Experiencing God!

Last night was our study group. We have been studying the book "Experiencing God" by Henry Blackaby. I love this study and, by the way, I highly recommend it as a wonderful study on the Christian walk.

The study and discussion we had last night were such a blessing to me. It reminded me of the awe-some gift we have in Christ Jesus. In particular, I was reminded again of the wonder that God, creator and sustainer of the universe, desires a very personal and real relationship with me, with every one of us.

God has not just handed down a basic instruction manual for us to follow in this life; He has not given us a list of commandments, principles, and procedures to follow; nor has He kept His distance by choosing this or that "special" person to be His spokesperson for the rest of us. No, God, in Christ Jesus, has thrown wide the gates of heaven, beckoning us into the throne room, right up to His side. And, you could also say that in Holy Spirit, He has come down to us. He has chosen to enter right into our hearts and our lives, where He is ever-present.

It is amazing and wonderful to understand that God has chosen to have an on-going relationship with each one of us that is as exciting and as personal as we will allow it to be. In particular, it is amazing how God speaks to us and leads us, often in very specific ways. Can you imagine God directing someone to drive off the highway and leading him very specifically to a stranger in a phone booth in order for that stranger and his family to come to Christ? That was a testimony we heard last night!

Such testimonies just make you want to shout "Hallelujah!" But at the same time, they make you want to push in nearer; they give you a restless hunger for more of Him in your life!

So, I ask you, how much of God are you experiencing in your life on a daily basis? How often do you hear His voice or recognize that He has just touched your heart? Are you satisfied with just "living a good life," or just knowing that heaven will someday be your home? Heaven sounds so wonderful, but you can have the most awesome part of heaven right here and now in the very Person and presence of God Himself with you and in you in very tangible and practical ways. The question is, do you want it? Are you hungry for it? Or, are you willing to settle for the outward, shadowy form of the Christian life.

Love,
Ev

It is amazing, sometimes, the way God works in a life. With all that has been happening, I tend to be so distracted from what really is going on. Sometimes, though, it is not so much that I am distracted as it is that I don't want to see what is happening.

I met with a dear friend last night to chat and catch up with one another; we haven't gotten together since before the holidays. What a nice time we had chatting with one another and catching up. Both of us had burdens to share and help to offer one another.

As we talked, somehow we dredged up an ongoing situation in my life, and my friend offered some godly insight and wisdom that I wasn't expecting and wasn't really wanting to hear. I had all my excuses, arguments, and reasons to dismiss what she had to say, and I left feeling thoughtful and worried that she may be right.

This morning as I did my study, God just seemed to zero in on the subject and gave me a peace about the whole thing, with perhaps even a little sense of anticipation. I am in a Bible Study right now, and we are studying Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby (a really awesome study that I highly recommend). So as I was going over my study this morning, the first things to catch my eye were:

You cannot know the truth of your circumstances until you have heard from God. He is Truth! Truth is present and active in your life!

Do not evaluate your situation until you have heard from Jesus. He is Truth.

Two words in a Christian's language cannot go together: 'No, Lord!' . . . Do not proceed until you can honestly say, 'Whatever You want of me, Lord, I will do it.'

Firstly, I had not really asked God about the situation. I had reasoned in my heart the circumstances and what I should do. Secondly, I did not know whether I wanted to hear what He had to say or that I could answer 'yes'. Nevertheless, as I was meditating on this, God's grace was so good as to melt my heart and bring me to the point of being willing to hear what He had to say.

The study then went on to talk about the times of decision in the history of the Israelites and the altars that they erected to mark those times and to remember God's activity in their lives. Henry Blackaby calls these Spiritual Markers in our lives and says that they provide us with opportunities to share with others about God's activity on behalf of His people. This reminded me of my Thoughts, and how I can share what God is doing in my life with you.

Another thing he mentioned in the study is the way God tends to rehearse His previous activity in our lives so that we can see His perspective on what is happening in the present. That is why I love my journals, they connect me to all the spiritual markers along the path of my life.

When God is ready for you to take a new step or direction in His activity, it will always be in sequence with what He has already been doing in your life. He does not go off on tangents or take meaningless detours. He builds your character in an orderly fashion with a divine purpose in mind.

As I looked back over my life, I could see how this new situation is somewhat related to what God has been doing in my life. And this helped me so much to realize that this is not something new or something I should be afraid of. I have faced similar situations in the past and been blessed through them. I began to look at this situation as a new leg in the journey of my life.

Then, what do you know, when I logged in to my email, I came across an inspirational email that began by quoting my life's verse. It then went on to talk about the "Sacred Journey" God is calling us to. Wow!! Nearly knocked my socks off (except I was barefoot at the time). A second inspirational email finished with the quote: "The adventure is about to begin . . .".

So, I'm not sure what God is doing. I have some ideas and I am asking Him to guide me into His timing for the situation and His ways of walking through this. And I invite you to join me in the sacred journey ahead, whatever that is in your life. The adventure is about to begin and continue for each one of us.

Blessings in Christ Jesus our Lord and the Author and Finisher of our faith,
Ev

Where I'm Coming From

Before I start my blog for today, just wanted to mention again that I got started writing by creating a Yahoo! Group, "A Thought for Today" (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thoughtfortoday/). So if you are interested in taking a look at any of my past posts, you will find them archived there.

I also should mention that my blogs will most often be drawn from my studies, and I am usually involved in multiple studies at any one time. Currently I am involved in:

• My life long study through the Bible, using a book called "Study the Scriptures." This book takes you through the Bible in three years (if you are consistent, and do one study every day - which I don't). I began using this study guide back in the early 80's and still find it a great tool. Rather than a devotional, it gives you a portion of Scripture to read and then asks you about 3 questions, which you are encouraged to write out your answers to. I think that after the work of Holy Spirit and the Bible itself, I would credit this as the thing that has most impacted my knowledge and understanding of the Word of God.
• Experiencing God is a study I am working through as part of an amazing group of Christians. This is one of those Bible Study groups that everyone longs to be a part of, but is such a rare thing to find.
• Experiencing the Spirit. Because of the impact that the Experiencing God study is having on my life, I wanted to get this book by the same author and take the same approach to Holy Spirit. I am doing this study on my own.
• Bad Girls of the Bible is a book I am reading for our Women's group. Over the summer, rather than the usual type of Bible Study, we are doing a Book Club, which we will be starting in a couple weeks. As I will be facilitating the group, I have already begun reading through the book to prepare.
• My wonderful friend, Leanne, and I are also doing a study. She had read a book and seen a video regarding the Kingdom of God and wanted to dig deeper. Leanne and I are such good friends. And when it comes to studying God's Word, we have the same hunger and the same desire to handle it properly, so we make great study partners.

Anyway, as I blog my way into your life, these are some of the sources that you will see coming up over and over. Of course my blog will also probably include my general and personal ramblings on about my life 'cause that is also something that is very important to me. LOL! But I wanted to let you know this so that as I seem to switch from one topic to another, you will understand where that is coming from.

Love,
Ev



One thing have I desired and that will I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in His tablernacle. Psalm 27:4