1 Samuel 3:1-11 NLT - Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the LORD by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the LORD were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. Suddenly the LORD called out, "Samuel!" "Yes?" Samuel replied. "What is it?" He got up and ran to Eli. "Here I am. Did you call me?" "I didn't call you," Eli replied. "Go back to bed." So he did. Then the LORD called out again, "Samuel!" Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. "Here I am. Did you call me?" "I didn't call you, my son," Eli said. "Go back to bed." Samuel did not yet know the LORD because he had never had a message from the LORD before. So the LORD called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. "Here I am. Did you call me?" Then Eli realized it was the LORD who was calling the boy. So he said to Samuel, "Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, 'Speak, LORD, your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went back to bed. And the LORD came and called as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel replied, "Speak, your servant is listening." Then the LORD said to Samuel, "I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel."

3 Ways God Will SPEAK in 2017

1. God will speak to us through HIS WORD.

Hebrews 4:12 NLT "For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires."

Isaiah 55:10-11 NLT "The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it."

• One Year Bible

  • I want you to read it.
  • I am going to teach it.
  • We are going to journal what God shows us.

• DO YOU HAVE A ONE YEAR BIBLE?

2. God will speak to us through PRAYER.

• Jesus said, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations."
• We are going to commit to corporate prayer.
• We are going to commit to individual prayer
• CAN YOU COMMIT TO ONE HOUR OF PRAYER EACH WEEK?

3. God will speak to us through OTHERS.

• Circles are better than rows in Christianity.
• Verses referenced about unity:
  • Galatians 5:14-15 NLT "For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another."
  • Ephesians 2:14, 16 NLT "For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death."
• WILL YOU PRAY ABOUT HOSTING A B-GROUP NEXT YEAR?
• WILL YOU PRAY ABOUT BEING A PART OF A B-GROUP NEXT YEAR?