1. “Looking for More in Your Experience of God?”
Celebrating Who God is and all He has done
Greater Rochester Medical
Community Christian Fellowship
Saturday, October 18, 2014

2. 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”

3. 4 Levels of Happiness (or Contentment)
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. 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?

5. 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?

6. What’s a big contributor to burn-out?
1. Animal Happiness 2. Accomplishments / Self 3. Relationships / Others 4. Foundation Physicians live in a world of constant stress – busy schedules, long hours, & the ever-present potential of malpractice claims.
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

7. 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.
GOD
me spouse

8. 4 Levels of Happiness 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.

9. How do we strengthen our foundation and know God by experience?

10. 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”

11. 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 (
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

12. Prayer Journal help you with whatever you may be struggling with
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

13. The 7 Realities that will help you to know God by experience are:
God is always at work around you
God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal
God invites you to join Him in His work
God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes and His ways
God's invitation for you to join Him always leads to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action
You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing
You come to know God by experience God as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work through you
from “Experiencing God”

15. “We must make major adjustments in our lives in order to join God in what He is doing.” – 6th 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.
“Jesus said to them, ‘Why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not do what I say?’” – Luke 6:46
We 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

16. Love Relationship with God
Specifics:
prayer and prayer walks
Worship
Bible reading
spiritual journaling
memorizing scripture
going through “Experiencing God” workbook

17. Church 5 key aspects of church involvement
(essential responsibilities that help us grow):
Worshipping
Serving
Tithing
Encouraging
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

18. Family
Goals
love, 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

19. Personal Responsibilities and Commitments
Specifics:
work
ministry
healthy eating
exercise
sleep
school
sports
music lessons
other activities

20. Personal Fun and Relaxation
Specifics:
time with friends
leisure reading
shopping
electronics (TV, movies, phone, video games,
Instagram, websites, etc.)
other

22. R U Totally ? Committed to God
Whatever God asks you to do, will you do it?
0 YES
0 NO
0 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

23. 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.

24. 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