Category: Conversation with God

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Conversation with God Discipleship, Getting Help Ministry Prayer Targets

Intercede for Many

Jesus reaching out to you while in prayer

So a friend updated me about a series of wonderful prayer targets: prayer goals so clear that we can tell when grace happens and God answered those prayers. Which increases faith, wonderfully!

And I have other prayer lists, which have been growing.

So I asked Jesus if I could ask for directions for praying for these many worthy and wonderful Prayer Targets. He answered right away, “Sure! I do it all the time!” And brought to my mind how he intercedes for so many of us – always.


How do you do it, I ask? “Same as always,” Jesus replies. “Father shows or tells me. You can do the same.”

So I asked Jesus if I could ask for directions for praying for these many worthy and wonderful Prayer Targets. He gave me several ways:

  • First, he reminded me of how I used to have index cards with prayer needs and prayer targets, beginning and ending dates; notes on what happened. I got to know them so well I could go through them with prayer intentions that no longer took a lot of time.
  • Second, he reminded me of how I ask for how to pray about something.
  • Then Jesus told me how he can ask for how to pray for many related needs and people – at one time. Father shows him or tells him; Jesus affirms he will tell me such things through Holy Spirit.

So I am exploring this. Holy Spirit groups for me people and needs. And I am following directions, praying as I’m guided.

Continuing to pray until these the prayer Jesus gives me are fully enforced.

And it is very clear to me I have very much to learn. Including things I never thought of, such as praying in the Spirit more, and praying while I dream. And much more, that I do not know about yet.

And I grow to be a bit more like Jesus. And to learn to intercede with much more love and lots more faith (which is much easier when Jesus shows you how to pray through Holy Spirit).

Do this. Intercede for many, and minister more like Jesus.

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Conversation with God Discipleship Hearing God Jesus's Communication Prayer

The Voice of Jesus Plays “Hide & Seek”

You hear the voice of Jesus. You may not always recognize that it’s his voice. Part of the maturing process is learning to hear his voice in more ways – and recognizing that it is his voice you are hearing. That may sound a bit odd. Let me explain.

Jesus says that his sheep hear his voice. That’s us: we hear him.

The paradox is that he speaks in many ways.

And we hear his voice. And we don’t always recognize that it is Jesus who is speaking to us. And there’s more.

The more we learn to hear his voice in more ways, the more often we know we are hearing him.

A result is that we recognize we are hearing Jesus more, and we discover he is already speaking to us in more ways and more often than we had previously realized.

We are learning to recognize our Appointed Lessons.

There’s more.

He continues to surprise us, as we learn not only to hear him, but to recognize that it is him talking to us – and talking to us in more and different ways.

It’s almost like a game: There’s more.

“Hide and Go Seek” – is Jesus playing with us this way? Hiding and challenging us to find him?

Yes!!

Jesus speaks to us in a stream of surprises. His answers often surprise us. His methods of speaking and answering us often surprise us.

We are being drawn in to look and listen in more and more ways, more and more deeply. And our relationship with God is always deepening.

Always becoming…something more.

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Calling Conversation with God Discipleship Father Holy Spirit Jesus Trinity

Greeting Members of Trinity

Prague – The baroque painting of Holy Trinity in church kostel Svatého Tomáše by Karel Škréta (1610 – 1674).

In the morning, you can say, “Good morning, Father. And pause. Good morning, Jesus. And pause. Good morning, Holy Spirit. Pause.

When you do this, you can feel the difference. And you are in touch with a Holy Community, a Community of the Three Persons of the Trinity: (One) God.

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each a different person, yet each fully and completely God. A mystery….

Throughout the day and evening, you can greet the members of the Trinity, one at a time. Pausing each time.

When you pause, you can often feel or otherwise notice a response. Stay with that. No need to rush!

When you go to sleep, say, “Goodnight…” to each of the three members of this Holy Community of Oneness — three Persons, One God.

Expect to sleep more easily and well. I do. I believe you can, too.

Pause after each time you speak. Notice and feel the response; notice how you are being made different.

This is your genuine family. In this family, I am a brother of yours. You have many sisters, many brothers, in Christ. All connected to our genuine family, the Trinity.

Greet each other. Pause, listen, look and feel. Notice what you experience, and how you are different.

Keep doing this and you will notice transformation taking place. Others will notice, too, “18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,[a] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.[b] For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV

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Calling Conversation with God Create Holy Spirit Key Article Lessons Miracles Prayer Presence of God The Word

Call and Response

Call And Response With-In The Black Church

Call and response has a long tradition as a pattern of preaching or speaking in historically black churches. The preacher calls, pauses, and the congregation responds.

It’s more of a two-way conversation than is being preached at, which none of us like very much.

There is similar a pattern in creating, healing, calming a storm, moving your mountain, or commanding a fig tree. Or even having a two-way conversation with God.

This is hard to put into words, and most of us are not used to doing this, noticing or paying attention to the elements of this – so please bear with me and seek and ask to understand – this has been a missing element for too many of us for too long. Including me. It’s taken me years to notice and appreciate this pattern, how widespread this pattern is, and how wonderfully useful it is.

There are elements to this pattern. The hovering of Holy Spirit over what is yet undone or uncreated. The speaking of the Word. Pausing, maybe like a Selah, pausing in the Presence of God. Having called forth a response, we pause for and give room and time for a response, and we pay attention with our spirit in Holy Spirit, and listen or receive.

A conversation with God is a two-way communication. You take turns expressing something or asking something, pausing and then receiving or giving a deep response. And you take turns.

Talking to your mountain, storm, fig tree, healing or other situation is the same. You say something, first in your spirit, and in connection with Holy Spirit, in this case a command. And you pause, listen, calling forth, and inviting and allowing for a response from the deep.

It is not just you talking. Not in a conversation with God, which would be rude and ineffective if you never listened. The same with talking to nature, commanding or calling – there is a response.

Call and response. That is the pattern. Call with your spirit first, in contact with and in harmony with Holy Spirit. Speak, Pause, and actively receive your response.

Too often we broadcast in our communication, but never Selah, pause in the Presence of God. We do not pause and wait for the response in our spirit, which happens before we notice a response in the world.

Response. From God. From our mountain, storm, fig tree, or healing a Centurion’s son at a distance.

And sometimes not directly, do we call or command. But sometimes we do it implicitly. “Stretch forth thy hand”, (commanding what a disabled person could not previously do). Not always commanding healing directly.

Call and response. For many of us, and for me, this has too often been a missing element, and thus a missing key.

Call and elicit, ask for and wait for the response you sense in your spirit, done with Holy Spirit, and there you sense a response before a physical response happens.

All this happens first in your spirit, in harmony with Holy Spirit. Then in the world – response happens.

Miracles happen when faith comes into contact with the Anointing or the anointed. Similarly, call and response for healing or correcting something in nature happens when the Holy Spirit hovers, the Word is spoken, and then there is a pause as we allow space and time for a response.

Whether in creating, healing, commanding nature. It is all the same pattern.

Done with Holy Spirit.

We experience the Anointing as Holy Spirit for a purpose.

Creation of the universe was through the spoken Word of God. With, and after the Spirit was hovering over the deep.

You may notice that you can know in your spirit, with Holy Spirit, when you’ve made contact. You may know you’ve made contact, and a response is in process. Other times, you may not have made contact in your spirit with Holy Spirit with whoever or whatever you are calling to. At least this has been my experience with this. And you may not know why. This is a good time to ask Jesus how to speak or pray. And notice what comes to your spirit and mind next, arriving and in harmony with the Spirit of Holiness.

Call and respond. For many of us, it’s more than a conversation between a preacher and congregation. It’s been a missing element too often in creating, correcting, or healing.

Call. And notice whether you are in contact, and pause for and allow the response. Starting with your spirit, with the Spirit of Holiness, speak a word in harmony with or in Christ Jesus, the Word; pause and allow for a response.

You may find you know what to do next. Including giving thanks and rejoicing!

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Conversation with God Lessons Purpose

Appointed Lessons

Photo by Nick Scheerbart on Unsplash

Like a Divine Appointment, the Glory of God became more available, like the sun hiding behind dark clouds that cover....

The sunsets and sunrises where I currently live, in the highlands of Panama, last about 15 minutes. Look away for a minute, and the clouds and whole appearance changes. Go get a cup of coffee, and you miss most of it. (We are so close to the equator that sunrises and sunsets are rapid.)

I saw the sun hidden behind clouds, recently. The clouds were dark, but the edges which were thin were extremely bright with the very bright light of the sun.

Like the Glory of God, being hid from us, and yet being revealed….

I didn’t know it, but I was experiencing an Appointed Lesson. Not unlike a Divine Appointment, it was a Divine Lesson, appointed by God. An object lesson. Our Lord inspired me, and I learned….

The Glory of God is so bright and huge, God’s glory is dangerous when too fully revealed to us mere mortals. Just like looking directly into the sun is dangerous for us. The lesson was deep, and it was as if I were seeing and knowing this deeply and for real for the first time.

In life, when we have a glimpse of this reality about the Glory of God, it is our job to be so overloaded and overcome that it overwhelms us.

The Light Display that our Lord gives us every morning and evening, and the often less dramatic and more subtle displays during the day – are lessons – if we will only really look and see. The night sky is no less glorious, yet not nearly so bright, so not as useful for this lesson I was receiving.

First, the Glory of God is too much for us to see completely and thus is dangerous to us.

Second, what looks dark and foreboding in life can be a protection for us. Because darkness hides our Lord and God, yet we can safely see how his Glory leaks – especially at the edges of darkness – you can discover inspiration when you can take time to see and know. Deeply know.

Third, darkness may seem to hide God’s Glory. It really only makes it safer for us to see some of his Glory. What a lesson there is in this.

Especially at a time like this, when we can really use such inspiration, and such a lesson.

Meditate on these things. And give thanks!

-David

P.S. As I write this, I remember my wife who unexpectedly died some months ago. To me at least, I feel as I write this that she is here.

Wow…the lesson in this!

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Conversation with God Discipleship Jesus's Communication Leadership Learning Ministry Success

Jesus Was Never Boring

Jesus Invites – by Sitara

Jesus never taught a class. You will find no classes taught by Jesus in Scriptures. He did not teach in a linear way. What he did was something far better.

Jesus had conversations. He responded to questions or things said by people he wanted to disciple or teach. He responded to what they were interested in.

Or he showed something, told stories or parables: he gave interesting, attention grabbing examples. Then continued the mutual conversation.

Sometimes he answered questions. Sometimes he changed the conversation – such as about not being so happy that even demons obey you – don’t lose perspective: what’s important is that your name is written in heaven. Notice that the starting point for changing a conversation or introducing a new idea begins with what the disciple, the person who is learning – what they are saying.

When I mistakenly try to teach people things, they resist – covertly, usually. Sometimes overtly. It does not work out well. And I have tried to do this too often. Too often I have been slow to learn.

But, when I respond to something that someone says or asks, I am building on what they are already interested in. Their motivation is already present. I even build on their metaphors: I use them or change them, or use them as an agent of change (when I transform a metaphor someone identifies with, they may also change.) Or I tell stories or parables or in other ways give examples, just like Jesus did.

This works out very well, I have their attention, interest and motivation: I am talking about things they are already interested in. Much more effective than talking about things I am interested in. Tremendous difference!

Have conversations. Start with where the disciple or the person who is learning already is. Build on or transform their ideas. Like Jesus does. He did it in Scripture, and he still does this in our hearts. You can join with Jesus and do this too.

Disciples and other people will learn more easily, learn better, and are more likely to remain interested and motivated.

If you want to have class outlines of what you want to teach, that’s fine for you. And you can use these powerful points in conversations, demonstrations, examples, stories and parables. Teaching more like Jesus. And teaching less like boring people who are trying to force their ideas onto someone else who is not yet ready, nor yet deeply interested.

Teach more like Jesus. You can do this!

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Conversation with God Hearing God Holy Spirit Jesus's Communication Learning Success Worship

I’m a Christian & I have a Spirit Guide

Courtesy of christian-wallpapers.blogspot.com

Yes, I have a Spirit Guide.

When I pay attention, ask, listen and do as shown or told, I do extremely well in life and in ministry.

When I do things on my own, sometimes things go well. Sometimes not. Sometimes I am smart and effective. Sometimes I am, by hindsight, incapable of doing smart things on my own. So I need help.

If only I could reach Jesus and get the help I need.

My Spirit Guide tells me what Jesus has to say to me, now.

Is this wrong, do you think?

Am I misled? Is this more foolishness in my life? Or am I perhaps beginning to touch wisdom, at least a bit?

Do you have The Spirit Guide? Do you want him?

If you have The Spirit Guide, do you pay close attention, often?

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Conversation with God Discipleship Hearing God Joy

I am Learning to Hear God Better

I am learning to hear God better. Isn’t that a wonder – how such a thing can happen?

This can happen during all of our life, if we ask and if we pay attention. Ask. Pause. Listen. Look. Feel. Notice what appears in our minds, etc.

I also feel I am getting to know God better. You can, too! I expect that learning about God more deeply and better is something that goes on for eternity.

Our creator has made us with a capacity for learning. Which can lead to a lifetime and – an eternity of continuing progress through various lessons.

Just the idea of this fills me with wonder. How about you?

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Conversation with God Discipleship, Getting Help Holy Spirit Key Article Ministry

When Standing on God’s Word Appears Not to Work for You

Frustration in prayer or when standing on God’s Word is painful!

Holy Spirit gives you a revelation of how to apply God’s Word in your life. You act on this and God blesses you wonderfully!

Later, you do it again in a similar situation, and maybe this works for you this time.

Again and again, you depend on different Scriptures – and maybe this works well for you.

Sooner or later something else might happen. It will appear to you that standing on God’s Word is no longer working for you. (That’s not the actual issue, but it may seem to be.)

You will faithfully stand on God’s Word again – maybe in a different circumstance, maybe you are depending on a different Word in Scripture. And it appears to not work for you.

So you double down. And you double down some more. You try harder and harder and it isn’t working for you and you do not understand why this is happening. You are sure it can’t be what it looks like. And you are right – it isn’t what it looks like — only different from what you expect.

Here’s how to get this fixed. Like so many things, it’s easy when you know how. Hard when you are missing a key to what to do and how to go about it.

Here’s what happened and how things inexplicably went wrong – and here’s what to do about it:

Originally Holy Spirit delivered to you an insight, technically a revelation to you – that in response to a certain issue you were to apply and put to work a particular Word from God.

This worked wonderfully well for you.

When the situation changed or you try to do the same thing with a different Word or message from scripture – it may seem like it doesn’t work for you anymore, a puzzle easy to deny and hard to accept. Because you are so certain that being faithful was the key! Standing strong on God’s word was key! And you were right. But you may have missed something important.

The first time when it worked so well you received revelation through Holy Spirit.

After that you chose what scripture to apply to what situation and it seemed not to work. So you tried harder and harder. You continued to double down, and it still isn’t working.

You need God’s revelation! In choosing what Word or message from Scripture to apply and to give you insight to about how to apply that message.

When you try to figure it out by yourself, it may not always work.

Go back to what helped you from the beginning. God’s revelation to you!

How do you get a revelation from God? Easy! Ask!

Then pause. Stop. Listen. Look. Feel. Be aware of thoughts that appear in your mind. What you experience next may be literally God’s answer to your question.

And it will probably look and differ from what you expect. Why? Because you didn’t know the answer. It’s like something that’s lost: it’s not where you have been looking. And God knows more than you or I do.

And because God loves to give us wonderful surprises.

AND, God cares more about your relationship than most or possibly even all answers. God is not a Santa Claus, and not an answering machine, either.

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Conversation with God Holy Spirit Journal Key Article Pain Prayer Targets

Words of Knowledge?

Still, Wide Water with Trees on the Sides

A Word of Knowledge?
18-Aug-2020, an entry for my Prayer Journal.

What do you think? I’m new to this, just putting things together. Can an answer to prayer be a Word of Knowledge? Lead to a Divine Appointment?

I think I may have had several related ones in a single day:

First, I heard a concern here in a WhatsApp group about home robbery. Not sure what to do with that and suspecting it was more likely for long-term members, I just made a mental note of it and moved on to other things. A special note, because a brother in Christ and a good friend had his brother in Panama recently attacked in his own house by several men, one with a knife. He’s in a coma in the hospital, still. So the warning of a robber in a house struck me stronger than usual, was more noticeable than usual.

Not long afterwards I saw that a rainstorm was coming. Even verified this with a neighbor who is Panamanian and who I expect can read the weather here better than I. (This rainy season has had fewer rainy days than has been usual, but when they come the rain pours hard for many hours.) So I took dogs outside for a last chance to do their outside business.

Rain came, it got cold and temperature dropped. AND I had a fear – not typical for me, of my house being robbed. So I locked outer gates, during the day – which I have never done. I even asked for intercession with two original sets of people. My concern was strong.

The rain was over in ten minutes, which was surprising. I was expecting it to rain hard for hours, as has been more common this rainy season here in Panama….

Even with house locked down and asking for intercession in two places, I still felt some fear. Usually, for me, fear is a warning of an impending attack or danger – so I pay attention and get ready. Nothing happened. It puzzled me.

That night I had a serious big muscle leg cramp that went on for thirty minutes no matter what I did. It hurt, and it went on for an unusual length of time. While I have a history of leg cramps, I have fewer lately and those that I’ve had were small muscle and did not persist — they were not serious or very painful. So this leg cramp was different.

During this time I asked to be more full of Holy Spirit. My Guide and Comforter helps with just about any situation.

Next day I was not doing well. Leg hurt, and I was not doing well at all. Unusual for me, but I noticed and tried to not do things that required me to be resourceful and at my best. I still ended up having two conversations, one by email and one by WhatsApp where I was not at my best. Maybe 60-70% of what is normal for me. So today I did what I could to set things right and to apologize.

Now, by hindsight, putting all this together…I am wondering if this was a Word of Knowledge warning me of a spiritual, not a physical attack.

Recently I’ve been in learning to recognize Words of Knowledge, something I had not previously noticed. I’m wondering how frequent they have been and how little I’ve noticed.

I now suspect that’s what happened here. And I may learn a lot that is useful. I think I may be in learning how to recognize a Word of Knowledge. (I already know that when I experience something that’s “not mine” I cannot move or change it. Such as a call to intercession. A demonic suggestion. Something like a pain or problem that belongs to someone else – a kind of Word of Knowledge.)

Another Word of Knowledge may have come, too. The tension in my leg from the leg cramp resulted in tension up and down my body on that side and eventually was resulting in a neck-headache. A painful one.

So I asked how to pray for this pain.

I then saw a picture of what may have been a lake. Still water, wide, with trees on either side. I noticed that as I kept my gaze on this inner-picture, my neck-headache was easing up. I gradually felt better. (This was surprising as an answer about how to pray – I expected to be told to relax. Something like that.) Then I got distracted.

Twice, later that day, I saw similar nature pictures on Facebook. Like the one above at the top of this article. When I would look at these, tension lessened, and I felt better. The second time I did this, I stayed with doing this until the pain completely disappeared.

And the second picture I saw on Facebook led to my meeting with someone new, a person who captured the second photograph. Which turned out to be a Divine Appointment – someone with whom God wanted me to meet. We are learning from each other. This was a Divine Appointment or a big coincidence. And I am learning that big coincidences are often Divine Appointments, it’s worth paying attention and finding out.

In one day I had these two experiences with what may have been a Word of Knowledge. I think maybe they were just that.

What do you think? What does your experience tell you? What is your own experience with how you experience a Word of Knowledge?