“Looking for More in Your Experience

of God?”

Greater Rochester Medical Community Christian FellowshipSaturday, October 18, 2014

LOOKING FOR MORE IN YOUR EXPERIENCE OF GOD?"You may have been frustrated in your Christian experience because you know God has a more abundant life for you than you have experienced so far.

Perhaps you have been a believer for many years, but your Christian life has become dry and monotonous. Maybe you have heard others excitedly talking about what God is doing in their lives, and you long to have a dynamic walk with God too.

Or you may earnestly desire God's directions for your life and ministry.

You may have experienced tragedy in your life. Standing bewildered in the middle of a broken life, you don't know what to do." - Henry Blackaby in “Experiencing God”

Level 1: Animal Happiness• food, sleep, sex, shelter, health,

money, things, porn, smoking, EtOH, drugs

• Can these things become boring and/or lead to unhappiness?

4 Levels of Happiness (or Contentment)

Level 2: Accomplishments (self focused)• exams, awards, work, reach a goal, graduation, win a competition, complete your “To Do” list

• How long does this happiness last? • Can it lead to unhappiness?

Level 3: Relationships (others focused)• Spouse, significant other, kids, relatives,

friends, co-workers, patients (giving to pts. beyond the call of duty)

• volunteering, donating, giving your 3 T’s: Time, Talent, Treasure

We all have a need to be needed

• Can Level 3 turn into unhappiness?

1. Animal Happiness2. Accomplishments / Self3. Relationships / Others4. Foundation

Physicians live in a world of constant stress – busy schedules, long hours, & the ever-present potential of malpractice claims.

What’s a big contributor to burn-out?

BUT – according to research on 700 marriages, these issues are not the basis of physician burn-out.

Instead, physicians suffer burn-out “when their relationships with the people they work with and live with fill with conflict, causing tension, feelings of inadequacy, obsessive worry, or social anxiety.”

- Dillow J and Dillow L, Intimacy Ignited. 2004, p55-56

GOD

me spouse

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

As you and your spouse (or other family member or friend) grow closer to God, you’ll grow closer together and strengthen your relationship.

Level 4: Foundation (God focused)• It’s your faith. • It’s that part of you that no one can take

away.• It gives you purpose, guides you in

uncertain times and helps you through the storms of life.

4 Levels of Happiness

How do we

strengthen our foundation and

know God by experience?

ROOTS & FRUITS – Where is your focus?

“Many people long for God to do a significant work in their life. However, they try to bypass the love relationship.” – Henry Blackaby in “Experiencing God”

• To strengthen your roots and

experience God in a new and refreshing way, I encourage you to read and answer all the questions in the “Experiencing God” member book (workbook) by Henry Blackaby, Richard Blackaby and Claude King (www.Lifeway.com).

• It will be a faith lifting, life changing experience!

• The book is available today at cost - $19 (can pay later)

• I have no financial interest or other reasons to recommend this book. God has used it to make a big impact in my life and I just want to let you know about this useful resource. If you have any questions or if there’s anything I can do to help, please let me know. - David Holmes, MD 716-697-1884 dholmes@buffalo.edu

My prayer is that God will use the Experiencing God workbook and the Prayer Journal to:

• help you with whatever you may be struggling with

• renew you • deepen your love relationship

with God• help you to hear and obey God

when He speaks to you• help you to experience God in

new and refreshing ways

Prayer Journal

The 7 Realities that will help you to know God by experience are:

1. God is always at work around you2. God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real

and personal3. God invites you to join Him in His work4. God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer,

circumstances and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes and His ways

5. God's invitation for you to join Him always leads to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action

6. You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing

7. You come to know God by experience God as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work through you

from “Experiencing God”

“We must make major adjustments in our lives in order to join God in what He is doing.”

– 6th reality of Experiencing God

“Jesus said to them, ‘Why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not do what I say?’” – Luke 6:46We show our love for God by obeying Him and what He’s telling us to do “. . . by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, the church And circumstances. . .” - 4th reality of Experiencing God

Then . . . “We will come to know God by experience as we obey Him and He accomplishes His work through us”- 7th reality of Experiencing God

Our schedule should reflect our love for God and our stated priorities. Therefore, consider using this diagram (in center of the Prayer Journal) as a guide when making your schedule.

Love Relationship with God

Specifics: • prayer and prayer walks• Worship• Bible reading• spiritual journaling• memorizing scripture• going through “Experiencing God” workbook

Church5 key aspects of church involvement (essential responsibilities that help us grow):

1. Worshipping 2. Serving3. Tithing4. Encouraging5. Having close fellowship & accountability (small group)

Specifics: • attend church weekly• serve regularly • give $ generously• take the initiative to greet & encourage others you see at church (not

just friends)• participate in small group Bible studies, youth group or groups for

men/women

Family

Goalslove, respect, helping & serving each other, open & honest communication, responsibility, fun, spiritual and emotional growth

Specifics: • eat meals together• speak with respect and a kind tone of voice• share what’s going on in our lives• be honest• pray and read God’s Word together• take the initiative to do chores and other things that need to be

done clean up after yourselves• do fun things together

Personal Responsibilities and Commitments

Specifics:• work• ministry• healthy eating• exercise• sleep• school• sports• music lessons• other activities

Personal Fun and Relaxation

Specifics: • time with friends• leisure reading• shopping• electronics (TV, movies, phone, video games,

Instagram, websites, etc.)• other

R U Totally ? Committed to God

Whatever God asks you to do, will you do it?

0 YES0 NO0 Maybe

• “Lord, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. Sever any tie but the tie that binds me to Thyself.”

- David Livingstone, 19th century missionary in Africa

I commit to demonstrate my love for God and commitment to Him by . . .

• At the back of the Prayer Journal, please check whichever items you want to commit to doing and then sign at the bottom.

• If your goal is to love God with your whole being and to obey Him no matter what, then adjust your schedule to do whatever it takes to develop deep roots and have a close walk with God.

• God is far more concerned with our walk with Him than He is with us getting a job done for Him. – Henry Blackaby paraphrased

• Focus on your roots,

not your fruits