1. God Speaks The power of words and the Word of God

2. The Word of God "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:6-11)

3. The Divine Communication Cycle

4. How does God think? For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. “No reasoning is possible except by the use of language, and language expresses the way in which a particular body of human beings has learned to grasp and cope with the world. In that sense, human reasoning can never be totally autonomous.”“No reasoning is possible except by the use of language, and language expresses the way in which a particular body of human beings has learned to grasp and cope with the world. In that sense, human reasoning can never be totally autonomous.” -Leslie Newbigin – The Gospel in a Pluralist Society

5. How does God think? The gospel is God’s thoughts expressed in human language.The gospel is God’s thoughts expressed in human language. God has a message that he wants us to receive. It is a message of love and blessings, most of all it is an expressed desire for relationship with Him.God has a message that he wants us to receive. It is a message of love and blessings, most of all it is an expressed desire for relationship with Him. Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to him: "Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips. (Hosea 14:2)

6. How does God speak? “The Word of God”- refers to God’s self-revelation “The Word of God”- refers to God’s self-revelation 1.The spoken Word 2.The written Word 3.The living Word 4.The indwelling Word.

7. How does God speak? 4. The indwelling Word. And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:31) I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. (1 John 2:14b) Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:21-22)

8. How does God speak through us? 1.Ethos- the credibility or character of the speaker Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Tim. 4:16) 2.Logos- - the central idea, “the word” In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1) 3.Pathos- an emotional appeal for a response Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (2 Cor. 5:20)

9. The Word of the Lord Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.