** 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 in the latest episode of the Hearing God Podcast (episode 31, Hearing God at Christmas) 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:
· 'Hearing God for the New Year' pdf download - https://www.unlockingthegold.com/product/hearing-god-for-the-new-year/
· Website: https://garyandjane.co
· Episode 3 - https://garyandjane.co/episode-3-what-does-gods-voice-sound-like/
· Episode 29 - https://garyandjane.co/episode-29-hearing-god-through-our-feelings/
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:
· Visit the Hearing God podcast website https://garyandjane.co
· Email admin@garyandjane.co
· Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092429006234
· Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/hearinggodpodcast/
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