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Monday, February 15, 2016

"Frequency" (Robert Morris)

TITLE: Frequency: Tune In. Hear God.
AUTHOR: Robert Morris
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: Thomas-Nelson, 2016, (240 pages).

This book is essentially about hearing God. We live in a busy world, full of activities and all kinds of attractions. In a technological world, many of us are easily distracted by beeps on the phone; random postings on social media; prompts on the emails; and moving images on the computer. Even the very sight of the latest digital gizmos would make us momentarily move away from our actual work. As people burn through schedules and deadlines, invariably, sooner or later, they would ask questions like: "What is it all for? Why am I doing what I am doing? What is the purpose of my life? Where is God? Am I out of sync with the leading of the Holy Spirit?" The key to knowing God and hearing God's voice is not some syllabi, model answers, or

Questions about calling, discernment, spiritual clarity, and purpose are all too commonly asked. However, answers are not so forthcoming. The reason is because answers from God are not delivered on a silver platter of self-generated templates but learned through the gradual development of a relationship between God and us. In this book, Robert Morris shows us that if we want to know ourselves better, we need to know God. We need to take time and intentionality to get to know God as a Person. We can hear God through Scripture. We can also hear God through the Holy Spirit. Both will never contradict one another. Following this, we are reminded of the beauty of being sheep, that hearing God is not distant or difficult. In fact, it is part of being God's children where we would easily recognize God's voice. As His sheep, we would instantly recognize God's voice. It all lies in that personal relationship with God. It is about our identity in God. It is that total awareness that we are all like sheep needing a Shepherd. Based on John 10, Morris shares:
  1. We have an innate ability to hear God
  2. Our ability to hear God is learned
  3. We can mature in our ability to hear God

The author makes several observations about listening to God. As sheep, we will naturally be able to hear God. Not only that, we long to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. We life by faith and faith comes from hearing the Word of God. We hear God through the Word incarnated in Christ. We hear God through our relationships. We hear God through worship. We recognize God's voice in prayer, in reading, and in confirmation from our godly brothers and sisters in Christ.

Robert Morris is founding senior pastor of Gateway Church, a multicampus church in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Since it began in 2000, the church has grown to more than thirty-six thousand active members. One of his recent books is "Truly Free" in which he shows us how to untangle ourselves from the sins that hinder our spiritual walk.

Books on discerning God's voice will continue to be popular because people are increasingly wanting to do the right thing, in the right way, and in the right time. They are afraid of getting out of step with God's Spirit. They want to do the will of God. This book shows us not only on how to tune in to God, but also to appreciate the beauty of being God's sheep. This one link is often missed by believers. In wanting to find out the techniques and methodologies, one can make the mistake of going for the message and forgetting the Messenger. Hearing God is also about desiring the Person of God. It cannot be de-linked. All of our spiritual disciplines are not mere exercises for our spiritual health, but strengthening our relationship with God. This book gives us many ideas and suggestions on how to do just that. If you are not sure how to hear God, perhaps, try this book.

Rating: 4 stars of 5.

conrade

This book is provided to me courtesy of Thomas-Nelson and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

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