Proof of God

I ‘Hear’ from God

I believe I ‘hear’ from God. This is my proof.

The following is an outline of key insight and wisdom taken from hundreds of ‘conversations’ with God. It’s a compilation of the most important concepts and guidance from Christ for me personally, much of which is applicable to Christians in general, so I share it with the prayer that you are blessed through reading and relating to it.

You will notice that each point of wisdom or guidance contains a reference to the date that point was received. That date is a link to the specific prayer (or ‘conversation’) during which the wisdom or guidance was received. I have learned that compiling and reading this outline carries tremendous blessing for me, personally. However, reading the actual prayers make it truly personal again – I feel what I was feeling at the time, and can experience the feeling of enlightenment from God’s words again.

I will continue to compile my learning from God on this page periodically as I journal my prayers with Him.

You Can Too

I believe anyone can ‘hear’ from God, and that He wants to speak to you. He wants a vibrant relationship with you, and that begins with humility and builds with communication and trust. Learning to listen is the key to any relationship (with co-workers, friends, family, spouse, kids). It’s especially important in your relationship with Christ.

Last updated: 2/4/11

Summary of key findings while compiling:

• There’s great value in compiling wisdom from prayer, but there’s also great value in reading the prayer ‘conversation’
• I should focus on using my time most productively outside of work. There may be many things that seem valuable, but what is the most valuable thing I can be doing right now?
• I just now realized that this very post is what God called me to do on 9/16/10. He asked me to “Pull it all together into one package. Lay it out.. you’re very good at organizing ideas.. lay it out, make your assessment, and come back to me.” I wonder.. I mean, I didn’t intend for this to be obedience of that entry, but that’s what it’s become. That call from God was in response to doubt that I was actually hearing from Him (as opposed to having an overly “creative” mind. At this time, I already feel like I’m more confident today that I hear from God than I did back then. But I think that’s due to listening to [Christian teachers] and realizing that godly men do recognize that they hear directly from God and receive practical guidance. That’s what makes this writing potentially very valuable to others.

Sin, Distraction, Pride

• Struggles with wasting my time with computer games (7/14/09)
• Distractions are among my biggest enemies (fear, how I use my time, sin, etc) (2/23/10)
• I can do something that, on the surface, appears to be for His glory, but if my sincere intent is otherwise then it’s really just a distraction (2/23/10)
• Sin and distraction are simply the result of skewed (worldly) perspective. When struggling with sin or distraction, I must consult God for His perspective. (2/26/10)
• Temptation is subtle and deceitful – I can’t give it a breath of life (7/27/10)
• Now that I’m found, He wants me to stop searching (8/3/10)
• He is capable of amazing feats through me. (8/3/10)
• Sin and worldly distraction impedes my ability to hear Him. (8/7/10)
• The world is full of distraction and deception. He is my light – I must surrender to Him. (8/29/10)
• To attain wisdom and not act upon it or share it is a form of pride. (8/30/10)
• Pride is the root of all evil, because it is a barrier to understanding His nature and will. Humility is required for initiating a relationship with Him. Even sin is rooted in pride. (8/30/10)
• It’s vital that I stay in close communion with Christ, as that is my shield from the the wiles of Satan. (8/31/10)
• Many times, anger is a reaction of pride. You think you deserve something, and you’re not willing to give up your position of entitlement. (9/2/10)
• Challenge with obedience is an affect of distraction and a matter of priorities. (9/12/10)
• My pride is Satan’s hook. (9/14/10)
• My distractions have included: alcohol, lust, caffeine, games, sports, movies (9/14/10)
• Fear is a reaction of wanting to control reality, but realizing that it cannot be controlled. It is a symptom of pride. (9/22/10)
• Sin can get out of hand very quickly. It’s something that can take hold and create momentum in the blink of an eye to someone who is not mindful of it. (9/30/10)
• When sin is malevolent or indignant, communion with Him becomes impossible until the person repents of their sin and turn towards Him. (9/30/10)
• If I allow evil in, it will try to take root. It will infest. It will spread. It will take over eventually – only Christ can protect and clear away what my choices have resulted in. (10/16/10)
• When I become a seeker of anything but Him, I must check in with Him in prayer for His council. If I choose to recklessly follow my lusts, I will invite evil in to my life. (10/16/10)
• I must turn my back on rage. I must step away from the situation, regroup, connect with God, and respond in a loving way. (10/16/10)
• God is available to help me in resisting the enemy from distractions and deception, but I have to ask. My asking is a requirement because it demonstrates humility, that I understand that I cannot do it alone. I must ask and ask often – He is with me to help me toward His ends. Each time I ask will be a renewing of my ability to accept His help. (10/25/10)
• The sooner I can identify a distraction and choose to walk away from it, the sooner my relationship with Christ can flourish from that decision. (11/12/10)
• Distraction has the potential power to cause damage to my relationship with Christ. (11/12/10)
• Distraction by unholy influence creates dissonance. How I choose to spend my time conditions my heart – the question is.. is it conditioning my heart to be more in tune with God or less? (11/15/10)
• The more consistent my communion with Christ, the more resistant I will be to distraction and evil forces. (11/15/10)
• I am already forgiven. What’s left to do (regarding sin) is to repent. (11/15/10)
• Distraction into things I am good at are still distraction. (12/20/10)
• Satan’s deception starts with a hairline fracture in my communion with Christ. The conditions are simply set such that I need constant communion with Christ in order to protect myself from the enemy. (12/20/10)
• The enemy uses God’s name all the time; that’s part of His deceit. If he can’t get me to sin outright, he’ll distract me. He’ll even use my focus on God as a reason to swell my pride, to make me think that what I do “in His name” glorifies Him, when actually all it does is distract me from my purpose. (1/9/11)

Struggles with Drinking

• “one beer is fine, even two is ok, but never three.” (10/16/08)
• Alcohol and other consciousness-altering drugs build a wall between me and God, and open me up to other spiritual influences not from God (7/30/10)
• Alcohol is not forbidden, but I have not been responsible with it. I have used it to dull my mind and escape from stress. Stress is there for a reason. Escaping from it will not help it, it will actually make the situation worse. (7/30/10)
• Remove the temptation (7/30/10)
• I must call upon the Lord to protect me from temptation and to deliver me in the moments of temptation (7/31/10)
• It saddens God to see me tripped up by something so insignificant, but it’s also common (7/31/10)

Obedience, trust, faith, commitment

• Called to baptism – rejection of my former self (11/6/08)
• The hardest thing is following Him when I personally want something different than what He’s guiding me toward. (2/10/10)
• It’s not enough to say to yourself “I will not sin” or “I will stay focused on God”. The root ideas and perspective need correcting, by focusing on God’s truth. (2/26/10)
• By ignoring His will, I shut myself off from His blessing (7/16/10)
• Following His call or command will lead to revealing ‘coincidences’ (7/16/10)
• Serving Him must be of a pure-hearted intent (7/22/10)
• What seems like sacrifice could actually be accepting blessing (7/23/10)
• My free will enables my path toward holiness (7/27/10)
• He will not interfere with my free will (7/27/10)
• Obedience is the fruit of whether my heart is aligned with Him, which cannot be forced (7/27/10)
• Behavior is the fruit of the heart (7/27/10)
• God will help condition my heart (7/27/10)
• While God won’t force my actions, He can (and does) still guide my life (7/27/10)
• Day to day choices are free will. The larger path of my life is in His hands. (7/27/10)
• He loves when I disregard my pride (7/28/10)
• Every obedience is but one step along His path / plan for my life (7/28/10)
• In order for God to use me fully, He must be able to influence me consistently, which requires my subjugation (7/28/10)
• By doing something against my ‘worldly’ perceptions and desires demonstrates my trust in Him (7/28/10)
• He doesn’t want to reveal the future to me, He wants me to trust Him (7/28/10)
• Small victories over temptation represent built momentum (7/30/10)
• What is the point in calling Jesus “Lord” if I do not obey His calls and commands? (8/4/10)
• I can’t talk God out of anything. I can only talk myself out of obedience. (8/4/10)
• Without 100% commitment and faith, God cannot use me the way He wants to. (8/7/10)
• The way that I focus on Him is by obedience. (8/7/10)
• He will not lead me astray. (8/13/10)
• He may ask me to do things and I may never know why I’m being asked, but I am to obey anyway (8/15/10)
• The fact that I sin or have a sinful nature does not change the intent of my heart (8/15/10)
• My relationship with God ‘blooms’ through my obedience: showing my love and fear of Him on a daily basis (8/24/10)
• Faith is rewarded (8/24/10)
• Obedience is my part of the relationship. He will provide wisdom, but I must use it. He will bless, but I must glorify Him. (8/30/10)
• God is not interested in making my life easier. There is value for me, and my relationship with God, for me to be challenged; for me to choose Him consistently. He will reward that. (8/31/10)
• My mind becomes very jealous of His influence in my life. It wants to own the successes. By releasing myself and committing myself to Him, I am surrendering and putting myself at His mercy, and at His will. And that is exactly what I need to do. (8/31/10)
• My obedience allows me to inherit what is already rightfully mine. Obedience is starting with truly listening for His voice then trusting Him and acting upon His call or command. There will be times He calls and times when He commands. It will be important for me to recognize which is which. Early on, there is little consequence for not heeding His command. There becomes a time in spiritual maturity when that changes and I will understand His command and must obey, despite what my mind or the world would want me to do. (9/8/10)
• Obedience is a choice and the method of searching for and receiving my inheritance. Obedience is demonstrated trust that His will is always the ‘best case scenario’. (9/8/10)
• He will not force me to trust Him. He will not force me to obey Him. Those are choices. All He will do is provide me with evidence. I have more evidence than most. I have a more personal communion with Him than most. Yet I quaver. I get to decide to be bold. (9/12/10)
• Faith is not “everything will be ok” (or a million of other cliches), it’s “Lord, what should I do about [this problem or issue or choice].” (9/15/10)
• Fear is always uncomfortable. It’s how I deal with that fear that matters. When I fear the unknown, which growth naturally produces, do I trust Him or resist Him? That is an important aspect of my rate of growth. (9/22/10)
• Simple acts of obedience can change the course of my entire life. (9/25/10)
• My wisdom can be measured by my obedience. (9/28/10)
• The more trust I have in God, the less doubt I will experience. The less doubt I experience, the more potential I will have to serve His kingdom. (9/28/10)
• My complete faith belongs alone with God. He is the only one who is not burdened by the weight of the world. (9/30/10)
• I don’t have to like the direction I’m being called or commanded to, but I will be blessed by obedience. (10/11/10)
• My obedience demonstrates my trust in Him. (1/9/11)
• Many times, there is even more blessing when I obey despite naturally not wanting to obey. When I show God that I am doing what He wants me to do for no other reason than He wants me to do it, that will be immensely blessed. (11/15/10)
• It’s not enough to say I trust or love Him. My obedience to His calls and commands is the fruit of my trust and love, and my trust in Him is the fruit of my intimacy with Him. (11/18/10)
• There are some things in my life that I need to accept by faith – but not blind faith. He will offer me enough truth, so that if I truly receive with love and trust, I will not be able to turn my back on it. But there will still be elements of the whole truth which I will not be satisfied with my understanding of. He gives me enough information for me to accept the rest of what He’s offering me, by faith. This is a huge step for some. (11/23/10)
• God does not ask for blind faith. He offers evidence through the Bible and through my life. (12/26/10)
• My behavior, not my words, shows how well I know, love and trust Him. (1/4/11)
• The Lord is serving me with His calls and commands. (1/9/11)

Communion with Christ

• God wants moment-by-moment influence on my decisions, not to be consulted for planning purposes. (9/30/08)
• God’s reproving may seem harsh or blunt, but it’s always in my best interest in terms of holiness, because He loves me (2/1/09)
• I must be clean before I can be of use (5/21/09)
• I must remain neutral on decisions in order to receive God’s direction. I can’t “marry” myself to a certain direction or I risk missing God’s direction (2/10/10)
• The “terms” of my relationship with God do not change, but it can take time to re-attune to Him after turning my back. I may also miss out on blessing while my back is turned, as well as reap the affects of any decisions made in spite of His will. (6/4/10)
• My questions for God reveal my heart (7/22/10)
• Divine direction relies on a devoted heart (7/22/10)
• Sometimes the most obvious answers are hidden from view (7/22/10)
• True communion with God through Christ is sorely lacking in the church today. This is due to fear of persecution and deception from the enemy (7/28/10)
• He values the personal connection with me more than anything I could be doing with my time (7/28/10)
• He has already forgiven me for everything I have or will do (7/28/10)
• He wants personal communion with me in order to clear the way for what’s coming (7/31/10)
• He will always reward choosing Him with my time by blessing the time spent with Him, as long as it’s of the right motive / heart (7/31/10)
• Watching His plan unfold in my life will be instantly recognizable and overwhelmingly joyful (7/31/10)
• I can feel comfort in His arms – I don’t need to be in constant ‘search’ mode. (8/3/10)
• The Bible is the core of God’s revelation. However, more guidance and wisdom is available through direct communion with Him. (8/3/10)
• God values consistency a great deal (8/3/10)
• My life is not my own – I belong to Him (8/3/10)
• My heart leads. My mouth can speak words that are not in accordance with my heart, and God knows my heart. (8/3/10)
• God responds to love most of all (8/3/10)
• It can be easy to dismiss God’s ‘voice’ as simply another thought if my heart is not ‘right’ with Him. His ‘voice’ could even feel like nagging ‘shoulds’, until I recognize them for what they really are and obey. God’s voice is a true calling toward doing what is in my own best interest. The more I focus on the world, the more these callings will feel like nagging conscience. The more I focus on Him, the more these will be recognizable as His word. (8/7/10)
• He is always available, and calls out to me throughout each day. (8/7/10)
• The more I release myself to God, the more of His love I can receive. (8/7/10)
• The closest and most fulfilling relationship I can have with God in this world is by renouncing worldly temptations (death to my worldly self). By doing so, I will be on a path toward recognizing His voice clearly, trusting it completely, and obeying it fully. (8/7/10)
• He’ll accept any opportunity to have my heart receive His word (8/10/10)
• Don’t be sorry, just be present. (8/10/10)
• I am special and cherished by God. God loves me in a very unique way, similarly to how I cherish each of my children in unique ways. (8/10/10)
• He wants me to be a vessel to speak through – literally HIM SPEAKING THROUGH ME. I should be actively seeking out places to be that vessel (8/15/10)
• He can use anyone at any time. Whether each of us accept Him as Lord is a personal choice. (8/15/10)
• The ‘current’ of God’s will is true; all I must do is submit to it. I must release my dependence and focus on worldly things. (8/26/10)
• In order to stay in His will, I must be subjected to the current. In order to be subjected to the current, I must be in close relation with God. To be in close relation with God, I must be obedient. In order to be obedient, I must keep the end in mind. (8/26/10)
• He does what He needs to do to bring me closer to Him – to foster our relationship. (8/29/10)
• His word will not necessarily correspond with my expectations. Expectations are based on a false world, so people’s mind don’t have any context for knowing what to expect from Him. Doubt can be tested with small steps of faith, and as intimacy and trust build, those small steps may be come leaps. (8/30/10)
• He will reward my choosing Him consistently. (8/31/10)
• He wants me to be unsure of myself, but confident in Him. My doubt will glorify Him, because it will be a testament to the fact that any work done through me will be His doing, His will expressed through me. (9/2/10)
• A sign of intimacy is when I am coming to Him with real problems or issues or feelings and Him providing me with practical guidance. (9/10/10)
• God does not force me to hear Him or obey Him. He would rather have my respect and love than forced compliance. (9/13/10)
• Emotional issues can become huge distractions to His word and His will. Emotional issues are a symptom of sin and perpetuate from generation to generation. I have some ‘baggage’ from my parents and I’ve created some of my own to pass down. The question is whether I am willing to allow Him to cleanse me before any further damage is done to my line. (9/13/10)
• He wants to be involved in my decisions step-by-step, but also wants initiative. It may seem paradoxical, but I am to take initiative within the context of His direction for the next step. (9/17/10)
• God’s truth and guidance for me may be different than truth and guidance that other people are ready to receive or follow (9/22/10)
• I am not His spokesperson – I do not speak on His behalf. He is however able to speak through me as a vessel that has submitted myself to Him and does not take the glory for His word. (9/22/10)
• Seeking Him is a choice that He will not help with, and it’s a blessing that it is so. (9/30/10)
• When I seek His wisdom in rooting out sin in my life, He does not reveal my sin to me in judgement; it is revealed to me so that I may take the necessary steps and work with Him to clear the sin from my life. (9/30/10)
• I feel that God is readily waiting for communion with me, He speaks clearly to me, is patient with me, with the intent of my wisdom and holiness. (9/30/10)
• He doesn’t want me to put in my time. He wants my heart. (9/30/10)
• How evident His love is to me may wax and wane, but only at my doing – as a function of how my choices allow evil influences into my life. Evil will take root wherever it can, which is why it is so important to stay completely filled with the Father through the Holy Spirit. (10/16/10)
• He loves me immensely. (10/16/10)
• Being vulnerable and personal with God tremendously benefits my relationship with Him. (10/31/10)
• Any relationship without communication is sick at best or dead at worst. Christ wants our relationship to be alive and passionate. He wants me to have passion for submitting to Him, because of the fruit I see in my life because of His influence. (11/12/10)
• Most of the time, the nature of formal reverence actually gets in the way of intimacy in relationship with God, so formal reverence is not something He desires. What He desires is humility. Formal reverence is a form of humility, but if it’s not recognized for what its purpose is, then it becomes the focus, rather than my relationship with Him, and so it gets in the way, and it is undesirable. (11/20/10)
• The acceptance of His forgiveness conditioned my heart in a way that made communion with Him possible. The key is the condition of my heart. (11/23/10)
• My communion with Christ allows Him to reveal truths from His word in a way that is practical and useful in my personal situation. His word is living in me. (12/7/10)
• He is not providing revelation, He’s providing guidance and blessing me with wisdom and grace. (12/7/10)
• It doesn’t matter how much I know about Him; it matters that I know Him, and that He knows me. The relationship is what matters. (12/9/10)
• There is no merit to the term “my walk”. I should refer to my relationship with Christ as my relationship with Christ, nothing else. (12/26/10)
• God always longs for greater communion, and offers more power through my life through greater communion. The right question is always “How do we have greater communion?” (12/26/10)
  • Spending time together is a start, but that alone doesn’t build relationship. (12/26/10)
  • Communion requires communication. It starts with talking to God, then talking with God. I get far more out of listening than I do through talking. (12/26/10)
  • I bless God through my opening myself to His guidance and wisdom, and by my obedience. (12/26/10)
  • He wants me to open myself more frequently and obey more readily. (12/26/10)
• The Bible provides foundational truths. Prayer opens the door to personal guidance from Christ. Receiving that direction, then obeying it, creates blessing. Associating these things builds trust in the relationship. (1/5/11)
• What people think is good is not necessarily good. The Father must be consulted to determine what I really should be doing. (1/9/11)
• My words carry immense power. When I speak out loud, my words have the power to manifest His will, according to His purpose. (1/10/11)
• His disciples can heal the sick. It’s not a matter of whether He wants His children to be healthy – He does. It’s not a matter of whether He can create health – He can. It’s a matter of whether there is an available conduit for His power. His power and His will in people’s lives must be made manifest through humanity. (1/10/11)

Bible Study

• The Bible should be vigilantly studied. New insights through prayer will never contradict His word. (3/7/10)
• To obey His will I must first know His will (through consistent Bible study and prayer). (7/27/10)
• He calls me to affirm His word to me through diligent study of the scriptures. (9/22/10)
• Bible study based on a solid communion with Christ bears unimaginable fruit. (9/30/10)
• Personal communion with God is the key to true discovery and understanding of His word. (9/30/10)
• There is much value in simply reading the Word (or ‘wading in the Word’). I don’t have to be “studying” in order for the Word to have impact on my wisdom and holiness. (9/30/10)
• Part of the purpose for the Word is for me to come to Him for wisdom and understanding of its passages. Part of its purpose is to tell the story of His love for me. Part of its purpose is to reveal to me who He is. I think I know these things, but I have only scratched the surface. There is so much more. (9/30/10)
• There are truths hidden in plain sight in the Bible. (1/5/11)

Prayer

• When I have difficulty hearing Him, I need to focus on opening myself up, letting go and inviting Him in (2/18/10)
• He’s available for any question, at any time. (2/24/10)
• I must remove my distractions in order to hear from Him (7/28/10)
• There are questions that He will not answer, at least not in the manner or timing that I want (7/28/10)
• He is able to speak to me and through me, and He uses a tone and style that is natural to me (7/28/10)
• When I close a prayer, He wants me to close ‘naturally and humbly’ (7/28/10)
• His word to me in prayer is not always going to be easy to hear, but it will be truth (in accordance with His word) and in the interest of my holiness (8/3/10)
• There will be times when God says no to prayer, but that does not mean I shouldn’t try (to pray) (8/3/10)
• I can stop looking for the right words and just speak naturally with Him in prayer. (8/3/10)
• I don’t have to have any reason to pray. I can simply ‘show up’ and listen. (8/7/10)
• I must clear environmental and mental distractions if I want to hear from Him clearly. I must be ‘still’ (8/10/10)
• He welcomes me asking what’s on my heart, but I may not receive the answers I seek if my requests are rooted in pride. There’s also danger that by asking these things, that I may become frustrated with the responses. (8/19/10)
• He speaks to people in many ways, however many circumstances are often misinterpreted by people as God’s answer to their prayer, or some direction. This tends to happen when the person has a selfish approach to their prayer with Him – help me, give me, etc. Many people are very polite with their requests, but He does not respond to polite, He responds to the heart. Polite is social behavior, not spiritual condition. (8/19/10)
• He speaks to me in a manner that I am most prepared to receive. Most of the time, my mind is translating pure truth from Him into language, but He can force language if I’m sensitive to Him (8/24/10)
• I can test what I ‘hear’ from Christ against its intent – who does it point to? Me (pride)? Or Him? (8/29/10)
• He delights in my open heart – addressing questions and points openly and with a forthcoming approach. (8/29/10)
• To keep hearing Him, I must simply let the conversations flow. (8/29/10)
• I need to initiate prayer. Sometimes it’s not enough to ‘make myself available’ when there’s something that I need to address. The act of being vulnerable opens the door to intimacy – it’s the most effective way. When He wants to say something, He will say it. When He wants to be heard, He will be heard. But when the receiver is asking for His wisdom, being vulnerable with Him is the best approach. (8/30/10)
• My mind must be recognized as an obstacle to receiving His word in a pure state. My mind is clouded by worldly perceptions, distraction and pride. (8/30/10)
• He provides answers when I seek Him. (9/2/10)
• Consistency in prayer is important. When it becomes difficult to receive from Him in prayer, I must focus on letting go and freeing my self from my mind’s analysis of what I am receiving from Him. In other words, write down what He says more freely. (9/8/10)
• Most Christians don’t speak with Him, they talk to Him. They don’t receive, they send out requests and hope for the best. (9/12/10)
• He is available to help me in every step – a simple prayer away. (9/14/10)
• God offers very practical, step-by-step guidance. In fact He greatly prefers in the moment consultation – that demonstrates faith and trust. (9/15/10)
• It’s ok to doubt – it’s part of my growing experience. The most effective way to resolve that doubt is to address it directly with Him in prayer. (9/16/10)
• God will not provide me with validation that what I think I’m hearing from Him is actually Him. It doesn’t make sense for something to validate itself. (9/16/10)
• He calls me to daily focused prayer. (9/28/10)
• God speaks to people in ways that are most suited for them individually (9/30/10)
• I must seek His face daily and He will be my strength and shield (9/30/10)
• He wants me to pray in the moments of decision or praise, in addition to my devotional time with Him. Doing so will allow Him to shield me from sin (helping me to avoid or resist sin), so that I will be more consistent with the more fruitful focused time. (9/30/10)
• I must seek Him in the moment of avoidance or resistance of sin (9/30/10)
• God won’t always provide an answer, or provide a reason for not providing an answer, but He will tell me that it’s not something He’s going to answer (or answer right now) (10/11/10)
• His name has immense power. It has the power to keep evil at bay and to drive it away. I must call upon Him specifically and I will not be led astray. (10/16/10)
• I don’t need to expect or seek profound insight whenever I come to God in prayer. He just wants me to express what’s on my heart, so that He can comfort me and guide me. Intimacy is far more than a teacher-student relationship. By exposing my heart, I invite Him to heal and condition it. (11/12/10)
• I never have to apologize for wanting to know Him or His intent. He may not tell me everything, but He wants me to feel free, and encouraged, to ask whatever is on my mind. (10/30/10)
• God will answer every doubt that I put before Him. It’s the doubt that I don’t put before Him that will consume me. (1/5/11)
• Prayer is not a substitute for action. (1/5/11)
• Intercessory prayer is effective when the person does not have personal communion with Christ, and I’m intercessing for them to have a personal communion with Christ, or when a miracle is for a Christian for which His answering would not cause future harm. Intercession doesn’t hurt, but it doesn’t always help either. I don’t intercede for someone who has personal communion with Him, because they can get their own guidance and peace directly from Him. The exception is for a miracle that does not have to do with an issue with the spiritual condition of the person. But again, generally you won’t know if the issue is because of a poor spiritual condition, so it’s generally good to ask. (1/5/11)
• When the person or people you’re praying for need a change of spiritual condition, I must act (teach, reprove, etc). When I want to request for His intervention in a situation that by intervening He will not promote that person’s poor spiritual condition, He will respond. The problem is, I won’t know whether what I’m asking for would promote a poor spiritual condition. Magically solving a person’s problem doesn’t help them long term. Learning how to properly orient that person’s perspective will – that requires instruction. (1/5/11)
• My choice of words in speaking with Him doesn’t fool Him. He knows my heart better than I do. (2/4/11)

Prayer Journaling

• In some cases, He will ‘feed’ me precise words He wants me to use. Other times, He allows my writing to flow freely from the truths I hear from Him in my heart, truths that can be general or specific to me. I interpret those truths into language and express them in a way that’s natural to me. It’s similar to how He inspired the Bible, but He was far more intimately involved in the language used, which resulted in far greater precision. (7/28/10)
• He liked that I typed while praying with my head down and eyes closed – it allowed His spirit to flow through me more naturally than handwriting (7/28/10)
• The purpose of my prayer journal is two-fold. To bring me into closer communion with Christ, so that He may express His love to and through me. (8/4/10)
• He wants me to re-read my journal entries. (8/7/10)
• He approves of my approach of typing real-time while praying – it reduces the filtering effect that occurs when you try to recall prayer at a later time. (8/10/10)
• There have been many times when I have not understood what I felt like He was trying to say, but I wrote it down anyway, in trust, only later to find out that what I wrote before makes perfect sense in the light of further explanation. (8/29/10)
• It’s natural to have anxiety or doubt regarding hearing from Christ. That’s why my journal is so valuable. Most people do not have a record of His impact in their lives or the wisdom He shares, so it becomes a distant feeling of loss, and something that becomes harder to recapture. I have a record now that I can look back and read and feel what I felt when I was writing the words. (8/29/10)
• The truth of God’s word in my journal is my evidence of His presence. (8/31/10)
• I am not to stifle God’s word. (9/22/10)
• Journaling my prayer helps to crystallize the wisdom I gain. It allows me to narrowly focus on the words being spoken, so it reduces the distraction. It also helps a great deal to be able to review prior notes. (9/28/10)
• My prayer journaling is a model for others to experience and practice if their communion with Him is lacking (9/30/10)
• My prayer journal is a tool, but it is not fully reflective of my relationship with Christ. It can’t be. I must seek Him in the moments as much as in focused communion. (12/7/10)
• My prayer journaling needs to stay 1 on 1, and not consider what the reader may think about something I’m writing. (12/20/10)

Wisdom

• Similar to how it is impossible for a child to understand an adult’s logic, it is also impossible for me to understand His logic. Humans reason linearly (branches), whereas truth simply ‘is’. For any question, there is a ‘truth’, but the issue is whether a I can derive that truth with my own means. I can perceive truth, but am held mentally captive by a ‘logic lock’ that limits my ability to accept and act on that truth, unless I’m somehow able to convince myself of the validity of the perceived truth. (2/18/10)
• His wisdom will not necessarily be in line with what I think I know, but will be recognizable as truth. If it’s not recognizable as truth at first, I simply need to keep asking clarifying questions. (2/26/10)
• Truth doesn’t require credibility. It can stand on its own. (6/30/10)
• There are some truths that the human mind cannot do anything but accept, but that is something that most people are not able to do. (8/30/10)
• I cannot control others, including my children. In reality, I don’t even want to control others. (9/13/10)
• It takes a humble heart to behave instinctively with patience – knowing that you cannot control, and you no longer behave in a way that attempts to control those around you. I must keep relying on Him, knowing that only He is in control. (9/14/10)
• Sometimes a change in approach is all that matters, regardless if it results in a changing of mind. (10/11/10)

Relationships

• In relating with others, I can trust that as long as I remain true, calm and confident, God will handle the rest (2/12/10)
• When I try to please everyone, I’ll either please no one, or I’ll be very unhappy with those that I attract. (7/27/10)
• The most joyful parts of my life have been when I accepted myself to the point that I was not concerned with how others viewed me. I must accept myself and my relationship with my Lord and Creator. (8/7/10)
• It comes down to trust. I must trust Him to make me more of myself. I must release my need to create my own image (I’m already created in His image). I already have a perfect image, hidden behind my facades. I must tear down the facades, tear away my masks. I must be able to accept myself and bare myself to the world. That is the only way to truly accept love. If someone loves me, and I know that what they love is the mask, or even partly the mask, I will not receive the true joy of that love. (8/7/10)
• Every opportunity, each time my self shines through, I must not push it back. I must recognize it for what it is, honor it, cherish it, praise Him for it, and clear the way for it to shine out into the world. (8/7/10)
• What people think about me doesn’t matter. What I think they think matters even less. (10/31/10)
• There is purpose behind the lack of relationships in my life, and it has something to do with distraction from His will. He will bring the right people into my life when the time is good for Him and His purposes. I must simply be myself, for better or for worse. (10/31/10)
• I must let go of the need to control others. I must realize that control of others is not possible. I try to control others by the way I react to what they say or do (proactive consequence setting or reactive action), but what I think or how I react to others matters little to most people. I try to control others because I think I’m superior in some way and they need my help (pride), but God is the source of any talent or skill I have to offer others. (11/23/10)
• The more I try to control those that I matter to, the less they’ll think of me. (11/23/10)
• Forgiveness is nothing more than the releasing of control over another person. When I have harbored resentment for a person, I have psychologically attempted to control them in my mind. If I pitied them to begin with, instead of attempted to control them, there would be no need for forgiving them. (11/23/10)
• Forgiveness is done at the time of infraction – it’s immediate. (11/23/10)

Family

• [My wife’s] role in my life is not what I think it is – one of her roles is to provide balance for me (2/15/10)
• I am entrusted with fostering my children’s growth. (9/13/10)
• Responding to disrespect or disobedience with my children should be done in love, but also with a firm hand. Not a hurtful hand, but a gentle but firm hand. Spanking is out of the question – it creates a crutch that cannot be perpetuated as the children grow older and creates resentment and a feeling that I am a threat to my child’s well-being. In response to ignoring, I am to take away the thing that the child is choosing instead of me until she demonstrates she is listening. (9/13/10)
• I am called to love my wife as Christ loves His church. I am to lay down my life for her. She may or may not appreciate it. She may or may not do what I want for her to do. But that is not the point. I am to do what He calls me to do, and me and my relationship with her will be blessed. (10/31/10)
• I should bless my family rather than focus on presents. Presents end up in the trash. Blessings build on each other. (12/20/10)

Spiritual Maturity

• He commands me to be joyful (3/15/09)
• He wants me to live my life in triumph, and not fear. (3/16/10)
• God cares about my holiness, not my happiness (7/11/10)
• God will provide direction and power as quickly as I am ready, but not necessarily as quickly as I think I’m willing (7/31/10)
• More of God means means more power and more responsibility (7/31/10)
  • I needn’t fear anything, unless I begin to take pride in my involvement in His work (7/31/10)
• I am found, I am saved – He wants me to rest in that (8/3/10)
• The worldly reality is but a shadow of the true reality (God’s reality). This shadow reality has value in providing an opportunity for spiritual maturity, toward an end of reigning with Christ in the reality that truly matters. (8/3/10)
• Spiritual growth can be felt as spiritually exhausting, in a similar way that physical or mental exertion can be exhausting, but they lead to growth. Also, you only grow when you will yourself past the point of sensing the urge to stop / quit. There’s also a point at which continuing to test yourself (spiritually, mentally, or physically) becomes counter-productive. (8/3/10)
• God’s not interested in making my life easy. He’s interested in my spiritual maturity and holiness. (8/5/10)
• Spiritual maturity is a process – there will be ups and downs. (8/7/10)
• God tries to help us get un-stuck from our false (worldly) perceptions of reality. (8/13/10)
• It’s not the situation, but the attitude toward it (the heart) that matters most. (8/13/10)
• The ‘end’ is holiness and ruling in His name with Him in His kingdom on earth. I walk with Him hand-in-hand in order to grow in holiness and prepare to rule. (8/26/10)
• God created each person in His image. His image is truly amazing. I’m not better than anyone, but yet am uniquely special. I’m not more capable than anyone, yet I am truly amazing. And so is each person around me. Just thinking about the intricacies of the human body – it’s truly amazing. He wants me to see others for what they really are, and then see the potential relationship each could have with Him. (8/26/10)
• Saying I’m ready for something (hearing from God, receiving direction or blessing, etc) and being ready are two different things. (8/30/10)
• God cares less about human rules than He does about my spiritual condition. (9/2/10)
• Even though I have reached a point where I’m able to hear from Him, which is an absolutely wonderful thing, that doesn’t mean that my spiritual condition is perfect, or even near perfect. (9/2/10)
• As I become wise and as I become holy, my perception will be tuned to holiness, and anything other than holiness will stand out like a sore thumb. In other words, where most people see a world of actions in shades of grey, I will begin to see behavior as it truly is, in black and white; understanding that that behavior is the expression of the state of the person’s heart. (9/15/10)
• Persistence is tantamount. (9/16/10)
• Fear is not necessarily a bad thing – it’s how you deal with that fear that truly matters. (9/22/10)
• My rate of spiritual growth depends on my trust in Him. (9/22/10)
• I get the feeling often that I go through significant portions of my life in preparation for a single lesson. (9/25/10)
• He is preparing me for much more than I can possibly imagine right now. (10/16/10)
• There are elements of forgiveness that I can rationally understand, and there are elements that I cannot. This must be simply accepted. (11/23/10)
• There are laws governing the world all around me. ‘Laws’ in this sense can be understood as conditions for which abiding by the law will result in harmony, and the violation or transgression of the law will result in disharmony. Harmony and disharmony could mean many things. It could mean that I stay safe from falling to my death by violating the (natural) law of gravity. It could also mean that I suffer in perceivable or imperceptible ways for violating the (spiritual) law of forgiveness. Whether I know the law is there or not, or whether I agree with the law or not, does not matter in the sense that the law still presides and will govern my communion and unity with Christ. (11/23/10)
• More time in the day is not necessarily the goal. The goal is more focused time with Christ. (12/20/10)

Love, Peace, Prosperity, Unity

• What I truly want is peace, but that requires that I love. After I attain peace, prosperity will naturally flow. (2/23/10)
• He calls me to love others. (6/4/10)
• I love Him by seeking and following Him. (6/4/10)
• Shortcutting love and peace (to get to prosperity) leads to ruin (6/4/10)
• Peace is not possible until a I have learned to focus my love outward (6/4/10)
• Preoccupation with financial prosperity, subverting love and peace, is the cause of much pain and sorrow in the world (6/4/10)
• Loving is being attentive to a person’s needs. Not necessarily their wants, but their needs. It’s nurturing their spiritual growth. (6/4/10)
• I am to love people and serve them because He asks me to. That is a wonderful way to love Him. (6/30/10)
• Love is not a word or a feeling, it is a form of will. A form of will is a form of intent. When I am properly aligned with Him, my will / intent will be on the benefit of others. My mind wants to hoard, my heart wants to exhibit love, which is the closest human will to Christ’s. He is interested in helping me overcome the will of my mind, so that His will can flow through me into others lives. (8/29/10)
• Forgiveness is simply one aspect, one critical condition, of the law of peace. Pride is the central issue that obstructs forgiveness and therefore makes peace unattainable. I cannot have peace with pride. (11/23/10)
• Peace is a fruit of obedience, but obedience is only possible through a true communion with Christ, where I seek and expect to receive His personal guidance for my life. (1/5/11)

Being Tested, Challenged

• Being tested by God is not a pass or fail thing – it’s a growth thing (8/3/10)
• I am a growing spiritual being. I will be tested according to my maturity. (8/3/10)
• God can use circumstance to prepare me for spiritual lessons (8/3/10)
• Life is a test, but in a good way – it tests us in ways that provide opportunity for growth. (8/3/10)
• There is purpose behind struggles – overcoming challenges produces maturity (8/19/10)
• There is value in me being challenged. (8/31/10)
• Sparing me from challenge doesn’t serve me or Him. (9/8/10)

His Calling, My Work and Ministry

• My work on His purposes may result in big or small impact, but my focus on Him will always result in growth in my relationship with Him, which is always “enough” (11/17/08)
• God sees limitless potential in me and will work through me (2/12/10)
• He wants me to take note what I love to do – not what I’m addicted to, but what I love – and then use that toward His glory. (2/23/10)
• If the intent of my work is right, He will use it and bless it. (2/23/10)
• God’s idea of “great deeds” is different than my idea of “great deeds”. Witness is one of the greatest deeds in God’s eyes, because it’s based on my relationship with Him. (3/24/10)
• He said “You will be given power and responsibility” on 7/29/10 and said “Be expectant. Then trust in me” (7/29/10)
• I should not ask what He wants me to do, I should ask for Him to act/work through me – I don’t need to know the path in order to let Him act through me. In fact, NOT knowing the path demonstrates trust in Him, which is a demonstration of humility and subjugation. It’s not, ‘what do you want me to do’, it’s ‘my heart is yours, do with it and my life what is your will’. (8/3/10)
• If I stay with Him, He’ll show me my potential, and it will astound me. (8/12/10)
• I am a ‘solutions guy’, a visionary. I bridge gaps and see things in unique ways to arrive at best solutions. (8/13/10)
• It’s not about money. It’s about doing what you are meant to do. Your passions provide hints to that. Once aligned with passions and talents, money will flow into my life. (8/13/10)
• He needs people like me who are able to let go of my pride and surrender to His will, regardless of how it looks to the world (8/15/10)
• He wants me to invite and expect Him to work through me (8/15/10)
• Everyone who He works through is a sinner – none “better” than the next (8/15/10)
• He wants me to be careful of running ahead of His direction – the pace of His direction has purpose (8/15/10)
• Money is not what’s important. What’s important is attaining mental freedom to do what’s important. This can come with money or not. (8/21/10)
• He’s called me toward teaching parents how to teach their children how to pray (8/21/10)
• When He blesses me with mental freedom (freedom from responsibility for the sake of money), He will expect more devotion from me. He is not blessing me so that I will spend more time with Him. He is blessing me because He expects that I will spend more time with Him. He will bless me with this freedom when my natural response is to spend more time with Him. (8/26/10)
• Whenever I feel like I’m waiting on the Lord, chances are He’s waiting on me. (8/26/10)
• Serving a purpose in His kingdom holds greater responsibility than any earthly purpose. (8/29/10)
• He gave me my passions – He gave me my unquenchable thirst for significance, for impact, for more responsibility, for serving people. It comes from Him, and will not be quenched until I am doing what He means for me to do. (8/29/10)
• As I grow, more will be expected. (8/30/10)
• I am His, He wants to act through me. (8/30/10)
• I have something special to offer this world – there is something particular that I was created to do. This is also the case for all of God’s children. The ‘journey’ of life is the discovery of what my life was meant for and to walk together with Him throughout that discovery. The “something particular” will point to and glorify Him, I can count on that much. (9/8/10)
• I should stop concerning myself with doing everything ‘right now’ (9/8/10)
• Learning and mental effort is only valuable if it’s directed. Learning for learning’s sake is a waste of effort and a potential ploy of the enemy. (9/10/10)
• God is willing to go as fast as I am ready – not necessarily as fast as I am willing. (9/17/10)
• I must be careful that my goals are Christ’s goals, that I am simply allowing Him to work through me to accomplish His will. (9/17/10)
• I don’t have to be a pastor or a Bible scholar in order to offer significant value to the body of Christ. I have a unique perspective, and a unique approach that others will find very helpful to them in their communion with Him. (9/28/10)
• My path will provide others comfort and reassurance as they fight a similar spiritual battle – there is purpose behind my struggle. I am to stay true to Him and consistent in our communion and all will be revealed in due time – the plan will make sense in the end. (9/28/10)
• Things that I do in my life have little to do with how much time I spend on those things, and much to do with the heart with which I do them. (9/30/10)
• His will is far more simple than anything I may do with my life – it’s communion with Me. (10/16/10)
• My life is not a race. Even God’s direction is not a race. I need to stop for a second and simply accept what He asks me to do. What He asks me to do has merit, in and of itself, toward His plan. (10/24/10)
• The tasks He provides have purpose – they are not menial, they are likely foundational. (10/24/10)
• I should not be thinking “what’s next” or “what can I do now” or “what things need to be prioritized”. What I should be thinking is “what has my Lord asked me to do”, no more, no less. (10/24/10)
• In order for my ministry’s to have true power in His name, I must rest its success or its failure in His hands. I must trust that He can make anything successful that He wants to, despite my shortcomings. (10/24/10)
• I must consider my “ministry time” as “devotional time”. It’s not my ministry. It’s how I choose to use my time in obedience to Him. Doing my own thing and calling it ministry is a terrible mistake. ‘My ministry’ is defined as His will accomplished through my life. If I’m not acting in obedience and calling it my ministry, then I might as well be doing something else, because I’m serving my own purpose now. My will must be subjected to His. (10/25/10)
• Don’t rush through your tasks, and miss the blessings. (11/3/10)
• He wants to mold me before He rallies people behind me. (11/12/10)
• I cannot ask for more freedom of time if I can’t use the time I am given productively for the Lord. (11/12/10)
• I can have success in things that are not of His will. The success will be my perception of success, and the “blessings” will be from my interpretation of the source, but my perceptions are flawed. If I am not focused on His will, and carrying out His commands for my life, I will wander. (1/9/11)
• What I think are my ideas could actually be from the enemy. (1/9/11)
• The Lord continues to direct me to focus on my teaching material. (1/9/11)
• He is qualified to speak through me. People’s judgement doesn’t matter in the least. Truth will prevail. If I have 1,000 dissenters and one person attains intimate communion with Him through reading and applying my teaching material, it will please and glorify Him. (1/9/11)
• The Lord wants me to come to Him to inspect my assumptions on a regular basis. (1/9/11)
• When I truly devote myself to His plan, He will open the floodgates to the resources I need. (2/4/11)

Mind versus Heart

• When He blesses a person, it is either the mind or the heart that recognizes that blessing. The mind will claim ownership and say that it was responsible for the success. The heart will relinquish ownership and acknowledge that it was the source of the ‘current’ of their life that allowed that success to be realized (8/26/10)
• Satan has the key to my mind, but cannot reach my heart. He distracts and deceives in order to make me focus on my mind’s preoccupations, so that I neglect my heart’s will. (8/26/10)
• A mind freed (from responsibility like work, etc) is a heart at risk. When a mind is ‘freed’ or all of a sudden has much more time available, it seeks to fill that time with stimulation, excitement, etc. (8/26/10)
• He speaks to me through my heart, but I’m only able to hear Him when my mind is out of the way. When I surrender, I’m releasing my mind’s will and allowing my heart’s will (aligned with Christ) to take over. (8/29/10)
• Pride has a lot to do with my mind trying to control its environment, which is not controllable. My mind is constantly looking for ways to dominate the situation, to rationalize, to come out on top. The more I am able to subject myself and submit my self to my heart, therefore to God, the less I will react in anger and pride to my circumstance. (9/2/10)
• My mind can get in the way of my relationship with Christ. My fears are mind-made. My doubt is mind-made. My mind will try whatever it can to keep Christ at arms length – it’s an issue of control. My heart leads me to Him, but my mind resists. (9/12/10)
• He wants me to submit my mind to my heart. I hear His call with my heart, through communion with Him, through prayer journaling and wading in His Word. (9/30/10)
• My mind can be a gatekeeper of my heart. (12/7/10)

Blessing

• If I trust Him, love Him, glorify Him, and honor Him, my blessings will overflow (7/28/10)
• He wants to bless me, but the blessing comes mostly through obedience. However it’s not necessarily a causal relationship. (8/29/10)
• What many people consider to be blessings are not truly His doing, but another course of their life that may not be His will. Many people attain desirable things and call them blessings, even though they do not have a true relationship with Him. He blesses those that are in fellowship with Him and who are obedient to Him. (8/29/10)
• He blesses me because He loves me and for no other reason. Blessing is a gift based on His grace. (9/8/10)

Other

• My level or quality of energy is my choice (7/20/10)
• He wants to speak to me and for me to be His mouthpiece (7/28/10)
• I will eventually know His full plan and it will make perfect sense (7/28/10)
• There’s never a need to worry about anything. Worry is a form of self-sabotage. Worry is stress. Worry does not help anything. Do what’s in your power to do, maintain integrity, and continue to lean on Him for strength. (8/5/10)
• People don’t ‘need’ what they think they need (8/13/10)
• He is not asking me to communicate doctrine on His behalf – at least not now (8/15/10)
• I can measure my experiences and my doubt against what those experiences point to – I need to be pointed toward Him (8/15/10)
• Most people will be very disappointed in the end. (He would not make Himself more clear on this point) (8/29/10)
• His will doesn’t need to ‘fit’ my expectations – if it’s His will, it will be done. (9/2/10)
• My will follows my heart, and my heart is not always known to me. I may think my heart is in something that it’s really not, or visa-versa. (9/8/10)
• I fight the feeling of being overwhelmed by simplifying my life and focusing on my relationship with Him. (9/10/10)
• He’s had His sights on me my whole life. (9/14/10)
• I must accept, at face value, that from a spiritual perspective I do not “deserve” anything. My life is a gift, my salvation is a gift, the opportunity to experience His love is a gift. It’s all a gift – I don’t deserve it. However, through my actions and choices, I may inherit what is waiting for me to claim. The opportunity to claim that inheritance is also a gift, and one that I would not have without the gift of salvation. I am to take myself out of the picture. (9/22/10)
• I believe He delights in surprising me by demonstrating His greatness and majesty. (9/30/10)
• He wants me to try to forget about time and focus on my heart condition and how my heart is leading me. I should never be in a position of “putting in time”. I must simply be present and listen to my heart. My mind is a tool, but it’s not me. God wants me to be true to my self and disengage from my mind and let it serve me rather than the other way around. (9/30/10)
  • An example of this is being on vacation – trying to create a great time is a mind-game, whereas simply having a great time is allowing my heart to lead (9/30/10)
• When I harbor resentment, I lock negative energies inside of me. Those negative energies attract more negative energy, and will surface from time to time until they are resolved or until they kill me. In a way, I can consider them to be spiritually evil. 11/23/10)
• Birthdays are silly to celebrate. Rebirths are far more worthy of celebrations. (12/26/10)
• Pain is not necessarily a bad thing. Dulling pain allows it to continue. (12/31/10)
• I have the ability ascertain a person’s true intent, in order to avoid deception. When I want to use it, I must be still, know that He is the Lord, and I will receive true sight. He wants me to see things as they really are. I can cut through the distraction with this simple ability. I can cut through attempted manipulation with this simple ability. It only requires acceptance and trust. I need to trust my Christian abilities even more than my natural abilities. (1/4/11)