Everything that’s really good always has a key ingredient, that thing that sets it apart from other contenders. For example, my mom makes some powerfully good chocolate chip cookies we call LMC’s—our acronym for Lois Marie’s Cookies. She might say the secret ingredient is “a mother’s love,” but the whole family knows she puts in about three times the amount of chocolate chips as called for in the recipe. (You can’t go wrong with that!)

Many of you have recently told me how powerful the experience has been for you as we’ve been practicing listening to the spiritual voice of the Holy Spirit and writing down what he conveys to us. Personally hearing the Lord’s encouragement and direction is powerful, but guess what?…It gets even better.

Everything the Holy Spirit says to us comes straight from Jesus, and Jesus has a goal for us: To draw us closer to him and to make us like him so he can include us in building his Kingdom. The secret ingredient is obedience. When we obey, taking action in response to what the Holy Spirit has said, we position ourselves in the flow of God’s blessing. He loves to bless us and he’s incredibly creative in the ways that he does.  “Hearing” by itself is only part of the recipe—obedience is the secret sauce. As you practice listening this week, respond to what you hear with an “I will” statement that expresses how you’re going to obey. Share this with a friend and then update them with how it goes.

On the adventure with you,

Kirk