Chapter 16: Addressing Deeper Fears About God
1. How have you overcome the reluctance to once again come to God with the ‘same sin’?
2. “This fear (that God isn’t good or fair) affects everything around us – our ability to get along with others, our sense of worth, our capacity to serve, our desire to talk to God.” (p. 111). Comments?
3. “Trying to understand God is a futile goal. Trying to control Him guarantees frustration.” (p. 111). What is your reaction to this quote?
4. In what ways does the author say we do not understand God’s goodness, anger, or mercy? (p. 112-114).
5. What does the author say on page 115 regarding how negative self-talk begins and the steps to overcome it?
6. Do the Questions to Ponder on pages 116-117.
Chapter 17: Believing God Loves Me
7. Have you wondered if God is compassionate enough to ‘put up with you’ or that he might ‘force you to go to Mongolia’? Where do these thoughts come from and how do you refute them? (p. 119).
8. “If you find yourself reluctant to enjoy God’s presence in certain moments of life, that might be a signal that you have fears about whether God loves you.” Does this resonate with your experience?
9. What are some ways God has used in your life to help you understand his love? When do you feel most loved by God?
10. “Believing God loves us equips us with a clear eyed acceptance of who we are.” Read the rest of this paragraph on page 121. Reaction?
11. How does totally accepting God’s love give you freedom?
Chapter 18: Revamping the “Quiet Time”
12. The author describes Duckworth’s facedown position of seeking God. Have you taken this or a similar position? Thoughts?
13. How is quiet time like batting practice (p. 126). Is there another simile comparison that fits your experience?
14. How do times of solitude with God change one? (p. 127). Have you experienced this? How can you create times of solitude in your life?
15. “Anytime we sense an anxious emptiness inside, this becomes a signal to spend time with God. . .” (p. 128). Comments?
16. Are there ways you currently worship God in your solitude with Him? Do you have favorite Psalms or passages that are pictures in your mind?
17. Do Questions to Ponder on page 131.
Epilogue: Read through and note significant points
Personal Challenge/Group Challenge
11/14/10
Enjoying the Presence of God, Chapters 13, 14, 15
Chapter 13: Hearing God
1. Can you share a recent experience of God speaking to you through his Word?
2. When have you seen in yourself either ‘Bible deism’ (p. 89) or the habit of coming to the Bible “searching for what we already understand or agree with ”rather than with “what do I need to know?’ (p. 88).
3. When have you had a reoccurring thought or heard an insight coming to you from several different directions that was a “candle of the Lord”?
4. Through what unconventional means, such as those listed on pages 90 – 92 has God spoken to you?
5. Which of the potential difficulties of hearing God have you struggled with? (p. 92-94).
6. In what ways do you need to obey, meaning listen, better?
Chapter 14: Being Present for Others
7. “Enjoying God’s presence as we interact with people teaches us to be present for people and to focus on who they are and what they are saying. It’s also more fun than working the crowd and more calming for anyone with a trace of shyness.” (p. 98). Comments? Amens from the introverts?
8. How would you change if you take seriously the idea of being a “subversive Christian whose outward role is a cover for the true role of prayer”?
9. How does viewing people as Jesus did change us and our prayers? (p. 99).
10. In what way is listening for others’ needs counter cultural? (p. 100).
11. Read and answer “Questions to Ponder” on page 101.
Chapter 15: Removing Stones in the Path
12. “If God is to dwell in our hearts with no rival, we have to look deeply at our passions and motives. If we do, we will often find that we seek God and something else. Before long this something else takes over.” Thoughts?
13. As you look through the lists on pages 103-107, have you fallen into any of these substitutes for God?
14. What are the four areas the author says are “static that interferes with God’s voice”? Which of these areas is God speaking to you about?
15 “One of the greatest helps in conversing with God is to weave confessions of our inner neediness in and out of our moment by moment conversations with God.” (p. 107). What are some of these confessions for you?
16. What begins to happen as we ‘dig the stones out of the path’? (p. 108).
17. Consider the prayer of confession by John Baillie on page 108, 109.
Personal Challenge/Group Challenge
1. Can you share a recent experience of God speaking to you through his Word?
2. When have you seen in yourself either ‘Bible deism’ (p. 89) or the habit of coming to the Bible “searching for what we already understand or agree with ”rather than with “what do I need to know?’ (p. 88).
3. When have you had a reoccurring thought or heard an insight coming to you from several different directions that was a “candle of the Lord”?
4. Through what unconventional means, such as those listed on pages 90 – 92 has God spoken to you?
5. Which of the potential difficulties of hearing God have you struggled with? (p. 92-94).
6. In what ways do you need to obey, meaning listen, better?
Chapter 14: Being Present for Others
7. “Enjoying God’s presence as we interact with people teaches us to be present for people and to focus on who they are and what they are saying. It’s also more fun than working the crowd and more calming for anyone with a trace of shyness.” (p. 98). Comments? Amens from the introverts?
8. How would you change if you take seriously the idea of being a “subversive Christian whose outward role is a cover for the true role of prayer”?
9. How does viewing people as Jesus did change us and our prayers? (p. 99).
10. In what way is listening for others’ needs counter cultural? (p. 100).
11. Read and answer “Questions to Ponder” on page 101.
Chapter 15: Removing Stones in the Path
12. “If God is to dwell in our hearts with no rival, we have to look deeply at our passions and motives. If we do, we will often find that we seek God and something else. Before long this something else takes over.” Thoughts?
13. As you look through the lists on pages 103-107, have you fallen into any of these substitutes for God?
14. What are the four areas the author says are “static that interferes with God’s voice”? Which of these areas is God speaking to you about?
15 “One of the greatest helps in conversing with God is to weave confessions of our inner neediness in and out of our moment by moment conversations with God.” (p. 107). What are some of these confessions for you?
16. What begins to happen as we ‘dig the stones out of the path’? (p. 108).
17. Consider the prayer of confession by John Baillie on page 108, 109.
Personal Challenge/Group Challenge
11/6/10
Enjoying the Presence of God, Chapters 10, 11, 12
Chapter 10: Enjoying God Between the Big Moments
1. What are some of your ‘in-between’ moments that you can invite God into?
2. “Our problem is not lack of time, but failure to value the moment and see God at work in it.” (p. 70). Is this true for you?
3. Are there ways you can live in the present moment with God “listening to a steady inner tempo instead of the drumbeat of circumstances” (p. 70).
4. How would the idea of tiny Sabbath’s work into your schedule? (p. 71, 72). Or do you have a rhythm of prayer in place already?
Chapter 11: Asking God Questions
5. “Submission to God is never easy to learn, but when we start asking God questions, we embark on a radically different way of life.” (p. 75). Comments?
6. “What is it within me that needs to change?” Why is this a foundational question to all other questions? (p. 77).
7. How does the asking and seeking shape our desires? (p. 78).
8. When we are alert to God’s answers what happens around us that we might have ordinarily missed? (p. 78).
9. Think about Questions to Ponder on page 80.
Chapter 12: Dreaming God’s Dreams
10. What is a question you can begin asking God about his dreams/plans for you?
11. Have you prayed for your ‘own agenda’ or used God as a ‘vending machine’? How can you change those prayers?
12. What is the process of knowing God’s will for your life?
13. “The Loving Presence does not burden us equally with all things but considerately puts upon each of us just a few central tasks.” (p. 84). Thoughts?
14. “What breaks your heart that breaks the heart of God?” “The inner sense of compassion is one of the clearest indications from the Lord that this is a prayer project for you.” (Quotes from page 85). What is God telling you?
Personal Challenge:
Group Challenge:
1. What are some of your ‘in-between’ moments that you can invite God into?
2. “Our problem is not lack of time, but failure to value the moment and see God at work in it.” (p. 70). Is this true for you?
3. Are there ways you can live in the present moment with God “listening to a steady inner tempo instead of the drumbeat of circumstances” (p. 70).
4. How would the idea of tiny Sabbath’s work into your schedule? (p. 71, 72). Or do you have a rhythm of prayer in place already?
Chapter 11: Asking God Questions
5. “Submission to God is never easy to learn, but when we start asking God questions, we embark on a radically different way of life.” (p. 75). Comments?
6. “What is it within me that needs to change?” Why is this a foundational question to all other questions? (p. 77).
7. How does the asking and seeking shape our desires? (p. 78).
8. When we are alert to God’s answers what happens around us that we might have ordinarily missed? (p. 78).
9. Think about Questions to Ponder on page 80.
Chapter 12: Dreaming God’s Dreams
10. What is a question you can begin asking God about his dreams/plans for you?
11. Have you prayed for your ‘own agenda’ or used God as a ‘vending machine’? How can you change those prayers?
12. What is the process of knowing God’s will for your life?
13. “The Loving Presence does not burden us equally with all things but considerately puts upon each of us just a few central tasks.” (p. 84). Thoughts?
14. “What breaks your heart that breaks the heart of God?” “The inner sense of compassion is one of the clearest indications from the Lord that this is a prayer project for you.” (Quotes from page 85). What is God telling you?
Personal Challenge:
Group Challenge:
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