One of the things that we who love the Bible, who believe things like Sola Scriptura (Only Scripture – a reformation cry we mentioned this weekend) have to keep mind is that the Bible is not an end in itself. The End, the point, is a relational one – the idea is to actually hear God speak to US… to ME!
This weekend we talked about how THE SHAPE OF GOD’S VOICE IS GIVEN TO US IN THE SCRIPTURES.
Every Scripture is in*spired by God (theo*pneustos – God breathes or EN*SPIRITS or is Breathed out by God) and beneficial for teaching, for refuting error, for restoration (therapeutic term), for educating in doing justice. 17 So that the God centered person may be fully qualified and trained to do all kinds good works! 2 Timothy 3:16
We spent quite a bit of time in 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
We laid out one of the great pieces of religious inspired art in the history of the church. I don’t know how you can live without this diagram, but some people have to.
This was one of those weekends where I felt like there was so much more I wanted to say about “Hearing God”. I can’t recommend more highly the book by that title by Dallas Willard. The text box on the “Read to Listen” point could have been it’s own message… maybe a series!
Here’s the bottom line: God wants to live in Conversational Relationship with us. That’s a huge part of what it means to LOVE GOD. When we turn our attention to Him and practice “noticing” we see this. A few examples that came rolling in:
Thanks for the great message about hearing the voice of God. A year or so ago I had the experience of personally hearing his voice. Was a tingly feeling like cellphone going off on vibrator mode. I was helping a customer at Vons who wanted a pack of cigarettes, and as I was getting the smokes I received this urgent message to ask the customer for his ID to get the smokes. When I got back to the check stand I did ask for the ID, and he tells me I just passed an under-cover shopper. My first thoughts are holy crap!!
As soon as Mike and I got into the car the first thing we did was ask each other if God gave us a word. We both had been praying about it during the service (as you had instructed). There was no doubt that our word came from God when we both heard the same word independent of each other….”Listen”. Thanks for a great service.
Another friend told me that the word he heard was to “disciple those around me”.
I think his business is going to look a lot different!
ONE FINAL NOTE: Our T-Store had a great leading from God to open this weekend and have all the sales go to a special fund for the needy people right at Journey – yes they are definitely there! This is real godliness to says the Bible book of James – taking care of “widows and orphans”. (James 1:27)
BTW – that’s me sporting a a Banana Rep shirt I scored for $5.00 at our Thrift Store.
