Have you ever wanted to hear from God? Recently Windy shared a blog with me by Steven Furtick (www.stevenfurtick.com). Here are parts of it...
There's a secret to listening to sermons that dramatically affects what you will get from them. I call it the perception principle.
The perception principle goes like this: I can only receive someone on the level that I perceive them.
This is true for God, and for every human relationship you have. The way you choose to see someone determines how you will treat them and how you will receive whatever they have to give you.
Negatively, this means that if you perceive your wife to be a nag, that's the way she's always going to sound to you. Even when she really isn't being one. If you perceive your husband to be a loser, that's how you're going to receive him. No matter what he does.
Positively, it means that if you perceive someone to be wise, what they say will sound wise. If you perceive someone to be 'cool,' everything they do will look cool.
Here's how this matters when you're listening to a sermon. How you perceive the person preaching will determine what you're able to receive from them. And ultimately from God.
If all you see is a guy with good ideas and not a guy with a message from God, that's all you'll ever get. If you go in skeptical of every word, you're probably going to find fault.
On the other hand, if you perceive your pastor to have a message for you from God, you're probably going to be a lot more attentive and engaged. If you go into a sermon expecting to hear a word from God, you're probably going to get one.
I don't care who your pastor is...the principle is the same. Perceive them to have a message from God for you, and that's what you'll get.
Show up ready to hear from God, and don't be surprised when you do.
Expecting to hear from God,
Jeff Powell
