Learning to Listen
The idea that God speaks to normal people in the course of their daily lives is still a controversial concept among Christians. Wayne and Brad often refer to God's leading as a significant factor in their relationship with God and their journey. In this podcast they discuss how a daily, ongoing conversation with God is a normal part of the relationship he desires with his people. They share what that looks like in their own lives, how it integrates with their use of the Scriptures and how we can encourage others in this incredible process of learning to recognize his voice and have the courage to follow through with the things he makes clear to us.
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Another great podcast, guys!
Thank you for your perspective on the importance of a strong devotional life. I would guess that many of the fires the two of you have put out over the years were largely due to a lack of time in the transforming Presence of God and/or Scriptures. I just read an interesting post on this subject at a blog dedicated to the house church movement. I just left a comment linking to a download of this podcast. I hope it results in a few listens to this outstanding broadcast.
Regarding hearing God’s voice I, like many, have struggled with reception. Thanks for the definition of God’s voice being a “growing conviction over time.” I’m proud of my charismatic heritage but have been uncomfortable with the value placed on subjective experience. I strongly desire an intimate knowledge of God. I think the dynamics of this relationship are difficult in our modern culture. An all consuming love interface with a Deity necessitates great faith in a secularized society. And giving our hearts to someone who chooses to remain invisible causes our journey to be an ackward, wandering experience. But the bottom line is that God made it this way. We just have to humble ourselves as little children and enjoy the ride!
Great topic. I listened to this one before the God and Mammon podcast. I can see how it flowed from it. It’s good to hear your honesty in both those podcasts. There is so much clutter that vies for our attention. Learning to be still… whew… I’m still learning that one.
Dave
ditto… great podcast
one thing that struck me personally on this was Wayne’s comment that God does not speak to me about what others should do.
I experienced this first-hand almost 20 years ago where the Club leadership came to me and, completely out of the blue, told me that they thought God wanted me to lead the new high school ministry. I was just graduating from law school and was considering a job offer with a small firm and there wasn’t the slightest notion in my head prior to the meeting with the pastors that God was leading me to full-time youth ministry (even though I was volunteering with a local ‘parachurch’ h.s. group). But their confidence in me and the direction THEY heard for me (combined with my awe of them as leaders) convinced me that this must be what God wanted. So i turned down the law job and my wife and months-old daughter plunged into the dark world of fundraising (which is a whole story in itself). Suffice it to say that in less than a year we were out of full-time ministry– not being great fundraisers and the Club not wanting to support us either, and were wondering just what that whole episode was about. I have often wondered that over the last 20 years, but after hearing this podcast I think — more than any great plan that God had to teach me valuable lessons about full-time ministry, fundraising, etc..– I learned that I need to get my direction from HIM and not from others. And I hate to say I made that mistake again and again over the years because I had never learned to listen for his voice or trust it in a real and practical way. I was so schooled in the idea that God’s will for my life is either vague and unknowable or can only take shape as demands are made upon my time and talents by others that I completely neglected Jesus’ voice. Yay, Jesus. I want to hear from him, for a change (pardon the pun).