Building Faith Families with Steve Demme

David had a heart after God’s heart which is why God chose him to be king of Israel. But when Samuel anointed him, the Spirit came upon him in a new way. The Spirit helped him worship, play the lyre, and fight God’s fights.

David loved God’s word. He loved the truth. There is a strong connection between loving God and loving His word. Jesus is the word, made flesh. May God help us to be lovers of the words of our good God.

David was a man after God’s own heart. In this episode we explore what it means to love God with all our heart and have God search our hearts and turn them to himself.

David was not only a warrior, protecting his sheep from lions and bears, and the nation of Israel from Philistines and giants, he was also a worshiper. Where did he develop his skill with the lyre? When did he have time to write the hymns, aka psalms that we love today? Was he really alone in the desolate pastures of Israel, or was he deepening his relationship with his God?

David is described as a man after God’s heart. What made David special? Why did he spend so much time in the wilderness, as a shepherd and fleeing from Saul? What did he learn while caring for the sheep, alone? In this episode we will consider what we know from the record in scripture and see why God recorded this account of the formative years of David.

“Bear One Another’s Burden and so Fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2Having carried a burden has made my able to empathize with other’s pain. I am able to tune in to what people are feeling more than ever. My own issues have helped me to understand what my brothers and sisters are experiencing in a new way. I observe pain everywhere. When I see people in some form of addiction I don’t see the outward behavior as much as I am cognizant of internal pain and suffering. People do not hurt and abuse themselves for pleasure, there are reasons behind their actions. I am convinced that I may engage in the same behaviors if I had walked in their shoes and grown up in their circumstances. Addiction has many forms, society condemns some (drugs, alcohol, pornography) and rewards others (greed, power, success). But heartache and pain are often the reason why we do what we do. No one likes to hurt.I find myself connecting with people in a deeper way because the one thing we all have in common is suffering. Whether we are battling our own issues, or bearing the burden of someone close to us that we care for, we all need encouragement and support. When I reached out to those 32 friends for help and bared my heart and asked for help, it freed them up to also share their own hurts and griefs. We were connecting at a heart level and bearing each other’s burdens in a healthy godly way. Bearing each other’s burdens and weeping with those who weep is Christianity at it’s best.

The reality of pain, while not on the same level as the gospel, has been a life changer for me. When I was in the throes of my personal crisis in 2012 I wanted the pain to cease and life to resume a semblance of normalcy. I wanted peace, which we all desire. No one likes to suffer, but we all will eventually in some form or another. If we are sinners only, then we will have a hard life. Proverbs 13:15 The way of transgressors is hard. (KJV)If we have chosen to follow Jesus, we will still suffer, but with a purpose, with hope, and accompanied by the presence of God. I am not going to address the broad topic of suffering here, but I am going to focus on our personal struggle. I have rarely heard much teaching on this topic, but pain is all around us. It must be examined and addressed with God’s help.Here is another red letter statement. The source of much of my hurt and distress in 2012 was seeing that because of my own baggage, my internal wounds, I was hurting the most important people in my life, my wife and sons. I think of my own secret scars from my past as toxic waste. When I am rested and in a good place, then this harmful material is safely contained in a lead container. But when I am not rested, working too hard, and stressed, the toxic matter leaks, and it damages those who are closest to me, my family.

My role as a husband and father is shaped by how I experience and perceive the love of God for me. The more love I receive, the more I am equipped to give.As Jesus loves me, I am called and empowered to love my wife and children. As a husband, my role is not to be the king of my castle. My wife and children were not created to serve me, but I have been designed to serve them. By meditating on how Jesus loved me by serving me, I follow His example and do not treat my wife and children as second class citizens, but as fellow children of God, who were created in the image of God.

I am writing a book chronicling my journey of the past two years. These were the hardest years of my life and the best ones as well. They were hard because I experienced more personal sorrow and loss, but they were the best because I found God in a new and deeper way. Throughout this process I am continually boring down through layers of life lessons I have learned to discover fundamental foundational truths.For example, I am convinced that the family is the basic unit of society. God created the institution of the family before Israel, before Abraham, before the flood, and way before the church. In fact, the primary qualification for elders and deacons is their ability to govern their own homes. Healthy God-fearing families are the foundation for healthy churches and communities.Good marriages begin with two individuals who each love God, and have each been loved by God. Let me amplify on that last phrase. Each man and each woman must first have a vertical loving relationship with God themselves. But to love Him, we have to be first loved by Him.Bottom line, the best thing I can do to love God, my family, and my neighbor, is to let God love me.

Etymologists speculate that the expression “Good bye” derives from the longer phrase, “May God be with ye.” Similarly, “Good morning” may come from “May God give you a good morning" or a “Good day.”I find that how I begin each morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. When I want to have a “God” day or a “Good” day, then I begin the day by meeting God and investing time in His presence.I still battle with believing the gospel. Even though I know that when I draw near to God, He draws near to me, I still have to remind myself almost every day that God really likes me. As I draw near to God, I recall scriptures that inform my mind of the veracity of His love and the unchangeableness of His nature.For several weeks, my prayer when I awake has been Psalm 90:14, “Satisfy me in the morning with your steadfast love, that I may rejoice and be glad all my days.” I love this scripture. The writer of this prayer may have been tempted to doubt God’s love, but asked God to help him.

How did God prepare Jesus for His early ministry? What transpired during His formative years in the home of Joseph and Mary? We only have a few clues into those important years of preparation and training.Join us as we engage in some edifying speculation on how Jesus became rooted and grounded in the love of God and developed a relationship with “The Father” before He embarked on his brief earthly mission.

God doesn’t have any baggage, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is the Lord who changes not. His love doesn’t change either, for God is love. And God is light, with no darkness or shadows.But we do have baggage, lots of it. Baggage is common to man. We each have our share of wounds, scars, and issues from past relationships. If we could see each other’s past, and have the ability to understand and discern what we have each experienced, we would have so much more compassion for one another.Embracing our own issues, and acknowledging our specific weaknesses, failures, hurts, and dashed dreams, helps us to accept and love others. Sadly we have become experts at hiding our pain, and putting on a smiling face, but behind the masks we all are needy and messy. We have good days, and we have bad days.God alone understands us fully. He shares in our joys and our sorrows. When we rejoice, He shares in our joy. When we weep He weeps. He gets us like no one else. And still He loves us completely, consistently, and unconditionally. His grace is amazing, because He is amazing.

God instructs us to be patient in scripture. He is uniquely qualified to offer this exhortation because He practices patience. In fact He is patience. God is the principal and He is the principle.In the book of James, we are told to be patient and steadfast. Then as an example of patience, Job is held up as an example of patience and steadfastness. Then as a clincher, we learn that God is patient. In fact throughout scripture we see God described as stedfast, slow to anger, gracious, and merciful.In the purpose and plan of God, we are not simply to acquire positive character qualities, we are to become like our Dad. We are being transformed into His image. May God help us to not only see the godly character qualities but God himself.

I awoke one morning wishing I had more psalms memorized. Hymns help me to worship. Psalms are hymns that David and others wrote to aid in expressing our hearts to God.One hymn that has been particularly meaningful to me of late is Be Still My Soul. The phrase comes from Psalms 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”God is helping me to learn to be still and know that He is God. Singing this song with understanding helps to quiet my spirit and meditate on the truths found in the lyrics.

This past spring I was quietly sitting alone in an historical church. On the front wall of the plain sanctuary were the words, “The Lord is in His Holy Temple”. As I thought on these words I had a sense that God saw me.These three words, “He sees me” filled my mind and seemed to cover me. I marveled and reveled in the truth of this concept. God almighty, sees me.I tried to expand on the concept and thought of other truths like, He knows me, He hears me, but I kept coming back to He sees me.

God has given us his word for our good. God’s word is good, because God is good. Moses said, “Show me your ways, that I may know you.” The ultimate quest of our heart is not to know merely the scriptures, but the character and person of God that the scriptures reveal?

Before we can teach our children diligently, we as parents are called and designed to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. When I asked God to help me love Him, I was surprised how he answered that prayer. He began to reveal to my heart how much He loved me. This is exactly what the word says in 1 John, “We love because He first loved us.” God always takes the initiative. As we ask Him to reveal His love, meditate on His love, and spend time with the person of God, we will love Him more and more.

Deuteronomy is the last sermon, or podcast, of the man who spoke with God face to face. This book is the distilled wisdom of Moses. These words were inspired by the Holy Spirit and given to us, for … our …. good. May God help us to hear His heart of love embed in the words of Deuteronomy.

We begin this episode by exploring how God’s message of grace, mercy, and forgiveness covers our sin and shame that began in the garden of Eden. We complete our discussion by examining how the best thing we can do for ourself and our family is let God love you.God knows us completely and God loves us perfectly.

Co-Host Scott Moore begins by asking Steve a question about his family and how to make wise decisions about how to spend their time and which activities to pursue and which to let go of. This leads to a whole episode where we discuss making a family mission statement.As parents, we want to make thoughtful decisions based on what we are for and what we value. Join us in this practical discussion.

I couldn’t end this series on special children without noting that there is a big difference between enduring by looking for a silver lining and celebrating. A silver lining implies a cloud. Cerebrating implies and includes God.John is not someone I endure with patience, He is created in the image of God and exemplifies characteristics of God’s nature that are to be emulated and admired. In so many ways he is gifted and therefore not handicapped, but exceptional.In the conclusion of this series, we try to see each of God’s children from His perspective. For in accepting and appreciating “special” children we may even learn to accept and appreciate ourselves!

In this episode, Steve will reflect on the new friends he and his family have made in the world of disability. They have learned that every human being is created in God’s image and bears God’s divine imprint. And each believer has something unique to supply to the body of Christ. We all reflect some aspect of our Creator.As a result of the fall, we are all disabled in some capacity, either emotionally, mentally, physically, or spiritually. Some are disabled on the outside, and others on the inside, but we all are needy. We each reflect God’s image liked cracked mirrors.We hope you will enjoy meeting Reuben, Mike, David, Jane, and Chris and how they reflect God’s glory.

God is good and God is our Redeemer. He works all things together for good, even our “light afflictions” as Paul calls them in 2 Corinthians 4:17. For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us.In 1987, I was praying for God to fix Johnny, but God had other designs, and through John, He was fixing me. Or as Laura Story, in her song “Blessings” says:'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops What if Your healing comes through tears What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguiseAnd what if trials of this life The rain, the storms, the hardest nights Are your mercies in disguiseSteve relates how God has used John to put like in perspective and teach them eternal truths about love and life.

The best part of being in a valley is that God loves there. He is comfortable in the valley. Jesus is described as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. The Psalmist says the LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.But sometimes God needs us to invite Him to be with us as we try to endure hard times. Steve talks about how God was “there all the time” as He promised, but was also more real when he asked God to share in the bearing of the burden.

I used to skip through the Beatitudes to more comforting verses in Matthew, but scripture teaches that valleys, or difficult experiences, are not abnormal for God’s people. They are the norm.Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are thy that mourn, for they shall be comforted.God is faithful and He promises to never leave us or forsake us. He is a very present help in trouble.And sometimes what appears hard and difficult is actually a blessing in disguise. I know you will be encouraged by the story of a modern day Daniel in an African lion’s den.

Life can be hard. Personal struggles and difficulties often come with a significant grief component. This painful experience changed my view of the Christian life. I had become a Christian for the perks, heaven, forgiveness of sin, joy, peace, but I didn’t understand suffering. Suffering is accompanied by grief and I didn’t know how to process the pain nor fix the situation, which led to burnout.

Steve shares their family's journey of having a special needs child. Every child will change the chemistry of the home. When you have a child with a disability, life becomes harder. Not only to the family unit, but each member of the family as well. This is our journey and I hope it will encourage you in the difficult experiences you are facing.

The final episode in this series is a compilation of testimonies from parents who have been having times of regular family worship. I hope that as you listen you will be edified and encouraged.

In the podcast 35 we examined the first five possible obstacles in beginning having regular times of family worship in our homes. We will conclude with the final five today.• I am not qualified to lead my family.• I won’t be able to be successful.• What is my husband will not participate?• Like Moses, I am not a gifted speaker and wish someone else could do it.• It’s too late to get started as the children are older.These are all questions each of us struggles with to some degree. Facing them and talking through them, robs them of their power to cripple and discourage us. I hope this broadcast will be a help to eliminating these common hurdles.

In the previous 5 episodes we examined ingredients for a successful family worship experience. In this podcast we tackle potential obstacles that I had to face and that may resonate with other families.• For example, the first one is that we may not have grown up in a home where your parents conducted conducted family devotions so we never saw it modeled.• Or perhaps we have been told that we are not qualified to teach the bible since we have not been to bible school or sunday school teacher’s academy.• Maybe we think the job of discipling our children is the job of the church.• “We are too busy” may sound familiar to all of us.These and other objections will be examined in more detail this week. I hope you will be encouraged to press on as you listen to our discussion.

The next four ingredients for a successful family devotions experience are: talk about what you read, keep a record of how God has worked for your family, close in prayer, and just do it.Scripture says that each member of the body of Christ, including all members of your family, have something to contribute to other believers. After we have read the scripture, we now give each member n opportunity to communicate any insights they received that day.I hope parents are in the facilitating mode at this juncture, so each person has an opportunity to speak. Then if we have time, we like to think back at the end of the week, to how God has helped us. We not only focus on being thankful, but on recording our gratefulness in notebooks.Then before we head in our separate directions, we pray and commit what we have learned that day.The final ingredient is to JUST DO IT. And if you are discouraged because you missed several days, do it anyway. I am so encouraged and inspired by Proverbs 24:16 which reads: “A righteous man falls seven times and rises up again”May God help us to doers of the word and not hearers only. Amen.

The word remember, or some form of this word, occurs over 200 times in scripture. The Psalmist encourages us to praise the works of God from one generation to another. Psalm 145:4Have you told your children how you came to Christ, or how you met your spouse, or other answers to prayer that you have experienced? Not only are the older folks to recount the mighty acts of God in their own life, it is equally important to record God’s work in the hearts of the children as well.Teach as you would like to be taught. This is the golden rule applied to having worship times in the home. This does not have to be a dry time, but ask God to give you ideas to make the study of God’s word enjoyable. I have a couple ideas I will be sharing in the podcast.If we had time, we liked to sing as part of the worship experience. Worship and the word complement each other. Perhaps your family may consider memorizing some worship songs or hymns. We committed 9 to memory years ago and I still recall many of the verses.“Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand” Psalm 149:6“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” Colossians 3:16Don’t ever forget that the work you are doing is of great value in the sight of God.“The greatest gift a church can receive is to have a group of families who take their responsibilities with such Christian seriousness that they are willing to completely alter their lifestyle to raise up disciples for Jesus Christ.” —Abraham Kuyper

While we seek to diligently teach our children the word of God, ultimately it is God’s responsibility to reach their hearts.“For a shepherd enters through the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice.” John 10:2-4As we teach and read God’s Word, we also want to make sure that we are presenting the good news of the gospel to your families. We all need grace along with truth. Jesus was the perfect balance of grace and truth.“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:17“Loving kindness and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Psalm 85:10This is a critical time to explain the forgiveness that only Jesus can extend since He died to take away our sins on the cross. He had no sins of His own and so He could take ours upon Himself.“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12Conviction and condemnation. These are big words, but they are the difference between death and life.“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10

One of the questions I am frequently asked is “At what ages do we begin having worship times as a family?” Based on these scriptures with Jesus’ instructions to Peter and Paul’s advice to Timothy, I think the sooner the better.“Feed my lambs” John 21:15“For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well” 2 Timothy 1:5“And that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” 2 Timothy 3:15When you begin having regular worship times, the best advice I have is to assemble the family and then turn over the meeting to Jesus. In all of my years reading scripture myself, I am always amazed at how good the Spirit of Jesus is at teaching and applying scripture to each person in the room regardless of age or ability.For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst” Matthew 18:20Then after we pray, my conviction is that while reading other books is edifying and encouraging, family worship is a wonderful opportunity to focus on the living word of God. As a family we would endeavor to read one chapter per day, aloud, with each person reading a few verses at a time.“Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” 1 Timothy 4:13“Blessed is he who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written therein; for the time is near” Revelation 1:3This is what we did, but as always I have more ideas to prime the pump and encourage you to find what works for your crew.

God’s divine blueprint for family worship begins with the husband and wife each loving God with everything in them, and then having God’s inspired word foremost in their heart, before they commence teaching their children. We find this plan revealed in Deuteronomy 6:5-7.

In this final episode on the Family That Stays Together, some specific ideas for learning to understand one another and express love for each other.When families are together 24/7, sometimes these skills are not for building family, but for surviving as a family. We will be discussing, personality types, love languages, and a final exhortation to be content with the family that God designed you to be without comparing yourselves to other families.We make a wonderful us, but a lousy anybody else. Comparison is the enemy of vision. Develop your own flavor and chemistry.As Mother Theresa received a Nobel Peace Prize, she was asked, “What can we do to promote world peace?” She replied, “Go home and love your family.”

Shared experiences, such as reading books together, watching movies as a family, learning together, and playing together are instrumental in developing your own family chemistry.When you do things together, you understand each other’s comic references, and provide commonality, which is the basis for relationship. Equally important is safe, open, honest communication in the home.Listen as we share more ideas and stories of how the Demme’s developed their family identity, and an interesting application of the movies Mary Poppins and Saving Mr. Banks.

After discussing strategies for husband and wives, here is what the Demme’s did to love and affirm their children. From birthday celebrations, eating meals together, to working, and worshiping together, I hope this broadcast will stimulate your thinking for ways to love and appreciate children.Psalms 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

As a husband and father, I have more to say about what I have learned in 35 years of marriage and 34 years of being a dad. In this broadcast, I have some tips for ladies. I hope you will find them encouraging, biblically sound, and helpful.

God created and designed men to be husbands and fathers. But the only way we are able to fulfill our calling is bey falling in love afresh with God, laying down our lives for our families, serving them, and using the authority He has granted us to build them up. The best thing men can do for their family is love God and His word. Our individual relationship with God determines how well we build relationships with our family. When each member of the family is each rooted and grounded in Christ, then each are free to be in a healthy relationship with one another. I used to believe the ideal family was: Where each lives for the other and all love for Christ. I now am convinced that it is: Where each is loved by Christ, then we are enabled to love for the other.

God created each member of the family.And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:27He sovereignly imbues each of us with value.We are each a unique part of the body of Christ on earth, with gifts to supply to His body, here on earth.Each member of the family is a temple of the Holy Spirit,We are all different. God has shaped, crafted, and fashioned each of us with unique abilities and disabilities.God designed the concept of marriage and family. He created this sacred institution. It is not only a good idea, it is a God idea.Before Abraham was born, before a government had been formed, before Israel was called into being, and before the church was born from above, God created family.Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Genesis 2:24

This episode is a sampling of the person and work of the Holy Spirit as recorded in the book of Acts, with minimal commentary.Acts 2:4 They were all filled with the Holy SpiritActs 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,Acts 4:31 When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy SpiritActs 6:5 They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit,Acts 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,Acts 9:17 “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”Acts 11:24 He was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.Acts 15:28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:

We have met the enemy and he is Us!Romans 8:5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,Galatians 5:17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.Galatians 5:16 Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.Galatians 6: 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

Every teacher is not a parent, but every parent is a teacher.Thank God that He has sent the Spirit of Truth to help us teach. God the Father taught on Mt Sinai, Jesus taught the multitudes and His disciples, the Spirit of truth is still teaching us today. He is bearing witness about Jesus and guiding us into all truth.John 15:26 When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.John 16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth,Ephesians 1:17 The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him.

Today’s episode is a discussion between Steve and Todd Wilson of Family Man Ministries. I hope you will enjoy the discussion between these two kindred spirits who both speak and write about God’s plan and design for the family.

This episode is part 3 of the series on the Holy Spirit. Jesus told His disciples that when He ascended to heaven, He would ask the Father to send another Helper to be with them forever. This divine Helper, is called the Paraclete in Greek, which means someone who is called or summoned to come near or come along side. The Paraclete is also an advocate, a comforter, an encourager, and a helper.During His earthly ministry, Jesus had guided, guarded, and taught His disciples; but now He was going to leave them. The Spirit of God would come to the disciples and dwell in them, taking the place of their Master's presence.He even said that it was a very good thing that He was leaving them and that the Holy Spirit would come upon them.“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.” John 16:7His last words to them were to tarry in Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father.“I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:49“And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father,” Acts 1:4

Jesus had a vital connection and relationship with the Holy Spirit beginning with His birth and throughout His earthly ministry. In this episode we will be studying the presence of the Holy Spirit at the births of John and Jesus. Then we will continue with the baptism of Jesus when the Spirit, as a dove alighted on the shoulder of Jesus, to the wilderness, and on through His public ministry, and finally to the cross.John’s birth is foretold to his father Zechariah.Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. ... 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.Luke 4:1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, was led by the Spirit in the wilderness.Luke 4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee,

My journey the last two years is summed up nicely in the last verse in 2 Corinthians.The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.So far we have talked about the grace of Jesus, and the love of God, but we have only touched on the communion or fellowship of the Holy Spirit.I believe the Holy Spirit is the most misunderstood member of the Godhead. As I was growing up I only knew Him as mentioned in the Apostle’s Creed, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. To a child that conjures up some interesting images. But I am beginning to know and develop a relationship with the Spirit of God.In courses at Bible Schools or Seminaries, that study the trinity, often the title will say something like the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit. Before we talk about the work of the Spirit, I would like to focus on the Person of the third person of the Trinity.In chapters 14 and 16 of John, there are 16 instances when the Spirit is referred to as He (12) and Him(4).John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.He, the Spirit, is also described with attributes that reinforce His distinct personhood, such as His mind, He prays, and He helps.Helps-Intercedes-MindRomans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.I hope as you listen you will see more scriptures that affirm the unique personhood of the third member of the Trinity.

James 1:19, "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak."From maintaining eye contact, to asking questions in a spirit of openness, to being fully engaged, we will study how we can hear what is on the heart of the speaker and encourage them to talk freely.Proverbs 2:2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding.Proverbs 20:5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; But a man of understanding will draw it out.Proverbs 1:5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,