Whisper Bible Study

MARK BATTERSON

Description

Many people have a tough time believing that God still speaks. We’ve learned from Scripture that God spoke to His people in ancient times and in mysterious ways, but how do we hear His voice now? The truth is God still communicates with His people, but He often speaks in a whisper—not to make it difficult to hear Him, but to draw us close.

In this 4-session series, Mark Batterson teaches what it means for Christians to discern the voice of God in their lives. He will introduce the seven love languages of God—each of them unique and entirely divine. By learning to tune in and decipher each language, Mark equips believers to hear God’s guidance and grow closer to Him. God is speaking. Do you know how to listen?

Getting Started

4 Sessions. Complete at your convenience.

This course has a leader’s guide. You can find it located above, next to course tab. Click on materials and then click on Whisper Leader’s Guide. This leader’s guide can also be viewed on the Whisper RightNow Media Page. The leader’s guide is set up to be used as a group discussion guide but is still a great additional resource. It is not required to complete the course. However, some of the information from the study guide will be in our guided lessons and for use as further study.

Please remember you need a free RightNow Media account and be logged in to your account to watch the session videos and open the study guide.

At the end of the Study there is a place for you to submit your name so we can celebrate with you your completion of this study.

Whisper Leader Guide

Course Content

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Whisper Session 1: The Power of a Whisper

Session 1 First Thoughts 4 Topics

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Think about a time when you had trouble hearing someone (poor sound quality at an event, loud conversation over lunch, soft spoken coworker in a meeting, etc.). Think about how you feel when you can’t hear someone well?

Think about this for a moment. How well would you say you hear the voice of God? Why do you think that is?

Read Genesis 1:1–5

Think about this, What did God use to create the world? How does the creation story reveal the power of His voice?

Session 1 Video and Recap 3 Topics

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Read 1 Kings 19:11–12

Why did God reveal Himself through a gentle whisper?

Why does God sometimes speak in a whisper? How did Mark answer that question? (He said that you have to get close to someone to hear them whisper. More than hearing God, the goal is intimacy with Him.)

Session 1 Further Study 1 Topic

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For further study you can look at the leader’s guide and work through the rest of the Bible Exploration and Last Word.

Whisper Session 2: The Whispering Spot

Session 2 First Thoughts 2 Topics

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Think about this, What is your favorite place? How do you feel when you go there?

Why is that certain place more special to you than other places?

Session 2 Video and Recap 5 Topics

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Read Psalm 46:1–11

This psalm shows the power of God. When wars wage and the earth fights against us, God is our help. We can be still and marvel at His might.

Read Genesis 28:10–16

How does God reveal His presence to Jacob? Why do you think Jacob was unaware of God’s presence in that place before the dream?

Whether we’re aware or not, God’s always with us. When we become followers of Jesus, God gives us the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God lives in us every moment of every day.

Session 2 Further Study 1 Topic

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For further study you can look at the leader’s guide and work through the rest of the Bible Exploration and Last Word.

Whisper Session 3: The Key of Keys

Session 3 First Thoughts 3 Topics

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Think about a time when someone gave you a handwritten note. Who gave it to you? What was the occasion? How did you feel when you opened it?

Why do you think personalized notes mean so much to us?

God can communicate with us any way He chooses. But the primary way He speaks is through His Word. Similar to a heartfelt letter, the Bible is God’s written word to us. It reveals God’s character. It teaches us truth. It shows God’s love. This session focuses on Scripture and the way God speaks through it.

Session 3 Video and Recap 6 Topics

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Mark said Scripture is the primary way we hear the voice of God. God speaks through His written Word. Mark called it “the key of keys,” which he likened to the starting point of a coordinate system on a map.

Mark said truth is always coupled with grace. He defined grace and truth as, “Grace means I’ll love you no matter what. Truth means I’ll be honest with you no matter what.”

Read 2 Timothy 3:16–17 and Hebrews 4:12

What do these verses tell us about Scripture? What, then, makes the Bible unique from all other books?

While the Bible is living, active, and breathed-out by God, the goal of reading Scripture isn’t to gain information. Rather, we read the Bible to grow in intimacy with God. Just as we spend time to get to know a new friend, reading Scripture helps us get to know God.

Getting into God’s Word isn’t easy. Mark talked about how difficult it is—it takes meditation, prayer, and contemplation. Reading the Bible is a discipline that every Christian needs to develop in his or her life. Digging into God’s Word deepens our relationship with God, grounds us in truth, and grows us spiritual maturity.

Session 3 Further Study 1 Topic

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For further study you can look at the leader’s guide and work through the rest of the Bible Exploration and Last Word.

Whisper Session 4: The Seven Languages

Session 4 First Thoughts 3 Topics

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What are the most significant words anyone has ever said to you? Why are those words important to you?

What kind of relationship do you have with the person that said those words to you? How does your relationship with him or her contribute to the significance of the words?

This series has been about hearing the voice of God. As Mark has pointed out through his teaching, learning to hear God’s voice is less about you and more about growing closer to God. Last session, we talked about the primary language of God—His Word. In this final session, we’re going to learn about the six secondary languages.

Session 4 Video and Recap 4 Topics

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What examples from the Bible of God speaking to His people did Mark talk about? (He talked about Moses and the burning bush, Pharaoh and the plagues, Hezekiah and his illness, Belshazzar and the writing on the wall, Balaam and the donkey.) How do these examples show the various ways God chooses to speak to us?

There are seven languages of God. The first—and primary—language is Scripture. According to Mark, what are the six secondary languages of God? (Desires, dreams, doors, people, promptings, and pain.)

Mark pointed out that God speaks to each of us uniquely. God knows us intimately and knows how to communicate with us. While every believer hears from God through Scripture, each Christian can hear from God in a number of different ways. Those ways include: desires, dreams, doors, people, promptings, and pain.

Look to the leader’s guide in the review section and read through the information on the seven languages of God.

Session 4 Further Study 1 Topic

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For further study you can look at the leader’s guide and work through the rest of the Bible Exploration and Last Word.

Thank You for Completing This Study

Course Completion 1 Reflection

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We are so glad that you have completed Whisper Bible Study. We want to celebrate with you. Please click here and enter your name so we have a record of your completion.