Matthew 16:24 NLT // Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
Matthew 7:24-25 // Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
- What is the FOUNDATION of my life?
How God Speaks:
1. Prayer
1 Kings 19:11-12 // The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
2. Circumstances
Proverbs 3:5-6 // Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
3. The Church
Acts 2:46 // Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.
- Large Group
- Small Group
- Quiet Time
- Mentors
4. The Bible
- God’s voice will never contradict His Word.
Psalm 119:105 // Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
Psalm 119:10-11 // I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
- God’s Word is my AUTHORITY.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 // All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
How the Bible Helps Us:
- Teaching
- Rebuking
- Correcting
- Training
James 1:19-26 // My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
- Action > Hearing
- Most Christians are more EDUCATED than they are OBEDIENT.
- Deep is about ACTION, not INFORMATION.
