Phase 1 Week 5 Seven Realities of Experiencing God Chapter 5
New York Youth Leaders Association
that Blackaby talks about.
2. Share an experience of how God spoke to you in a way that you knew
it was God? What did he say? What did God expect you to do in
response?
Najwa Clay_Edwards
• God is at work around you: I can’t tell you how often I have felt
as though I am on the back side of the desert or in some remote place
hidden behind a huge object in plain sight. It’s so refreshing to be
reminded that even though sometimes I am in an uncomfortable place
seemingly all alone God is in fact at work around me. I may not be
able to make sense of his work at the present time, but he knows his
plan and will include me when he feels it’s the appropriate time.
• God invites you to become involved with Him in His word: The
systems of this world place great emphasis on dreams, plans and
strategies in order to measure levels of success. We educate
ourselves
as a part of preparation for our future hopes and dreams. Shortly
after our children begin to communicate verbally we begin to ask them
questions such as “what do you want to be when you grow up?” and we
train them to stay the course and work hard because they can achieve
anything they put their mind to. We impel them to dream big, go after
it hard, keep their visions set on what it is they want to make of
themselves in life, ask for god’s Blessings, and then we measure how
successful they are by their ability to get as close to that dream as
their human strength will allow. This is in direct contradiction to
what God would want for us. God has already planned our lives from
the
foundations of the earth and he is at work to bring his plan into
fruition. He simply invites us to accept his plan through his
revelation to us about where he is already working in our lives. He
expects for us to respond in submissive obedience.
• You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He
is doing: Our ways are not God’s ways and our thoughts are not God’s
thoughts. We have to be very careful to not try and make God’s will
adjust to our lifestyle preferences. We have to make the necessary
adjustments to make our lifestyles fit his will and the work that her
is currently doing in our lives.
2. There was a situation in my life that hurt me in regards to
family.
I chose to avoid the situation all together and pretend as though it
didn’t even exist. I even took a vow not to acknowledge the situation
even existed. I went to Upstate Camp Meeting and Pastor Jean Bruno
preached a message about taking a Journey with God. He spoke about
having faith and following the leading of God as well as developing a
closer love relationship with him. I had actually pushed the
situation
so far from my mind by that time that it didn’t even bother me
anymore. I had separated myself from it in order to remove myself
from
the pain and frustration that the issue caused me. That night Pastor
Bruno didn’t have a prayer around the alter where he invited people
up
to come and receive prayer if they felt as though they were
struggling
in that area instead he prayed one mass prayer for us all. I remember
to this day how strongly he asked the Lord to take us all on a
journey
to know him in a deeper way. I thought it was just a normal service
with a great message and left the meeting not feeling effected by the
Word spoken that night except to say that Pastor Bruno was used by
God
to bring a thought provoking message to the congregation. I was very
excited about hearing him speak again since he was my former pastor.
The van ride home was normal and even the sleep I had that night
seemed normal as well, but when I woke up that morning something
happened. I heard the voice of god so clear in my spirit tell me to
go
shopping for the family members that I was avoiding. God instructed
me
to confront the situation with love. I was afraid because I knew that
other members in my family could feel hurt or betrayed by my actions
and it might have caused conflict that I didn’t want in my life. I
prayed and I followed the instruction of God. I remember that day
after I had done what God instructed me I felt lighter. God lifted a
burden that I was carrying around so long that I had forgotten that
it
was even there. It had become a part of my everyday experience, but
it
was contradictory to my being able to have appropriate communion with
the God the father.
On Feb 7, 1:58 pm, New York Youth Leaders Association
divine...@gmail.com
that Blackaby talks about.
#5. God's invitation for us to work with him always leads us to a crisis of belief. We can do nothing without God. We must be convinced without a shadow of a doubt that He alone can do the impossible in and through us for our good and for His glory to shine in a world that needs to know him better. A crisis of belief requires a deep faith in God followed up by action upon that faith in Him (James 2:14). We must be diligent in walking by faith and not by sight; in our God who is able.
(2 Corin. 5:7; Ephes.3:20).
Faith in God is not just merely believing in him but being obedient to God, (Heb.11:1,6 [NIV]) talks about faith as being sure of what we hope for and being certain of what we do not see. Daily I am learning to walk by faith and not by sight. I concur with Blackaby that God does not call us to get involved in His activity merely so people can see what we can do. He calls us to an assignment that you cannot accomplish apart from His divine intervention. (p 58).
One thing I am learning is that God's assignments have God-sized dimensions, "...eternal divine dimensions, implications, and possibilities. I
#6 -There are several major adjustments that God has asked me so that I may join him in what He is doing in me and through me, and in the world around me. 1-living by faith, 2-sacrificial obedience to His will and 3-complete trust in Him to do what he said He would do.
#7-I have come to know God more intimately as a result of obeying His voice and His Word that He spoke to me. An example of this is explained in Quest #2 below where I shared an experience in knowing God more intimately as a result of Him speaking directly to me.
2. Share an experience of how God spoke to you in a way that you knew it was God? What did he say?
What did God expect you to do in response?
Long term unemployment has proved to be challenging in many aspects of my life. My husband is the breadwinner in our family. After much bible reading, prayer, fasting and discussion, we believed that God still wanted us to pay a tenth of our income. I felt strongly that God was impressing upon me to give cheerfully, without doubt and fear, in spite of our financial circumstances and needs. One Sunday, I was down to my last $20 in my wallet. I was suppose to buy groceries for my family that week. I felt a strong conviction to give the $20 to the Lord-(all of it, leaving me without a cent) . God spoke to my heart about the faithful woman in Luke 21:2 with the 2 mites. That Sunday, the sermon was on Malachi 3:7-8 entitled, "Will a man rob God". The Holy Spirit lovingly convicted me that I lacked faith and trust in Jehovah Jireh. He reminded me that He is the Lord who promised to supply all of my needs according to His riches in glory; and that His grace is sufficient for me because in my weakness He is my strength.
We chose to resist the "worldly" temptation (and negative thinking) that paying tithes was another "bill" or burden of expense. God was well aware that our income was dramatically reduced to one paycheck. But God wanted us to trust and obey Him by faith and leave the "worries" to Him. So my husband and I responded to God in faith by taking God at His word in Malachi 3:10. We began to invest in His purposes and His work and prove Him. Daily we see the hand of God opening the windows of Heaven and pouring out blessings that is more than enough. Now my husband and I are fervent tithers. Our treasure is where our hearts are in Christ Jesus alone. (Matt 6:21)
By giving to God generously, joyfully, and sacrificial, our family is reaping the abundant blessings God promised us. We are also partnering with Him to bless others also. By God's grace, we are thankful in daily experiencing another dimension of a deeper, loving and more intimate relationship with God. We trust Him to fulfill His purpose, His Word and His divine will in and through our lives as we continue to love and obey Him.
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Charlesette C
1. Comment on any three of the seven realities of experiencing God
that Blackaby talks about
it was God? What did he say? What did God expect you to do in
response?
From the Beginning God has been at work. God was working while Christ was in the world and he continues
to work today through His Holy Spirit we have to pray for his direction and following his leading and guidance
in what He is doing around us in the world, our role is to recognize where God is working and join Him.
Reality 2
God loves us so much that while we were yet sinners He sent His son who died for our sins.
God wants to draw us to him that we might seek after him then he can reveal spiritual truth to
us and convict us of our sin. God wants a two sided love relationship, he want us to love
Him and obey His command.
Reality3
God invites us to become involve with Him in His work. God wants to move us from where we are to
where He is working. God wants us to be God-Centered not self-centered, like Mr. Blackaby say on
pg.55, when God reveal to you where He is working that becomes His invitation for us to join Him and
begin to respond.
2.
One Friday night while we were having youth prayer service at our church. We invited adults to attend the service as well. During the prayer, God spoke to me about one of the sisters who was in charge of taking care of her grandson. Her grandson was having problems in school. He instructed me to tell her that He heard her prayers for him. He also warned that some trouble was coming soon with her grandson, and even though it appeared as if he might not finish high school; it was going to work out. He also warned against losing focus though that test. The next day she called me and told me her grandson had been arrested. During the process it seemed like the young man would not be able to finish school, but God showed her favor with the principal of the school. The principle went to the courts and advocated for him to get a tutor while in jail in order to work on his high school assignments. When things seem like they weren't working out, she would call me and say "I know what God used you to speak to me and I’m standing on it". In those times we would pray
and give God praise. The courts allowed him to stay. In our town after being sentenced in order take his final exams in all of his high school subjects. This young man who
has been struggling in school passed with very high scores in all of his classes. They allowed her to bring his cap and grown to the jail so that he could wear it to receive his high school diploma.
Subject: Phase 1 Week 5 Seven Realities of Experiencing God Chapter 5