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What I have learned from my Bible Study Experiencing God by Henry and Richard Blackaby |
Everything about God is good all the time. I am going to be sharing what I have learned during my Bible studies. What I Blog here I want to help other Christians who may be struggling in their faith, who may want to get a closer personal relationship with God and Jesus, to expand on their current studies and maybe lead some non-believers to Christ. For my first entries, I will be posting what I have learned in my Experiencing God Bible Study. When I did this study, I used the book version which is called Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God Revised and Expanded Edition, written by Henry and Richard Blackaby. This is a study that every church should do. At the end of each chapter, there were questions which I enjoyed writing out the answers in my journal. Yes I am still the pen and paper type person. Then an I continued to do this, I realized that it would be awesome to share what I have learned. Here is a book review of Experiencing God. If you are interested, you can find it in most boosstores. Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God Revised and Expanded Edition Written by Henry and Richard Blackaby Used by many Bible Study Groups as a 12-week study, "Experiencing God" helps you draw closer to God. Many people who read this book and apply what they learn after completing each lesson no longer view God as an invisible entity, but experience him in a different perspective. Broken down in 26 chapters, the authors show you how to take "baby step" in knowing God on an intimate level, helping you improve your daily walk with him. After completing each lesson, you will be able to listen to God as he speaks to you. You will also know what God's plan will be for you-what he want you to do for his kingdom. Since each chapter has questions for reflection it is recommended to have a journal or notebook handy as you go through each lesson. One notable chapter is Chapter 5: The seven Realities of Experiencing God. These realities are: Reality 1: God is always at work around you. God created the world for a purpose. It was not just a hobby that he ignored when it was done. We can see his work when our spiritual eyes are open. Reality 2: God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal. God wants all humans to have a close relationship with him. The authors use Moses as an excellent example of this relationship. Moses and God spoke to each other on a daily basis. Reality 3: God invites you to become involved with him in his work. God already knows what his plans for humanity are. He does not want us to change his plans but to look around and see what he is already doing and get involved with his plans. Reality 4: God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways. By being closer to God, we will be able to hear him when he speaks to us. Reality 5: God's invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action. The authors provide many examples from the Bible when somebody stumbled in faith. Once again, Moses is used as an example when he gave excuses to God when he was not sure if he could lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Reality 6: You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing. All of us have short comings. In order to experience God on a more intimate level, we must make adjustments to our lives. We sometimes have to make personal sacrifices in order to do what God wants us to do. Reality 7: You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work through you. Whatever you accomplish, you will recognize it as a work of God and not of your own doing. If you are a Christian, you must include this book in your library. This book is excellent for both new Christians and those who have been following Jesus for years. Finally, anybody who is a leader in a Bible study group will find this book a must have. |
| Question 1. Take a moment to consider any evidence in your life that you have wandered from your love relationship with God. Are you regularly hearing God speak to you? Is your life filled with the joy of the Lord? Are you seeing Spiritual Fruit in your life? Are you experiencing victory? Wow! These questions are thought provoking! Yes, there is at least one time when I have wandered away from my love relationship with God. When I became a Christian in college, I enjoyed going to the Bible Studies and retreats. However, I was reluctant to give up the party scene. Therefore, I was what people considered to be a lukewarm Christian. After I graduated college, I put God on the back burner. I think it was because when I went back home, there were no Christians to associate with. I know if I made an effort, I would have made some Christian friends. Sometime later, after I got married, I met a lady at my current job. She was one of the sweetest ladies I met, who always had positive things to say about people. I never heard her say anything mean; she was always happy and in a good mood. I am not sure when I realized that she was a Christian. I think I knew from the types of books she was reading. One day she left a copy of one of her books on the table in the break room, called “Chicken Soup for the Soul.” I had picked the book up and read a short article. I do not remember what I read; it was only a paragraph or two. That moment I realized that I was missing God in my life. All of a sudden I was filled with an immense joy. It felt that my soul was singing. That is when I rededicated my life to Jesus. God has always spoken to me even though I am unable to hear his voice. When I returned to God it was not me seeking God; it was God chasing after me. I had to acknowledge that I had sinned and repented of my sin. I still wander away from god. I allow things to distract me. They can be annoying things such as bills and problems at work. Then again, they can be the newest technology that distracts me. By letting these distractions hinder me on a daily basis, I wake up one day and realize that God is distant from me. I realize that he did not walk away from me; I walked away from him. When I have wandered away from God, I can no longer hear God’s voice and my joy is lost. As John 15:11 states: “that my joy be in you, and your joy may be complete” with the distractions in my life, I do not feel the joy like I used to. As Galatians 5:22-23 list the Spiritual Fruits as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness and self-control, I find that there is some fruit in my life. However, I do not experience them all at the same time. As I build on my love relationship with God and Jesus, my Spiritual Fruit will increase. When God is with me, I will continue to see spiritual victory. When I turn from God, I will only see defeat. This is a day-by-day battle with me. Some days I am victorious; other days I am defeated. I must strive to win the spiritual battle every day. Question 2. Are you presently loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength? If you are not, what might you do today to rekindle your love for God? Unfortunately, I do not believe I am. As I already mentioned, I am facing many distractions that is hindering my love relationship. I am in the middle if the spiritual warfare and sometimes feel that I am being struck down from every side. I must get down on my knees and pray. I must ask God to search my heart to allow me to be aware of any wickedness. As proverbs 4:23 states I must “guard my heart above all else, for it is the source for life” (NIV). For example, if somebody has hurt me and I am bitter and unforgiving towards him, I will not feel the intimacy with God. I also must evaluate my thoughts and what I say. I must ask myself, “Does God approve of this?” Then I know what changes I must make in my life. Question 3. Do you have people in your life who feel free to share their concerns with you when they see you departing from your love relationship with God? If not, what might you do to enlist a friend to help you guard your heart? The problem with me is I am a hard person to read. If I am facing issues, I usually keep them to myself. Then if somebody does break past my barriers, he may feel that he is interfering. Still it would be a good idea to have small group discussions and use a buddy system to offer any advice and show concern. It is spiritually healthy to have friends who care about you and who are willing to counsel with you. This must be a two-sided thing. When somebody talks to me and offers advice, I must be willing to listen. Reference: Bible verses are taken from The Holy Bible. New International Version. Questions are taken from Experiencing God Knowing and Doing the Will of God. Henry and Richard Blackaby. |
| Question 1. Do you and your spouse take time to regularly talk about God’s activity in your family, church and world? If not, how might you begin to do that? Okay, my husband and I do talk about what is going on in the family and world. Unfortunately, we do not talk about what god is doing. While my husband states that he believe in God, he is not a person who believes God. Whenever he is faced with a stressful situation, he stresses about it and does not listen to any advice, especially when it comes to prayer. As Blackaby states, “marriage is God’s joining together of a man and woman to create a union through which he can accomplish His purposes and be glorified” (Blackaby). I really do not know why God led me to marry my husband. In 1993, I married him because I loved him and was in love with him. However, I never gave his belief in God a thought. At that time I was weak in my faith and it was not until a couple years later when I returned to God. If my faith was as strong then as it is now, I may have given a second thought to marrying him. Maybe it was good it turned out that way since I married a wonderful man and have three beautiful children-my two daughters and my step-daughter. I know my husband and I know how much he can tolerate. While the male in the house should be the spiritual leader, once in a while the female must take the role. As I have been working on the Experiencing God study, I realize that God wants me to take on smaller projects. With my husband, I need to start out slow. Question 2. What are some things you sense God is doing in your spouse’s life? How might you become involved in that activity? While my husband may not realize it, God has been very active in my husband’s life. He is the type of person who is willing to help others in need. He is involved in the American Legion in our area and has been in charge of several committees and has been involved in many leadership roles. Before he took these positions, he was not sure if he was qualified enough to handle the responsibilities. With God working through him, my husband was able to carry out the activities. My husband was actively involved helping people when our area got hit by a flood in 2011. Whether it was to help people clean up, rebuild or to offer a shoulder to cry on, he was there for them. I must constantly look to see where God is active in my husband’s life and join him. While my husband is not a praying man, I must pray for him. Reference: Bible verses are taken from The Holy Bible. New International Version. Questions and quotes are taken from Experiencing God Knowing and Doing the Will of God. Henry and Richard Blackaby. |
| Question 1. Take a moment to think about each of your children. What are some things you see God doing in their lives? Ever since the beginning, God know I would have children. My two daughters both are so different from each other. The older one is more outspoken; the younger one is more of an introvert. The older one is going to college to become a veterinarian; the younger one plans to be in the computer field. God has protected my daughters throughout life. Since college brings on many temptations, especially parties that involve drinking, my older daughter has avoided these during her time as an on-campus student. My younger daughter is autistic. He has protected her from bullies throughout her life. Whenever God provides for me, he is also providing for them. As they were growing up, even when the money was tight, they never went without food and other necessities. As young adults, they both know that it is important to be wise about money. Question 2. How are you praying for your children? Are you merely praying your own agenda to God, or are you seeking God’s agenda for your children? I need to start praying seeking God’s agenda for my daughters. First of all my older daughter has drifted from God, starting to doubt in his existence. I cannot force her to go to church since she is an adult and it is her choice. While I am not expecting or hoping her to change her studies to be more for a seminary, I do hope and pray that she returns to God and involve him in her life. My younger daughter is autistic. Her only interest when she gets home from school is to get on the computer and play on different kid-friendly sites. She believes in God and knows and understands about salvation. I want and pray that she has a deeper understanding and relationship with him. These are what I need to pray to God for both of my daughters: To ask God to show me how to help them to know and do his will To ask him to help them develop a walk with him To help them hear God so they can obey him God knows the life of each individual in this world. He knows what I can do as a parent and knows what I am weak in. Because of his grace and power, he can work through me and help me accomplish what I am unable to do. Question 3. How are you joining in God’s activity in your children’s lives? I would love to see my daughters live a life for Christ and to develop a strong love relationship with God. One of the places God wants me to participate is in my daughters’ lives. As a parent I must: Pray for my daughters Make adjustments in my life Ask God to help me understand what he wants to do through their lives Discuss God’s activity in my life Tell my daughters what God has done in my life Teach them to trust in God Reference: Questions are taken from Experiencing God Knowing and Doing the Will of God. Henry and Richard Blackaby. |
| Question 1. How has the Holy Spirit alerted you to someone in your church who is struggling or in need? What might God want to do through you to minister to that person or family? While going to church is not a requirement for a Christian to go to heaven, it is better to have fellowship with other Christians. We need to be dependent on each other so our love relationship with God grows stronger. When we are around other Christians we will understand what god is doing in and with our lives. There is a lady at work who became a Christian almost fifteen years ago. She was going through a hard time in her personal life. She was visiting one of her sisters and she invited her to a church service. The sermon was on what she was going through at that time. At first she thought her sister knew what the sermon was going to be about. However, she was surprised as well. God was leading the pastor to have this sermon on that specific day. Because of this sermon, the lady became a Christian and was able to put the hard times behind her. There are always needs in a church. These include needs for prayer, healing, financial assistance and guidance. If you attend a church that has no needs, it is best to find a different church. I realize that I cannot meet the needs of all the individuals in my church. I do not simply have the wisdom and resources to fill each and every one. However, by listening to the prayer requests and praying, the Holy Spirit will alert me to a specific need. The biggest need that I have struggled with, are my debt problems. While I am slowly digging myself out of this, I can use my personal experience to help people and offer advice to others who are in financial situations. While I might not be able to give them money, I can offer solid advice. Question 2. Has God made you aware of a problem or need in your church? How might God use your life as part of the solution to that problem? The problem with a lot of people, both Christians and non-Christians, is that when they are faced with a circumstance or need, they do not turn to others for help. They keep the need to themselves and try to figure out how to get out of the situation on their own. I am also like that, especially when it comes to when I have to pay a bill and I do not have the money to do it. While I turn to God in prayer, I do not turn to other people. I guess it is because I am full of pride and do not want others to know that I am struggling financially. It can also be that I am ashamed and do not want people judging me for not being wise with my money. In my church there is always a call for prayer requests and praise reports of when prayers were answered. This is the main way of being aware of a need. While the others will pray for that person, there may be another person in the room who can personally help with the need. However, with every spoken request, there are others that are silent. I have to allow the Holy Spirit to guide me to an individual who may be hurting or in need as soon as I enter the church doors. Question 3. When you attend church, are you alert to people who may need encouragement? If God has led you to some specific people, what have you done in response? The first thing I must do is watch. Rather than focusing my entire attention on the sermon, I also must focus on the people who are around me. Is there someone who seems to be sad? Is there someone who appears to be distracted? Is there someone who looks like he wants to be somewhere else? Then I have to take action. I must talk to the person and see if there is anything he or she needs help with. Maybe it is a mother who is having problems with her teenage child. I can offer advice since I am the mother of two teenage girls. I can also pray for this person, asking God to lead her in making the right choices. Question 4. If you are not aware of people in your church to whom you could minister, why do you think that is? How could you be more spiritually prepared the next time you go to church? The main reason is because I am self-centered. When I go to church, I want to go with a clear mind. However, there are times when I had a bad day and I am concentrating on those issues rather than on the sermon and the people around me. I must be ready whenever I walk through the church doors. I have to do this by putting God first. As soon as I wake up, I must pray to him for guidance for the day. Then I must study the word before I start any daily activities… Then when I go to church, I will be spiritually prepared to watch, act and pray. Reference: Bible verses are taken from The Holy Bible. New International Version. Questions are taken from Experiencing God Knowing and Doing the Will of God. Henry and Richard Blackaby. |
| Question 1. If you are presently involved in the marketplace, what have you seen God doing where you work? How have you been joining in that activity? I have been working for the same manufacturing company for over twenty years. Let’s just say I have witnessed the good, the bad and the ugly. This is how I break it down: Good An excellent product Hard working employees A safe place to work Bad: Machine malfunctions Slow process to getting a good product Lack of efficient training for people starting new positions Ugly Gossip Rumors Employees verbally abusing others Low morale In any factory the good and the bad are expected. In my job, the company does an excellent job training new employees. It is when some move on to more labor-skilled positions where they have to develop the skills to perform their jobs. Some people take a longer time to learn from others. It is the ugly that that tends to be very destructive. When the morale is low, especially when we do not get recognized for our hard work, tempers flare up. People start complaining about petty things and causing grief with others. A person may hear something about another person. This person will tell another. Soon the whole factory will know about one person’s personal business, whether it is true or just a rumor. There are only a handful of Christians of about five hundred employees. When it comes to “talk” at the factory, I just let it go in one ear and out the other. I have even said, “God tells me that it is none of my business.” People at work know my beliefs mostly by what I read-I read mostly Christian books-and what I wear. I like to wear T-shirts that have Christian sayings on them. I do a variety of different jobs at my work. Some of them are less pleasant than others. However, unlike some people, I do not complain. This is noticed by other employees on my shift. I hope some of my attitude rubs off on them. Question 2. What skills, experiences, contacts and resources has God given you that He wants to use for building his kingdom? I do a lot of things with my hands. At work I use my hands to pick up the products and to look for defects by feel and sight. At home I use my hands to sew, cook and clean house. I mostly use my hands when I am on the Internet. I sometimes spend two to three hours a day working on Bible Studies and typing out my personal notes. While I am the type to keep the traditional pen and paper journal, I enjoy sharing my notes with my online audience. My dreams are to reach out to people and help them draw closer to God and to help people to get into a relationship with him and his son, Jesus Christ. While there are some people who question why God allows things to happen to good people, God allows us to go through these periods of hardship to make them realize that we must be dependent on him. My contacts include my family, friends and co-workers, as well as contacts from different sites such as Twitter, Face Book and Hub pages. My resources include my computer, the Bible, bible Study books and various websites that I can reference to. Question 3. How have you been seeking God’s kingdom first and then allowing God to add everything else to you? God is first in my life. Before I do anything else when I wake up, I open my Bible and read some scripture. This is a daily activity. It is not something reserved for an hour or two a week when I go to church, God is at work all the time, especially in the marketplace. He was at work with shepherds and farmers such as Jacob and Elisha. He is at work in the business field today! Even Jesus was a carpenter. His twelve disciples were involved in one career-such as fishermen-or another. When I go to church, I am around other Christians. However, in the marketplace, I am surrounded by people of different denominations and beliefs. By being a Christian employee, I am finding that God gives me many resources and opportunities to help seek and build his kingdom. Question 4. How does the way you live reflect the fact that you believe God is Lord of your career and over your company? I spend a majority of my day in the marketplace, working eight to twelve hours a day. On top of that I have a commute that takes me an hour-and-a-half each way. It should be no surprise to my co-workers that I turn down invitations to go to a bar or other functions. I want to have some time to spend with my family. I wonder why I have been with this company and do not try to find a place closer to home. Well I know one of the reasons is that there is not enough jobs available in my area compared to the number of people living in a small city. The majority of jobs that are available are either minimum wage jobs or jobs for experienced professionals such as doctors, lawyers and college professors. I believe god placed me there so I can witness to my co-workers. While I met Jesus on campus, I returned to him-after wandering from him for several years-in the workplace. It is a great place to share to people by speaking to them, leaving tracts in the cafeteria and setting the sample for others to follow. Reference: Questions are taken from Experiencing God Knowing and Doing the Will of God. Henry and Richard Blackaby. |
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