September Bible Reading Plan
Welcome to the month of September!
Can you believe it is September already? September is one of three months that provide a rhythm to the year. January begins the year, June begins the summer, September begins the fall.
For the mom and Dad with school- age children see the month of September as the month when they get back in the routines of after school programs, dance practice, basketball practice, back-to-school meetings.
The more we reminisce about the remainder of the summer, with those regiments comes the opportunity to dive deep into the spiritual discipline of a daily quiet time and devotional times for the entire family. The daily Bible Reading Plan for September, “How to Hear the Voice of God,” is an excellent way to get back into the fall of things.
In these last days it is more important than ever for us to fine-tune our spiritual ears to hear the Lord’s voice. God is constantly speaking to us. He is trying to warn us of things to come. So many times, we simply shrug it off. We think, “That’s just me.” But it is not. It is the Holy Spirit’s voice.
This month, we are going to dive deep in this months Bible Reading Plan and learn how to truly hear the voice of God!
Who Does God Talk To?
God is a loving Father who wants to speak to everyone. You must first believe that He wants to talk to you and that He does speak to you.
In John 10:27-28, Jesus said:” My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. John 10:27-28
So, how to hear God’s voice? Who heard the voice of God in the Bible? Many of the Old Testament saints heard from God, when God had a more tangible relationship with people. From Adam and Eve, to Noah, Moses and Abraham, many biblical characters from the Old Testament have heard God’s audible voice.
However, there have also been many instances where God chose to speak in visions and dreams, even though natural elements. His voice reaches the prophet Ezekiel through a vision, with God showing him remarkable work that can only be done with the Lord’s miraculous hands (Ezekiel 37:1-14).
For the prophet Jonah, God’s voice took the form of the strong winds that rocked the ship he fled to. This call of God through the violent tossing of the ship helped Jonah rediscover his heart and return to his faith (Jonah 1:1-16).
Throughout the Bible, and in history since, there are clear examples of God speaking to all types of people from all walks of life.
How Can I Be Sure It is God?
One difficulty I have seen in the Body of Christ is an inability to recognize the voice of the Lord. It is extremely difficult to follow God’s instructions if you do not know when He’s speaking to you. Many think they are hearing God’s voice when they are listening to the voices of others or even to the voice of their own desires.
Remember when the Lord spoke to the boy Samuel, and he did not recognize His voice? (See 1 Sam. 3:1–10.) Samuel thought the prophet Eli was calling him.
Finally, Eli said to the young boy, “Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he calls thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So, Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth” (vv. 9–10).
Each of us has to fine-tune our spirit to hear the Holy Spirit’s voice. Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” In Proverbs 20:27 we read, “The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
All of us seem to be busier than ever, and that is one of the BIG reasons we do not hear the voice of the Lord better. We are just too busy.
Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.”
It is in stillness, not busyness, that we tune our spiritual ears to hear the voice of God. The Lord always speaks to us in that “STILL, small voice” (1 Kings 19:12, emphasis mine), but often it is drowned out amid all the turmoil of our daily lives.
Positioning Yourself in a Secret Place with God
To be able to hear God’s voice, we must set aside time to wait in His presence and allow Him to talk to us. It is when we are quiet before the Lord that we can hear from Him most clearly.
I remember how the prophet Elijah learned to hear the voice of the Lord. (See 1 Kings 19:11–13.) God told Elijah to stand before Him on the mountain and a great wind began to blow. But the Lord’s voice was not in the wind.
Then an earthquake shook the mountain, but the Lord was not speaking through the earthquake. Next a fire began to blaze and roar, but God’s voice was not in the fire. At last, Elijah heard a still, small voice—the voice of the Lord speaking to him.
So many times, in our fast-paced world, we do not get quiet enough to hear the still, small voice of God. Or we do not spend enough time communing with the Lord to be able to hear him speak to us.
Communing with the Lord does not mean that we pray, “OK, God, I need an answer about this situation,” and then expect Him to answer us immediately.
Often, we get impatient in our prayer times and make up an answer ourselves and decide that it is God’s answer. We head in a certain direction or make a decision and then wonder why things do not go well.
The more you commune with the Lord and worship Him, the clearer His voice will be and the more specific His directions will become. He will fill your life with new purpose and give you fresh passion.
He will renew your vision and give you a newness and freshness in your heart—a freshness that can only come when you hear the voice of God!
We don’t have to wait for God to speak to us in a dream or for an angel to appear to us and tell us what we need to do. He has given us everything we need to hear from Him through the life of His Son Jesus revealed in His Word.
Jesus is the completion of all that God needed to reveal to us. When we know Him, we have all we need for salvation. When we know Him, we have all we need to walk through this life in a relationship with Him.
So, the question today is simply this—Do you know my Jesus? Do you know Him as your Savior? Oh Friend, if you don’t, please reach out to us today so we can introduce you to God’s Son! Jesus.
Download the September 2024 Bible Study Plan Here! Here
Be sure to also read:
Reflection Questions
Here are five reflection questions to help you explore and deepen your understanding of how to hear from God:
- What are the distractions in your life that might be preventing you from hearing God’s voice?
- How can you create more intentional time for stillness and quietness in your daily routine to better hear from God?
- Have you ever experienced a moment when you clearly felt God speaking to you? What was that experience like, and how did it impact your faith?
- What steps can you take today to tune your heart more closely to God’s voice?
- How do you discern whether a thought or feeling is from God, yourself, or another influence?
These questions can be a great starting point for personal reflection or group discussion. Do you have any specific experiences or insights you would like to share about hearing from God?
Download the full reading plan, study & reflection questions and blank worksheets (shown below).
A Prayer for September
Father, I praise your Holy Name. You have been my help in times of trouble, and I am grateful. I seek Your peace and guidance as I strive to learn how to be still and listen to Your voice. Make me sensitive to Your voice. I trust in Your love and care for me, and I pray that You will use me to fulfill Your purposes for my life. May Your name be glorified in all that I do. Please give me the strength and discipline to set aside time each day to be still before You. Help me to let go of the distractions and worries that keep me from hearing Your voice. I want to have a relationship with you, that is foremost. I know you are waiting to meet me in silence. Help me remember Jesus’s powerful words: “Be still.” I trust in Your love and care for me, and I pray that You will use this time to speak to my heart and guide me on the path You have for me. May I always seek to live in obedience to Your will, as I surrender to the Holy spirit to help me through it all. n Jesus Name I pray. Amen.