The Voice of Jesus: Discernment, Prayer, and the Witness of the Spirit (Paperback)

~ (Author) "A Christian is a person who has deliberately and eagerly decided to live by the Word of God..." (more)
Key Phrases: convicting ministry, communal discernment, discerning vocation, Spirit of God, John of the Cross, Ignatius Loyola (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A Personal Growth Finalist in the 2004 Word Guild Canadian Writing Awards!A Formatio book. "My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me."Jesus takes it for granted that you will hear his voice. But how do you hear it?How do you separate it out from the cacophony of other voices you hear everyday, including those of your own desires? Is your experience of Jesus' voice something purely subjective, or is it something you can talk about with others and have them confirm?Building on the rich spiritual tradition that spans the diversity of history and theology from Ignatius Loyola to John Wesley to Jonathan Edwards, Gordon T. Smith helps open your ears and heart to the depths of the inner witness of the Spirit. By learning to attend to the Spirit, Smith urges, you will learn to hear and heed the voice of Jesus in everyday life.Written with warmth and wisdom, this book speaks to the mind and heart of every Christian who longs for a closer, more intimate walk with Jesus.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: InterVarsity Press (July 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830823905
• ISBN-13: 978-0830823901
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #123,883 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For discerning readers, September 16, 2003

By A Customer

This book is a wonderful guide on listening to the Holy Spirit. I love to read books that teach me how to judge well instead of making judgments for me. Gordon T. Smith is a masterful teacher, encouraging us to listen in order to discern well. This book is thought-provoking and smooth to read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Challenge for Cessationists, October 3, 2008

By	The Edge (Phoenix, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This is an excellent text that reviews the spiritual discipline practices of Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley and Ignatius of Loyola. He addresses the question of whether or not "God speaks today," in a thoroughly biblical manner. Smith looks at the inner witness of the Holy Spirit and gives guidelines on how to discern. He sees the capacity to discern as a critical sign of spiritual maturity. Smith is careful to steer clear of both the cold rationalism that quenches the Holy Spirit, but also the unbridled emotionalism that fosters presumption. I do not believe the author is a "charismatic," but then again he is also not a cessationist. An example (p. 53), "Discernment, then, is not merely a matter of rational analysis, of weighing the pros and cons and seeking to respond with a biblically informed mind to the options we are facing, Neither is discernment a matter of pure revelation, what some call a "word from the Lord." Rather, it is a way of knowing and seeing that is experienced as a profound interplay of intellect and emotion in which head and heart are informing and guiding each other." The writing throughout this book is crisp, winsome and engaging to the reader. It is not a polemic though I believe a soft heart will be strongly challenged by his words.

0 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars feedback, August 5, 2005

By	Charles G. Steele - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

book was delivered in a timely matter in the condition that was publisized. Thanks