Based upon Dr. Stanley’s “How to Listen to God.” 

To cultivate a daily walk with Christ – to know Him more intimately, we need to come to Him focused upon Him.  We should have a plan when we come to Him that includes meditating upon the Word.  Start in one of the Gospels like John or an epistle like Philippians, read a chapter a day.  Let the Holy Spirit guide you as you read.   A good discipline is to use a prayer journal to write down what you say to Him and what He says to you.  Here are some factors to consider when you pray, read, and meditate: 

1.      Time - Set aside a certain time of the day, I like early mornings to start my day with Him (Psalm 5:3), but the time of day is not as important as consistency.  Listen to Him, allow His Spirit to fill you and equip you for the day ahead!

2.      Stillness – If you’re going to meditate upon the Lord, stillness is vital (Psalm 46:10; Psalm 62:5).  Fix your thoughts upon Him; be sensitive to His presence, His goodness, and His Grace.

3.      Seclusion – Sometimes God wants your absolute, undivided attention; He wants a private time with you. Even Jesus needed time alone with the Father and so do you (Mark 1:35). His private workings are often the most precious.

4.      Silence – If we are quiet before The Lord, He can interject His thoughts into our minds and hearts. Silence and seclusion allow our hearts to clearly perceive what the Lord is saying to us (Isaiah 30:15). He may give you a passage of scripture, reveal a truth, or give you peace.

5.      Self-control – As we begin to meditate, we may have to labor a little mentally to focus our attention on God; a psalm can help center our thoughts. Begin to think just about Him, become lost in His Majesty! (Proverbs 8:34)

6.      Submission – We must humble ourselves and submit to the Lord (James 4:10). If we are rebellious in our hearts, we won’t meditate.  Yielding ourselves to Him is vital in listening to His voice.

So mediate upon the Lord – His majestic glory, faithfulness, goodness and wonderful promises.  Meditate on who He is, the Great I AM, and you will come to know His character and presence in a deep fresh way!e to edit.

Based upon Dr. Stanley’s Life Principle Notes

God’s twofold purpose in pursuing an intimate relationship with you is to reveal Himself to you and to accomplish His work through you. He wants you to have a life that is meaningful (Mt 5:14-16), joyful (Jn 15:11), and fruitful (Jn 15:5).

Review the MEMORY VERSE (Jn 1:14).  Let’s hide the Word of God in our heart; MEDITATE, what does the verse say to you?  Pray for understanding.  Review, Review, Review!

DISCUSS: What did I learn in the Sunday School lesson and the sermon about “God among us: do we notice?”

Read (Ps 63:1-8).  The Holy Spirit living in you gives you the ability to develop a real and personal friendship with Christ.  How does this Psalm of David indicate that he had a deep relationship with God?  How thirsty; how longing was David?

Some requirements for intimacy:  1. Trust; you cannot obey someone you do not trust. 2. Love; the more you love Him, the more you want to obey Him (Jn 15:14). 3. Openness and transparency; confess specific sins, open your heart and be honest with Him (1 Jn 1:9).  4. Two-way communication; when you pray, take time to listen; let Him reveal Himself (Jn 14:21). Do you believe that He will reveal Himself? 5. Time and effort; devote yourself to getting to know Him, the reward is worth it (Ps 16:11).

Some barriers to intimacy with God: 1. Pride; is an abomination to God (Pr 16:5); it shifts our focus from God to ourselves. 2. Rebellion; is often an outgrowth of pride. Anything that is rebellious to God is sin. 3. Unforgiveness; (Mt 6:12,14). 4. Lack of Time; the key to an intimate relationship is our time alone with God – spend time with Him today!

Based upon Dr. Stanley’s Life Principle Notes

When the storms of life come, you and I can respond in anger and resist the spiritual lessons He has for us, or we can learn to respond in faith, trusting Him to provide our needs in spite of adversity.  In this fallen world, we can expect to face trouble and difficulty (John 16:33).

Review the MEMORY VERSE (Mat 1:21).  Let’s hide the Word of God in our heart; MEDITATE, what does the verse say to you?  Pray for understanding.  Review, Review, Review!

DISCUSS: What did I learn in the Sunday School lesson and the sermon about “A Marriage That Welcomes the Mystery of God?”

What Causes storms?  Some adversities we bring on ourselves. Other people can cause difficulties and Satan can bring hardships.  In some cases, The Lord causes adversity; whether the storm is from Him or not, He will always use it for our good (Ro 8:28).  

What are some of God’s goals in the storm?  1. To reveal something about Himself (Jn 9:1-3; Jn 11:4). 2. Move His plans forward (Is 46:9-11; Jer 29:11). 3. Grow us personally (James 1:2-4; Phil 2:13).  How does the Bible anchor us in times of storm? 1. It comforts us (Ps 57:1-3). 2. It reminds us of God’s promises (Mat 11:28; Josh 1:8-9). It is a compass for our lives (Pr 3:5-6). It teaches us how the Father works (1 Cor 10:1-13).

Regardless of the storms that come, you can weather them with confidence, anchored to the Word of God and the solid Rock of Jesus Christ our Lord!

Based upon Dr. Stanley’s Life Principle Notes

Do you struggle with fully trusting the Lord?  Even the disciples occasionally doubted Him.  Our faith begins to wane when our prayers seem to go unanswered or adversity strikes. But trusting God means looking beyond what you can see to what He sees!

Review the MEMORY VERSE (Lk 1:37).  Let’s hide the Word of God in our heart; MEDITATE, what does the verse say to you?  Pray for understanding.  Review, Review, Review!

DISCUSS: What did I learn in the Sunday School lesson and the sermon about “Trusting in Spite of Disappointment?”

Read: (1 Sam 17:20-51).  How did David demonstrate his trust in God?  Goliath was an imposing figure, but David focused on the spiritual (v 26).  He declared victory before he picked up the 1st stone (46-47).  What was the key to David’s victory?  David realized that they were mocking God and he saw the picture of Goliath’s death – he knew the Lord would give the victory!  How can you know if you are fully trusting God?  You no longer fret. Worry reveals that you are no longer trusting God. When you rely completely on Him, you will stop pleading with Him and start thanking Him for answering your prayer (Phil 4:6-7).

Requirements for life changing faith: 1. A Clean Heart; are there impurities in your life? Confess all known sin; they hinder your fellowship with Him (1 Jn 1:9).  2. Pure Motives; is your objective righteous? Or is your request selfish? What is His will for the situation?  3. Focus on Him; we dwell on our emotions, the facts, and the opinions of others – STOP, keep your eyes on Jesus, “For nothing is impossible with God.” The Lord doesn’t play favorites; He will work powerfully in any believer’s life, including yours!!

Light in the Darkness
Based upon Dr. Stanley’s Life Principle Notes

Is your Life making an impact? Our impact on others should be as significant as the effect light has on darkness. People should see something compelling in us; as we abide in Jesus, He shines through to impact those around us.

Review the MEMORY VERSE (Is 9:2).  Let’s hide the Word of God in our heart; MEDITATE, what does the verse say to you?  Pray for understanding.  Review, Review, Review!

DISCUSS: What did I learn in the Sunday School lesson and the sermon about “Light in the Darkness?”

Read: (Mt 5:14-16).  Light comes from Jesus.  Jesus was talking to His disciples (& you); what special qualifications did they have to be the light of the world? Were they learned men, educated and well qualified? But, they changed the world forever.

Light points the way. As a flashlight illuminates the path and a lighthouse guides ships, God can use you to show His way to those who haven’t been enlightened.  Ask Him for opportunities to point the way. (Dan 12:3)

Light reveals. The light from one match or a small candle can be seen at a distance; likewise, God doing His work through you can shed light on those around you. Discuss ways that He wants to shine through you.  (Is 58:10)

Lights can go dim: You must trim the wick in a lantern or the wick will get too long and create soot that makes the light shine less brightly. That’s what happens when we tolerate sin in our lives; His light is kept from shining brightly! Apply (1Jn 1:9) and let your light shine this week!