An update to the multi-million-selling study, “Experiencing God — Knowing & Doing the Will of God,” was released June 1 by Lifeway Christian Resources.
Richard Blackaby, son of Henry Blackaby who wrote the original, taught from the new book, “Experiencing God In Everyday Life,” May 18–20 at The Cove at the Billy Graham Training Center in Asheville, South Carolina. Richard Blackaby is president of Blackaby Ministries International.
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He explained that the book isn’t a “sequel” to the initial publication since one doesn’t have to read it first, but is an attempt to answer questions people have raised and to “fill in the gaps.”
The most frequent question Blackaby said he receives about “Experiencing God” relates to hearing the voice of God.
“Moses only had one burning bush experience with the Lord,” Blackaby said. Now, “I think God whispers to us more than sending fire. We sense what He’s saying to us, and we know His peace and His pleasure when we obey Him.”
Blackaby acknowledged some who studied “Experiencing God” told him of personal renewal, but longed for another renewal and did the study again.
“This is fine, but I think God wants us to put into practice what we learn and grow toward maturity,” Blackaby said. “Every believer has ‘mountain top’ experiences of renewal and revival, but the mountain top is for preparation, not for retirement.
“Hopefully our church experience on Sunday is a mountain top, but Monday comes when we go to work with unlovely people or pass angry drivers on our commute. God is as much at work in the ordinary places of our lives, and we grow through our trials. We must strive to be a blessing even when we’re surrounded by curses.”
‘Grumpy old seniors’
Blackaby suggested many Christians have been the same for too long.
“Some of us have been Christians for 40 or 50 years, and this is marvelous,” he said. “But shouldn’t the Holy Spirit have made us more patient, more loving and more forgiving? We’re without excuse as older believers!
“Might we have become what our young people sometimes call ‘grumpy old seniors’?” Blackaby asked with a laugh.
“And we can’t assume that we’re spiritually mature even when we’re on the platform preaching, teaching or singing. Every Christian must develop good spiritual habits and earnestly seek to grow in faith.”
And it is not accurate to blame God for spiritual immaturity, Blackaby noted.
“I’ve heard some claim God just hasn’t brought them to maturity — but I think God won’t force us to be mature,” Blackaby asserted.
“Routine and habits can be good or bad, and it’s easy to fall into bad habits. We don’t typically ‘fall’ into godly habits. We choose them. We pray for ‘spiritual eyes’ to see the good things we can choose to do every day. And God can transform our bad habits.”
This is one reason the new study suggests a menu of short-term and long-term habits, Blackaby said.
“Readers can choose one or two each week and work on these. When we put godly choices together, we won’t believe the good things God will do in us.”
Life seasons
In addressing the seasons of life Blackaby said, “Solomon reminded us that ‘everything is beautiful in its time,’ and God wants to work through us in the various seasons of our lives.”
Blackaby suggested spring is a time for new things like education, careers and marriage; summer is a time of maturing; and fall is a time of harvest when the fruit is ripe.
“Good habits take us closer to spiritual maturity and harvest,” he said. “Of course, we think of winter as old age and death, but we also trust we’ll enter the spring of God’s eternal life. And heaven will be the fulfillment of all we’ve done to honor Him.”
But Blackaby also suggested those in “winter” can have new “springs.”
“God is always doing new things,” he declared. “And I know many retirees who take on new tasks and grow and serve God faithfully.”
Blackaby noted that a third generation of his family co-authored the new book — his sons Michael and Daniel. Daniel also assists with a weekly podcast called, “The Richard Blackaby Leadership Podcast.”
The Blackaby Ministries International website is Blackaby.org.
Looking forward to ‘leading a new study’
Jack Steeves started something new in retirement.
A deacon in a Baptist Church in Greensburg, Indiana, Steeves grew up in Saskatoon in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, where Henry Blackaby became pastor of Faith Baptist Church in 1970.
“I never met Henry, but I do remember hearing him once at a civic event we attended,” Steeves recalled. “My family attended another church, so we weren’t closely acquainted with the work at Faith.”
Steeves later married an American and enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving tours in Germany and South Korea. After retiring and settling in Indiana, someone gave him a copy of “Experiencing God,” and he asked his church about doing a study.
“They asked me to lead it, and I did two years ago,” Steeves said.
“It was a life-changing event for us. We’re a relatively small church, but our members ‘got outside the building.’ We now have a recovery ministry, a nursing home ministry and a weekly ministry at the county jail.
“Now I look forward to going back home and leading a new study of ‘Experiencing God In Everyday Life.’”
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