Day 5
TOPIC: SEVEN REALITIES OF EXPERIENCING GOD
The Bible is designed to help us understand the ways of God. Then, when God starts to use our life in this same way He worked in the Scriptures, we will ecognize it as God.
God will work with us in a similar manner whereby we will understand that it is God, we will be aware of His message and understand how to react and what to do.
There are recurring experiences that are referred to as the seven realities of experiencing God when studying the Bible. They do not consist of a method for determining God’s intent. We can’t complete these steps by ourselves. However, they do show how God interacts with a person or community to include them in His activity.
- God’s work
God did not create the world and then abandon it to function on its own. He has been actively involved in human affairs throughout history. Because of sin, humanity has been separated from a close relationship with God. God is working to bring about the redemption of those who are alienated from him. - GOD PURSUES A CONTINUING LOVE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU THAT IS REAL AND PERSONAL.
God created humanity for a love relationship with Him, and He is the One who creates that relationship. We do not naturally seek God on our own initiative; everything we are experiencing from God comes in response to His invitation. God clearly demonstrated how valuable the love relationship is to Him when He permitted His Son Jesus to die an excruciating death on a cross in order to make such a relationship possible. - GOD INVITES YOU TO BECOME INVOLVED WITH HIM IN HIS WORK.
God is sovereign ruler of the universe and has His own agenda when he approaches us. He does not ask us to dream our dreams for him and pray that He will help us achieve them. When God reveals to you where He is working, that becomes His invitation to join Him in His activity.
- GOD SPEAKS BY THE HOLY SPIRIT THROUGH THE BIBLE, PRAYER, CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THE CHURCH TO REVEAL HIMSELF, HIS PURPOSES, AND HIS WAYS.
The Holy Spirit uses the Bible, prayer, circumstances and other sources to communicate with believers. When you hear God speak to you through a verse of Scripture, it’s always best to verify what you heard through prayer, other believers, or your circumstances. God will draw you into a closer walk withHim so you can trust Him and have faith in Him. He will also reveal His purposes so that you can become involved in His work rather than pursuing your own goals and dreams.
- GOD’S INVITATION FOR YOU TO WORK WITH HIM ALWAYS LEADS YOU TO A CRISIS OF BELIEF THAT REQUIRES FAITH AND ACTION.
How you respond to God’s invitation to get involved in His work will reveal what you truly believe about God, regardless of what you say. God does not ask us to do mundane, seemingly ordinary tasks; there are always eternal dimensions, implications, and possibilities when God is involved in anything. To follow God, you’ll have to walk by faith because it is impossible to please God without faith. - YOU MUST MAKE MAJOR ADJUSTMENTS IN YOUR LIFE TO JOIN GOD IN WHAT HE IS DOING.
Many of you have made fundamental adjustments in your life to get from where you are to where God is, but many of us don’t realize it. I have been asked if every adjustment God asks us to make is significant and my response is always: To move from your way of thinking or acting to God’s way will require fundamental adjustments. You can’t stay where you are and go with God at the same time. - YOU COME TO KNOW GOD BY EXPERIENCE AS YOU OBEY HIM AND HE ACCOMPLISHES HIS WORK THROUGH YOU.
You must obey God after making the decision to follow Him by faith and after making necessary modifications. No matter how difficult or perplexing it may seem, when you follow His instructions, God will carry out His plan for you. God’s presence and might are felt by both you and those who watch you live.
In conclusion, God is working to bring the world around us back to Himself. He starts by trying to fall in love with you. He then extends an invitation for you to join Him in His endeavor. You must walk by faith, make significant changes, and do as God instructs if you want to see God’s awesome power at work in and through you.
