[Remember: you will need to spend 1 hour in the Prayer Experience on pages 63-64. It’s best if you can do it in person as a group. But if not, you can share your experience with the chat group by this weekend. Either way, it would be wise to allocate a block of time for it now.]
Discuss the book’s questions: 1) Does any of what you’ve read today surprise you? Why? 2) Do you feel God speaks to people as clearly today as He did in biblical times? 3) How has God spoken to you? 4) What might keep you from really wanting to hear what God wants to say to you? 5) Write a prayer asking God to speak to you, then sit quietly and listen. Write down anything that comes to mind.
(from Brian)
Hey hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Hey so before i share, just wanted to confirm that we need to pray for an hour straight this week?
Regarding today’s questions, nothing in today’s reading surprises me bc He’s spoken to me throughout my life and I have heard and believe at least one account where He appeared visually and Audibly to my friend.
I believe God speaks to people directly and just as clearly. I wouldn’t see why that would change. He talked to Paul and others after Jesus resurrected. The thing is I think people are so skeptical that they would just brush it off, which is understandably so. I mean I’ve asked myself if a homeless man in rags (who is really Jesus) came up to me speaking gibberish and preaching crazy things and said he was Jesus, would I believe?
In essence that’s what the Jews believed. Jesus was a blaspheme with all the radical things He taught. Plus he was a carpenter which was not a respectable profession at that time.
I do admit I am enamored when people claim they have seen Jesus. I don’t believe it outright but I don’t dismiss it right away either.
Sin, selfishness and distractions are what is keeping me from hearing Gods voice. Lord, cleanse my heart and give me ears to hear your voice. Remove all the distractions of white noise. I need you and want to grow closer to you.
The thing that surprised me was the fact that God can speak through creation. I’ve never really experienced God speaking to me through creation and/or nature. I find that those places make it easier for me to connect to God but not necessarily Him talking to me through that. I believe God can speak to people clearly now as He did back then. I think we often just get very distracted and don’t hear Him. God has spoken to me a lot of times. One of the most recent times was when I was deciding which church to go to down in San Diego. I see that God speaks to me oftentimes through His Scripture and Community. I think that’s might keep me from wanting to hear what God has to say is knowing that what God wants for me is not what I want for myself. I have a lot of sinful desires that I still cling to and I’m afraid of giving those over to God. These are areas of my life that I still want to control but God is asking me to have faith in Him to control it all.
Dear God, I ask that you speak into my life. Help me to quiet myself to hear from You.
Week 3 Day 1:
1. It is still surprising that God still talks to people through dreams, visions, and other supernatural circumstances because I can’t really grasp it when someone says that they had a vision from God or anything like that. I just think that they’re crazy because I have only seen God talking to me through sermons, church leaders, and miraculous events.
2. I do believe that God speaks to people as He did in the Bible, but it’s just rare.
3. God has spoken to me a lot through sermons, and my Cru leaders like Diesel and Brandt. I remember at Fastbreak, I was questioning why emotions are so important, but at the end of the camp, God revealed that my emotions help me know who I really am.
4. Something that would keep me from hearing what God wants to say to me, would be my negative emotions because my negative emotions blind me and make me believe in lies about myself and it convinces into thinking that God has something bad to say about me even when He loves me.
5. Dear God, as I am preparing to transition to RP, please continue to speak to me and help me know if RP is the place where You want me to go to. Please continue to reveal your plan for me. Thank You, God. I pray all these things in Jesus Name, Amen.
From Thao
Today’s reading reminds me very much of Reality 4 in Experiencing God. Hence it is no surprise to me but just a gentle reminder.
I do think God speaks clearly to people today as He did in the past. His faithfulness does not fail. But I do feel that people today have a harder time hearing what God has to say through distractions in our lives.
I tend to forget of the times He does speak to me, but when He does, it is often His soft, small voice in admist of my worries and pains to comfort and strengthen me. His conviction always seems to shout loudest when it’s through a sermon that spoke of the very situation that I was going through.
I think my lifestyle has distracted me from taking the time to listen. I fill my schedule with to-do lists with tangible results and often neglect spiritual disciplines–with time for God often crammed into moments when I’m most tired. I often carve out time for God instead of prioritizing time for Him.
God, I want to hear what you have to say. If your words gave life to creation, there is beauty and power in your words. I want to hear your words and allow your words to change me.
I think the one thing that surprised me was that God can speak to us in certain circumstances, but Satan can distract us. Just shows that we need to spend time with God daily to be able to decipher what he is trying to show me. I feel like God doesn’t talk to people as clearly or maybe he does it’s just that we live in a world with constant distractions. Sometimes I feel like God is talking to me and sometimes I’m scared to hear it cause I’m scared of harsh realities at times. Lord I ask during this week and even now that when I pray to you that I will be able to hear your voice
(Dylan)
Reading it today does not surprise me as much as we did about how God communicates with people differently and in unique ways. God sending messages to us has different forms whether it be through his kind actions, feelings of empathy, etc. God speaks clearly to people just as he did in biblical times occurs because the believer truly and fully gave himself/herself to God. By letting ourselves fully love God and allow him to love us unconditionally, we will be able to communicate with God. I believe God has spoken to me through my thoughts by placing certain people in my life so that I can carry out my path and aspirations. Certain tragic events will occur because God knows that it need to happen for me to prosper in my life. I pray that God will speak to me in whatever way he deems necessary.
1) No surprise, but more of a review of the progressive revelation (from creation, to the law in the OT, then ultimately through Jesus Christ (Hebrew 1:1-3).
2) This question is somewhat misleading. I believed that the people in the OT heard God audibly (like Adam, Abraham, and the prophets), but is God’s messages clear to them? They could hear Him, but they may not understand what they’ve heard entirely. On the other hand, we’re in the NT era, with the help and illumination from the Holy Spirit, we might not hear Him audibly, but we have greater understanding of what was said.
3) God has spoken to me through various ways: in a sermon, a prayer, a fitting word from a trusted friend, an insight from the Bible study, through nature, circumstances and even trials.
4) Because I might have guessed what He wanted me to change, or to do things that which I am not ready to obey yet.
5) Speak, LORD, for Your servant is willing to listen.
“Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that will bear much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
1) What did you read today that surprised you? What struck me was the supernatural way. I used to have big doubts when I met people who said to hear from God or talk to God. But I am glad that Sunday’s Bumble talk and today’s reading have cleared up some of my doubts.
2) Do you feel that God speaks to people today as clearly as he did in biblical times?
In the past I would have said no. But I may find that God speaks to me through the community and the bible.
3) How has God spoken to you?
I thought I had never been spoken to. But in the past year and a half, God has spoken to me. I have found that God has been speaking to me through all of these experiences I have had coming to America, meeting people in the community, and studying the bible in small groups.
4) What prevents you from really wanting to hear what God has to say to you?
Maybe it’s when I was away from the community.
Or it’s when I assume that everything I do is my own decision.
5) Write a prayer asking God to speak to you, then sit quietly and listen. Write down whatever comes to mind.
Dear God, I feel that everything I am involved in now has meaning. I pray that you will speak to me and I will focus on listening to you. I pray that you will trust the path you are leading me down.
From amy
1) Does any of what you’ve read today surprise you? Why?
Not a surprise but a constant reminder that I need to surrender myself in order to hear what God says.
2) Do you feel God speaks to people as clearly today as He did in biblical times?
He is clear but we are defying Him. We have a lot of temptations and constant bombarded with a lot of noises, and we choose what we want to hear and see. We feel that we wanted to be “heard” too.
3) How has God spoken to you?
God has spoken to me through my friends, events around me, prayers, reading bible verses and during sermon.
4) What might keep you from really wanting to hear what God wants to say to you?
When my type A personality shows up, I want to take control of everything. It’s hard to let go because I feel I know how to do this and that better than anyone. I want to be seen and heard.
5) Write a prayer asking God to speak to you, then sit quietly and listen. Write down anything that comes to mind.
Dear Lord, forgive me for letting the noise of this world drown out your voice. I’ve felt distant from you, and I long to draw near to my Heavenly Father once again. I know you are here with me now as I pray. Help me sense your loving presence and listen as you speak. In the busyness of daily life, I sometimes forget to stay connected to you through prayer. Help me align my heart with yours. I choose to find moments throughout my day to spend with you, listening to what you have to say. Help me tune into your voice above all else. Thank you for the peace that comes when I take the time to really listen. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
The reading today of who God is and how he speaks to us does not surprise me because I have personally experienced it myself. I believe he can get any message through to anyone anywhere and anytime he wants.
This is a question I pondered upon for a bit but then I realize that God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow so even thought I haven’t personally known anyone to have crazy ways God has spoke to them like the Bible. I believe it still happens
I get a sense that God speaks to me through my experience and thoughts. I am a very but thinker and he reveals a lot of things to me when I simply thing about certain situations. Such as reactions I would have in certain situations and I would get a sense of knowledge of the right thing to do and the consequences of the wrong.
The things that would keep me from hear God is not continue to know who he is so that would mean stop meditating on God’s Word and stop prayer. I have been on the lower side of my faith but I know God is still with me because of his promises.
Lord, please forgive me for being absent from your Word. Please allow me to come back to receive knowledge and wisdom of who you are and what you want me to do. You are everywhere all at once and I ask that you please continue to talk to me through the Holy Spirit.
1. Yes. I’m very surprised that out of the 4 ways that the authors list about how God speaks to us (through creation, other people, circumstances and special ways), that God speaking to us through His Word and through prayer are omitted. Maybe they’re saving it for subsequent chapters this week.
2) It seems that in biblical times, God spoke to His people more directly.
3) God has spoken to me most clearly through His Word, through prayer, through other Christians (in person, via sermons/podcasts/books) and through circumstances.
4) Fear keeps us from wanting to hear what God wants to say to us. Like fear of missing out on sin, fear that He’ll tell me to do something hard (obedience is rarely easy), fear of what others will say, etc.
5) “God, thank you for inclining your ear towards me, for loving me in spite of my wayward and rebellious heart. Help me to always run to you and not away from you because your Word assures me that it’s your kindness, Lord Jesus that leads me to repentance .”