from God, one of the tests is whether or not it agrees with God's word.
When you are learning to hear God it's important to check everything out with the written word of God.
The Bible says many things about God's word, Psalm 119 has much to say about it. I recommend that you read it.
Dear friend, listen well to my words; tune your ears to my voice.
Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart!
Those who discover these words live, really live; body and soul, they're bursting with health.
Proverbs 4:20-22
As you learn other ways of hearing God, always remember the importance of God's written word - it will help you to go in the right direction.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Walking in Eternal Life
I thought you might be inspired by this article, written by Francis Frangipane.
Francis is encouraging us to be more conscious of God and more open to His Holy Spirit. Have you got a listening heart?
God's end time people will "end time." What I mean is that, as we near the end of the age, we will increasingly learn how to walk in eternal life, abiding above the boundaries, constraints and the pressures of the realm of time. We'll see what's coming and either avoid it or announce it, but we won't be limited by it.
Jesus taught that those who come to Him "have everlasting life" (Jn 3:16). Right now, we have eternal life in our spirits. Yet, how do we access the timeless place of God's presence? This is a serious question, for we have become more "time conscious" than "God conscious." Schedules, meetings, appointments and deadlines all fuel our anxieties and compel us to live horizontally, instead of vertically in the Presence of God.
The Lord seeks to deliver us from anxiety, but that can only happen if we truly learn to walk in the Holy Spirit. The sad fact is, most Christians fail to spend time with the Holy Spirit. We pray, even calling upon the Lord, but few are they who have cultivated moment by moment openness to the Spirit of God.
"But, when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come" (John 16:23).
The Holy Spirit will guide . . . He will speak . . . He will disclose" to us what we otherwise could never know or attain. To guide, speak and reveal are forms of communication. Clearly, the Father sent the Holy Spirit to talk to us.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. There are issues in our hearts that the Holy Spirit alone can reveal and remove. Listen to Him, like Christ, He does not come to condemn but to save. His voice is Salvation speaking to us.
Jeremiah said that the heart is deceitful above all things. We cannot objectively know ourselves. Yet the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Truth sees and understands our ways. Trust Him, He cannot be deceived. Indeed, the ancient Greeks used the same word for truth as they did for "reality." Thus, we could accurately say that the Holy Spirit is the "Spirit of Reality." He shows us the reality of our need and the reality of God's answer. To hear Him is to hear the voice of eternal life.
Jesus lived in union with the Holy Spirit continually. The miracles He accomplished came through the power of the Holy Spirit. Through the Spirit He saw the things the Father was doing; He heard the words the Father was speaking. Every strategy we may come up with pales in comparison to seeing God and doing what God does and hearing God and saying what God says. You see, Jesus lived in the dimension of time, but was not limited by it. His consciousness was always aware of the eternal realm.
Even the urgent news of Lazarus' illness did not make Jesus move anxiously. As right as it seemed to rush to Lazarus' aid, Jesus was aware of another reality. He was conscious of the heavenly Father. Because He knew that the Father was about to raise Lazarus from the dead, He lived without hand-wringing or being driven by anxious thoughts or pressures.
Oh how we need to walk in the Spirit today. In every situation, we would consciously be aware of God's involvement in our lives!
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).
God has a system of thoughts and ways that are totally on another plane, yet He invites us to abide with Him!
Beloved, we are not mere human beings. We each are a temple for the Holy Spirit, but we must cultivate a listening heart if we will do the things that God is doing. A Christian is not just someone living out a natural life, hoping that God will bless him. No, God has more for us than that. Jesus set the standard, and He's given us the Holy Spirit so we can follow Him.
Spirit Filled?
When we are born again, we begin a journey with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit gives us gifts to help us grow; He baptizes us in power to increase our effectiveness. All of this is to lead us until we are actually filled with the Holy Spirit, where we think and act like Jesus.
Many of us think we are already filled with the Spirit, but we are not. We have three quarts of self and one quart of the Holy Spirit, and we think we have a gallon of God. There is still too much self ruling in our hearts. In America, some pastors identify themselves as being Spirit filled and say they pastor Spirit-filled churches. To be perfectly candid, I have never attended a church that is truly Spirit filled. In the Book of Acts, we see a picture of a Spirit-filled church. The leaders met daily for prayer, and on the way to prayer, their shadows healed the sick! Their offerings went to feed the poor. Out of their sense of love and community, they held all things in common. In that atmosphere, the church grew exponentially.
I know some are thinking, "My church is getting close to this example." Oh, I forgot to mention, in a Spirit filled church, if you lied, you died (see Acts).
You see, let's not accept that we are further along spiritually than we are. God desires to take us further, deeper into eternal life. Having a spiritual gift doesn't mean that you are filled with the Holy Spirit; being born again does not mean you are also Spirit filled. I have never met a truly spiritually mature person who was anxious; no one who is nervous about time can truly be led by the Holy Spirit.
Where Do We Go from Here?
In our quest to walk in eternal life, we must allow the Holy Spirit to excavate our hearts of self. If we want to tune into the God channel we must tune out the "self channel," where the anxieties, fears and sins exist.
I want a heart that can hear God; I want perception that can see God. We are too much like the world. How do we break this? Spend time with the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to talk to your heart and then write down what you feel He is saying. If we want more of God, we must cultivate the awareness of His Presence, and especially listen for His voice.
We must also take faith and believe that the Spirit is here to help. Zechariah 4:6 teaches us that it’s not by our might or power, but it is by the Spirit of the Lord that we succeed. Acts 2:17 tells us that in the last days God seeks to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. I love the words "pour out." We must stop thinking "thimble" and think Niagara Falls!
It's time to step out of the box called "time," and live in the Spirit. I’m not suggesting that you become unreliable or are late for your appointments, but that you give yourself to learning how to hear God's voice and how to live in His presence. If you are one of God's end-time elect, then it's time to rise above the pressures of time and walk in the eternal life of God.
Published on 18.2.2005 by Francis Frangipane http://frangipane.org
Used with permission
If you'd like to know when the next article is posted, please click on the subscribe link in the right hand column.
You can send this page to a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
Francis is encouraging us to be more conscious of God and more open to His Holy Spirit. Have you got a listening heart?
God's end time people will "end time." What I mean is that, as we near the end of the age, we will increasingly learn how to walk in eternal life, abiding above the boundaries, constraints and the pressures of the realm of time. We'll see what's coming and either avoid it or announce it, but we won't be limited by it.
Jesus taught that those who come to Him "have everlasting life" (Jn 3:16). Right now, we have eternal life in our spirits. Yet, how do we access the timeless place of God's presence? This is a serious question, for we have become more "time conscious" than "God conscious." Schedules, meetings, appointments and deadlines all fuel our anxieties and compel us to live horizontally, instead of vertically in the Presence of God.
The Lord seeks to deliver us from anxiety, but that can only happen if we truly learn to walk in the Holy Spirit. The sad fact is, most Christians fail to spend time with the Holy Spirit. We pray, even calling upon the Lord, but few are they who have cultivated moment by moment openness to the Spirit of God.
"But, when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come" (John 16:23).
The Holy Spirit will guide . . . He will speak . . . He will disclose" to us what we otherwise could never know or attain. To guide, speak and reveal are forms of communication. Clearly, the Father sent the Holy Spirit to talk to us.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. There are issues in our hearts that the Holy Spirit alone can reveal and remove. Listen to Him, like Christ, He does not come to condemn but to save. His voice is Salvation speaking to us.
Jeremiah said that the heart is deceitful above all things. We cannot objectively know ourselves. Yet the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Truth sees and understands our ways. Trust Him, He cannot be deceived. Indeed, the ancient Greeks used the same word for truth as they did for "reality." Thus, we could accurately say that the Holy Spirit is the "Spirit of Reality." He shows us the reality of our need and the reality of God's answer. To hear Him is to hear the voice of eternal life.
Jesus lived in union with the Holy Spirit continually. The miracles He accomplished came through the power of the Holy Spirit. Through the Spirit He saw the things the Father was doing; He heard the words the Father was speaking. Every strategy we may come up with pales in comparison to seeing God and doing what God does and hearing God and saying what God says. You see, Jesus lived in the dimension of time, but was not limited by it. His consciousness was always aware of the eternal realm.
Even the urgent news of Lazarus' illness did not make Jesus move anxiously. As right as it seemed to rush to Lazarus' aid, Jesus was aware of another reality. He was conscious of the heavenly Father. Because He knew that the Father was about to raise Lazarus from the dead, He lived without hand-wringing or being driven by anxious thoughts or pressures.
Oh how we need to walk in the Spirit today. In every situation, we would consciously be aware of God's involvement in our lives!
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).
God has a system of thoughts and ways that are totally on another plane, yet He invites us to abide with Him!
Beloved, we are not mere human beings. We each are a temple for the Holy Spirit, but we must cultivate a listening heart if we will do the things that God is doing. A Christian is not just someone living out a natural life, hoping that God will bless him. No, God has more for us than that. Jesus set the standard, and He's given us the Holy Spirit so we can follow Him.
Spirit Filled?
When we are born again, we begin a journey with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit gives us gifts to help us grow; He baptizes us in power to increase our effectiveness. All of this is to lead us until we are actually filled with the Holy Spirit, where we think and act like Jesus.
Many of us think we are already filled with the Spirit, but we are not. We have three quarts of self and one quart of the Holy Spirit, and we think we have a gallon of God. There is still too much self ruling in our hearts. In America, some pastors identify themselves as being Spirit filled and say they pastor Spirit-filled churches. To be perfectly candid, I have never attended a church that is truly Spirit filled. In the Book of Acts, we see a picture of a Spirit-filled church. The leaders met daily for prayer, and on the way to prayer, their shadows healed the sick! Their offerings went to feed the poor. Out of their sense of love and community, they held all things in common. In that atmosphere, the church grew exponentially.
I know some are thinking, "My church is getting close to this example." Oh, I forgot to mention, in a Spirit filled church, if you lied, you died (see Acts).
You see, let's not accept that we are further along spiritually than we are. God desires to take us further, deeper into eternal life. Having a spiritual gift doesn't mean that you are filled with the Holy Spirit; being born again does not mean you are also Spirit filled. I have never met a truly spiritually mature person who was anxious; no one who is nervous about time can truly be led by the Holy Spirit.
Where Do We Go from Here?
In our quest to walk in eternal life, we must allow the Holy Spirit to excavate our hearts of self. If we want to tune into the God channel we must tune out the "self channel," where the anxieties, fears and sins exist.
I want a heart that can hear God; I want perception that can see God. We are too much like the world. How do we break this? Spend time with the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to talk to your heart and then write down what you feel He is saying. If we want more of God, we must cultivate the awareness of His Presence, and especially listen for His voice.
We must also take faith and believe that the Spirit is here to help. Zechariah 4:6 teaches us that it’s not by our might or power, but it is by the Spirit of the Lord that we succeed. Acts 2:17 tells us that in the last days God seeks to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. I love the words "pour out." We must stop thinking "thimble" and think Niagara Falls!
It's time to step out of the box called "time," and live in the Spirit. I’m not suggesting that you become unreliable or are late for your appointments, but that you give yourself to learning how to hear God's voice and how to live in His presence. If you are one of God's end-time elect, then it's time to rise above the pressures of time and walk in the eternal life of God.
Published on 18.2.2005 by Francis Frangipane http://frangipane.org
Used with permission
If you'd like to know when the next article is posted, please click on the subscribe link in the right hand column.
You can send this page to a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
How Do We Recognise God's Voice?
God will teach us to know and recognise His voice if we ask Him.
As we grow in our relationship with God, we will become more aware of when it's God speaking. The more we communicate with God the more familiar we become with His voice.
How do I know it's God speaking?
We hear many voices. How do we know when it's God speaking?
It's easy to confuse what we want with God's voice, especially when something is really important to us. We can turn down the volume of our own voice by dying to our own agenda.
When our thoughts or other people's opinions don't line up with God's word we need to demolish them. The enemy's plan is to confuse us and take us off course. We're told to resist him and silence him by speaking the word of God as Jesus did.
Learning to recognise God's voice is a process. If it is God's voice, it will lead to peace.
As believers and followers of God we have the Holy Spirit within us. He helps us to discern when the Father is speaking to us.
When we renew our mind with God's written word and spend time in His presence – we have the mind of Christ.
The more time we spend renewing our mind with God's word, the easier it is to discern when it's God and when it's just our thoughts.
"My sheep recognise my voice. I know them, and they follow me."
John 10:27
"The Holy Spirit, who the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and cause you remember all that I have told you."
John 14:26
We are His sheep and we hear God's voice. We can be confident that we know the voice of the Lord if we belong to Him and follow him.
We can train ourselves to recognise when it's God. It takes effort. We learn by practicing and being prepared to make mistakes. Don't let fear of making a mistake stop you from stepping out in faith. God is our Father and He will take care of our honest mistakes.
As we listen more we’ll learn to distinguish between the different voices.
The key is to learn to evaluate everything in the light of God's word.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way. Never let yourself think that you are wiser than you are; simply obey the Lord and refuse to do wrong."
Proverbs 3:5-7
Sometimes we struggle to hear God or we don't hear as clearly as we'd like. At other times, we think we’ve heard God and respond to what He says only to find that we made a mistake.
If that happens, find out why you got it wrong and don't let it hold you back from stepping out in faith next time. God teaches us through our mistakes. It's better to allow yourself to make a mistake than never to step out in faith.
We've been living with abnormality for so long that we don't even recognise that it's not normal to go through life without hearing God.
'Normal', is hearing God every day.
Is that your expectation?
Are you actually scheduling time for God every day? Or, are you just trying to squeeze Him around everything else you do?
Do you struggle to believe that God will speak to you?
Confess your lack of faith to God. Ask Him to increase your faith. He will.
It's time to exercise faith. We have to overcome the doubts and keep on knocking.
Stop and listen to Him because He has the words of life.
Our Father is speaking to you – believe it. You can learn to recognise His voice.
If you'd like to know when the next article is posted, please click on the subscribe link in the right hand column.
You can send this page to a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
As we grow in our relationship with God, we will become more aware of when it's God speaking. The more we communicate with God the more familiar we become with His voice.
How do I know it's God speaking?
We hear many voices. How do we know when it's God speaking?
It's easy to confuse what we want with God's voice, especially when something is really important to us. We can turn down the volume of our own voice by dying to our own agenda.
When our thoughts or other people's opinions don't line up with God's word we need to demolish them. The enemy's plan is to confuse us and take us off course. We're told to resist him and silence him by speaking the word of God as Jesus did.
Learning to recognise God's voice is a process. If it is God's voice, it will lead to peace.
As believers and followers of God we have the Holy Spirit within us. He helps us to discern when the Father is speaking to us.
When we renew our mind with God's written word and spend time in His presence – we have the mind of Christ.
The more time we spend renewing our mind with God's word, the easier it is to discern when it's God and when it's just our thoughts.
"My sheep recognise my voice. I know them, and they follow me."
John 10:27
"The Holy Spirit, who the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and cause you remember all that I have told you."
John 14:26
We are His sheep and we hear God's voice. We can be confident that we know the voice of the Lord if we belong to Him and follow him.
We can train ourselves to recognise when it's God. It takes effort. We learn by practicing and being prepared to make mistakes. Don't let fear of making a mistake stop you from stepping out in faith. God is our Father and He will take care of our honest mistakes.
As we listen more we’ll learn to distinguish between the different voices.
The key is to learn to evaluate everything in the light of God's word.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way. Never let yourself think that you are wiser than you are; simply obey the Lord and refuse to do wrong."
Proverbs 3:5-7
Sometimes we struggle to hear God or we don't hear as clearly as we'd like. At other times, we think we’ve heard God and respond to what He says only to find that we made a mistake.
If that happens, find out why you got it wrong and don't let it hold you back from stepping out in faith next time. God teaches us through our mistakes. It's better to allow yourself to make a mistake than never to step out in faith.
We've been living with abnormality for so long that we don't even recognise that it's not normal to go through life without hearing God.
'Normal', is hearing God every day.
Is that your expectation?
Are you actually scheduling time for God every day? Or, are you just trying to squeeze Him around everything else you do?
Do you struggle to believe that God will speak to you?
Confess your lack of faith to God. Ask Him to increase your faith. He will.
It's time to exercise faith. We have to overcome the doubts and keep on knocking.
Stop and listen to Him because He has the words of life.
Our Father is speaking to you – believe it. You can learn to recognise His voice.
If you'd like to know when the next article is posted, please click on the subscribe link in the right hand column.
You can send this page to a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
God Speaks In Many Ways
"For God does speak, now one way, now another, though man may not perceive it." Job 33:14
God speaks to us in ways we often miss. He has many ways of speaking, some of them unexpected.
Most of us hear God through His word, His peace, a still small voice, circumstances, other Christians, wisdom and common sense. God speaks in other ways too and that’s what I want to encourage you to consider today.
It's important not to get bogged down with how He Speaks. The important thing is to expect Him to speak and be ready for Him to speak in unexpected ways.
If we want to hear God, the first thing we need to do is learn how to tune in to His voice. The better we get to know God and His ways the easier it is to tune in and recognise when it's Him speaking.
Learning to recognise when God is speaking takes time and effort. The more often we meet with God and talk with Him, the clearer His voice becomes. When we become familiar with God's presence and His voice it's easier to hear.
Sometimes we don't hear God because we're not really expecting Him to speak or because we expect Him to speak in a certain way. When He speaks in a way we don't expect, we often miss what He's saying.
God is full of surprises. We must never forget that He isn't human and it's a mistake to limit Him to what we know or expect.
We need to be open to God speaking to us in any way He chooses and not just in those ways that are familiar.
The way in which each of us 'hears' from God varies. God’s 'voice' isn't limited to words. He speaks through all of His creation.
Many of us 'hear' God speaking to us through our circumstances or surroundings. In the Bible, He spoke to people in ways that they could see and experience in their daily lives. God communicated with people through what was obvious and all around them.
He does the same with us today.
Larry Randolph tells us "the human body is like a giant ear drum that processes thousands of pieces of information from every spectrum of life"
We hear God through all of our senses. The 'sound' of His voice comes in many different ways. There is no set way of hearing God.
These are some of the ways He speaks to us and some of the means He uses:
An inner voice
An inner witness of the Holy Spirit
Inspired thought
Impressions
Dreams
Visions
Visitations
Conscience
His peace
Wisdom
Mental pictures
Physical senses
Nature
The heavens
Symbolic language
Other people
Prophecy
Events in the secular world
Films
Billboards
Fiction
Songs
Apparent coincidences
Circumstances
His written word
Even an audible voice, though I have to tell you, that’s rare.
God often speaks to us in a combination of ways; creating a symphony that we are able to hear once we learn to tune in.
Psalm 119:105 tells us that God's word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.
Many of us have had a Scripture suddenly come into our mind or a Bible reference, which, when we look it up, speaks directly to our situation.
God often speaks to us through His word. We need to read it, study it and meditate on it. It's a lamp to our feet and a plumb line to measure everything by.
On the back cover of Larry Randolph's book, 'Spirit Talk', it says, "It was in the garden of Eden that the creator first communed with His creation. Since that time, generations of men have forgotten that God is a talking God, and as a result many live in a vacuum of spiritual silence. Thus, the age-old question: Could the Creator really be speaking today? And, if so, how do we perceive the sound of His Voice?"
In the coming weeks we'll be looking at the different ways in which God communicates with us and how to recognise His voice.
You can hear God's voice every day and it's much easier than you think.
If you'd like to know when the next article is posted, please click on the subscribe link in the right hand column.
You can send this page to a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
God speaks to us in ways we often miss. He has many ways of speaking, some of them unexpected.
Most of us hear God through His word, His peace, a still small voice, circumstances, other Christians, wisdom and common sense. God speaks in other ways too and that’s what I want to encourage you to consider today.
It's important not to get bogged down with how He Speaks. The important thing is to expect Him to speak and be ready for Him to speak in unexpected ways.
If we want to hear God, the first thing we need to do is learn how to tune in to His voice. The better we get to know God and His ways the easier it is to tune in and recognise when it's Him speaking.
Learning to recognise when God is speaking takes time and effort. The more often we meet with God and talk with Him, the clearer His voice becomes. When we become familiar with God's presence and His voice it's easier to hear.
Sometimes we don't hear God because we're not really expecting Him to speak or because we expect Him to speak in a certain way. When He speaks in a way we don't expect, we often miss what He's saying.
God is full of surprises. We must never forget that He isn't human and it's a mistake to limit Him to what we know or expect.
We need to be open to God speaking to us in any way He chooses and not just in those ways that are familiar.
The way in which each of us 'hears' from God varies. God’s 'voice' isn't limited to words. He speaks through all of His creation.
Many of us 'hear' God speaking to us through our circumstances or surroundings. In the Bible, He spoke to people in ways that they could see and experience in their daily lives. God communicated with people through what was obvious and all around them.
He does the same with us today.
Larry Randolph tells us "the human body is like a giant ear drum that processes thousands of pieces of information from every spectrum of life"
We hear God through all of our senses. The 'sound' of His voice comes in many different ways. There is no set way of hearing God.
These are some of the ways He speaks to us and some of the means He uses:
An inner voice
An inner witness of the Holy Spirit
Inspired thought
Impressions
Dreams
Visions
Visitations
Conscience
His peace
Wisdom
Mental pictures
Physical senses
Nature
The heavens
Symbolic language
Other people
Prophecy
Events in the secular world
Films
Billboards
Fiction
Songs
Apparent coincidences
Circumstances
His written word
Even an audible voice, though I have to tell you, that’s rare.
God often speaks to us in a combination of ways; creating a symphony that we are able to hear once we learn to tune in.
Psalm 119:105 tells us that God's word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.
Many of us have had a Scripture suddenly come into our mind or a Bible reference, which, when we look it up, speaks directly to our situation.
God often speaks to us through His word. We need to read it, study it and meditate on it. It's a lamp to our feet and a plumb line to measure everything by.
On the back cover of Larry Randolph's book, 'Spirit Talk', it says, "It was in the garden of Eden that the creator first communed with His creation. Since that time, generations of men have forgotten that God is a talking God, and as a result many live in a vacuum of spiritual silence. Thus, the age-old question: Could the Creator really be speaking today? And, if so, how do we perceive the sound of His Voice?"
In the coming weeks we'll be looking at the different ways in which God communicates with us and how to recognise His voice.
You can hear God's voice every day and it's much easier than you think.
If you'd like to know when the next article is posted, please click on the subscribe link in the right hand column.
You can send this page to a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
Jason Upton
This is a link to a video of Jason Upton singing 'You’re Not Alone'
It's an anointed song which includes an inspiring story about Martin Luther.
The song will help you to realise that you are never alone.
Let the Father minister to your heart through Jason.
If you enjoy this style of worship, there's a link at the top of his site to kod radio - you can listen to tracks from his albums throughout the day.
Here are the lyrics to the song
You’re Not Alone (words and music by Jason Upton)
Don’t be afraid, baby don’t you cry
Daddy’s here, it’ll be all rightYou’re not alone, you’re not alone
Don’t be afraid when it’s cold at night
I will keep you warm, I will hold you tight
You’re not alone, you’re not alone
Chorus:
Look beyond the window there
To the sky above, to the open air
Look beyond where you can see
Close your eyes and just believe
The lion roars and the lamb lays down
They live together in a whole new town
They’re calling me and they’re calling you
From the cold hard facts that we’re on our own
To the age old truth that we’re not alone
We’re not alone, we’re not alone,We’re not alone, we’re not alone
Don’t be afraid when you scrape your knee
I’ve got a bandaid waiting and a kiss for free
You’re not alone, you’re not alone
Don’t be afraid of your blind belief
‘Cause the more you fly the more you see
You’re not alone, you’re not alone
Chorus
Don’t be afraid little warrior bride,
The victory’s on the other side
You’re not alone, you’re not alone
Don’t be afraid little warrior bride,
The victory’s on the other side
You’re not alone, you’re not alone
It's an anointed song which includes an inspiring story about Martin Luther.
The song will help you to realise that you are never alone.
Let the Father minister to your heart through Jason.
If you enjoy this style of worship, there's a link at the top of his site to kod radio - you can listen to tracks from his albums throughout the day.
Here are the lyrics to the song
You’re Not Alone (words and music by Jason Upton)
Don’t be afraid, baby don’t you cry
Daddy’s here, it’ll be all rightYou’re not alone, you’re not alone
Don’t be afraid when it’s cold at night
I will keep you warm, I will hold you tight
You’re not alone, you’re not alone
Chorus:
Look beyond the window there
To the sky above, to the open air
Look beyond where you can see
Close your eyes and just believe
The lion roars and the lamb lays down
They live together in a whole new town
They’re calling me and they’re calling you
From the cold hard facts that we’re on our own
To the age old truth that we’re not alone
We’re not alone, we’re not alone,We’re not alone, we’re not alone
Don’t be afraid when you scrape your knee
I’ve got a bandaid waiting and a kiss for free
You’re not alone, you’re not alone
Don’t be afraid of your blind belief
‘Cause the more you fly the more you see
You’re not alone, you’re not alone
Chorus
Don’t be afraid little warrior bride,
The victory’s on the other side
You’re not alone, you’re not alone
Don’t be afraid little warrior bride,
The victory’s on the other side
You’re not alone, you’re not alone
Thursday, October 26, 2006
God - Our Best Friend - Part 2
We are on God's mind all the time. He's always thinking about us.
I spoke last week of God's longing to be our best friend. This week I want to encourage you to continue building your friendship with God.
We do that by sharing everything with Him. He wants to be included in everything we do.
When we invite God to be part of everything, we find that everything we do can be 'spending time' in His presence if we remain aware of Him.
God is with us all the time. Once we get a hold of that fact we can be in constant communion with Him.
Like Brother Lawrence we can learn to practice the presence of God. It is possible to be more and more aware of our friend and Father through the day. We can train ourselves to remember that God is always with us and wants to be part of all we do.
Make a point of talking with God constantly through the day. Talk to Him about everything, share your thoughts with Him and listen for His replies.
Ask yourself what you can do to remind yourself to think about God more and talk to Him constantly.
Whatever it is, plan to do it.
Growing friendship with God is a choice.
Ask yourself:
How much do I want it?
Is it worth the effort of developing new habits?
I reminded you last week that God promised the captives in Babylon that when they got serious about finding Him and wanted it more than anything else, He would make sure they weren't disappointed.
Is anything more important than developing an intimate friendship with God?
What will you do to make sure you grow closer to Him?
Take time to stop and think about it.
What one thing will you begin doing today to ensure that your friendship with God grows?
Write it down where you'll see it and make sure you do it.
He's worth it.
Next week we're going to start looking at the different ways that God speaks to us and how we can tune in to hear Him more clearly.
This week's free offering is 'Adventures in God' by John G Lake.
If you e-mail me and put 'Adventures in God' in the subject line, I'll send you a PDF file of the book.
Adventures in God, is a collection of stories telling of his adventures with God. His story will challenge you to reach a new level in your own spiritual walk.
If you'd like to be notified when the next article is posted, please click on the subscribe link in the right hand column.
You can send this page to a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
I spoke last week of God's longing to be our best friend. This week I want to encourage you to continue building your friendship with God.
We do that by sharing everything with Him. He wants to be included in everything we do.
When we invite God to be part of everything, we find that everything we do can be 'spending time' in His presence if we remain aware of Him.
God is with us all the time. Once we get a hold of that fact we can be in constant communion with Him.
Like Brother Lawrence we can learn to practice the presence of God. It is possible to be more and more aware of our friend and Father through the day. We can train ourselves to remember that God is always with us and wants to be part of all we do.
Make a point of talking with God constantly through the day. Talk to Him about everything, share your thoughts with Him and listen for His replies.
Ask yourself what you can do to remind yourself to think about God more and talk to Him constantly.
Whatever it is, plan to do it.
Growing friendship with God is a choice.
Ask yourself:
How much do I want it?
Is it worth the effort of developing new habits?
I reminded you last week that God promised the captives in Babylon that when they got serious about finding Him and wanted it more than anything else, He would make sure they weren't disappointed.
Is anything more important than developing an intimate friendship with God?
What will you do to make sure you grow closer to Him?
Take time to stop and think about it.
What one thing will you begin doing today to ensure that your friendship with God grows?
Write it down where you'll see it and make sure you do it.
He's worth it.
Next week we're going to start looking at the different ways that God speaks to us and how we can tune in to hear Him more clearly.
This week's free offering is 'Adventures in God' by John G Lake.
If you e-mail me and put 'Adventures in God' in the subject line, I'll send you a PDF file of the book.
Adventures in God, is a collection of stories telling of his adventures with God. His story will challenge you to reach a new level in your own spiritual walk.
If you'd like to be notified when the next article is posted, please click on the subscribe link in the right hand column.
You can send this page to a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
God - Our Best Friend
God longs to be our best friend.
We were created to live continually in God’s presence and to have an intimate friendship with Him.
'Now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God –
all because of what Jesus has done for us in making us friends of God.'
Romans 5:11
Jesus said, 'I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father.'
God wants us to know Him intimately.
'He made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near.' Acts 17:26-27
We become friends with someone through continuous conversation. Friends talk to each other often and share details of their life.
Friends share secrets. God shares His secrets with us when we spend time with Him throughout the day.
It's possible carry on a constant conversation with God.
We can talk to Him about what we’re doing and thinking and pause to listen for His response.
In Thessalonians we are told to pray without ceasing, this means having a day-long conversation with God.
It’s possible because God is with us all the time. Ephesians 4 tells us that God rules everything and is everywhere and in everything.
We can know our Father; He’s waiting to make Himself known. All we have to do is to stop long enough to wait and listen.
We can all be as close to God as we choose to be.
God told the captives in Babylon 'When you come looking for me, you'll find me. 'Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed.' Jeremiah 29:13
Keep on asking; keep on seeking until you get what you're after.
When you draw close to God, He will draw close to you.
That’s His promise.
To know Jesus as a personal friend is the greatest privilege we have, not just knowing about Him but really knowing Him. Jesus told the disciples that He would be their friend. They talked with Him about everything and He talked with them, daily. Jesus wants the same with us today.
It’s never too late to start cultivating and nurturing a friendship with God.
Dialogue with Him and meditate on what He says to you.
Speak to God and wait for Him speak to you.
'Pray remember what I have recommended to you, which is, to think often on God, by day, by night, in your business, and even in your diversions. He is always near you and with you; leave Him not alone. You would think it rude to leave a friend alone, who came to visit you: why then must God be neglected? Do not then forget Him, but think on Him often, adore Him continually live and die with Him; this is the glorious employment of a Christian; in a word, this is our profession, if we do not know it we must learn it.'
Brother Lawrence
Andrew Murray, in his book 'Waiting on God', writes, 'We must not only think of our waiting upon God, but also of what is more wonderful still, of God's waiting upon us. The vision of Him waiting on us will give new impulse and inspiration to our waiting upon Him. It will give us an
unspeakable confidence that our waiting cannot be in vain. If He waits for us, then we may be sure that we are more than welcome, and that He rejoices to find those He has been seeking for.'
See 'How Real Is God To You' for information on Brother Lawrence.
This week’s free offering is 'How To Pray' by RA Toorey. If you’d like a PDF file of this classic on prayer just e-mail Lynne and put 'how to pray' in the subject line.
If you’d like to know when the next article is posted, please click on the subscribe link in the left hand column.
You can send this page to a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
We were created to live continually in God’s presence and to have an intimate friendship with Him.
'Now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God –
all because of what Jesus has done for us in making us friends of God.'
Romans 5:11
Jesus said, 'I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father.'
God wants us to know Him intimately.
'He made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near.' Acts 17:26-27
We become friends with someone through continuous conversation. Friends talk to each other often and share details of their life.
Friends share secrets. God shares His secrets with us when we spend time with Him throughout the day.
It's possible carry on a constant conversation with God.
We can talk to Him about what we’re doing and thinking and pause to listen for His response.
In Thessalonians we are told to pray without ceasing, this means having a day-long conversation with God.
It’s possible because God is with us all the time. Ephesians 4 tells us that God rules everything and is everywhere and in everything.
We can know our Father; He’s waiting to make Himself known. All we have to do is to stop long enough to wait and listen.
We can all be as close to God as we choose to be.
God told the captives in Babylon 'When you come looking for me, you'll find me. 'Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed.' Jeremiah 29:13
Keep on asking; keep on seeking until you get what you're after.
When you draw close to God, He will draw close to you.
That’s His promise.
To know Jesus as a personal friend is the greatest privilege we have, not just knowing about Him but really knowing Him. Jesus told the disciples that He would be their friend. They talked with Him about everything and He talked with them, daily. Jesus wants the same with us today.
It’s never too late to start cultivating and nurturing a friendship with God.
Dialogue with Him and meditate on what He says to you.
Speak to God and wait for Him speak to you.
'Pray remember what I have recommended to you, which is, to think often on God, by day, by night, in your business, and even in your diversions. He is always near you and with you; leave Him not alone. You would think it rude to leave a friend alone, who came to visit you: why then must God be neglected? Do not then forget Him, but think on Him often, adore Him continually live and die with Him; this is the glorious employment of a Christian; in a word, this is our profession, if we do not know it we must learn it.'
Brother Lawrence
Andrew Murray, in his book 'Waiting on God', writes, 'We must not only think of our waiting upon God, but also of what is more wonderful still, of God's waiting upon us. The vision of Him waiting on us will give new impulse and inspiration to our waiting upon Him. It will give us an
unspeakable confidence that our waiting cannot be in vain. If He waits for us, then we may be sure that we are more than welcome, and that He rejoices to find those He has been seeking for.'
See 'How Real Is God To You' for information on Brother Lawrence.
This week’s free offering is 'How To Pray' by RA Toorey. If you’d like a PDF file of this classic on prayer just e-mail Lynne and put 'how to pray' in the subject line.
If you’d like to know when the next article is posted, please click on the subscribe link in the left hand column.
You can send this page to a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
A Guide to Spiritual Journaling
As you journey through life with God, recording your adventure in a journal is a great help
Journaling is simply a way of recording your journey with God. It helps you to pay more attention to God and is a way of way of learning to hear and respond to Him.By keeping a record you can see what God’s been doing, how far you’ve come and where you’re going.
Keeping a journal will help you to see how God is working in your life.
Your journal is more than a place to record daily events
It’s a place for inner growth and personal discovery. It acts as a mirror, is a safe place to explore things with God and is a place to generate and record ideas. As such, it becomes a good friend and sounding board.
Benefits of Journaling
Keeping a journal will enlarge your vision and increase your expectancy.
It helps you to keep you in good spiritual shape and stay true to your values.
Your journal acts as a safe place to process what God is doing in your life and the lives of those around you.
Journaling leads to personal growth and discovery through writing and reflection.
It helps you to see where you’re going with God and to understand your spiritual journey.
Your journal will provide a record that shows you how far you’ve journeyed, what God has been doing in your life and how much you’ve grown.
Your journal can be anything you want it to be
It could be a catalogue of your thoughts and prayers and God’s answers. A collection of wisdom and insight gleaned from God’s word and others. A record of encounters with other Christians God puts across your path … whatever serves you.
A Guide To Journaling
Start by praying. Ask the Holy Spirit, your Counsellor and Teacher, to lead you as you journal.
Write what's on your heart. Talk to God; be honest with Him and with yourself. Share your joys, victories, desires, frustrations, uncertainties and heartaches with Him. Write down your goals, prayers, dreams, memories and special events. Record Biblical and spiritual insights and revelations. Write out your praises to God.
Listen and document. Record what God puts on your heart and what He’s saying through your dreams and through others.
Date every entry. This helps you to see your progress and makes it easier to find things.
Highlight scriptures that God gives you and words that He speaks to your heart, so you can easily find them in your journal when you want to re-read them. Sometimes God speaks the same thing in different ways as He tries to get your attention and impress on you the importance of what He’s saying. A journal helps you to spot that.
A journal helps us to make sense of our life. It helps us to stop and notice what’s happening and what’s being said, understand it and respond. A journal helps us to become aware of the many signs of God’s presence.
There's no right or wrong way to journal.
I recommend that you don’t immediately evaluate what comes. Don’t censor your thoughts, simply write, allowing your thoughts to flow uninterrupted.
It’s a good idea to do a summary every few months. I’m always encouraged when I do this and amazed at what God has been saying and the many things that I've forgotten.
Please let me know how you get on and feel free to share your own journaling tips with other readers.
You can share this article with a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
If you want to be notified of the next update you can subscribe using the links in the right hand column.
I leave you with a thought …
The unexamined life is not worth living … Socrates
And the offer of another free book in PDF format.
If you send an e-mail with ‘Deeper Life’ in the subject bar, I’ll send you a copy of Andrew Murray’s ‘The Deeper Christian Life’ to add to your Christian classic collection.
Journaling is simply a way of recording your journey with God. It helps you to pay more attention to God and is a way of way of learning to hear and respond to Him.By keeping a record you can see what God’s been doing, how far you’ve come and where you’re going.
Keeping a journal will help you to see how God is working in your life.
Your journal is more than a place to record daily events
It’s a place for inner growth and personal discovery. It acts as a mirror, is a safe place to explore things with God and is a place to generate and record ideas. As such, it becomes a good friend and sounding board.
Benefits of Journaling
Keeping a journal will enlarge your vision and increase your expectancy.
It helps you to keep you in good spiritual shape and stay true to your values.
Your journal acts as a safe place to process what God is doing in your life and the lives of those around you.
Journaling leads to personal growth and discovery through writing and reflection.
It helps you to see where you’re going with God and to understand your spiritual journey.
Your journal will provide a record that shows you how far you’ve journeyed, what God has been doing in your life and how much you’ve grown.
Your journal can be anything you want it to be
It could be a catalogue of your thoughts and prayers and God’s answers. A collection of wisdom and insight gleaned from God’s word and others. A record of encounters with other Christians God puts across your path … whatever serves you.
A Guide To Journaling
Start by praying. Ask the Holy Spirit, your Counsellor and Teacher, to lead you as you journal.
Write what's on your heart. Talk to God; be honest with Him and with yourself. Share your joys, victories, desires, frustrations, uncertainties and heartaches with Him. Write down your goals, prayers, dreams, memories and special events. Record Biblical and spiritual insights and revelations. Write out your praises to God.
Listen and document. Record what God puts on your heart and what He’s saying through your dreams and through others.
Date every entry. This helps you to see your progress and makes it easier to find things.
Highlight scriptures that God gives you and words that He speaks to your heart, so you can easily find them in your journal when you want to re-read them. Sometimes God speaks the same thing in different ways as He tries to get your attention and impress on you the importance of what He’s saying. A journal helps you to spot that.
A journal helps us to make sense of our life. It helps us to stop and notice what’s happening and what’s being said, understand it and respond. A journal helps us to become aware of the many signs of God’s presence.
There's no right or wrong way to journal.
I recommend that you don’t immediately evaluate what comes. Don’t censor your thoughts, simply write, allowing your thoughts to flow uninterrupted.
It’s a good idea to do a summary every few months. I’m always encouraged when I do this and amazed at what God has been saying and the many things that I've forgotten.
Please let me know how you get on and feel free to share your own journaling tips with other readers.
You can share this article with a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
If you want to be notified of the next update you can subscribe using the links in the right hand column.
I leave you with a thought …
The unexamined life is not worth living … Socrates
And the offer of another free book in PDF format.
If you send an e-mail with ‘Deeper Life’ in the subject bar, I’ll send you a copy of Andrew Murray’s ‘The Deeper Christian Life’ to add to your Christian classic collection.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Hearing God Through Journaling
What makes us so desperate to hear God’s voice?
I think we’re desperate because God is continually calling us to come aside and spend time with Him.
God longs to talk with us as He did with Adam. He longs for continual, open and honest communication with each of us.
John 17 tells us that eternal life is that we may know the only true God and Jesus Christ who He sent. Eternal life is knowing God the Father and His Son.
Know, in this passage, means ‘to be intimately acquainted with someone in a growing, progressive relationship.’
I’d never thought of eternal life as a relationship before, but this passage suggests that eternal life is a relationship.
We can live in relationship and daily conversation with God as Adam and Enoch and Jesus and many others have.
In Proverbs 8:32-36, God says,
‘Now therefore, Listen to Me, for blessed are they who keep My ways. Heed instruction and be wise. And do not neglect it. Blessed is the man who listens to Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at My doorposts. For he who finds Me, finds life. And obtains favour from the Lord.’
Pray these verses over your life and ask God to give you listening ears:
Isaiah 50:4-5 says, ‘The Sovereign LORD has taught me what to say,so that I can strengthen the weary. Every morning he makes me eager to hear what He is going to teach me. The LORD has given me understanding, and I have not rebelled or turned away from him.’
‘The Lord God has given me the tongue of disciples, that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens me morning by morning. He awakens my ear to listen as a disciple. The Lord God has opened my ear; and I was not disobedient, nor did I turn back.’
Set aside time to be still and pray. Ask the Lord what He wants you to know about yourself. Write down what you hear Him say; the quiet thoughts that come to your mind as you wait. This simple exercise could change your life. It will help to open your eyes to how much God loves you and what He thinks of you. You matter to God.
When you ask God to tell you what He thinks of you. His answer will mirror Jeremiah 29:11: ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.’
Any thoughts that condemn or make you feel bad about yourself will not be from God. God may gently convict you but He will not condemn you. There is always redemption in what God says to us.
You could try asking God what His thoughts are towards someone He has put on your heart. Ask Him for words of encouragement for them and record what God says to you.
Remember, don’t censor as you write. Let the thoughts flow. Give the Father an opportunity to say whatever He wants to say to you.
Enjoy the adventure.
I’d love to know how you get on with this. You can email me or leave a message on the blog.
If you like to read and would like more inspiration, I have a PDF file of Tozers’s ‘The Pursuit of God’. Just email me, put Pursuit of God in the subject bar and I’ll send it to you.
If you’d like to know when the next article is posted, please click on the subscribe link in the left hand column.
You can send this article to a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
I think we’re desperate because God is continually calling us to come aside and spend time with Him.
God longs to talk with us as He did with Adam. He longs for continual, open and honest communication with each of us.
John 17 tells us that eternal life is that we may know the only true God and Jesus Christ who He sent. Eternal life is knowing God the Father and His Son.
Know, in this passage, means ‘to be intimately acquainted with someone in a growing, progressive relationship.’
I’d never thought of eternal life as a relationship before, but this passage suggests that eternal life is a relationship.
We can live in relationship and daily conversation with God as Adam and Enoch and Jesus and many others have.
In Proverbs 8:32-36, God says,
‘Now therefore, Listen to Me, for blessed are they who keep My ways. Heed instruction and be wise. And do not neglect it. Blessed is the man who listens to Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at My doorposts. For he who finds Me, finds life. And obtains favour from the Lord.’
Pray these verses over your life and ask God to give you listening ears:
Isaiah 50:4-5 says, ‘The Sovereign LORD has taught me what to say,so that I can strengthen the weary. Every morning he makes me eager to hear what He is going to teach me. The LORD has given me understanding, and I have not rebelled or turned away from him.’
‘The Lord God has given me the tongue of disciples, that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens me morning by morning. He awakens my ear to listen as a disciple. The Lord God has opened my ear; and I was not disobedient, nor did I turn back.’
Set aside time to be still and pray. Ask the Lord what He wants you to know about yourself. Write down what you hear Him say; the quiet thoughts that come to your mind as you wait. This simple exercise could change your life. It will help to open your eyes to how much God loves you and what He thinks of you. You matter to God.
When you ask God to tell you what He thinks of you. His answer will mirror Jeremiah 29:11: ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.’
Any thoughts that condemn or make you feel bad about yourself will not be from God. God may gently convict you but He will not condemn you. There is always redemption in what God says to us.
You could try asking God what His thoughts are towards someone He has put on your heart. Ask Him for words of encouragement for them and record what God says to you.
Remember, don’t censor as you write. Let the thoughts flow. Give the Father an opportunity to say whatever He wants to say to you.
Enjoy the adventure.
I’d love to know how you get on with this. You can email me or leave a message on the blog.
If you like to read and would like more inspiration, I have a PDF file of Tozers’s ‘The Pursuit of God’. Just email me, put Pursuit of God in the subject bar and I’ll send it to you.
If you’d like to know when the next article is posted, please click on the subscribe link in the left hand column.
You can send this article to a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
Friday, September 29, 2006
How to Hear God
In Psalm 46, God tells us, ‘Be still and know that I am God’, ‘Cease striving, let go, relax, and know that I am God.’
When we’re still it’s easier to draw near to God and begin to hear Him speak in our hearts. To wait on God, we need to learn to be still.
It’s best to remove distractions by finding a place where we can be alone and undisturbed.
We need to quiet the voices and thoughts fighting for our attention.
If you have difficulty with this and your mind is really busy, try jotting down the thoughts that come so you can deal with them later.
If you become conscious of sin, confess it so it’s no longer in the way.
If your mind is busy, visualise Jesus there with you.
The key is to be so focused on Him that everything else fades into the background.
When we become still we begin to sense God’s presence. His promptings are gentle and if we’re not still, we miss them.
By becoming still, I mean not doing anything other than making it possible to be in touch with God and experience Him.
When we become still it’s easier to hear God. Spontaneous images begin to come and we begin to hear His voice in our heart as spontaneous thoughts.
When you enter the secret place, take the first few minutes to become still. When you’re still, you’ll begin to sense God. Then you’ll be able to communicate.
Once you’re still and you’ve quieted your thoughts, focus on the Lord. Visualise Him there with you and wait for Him to speak.
The more you practise becoming still, the easier it gets and the more quickly it all comes together.
God speaks in many ways and different people tend to hear God in different ways. For many of us, God’s speaks through spontaneous thoughts, pictures, feelings or impressions. He rarely speaks to us in an audible voice.
Mark Virkler tells us that ‘the definition of paga, the Greek word for intercession, is a ‘chance encounter or an accidental intersecting.’
When God speaks to us, showing us what He wants us to know or pray about, He often does it through paga, thoughts that come spontaneously, interrupting our own thought process.
As you still yourself and wait, spontaneous thoughts will begin to flow and you’ll find yourself having an inner conversation with God.
Look for the Lord there with you, and watch Him as He speaks to you. You’ll find that if you look, you’ll see. You’ll see spontaneous images in the same way that you receive spontaneous inner thoughts.
You might find that inner vision comes so easily that you want to reject it, thinking that it’s just you. If you persevere and record what you see and hear, your doubts will soon give way to faith as you begin to recognise that what you’re seeing and hearing is mostly from God.
It’s a good idea to have a journal with you and record what you see and hear. Your journal is your way of saying to God 'I value what you say to me.' It’s also a step of faith, showing that you expect Him to speak.
Write in faith, simply believing that it’s God. Don’t censor what you’re receiving. Let it flow. You can test it later, making sure that it lines up with Scripture and even running what you’ve heard by a trusted friend.
You’ll be surprised at how much you hear when you start to journal. You’ll probably realise that God has been speaking all along but you just didn’t recognise it.
Put aside any doubts you might have and trust that God really is present and speaking to you.
Are you ready to wait, look and listen?
Find a quite place and spend some time in worship.
Sit quietly, visualise yourself with Jesus.
Talk to Him and ask Him questions. Listen and sense His reply.
Write down His answers.
Afterwards, Test What You Hear
Is it biblical - does it line up with Scripture?
Is it a voice of love or a voice of fear? God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, He told us to be ‘anxious for nothing’. If what you've heard creates fear and anxiety it probably isn't from God.
Is it convicting or is it condemning? He may be convicting you of sin but condemnation is never from God.
If what you’ve heard involves a major decision, look for confirmation and seek the counsel of mature Christians before taking action.
Lord, thank You for drawing us to the secret place. Teach us how to listen. Help us to be like Samuel who said, ‘Speak for your servant is listening.’ Let us be those hear you in our heart. Help us to get used to the sound of your voice so that we can easily recognise when you’re speaking. Help us to still and quieten our soul so that we can hear you more. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear.
If you’d like to know when the next article is posted, please click on the subscribe link in the right hand column.
You can send this article to a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
When we’re still it’s easier to draw near to God and begin to hear Him speak in our hearts. To wait on God, we need to learn to be still.
It’s best to remove distractions by finding a place where we can be alone and undisturbed.
We need to quiet the voices and thoughts fighting for our attention.
If you have difficulty with this and your mind is really busy, try jotting down the thoughts that come so you can deal with them later.
If you become conscious of sin, confess it so it’s no longer in the way.
If your mind is busy, visualise Jesus there with you.
The key is to be so focused on Him that everything else fades into the background.
When we become still we begin to sense God’s presence. His promptings are gentle and if we’re not still, we miss them.
By becoming still, I mean not doing anything other than making it possible to be in touch with God and experience Him.
When we become still it’s easier to hear God. Spontaneous images begin to come and we begin to hear His voice in our heart as spontaneous thoughts.
When you enter the secret place, take the first few minutes to become still. When you’re still, you’ll begin to sense God. Then you’ll be able to communicate.
Once you’re still and you’ve quieted your thoughts, focus on the Lord. Visualise Him there with you and wait for Him to speak.
The more you practise becoming still, the easier it gets and the more quickly it all comes together.
God speaks in many ways and different people tend to hear God in different ways. For many of us, God’s speaks through spontaneous thoughts, pictures, feelings or impressions. He rarely speaks to us in an audible voice.
Mark Virkler tells us that ‘the definition of paga, the Greek word for intercession, is a ‘chance encounter or an accidental intersecting.’
When God speaks to us, showing us what He wants us to know or pray about, He often does it through paga, thoughts that come spontaneously, interrupting our own thought process.
As you still yourself and wait, spontaneous thoughts will begin to flow and you’ll find yourself having an inner conversation with God.
Look for the Lord there with you, and watch Him as He speaks to you. You’ll find that if you look, you’ll see. You’ll see spontaneous images in the same way that you receive spontaneous inner thoughts.
You might find that inner vision comes so easily that you want to reject it, thinking that it’s just you. If you persevere and record what you see and hear, your doubts will soon give way to faith as you begin to recognise that what you’re seeing and hearing is mostly from God.
It’s a good idea to have a journal with you and record what you see and hear. Your journal is your way of saying to God 'I value what you say to me.' It’s also a step of faith, showing that you expect Him to speak.
Write in faith, simply believing that it’s God. Don’t censor what you’re receiving. Let it flow. You can test it later, making sure that it lines up with Scripture and even running what you’ve heard by a trusted friend.
You’ll be surprised at how much you hear when you start to journal. You’ll probably realise that God has been speaking all along but you just didn’t recognise it.
Put aside any doubts you might have and trust that God really is present and speaking to you.
Are you ready to wait, look and listen?
Find a quite place and spend some time in worship.
Sit quietly, visualise yourself with Jesus.
Talk to Him and ask Him questions. Listen and sense His reply.
Write down His answers.
Afterwards, Test What You Hear
Is it biblical - does it line up with Scripture?
Is it a voice of love or a voice of fear? God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, He told us to be ‘anxious for nothing’. If what you've heard creates fear and anxiety it probably isn't from God.
Is it convicting or is it condemning? He may be convicting you of sin but condemnation is never from God.
If what you’ve heard involves a major decision, look for confirmation and seek the counsel of mature Christians before taking action.
Lord, thank You for drawing us to the secret place. Teach us how to listen. Help us to be like Samuel who said, ‘Speak for your servant is listening.’ Let us be those hear you in our heart. Help us to get used to the sound of your voice so that we can easily recognise when you’re speaking. Help us to still and quieten our soul so that we can hear you more. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear.
If you’d like to know when the next article is posted, please click on the subscribe link in the right hand column.
You can send this article to a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
The Secret Place
Do you struggle to sense God's presence when you pray?
Does He often seem distant?
Do you long to know that He's really with you?
There's a guaranteed way to be in God's presence and know that He's with you.
Matthew 6:6
'When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.'
'But when you pray, go to your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.'
'Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.'
Jesus told us that the Father is in the secret place. The good news is that our Father is already waiting there. When we go to the secret place we are in God’s presence.
Jesus gave us the key – 'go into your room, and when you have shut your door…'
When we enter, and shut the door, we are in God’s presence. He's waiting.
It doesn’t matter how we feel, the truth is that God is waiting and when we enter in and shut the door we are in His presence, whether we feel it or not.
When we let this truth sink in, take hold of it and believe it, we are free to connect with God and to walk with Him as we long to.
Remember the secret. Shut the door. He’s waiting.
The secret place is where God speaks to us and answers us. We close the door to the secret place to shut out distractions and tune into God.
Everything depends on whether or not we hear God. When we know that we have heard from God it is easier to have confidence and push through regardless.
So, 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear.' Matt 13:19
The power of prayer is in waiting on God to hear His agenda. Our role is to listen and act on what we hear.
It’s good that we get to talk to God but it’s even better that He talks to us.
'My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.' John 10:27
We can hear God’s voice, we just need to stop and listen.
And when we hear, we need to make sure that we act on what we hear.
'Be hearers of the word and not hearers only…' James 1:22
Sit at His feet, hear His word and then go and do what He tells you to.
We save ourselves a lot of grief when we take time to listen for His direction and only move into action when He has spoken.
God is delighted when we draw near to Him and explore His vastness.
Moses didn’t settle for the assurance of God’s presence, he longed to understand His ways. That's what opened the door for a great friendship between God and Moses. That same kind of friendship with God is open to each one of us.
God counsels us, 'Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things which you do not know'. Jeremiah 33:3
God tells us to call and tells us that when we do, He will answer us and tell us things we don't know.
God wants us to call on Him from a humble and sincere heart and ask Him for a deeper knowledge of Him, for wisdom and insight and understanding.
Human striving and zeal won’t get us what we want, sitting at His feet and waiting for Him is the key. God is looking for people who long for intimacy and fellowship with Him.
Some of us find it difficult to listen when we've entered our secret place and shut the door. We can't seem to get our minds to co-operate, we have to fight wandering thoughts.
Yet it is possible to learn to discipline our minds and listen.
It helps to have a special place for listening prayer, but just being there doesn't stop the wandering thoughts. Jesus tells us, 'shut your door.'
Being still before God in the secret place, means deliberately shutting the door on our thoughts and emotions and focusing on Him.
When we live in the secret place, and get to know God more intimately, it becomes impossible to doubt Him. We become more sure of Him than of anyone or anything else.
When we enter into the secret place, we find that God was in our circumstances all the time. Actually, He's always with us, it's just that we become more conscious of His presence when we draw aside and meet Him in the secret place.
As we build the habit of talking with God about everything and allow God in from the first moment of each day, it transforms our life. Everything we touch and that touches us is marked with God's presence.
Are you ready to shut yourself away and wait to hear what God has to say to you?
It will only happen if you plan to do it.
Decide exactly how and when you will shut yourself away to listen to God.
Consider putting an entry in your diary to make sure that time with God doesn't get squeezed out.
It's time to venture deep into the heart of God and discover the mind of Christ.
Enjoy the adventure.
Some of the ideas for this article came from 'Secrets of the Secret Place' by Bob Sorge.
Does He often seem distant?
Do you long to know that He's really with you?
There's a guaranteed way to be in God's presence and know that He's with you.
Matthew 6:6
'When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.'
'But when you pray, go to your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.'
'Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.'
Jesus told us that the Father is in the secret place. The good news is that our Father is already waiting there. When we go to the secret place we are in God’s presence.
Jesus gave us the key – 'go into your room, and when you have shut your door…'
When we enter, and shut the door, we are in God’s presence. He's waiting.
It doesn’t matter how we feel, the truth is that God is waiting and when we enter in and shut the door we are in His presence, whether we feel it or not.
When we let this truth sink in, take hold of it and believe it, we are free to connect with God and to walk with Him as we long to.
Remember the secret. Shut the door. He’s waiting.
The secret place is where God speaks to us and answers us. We close the door to the secret place to shut out distractions and tune into God.
Everything depends on whether or not we hear God. When we know that we have heard from God it is easier to have confidence and push through regardless.
So, 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear.' Matt 13:19
The power of prayer is in waiting on God to hear His agenda. Our role is to listen and act on what we hear.
It’s good that we get to talk to God but it’s even better that He talks to us.
'My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.' John 10:27
We can hear God’s voice, we just need to stop and listen.
And when we hear, we need to make sure that we act on what we hear.
'Be hearers of the word and not hearers only…' James 1:22
Sit at His feet, hear His word and then go and do what He tells you to.
We save ourselves a lot of grief when we take time to listen for His direction and only move into action when He has spoken.
God is delighted when we draw near to Him and explore His vastness.
Moses didn’t settle for the assurance of God’s presence, he longed to understand His ways. That's what opened the door for a great friendship between God and Moses. That same kind of friendship with God is open to each one of us.
God counsels us, 'Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things which you do not know'. Jeremiah 33:3
God tells us to call and tells us that when we do, He will answer us and tell us things we don't know.
God wants us to call on Him from a humble and sincere heart and ask Him for a deeper knowledge of Him, for wisdom and insight and understanding.
Human striving and zeal won’t get us what we want, sitting at His feet and waiting for Him is the key. God is looking for people who long for intimacy and fellowship with Him.
Some of us find it difficult to listen when we've entered our secret place and shut the door. We can't seem to get our minds to co-operate, we have to fight wandering thoughts.
Yet it is possible to learn to discipline our minds and listen.
It helps to have a special place for listening prayer, but just being there doesn't stop the wandering thoughts. Jesus tells us, 'shut your door.'
Being still before God in the secret place, means deliberately shutting the door on our thoughts and emotions and focusing on Him.
When we live in the secret place, and get to know God more intimately, it becomes impossible to doubt Him. We become more sure of Him than of anyone or anything else.
When we enter into the secret place, we find that God was in our circumstances all the time. Actually, He's always with us, it's just that we become more conscious of His presence when we draw aside and meet Him in the secret place.
As we build the habit of talking with God about everything and allow God in from the first moment of each day, it transforms our life. Everything we touch and that touches us is marked with God's presence.
Are you ready to shut yourself away and wait to hear what God has to say to you?
It will only happen if you plan to do it.
Decide exactly how and when you will shut yourself away to listen to God.
Consider putting an entry in your diary to make sure that time with God doesn't get squeezed out.
It's time to venture deep into the heart of God and discover the mind of Christ.
Enjoy the adventure.
Some of the ideas for this article came from 'Secrets of the Secret Place' by Bob Sorge.
Bob wrote this book 'with a passion to empower and inspire your secret relationship with God.' He said, 'My prayer as you read this book, is that you get a glimpse of the living relationship God has purposed to have with us. What Jesus had with His Father when He walked this earth is available to you.
If you want to send this page to a friend click on the arrow below.
If you'd like to know when the next article is posted you can subscribe using the link in the left hand column.
Thank you for joining me on the journey.
Lynne
Monday, September 18, 2006
How Real Is God To You?
For some Christians, God is as unreal as He is to non-Christians. It's sad, but true, that many Christians go through life without really knowing God.
Yet God longs to be known. He can be real to us.
All we have to do is listen to the Holy Spirit’s promptings and use our spiritual senses. They grow with use.
The spiritual realm is just as real as the physical realm but our spiritual senses are dull from lack of use. We don’t see that there’s a spiritual kingdom all around us waiting for us to recognise it.
We know that the spiritual world exits but we don’t think it’s real in the accepted sense of the word. We‘re so earth bound that we find it hard to see the spiritual reality around us.
Yet belief in the invisible lies at the heart of our Christian walk. To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we can't see.
We separate the physical and the spiritual in our thinking when really there isn’t any separation.
To grow in God and the things of the Spirit we need to move our attention from the seen to the unseen.
It’s time to become otherworldly. If we really want to follow God we need to become more spiritually minded, even if that means being thought odd.
Tozer said, ‘We must avoid the common fault of pushing the ‘other world’ into the future. It is not future, but present. It parallels our familiar physical world, and the doors between the two worlds are open.’
Our spiritual eyes and ears are weak because we haven’t used them much but it doesn’t have to be that way. We can learn to use them. We are in Christ and with the Holy Spirit’s help we can have eyes to see and ears to hear.
As we begin to focus more on God we will begin to see the things of the Spirit.
God is waiting for us to respond to His presence.
Are you ready to spend time with Him in the secret place? Are you ready for a closer walk with God?
Lord, give us eyes to see and ears to hear. Enable us to see with your eyes. Help us to be more aware of your presence. Make yourself known to us. Let us be those who are as at home in the spiritual realm as we are in the earthly realm. Help us to live more and more in the power of Your Spirit. We long to have continual fellowship with you. Lead us Lord, show us how.
The Practice of the Presence of God – Brother Lawrence
In this short book, through letters and conversations, Brother Lawrence explains simply how to continually walk with God from the heart rather than the head. He gives us a direct approach to living in God's presence that’s as practical today as it was three hundred years ago.
In troubled times Brother Lawrence, discovered an uncomplicated way to walk continually in God's presence. He lived and walked for forty years with our Father at his side.
We can do that too.
If you e-mail me and put ‘Brother Lawrence’ in the subject bar I’ll send you the PDF file of this timeless treasure.
You have my promise that I won't share your e mail address with anyone.
Yet God longs to be known. He can be real to us.
All we have to do is listen to the Holy Spirit’s promptings and use our spiritual senses. They grow with use.
The spiritual realm is just as real as the physical realm but our spiritual senses are dull from lack of use. We don’t see that there’s a spiritual kingdom all around us waiting for us to recognise it.
We know that the spiritual world exits but we don’t think it’s real in the accepted sense of the word. We‘re so earth bound that we find it hard to see the spiritual reality around us.
Yet belief in the invisible lies at the heart of our Christian walk. To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we can't see.
We separate the physical and the spiritual in our thinking when really there isn’t any separation.
To grow in God and the things of the Spirit we need to move our attention from the seen to the unseen.
It’s time to become otherworldly. If we really want to follow God we need to become more spiritually minded, even if that means being thought odd.
Tozer said, ‘We must avoid the common fault of pushing the ‘other world’ into the future. It is not future, but present. It parallels our familiar physical world, and the doors between the two worlds are open.’
Our spiritual eyes and ears are weak because we haven’t used them much but it doesn’t have to be that way. We can learn to use them. We are in Christ and with the Holy Spirit’s help we can have eyes to see and ears to hear.
As we begin to focus more on God we will begin to see the things of the Spirit.
God is waiting for us to respond to His presence.
Are you ready to spend time with Him in the secret place? Are you ready for a closer walk with God?
Lord, give us eyes to see and ears to hear. Enable us to see with your eyes. Help us to be more aware of your presence. Make yourself known to us. Let us be those who are as at home in the spiritual realm as we are in the earthly realm. Help us to live more and more in the power of Your Spirit. We long to have continual fellowship with you. Lead us Lord, show us how.
The Practice of the Presence of God – Brother Lawrence
In this short book, through letters and conversations, Brother Lawrence explains simply how to continually walk with God from the heart rather than the head. He gives us a direct approach to living in God's presence that’s as practical today as it was three hundred years ago.
In troubled times Brother Lawrence, discovered an uncomplicated way to walk continually in God's presence. He lived and walked for forty years with our Father at his side.
We can do that too.
If you e-mail me and put ‘Brother Lawrence’ in the subject bar I’ll send you the PDF file of this timeless treasure.
You have my promise that I won't share your e mail address with anyone.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Valuable Free Resources For The Journey
Free Resources
Here is an assortment of free resources to help you on your journey.
There are many things freely available if you know where to look.
Somewhere along the way, I turned into a human Google. I’ve collected a growing list of useful resources after sifting through a lot of dross and I’d like to take this opportunity to share some of them with you.
I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Downloadable Bibles, Study Tools and Other Aids
Searching the Bible has never been easier, nor has comparing the wording of different versions.
http://www.onlinebible.org
Online Bible software for Windows free of charge together with downloads of Bibles, Notes, Books and other titles in European languages.
http://www.e-sword.net
More free Bibles and Bible study software.
http://www.virtualsalt.com/bibstudy.htm
A list of Bible Study resources on the web
Keys to Hearing God’s Voice
4 keys to consistent, powerful, life-giving conversations with God
Principles of Christian Dream Interpretation
12 pages of practical help to aid your understanding of what God is saying through your dreams.
Food For Thought
You’ll need your speakers on for the following two links. They provide an oasis in the midst of all the busyness and will help you to stop long enough to ponder.
Wonder Of It All
Positive Pause
Be sure to add this page to 'your favourites' so that you can return to it again and again.
Send this page to a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
Subscribe using the link in the left hand column if you'd like to know when the next article is posted.
Here is an assortment of free resources to help you on your journey.
There are many things freely available if you know where to look.
Somewhere along the way, I turned into a human Google. I’ve collected a growing list of useful resources after sifting through a lot of dross and I’d like to take this opportunity to share some of them with you.
I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Downloadable Bibles, Study Tools and Other Aids
Searching the Bible has never been easier, nor has comparing the wording of different versions.
http://www.onlinebible.org
Online Bible software for Windows free of charge together with downloads of Bibles, Notes, Books and other titles in European languages.
http://www.e-sword.net
More free Bibles and Bible study software.
http://www.virtualsalt.com/bibstudy.htm
A list of Bible Study resources on the web
Keys to Hearing God’s Voice
4 keys to consistent, powerful, life-giving conversations with God
Principles of Christian Dream Interpretation
12 pages of practical help to aid your understanding of what God is saying through your dreams.
Food For Thought
You’ll need your speakers on for the following two links. They provide an oasis in the midst of all the busyness and will help you to stop long enough to ponder.
Wonder Of It All
Positive Pause
Be sure to add this page to 'your favourites' so that you can return to it again and again.
Send this page to a friend by clicking on the arrow below.
Subscribe using the link in the left hand column if you'd like to know when the next article is posted.
About This Site
If you want a closer walk with God you've come to the right place.
Each week you will find articles to inspire, encourage and motivate you to draw nearer to God.
You'll learn how to hear God and how to understand what He is saying through your dreams.
We're surrounded by a spiritual kingdom of which we are largely unaware. It's time to have eyes to see and ears to hear. God is waiting for us to recognise His presence and respond to Him.
Tozer said, 'He meant us to see Him and live with Him and draw life from His smile.'
In the coming weeks I will be giving you tools to help you to know God more, hear Him more clearly and become more aware of His presence and His ways.
I hope you'll join me on this voyage of discovery.
Lord we have tasted your goodness and we are thirsty for more. We want to know you more. Fill us with longing for you. Make us thirsty for your presence. Say to our soul, ‘Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.’ And Lord, please help us to rise up and follow you.
Each week you will find articles to inspire, encourage and motivate you to draw nearer to God.
You'll learn how to hear God and how to understand what He is saying through your dreams.
We're surrounded by a spiritual kingdom of which we are largely unaware. It's time to have eyes to see and ears to hear. God is waiting for us to recognise His presence and respond to Him.
Tozer said, 'He meant us to see Him and live with Him and draw life from His smile.'
In the coming weeks I will be giving you tools to help you to know God more, hear Him more clearly and become more aware of His presence and His ways.
I hope you'll join me on this voyage of discovery.
Lord we have tasted your goodness and we are thirsty for more. We want to know you more. Fill us with longing for you. Make us thirsty for your presence. Say to our soul, ‘Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.’ And Lord, please help us to rise up and follow you.
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