Fresh Encounters with God
“He said to me, Son of man, all My words that I shall speak to you, receive in your heart and hear with your ears.”
Ezekiel 3:10 (Ampl)
Nothing will ignite your faith like a fresh encounter with God! Hearing God’s voice is essential to vital faith. God speaks today and longs for us to hear His voice. The clearest way I hear God’s voice is to engage Scripture on a daily basis. Jesus told us that God’s Word is truth! When He prayed in the garden before the crucifixion, He said, “Make them holy by Your truth; teach them Your word, which is truth.” John 17:17 (NLT)
I’m often asked, “How do you hear God’s voice? How do you know when He is speaking to you? How do you know if it’s not just your own thoughts or, worse, the voice of the devil?”
Consider a new approach to your daily Bible reading. Learn to engage the Scripture. Engaging the Bible on a daily basis involves three simple exercises:
First, read it systematically. You can begin in the Old Testament or the New Testament. It could be a reading of one of the 66 books that make up the Bible, like the Gospel of John. Wherever you choose to begin, read a chapter or two each day.
Second, reflect on what you are reading. The biblical word for reflecting on Scripture is “meditation.” Let the words marinate in your mind and heart as you read them. Let them sink into your soul and consider their application to your life as well as their historical context.
Third, respond to what you read. Act on the truth that you understand. It could be a sin to confess and forsake, a command to obey, a promise to claim, or a call to pray. God may even prompt your heart to share what you’ve read in His Word with someone to encourage their faith.
Be intentional. Set a time and place. Determine to meet with God each day and engage Him in His Word. Consider it your Divine Appointment. Soon, what began as a daily discipline will become an absolute delight! You will look forward to hearing God’s voice as He speaks to you in the pages of His Word. Read it daily. Reflect on what you’re reading and respond with faith and action! I challenge you to try engaging the Bible over the next 30 days and begin to journal what you hear God saying to you as He begins to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways.
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.