Played
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SCRIPTURE
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“My sheep hear my voice...” John 10:27-28 ESV
DEVOTIONAL
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When I figured out that prayer didn’t have to be laborious but was merely a conversation, I began to pray in a whole new way. I started to discover that talking to God was essential, but listening to the voice of my Creator was even more grounding and transformative. I found that often He had much to tell me that brought a new perspective, a clearer identity, practical solutions, and peace. I began to experience prayer as more of an exhale and refill than a form of discipline with a timer and gritted teeth. My main job was to quiet myself and listen.
In our culture today, we are bombarded with emails, texts, instagrams, push notifications, etc. There is so much noise. There is so much talking “AT” us. But the noise often hides the real desire we have as human beings - to know and be known. Sometimes we don’t even remember this is our core need.
But this is our design - to be known and to know others in return. The first fruit of the curse was hiding and God having to come after us asking, “Where are you?”
God invites us today to both talk to him AND listen to him. It’s not like our technology. We aren’t posting and giving thumbs up. He isn’t sending push notifications and going back to his life. We are called into relationship. He wants to listen to our needs and concerns and joys and fears. He wants to tell us his heart and secrets. He wants to whisper words of encouragement and an overcoming perspective. He wants to remind us that He loves us and will never leave us. He doesn’t want to talk AT us, he wants to be WITH us. Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. Jeremiah 33:3 ESV.
REFLECTION
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How does it make you feel knowing that God wants to talk with you? How does it change your perspective on prayer knowing that your loving Father always has time for you and always has loving and encouraging things to say to you?
PRAYER
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Jesus, thank you for your promise that I hear your voice. I ask you to awaken and arrest my heart to hear you when you speak to me. -
SCRIPTURE
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We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 KJV
DEVOTIONAL
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One night when my son was about 4 months old, I stayed up all night staring at him. I was so amazed by this beautiful gift God had given me, I just wanted to gaze upon him and feel the joy and pleasure that he brought to me. I was so fulfilled just knowing he was mine. And in reality, there was nothing my son could give to me in that moment. All he could do was receive my love.
This is where we must start with God. God loved us first and this love compels and empowers us to love Him back. We do not start the journey by loving God. We must begin by simply receiving God’s love. This time of fasting is about creating space in our lives to experience God’s love and respond to God’s love -- not earn or attain God’s love for that is already settled. The scriptures teach us that God saw us at our worst and thought we were worth the price of His Son. Imagine that!
REFLECTION
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What do you feel, knowing that God loves you in that way? What are your barriers to receiving it?
PRAYER
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Father, You love me so much that even when I was lost and had nothing to offer You, You sacrificed Your only Son so that You could be with me and I could be with You. Thank you for the blessing of not having to do anything to earn your love, but that I can simply receive it…what a gift! Father, show me how to surrender and accept Your great love for me. -
Welcome to the Behind the Scenes Podcast where we share the messy, honest, unfiltered and not so curated parts of our life. You will learn the reality behind our social media feeds, business, ministries, and what you may have seen on tv as we get honest and open about relationships, family, faith, business, and whatever we are learning about, fighting about, or laughing about lately. But you won’t just hear from us! We are sitting down with the people who inspire us most as they share the behind the scenes reality of their lives.
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