Andrew Burchett Podcast Andrew Burchett

As Thanksgiving is upon us, our hearts and minds turn to "family" and what that means for each person. In this episode, Andrew focuses on adoption, family and how we find belonging and family in the church.

Feeling isolated and lonely? You're not alone. There are many who are walking in the fog, and what we all need is others to walk with us in community.

In this episode, Andrew shares how journaling can help us hear God's voice.

While many people have a love/hate relationship with journaling - there is a very helpful method of journaling called the "Immanuel Journaling" approach.



Proverbs 3:5–6 (The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language)

5–6 Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart;

don’t try to figure out everything on your own.

Listen for GOD’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;

he’s the one who will keep you on track.



Habakkuk 2:1-3 (NIV)

1 I will stand at my watch

and station myself on the ramparts;

I will look to see what he will say to me,

and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

2 Then the LORD replied:

“Write down the revelation

and make it plain on tablets

so that a herald may run with it.

3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time;

it speaks of the end

and will not prove false.

Though it linger, wait for it;

it will certainly come

and will not delay.



20 The LORD is in his holy temple;

let all the earth be silent before him.



Here’s how Journaling helps you hear God’s voice:

1. Helps you de-stress & detoxify (healthy venting)

2. Gets your thoughts out of your head, into words

3. Helps you to let go of the thoughts that distract you

4. Writing slows down your thoughts

5. Writing helps you to organize and prioritize your thoughts

6. Ending your “free write” with a question for God to answer




Link to The book Joyful Journey (Life Model Works):


https://www.amazon.com/Joyful-Journey-Dr-James-Wilder/dp/171183145X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=joyful+journey+listening+to+immanuel&qid=1686594145&sprefix=%2Caps%2C179&sr=8-1


Link to the PDF of the Immanuel Journaling worksheet for you to try:


https://info.ncchico.org/hubfs/Joyful-Journaling-prompts.pdf

Today's podcast is a 20 minute version of a sermon that was shared on Pentecost Sunday in our outdoor service. This devotional is more like an adventure through different passages of Scripture about Simon Peter, who is transformed by the Holy Spirit. It ties to the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2.



We can relate to the shame, guilt and feelings of being disqualified that Peter walks through in Jesus' last days. The way that that the Holy Spirit changes Peter forever gives us a sense of what we can expect as we kneel to Jesus as our King, and the Holy Spirit comes and lives inside us. It is the power of the Holy Spirit and posture of forgiveness in Jesus that are game changers for us who follow Jesus.

Key passages of Scripture:


Mark 14:27-31
John 18:15-18, 25-27
Matthew 26:74-75
John 21:15-17 (below)
Acts 2:1-18 (cf. Joel 2)
Galatians 5:22
Acts 2:36-41
Acts 1:8
Ephesians 5:18 (Be, being filled with the Holy Spirit)



John 21:15–17 (NIV) 
Jesus Reinstates Peter

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love (agape/unconditionally love) me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love (phileo/like me a lot) you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”



16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love (agape/unconditionally love) me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love (phileo/like me a lot) you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”



17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John,
do you love (phileo/like me a lot) me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love (phileo/like me a lot) me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things;
you know that I love (phileo/like me a lot) you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep."



Background Music "Emotional Cinematic" by: "Grand Project" sourced from Pixabay.com

In this episode Andrew gives us five ways to situate yourself better to hear the voice of Jesus.



1. Humility

2. Purity

3. Stillness

4. Fix your eyes on Jesus

5. Release your burdens first to Jesus



"There is something in humility which strangely exalts the heart." - St. Augustine of Hippo



Proverbs 11:2 (NIV)

2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace,

but with humility comes wisdom.



"Spiritual joy arises from purity of the heart and perseverance in prayer." - St. Francis of Assisi



Psalm 66:18 (NIV)

18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,

the Lord would not have listened;



"God's silence doesn't mean His absence. Silence is God's call for you to grow deeper." - Chuck Swindoll



Psalm 62:1 (NIV)

1 Truly my soul finds rest in God;

my salvation comes from him.



In Matthew 7:7–8 (NIV) Jesus says, 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.



Psalm 55:22 (NIV)

22 Cast your cares on the LORD

and he will sustain you;

"No man ever sank under the burden of the day. It is when tomorrow's burden is added to the burden of today that the weight is more than a man can bear." - George MacDonald



Matthew 6:34 (NIV) 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

In this episode Andrew tells the story of hearing God's voice audibly (only once ever), and then gives us a list of characteristics of what God's voice always, sometimes and never sounds like. That list is below here in the show notes:



The voice of Jesus sounds like:



 ALWAYS:

·      Peaceful and confident

·      Often it feels like the voice comes from “behind me”

 

Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)  21 Whether you turn to the
right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is
the way; walk in it.”

 

·      It “sounds” slightly different from your own thoughts

·      In your own language (unless God is reminding you of a
verse in the King James Version Bible, He doesn’t speak in King James’ English)


·      The fruit (result) of obeying the rhema word from God
will lead you to love others more and be more generous, forgiving and kind

 

SOMETIMES:

·      SOMETIMES is a verse, or a phrase from a Bible verse

·      SOMETIMES it’s a warning

·      SOMETIMES it’s a directive to do something or give to
someone

·      SOMETIMES God simply brings someone to mind to prompt
you to seek them out and check in, to pray for them, and be aware of their
needs and situation

·      SOMETIMES it’s a prompting to forgive someone who has
hurt you

·      SOMETIMES a word or a phrase is accompanied by a
mental picture that God projects on the screen of your mind (sometimes a short
movie other times just a still picture that flashes briefly)

·      SOMETIMES it comes to me as a question, that gets me
thinking differently

·      SOMETIMES it is a word of wisdom from God (1 Cor.
12:8)

·      SOMETIMES it is a word of knowledge (1 Cor. 12:8) –
which is God revealing to you what you could not know on your own.  It is sometimes used by God to show others
that He sees them and their situation and loves them.  It is often followed up with a prophetic word
(which is for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort, 1 Cor. 14:3)

·      SOMETIMES it is a prophetic word for myself or
others.  These words always build into
your identity, calling and destiny.  They
will give you hope and give you something to hold onto when things get
difficult. 

 NEVER

·      NEVER condemning

·      NEVER goes against His written Word

·      NEVER selfish or self serving