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