From the desk of Steve Shultz:
It is always a good time to have "communion with God" and more than ever it's important that we lean on... and draw closer to Him.
These are two excellent articles that I would call "teachings" of how we can draw closer and HEAR His voice.
Enjoy these words by John Belt and Mark Virkler... and let them help you further in your relationship with man and God.
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Steve Shultz, Founder and Publisher
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"3 Keys to Communion with God"
John Belt, Oklahoma City, OK
The Three Foundational Facets of Biblical Meditation
Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. (Photo via John Belt)
How important is what we meditate upon? With all the false practices of meditation associated with false religion some have wrongly categorized meditation as a bad thing. But the fact is that we are always meditating on something, thinking about something, or giving our thoughts over to something.
Psalm 1 makes it clear that there is a right kind of meditation that God wants us to engage in. In simple terms, where we place our thoughts determines how we will think, what we will act like, and where we will end up in the long term.
There are specifically three areas of meditation that we can engage in as Believers so that our heart and mind will be captured in the glory of Who God is. These areas include the Word of God, the voice of God, and the testimonies of God.
1. The Word of God
Psalm 119:1-2 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart! (Photo via Pixabay)
Everything begins with His Word. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was made flesh (John 1:1). In the beginning God spoke (Genesis 1:3). Understanding the power of God's Word, we need to prioritize our lives to meditate upon it.
In Hebrews it says the Word of God is sharp and powerful to the division of our soul and spirit, bringing distinction to what is actually coming from our own self versus that which is after the Spirit. This gives us wisdom, discernment, and understanding for our lives to walk after God's will and ways.
The Word of God:
– Cleanses, purifies, and protects the heart (Psalm 119:11)
– Separates the soul and spirit (Hebrews 4:12)
– Brings light of revelation, driving out the darkness (Psalm 119:130)
– Washes by the Spirit (Ephesians 5:26)
– Prospers our spirit, soul, and body (Deuteronomy 28:1-2)
– Brings healing (Proverbs 4:22)
– Revives (Psalm 119:25)
2. The Voice of God
Another powerful area of meditation is the revelation that God gives to us through His voice speaking personally to us. How is God speaking to you? Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice...and they follow Me" (John 10:27). This is the next important step: to walk with God, hearing His voice.
There are things outlined in the Word of God that are across the board in application to every one of our lives. Then there are the specific directions that God gives each of us according to His individual plans for our lives. This is where it is most important to hear His voice. (Photo via Pixabay)
Some might take the attitude that they are not important enough for God to speak to them. Nothing could be further from the truth. All of us are valuable. He is just looking for willing vessels. If you are willing, He is there and ready to use you. We have to make ourselves available for His plans.
Understanding that we have a role to play is foundational for us to even be motivated to seek the Lord and hear His voice. If we don't have motivation, then we have no desire to hear. And we must hear the voice of God to obey. Have faith that God wants to flow through your life to impact others.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Our belief and faith give us the following action of diligent pursuit to lay hold of the reward that He has for us. Believe God, hear His voice, and diligently seek Him.
3. The Testimonies of What God has Done
As well, we have the area of testimonies of what the Lord has done to meditate on. Has He spoken to you? That is amazing in itself to meditate on! What prayers has He answered in your life? What is your personal testimony of coming to Jesus Christ? Then we also have all of the testimonies of what God has done in the Bible. These are our own testimonies as well, through inheritance. (Photo via Pixabay)
The world is filled with bad testimonies of defeat, sadness, and self-consumption. God wants us to meditate on the great things He has done! Because of all the bad testimonies in the world, we need to focus on the "good news" and the "good testimonies" of God's goodness. This is how we give "witness" to the goodness of God, His nature and Person.
We see it all through the Psalms, how we are to remember the works of the Lord. We should meditate on all the things that Jesus did in His earthly ministry: the miracles, healings, deliverances, including other acts of His love and truth. The Book of Acts is a book of the things God did, how He worked through His Church, showing He is alive and active.
Choosing what we meditate on is hugely important because it is the difference between meditating and "communing" with the spirit of the world versus the Spirit of God. God has designed us for victorious living, but we have to make the right choices. In the Book of Deuteronomy God promises the blessings because of those who chose to make their meditation the Lord and the things that He values. We are not blessed just because we got the ticket to Heaven, but we have to live in pursuit of His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.
John and Brandi Belt
Overflow Global Ministries
Email: office@overflowglobal.com
Website: overflowglobal.com
Overflow Global Ministries is the ministry of John and Brandi Belt. The heart of their message is that God's greatest desire is to indwell His people with His presence. They believe that man was created to be inhabited by God through His Spirit. With a sincere devotion to God through the Holy Spirit, people can live in a place of overflow in His presence. This overflow translates into touching the lives of others through living encounters with God. When John and Brandi minister, the intimate presence of God is manifest – being accompanied with demonstrations of God's power to heal, revive, and restore.
"Leadership Teams Led by the Spirit"
Mark Virkler, Cheektowaga, NY
If we as individuals are to walk by the Spirit, then surely the eldership of a local assembly is to be led by the Spirit! So how would this look? What would they do when they came together to ensure the decisions they make are Spirit-led?
Spirit-led five-fold teams experience more complete revelation and move forward when in unity.
A. The best of human decision-making is inadequate.
1. We must forsake the traditions of men (Mark 7:8,9). (Photo via Pixabay)
2. We must forsake man's knowledge (Isaiah 55:8-11; James 3:14-18).
3. We agree the Spirit gives life and the flesh profits nothing (John 6:63).
B. We choose to expect that God will speak and lead us continually as we listen.
1. My sheep hear My voice (John 10:27).
2. We will walk and live by the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).
3. We acknowledge a four-step pattern for hearing God's voice which involves quieting ourselves down, coming into His presence by fixing our eyes upon Jesus, tuning to His voice which is sensed as spontaneous flowing thoughts, and recording what we are receiving.
C. Foundational skills required of those in the eldership team:
1. Able to hear God's voice, having experienced healing so they can focus on others' needs.
2. Trained to honor one another, including differences in giftings (1 Peter 2:17).
3. Releasing the five heart motivations underlying the five-fold ministry team (Ephesians 4:7,11-16):
– Apostle – heart for servant leadership which ensures that all the voices are heard, honored, and integrated into the final decision
– Prophet – heart for divine creativity
– Evangelist – heart for sharing the good news
– Pastor – heart for loving people
– Teacher – heart that passionately seeks out truth.
D. The decision-making process involves:
1. Taking time to wait on God, not demanding an answer immediately but prayerfully reflecting. (Photo via Pixabay)
2. Sharing only what God has revealed, and not man's ideas.
3. Honoring others enough to listen attentively to what each one is saying, while asking God to show you the truth in what is being said, and how that fills in, completes, or adjusts the final picture/decision. Affirming and sharing the integration you see.
4. Coming into unity, at which time you know you have received the full counsel of God and using the "Leaders' Paradigm" (i.e. congruence of six ways God speaks to us: illumined Scriptures; illumined thoughts in mind; illumined witness in heart; illumined counsel of others; illumined understanding of life's fruit; and God's inner voice through dreams, visions, prophecy, and journaling) for all major decisions.
Dr. Mark Virkler
President, Christian Leadership University (CLU)
Communion With God Ministries
Email: cwg@cwgministries.org
Website: cwgministries.org | cluonline.com
Mark and Patti Virkler are the founders of Communion With God Ministries. They have co-authored 50+ books. Their writings are unique in that they are designed to draw the learner into revelation-based learning. Mark has received a Master of Theology from Miami Christian University and a Ph.D. from Carolina Christian University. Patti has received a Master of Ministry and Doctorate of Ministry from Vision International University. Their focus has never been on degrees, but simply growing to maturity in the Lord. Degrees are viewed as incidental accomplishments and signposts along the road of life which can sometimes open up people's hearts and minds to hear, listen, and learn what they have to share. They have two children, Charity and Joshua.
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