2 Corinthians 3:17-18

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.

From Background Notes [BN] for June 1^st & 2^nd written by Pastor Bob Brown:

For the Christian community, the Voice that changes comes through preaching that offers another way, other than the ones that we’ve tried and have failed…

Psalm 115:4-8

But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.

From Background Notes [BN] for June 1^st & 2^nd written by Pastor Bob Brown:

That is, the voices of the gods can change nothing whatsoever, and these feeble images are nothing more than reflections of “those who make them” who are equally “like them.”

Psalm 46:1-3

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

From Background Notes [BN] for June 1^st & 2^nd written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Then, flowing through the chaos and from the abyss, “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.”

Jeremiah 1:4-5

The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

    before you were born I set you apart;
    I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

From Background Notes [BN] for June 1^st & 2^nd  written by Pastor Bob Brown:

God says to Jeremiah. Rather, God invests Jeremiah with His own Voice that is full of transforming power, free of intimidating fear, and firm with encouraging promise…

1 Corinthians 2:14-16

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Galatians 5:22-24

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

From Background Notes [BN] for May 25^th & 26^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

The voice of God is about more than verbal content or doctrinal teaching or words between the pages of a holy book. On the other hand, it is also about more than subjective private experiences of a religious nature. God speaks through His Spirit…

John 12:28-29

Father, glorify your name!”

Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

From Background Notes [BN] for May 25^th & 26^th  written by Pastor Bob Brown:

According to Jesus’ interpretation of the Voice, “the ruler of this world will be driven out,” a reference to the end of Satan’s domination of earth. But that’s not all that the Voice means.

1 Samuel 3:2

One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place.

From Background Notes [BN] for May 25^th & 26^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Biblical writers in the Old Testament are fond of making puns as a way of teaching truth. What happened to Eli’s physical eyesight was a reflection of what had happened to the whole nation’s spiritual vision.  In a sense, Eli symbolized the lack of hearing and recognizing the word of God.

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.

From Background Notes [BN] for May 25^th & 26^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Recognizing the voice of God may be a challenge for you. Don’t feel you are an exceptional case. Given a variety of difficult situations, we are all sometimes hard pressed to know that voice, and so are led back to some fundamental guidance found in the Bible…

Revelation 3:20

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

From Background Notes [BN] for May 18^th & 19^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

This is the voice of invitation that begins in deep love for the lives on the other side of the door, not unlike the profound love Jesus had for all sorts of people on the other side of the road. “Hear my voice” isn’t just a descriptive phrase in this text; it is a performative one.

John 18:37

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

From Background Notes [BN] for May 18^th & 19^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Who better to understand the power of the voice than a Roman procurator, accustomed to giving orders and being obeyed by his subordinates?

Colossians 4:5-6

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

From Background Notes [BN] for May 18^th & 19^th  written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Such speech is about the word directed toward the “outsiders,” that aims at a different kind of power, one that is “gracious” in its role of “answering” the questions posed to the Good News.

1 John 4:19

We love because He first loved us.

From Background Notes [BN] for May 18^th & 19^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Out of love, redeeming, gracious, initiative-taking love, God speaks. He breaks the silence so that He can break the hold of debilitating sin on the lives of his children.

Hebrews 1:1-2 (NIV)

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways,  but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

From Background Notes [BN] for May 18^th & 19^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

The Christian writer refuses to stop with “long ago” since he carries with him fresh words about God’s new speech, His new utterance that is creative and glorious and powerful and forgiving. He utters the Word about God’s Son who, in a much deeper sense, is the Word of God for us.

Romans 4:18-21 (NIV)

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

Romans 3:21-22 (NLT)

But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

Romans 2:13-16 (NRSV)

For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but the doers of the law who will be justified. When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them on the day when, according to my gospel, God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all.

Romans 1:1-4

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

Acts 28:25-29

They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet:

‘Go to this people and say,

“You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
For this people’s heart has become calloused;
 they hardly hear with their ears,
 and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
 hear with their ears,
 understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’

“Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”

 

Matthew 28:19

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

From Pastor Wangler’s April 19th blog post:

Our assignment is to prayerfully create, by the power of the Holy Spirit and by using the brains God gave us, an intentional environment of transforming grace. It’s God’s job to convict and cleanse, it seems to me that it’s our job to arrange the meeting.