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God speaks to us in many ways. He speaks foremost though His son's Word. (Hebrews 1:2). Sometimes He speaks through another person, oftentimes if they are speaking of a verse themselves. He speaks through circumstances, such as through tragedy or chastisement. (James 1:2-5). Personally, I enjoy the song service at church or on the radio in listening to traditional hymns. (Ephesians 5:19). Most hymns are based on scripture, either directly or paraphrased. Listening to these hymns gives me an opportunity to meditate on them all day, (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2).
Sometimes I hear a hymn playing in the background of my dreams as I slumber at night. When I wake up, the song and its lyrics are strongly in my head, and I wake up humming. Aside from the fact that it is a joy to wake up with thoughts of Jesus on my mind, and gentle words that uplift and exalt Him, I also enjoy when these things happen for another reason.
I take it as a prompt to investigate what the Spirit wants to say. Therefore I go to my computer and bring up YouTube and listen to the song that was in my head, and read and sing the lyrics. Then I pray for the Spirit to open me up to a deeper understanding of the practical application of what He wants from me. Sometimes as I read a devotional or a bible chapter that day, or even a year later, the Spirit will then make a connection. It is how He grows us. It took me a long time to learn to pay attention to these prompts. It is the way He conforms us to His thoughts. (Romans 12:2).
So today I was blessed with the hymn "I Surrender All" in my head as I awoke. I got up and I listened to it on YouTube. I thought about the word surrender in relation to my life with Jesus. I prayed, asking Jesus to root out areas where I have not surrendered, where I would be holding onto flesh and selfishness. I hummed it as I made French Toast for breakfast. I then let the day begin and other thoughts come into my head as the more pragmatic things of the day crowded out the spiritual thoughts. 'Change the sheets', 'it's a nice day I think I'll go out and take some fall pictures', 'what am I going to put in the Prophecy Newsletter today?' And so on. But before I got up to do these things I decided to put on Pandora radio so I could listen to it as I made the bed and went about the morning chores.
I have had a computer problem for the last two weeks and only got my laptop back from repair a few days ago. I haven't used Pandora for all that time.
I have ten stations. The way Pandora works is that the last station I've left it on will begin playing a mix of songs related to the theme I'd chosen. There is an endless amount of songs on each station, I can listen all day and rarely is one repeated. I brought the station up and pushed back my chair to start chores. The first song was "I SURRENDER ALL."
I cried in awe and humility. I love how the Spirit works.
How has He been speaking to you lately?
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Tremble, and do not sin; Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Psalm 4:4
Sometimes I hear a hymn playing in the background of my dreams as I slumber at night. When I wake up, the song and its lyrics are strongly in my head, and I wake up humming. Aside from the fact that it is a joy to wake up with thoughts of Jesus on my mind, and gentle words that uplift and exalt Him, I also enjoy when these things happen for another reason.
I take it as a prompt to investigate what the Spirit wants to say. Therefore I go to my computer and bring up YouTube and listen to the song that was in my head, and read and sing the lyrics. Then I pray for the Spirit to open me up to a deeper understanding of the practical application of what He wants from me. Sometimes as I read a devotional or a bible chapter that day, or even a year later, the Spirit will then make a connection. It is how He grows us. It took me a long time to learn to pay attention to these prompts. It is the way He conforms us to His thoughts. (Romans 12:2).
So today I was blessed with the hymn "I Surrender All" in my head as I awoke. I got up and I listened to it on YouTube. I thought about the word surrender in relation to my life with Jesus. I prayed, asking Jesus to root out areas where I have not surrendered, where I would be holding onto flesh and selfishness. I hummed it as I made French Toast for breakfast. I then let the day begin and other thoughts come into my head as the more pragmatic things of the day crowded out the spiritual thoughts. 'Change the sheets', 'it's a nice day I think I'll go out and take some fall pictures', 'what am I going to put in the Prophecy Newsletter today?' And so on. But before I got up to do these things I decided to put on Pandora radio so I could listen to it as I made the bed and went about the morning chores.
I have had a computer problem for the last two weeks and only got my laptop back from repair a few days ago. I haven't used Pandora for all that time.
I have ten stations. The way Pandora works is that the last station I've left it on will begin playing a mix of songs related to the theme I'd chosen. There is an endless amount of songs on each station, I can listen all day and rarely is one repeated. I brought the station up and pushed back my chair to start chores. The first song was "I SURRENDER ALL."
I cried in awe and humility. I love how the Spirit works.
How has He been speaking to you lately?
Tweet
Comments
Hi Elizabeth:
ReplyDeleteTHat is so, so awesome. God is so good to us. He truly speaks to us and guides us and His Spirit is so wonderful. I have had these same type of things happen to me many times. It is always a wonder. He is faithful and He is there. Bless Him. So many times I have woken with songs of the Lord in my mind ...it is amazing. I never thought to do what you mention and I think that is great and will start doing the same. It only makes sense that the Holy Spirit is not only edifying us through this type of instance but is trying to tell us something that we should study about and see more of what He is saying to us. A really great idea. Thank you for sharing these things with us, as it helps build our faith more as well. He is so worthy of our Praise. Amen! Have a great weekend!!
Just beautiful Elizabeth. I love it when things like that happen.
ReplyDeleteLisa, your comment blessed me greatly. Let me know how it goes as the Spirit leads further down the path of education and submission.
ReplyDeleteRight now I'm reading about self-surrender in the bible and reading the verses that show where someone surrendered. Right now I'm pondering Paul's exhortation in Galatians 2:20
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Crucified with Christ... surrendering all.
Jeanne, yes it is so humbling and joyful to feel the Spirit working!
I've been doubting my salvation lately...but reading what you said about hearing songs on the radio while sleeping and waking up thinking about it has happened to me. I've also gone through times when I'd hear a song or sermon that was speaking EXACTLY to something I was going through. I used to think this was the holy spirit speaking to me but now I am thinking that maybe it's just God just trying to reach out to me because i'm not truly saved. I wake up with songs of praise to God in my mind once in awhile but it has not happened in a long time. I'm suddenly doubting my salvation because I'm being so disobedient and i'm being un-useful in God's kingdom....I wonder how the holy spirit can be in me and I can still disobey God so outrightly. I'm sorry to bring down the tone of this post.
ReplyDeleteHello Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI sympathize. No worries about your comment. I can offer to you a response from Jack Kelley to another person asking the exact same thing. I quote him because he said it so well and I would not do you as well with my words.
They asked, "I write to you feeling very embarrassed and downcast. I love the Lord Jesus but there is sin in my life I don’t seem to get victory over. Sometimes I feel that I’m not really born again and that I’m only deceiving myself."
Almost every Christian has this kind of problem, some worse than others. Even the great Paul admitted that he couldn’t keep himself from sinning. Romans 7:7-8:39 are written about this. Basically Paul said that no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t prevent the sin in his life, but that being saved, God knew it wasn’t Paul who was sinning, but the sin nature that dwells within him. Because Jesus had rescued Him from sin God no longer condemns him.
Those who live according to the sin nature have their minds set on sinning and feel no remorse when they do. We who live according to the Spirit have our minds set on pleasing God and feel great remorse when we sin. It’s a sign that we’re saved. But in the midst of that remorse we have to remember that God sees us not as we are but as we will be when we’re perfected. (2 Cor. 5:17) He can do this because Jesus died for all the sins of our lives, past present and future. This is why when we sin, all we have to do is confess and we’re immediately forgiven and purified from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9)
If you’ve confessed then you’ve been forgiven and purified, for God is just and faithful. The guilt you feel is from Satan and you must turn your energies toward resisting him. (James 4:7-8) He’s trying to convince you that you aren’t worthy to receive God’s forgiveness, but God has clearly stated that you are. Romans 8:38-39 promises that nothing can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, and that includes Satan. It also includes you. Stop thinking about how bad you are and start thinking about how good God is. (Phil 4:4-9)
Interesting post. I read it just before going to bed last night. Woke up in the middle of the night and the refrain from one of Don Francisco's songs was going through my mind, over and over. "Do not be afraid! I am the First, I am the Last and ever more shall be" from Revelation 1. "Do not be afraid" over and over again. Living in Ukraine with the political unrest that has been happening, needing to leave in a few days to renew visas and no guarantee they will be renewed (religious visa - we know at least 4 people since the new law has been put in that were denied new visas), flying in these turbulent times, and all of the news that we hear daily from around the world. Yes - Do not be afraid! are wonderful words to wake up to in the middle of the dark night. How thankful I am that I know who holds the future in the palm of His hand.
ReplyDelete