Experiencing God–part 5
Take some time, right now, to email me the answer to this question: what has struck you the most so far from Experiencing God?
Reality #1: God is always at work around you.
Reality #2: God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.
Reality #3: God invites you to become involved with Him in His work.
Reality #4: God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal himself, His purposes, and His ways.
Reality #5: God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.
DAY 1: A Turning Point
1. If you assume the Christian life will make your life progressively easier, you will be in for a shock when a “crisis of belief” comes your way. You should not be surprised! When Paul returned to several cities where there were new Christian converts, this is what he taught them…
Acts 14:22… strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
a. Is it surprising to you that he said this to new Christians?
b. How does the word “hardship” strike you?
c. Paul says that is a must! Why do you think this is true?
2. A “crisis of belief” implies a turning point. You have been cruising along in your faith when suddenly a decision is in front of you that requires more faith and action than ever before. How did David handle this crisis of belief…
1 Chronicles 14:8-16 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them. Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of God: “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The LORD answered him, “Go, I will hand them over to you.” So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand.” So that place was called Baal Perazim. The Philistines had abandoned their gods there, and David gave orders to burn them in the fire.
a. The challenge:_____________________________________________________________________
b. His steps of faith: __________________________________________________________________
3. David had another crisis of belief, below. How did he handle it?
1 Chronicles 14:8-16 Once more the Philistines raided the valley; so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, “Do not go straight up, but circle around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
4. What strikes you about these two episodes?
5. Are you facing a crisis of belief? If so, what step of faith is in front of you?
DAY 2: Encounters with God Require Faith
Review: See if you can number the 5 Realities below, in order… (if you need help, look back at DAY 1).
_____ God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.
_____ God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.
_____ God is always at work around you.
_____ God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal himself, His purposes, and His ways.
_____ God invites you to become involved with Him in His work.
1. Under each verse below, jot down what it said about “faith.”
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Matthew 17:20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
2. What strikes you about faith?
3. Faith is not just “an idea.” Faith is rooted in a Person! How is that seen in the next verse?
John 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
4. God is working overtime, everyday to increase our faith in Him.
a. Is there a faith-challenge in your life right now? Describe it.
b. Do you have an idea of how God wants you to respond to the faith-challenge?
* What can you pray?
* Is there a “next step” for you to do?
* Are you willing to move on the next step?
DAY 3: Encounters with God Are God-Sized
Review: Place the following words in their correct order: speaks; pursues; invites; works.
Reality #1: God ____________.
Reality #2: God ____________.
Reality #3: God ____________.
Reality #4: God ____________.
Reality #5: God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.
1. God teaches us more about Him and deepens our faith through God-sized challenges. In each of the episodes below, what was the result of God’s activity in the lives of the people?
Exodus 14:4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” So the Israelites did this. Exodus 14:31 And when the Israelites saw the great power the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.
2 Chronicles 20:12 O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.”
(After a stunning victory) 2 Chronicles 20:29 The fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard how the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.
Daniel 3:16-18 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
After God delivered the three Hebrews from the fiery furnace…
Daniel 3:28-29 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”
2. God is far-more interested in you walking with Him by faith than even the accomplishment of some great feat. Is there a step of faith you need to take?
3. Commit yourself to God. Ask Him to give you faith to follow Him.
DAY 4: What You DO reveals What You BELIEVE
Review: fill in the blanks. (If you need help, look back at DAY 1.
Reality #1: God ____________.
Reality #2: God ____________.
Reality #3: God ____________.
Reality #4: God ____________.
Reality #5: God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.
1. The Israelites were being harassed and threatened with war by the Philistines. They made a deal with Israel: send out one soldier to fight Goliath in a winner-take-all duel. The losing nation becomes slaves to the winning nation. The young shepherd boy, David, volunteered for the assignment!
2. Read the following passages. UNDERLINE what David really believed about God, about who God is.
1 Samuel 17:26 David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
1 Samuel 17:37 The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you.”
1 Samuel 17:45-50 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
3. What did David believe about God? What different attributes did He see in God?
4. David could see three things in his encounter with Goliath: (1) A nine-foot giant of a man, equipped with armor, (2) A shepherd boy, the youngest of eight boys, equipped with a sling and five stones, (3) God. Which of these captured David’s mind and imagination? Why?
5. Think of a challenge in your life right now. What “three things” do you see? Write them below.
6. What comparisons do you see with yourself and David? What contrasts?
7. Pray, based on what you wrote in questions #5 and 6.
DAY 5: True Faith Requires Action
Fill in the blanks, in order, using the following words: crisis, speaks, invites, works, pursues.
Reality #1: God ____________.
Reality #2: God ____________.
Reality #3: God ____________.
Reality #4: God ____________.
Reality #5: God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a of belief that requires faith and action.
1. Faith requires action. In this section of scripture, UNDERLINE the “good outcomes” when faith was taken:
Hebrews 11:32-38 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again.
2. In this next section UNDERLINE “bad outcomes” when faith was taken:
Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated– the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
3. Both of these passages of scripture are from “the faith chapter,” Hebrews 11. Does stepping out in faith, trusting God ensure “good outcomes,” as we think about it?
4. List three ways the second group might have stepped out in faith and paid a price:
a. ___________________________________
b. ___________________________________
c. ___________________________________
5. Has God been speaking to you about stepping out in faith? About what?
6. Is this a “crisis of faith” for you?
7. Are there some “baby steps” of faith you can take today?
8. Submit yourself to God. Submit this challenge to God. Ask God to give you the faith to follow Him.