Hearing from God: 5 Steps to Knowing His Will for Your Life

by David Stine

Pastor David Stine, the lead pastor at DC Metro Church, has created a practical and informational 40-day guide to hearing God, understanding His will, and discovering the path He has in store for your life.

Throughout his time as a lead pastor, members of his congregation have asked Pastor David Stine many questions about the Christian faith, but there is one that he continuously hears: “How do you make contact with God and hear His voice?”

In Hearing from God, Stine presents a six-step process based on the scientific method to help Christians grow in their ability to listen and hear God’s voice. This Scripture-based guide includes a 40-day plan with curated Bible passages, questions for reflection, ideas for personal worship, and two-way journaling—everything you need to receive God’s message. Hearing from Godis the perfect way for you to deepen your relationship with God and better understand His Word.

Genres: Religion

320 pages, Hardcover

Published January 17, 2017

About the author

As Lead Pastor of DC Metro Church, Dr. David Stine is known for his practical biblical teaching, his visionary leadership, and his heart to impact the D.C. Metropolitan area. David’s authenticity and his ability to communicate the truth of God’s Word in a humorous, dynamic, and revelatory manner helps people understand the Bible and how to apply its teachings to their everyday lives.

David is passionate about people coming to know Christ, getting planted in God’s house, and becoming transformational leaders who work together to build a God-first culture throughout the D.C. Metro area. He is honored to be teaching, training, and coaching church leaders and future church planters because he believes that the local church is the hope of the world and that we are meant to be relationally connected with other leaders.

Shortly after coming to Christ in college, David knew there was a call on his life to full-time ministry and sensed God leading him to seminary at Regent University, where he earned his Masters Degree (M.A.) in Practical Theology and his Doctoral Degree (D.Min) in Leadership.

David met his future wife Taryn at Louisiana State University where they both majored in Business and were involved in a campus ministry together. After graduation, they were advancing in their respective careers, but the deepest desire of their hearts was to "do something great for God" together. Today they are parents to four growing children and loving their call to full-time ministry at DC Metro. They believe nothing compares to the joy of experiencing the transformation in people’s lives as they choose the God-first life.

Reviews

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stine's book is one of those rare ones that not only gives great encouragement but also includes practical suggestions for following through. Stine reminds us that God wants to communicate with us and that we must put ourselves in position to hear Him. He gives us precise suggestions, examples of how it works from his own life, and forty days of journal pages where we can follow his method and record our responses.

This is by far the best book I have read on hearing from God. I was a bit apprehensive at first. Using the scientific method to hear from God? But I was greatly impressed with what Stine has written. He is clear that hearing from God could never be reduced to an exact science. Using the approach he advocates, however, does give us a means to hear from God more clearly and then apply it to our lives.

Stine has developed a five step method based on the scientific method. It includes determining a time and place to meet with God, being still and worshiping, reading and praying (making observations, asking application questions about growth, obedience, direction, sin, promises, accountability), then listening and writing, and finally sharing and obeying. He includes great examples from his own life how he has used this method and the results that have come from it.

Stine reminds us that it takes time to establish a new habit and it takes time to develop our ability to hear God's voice. He asks for a forty day commitment of thirty minutes a day. He provides the format in the last half of the book, giving forty days of worksheets with Scripture passages and space to journal our responses.

I highly recommend this book. Is there any more important skill for a believer to develop than hearing from God? Stine has done an excellent job of explaining the philosophy of his method, giving examples of how it works, and then providing us with the materials to do it ourselves.

Don't bother with this book, however, if you are not willing to make the commitment for which he asks. Stine reminds us that there is no promise that God will respond to those who seek Him half heartedly.

Food for thought: “God's Word has sustenance that provides exactly what we need at the right time and in the right way, but we have to set aside time to seek out His message in order to find it and receive it.” (876/3596)

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for those who are wanting to get deeper in their relationship with God. I love the way that Stine gives you personal experience as well as scripture reference to help you understand what he is talking about.

I had never heard of two-way journaling until I read this book, but I really like the idea. I am trying to implement it into my everyday life now. We shall see how that goes.

This is a great read though and I am glad that I had the chance to read and learn from David Stein. I highly recommend this book for spiritual growth!

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did the 40-Days Challenge with a godly counsel, daily, without any day skipped - just like the author instructed.

I found encouragement during those 40 days: those quick sharing sessions with my godly counsel daily and my writing activities too, as I got to answer every question on this particular section of the book.

To reflect carefully on what I read (by asking myself some questions) and to write down my thoughts on papers right away are my two newly formed habits after I finished the challenge.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this free from goodreads to give my honest review. It is an excellent Christian book that helps you on your journey with the Lord.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have finished the book and working on the 40 day assignment.
I’m learning a lot about how God speaks to me.

[Jeff Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! This is a book that I wish I had written. I have such a passion for seeing people connect with The Lord through the discipline of daily devotionals, which I believe to be the key that opens a door to personal relationship with The Lord Jesus. David Stine not only provides examples of every day people experiencing The Love and Presence of God, but he is very open and honest about his own personal experiences with The Lord who both blesses and corrects us with The Love of a perfect Father. This book starts by convincing the reader of a need for setting aside a daily time to meet with The Lord, but then the Author walks you through some easy steps to get you started and even gives the reader a 40 day journal to catalog their experiences with God, which then catapults them into their own personal walk and talk (lingo) with God. This book refreshed my passion for the accuracy, integrity and reliability of God's Holy Word, but also made me fall even more in Love with The Bible's Author who SOOOO longs to hear from His Children every moment of every day, even in our greatest failures and pains. Highly recommend this book to you.
Jeff Johnson. Author of Gospills.

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hearing from God

5 Steps to Knowing His Will for Your Life
by David Stine

Howard Books

Christian, Religion & Spirituality

Pub Date 17 Jan 2017

I am reviewing Hearing From God through the publisher and Netgalley:

When he was fifteen the author David Stine was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given only six weeks to live but after his Grandfather had a vision in which the Lord told him David would be healed, he was given a clean bill of health. Twenty five years later he remains Cancer Free.

The author points out that in John 10:2-5 teaches us that we need to play an active role in listening to his voice. We are reminded too that God speaks to us everyday subtly in his still small voice.

We are reminded that God speaks through his word.

I give Hearing From God five out of five stars.

Happy Reading.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found David Stine's Hearing from God: 5 Steps to Knowing His Will for Your Life to be unique in that he advocates applying the Scientific Method to hearing the voice of God. Never thought of it that way before, yet he makes the correlation work. Stine does offer many personal stories relevant to his topic, and ideas as to how to have an open, two-way relationship with the Lord. Two-way means LISTENING as well as speaking. I like the idea of his two-way journaling - letters to and from God. There is no doubt that those willing to make the 40 day commitment that Stine recommends will end up with the closer relationship to God that they seek.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the author, and Howard Books for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Debbie Hoskins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I skimmed through the first part of the book. The second part features a 40-day challenge. It's so exciting to me. There's a Biblical passage and some questions. It's a really easy way to get some do-able, non-boring Bible reading in. The passages picked are really good for visualizing and putting yourself into the scene.
Love the suggestion to write to God and then write a letter from God to you.

[Susan Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book about living as God wants you to is pretty much average. It has examples, from the Author's life, on how God works in our lives.