As a young Christian, prayer didn’t seem to work very well. In my prayers I informed God of my situations and asked for Him to help. It all seemed quite rote and redundant and uneventful. It couldn’t be called a relationship because there was no communication back. There was no conversation. Just me talking.
I always appreciate people who are willing to grow and be stretched, and here is a comment from Jackie who took our training on Hearing God’s Voice and is struggling.
I took the Hearing God's Voice course and have realized that this material is not Biblical. Though it is littered with Bible references, and seems to promote careful discernment at first, the scripture verses are out of context and the material promotes false ideas. Yes, we are called to be still at times, and yes God does prompt and lead His people, but the idea that all positive spontaneous thoughts are from God and any negative thoughts are Satan, and all analytical thoughts are from us, is totally unBiblical. I find instead that the Bible urges us to use our minds, to use wisdom and discernment and test everything to ensure it lines up with the Bible. In 2 Peter 2, it urges us to "crave the pure milk of the word" in order to grow, not tune to spontaneity. The Bible is the only trustworthy source of truth. Our spontaneous thoughts change depending on mood, circumstances, etc. How can we depend on them to lead us in godliness?
One of the most common inquiries we receive is How can I remember my dreams? This is a great question and we have explored many ways to improve dream recall in previous articles and interviews.
If I can define a thing, I can go after it. Clear definitions of spiritual realities open the door so I can pursue living by the Spirit. I choose to live and walk by the Spirit (Gal. 5:25)!
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Is there anything better than the standard devotional time we have all been taught?
Let's agree to define the standard devotional time as a quiet time which includes Bible reading, prayer, worship and intercession. It may include a prayer list and a Bible reading plan. I certainly have nothing against this as it has benefitted many people. I have NOT had such a devotional approach for at least the last 35 years, if not longer. I do something different.
The following two-way journaling is from Pamela Jones, a Christian Leadership University student, completing the Communion With God course on a graduate level. It is so powerful to hear God speak to all of us His passionate desires for our lives. I thought it was Bible Study. He says it is being in His Presence. Lord, teach us to walk in Your presence!
