The God Who Speaks - July 2008

Hi everybody,

Still listening?

I continue to ponder the importance of ensuring that the God we hear is one and the same as the Father of Jesus. Usually as I weigh and test what I’m hearing, I listen first and then run what I hear through the plumb-line of Christ’s teachings in the Gospels. When they don’t seem to line up … uh oh. Time for adjustments … all well and good. But for this month’s exercise, I want to invert the process (after experimenting throughout 2008 on my own). I found it to be a good stretch.

First, we actually start with the Gospels. Begin anywhere that Jesus is speaking or teaching. Often, we assume we sort of know everything that Jesus said—this is because we stick to the familiar and gloss over the parts that we don’t understand or don’t like. But in this exercise, begin reading Jesus' words and keep reading until you hit a verse that creates a reaction in you. For example, an “aha” moment, or something that seems confusing, or challenges your assumptions (culturally or theologically), or even kind of bugs you. Or maybe you'll see something unusual that causes a bit of a double-take.

Rather than zipping past those verses, rest on them. Pick one verse. and then read and reread. Memorize it, letting it bore into the part of your heart that feels resistant. Take the key phrase with you and let it expand the frequency at which you are currently tuned in. The function of the exercise is two-fold (at least): it will open your ears where you have heard only what you prefer to hear. It will expand your heart to receive more of what God has for you. In short, it is an exercise in purposely surrendering and submitting to the original voice of Jesus. Your ability to hear God’s voice will become sharper and safer.

Just by way of example, I landed on this phrase where Jesus says, “For everyone will be salted with fire.” What? Why hadn’t I seen that before? What does it mean? Over the last few months, it has gone from troubling me to intriguing me to challenging me to deeply comforting me. Because of that process, I believe I’m hearing more clearly and what I’m hearing sounds more like Jesus. So, give it a go, perhaps starting with one of Jesus’ great sermons (Luke 6:17-49) or most intimate talks (John 14-17).

On another note, you might have a look at the latest articles by me or Eric Janzen (our prophetic coordinator at Fresh Wind) at the Clarion Journal website (www.clarionjournal.typepad.com). I recommend having a look at:

“I must diminish”: Humility as the Prophetic Benchmark by Brad Jersak

“When I walk into the room”: Confessions of a Burden-bearer by Eric Janzen

Some good news: I think Children, Can You Hear Me? may be coming out in Dutch, Norwegian and Thai before long. And Kissing the Leper will be appearing in German before long. But if you know someone who should be picking them up in English, please refer them to www.bradjersak.com (where they can also get my newsletter).

blessings,

Brad Jersak