Time Out (by Jerry Schmoyer)

From Mrs. Lettie Cowman’s wonderful book, Springs in the Desert, comes this interesting tale from African colonial history:

In the deep jungles of Africa, a traveler was making a long trek. Coolies had been engaged from a tribe to carry the loads. The first day they marched rapidly and went far. The traveler had high hopes of a speedy journey. But the second morning these jungle tribesmen refused to move. For some strange reason they just sat and rested. On inquiry as to the reason for this strange behavior, the traveler was informed that they had gone too fast the first day, and that they were now waiting for their souls to catch up with their bodies. Then Mrs. Cowman concludes with this penetrating exhortation: This whirling rushing life which so many of us live does for us what that first march did for those poor jungle tribesmen. The difference: they knew what they needed to restore life’s balance; too often we do not.

[Springs in the Valley by Lettie Cowman; pp. 196-197; copyright © 1997 by Holder. Used by permission of Zondervan.]

It is incredible to realize that Lettie Cowman wrote these words almost fifty years ago.

Why we overwork

Unfortunately we as Christians are often the most guilty of overwork. For some reason we often view leisure as superfluous and wasteful. We feel guilty when we aren’t productive. It has a name: workaholism. It is the pain others applaud. It is the cleanest of all addictions. Addiction to work has the same characteristics as addiction to alcohol, drugs, gambling or sex. Work is, for many, their “drug of choice” and they keep their stash handy at all times. On top of that, it is socially acceptable because it makes us seem important, responsible and productive. Really, it is a progressive, fatal disease in which a person is addicted to the process of working.

God designed man to work (Genesis 2:8-15; 3:17-19), but not overwork. Too often we turn to work to find self worth. Work becomes a measure of success: what kind of work and how much work. Men especially tend to value themselves by what they do and they use their work to impress others as well as themselves. That’s why when a man loses his job, is sick for an extended period of time, or retires, he often feels like a failure and without worth.

Another reason we tend to overwork is because we have found it to be a socially acceptable way of numbing ourselves from life’s problems. When busy we don’t have to think about deeper things in our life and family. We don’t have to face emotions in ourselves or others. We don’t have to develop deep relationships and become intimate with others. Work is a protective wall against all those things that we so often avoid.

Too often people turn to work to find self worth. Work becomes a measure of success: what kind of work and how much work. We tend to value themselves by what we do and we use our work to impress others as well as themselves. That’s why when a man loses his job, is sick for an extended period of time, or retires, he often feels like a failure and without worth.

The cure

The first and hardest part of the curing this is to admit to the problem. The surface problem, workaholism, must be admitted to. As in any 10-step program, without this happening nothing else can result. But then one must seek out the root problem. WHY do you overwork? Is it because of insecurity? Fear of failure? Being unsure of yourself as a person? Avoiding intimacy with others? Impressing self and others? Escaping facing other problems? Seek your heart carefully to find the root problem. Ask God to search it out for you.

Then second, plan your options to overcome your problem. Don’t replace one addiction for another, as so often happens. Find someone to talk to and hold you accountable. Write down your goals, limits of hours worked, etc. Set your restrictions and stick to them, in your mind as well as in your life. The goal isn’t to fool your family or church into thinking you’re doing better, but to really be free from your addiction so you can serve the Lord and others as you should. Learn to value yourself by standards other than work, such as relationships and spiritual growth.

Third, connect with people you love. Face problems and work them through. Don’t substitute with a hobby, church work, or some similar activity. Remember that it is OK to relax and enjoy life. Jesus would never have been considered a workaholic, and we are to follow His example and be like Him.

Reflect

• Would your spouse or best friend say you overwork?
• What is your work substituting for in life? What is missing? What are you afraid to face? Why is always being productive in some way so important?
• What is one step you can take today to be more balanced and less addicted to work?

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Jerry Schmoyer has been a minister in Pennsylvania for over 25 years and has worked with teenagers for 15 years, ever since I became one myself. He authors the weekly Time Out series here at Life in Student Ministry in hopes to spiritually refresh your soul as you continually pour so much of yourself into students. God bless!

Time Out (by Jerry Schmoyer)

The race of ministry

Two paddle boats, both powered by coal, left Memphis about the same time, traveling down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. As they traveled side-by-side, sailors from one vessel made some critical remarks and jokes about the snail’s pace of the other boat. Heated words were exchanged between the men on the two boats. Challenges were made. So the race began. The competition was hot and heavy as the two boats roared through the Deep South. Eventually, one boat began falling behind. The problem: it didn’t have enough fuel. There had been plenty of coal for the trip, but not enough for the race. As the boat dropped back, an enterprising young sailor took some of the ship’s cargo and tossed it into the boat’s ovens. When his fellow sailors saw that the supplies burned as well as coal, they fueled their boat with the material they had been assigned to transport. Guess what? They ended up winning the race, but they burned their cargo!

Sometimes the price of being the fastest is too high. Many people don’t realize that until they are on their death beds. Then it is too late. It’s not how fast we go through life that counts, but how we enjoy the trip along the way. We are stewards for God. That means we are captains of His ship, delivering His cargo for Him. He doesn’t reward us for speed but for faithfulness in the things He wants us to do.

Many of us in ministry today are guilty of trying to do too much in too little time. We keep expecting more and more of ourselves. Others seem to have unrealistic expectations of us as well. Thus we need to work faster, harder and longer to try to attain these unreachable goals. We want our ministries to be “successful” and therefore feel if we do more and more success will come. However all this usually causes is more and more stress.

Stress causes adrenaline to be dumped into the blood stream to prepare the body for a special challenge. If there is no special challenge to burn up the adrenaline it just hangs out there, causing us to run in overdrive. This uses physical, mental and spiritual energy and drains our system of reserves. Burnout soon results.

It’s not hard to tell if you are burn out. Is your enthusiasm and motivation low? Do you find yourself developing a negative attitude to people and events? Have you lost the joy and satisfaction you once found in ministry? Do you find you have a hard time focusing, concentrating and remembering things? Is it getting harder and harder to make simple decisions? Are you starting to avoid people and ministry opportunities? Do you have a hard time being patient with your mate and close friends? Do you feel exhausted but can’t seem to sleep well. Are you feeling bored, helpless and aimless? Then you’re probably burnt out.

The Solution

The only solution is to get your energy level back. Recharging your battery takes awhile. In fact, it takes longer to recharge it fully again than it did to discharge it in the first place. Seldom do we give ourselves enough time to recharge, so we find ourselves back in burn out again and again. We switch ministry positions or drop out entirely, but that isn’t the solution. That just deals with the symptom, not the problem.

The first step in the cure to stress-causing burnout isn’t found in changing circumstances but in changing how we respond to them. We must admit that our present patterns aren’t healthy and God-pleasing. We must recognize a problem with unrealistic expectations and a wrong response to stress. Anti-denial is the first step.

The second step, then, is to rest. Overworking ourselves, stressing ourselves out, often comes from insecurity. We feel we must perform in order for others to accept ourselves, or in order to accept ourselves. Thus we heap more and more stress upon ourselves. We strive to be more and more busy, to produce more, to be more effective. We try to reach the unrealistic expectations which we place on ourselves and which others place on us as well. But God calls us to rest (Heb 4:10; Isa 26:3; 30:15; Rom 8:6). Make sure you take a full 24-hour day totally off from responsibility and stress to just relax and recharge. At first it will be hard for all the extra adrenaline flowing in your body will demand you do something to burn it up. The problem is that working to burn it up just keeps causing our bodies to produce more and more. So go for a long walk or a run instead.

The third step, one that goes along with rest, is developing intimacy with God. That’s why we have been created. God didn’t make us to work for Him but to fellowship with Him. That’s what He needs and what we need. We also need to develop intimacy with those around us. Work often substitutes for intimacy. When we are so busy we don’t feel we have to genuinely relate to those closest to us. This is all wrong.

Thus true intimacy with God and others really meets our inner needs for acceptance and security. Overwork is a poor substitute for these and will never meet our inner needs. That’s why when we start down the path of doing more and more to win approval we never dome to an end of that path. It’s like drinking salt water to quench our thirst – it just can’t do the job!

Reflect

• How can you tell when you are burning out?
• What can you do to stop it?
• What can you do to prevent it?
• What stress most drives you to push too hard?
• What motivates you to keep pushing yourself more and more?
• What makes it hard for you to stop?

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Jerry Schmoyer has been a minister in Pennsylvania for over 25 years and has worked with teenagers for 15 years, ever since I became one myself. He authors the weekly Time Out series here at Life in Student Ministry in hopes to spiritually refresh your soul as you continually pour so much of yourself into students. God bless!

Time Out (by Jerry Schmoyer)

When is the last time you felt stressed out by your ministry? How many times a week does the stress get so high it impacts your moods and performance? It seems like stress goes with the territory, that it is an occupational hazard. But does it need to be that way?

Stress and stress-related diseases are in epidemic proportions today. Studies show that almost 70% of those who visit their doctor do so because of stress-related symptoms. The best-selling drugs in this country are all to help people handle stress. Stress is a growing problem among those in ministry, as well. We aren’t immune. In fact, we often suffer more from it than others in the general population.

Stress simply means we feel under pressure. Some times that pressure comes from within, what we demand of ourselves. Other times it comes from without, what we feel (real or imagined) that others look for us to produce. We are to follow Jesus and live as He lived.

Some stress is inevitable. Not all stress is bad. It can serve to motivate us in times of special need. Good stress brings out the best in us. Bad stress actually makes us less productive. Good stress we control, bad stress controls us and we can’t stop. We become driven. Impatience and anger become our daily companions. Peace and joy flee. Little things become big things and big things fade to lesser priorities. Our work list takes priority over our relationships.

Symptoms of stress include always being in a hurry, not having patience for others, trying to make every moment count (often by doing two or more things at the same time), inability to relax and enjoy, becoming irritated by things that don’t go right and sensing a loss of intimacy in your relationships, including your relationship with God.

When you recognize a symptom, see it as a warning light on the dashboard of your life. It means your battery is being drained too quickly and is getting dangerously low. It calls you back to the throne for “repairs.” Where are you failing to listen or obey or trust?

How can we overcome stress? Know your Plimsoll mark and honor it. Ships once were required to have a line painted on the hull that would remain above water only if the vessel were not overloaded. Most people know where their line is, but neglect its warnings. Don’t drown yourself into obligations or take on more than you can handle. You’ll sink. Jesus knew how to say no to things, we need to learn that as well. Strive for balance. In Eccl. 3:1-8, Solomon lists things that all have a place in every life. A good life has enough time for every worthwhile activity under heaven, including leisure. Regularly do something that is nonproductive and “fun.”

Pursue peace. It’s not a by-product of wealth or good health; it’s an end in itself. You can find peace in any circumstances, even when it makes no earthly sense to have it. Peace brings contentment and long life (Phil. 4:11, Ps. 34:12). God gives peace to those who ask Him for it and then are willing to make the necessary changes in their life so they can recognize and enjoy it.

Learn to enjoy. Many successful people feel a sense of accomplishment, but no enjoyment of their work or talents. The ability to enjoy yourself is a gift from God (Eccl. 5:19). He has given us all things to enjoy freely (1 Tim. 6:17). Ask Him to help you stop striving and accept His blessing.

Perhaps expecting to have a totally stress-free life and ministry isn’t a realistic expectation, but certainly for all of us there is plenty of room for improvement. Jesus certainly experienced stress, but it wasn’t from overwork or too high expectations. He didn’t start more than He could finish, He knew how to say “no” and He certainly paced Himself. You can, too.

Reflect

• When do you experience the most stress in your week?
• If Jesus were in your place, what would He do to prevent or remove the stress?
• What can you do this week to cut back on stress in your life? (If you can’t change the circumstances, you can change your reaction to them.)

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Jerry Schmoyer has been a minister in Pennsylvania for over 25 years and has worked with teenagers for 15 years, ever since I became one myself. He authors the weekly Time Out series here at Life in Student Ministry in hopes to spiritually refresh your soul as you continually pour so much of yourself into students. God bless!

Time Out (by Jerry Schmoyer)

God speaks to us in a quiet voice. He speaks enlightened thoughts to our mind or burring to our heart. When He speaks He speaks words of conviction of sin, information and guidance, encouragement and peace, enablement for ministry or revelation of Himself.

The final form His communication may take is that of revelation of Himself. Often it will just seem to ‘hit’ us how wonderful, powerful or majestic God is. This is Him revealing Himself to us by His Holy Spirit. He does this so we will respond in praise and worship.

That happens to me when I listen to my son Dan play the piano or when I listen to Southern Gospel Music. It can happen when I hear a testimony or read about something about Jesus. God’s Spirit speaks to me showing me show great Jesus is so I respond in worship and praise. If He didn’t reveal Himself or His Son to me I wouldn’t see His greatness on my own.

Sometimes we can be so overwhelmed with God’s love in our soul that we find ourselves enraptured in an immense feeling of being loved deeply, of God telling us how much He loves us. Our natural response is to worship, to love Him back. Other times it can be sitting quietly in His presence, just enjoying sweet fellowship by being in His presence. Or it can be a new or deeper understanding and appreciation about an aspect of God or Jesus that brings awe and wonder to our hearts.

Understand it’s not our intelligence that figures out those things about God. It is His voice speaking these truths to us so we respond in worship. One of the chief functions of the Holy Spirit is to reveal God to us. He does this by speaking to us of the greatness and wonder of God the Father and the Son.

This is how God communicates His love to us as well. He overwhelms our soul with His love for us – we can find ourselves enraptured in an immense feeling of being loved deeply with our soul. This can be God telling us how much He loves us.

Reflect
Take time right now to sit quietly and let God speak His love to you. Let Him reveal His great love for you and His care of you to your heart. Focus on Him as He speaks of His greatness. Respond in love and worship to Him. Using some of your favorite Christian music can help with this as well.

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Jerry Schmoyer has been a minister in Pennsylvania for over 25 years and has worked with teenagers for 15 years, ever since I became one myself. He authors the weekly Time Out series here at Life in Student Ministry in hopes to spiritually refresh your soul as you continually pour so much of yourself into students. God bless!

Time Out (by Jerry Schmoyer)

The last thing in life I ever wanted to do was speak before people. I never raised my hand in class. I always sat in the very back. I never even liked answering the phone. Talking in front of people always scared me. Anything more than a couple of good friends and I would clam up and just listen. So when God put it in my heart to enter the ministry it seemed all wrong. His Spirit gave me a great burning desire to help others grow spiritually. I was given a very strong inner compulsion to help believers learn the Bible and grow. But how could I do that if I couldn’t speak in front of people?

When God called me to speak for Him He also enabled me to speak in front of others. It is His Spirit that gives me the confidence to do so and the words to speak. I can’t take any credit for that. It still isn’t easy and I continue to find it hard to do at times, but I know if He wants me to do something He will have to enable me to do it for I can’t on my own.

Recently I have been traveling to India to minister to pastors there. God put that desire in my heart as well. He then enabled me to carry out the ministry to which He called me. That’s one of the ways God speaks to us today. He speaks enablement and ability to minister in the way in which He calls us.

Have you ever found yourself in a spiritual conversation with someone and the right words and answers just kept coming out of your mouth? You knew God wanted you to say those things, but you recognized they were beyond your ability to communicate in such a great way. That is God enabling you to minister for Him.

You see, God doesn’t call the gifted, He gifts the called. If He calls you to share a testimony, speak to a friend, sing in church, help with the youth, take a turn in the nursery – whatever it is He promises to speak guidance and enablement to you. All He requires of us is to be available. He doesn’t need out ability. He can give or take that as He chooses. He wants our availability, not our ability. He then provides the ability we need. His voice calls people into ministry (I Timothy 1:12; 2:6-7) and then tells those whom He has called what to say. Moses is an example of this (Exodus 4:10-12).

When I teach and preach or when I counsel I depend on God to give me the right things to say. That’s why I always pray before I start, asking Him to give me His words to speak and that everyone would hear Him and not me. I need to listen to Him and you need to be hearing from Him as you hear me.

Scripture
1 Timothy 1:12, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.”

1 Timothy 2:6-7, “…who gave himself as a ransom for all men — the testimony given in its proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle — I am telling the truth, I am not lying — and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.”

Exodus 4:10-12, “Moses said to the Lord, ‘O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.’ The Lord said to him, ‘Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.’”

Reflect
Think of some times God has given you words to speak or in some other way helped you to minister for Him. Thank Him for that. Ask Him to help you in ways He now wants you to serve Him. Listen to Him speak enablement to you to carry out what He wants you do to. If there is anything He wants you to do but you are hesitating because you don’t feel competent for it, confess that and commit to doing it with His help. He will speak enablement to you when you need it.

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Jerry Schmoyer has been a minister in Pennsylvania for over 25 years and has worked with teenagers for 15 years, ever since I became one myself. He authors the weekly Time Out series here at Life in Student Ministry in hopes to spiritually refresh your soul as you continually pour so much of yourself into students. God bless!

Time Out (by Jerry Schmoyer)

Have you ever had a time in your life when things were going badly and you could have really fallen apart, but you prayed about it and God gave you this awesome sense of peace? That has happened to me by the side of a highway with a broken-down car that contained four very upset children. It also happened when our church lost several important members at once, when things were not going well for us financially and we didn’t know how we’d be able to cover out expenses. Have those kinds of things ever happened to you? What is it? It’s God’s Spirit speaking peace to our spirit.

God doesn’t just speak information to us; quite often He speaks words of encouragement, peace, comfort and strength. “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). God speaks peace to us.

He also speaks encouragement as well. Our church has gone through some very difficult times when attendance and giving was way, way down. Still, God spoke encouragement to me to keep moving ahead and to keep my eyes on Him. I can’t take credit for those thoughts didn’t originate within me. I know it was God speaking to me to keep me going. I’ve seen Him do it to people whose marriage was falling apart, to those who had lost a job or a loved one, and in all manner of situations.

Unfortunately we don’t always recognize that it is His voice speaking to us at such times. When we don’t then we don’t thank Him and give Him the credit that is due Him. When we do recognize this comes from Him we are better able to recognize and listen to His voice next time we need peace or encouragement. Instead of shutting that voice off we must know it is from God so we listen to it.

This peace and encouragement comes when we turn to God in difficult situations. It can be in response to prayer, Bible reading, singing or anything that focuses our attention onto God.

Charles Stanley explains it this way:

As you pray and read, trust the Holy Spirit to quicken your spirit to His truth. You may feel this as a warmth inside, or you may feel a great sense of absoluteness about a particular verse. Sometimes the words on the page of your Bible may seem to stand out to you as if they were written in bold headlines. Sometimes you may not be able to get away from a particular passage. It comes repeatedly to your mind, and you can’t seem to shake it from memory.

Spend time now letting God fill you with His peace and encouragement. Ask Him for it in areas where it is needed and listen to His voice speaking that to your spirit. Thank Him for it.

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Jerry Schmoyer has been a minister in Pennsylvania for over 25 years and has worked with teenagers for 15 years, ever since I became one myself. He authors the weekly Time Out series here at Life in Student Ministry in hopes to spiritually refresh your soul as you continually pour so much of yourself into students. God bless!

Time Out (by Jerry Schmoyer)

Twenty eight years ago I was between churches and seeking where God would have me minister. A church in western Pennsylvania invited us to come speak and apply so we did. We weren’t sure if God wanted us to go there or not, but they went ahead with their procedure and voted on us. The vote was 100% – unanimous. I remember agonizing over the decision, awaiting their final call to see if we were coming or not. When the phone rang I still wasn’t sure, but as I talked I knew God was telling me to turn it down. I really wanted to get back to pastoring. I hadn’t ever heard of Main Street Baptist Church in Doylestown. Six months later God led us here, and the church vote was 51% in our favor. Denominational leaders urged us to turn down what was then a hot-bed of conflict and strife, but I knew God was leading us to come here so we did.

That’s why it’s so important to be listening to God and letting Him guide and direct. God speaks conviction to our spirit. A second type of content God speaks to us is information and guidance.

Jesus said, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come” (John 16:13).

The Bible abounds with examples of this. Paul said the Holy Spirit warned him of what was to come when he went to Jerusalem (Acts 20:22-23). He reminded the church in Corinth that they had the “mind of Christ” (2:16). Joseph heard of Pharaoh’s dream and God told Him the contents and their meaning. Daniel heard Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and God gave him the interpretation. Jacob (Genesis 46:2) and Samuel (2 Samuel 23:2) both said God spoke His guidance to them. Simeon was moved by the Spirit to find Jesus with His parents in the temple (Luke 2:25-28). Several times the Bible tells us that God guided Him by directing His spirit (Mark 2:8; John 13:21). God spoke to Ananias and told him to go to blind Paul (Acts 9:11-15).

An analogy I like which explains this is the shepherd-sheep illustration. He said that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him (John 10:4, 16, 27). Jesus’ definition of a disciple is one who follows Him, who hears His voice and responds.

St. Augustine tells of a time God’s voice guided him. “I heard from a neighboring house a voice, as of a boy or girl, I know not, changing, and oft repeating, ‘Take up and read. Take up and read.’ I could remember no child’s game with these words. So, checking the torrent of my tears, I arose; interpreting it to be no other than a command from God, to open the book, and read the first chapter I should find.” Thus he came upon Romans 13:13-14 which led to his salvation and transformation.

A very remarkable illustration of this concerns Peter Marshall, the Scot who in the middle of the twentieth century became one of America’s most widely acclaimed ministers. Through his outstanding qualities as a man and a minister, he brought the office of the chaplain of the United States Senate to a new level of prominence.

Back in Britain, on one foggy, pitch-black Northumerland night, he was taking a shortcut across the moors in an area where there was a deep, deserted limestone quarry. As he plodded blindly forward, an urgent voice called out, “Peter!” He stopped and answered, “Yes, who is it? What do you want?” But there was no response.

Thinking he was mistaken, he took a few more steps. The voice came again, even more urgently, “Peter!” At this he stopped again and, trying to peer into the darkness, stumbled forward and fell to his knees. Putting down his hand to brace himself, he found nothing there. As he felt around in a semicircle he discovered that he was right on the brink of the abandoned quarry, where one step more would certainly have killed him.

It’s not just the big things, but little things He leads us with as well. Many times I’ve not been able to find my keys or something I’ve misplaced. After frantically looking everywhere I finally stop and pray, and then soon after that their location pops right into my mind!

Charles Stanley adds excellent counsel to this: “In the Old Testament when men such as King David inquired of the Lord, the question was nearly always put to the Lord in such a way that the answer was yes or no. I believe this is the foremost way that the Holy Spirit speaks to us hour by hour as we walk through our particular set of circumstances. We can never ask too many times of the Holy Spirit, ‘Should I do this – yes or no?’ We will sense in our spirits His word of reply to us. Generally, it will be a sense of enthusiasm and eager desire marked with great joy and freedom, or it will be a sense of foreboding, danger, caution, or need for silence. I find that it is much easier to receive the direction of the Holy Spirit by asking for yes-or-no counsel than to say to Him in general terms, ‘What do you want me to do?’”

Take a few moments now to ask God for information or guidance you need for something you are currently involved in. Listen to His Spirit as He speaks. Keep listening all day, for God often speaks slowly and little by little.

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Jerry Schmoyer has been a minister in Pennsylvania for over 25 years and has worked with teenagers for 15 years, ever since I became one myself. He authors the weekly Time Out series here at Life in Student Ministry in hopes to spiritually refresh your soul as you continually pour so much of yourself into students. God bless!

Time Out (by Jerry Schmoyer)

Sometimes I’m guilty of not listening when my wife speaks. I may be looking at here and pretend to be paying attention, but my mind is elsewhere and I don’t really hear her. I’m sure most husbands have been caught in that one time or another. It’s embarrassing and painful (for both of us). How much more so, though, when God speaks and we don’t her.

Some Christians say they never hear God speaking to them, but if you are a Christian, you have heard God speak to you. It has definitely happened or you wouldn’t be a Christian. And you were paying attention as well. For most of us, the first time we heard God speak to us He was convicting us of sin, showing us our need of salvation. Jesus said, “When the Holy Spirit comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me” (John 16:7-11). I Thessalonians 1:4-5 says the gospel comes to us with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.

To Ezekiel God complained that “these people have ears to hear but they never hear, eyes to see but they never see” (12:2). Jesus repeated this complaint several times as well.

When we look at these occurrences we see they can be grouped into five areas of revelation. God spoke conviction, information, encouragement, enablement in ministry, and revelation of Himself.

Of course we all know that how we respond that that conviction is a free will choice each will need to make.

In the 1640s George Fox, founder of the Friends, or Quaker, movement, wandered the fields and lanes of the English countryside, seeking someone who could show him the way to peace with God. He finally became convinced that “there was none among them all that could speak to my condition. And when all my hopes in them and in all men were gone, so that I had nothing outwardly to help me, nor could I tell what to do; then, oh! Then I heard a voice which said, ‘here is one, even Jesus Christ, that can speak to thy condition’; and when I heard it, my heart did leap for joy. Then the Lord did let me see why there was none upon the earth that could speak to my condition, namely, that I might give him all the glory.”

One way in which God speaks to us is to show us the sin in our life. He does this before salvation so we will see our need of Him. He also does this in the lives of those who have freely received His free gift of salvation. He shows us sin so we can confess and remove it.

Charles Stanley wrote: “As we read God’s Word, we nearly always come to what I call a ‘gulp point.’ Something we read challenges us to change something in our lives, to gulp and say, ‘Wow! That really hit me. I need to do something about that.’ Sometimes it’s a conviction about sin in our lives. Sometimes it’s a correction in the way we have been taught or the way in which we act toward others. Sometimes it’s a clear call to engage in a new discipline or area of ministry.”

The problem is that we have a tendency to only listen to what we want to hear. A doctor can give us good advice about diet changes or needed exercise, but it’s very easy to ignore his counsel if it means changes we don’t want to make.

I’ve learned to recognize God’s Spirit when He convicts me of sin. He warns me ahead of time through my conscience. He also censures me after I have sinned. While we may not want to hear these things from Him, we can thank Him for faithfully bringing sin to our attention. Suppose He didn’t?

Scripture
John 16:7-11, “When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me…”

1 Thessalonians 1:4-5, “For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.”

Reflect
Thank God for speaking to you to show you your need of His salvation. Then ask Him to show you any sin in your life that you need to confess. Listen to what His Spirit says and confess that sin. Learn to recognize God’s voice speaking in that way so whenever there is sin to be removed you do so.

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Jerry Schmoyer has been a minister in Pennsylvania for over 25 years and has worked with teenagers for 15 years, ever since I became one myself. He authors the weekly Time Out series here at Life in Student Ministry in hopes to spiritually refresh your soul as you continually pour so much of yourself into students. God bless!

Time Out (by Jerry Schmoyer)

In the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral there is what is known as the Whispering Gallery. Through the peculiar construction of the dome a whisper by a person at one side travels round and can be distinctly heard by another person standing at the other.

An even more remarkable whispering gallery is that known as the Ear of Dionysius at Syracuse in Sicily. This is a vast cave, which externally bears a resemblance to a human ear. Entering by a low doorway, the visitor finds himself in a huge cavern. High up, concealed in the roof, is a chamber, which can only be entered by a concealed path at the top. The faintest whisper uttered below is distinctly heard by those concealed above. In this chamber the tyrant Dionysius used to sit listening to his slaves working or to his captives imprisoned below. All their plots against him were thus, to them, mysteriously discovered and circumvented. From this historical fact the cave has received the name of the Ear of Dionysius.

We, too, can learn to hear everything God says – if we know how to listen. God really does speak to us today. He desires communication with us and we desire communication with Him. Hearing from God is probable, possible and even very necessary. How does God speak and what does He say?

God speaks to us today through His Holy Spirit. We can hear His voice. It’s not a sound, it’s a voice. It’s not something you hear with your ears but in your mind. Once you learn to recognize and respond to this voice you’ll recognize it often. It’s a gentle whisper, not a shout. God speaks rich and enlightening thoughts to our spirit by His Spirit. Often this still, small voice speaks rich and enlightening thoughts by causing a burning within my heart.

The disciples who talked with Jesus on the road to Emmaus that first Resurrection Sunday experienced this. Luke 24:32 says, “They asked each other, ‘were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’”

Psalm 39:1-3 talks about this as well. “My heart grew hot within me, and as I meditated, the fire burned.”

One of the more familiar quotes about this comes from the journal of John Wesley for May 14, 1738. “In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate-Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation: And an assurance was given me, that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”

Haven’t you found yourself moved by something you sense in your spirit? Perhaps it happens during a song or sermon, when listening to a testimony or out in nature? This stirring is God speaking to our hearts through His Holy Spirit, putting His fire within us to highlight something of importance.

Charles Stanley writes: “As you pray and read, trust the Holy Spirit to quicken your spirit to His truth. You may feel this as warmth inside, or you may feel a great sense of absoluteness about a particular verse. Sometimes the words on the page of your Bible may seem to stand out to you as if they were written in bold headlines. Sometimes you may not be able to get away from a particular passage. It comes repeatedly to your mind, and you can’t seem to shake it from memory.”

So we see that this still, small voice speaks rich and enlightening thoughts by causing a burning within our hearts. How He speaks is by a gentle, quiet whisper. Where He speaks is to our thoughts and to our hearts. He touches our rational mental capacity (enlightened thoughts) as well as our emotional feelings (burning hearts).

Scripture
Luke 24:32, “They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’”

Psalm 39:1-3, “I said, ‘I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence.’ But when I was silent and still, not even saying anything good, my anguish increased. My heart grew hot within me, and as I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue: ‘Ask God to make you sensitive to the ‘burning’ He puts in your heart, the desires and emotions He creates in you to speak His truth to you.’”

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Jerry Schmoyer has been a minister in Pennsylvania for over 25 years and has worked with teenagers for 15 years, ever since I became one myself. He authors the weekly Time Out series here at Life in Student Ministry in hopes to spiritually refresh your soul as you continually pour so much of yourself into students. God bless!

Time Out (by Jerry Schmoyer)

Writer Charles Swindoll once found himself with too many commitments in too few days. He got nervous and tense about it. “I was snapping at my wife and our children, choking down my food at mealtimes, and feeling irritated at those unexpected interruptions through the day,” he recalled in his book, Stress Fractures. “Before long, things around our home started reflecting the pattern of my hurry-up style. It was become unbearable.

“I distinctly remember after supper one evening, the words of our younger daughter, Colleen. She wanted to tell me something important that had happened to her at school that day. She began hurriedly, ‘Daddy, I wanna tell you somethin’ and I’ll tell you really fast.’ Suddenly realizing her frustration, I answered, ‘Honey, you can tell me — and you don’t have to tell me really fast. Say it slowly.’ I’ll never forget her answer: ‘Then listen slowly.’”

That’s good advice for all of us. Listen slowly; listen intently, for His voice is often a gentle whisper, a still, small voice. When we learn to listen for it we recognize that He speaks rich and enlightened thoughts to our spirits.

God can put a new idea directly and immediately into our mind. He can give us a new perspective in which to view something. He can put new desires into our hearts. He can stimulate certain memories stored within our mind just when they are most needed.

Martin Luther wrote: “If the Holy Spirit should come when these thoughts are in your mind and begin to preach to your heart, giving you rich and enlightened thoughts, then give Him the honor, let your preconceived ideas go, be quiet and listen to Him Who can talk better than you; and note what He proclaims and write it down.”

James Dobson has given some of the best practical advice I have ever heard on how someone who really wants the will of God and who has a basically correct understanding of it should proceed. Describing how he does it himself, he says, “I get down on my knees and say, ‘Lord, I need to know what you want me to do, and I am listening. Please speak to me through my friends, books, magazines I pick up and read, and through circumstances.’”

Often God’s still, small voice takes the form of thoughts that are our thoughts, though they are not from us.

When God speaks in your heart it doesn’t matter where your mind has been going; He blocks and overrides all circuits. You are captivated by His voice speaking to you. He commands your undivided attention. There is absolute certainty in what He says. What He says is right. His word has perfect balance and proportion. Everything He shows us fits together seamlessly. The word He gives us is complete. Everything He says compliments everything He’s been showing us.

It’s true that Satan can counterfeit this, but that just proves that God does speak to us in this way. A little later we’ll have a whole message on how to tell God’s voice from Satan’s counterfeit leading.

When I study, when I prepare sermons and lessons, I try to be very aware of the rich and enlightening thoughts that God sends me by means of His Spirit. When I counsel I always try to be sensitive to His leading and direction. When we are involved in spiritual warfare it is essential to be in tune to hear what thoughts God gives me. God speaks to you in the same way. You need to learn to take time to recognize His voice.

Scripture
John 2:22, “After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.”

John 14:26, “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

Reflect
Spend time quietly listening to God. Have a paper and pencil with you to start writing down some of the things that come to mind. It may be a reminder of something to do or an idea about how to solve a problem. It could be just a sense of peace and wellbeing. But first you must listen.

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Jerry Schmoyer has been a minister in Pennsylvania for over 25 years and has worked with teenagers for 15 years, ever since I became one myself. He authors the weekly Time Out series here at Life in Student Ministry in hopes to spiritually refresh your soul as you continually pour so much of yourself into students. God bless!