Hearing the Voice of God
We can expect God to speak to us everyday, or as often as we make a habit of reading the Bible. Journaling is writing down personal applications of what we feel God’s Word is speaking into our lives. God’s Word will encourage us and help us grow.
The Word of God
How do the following verses encourage and inspire you to read God’s Word?
(1) Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
(2) but whose delight is in the law of the Lord , and who meditates on his law day and night.
(3) That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.
(12) For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hearing From God
(4) Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
Everyday we need to be hungry to receive a fresh Word from God for that day.
Read the verses below. What should reading the Bible involve? Give examples of how we can do this.
(8) Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
(15) Lord , I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God.
(24) “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.
(25) 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.
(26) But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
(27) The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
Pre-Journaling Prayer Model
Before reading the Bible, it’s a good idea to pray, “Jesus, please speak to me today.”
Journaling Activity
Start by reading the New Testament. The book of Mark is a great introduction to the Bible.
(1) The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God,
(2) as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way” —
(3) “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ”
(4) And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
(5) The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
(6) John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
(7) And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.
(8) I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
(9) At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
(10) Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
(11) And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
(12) At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness,
(13) and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
(14) After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.
(15) “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Date:
Title / Theme: (write last)
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Application / Prayer:
Ask a Friend
What did God speak to you about through this passage?
Application
What could you do to do to make journaling part of your daily routine?
Prayer Model
Use this prayer time to pray about what you learned from God’s Word today.
Key Verse
“The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
