Experiencing God

 Question 1. Reflect on your experience with God. Can you identify times when God was at work around you-and you knew it? Was there a time when God was working around you in past situations but you did not recognize it as God’s activity at the time? Just over a year ago, our area was hit by a severe flood. The week before we were hit by the tail end rains of Hurricane Irene. With the heavy rains, both the Chenango and Susquehanna rivers were high. The following weekend we had three days of rain. Even though the rain was not significantly heavy, the rivers were already swollen and the waters were continuing to rise. After a day of no rain, we were once again drenched. This time it was from the rains of Tropical Storm Lee.   The damage from the flooding in our area was twice as bad as the Flood of 2006. The flood impacted not only our area but also towns to the west and east of us. Even people who did not live near the rivers were also affected, since the creeks –most notably Th...

 Question 1. Do you believe God is at work around you right now? If so, what do you sense he is presently doing? Yes I believe that he is. He created the world for a purpose. It was not just a hobby that he ignored when it was completed. It is his perfect creation. Even though I do not see God, my spiritual eyes are open and I can see his work. The best example is on a clear night when I look up at the stars. I recognize that as God’s perfect creation.   Question 2. What has God done lately that provided you an opportunity to come to know him more personally than you had before?   There are so many things it will take a long time to write. I believe that God guides me throughout my life. When I became a Christian, it was the first semester at a community college. The previous semester, I had flunked out of a college. When I found out that I was academically dismissed, it was like it was the end of the world. However, I also knew that I could not give up on college. Theref...

 Question 1. Do you prefer to see yourself as a servant of God or a manager? What kind of servant are you for God? In man’s world, I prefer to be a servant than a manager. There are too many responsibilities on the manager’s head. I would rather be told what to do than telling somebody to do something. Therefore, I would rather be a servant for God, doing what God tells me to do.   In God’s perspective, I am not a good servant. I tell God what I want rather than asking him for things I need. If I do ask and do not like my answers, I get mad at God. I sometimes start the day fulfilling tasks I set out to do for God. However, there are times when I let worldly distractions get in my way and I do not allow time for God. As a married woman, I must practice the role of the serving wife. However, because of my selfish nature, I put my own needs ahead of my husband’s.   Question 2. Do you ever feel as if you are too ordinary or that you have failed too many times to be of use to...

 Question 1. Have you struggled to know God’s will? If so, what has been your biggest challenge? Yes, I always struggle to know why God put me on this world. I have a hard time knowing if it is God’s will or if it is self-centered. For example, one day I worked overtime and I had the strongest sensation to stop at a local Christian bookstore on the way home from work. It could have been God telling me to stop there and look for a specific book. Then again, it could have been a motivation to make me stop and buy something. Not sure, if it was God’s or my will, I did stop on the way home and looked around. I did not get any strong urges, so I was pretty sure that it was more of self-will than a God given will. I ended up not buying anything. So it is possible that God was testing me to see if I was going to spend money. I have been trying not to spend too much money on wants. This week, I had a couple bills that needed to be paid on. Therefore, I could not afford to spend money. It a...

 Question 1. Describe the experience that most permanently settled your belief in God’s love for you. What questions did you ask during your experience? Did God provide answers for your questions? How? And why not? Did you ever doubt God’s love during this experience? How can you be sure God loves you today? I can probably name many experiences and write a book about it, but I will write about when I first became a Christian. I grew up in a God-fearing community. So all my life I knew that God was a loving God. However, I was also brought up thinking that God was also an unforgiving God. This meant that if I sinned, I would go to Hell. Now I was a pretty good kid-most people would call me a teacher’s pet or a momma’s girl. However, after a few slips of the tongue and other small infractions, at the age of sixteen I was convinced that I was going to go to Hell. I could not live a truly happy life, because I was sure that I would be suffering eternally.   That all changed in my ...

 Question 1. Are you certain you are a child of God, that he has forgiven you of your sin? If not, stop right now and settle that matter with God. Yes, I am a Child of God and I know that he has forgiven me of my sins. However, there are times where I have my doubts. I do not deserve God’s forgiveness, mercy and love. When I have these doubts, I need to trust in the Lord God. Question 2. What in particular would you like to see God do in your life as you study Experiencing God? Do you long for a deeper walk with him? Do you need victory over a particular sin in your life? Do you desire more profound times in prayer reading God’s word? Would you like a deeper sense of joy in your life or to better understand God’s will? Ask God to address these specific issues as you read. I want to improve my relationship with God. Sometimes I feel that it is nonexistent. I have so much on my mind-such as finances, family issues and work issues-I tend to forget that God is with me. I want to change...