FIVE. God speaks -part 1.
--in a nutshell <daily sidebar>
1. If a Christian does not know when God is speaking, He is in trouble at the heart of His Christian life.
2. When I understand spiritual truth, it is because the Holy Spirit is working in my life.
3. God’s revelations are designed to bring you into a love relationship with Him.
4. When the Spirit directs my attention to a truth, I write it down, meditate on it, and adjust my life to it. I alert myself to watch for ways God may be that way in my life during the day.
5. Prayer is a relationship, not just a religious activity.
--in more detail <daily subheadings>
(1) God speaks in different ways: God spoke in the OT, a wrong pattern, does God give specific directions?
summary> That God spoke to people is more important than *how* He spoke; When speaking it was usually unique to that person; When God spoke the person was sure & understood; When god spoke that was an encouter with God; Without clear instruction from God I will pray and wait so as not to bypass the love relationship
(2) God speaks by the Holy Spirit: God spoke in the Gospels, God speaks today, Encountering God, Respond immediately
summary> An encounter with the Holy Spirit is an encounter with God; Truth is never discovered but instead is revealed; When I come to God's Word, the author himself is present to instruct me
(3) God reveals: God reveals himself, God reveals his purposes, God reveals his ways
summary> Revelations are designed to build the love relationship with Him; God reveals himself to increase my faith; God reveals his purposes so that I will do His work
(4) God speaks through the bible: The spirit of truth, Responding to truth
summary> When God speaks to me I will recognize his voice and follow him; I cannot understand spiritual truth unless the spirit of God reveals it; God is more interested in what I become than in what I do.
(5) God speaks through prayer: Truth is a person, Prayer is a relationship to a person, Praying in the spirit
summary> When God speaks in my quiet time I should write it down and not forget it; Truth is a person; Prayer is 2-way; Prayer is a relationship not just discipline; I need to be sure that my only desire is to know God [God's will]
::::: DVD message notes 1-8, p111
[from Sunday 12:30 p.m. group GPW]
ReplyDelete-Still some chaffing among members when author(s) dictate the significance or consequence for a particular exercise or Bible verse; and the general “frog-marching” in lockstep through the chapters.
-Spotlighting the role of Holy Spirit (and the list of names gathered in the final pages of the book) was refreshing to read, since this subject often seems taken for granted or left out.
-Our group continues to wrestle with the apparent paradox of trying to comprehend how big picture and daily habits details all work, while knowing from the start that mere mortals can’t wrap arms fully around any of God’s work. So any breakthrough or insight should be celebrated, but the mountain is much much higher; you never reach the pinnacle.