The Quiet Cocoon - Journaling by Debra Guthrie

I have been asked to “Share my personal stories of how I appropriate and live the truths of Spirit-anointed living.” So here is one such example. I trust it is helpful and meaningful to you.
I have chosen to live outside of the BOX. This has involved many small step-by-step decisions, made over 73 years. As each box was rejected, it was like experiencing the death of something I had once trusted in. However, I now see that I was stepping from sinking sand to the Solid Rock.
I have struggled with feeling that it is too late in my life and I have missed out of years that I could have been walking in a closer way with the Lord. About 3 years ago He showed me a major misunderstanding that I had since my childhood of a particular scripture that had caused me great hurt and a sense of alienation from the Lord. I have had a transforming renewal with the Lord as He took away that misunderstanding and my life with Him has exploded into a beautiful and intimate relationship. But I then struggled that I had 'wasted' time all these years protecting my heart from Him. He has been reassuring me that nothing has been wasted.
Michelle Francis from Brisbane, Australia sent in the question below.
LaWanda - Oh, Lord my God, Jesus. I love you Lord. Thank you for your presence. Thank you for your word that fills me and covers me.
Question from Megan Montgomery: Hi, in a vision can I visualize myself as a child or an adult? I usually visualize myself as a child. For some reason, I struggle to visualize myself as an adult. I use the visual prayer A Stroll Along the Sea of Galilee. I imagine myself as a child before it says you may turn into a young child. In most of my visions, I am a child. Also, how do I keep my eyes fixed on Jesus as I write? Sometimes my mind goes all over or the vision seems to move (ex: I am dancing with Jesus). I do not know if I am doing something wrong. I ask the Holy Spirit to make Jesus come alive also.
Hearing God's voice is as simple as: 1) quieting myself down (Ps. 62:5), 2) beholding Jesus at my right hand (Acts 2:25), 3) asking for His input and tuning in to flowing thoughts and flowing pictures (Jn. 7:37-39), and 4) journaling out His words and visions (Rev. 1:9-11). These are then tested, and they must line up with Scripture (Ps. 1:2) and be affirmed in the hearts of my spiritual advisors (2 Cor. 13:1).
The article below is excerpted from this month's CWG Newsletter. I was thrilled that the Lord allowed me to teach the 4 Keys every other weekend for several years. I know as I was on the flight out to the next seminar I thanked God for this opportunity, as I found as I repeated these principles, they were established more deeply in me.
Most Christians want to have a deeper relationship with God and hear His voice more clearly. Because we love Him, we want to talk with Him, know His heart, and just spend time with Him. But how often do we recognize that the same is true for Him? He is the Lover of our souls. He created us with this ability to love and this longing for His love.
Beginning in Genesis when He initiated daily times together with the man and woman He created, actually seeking them out even when they tried to avoid Him, all the way through to Revelation when the culmination of creation is the celebration of His marriage to His Bride the Church, the Scriptures make it clear that God the Father, Jesus our Savior, and Holy Spirit all love us and want to spend time with us. God is Love, and Love must be expressed in word and deed.
I recently posted some wonderful journaling by Debra Guthrie. If you haven’t read it yet, I encourage you to do so. Here is a small portion of what Debra heard from Jesus one day:
“I am lovesick. I am lovesick for my Bride…I yearn for her—her company, affection, companionship…I long for her every minute. I look for her every hour. I count the days that we are apart.”
“Tell her I am waiting for her, watching for her, eagerly anticipating the return of her absent attentions.”
“My Bride…my beautiful Bride…Come back to me!”
“You will tell her, won’t you? Tell her I am lovesick.”
If you have experienced two-way journaling for very long, you have probably heard similar expressions of God’s longing for His Church in general and for you specifically. I have found that actually hearing God’s words of love through journaling is the most effective way to persuade our hearts of His love for us. We may have had a theology that God loves us but that doesn’t become revelation until we experience His words of love in our own hearts.
Jesus wants us to not only enjoy our own times with Him but to spread the good news that He loves all His children and wants to spend time with them, as well. Have you told anyone how much God wants to have conversations with them? Are you prepared to lead others into the special relationship you have with the Lord? Can you teach others how to hear His voice?
This month marks the 10th anniversary of our ministry offering free video events, and it is only fitting that we return to where we started with the four keys to hearing God’s voice. This is our foundational message upon which everything else we teach is built! We encourage you to watch it if you have never seen it before. Your life will be changed.
Review, deepen, share this gift with others, promote revival
Watch it again, even if you think you know the four keys. Everyone who does so reports that the Lord shows them new things every time they watch.
Watch it with your family. What better way to strengthen your relationships with each other and with the Lord?
Gather a group and watch it with your friends. New believers and those who have walked with God for decades all are touched by this message of how much God wants to talk with them and how easy it is for them to hear His voice.
Jesus is waiting and longing. Will you tell them?
Free registration for this 10-day series on Hearing God's Voice: Click here
Hearing God's voice is as simple as quieting myself, fixing my eyes on Jesus, tuning to flow and writing.
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Hearing God’s Voice
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LaWanda - I see you, Lord Jesus, standing behind me with your hands on my shoulders. I can feel in the warmth of your hands, your love flowing into me. O Lord, I could sit here forever, but that is not your plan. Your plan is to fill me up and send me out so that the love you pour into me can be poured out and into those around me. O Lord, how I need to sit before you every day so that my tank is full. Thank you, Jesus, that there is a never-ending supply of your love. Help me to listen well today as Holy Spirit guides me.
A simple review of the four keys to hearing God's voice, on one single page, front and back. Easy to hand out to another to get them interested in hearing God's voice. Nice for your own personal review. This tract can be downloaded freely, or purchased for 10 copies for $1.00.
This LEARN eNotebook is designed to go along with the audio or video series on Rivers of Grace and it offers you the following four benefits:
This LEARN notebook is designed to go along with the CD series on Rivers of Grace and it offers you the following four benefits:
“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14)
Do you know the 15 ways the Bible reveals that angels minister to you? We have listed these extraordinary Scriptures on beautiful 8” x 5” Ministry Cards. They are the perfect size to slide in your book or Bible as a bookmark and an anointed reminder of the many blessings Father has provided for you through your angelic bodyguards.
In the multitude of counselors there is wisdom, safety and success. This 5.5 X 8.5 inch card is a simple reminder to look to several people God has provided you who together comprise the five heart motivations which underlie the five-fold team God speaks about in Ephesians 4:7-11 - apostle, prophet, pastor, teacher and evangelist.
Incorporating counsel from several individuals who together can express these five varied heart motivations lets you make wise, mature decisions (Eph. 4: 11-15).
This brief booklet walks a person through the main obstacles to speaking in tongues, and shows how each one can be successfully overcome. It is down-to-earth, practical and biblical, and in it Mark Virkler shares the struggles he went through before he was able to speak in tongues. Some were theological issues and some simply practical issues, like the fact that if I am going to speak in tongues, I will need to speak. Otherwise, nothing happens.
New life for your daily devotions!
The #1 Tool in the World for Introducing People to Hearing God's Voice! Pop this into your CD player during your morning devotional time and let us paint a scene of you and Jesus walking together along the Sea of Galilee. We'll encourage you to ask Him one of the following questions, "Lord, what would You like to say to me?" "How do You see me?" or "Do You love me?" We then guide you into using the four keys for hearing God's voice, which are: quieting yourself down, fixing your eyes on Jesus, tuning to spontaneity and writing.
The #1 Tool in the World for Introducing People to Hearing God's Voice! Pop this into your DVD player during your morning devotional time and let us paint a scene of you and Jesus walking together along the Sea of Galilee. We'll encourage you to ask Him one of the following questions, "Lord, what would You like to say to me?" "How do You see me?" or "Do You love me?" We then guide you into using the four keys for hearing God's voice, which are: quieting yourself down, fixing your eyes on Jesus, tuning to spontaneity and writing.
This brief booklet walks a person through the main obstacles to speaking in tongues, and shows how each one can be successfully overcome. It is down-to-earth, practical and biblical, and in it Mark Virkler shares the struggles he went through before he was able to speak in tongues. Some were theological issues and some simply practical issues, like the fact that if I am going to speak in tongues, I will need to speak. Otherwise, nothing happens.
Click here for Kindle version.
This book is our more academic version of this topic, designed more for the theologian.
Our practical, hands-on, user-friendly version for personal or group use is Hearing God Through Biblical Meditation.