I posted this several years ago. But it is a good reminder to myself and, hopefully, all of us regardless of what context we are in.
I have found that the key to our gatherings is to learn to listen to the Holy Spirit– all of us.
In my past life, as a pastor of a traditional church, I felt the responsibility to hear what God is saying and to pass that word along to "the people." Of course, God's word is always God's word and it will always bear fruit. But how much more fruit is available when every Christian discovers his/her gifts and his/her ability to hear the "rhema"– the living Word through the written word– and to be able to share those gifts and His word with one another.
The shifts the responsibility for hearing from God to each person– to everyone— and that takes some getting used to. But what an explosion can take place as the church worships and listens. Jack Deere (Suprised by the Voice of God) shares this:
The New Testament church was not only the dwelling place for the presence of God, it was also a learning center for the language of the Holy Spirit. People not only worshipped God in church, but they were equipped to hear him, and after hearing God, they were able to give something to someone that would build them up.
In preparation for this, Jack challenges us to consider why we gather as a church. It's not about tickling our spiritual ears or getting a little spiritual lift (though these may well happen), rather he suggests that we gather for four reasons: 1. To hear Jesus and be healed by Him, 2. To worship God together, 3. To be equipped to do the work of ministry, and 4. To be built up in Christ. He contends that all of this can take place only as every person gest involved– bringing something edifying to share, learning to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying, and ministering to one another.
If you lived in the New Testament times, you prepared your heart to come to church, you prepared your heart to worship, you came expecting to be equipped for ministry, and you asked God to give you a gift to bring with you so that you might be used to strengthen someone else. This was the New Testament way of going to church.
Comments
5 responses to “Hearing From God: Key to Great Gatherings”
ABIDE
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. John 15:4 ESV
Strong’s Concordance #3306 menó
menó: to stay, abide, remain
Part of Speech: Verb
Definition: I remain, abide, stay, wait; with acc: I wait for, await.
Comment:
Of course for anyone to remain in Jesus they’d have to have somehow entered into Jesus. Abide is a verb, inferring activity Vs spectator apathy, an active participation in being a light and salt (a witness for God within our own personal spheres of influence).
Observations:
As a light, we’re reflecting Jesus’ light, and that can be seen by others who are seeking and who are being led by Holy Spirit. As salt we flavor others with His ways and His Word, within our own personality. So the better we activate the knowledge of His Word & Spirit the better our potential productivity for God.
Remember that God’s Word bears fruit, by itself, so as we add it to our lifestyle it begins to add fruitfulness to it.
The best scripture that makes your point of every believer preparing in advance or “considering now” they can “stir up one another to love and good works” is in that old verse on “not neglecting to meet together”.
Hebrews 10
24 AND LET US CONSIDER HOW to stir up ONE ANOTHER to LOVE AND GOOD WORKS,
25 not neglecting to MEET TOGETHER, as is the habit of some, but encouraging ONE ANOTHER, and ALL THE MORE as you see the Day drawing near.
How do we prepare to “meet together”? How do we “consider how we can…meet together”?
It’s called “the new and living way”, in the previous verses:
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,
20 by THE NEW AND LIVING WAY that he opened for US through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,
21 and since we have a great priests who over the house of God,
22 LET US DRAW NEAR with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 LET US HOLD FAST the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
I will let the Holy Spirit expand this in our hearts. This is SO POWERFUL and so concise.
Amen, Tim. Thanks for sharing Hebrews 10. Very powerful!
Regarding hearing from God, I’ve posted some interesting studies by accomplished veterans of the faith for anyone who’d like to see how they broke through, https://golog2day.com/meditation.
Well done!