Leadership Community Gather | June 2025

A. God speaks to us through Scripture in two different ways:

• • to everybody.

• • to individual people, with specific messages for specific situations at specific times.

1. Three times logos is personified and applied to Jesus:

John 1:1, 14 NIV: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…

Hebrews 1:1-2 NIV: In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son…

2. The rest of the time logos simply means: “what God has said or has to say to us.”

The Holy Spirit’s job is to make the Scriptures apply to our lives personally and in a dynamic (living) way.

Matthew 4:3 ESV: If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.

Matthew 4:4 ESV: It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word [rhema] that comes from the mouth of God.’

John 5:19 ESV: …the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing.

B. Knowing God speaks to us personally is key to understanding other matters:

1. It’s the key to understanding .

Romans 10:17 ESV: So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

2. It’s the key for understanding faith to  and .

Hebrews 11:7 ESV: By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household.

Isaiah 28:16: “The one who believes doesn’t flee.”

2 Timothy 4:21: “Do your best to come here before winter.”

3. It’s the key to claiming God’s  to us.

4. It’s the key for understanding answered .

John 15:7 NIV: If you remain in me and my words [rhema] remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

5. It’s the key to receiving  from God.

Jeremiah 10:17-18 KJV: Gather up thy wares out of the land, O inhabitants of the fortress. For thus saith the Lord, Behold I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once.

John 16:13 NIV: 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…

6. It’s the key to .

Joshua 1:8 NIV: Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

• • • • But we also need to  through meditation on His Word  and listen to God.

• • • • When we ponder, prayerfully think about, listen or “chew” on Scripture it’s called .

SMORP is a simple acronym to help us remember the key items in our daily devotional walk with Jesus:

S cripture – meditation; memorization; reading; observation: something learned about God & His ways.

M essage – correction, direction, encouragement, promise, wisdom.

O bedience – what God wants you to do about a correction or direction.

R epentance – not just confession; but a turn of direction.

P rayer – praise, gratitude, worship, intercession.

Step 1: Read & meditate on Psalm 103

1. Read the passage carefully (reflect & meditate).
2. Ask the Lord in prayer to reveal something out of the Message & Obedience parts of SMORP.
3. If you sense you are to ask a particular question, then choose that one; it is God speaking to you!
4. If you don’t really sense one in particular, choose one you would like to ask.
5. Then use that question to begin a conversation with the Lord. Write the conversation out.

Step 2: Share briefly something you got. Then pray over each other to grow in hearing God this week.

Hold your daily devotions this week, using the SMORP acronym:

Journal your conversation as you meditate in John this week, using the items included in SMORP:

Day 1 – John 14:1-14

Day 2 – John 14:15-31

Day 3 – John 15:1-17

Day 4 – John 15:18-25

Day 5 – John 16:1-15

Day 6 – John 16:16-33

NOTES:

1. Do this in place of your regular devotions.

2. Spend no less than 30 minutes per day (more if you can) – it takes time just to quiet yourself to hear Him.