Episode 33: Hearing God – Saul/Paul (Bible)

Episode 33: Hearing God – Saul/Paul (Bible)

Mar 31, 2024 | 0 comments

Episode Description:

Join Gary & Jane in this latest episode of Hearing God as they unpack how Paul first heard God in Acts 9 and his radical conversion. Gary & Jane share that God desires a relationship with everyone and that when we encounter God, we change. They both share their personal story of how they encountered God. Gary & Jane also cover how we can respond when God asks us to do something that doesn’t make sense.

Episode Notes:

First Principle: There is no one too bad for God. God desires a relationship with everyone.

Saul

  • Saul / Paul was a ruthless man. Arrogant, self-righteous, loved finding fault.
  • God talks to non-Christians.
  • Saul saw a light, heard a voice, and then went blind. The men travelling with him heard the sound but didn’t see anyone. Sometimes, it doesn’t make sense to those around us. Who do we trust in those times?
  • Acts 13, when we read of Saul, also known as Paul (Latin version), says Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit and could discern things. It was a ‘knowing’.

Second Principle: When we encounter God, we change.

  • Saul encounters God. Face to Face and had a radical transformation.
  • In Damascus, there was a Christian called Ananias, whom God told in a vision to go to Saul and pray for him to be able to see again. Ananias says, “Wait a minute, this guy will kill me” but follows what God told him to do.
  • Ananias goes and finds Saul and prays for him. Saul can see again and suddenly starts preaching and telling people about Christ—radical conversion.
  • There is always an outcome, a change when we encounter God.

Third Principle: How do we respond when we are asked to do something by God that doesn’t make sense.

  • Ananias was given specific directions (Acts 9:10-19) in a vision to go to a particular house on Straight Street and ask for a specific person (Saul).
  • Ananias responds by saying, “Hey, I’ve heard he wants to arrest Christians – are you sure God? It is okay to question God? What we do with the question and response is what is important.
  • God said Go and do this. Ananias obeys.
  • It is important to obey quickly, but if it sounds unusual, please check with mature people.
  • How many times do we miss out because we haven’t obeyed quickly? God uses someone else.

Activation:

Turn your heart and thoughts to Father God and ask Him:

  • Father God, who in my life needs to hear about You?
  • Father God, what do they need to know first about You?

Time Stamps:

[0:40] – Gary & Jane share briefly how they have heard God this week.

[2:59] – First Principle – There is no one too bad for God. God desires a relationship with everyone.

[8:27] – Second Principle – When we encounter God, we change.

[10:55] – Jane’s encounter with Jesus.

[13:44] – Gary’s encounter with Jesus.

[15:14] – Prayer if you want to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour of your life.

[17:13] – Third Principle – How do we respond when we are asked to do something by God that doesn’t make sense.

[21:02] – Recap the principles.

[21:36] – Prophetic activation.

[22:36] – Gary & Jane both share a prophetic word for a listener.

[23:52] – Gary prays for you.

Resources / Links Mentioned:

Bible Verses Mentioned:

  • Acts 9:1-21
  • Acts 13

Connect with Gary & Jane:

Support the show:

  • Please share this podcast with someone who would value hearing from God.
  • Subscribe and leave a rating + review on your favourite podcast listening app.
  • If God is leading your heart to donate or support the show in any way, please visit https://buymeacoffee/garyandjanM Thank you so much.

Episode 32: Life Update

Episode 32: Life Update

Mar 24, 2024 | 0 comments

Episode Description:

Join Gary & Jane in this latest episode of Hearing God as they share a life update of the adventure they have been on as a family over these last few months. As they share their journey, Gary & Jane unpack how they have heard God during this time and a situation where Jane felt she missed hearing God. They also cover important principles of how to deal with disappointment in God.

Episode Notes:

First Principle: Life/mission is messy.

  • Beach Mission – tents flooded, team members with Covid, team member broke his leg.
  • Our response is what is important, and so is our heart attitude.
  • In the busyness & tiredness, it is sometimes hard to hear God unless we’re intentional.

Second Principle: Plan but be open to change.

  • Family changes over the last few months.
  • Jane’s bold prayer at the end of November.
  • Jane study and new business called ‘Mums in Transition’.
  • What is our response when we don’t feel at peace, especially as a married couple?
  • Wrestling with God – how do we know? How do we settle the way forward?
  • If the 2 of us aren’t in agreement, we need to pause.

Third Principle: Guard your heart during change

  • Something I had been praying for years didn’t work out.
  • It is easy to be angry at God or disappointed in Him.
  • Tired and hungry – Elijah in 1 Kings 18 & 19. Elijah had just experienced this incredible miracle. The next minute, Elijah is depressed and fearing for his life. An angel of the Lord said, “Get up and eat”. Address physical issues first – hungry and tired.
  • Don’t make any big life decisions when exhausted or heartbroken.
  • Doubts, questioning, and heartache all common.
  • Go back to what you know from God.
  • We are not God. We can’t see the whole picture.
  • Be careful what you fill any void with.

Activation:

Turn your heart and thoughts to Father God and ask Him to show you if you are disappointed with Him.

  • Father God, can you please show or tell me if I harbour any disappointment towards You, especially when things haven’t turned out as I had prayed?
  • Father God, what do I need to do about this?
  • Father God, what else would You love me to know about this?

Time Stamps:

[0:57] – Gary & Jane share briefly how they have heard God this week.

[5:44] – First Principle – Life/mission is messy.

[10:27] – Second Principle – Plan but be open to change.

[15:32] – A situation of unease between Gary & Jane & how they dealt with it.

[20:27] – Third Principle – Guard your heart during change.

[23:38] – Recap the principles.

[24:04] – Prophetic activation.

[25:18] – Gary & Jane both share a prophetic word for a listener.

[26:42] – Gary prays for you.

Resources / Links Mentioned:

Bible Verses Mentioned:

  • Psalm 46:10
  • 1 Kings 18 & 19

Connect with Gary & Jane:

Support the show:

  • Share this podcast with someone who would value hearing from God.
  • Subscribe and leave a rating + review on your favourite podcast listening app.
  • If God is leading your heart to donate or support the show in any way, please visit https://buymeacoffee/garyandjanM Thank you so much.
Episode 31 Hearing God at Christmas

Episode 31 Hearing God at Christmas

Dec 17, 2023 | 0 comments

** We have a free 30-day pdf devotional – ‘Hearing God for the New Year’. You can download your copy here: https://www.unlockingthegold.com/product/hearing-god-for-the-new-year/

** Gary and Jane are taking a break from the Hearing God Podcast until February due to seasonal, family, and mission commitments. We encourage you to listen to past episodes over January.

Episode Description:

Christmas is a fantastic time for sharing the good news about Christ. We have the opportunity to speak into many people’s lives, encouraging them through both words (verbal and written) and gifts. Join us as we share practical ways to encourage yourself and others by hearing from God at this significant time.

Episode Notes:

First Principle: Hearing God for yourself this Christmas

  • Spend time with God.
  • Creative methods of rekindling the wonder of Christmas.

Second Principle: Hearing God for Others – ways to encourage people this Christmas season

  • People to prophetically encourage.
  • Ways to prophetically encourage people.
  • Acts of kindness.
  • Make space and time.

Third Principle: Bringing Christ into the centre of your Christmas

  • Change the atmosphere.
  • Christ came to bring joy, freedom, relationship, restoration, forgiveness, peace, and love.

Prophetic activation:

Turn your heart and thoughts to Father God and ask Him:

  • Father God, who do You want to be for me this Christmas?
  • Father God, how do You want me to celebrate You this Christmas?
  • Father God, am I creating an idol out of Christmas with my expectations?
  • Do I have to have the house perfect?
  • Do I need to give (and receive) the perfect present?
  • Are my emotional needs being ‘filled’ or ‘unmet’ by expectations surrounding the perfect Christmas when You should be taking that place?
  • Am I creating an ‘idol’ out of Christmas with my expectations of the ‘perfect’ Christmas?
  • Is there a lie I’m believing about having the ‘perfect’ Christmas?
  • Father God, am I spending my time, energy, money and thought life in a pleasing manner to You?
  • Am I spending too much time, energy and money on insignificant things?
  • Am I overthinking situations and creating a bigger problem in my mind?
  • Am I spending excessive time thinking about what to buy for people?
  • Have I fallen into the trap of people-pleasing?
  • Father God, how am I communicating Your love, peace, joy and power?
  • Father God, are people attracted to You through me?

Time Stamps:

[0:40] – Gary & Jane share briefly how they have heard God this week.

[8:04] – First Principle – Hearing God for yourself this Christmas.

[11:45] – Second Principle – Hearing God for others at Christmas.

[14:22] – Different ways to prophetically encourage others.

[16:02] – Third Principle – Bring Christ into the centre of your Christmas.

[19:03] – Recap the principles.

[19:37] – Explanation of the ‘Hearing God for the New Year’ 30-day devotional pdf.

[21:38] – Prophetic activation.

[23:08] – Gary & Jane both share a prophetic word for a listener.

[25:38] – Jane prays a Christmas blessing over you.

[28:15] – The next podcast will be in February due to seasonal, family, and mission commitments.

Resources / Links Mentioned:

Bible Verses Mentioned:

  • 1 Corinthians 14:3
  • Matthew 22:37-38
  • Mark 12:30-31
  • Luke 10:27
  • John 13:34-35
  • Ephesians 3:20
  • Proverbs 31:25
  • Jeremiah 29:11

Connect with Gary & Jane:

Support the show:

  • Share this podcast with someone who would value hearing from God.
  • Subscribe and leave a rating + review on your favourite podcast listening app.
  • If God is leading your heart to donate or support the show in any way, please visit https://buymeacoffee/garyandjanM Thank you so much.

**30-day Devotional – Hearing God for the New Year

(available as a pdf download here)

This 30-day devotional has daily Bible verses and questions to help you hear God’s heart for you in the new year.

The start of a year is a fantastic time to reflect on the past year and dream with God to set new goals for the coming year. This 30-day devotional is ideal for reviewing and planning, realising that “many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. (Proverbs 19:21)

Each day has questions for you to answer, plus questions to ask God about your life as you ponder and meditate on specific Bible verses.

God has so much He would love to share with us throughout this process. I encourage you to pause and listen to the things on God’s heart for you for this coming year. If you would like to know how to hear what God is trying to communicate to you, click here to listen to episode 4 of our ‘Hearing God’ Podcast – ‘How does God talk to us’.

In the Hearing God Podcast, we encourage you to go with the ‘first thought’ principle – the first thought that comes into your head, as long as it aligns with Scripture, the character of God, and you are in a healthy place with God. You can listen to an explanation of the ‘first thought’ principle here in episode 3.

This 30-day devotional on Hearing God for 2024 covers:

  • Reviewing 2023
  • Achievements, challenges and pain, and the joys from 2023
  • Answers to prayer, and memory stones from last year
  • Distractions and disruptions from 2023
  • Things I need to let go of, plus areas still to obey God in
  • Seeing where God is currently working in my life and partnering with Him in this place
  • What God, Holy Spirit, and Jesus are currently praying for me
  • My values and vision
  • Monthly theme/word for 2024
  • Areas to grow and mature in, and where wisdom is needed
  • Asking God for impossible dreams
  • My unique Kingdom purpose
  • My 2024 roles and priorities
  • Disciplines needed
  • Any concerns going forward
  • Accountability
  • Intimacy with God and areas to grow in
  • How, and what, I will celebrate in 2024
  • What I will speak over myself  to see come to fruition

Episode 29 Hearing God through Our Feelings

Episode 29 Hearing God through Our Feelings

Dec 3, 2023 | 0 comments

Episode Description:

Have you ever walked into a room and your emotions have immediately changed negatively? Depending on your location, do you experience distinct shifts in your thoughts, emotions, or dreams? Do you hear God through your feelings? Join Gary & Jane as they share personal examples to help you understand how you can hear God through your feelings. They explain that character, maturity, and wisdom are needed to discern accurately where those feelings come from. They also discuss what a highly sensitive person is and share examples and resources to help unpack this area.

Episode Notes:

First Principle: Recognise what is of you and God and what is not.
  • Is something external in the atmosphere impacting you?
  • Great questions to ask if you are unsure if something external is impacting you.
  • You are your mind’s gatekeeper. You have a responsibility to discern what you allow through and what you dwell on. 2 Corinthians 10:5
  • You can change most spiritual atmospheres through words or praise and worship.
  • Vitally important is our character, wisdom, and reading the Bible.
Second Principle – You can change the atmosphere around you.
  • Personal examples.
  • Dawna DeSilva from Bethel Church and her teaching on ‘Shifting atmospheres’.
  • Examples from the Bible of Jesus changing atmospheres.
Third Principle –Having a heart of compassion for others like Jesus did.
  • Numerous examples in the Gospels of Jesus displaying compassion.
  • Highly sensitive people – explanation, examples, and the term ‘DOES’.
  • Resources to help in understanding highly sensitive people.

Prophetic activation:

Turn your heart and thoughts to Father God and ask Him:
  • Father God, what do You love about my feelings and how I process information?
  • Father God, what would You like me to know about hearing from You through my feelings?

Time Stamps:

[1:21] – Gary & Jane share briefly how they have heard God this week. [5:19] – First Principle – Recognise what is of you and God and what is not. [8:46] – Great questions to ask if you are unsure if something external is impacting you. [11:26] – Second Principle – You can change the atmosphere around you. [15:58] – Jane’s powerful example with a Vietnam Veteran. [20:25] – Third Principle – Having a heart of compassion for others like Jesus did. [20:57] – Highly Sensitive People [24:16] – Recap the principles. [24:45] – Prophetic activation. [25:54] – Gary & Jane both share a prophetic word for a listener. [27:59] – Gary prays for you.

Resources / Links Mentioned:

Bible Verses Mentioned:

  • 2 Corinthians 10:5
  • Mark 4:37-39
  • Proverbs 18:21
  • Luke 8:41-56

Connect with Gary & Jane:

Support the show:

  • Share this podcast with someone who would value hearing from God.
  • Subscribe and leave a rating + review on your favourite podcast listening app.
  • If God is leading your heart to donate or support the show in any way, please visit https://buymeacoffee/garyandjanM Thank you so much.
Episode 28: Hearing God through asking great questions

Episode 28: Hearing God through asking great questions

Nov 26, 2023 | 0 comments

Episode Description:

Should I marry this person? Which career should I choose? Where should I live? Why does God allow suffering? Why did my friend die? These are all common questions, and God loves you asking questions. A great way to hear God is to ask the right questions. Join Gary & Jane as they share great questions to ask God and unpack how to recognise the answer and wait ‘well’ while waiting for the reply.

Episode Notes:

First Principle: God loves questions.

  • Jesus was asked about 183 questions in the Gospels and only answered about three directly.
  • We are worthy to ask God questions.
  • God wants a relationship with us.
  • God has a lot of thoughts and emotions. E.g. Psalm 139:17-18
  • We need to be able to recognise the answer.
  • Connect with God as a person.
  • A great starting place is the Bible.
  • Can God trust you to keep a secret?

Second Principle – Am I asking the right question? We may need to change the question.

  • Questions around suffering and injustice.
  • The waiting can be frustrating.
  • How we wait is important.
  • Important considerations to wait ‘well’.

Third Principle – Ask open-ended questions, especially with major life decisions.

  • Great questions instead of asking, “God, should I marry this person?”
  • Great questions about where to live?
  • Great questions instead of asking, “Should I accept this job?”
  • Help God put light on issues you haven’t been aware of.

Prophetic activation:

Turn your heart and thoughts to Father God and ask Him:

  • Father God, how do You see me?
  • Father God, what are You doing in my life at the moment that perhaps I’m not aware of?
  • What would You love to say about the pain in my past?
  • What would You love me to know about my future?
  • What Bible verse do You have for me right now?
  • How can I love someone today?

Time Stamps:

[0:37] – Gary & Jane share briefly how they have heard God this week.

[4:03] – First Principle – God loves questions.

[6:33] – We are worthy to ask God questions.

[10:50] – We need to recognise the answer when God replies.

[12:00] – Connect with God as a person. Relationship is important.

[14:27] – Second Principle – We may need to change the question.

[18:10] – How we wait is important.

[20:52] – Third Principle – Ask open-ended questions, especially with major life decisions.

[23:07] – Recap the principles.

[23:45] – Prophetic activation.

[25:11] – Gary & Jane both share a prophetic word for a listener.

[27:31] – Gary prays for you.

Resources / Links Mentioned:

Bible Verses Mentioned:

  • Psalm 27:4
  • Psalm 139:13-18
  • Matthew 7:7-11
  • Psalm 91
  • Luke 1:26-38
  • 2 Peter 3:8
  • 1 Samuel 17:34-37
  • Genesis 22
  • Genesis 12
  • Psalm 34:8
  • Joshua 1:9
  • Isaiah 43:1-2

Connect with Gary & Jane:

Support the show:

  • Share this podcast with someone who would value hearing from God.
  • Subscribe and leave a rating + review on your favourite podcast listening app.
  • If God is leading your heart to donate or support the show in any way, please visit https://buymeacoffee/garyandjanM Thank you so much.