Friday, June 08, 2007

358 - Mr. Linky's Believing God.

This is the first hopefully the first of many linky things from the Bible study series by Beth Moore called Believing God. Each Friday I will be posting about the weeks homework and the video that my group (and you too if you have it) have just watched the night before. So here goes...
First of all, since we ended our study last night on our faces before the Lord, I think it is only right to begin that way today. So before you go any further, crawl out of your comfy chair and hit the floor, I mean on your face, head in the carpet, and arms spread out. Humble yourself and submit to His plan and will today. Worship Him, praise Him, and then after a time of silence and listening, cry out to Him. Beg Him to speak to you, bind Satan from your time today with Him, loose the blessings from Heaven He has been waiting for you to ask for, and then praise and worship some more. OK - it is my turn..........I will be right back. Boy, that was wonderful.
"Our faith will never be stronger than the God we perceive." Oh read that again... The video last night was about Believing God is who He says He is. Knowing who God is and who He says He is and then actually believing that is paramount in your walk of faith. Like the quote above says, if you believe you have a healing God like He says He is - Jehovah Raphe - then that is going to shape how you live and pray - you will walk in faith and that faith will be strong and obvious when sickness or that lack of wellness in any form is present. But if you are not sure if
He heals anymore or you don't even recognize that He is Jehovah Raphe, then your days of sickness will be spent in deep pain and worry. Even if He chooses not to heal in this lifetime, there is an abundance of peace we have gained by knowing that He could and IS Jehovah Raphe. First of all we must figure out WHO HE IS.
There is a huge problem when we just go on hearsay as to WHO God is. Others told you He really doesn't care that much about details. Others told you He only hears the giants of the faith. Others told you He only blesses those that are good enough. Others told you He is not working like that anymore. Other told you He cannot forgive that much and will certainly hold it against you. Here is the terrible thing - "others" or those watching us, when we are the "other", don't even have to use words to tell someone about your God. Our actions or "their" actions reveal what we believe, in whom we have our faith, the extent of our faith, and who we think God is. All without speaking one word.
If we do not take the time to Know Him from His word, then we are setting ourselves up to serve, worship, even submit to something that is anything but our Lord. We have created an idol. Beth Moore went on and on last night drilling in the point of how we make God out to be what we perceive instead of what He really is. And when we think we have Him figured out - He is bigger, greater, more glorious, and even more awe-inspiring! This is where I want to sit and begin the questions for "Your Turn".
1) Who was the God you were presented to as young child or new believer?
2) When problems arose was that god useful - could you put any faith in that perception of God?
3) "Faith that remains unchallenged ordinarily remains unchanged", Moore. What are your challenges in the past or present that are shaping not only your faith, but possibly your perception of who God is?
4) I am sure we will not ever completely KNOW Him until we see Him face to face. So what is He convicting you about now - are you worshipping an idol god that has been created in man's image? or are you worshipping Him - who He says He really is?
5) Go to Jer. 10:4-6. Do you have a scarecrow? What is it adorned with? Pray now asking God to really reveal Who He is in your life! There is none like Him.
OK girls, maybe a guy out there too, here is what i think you are suppose to do. Copy and Paste this post into your blog post and then answer the questions. If you don't have a blog - i still want to hear from you and I know who you are - just leave a comment. Make sure you sign up under the Mister Linky so that I and everyone else can come and glean from your knowledge, wisdom, and vulnerability. I can not wait to see what He is going to do with you through this. Let's get the whole blogging world on this. Let's Believe God can sweep across all boundaries and denominations to know Him more! Hopefully the Believing God button is coming soon. Send this to everyone in your blogging world. I am Believing God for at least 50 Mr. Linky connections. (PS. Anyone know how to make spell check correct my lower case "i's" so that i look a bit more intelligent... not a good typer unlike Dori, speedy girl.)
Final question - What are you believing God for right NOW?

6 comments:

ThreeGirlyGirls said...

Hey Girl! Are we supposed to leave our answers on our blog or on here?

Kate said...

I enjoyed your post. I'm fairly new at this and I don't quite get it, but I am trying.
1)As an infant I was abandoned and ended up in the home of Pentecostal believers...the God they knew remained as songs within my heart when I was torn from them at 4 years of age. I knew God as songs that carried me through the torture of my childhood.
2)Yes, there were many problems, and the God I knew at least kept me from going crazy.
3) Challenges today? Whew. I was just informed that the company I work for has sold and all jobs will be eliminated by EOY. My perception of who God is hasn't changed...though I have a relationship with Him now that I didn't as a child. I know the Lord will bring me through, but I knew that as a teen and I still lived on the streets, so though I know He will bring me through, I fear living on the streets again.
4) I hope that I worship who He really is and I do my best not to lift anything up before God, but I am also keenly aware of my imperfections and the battle that wages in my heart when the things so readily accepted by others contends with my faith and desire to serve God.
5) I am my own scarecrow. That's hard to explain, but when it comes to trusting God and trusting self, I just don't understand God so I lean on myself. I am adorned with pride at times, but humility at other times when God shows me that my way doesn't work...listen longer...obedience is the better way.

AK said...

Leigh, thank you so much for your encouragement. You just have no idea how much of a blessing it was. I'm so excited that God is speaking to you through Beth. I've done 2 of her studies before and learned so much from them. I discovered the other day that lifeway offers believing God as an online study...so I may be joining you in this shortly. I'm still praying about it though. Anyway, just wanted you to know how much I appreciated your encouragement. Have a great week!

Leah said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Leah said...

Leigh,
I just tried again to add you to bloglines and it worked! Please don't post my earlier comment.
Leah

Deborah said...

LEIGH where are you girl your last post was on friday and its already tuesday, i miss your words of wisdom. love always me