Can “Give Back” Be Cultivated Over “Gimme” In Kids?
Too frequently, parents just give up or give in, with the reasoning “I want my child to have everything” or “Kids are just naturally selfish.
Have you ever wondered what God’s voice sounds like? You pray, and then sit and wait for Him to answer, but you’re not exactly sure what you’re supposed to hear. Or maybe, reading all the scriptures telling you to go to God with your questions… but then you just can’t seem to hear any answers.
Frustrating, right?! So today, I’m sharing a strategy that has helped me to clearly recognize God’s voice. I have only shared this strategy with select people so far, but I am sharing it with you today because this is something with the power to enhance your relationship with your Father in heaven and help you to hear His voice come through crystal clear.
There is an exercise I do and I encourage others to do it, as well. It brings incredible clarity and all you need is your Bible and 3 highlighters. I like to use “The Scriptures” edition of the Bible, from the Institute for Scripture Research. As a literal English translation, it significantly differs from most common English versions because it restores the original order of the Hebrew scriptures and keeps God’s name in the original Hebrew.
First, open up your Bible and begin reading from the very beginning. It always amazes me how people read the Bible like a dictionary or some kind of reference book. When you start in Matthew or John, or Psalms or Proverbs, you’re missing the beginning of the story! You wouldn’t pick up any other book, flip to a random page and start reading there, would you? So why do people read the Bible that way?!
As you read, you’re going to highlight passages using this key:
This may seem like a very simple exercise, but the power is profound! When I did this for the first time, it helped me to understand how God speaks, who He speaks to and what His voice sounds like. It showed me what God cares about, what He loves and what provokes Him to anger. I was amazed when I saw He actually speaks to different people in different ways, because He knows what motivates them!
For example, when He spoke to Noah, He gave very specific instructions on how to build the ark, when and where to build it, what kind of animals to take. And Noah obeyed. God knew what to say to motivate Noah. Abraham, on the other hand, was different. God told Abraham to leave his father’s house and go to a land God promised to him. There, God would make him a mighty nation and his name great. These are just a couple of examples of how God speaks to different people in different ways.
When you can clearly see, in black and white, how He spoke to people throughout the Bible, you will be able to recognize His voice in your own life. And, guess what? He speaks to YOU! You don’t have to be some kind of super-duper-extra-spiritual person for God to speak to you! You just have to be willing to listen and truly hear Him!
Once you get started, it will literally change the way you read the Bible! It will help you understand God – His character, His voice, His plan for your life. As you begin this exercise, I would love to know your thoughts. Have you ever done something like this before? How do you strengthen your ability to hear God? Let me know in the comments!
Then, be sure to tune in for our weekly Spiritual Equipping episode of The Dani Johnson Show today for more biblical insights and inspiration. You can find the show on your TV and radio and please remember you can always stream today’s show right here on our website.
In great faith,
P.S. Like what you read here? Just hit the “LIKE” button at the top of the page! That will help your Facebook friends find this message!
Too frequently, parents just give up or give in, with the reasoning “I want my child to have everything” or “Kids are just naturally selfish.
I’m going to do something I rarely do – I’ve only done this once before…EVER! I’m going to give you an all-time favorite recipe around my house. It’s so simple, ANYONE can do it. Even YOU!
Do you remember your very first job interview? What was it like? What kind of questions did they ask you? How did you feel? Were you intimidated? Today, learn how to remain hungry and teachable, to be all you can be!