7 Tools for Hearing God's Voice

Transcription

1 7 Tools for Hearing God's Voice LIFE GROUP QUESTIONS GATHERING TIME (10-15 min) PRAYER (3-5 min) SUMMARY (5 min) Jesus teaches us that we are to have 2 way relationship when communicating with God: to speak and to hear. God wants us to be naturally supernatural. Jesus was extremely natural, even with miracles. It wasn t super-spiritual, making a grandiose moment. He was natural as He interacted with others, when he did signs and wonders, and when He heard from the Father. When we hear from God, it doesn't need to be an earth shaking moment. God wants us to hear from Him naturally. God says, in John 10:27, that we are the sheep, and His sheep hear s His voice and know it. In order to do this we have to spend time hearing His voice, getting used to it. There is so much God wants to say to us for ourselves and for others. In fact, in Psalm 139, David declares how precious are God's thoughts of us. If we could count them they would outnumber the grains of sand. God has so much to share with us. It's not always easy to hear God. Distractions, drama, life, and even our own voice can get in the way. Greg gave us 7 tools to hear God better: 1. Recognize God speaks through His Word 2. Practice listening 3. Look for the other ways God speaks 4. Train yourself to pay attention and respond 5. Remember your hearing is imperfect 6. Turn down the drama 7. Look for compassion and risk Greg shared story about growing up in the Episcopal Church and how respectful and serious they were when reading scripture. We should have a reverence for God s Word. When we read from it, we should be in waiting to hear from Him. God said man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word the proceeds from God.

2 DISCUSSION (20-30 min) What personally stood out to you from 1 Kings 19:9-18? What did God reveal, or whisper to you? What is the purpose of God speaking to us? Have you ever heard from God? Were you sure or unsure? If you care to share the example, please do so to enlighten and encourage others. What tool do you find yourself doing most of? What tool do you need to do more or being doing? FULL NOTES (5 min) God spoke in a whisper (Hebrew translates as a thin silence). Life is constantly screaming- our job, household, finances, relationships, drama, etc The whisper many times is the thought (Pslam 139) God has for us, injected into our thoughts. They almost seem like our own. God wasn t in the wind, earthquake, or fire. When Elijah heard God s voice he went out to the mouth of the cave. Many times we need to get up and physically go somewhere. We need to get away, find some peace and quiet to prepare ourselves to listen to God. Elijah also hid is face in his cloak, which was a sign of humbling himself before God. Elijah postured is heart in humility before the Lord. We have to do the same. Our attitude towards God cannot be anything else or it will add chaos into trying to hear Him. Greg started to expound on the 7 tools and how to implement them in our lives. Practice listening! Recognize God speaks through His Word. If what you feel He is saying doesn t line up with His Word, then that s not Him speaking. Look for other ways God speaks: impressions, pictures, dreams, events, compassion, longings, a knowing, and words God is highlight to you. Greg shared a story about how God highlights scriptures for each of his sons when he reads the Word. God speaks to us not only about ourselves but for others as well. Train yourself to pay attention and respond. This is the practiced habit. We must develop this as an ongoing habit in order to hear His voice. I venture to suggest that the one vital quality which the great saints had in common was spiritual receptivity. They differed from the average person in that when they felt the inward longing they did something about it. - A. W. Tozer

3 Remember your hearing is imperfect. Whenever we start walking down the road we feel like God is speaking, we sometimes find out that really wasn t God. Always check with His Word, to make sure it lines up. Turn down the drama. Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10). If we don t and we try to listen to God, what we get is God speaking plus a lot of drama. It s hard to hear and make sense of what He is speaking, much less what it means. This is where we need to get away and find a quiet place to listen. Look for compassion and risk. These are excellent indicators of God being at work. If you want to hear His voice being to pray for other people. When we get in the traffic for others, we can start to hear God. Listening to God doesn t magically happen. It takes making it a habit, discipline, humility, making mistakes, seeking Him out, leaning in, and hearing for others. MINISTRY TIME/PRAYER (10-15 min) Share your prayer requests and reports of God s work in your lives with one another. Ask the Holy Spirit to assure your heart that whenever you walk through a valley the Lord will lead you and bring you peace. PRAYERFUL BIBLE READING (15-20 min) Use the Prayerful Bible Reading 1-page sheet to guide all of you through reading this week s scripture. SCRIPTURE Scriptures: 1 Kings 19:9-18 9Adonijah went to the Stone of Zoheleth1:9 Or to the Serpent s Stone; Greek version supports reading Zoheleth as a proper name. near the spring of En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves. He invited all his brothers the other sons of King David and all the royal officials of Judah. 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king s bodyguard or his brother Solomon. 11Then Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon s mother, and asked her, Haven t you heard that Haggith s son, Adonijah, has made himself king, and our lord David doesn t even know about it? 12If you want to save your own life and the life of your son Solomon, follow my advice. 13Go at once to King David and say to him, My lord the king, didn t you make a vow and say to me, Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne? Why then has Adonijah become king? 14And while you are still talking with him, I will come and confirm everything you have said. 15So Bathsheba went into the king s bedroom. (He was very old now, and Abishag was taking care of him.) 16Bathsheba bowed down before the king. What can I do for you? he asked her.

4 17She replied, My lord, you made a vow before the Lord your God when you said to me, Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne. 18But instead, Adonijah has made himself king, and my lord the king does not even know about it.

5 Prayerful Bible Reading Preparation: SETTLING Take a few moments just to settle yourself, to become quiet, relaxed but alert, and aware of God s presence. You might picture Jesus there with you if that is helpful. Don t worry about anything special happening, just remain open to God s Spirit. Ask Him to make this more than you ever could. You may have all kinds of thoughts arise (things on your to- do list, gnawing issues or things that are difficult in your life, etc.), which is normal. Rather than fighting them, it can be helpful to just notice these thoughts as they come and gently release each one to Jesus. READING Slowly read the passage. Place yourself in the scene. Listen with the senses What do you see? hear? smell? touch? feel? Can you place yourself in the scene as a bystander, a disciple, or another character in the story? How do you see Jesus in relation to yourself? REFLECTION Reread the passage a second time. What is capturing your attention? What word or phrase is standing out to you, stirring or inspiring you, unnerving or disturbing you? Are there images, feelings, or memories arising within you in response to this word or phrase? RESPONSE Reread the passage a third time. Ask Jesus what He might be inviting you to, then just be quiet for a few moments. Does something come to mind? This may be Jesus inviting you to a new awareness, or an action. Take some time to respond to Jesus. Talk to Him about what you are thinking and feeling, about how all this connects to your life right now, your relationships and work with others. REST Quiet yourself, and settle into the whole of the experience you ve had with God. Rest in His presence and allow yourself to simply be with God. You might want to journal the highlights of your experience, writing down the word or phrase, the feelings and responses that were stirred in you, what you felt Jesus was inviting you to. It can be especially helpful to write down the word or phrase from the text that stands out to you each day, so you can look back at the end of the week and notice any themes or patterns.