The Holy Spirit (Week 2 Summary from Discerning the Voice of God)

Image Credit:  Tessa Rampersad - Public Domain Image - via Freely Photos

 The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit:  In week two of our ladies Bible study, Discerning the Voice of God, we covered the topic of The Holy Spirit.  God speaks to us through His Spirit of Truth.  God uses whatever means He chooses to speak to His children.  If a person believes God is using sensational means to speak to him or her, it will only be to confirm what His Word and His Spirit says.

In the second day of this week’s study, Priscilla wants us to remember the 5 Ms of correctly hearing God:

1.  Look for the message of the Spirit.

2.  Live in the mode of prayer.

3.  Search out the model of scripture.

4.  Submit to the ministry of Eli.  (This means we should seek wise counsel.)

5.  Expect the mercy of confirmation.

What hinders me from hearing is that I am taken up with other things.  It is not that I will not hear God, but I am not devoted in the right place. – Oswald Chambers

Since the Holy Spirit seeks to fill you and control your conscience in an effort to direct your decisions, He will confirm what He is saying in the small details as well as the major decisions you have to make. – Priscilla Shirer

As we spend more time with God, learn more about Him, and seek a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him, it is much easier to hear His Spirit speak to us.  When we hear Him and desire to obey and please Him, our desires will fall in line with God’s plan for us.

Often, the Spirit’s leading will contradict our logic and feelings; but when we submit, we will experience a deep-rooted peace about our decision. – Priscilla Shirer

One of the things that stood out to me during this week’s study is realizing that God is doing everything He can to reveal His will to me.  I need only listen.

To summarize – Priscilla’s 5 topics for this week’s study of the Holy Spirit are:

1.  The Miracle of the Holy Spirit
2. The Conscience and the Holy Spirit.
3. The Guidance of the Holy Spirit
4. Transformed by the Holy Spirit
5. Led by the Holy Spirit

As with all my ladies’ Bible Study posts, this has been a brief summary of the knowledge and wisdom Priscilla Shirer has to offer in her study, Discerning the Voice of God.

You'll find all my posts about this Bible study series here.

I encourage you to purchase your own copy and go through it with a small group or individually.

This item is available here.

Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer

Image Credit:  Sarah Diniz Outeiro - Public Domain Image - via Freely Photos

Discerning the Voice of God:  How to Recognize When God Speaks

We have started a new Bible study at church on Wednesday nights.  We are studying Discerning the Voice of God (How to Recognize When God Speaks) by Priscilla Shirer.  The following is a short summary of our study.

One of the very first things Priscilla wants us to know is that to hear Him, we must be His true sheep and He must be our true Shepherd.

If we want to hear God speak, then we must expect to hear Him.  We must also wait patiently for Him to speak.

Wait for the Lord;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the Lord. – Psalm 27:14

For the vision is yet for the appointed time;
It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
For it will certainly come, it will not delay. – Habakkuk 2:3

If we are expecting and waiting to hear from the Lord, then we must also be willing to obey His voice when He speaks to us.

Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine. – Exodus 19:5

As we blatantly ignore and disobey God, we build a callous around our spiritual ears so that we don’t hear the voice of God.  He knows if we are pure in our desire to do what He says. – Priscilla Shirer

We must expect His voice, wait for His voice, be willing to obey His voice, and we must listen for His voice.

Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few. – Ecclesiastes 5:1-2

After expecting, waiting, obeying, and listening to hear from God, we must have faith in what He says.

Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. – Hebrews 10:22

This has been a short summary of the first week of our six week study.  Priscilla Shirer is a gifted Bible teacher.  She digs much deeper in her book study, Discerning the Voice of God:  How to Recognize When God Speaks.  I encourage you to grab a copy and go through it yourself or with a small group.

You'll find all my posts about this Bible study series here.    

 The leader kit which includes the videos is available here.

 

This item is available here.

Image Used by Permission via Moody Publishers

*I received a copy of this book (From Heaven by A.W. Tozer) from the publisher for the purpose of this review.

From Heaven by A.W. Tozer

From Heaven is a collection of sermons by A.W. Tozer for the purpose of creating a 28 day Advent devotional.  Now that I’ve read through From Heaven, I regret that I’ve never read any writings from A.W. Tozer.  His work is filled with theological wisdom and truth.  As I read, I imagined sitting under his teaching in his church.  Those must have been some powerful, life-changing sermons.  He certainly did not mind “stepping on anyone’s toes,” so-to-speak.  His teachings are direct and to-the-point.

In From Heaven, Tozer divides the days leading up to Christmas into 4 weeks, each containing 7 days of devotions.  Each day’s devotion begins with at least one scripture verse.  Then, the next few pages contain excerpts from Tozer’s sermons.

From Heaven is a great devotional for someone who wishes to study the Bible in depth and dig deeper into theology.  Tozer’s sermons are thought-provoking and will likely make the reader want to study further.  I know I do.

If you’re looking for a devotional more strictly devoted to Christmas themes, this is not the one.  Some days are more Christmas-themed than others, focusing on topics such as What the Advent Established, The Meaning of Christmas, The Reason He Came, Christmas Reformation Long Overdue, and Three Truths Behind Christmas.  However, many topics, although theologically sound, are not Christmas-themed.

To summarize:  From Heaven is a great collection of sermons from A.W. Tozer.  I would recommend this book as a daily devotional for that reason.  I would not necessarily recommend it as a Christmas devotional.  For me, it wasn’t “Christmasy” enough.  The fact that it is branded as a Christmas devotional is, in my humble opinion, unintentionally misleading.  It might not be what the reader expected.  Although, I have enjoyed the sermons, it was not what I expected as a Christmas devotional.

 If you would like to read From Heaven as a Christmas devotional, you can get your copy here.

This item is available here.