In Part 1, I mentioned that Sunday School should be a community of Christians that cares about the spiritual development of each other and holds one another accountable to live out of a daily relationship with God. Further, I said that Sunday School should do more than teach group Bible study and group prayer. Group experiences are great, but every believer needs to understand how to do both privately.
I have written other posts about these two spiritual disciplines. Check out the series beginning with Sunday School Supporting Spiritual Disciplines, Part 1, Leading Attenders to Meet God in Bible Study, Part 1, and Don’t Just ASK Your Sunday School Class to Pray, TEACH Them to DO It, Part 1. Also check out Contract Prayer as a Sunday School Class, Is Your Class a Praying Class?, Teaching Sunday School Members to Pray Through Scripture, and Sunday School, One of the Ways to Get People Involved in Studying the Bible.
In Part 1, I shared the first three of six principles that Roger Barrier wrote about in his book, Listening to the Voice of God: God tends to speak gently, God’s voice produces freedom, and God tends to speak while we are consciously seeking Him. Barrier says these principles have helped him to discern more accurately the voice of God. In Part 2, I will share his final three principles in all capitals followed by my commentary:
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GOD SPEAKS WITH TRUTH. God will never contradict Himself. He will always agree with what He has said in the Bible. It is Satan who is the deceiver. Satan is the one who tells half truths. When you hear something that is not 100% true, then know it is not from God. Help your Sunday School class to realize the difference. Help each other sift through Satan’s lies. Give God thanks for His truth.
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GOD CONVICTS OF SPECIFIC SINS. Barrier reminds us that John 16:8 “teaches that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.” God desires for us to live forgiven lives. It is not unusual for Satan, the accuser and deceiver, to give us a vague sense of guilt. He wants us to feel defeated. God’s voice points us toward sin we need to address in order to restore relationship with Him and others. Sometimes God provides others to help us to see the need to confess and address our sin. A class can be a great community for loving us back to the right path.
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GOD DOES NOT CONFUSE. He does not contradict Himself. He is not the author of confusion. Satan does not desire for you to hear or understand. Satan intentionally attempts to deceive and confuse. He mixes truth with error. Times of confusion call for listening carefully to God’s still, small voice. Spend time in His Word. You will find clarity. When there is confusion, a Sunday School class can serve as a sounding board for us.
Have you been listening to God’s voice? What do you need to do to practice these principles in your life? What can you do to teach them to the believers in your class? Go back and review the previous three principles in Part 1. Listen. Listen in Bible study. Listen in prayer. Teach others to do the same. Be revolutionary!
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