A Conversational Relationship with God Will Teach Us About Valuing the Voice of God

“Whoever is of God hears the words of God.”

Jesus says this in John 8:47.

Notice the straightforward and clear message of his statement; notice that this teaching affirms that the voice of God is an active voice and that the ears of His people are active ears.

This statement can be interpreted to say that  God speaks to His people and that hearing the voice of God is both integral and normal to the life of faith, the common experience of the true believer.

I believe that such “hearing” is all these things – integral, normal, and common — and more. I believe this because Jesus says it is true. I believe it because His people attest to it being true in their lives. I believe it because I have experienced the truth of this statement. But, most importantly, I believe that God speaks to His people because such divine activity is absolutely consistent with His character as His character is displayed in both general (creation) and special (Scripture) revelation. God is a speaker.

So, I ask: do you believe that God speaks to you? If so, do you want to hear what He is saying? And if so, can you imagine anything more amazing and wonderful? And doesn’t it seem like the height of foolishness to ignore the voice of God? The prophet Hosea speaks a harsh word of truth when he speaks the word of the Lord: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” God was speaking to His people in many ways, but they were not listening, to their destruction. Consider these powerful promises of Jesus:

If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

Prayer Gathering
Wednesday evening @ 7:00
@ the church. If you are unable to be there, you are encouraged to submit prayer requests.

Partners in Prayer for Advocate Bromenn/August:
Cardiovascular Care Unit

All-Jake Focus Groups
will resume in September. The two groups we’ve had so far have provided great insight into those things we do well as a community and those areas we need to improve. If you are a regular, you will be asked to take part in one of these evenings @ the Berrys with Cary Hendricks leading the discussion.

“I’m always the one who learns the most!”
The words of a volunteer in our kids’ ministry
Is it time you “learned more”?
Ask Athena how you can help..

Once school gets underway, so will at least three of our ongoing school year ministries:

1. women’s study/fellowship group (see Candi V.)
2. men’s study/fellowship group (ask Bob V.)
3. C.S. Lewis reading group @ IWU (corner Pastor D.)

Sermon: August 15, 2010

Listen to the sermon below from August 15, 2010:

[audio:jacobswell_dberry_081510.mp3]

A Conversational Relationship with God Will Teach Us to Paddle Hard…

… and Remember that He’s in the Kayak, too!

Playing a kind of parlor game with my family, I asked this question:

“At what moment in your life did you feel closest to God?”

I’ve never forgotten the response of the Lt. Colonel, typically a very reserved man about such personal spiritual matters. But, he didn’t hesitate. He opened right up as we listened in stunned silence…

I had decided that the only way to get the wounded out was to have the medivac chopper do a hot landing in the clearing near which we were trying to hold on. I could see the NVA (North Vietnamese Army) less than a hundred yards away – dozens of them – standing and firing at our position in the copse of trees in the middle of the clearing. We were almost surrounded. Mortars and grenades were all over. Up and down the Ia Drang Valley there were thousands of them – well armed, well positioned, and well led – and there a few hundred of us —  well armed but not well positioned,  strung out in pockets of 3 or 4, with many wounded and dying. And our leadership structure was pretty well broken down. Each officer and NCO had to make ad hoc decisions based on his best assessments of the situation. And they did an incredible job; if they hadn’t, none of us would have made it out alive.

We had many seriously wounded fellows under our command. Their only chance was quick evacuation to the base hospital. I got on the radio and told the incoming choppers to look for a signal from a flashlight and to come in hot and fast and be ready to do a quick pickup and fly out. As I headed out from the cover of the trees into the middle of the clearing, I had a strange calm, even though bullets and tracers were zipping and buzzing all around me. I was able to concentrate on sending the signal and guiding in the choppers. Even though there may have been hundreds of enemy firing at me, I was not hit. I can only say that I felt the presence of God with me, protecting me and giving me the courage to do what I needed to do to get those guys out of there. That was the moment I felt closest to Him.

Prayer Gathering Wednesday evening @ 7:00
@ the church. If you are unable to be there, you are encouraged to submit prayer requests.

Partners in Prayer for Advocate Bromenn/August:
Cardiovascular Care Unit

All-Jake Focus Groups will resume in September. The two groups we’ve had so far have provided great insight into those things we do well as a community and those areas we need to improve. If you are a regular, you will be asked to take part in one of these evenings @ the Berrys with Cary Hendricks leading the discussion.

“I’m always the one who learns the most!”
The words of a volunteer in our kids’ ministry

Is it time you “learned more”?
Ask Athena how you can help..

How should American Christians view/relate to their Muslim neighbors?
Coming this fall: John MacLean, FEC missionary to Lebanon, will share his experiences and insights with us.