Sun, Apr 12th - 11:31AM
Book Review: Experiencing God
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.
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