Knowing what God is saying to YOU

I am LONGING for more of Jesus, more of His Presence, more of His tangible glory to be reflected through me. It is a deep yearning in my heart and spirit. But I'm not always sure how to go about getting to that place of intimacy. I know it's just loving and worshiping and asking and receiving. But the "how tos" of it all can seem mystifying.

There are a million people with a million different ideas on how to press in for more of Jesus. And most of them are really great ideas. I talk to one person and they are reading through the Bible. Wow, I need to do that again. I'll find a read through schedule in a minute. I read someone's blog and they are spending concentrated time every day just worshiping. Wow, that's great. I love to worship. I'll do that at 3:00 when Ella is asleep every day. I chat with a friend and she is praying 3 times a day like Daniel did to get breakthrough in the things God has promised her. YES! That's right on. I'll try and pray three times a day like Daniel. I listen to a sermon about seeing God in the poor and homeless. EXACTLY. I'll make more concerted effort to stop for the one and spend time with my homeless friends and make more homeless friends. I just remembered something from the past that brought me into the Presence of God: 3 x 5 cards! When I wrote all the promises and current verses on them that God was highlighting and spent my mind time meditating on those throughout the day, I could FEEL God. Oh yeah, I forgot about that. I need to do that again. I'll get some 3 x 5 cards today. I read a biography about Hudson Taylor and the way he practiced living out tangible faith was to give EVERYTHING he had away so that he had NO OTHER CHOICE than to trust God to be his provider. YEAH LORD, bring it on. Maybe I should talk to Heath tonight about giving the rest of the money we have away so that we can really practice trusting God to come through. Friends of mine are doing a Daniel fast. Fasting. I haven't done that for awhile. Maybe it's time to start another fast. Someone I read about is starting a soaking prayer room. Oh, I love to soak. Maybe I'll try and find a soaking prayer room near by and go there regularly. I have another friend in seminary and she is finding God in all sorts of amazing ways through deep study and classes. Maybe I could take an online course or find a Bible class around here somewhere.

Ok, so crammed into one paragraph, this is absolutely ludicrous. But you can stop laughing now because how many of us are doing this every day?! WHY do we do this? There may be many reasons, but I am convinced of one main culprit. The Body of Christ in general, isn't confident enough in how God is speaking to them personally. In general, we have been trained to "hear God" through trained professionals, people who write books, or someone who seems to be farther down the road with the Lord than we are. Yes, we will hear God through those avenues. But if we don't know how to identify His voice in our own lives, we will be living the above paragraph our whole life. And feeling frustrated at that. There is NO WAY I can do all those great ideas at the same time. And I believe it is highly probable that God isn't even asking ME to do any of those things RIGHT NOW!

In my journey into deeper places in the heart of God, it started almost 8 years ago with the truth that "My sheep hear My voice and they will follow no other" (John 10). From that moment on, I began asking God to clarify His voice in my life. The journey has not been without misunderstandings, embarrassing situations, and bumps and bruises as I learn to hear and obey what my beautiful Jesus is speaking to me. But I can tell you this: I know the voice of Jesus in my life more today than I ever thought possible 8 years ago. And I am praying like crazy that in 8 years, I'll be able to say the same thing! My suggestion to you? Ask God to clarify His voice in your life. Then clear some clutter in your mind and spirit to make room for him to speak. He is ALWAYS speaking (through the Written Word, His Spirit to our spirit, music, people, nature, prophetic words, pictures, books, sermons, really anything. . . maybe even a donkey!). Are we listening to what he saying to us personally, or are we simply listening to what He's saying to everyone around us? I promise, He has some great things up His sleeve for you. Have fun!

Hebrews 12:25 "See to it that you obey God, the one who is speaking to you. . . . "