“My God and I go in the field together. We walk and talk as good friends should and do.”
In any relationship that is threatened with separation or lack of closeness, one of the topics to discuss is:
How is your communication with one another? For those of us who are married, we know how vital that is, even though we sometimes are resistant to improvement in this area. But as the song says, “My God and I…we walk and talk as good friends should and do.” Any significant relationship will have excellent communication as a core trait. And good communication is a two-way process – talking and listening by both parties. So today, let’s discuss what it means, not only to walk with God but to talk with God.
How Does God Talk to Us?
1. Through his A____________________________________ John 8:31-32; John 17:17; Matthew 4:4; Psalm 19:7-9. Thank God for his perfect communication to us through the written Word, the Bible – God’s loveletter to his children here on earth!
2. Through his B______________________________________ Psalm 8:3-4: “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon, and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?”
3. Through his C______________________________________ Romans 10:14-15; Acts 18:26; Acts 8:4; 1 Peter 3:15. God uses the people in our lives to share his Word, to be good examples of what the Christ life looks like, and even to use the realm of influence to help us draw closer to God.
4. Through his D______________________________________ Ephesians 6:17; John 16:13; 1 John 3:20-24. The Holy Spirit works with our spirit molding our hearts and training our consciences to be sensitive to the Lord’ leading.
5. Through E________________________________________ Sometimes the answer is “No,” but other times it’s a “Go”! But it’s hard to understand when he says “Whoa” or “Slow” or even “Not Yet.” But God knows best. And through his various answers, he is revealing his will for our situations. Remember Elijah who prayed earnestly for rain and it did not rain. But later it did rain. He was learning the Lord’s way and his will through this process.
How Should We Talk to God?
We know the answer to this one – it’s through prayer! But the practice of prayer is sometimes relegated to form and function, rather than the avenue of personally talking to God in a natural and conversational manner. So let’s address some “how to’s” since we should already know many reasons “why to.”
1. Talk F______________________________ with God – 1 Thessalonians 5:17
2. Talk G______________________________ with God – Matthew 6:7-8
3. Talk H______________________________ with God – Psalm 5:7 says, “In reverence I bow down.”
4. Talk I _____________________________ with God – Psalm 62:8; Psalm 142:1-2
5. Talk J _____________________________ in God – James 1:6-8
