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How do we personally experience GOD?
The first experience that I had with God was when I was a young child, I had a desire to learn the Lords prayer, and the 23rd Psalms. I memorized them both, and I feel that was the Lord leading me, even then. I also, wanted to save my change, and send it to Bro. Oral Roberts, who was a young evangelist at the time. I saved untill I had a dollar, and then sent it. I still have his letter today, thanking me for the $1.00. That is no much today, but, for a child, in the early 60's from a poor family, it was a lot.
Later, we went to a church that believed in what they call "praying thru", which is simply praying until you get a touch from God, then, you know that you know that he is real, and you no longer doubt it, but, they didn't do it for that reason, they did it because they desired to feel and experience his touch, and that church was a Spirit filled one, so, it was a normal thing for one to do. I tried when I was about 10 years old to pray thru, but, somehow, I didn't make it. Later, I drifted away from church for many years, living life my way, without Gods influence.
Until...
June of 1985, when God brought me to the end of myself, and I was so empty that I called out to God, saying a small, but, sincere prayer : God, is there nothing else in this world for me? That was my heart cry, because I had experienced most things that the world had to offer, a good business, a new home, new furniture, new car, a loving husband, 2 beautiful children, but, I was just empty inside. When I prayed that prayer, or you might say, thought, since it was not very long, not like you would normally think of prayer. Overnight, God changed me. When I woke up the next morning, I knew that I wanted to go to church, and I knew where. God also gave me a hunger for his word, and I stayed in it, for several years, constantly, I just couldn't seem to get enough of it. My first bible, is written in, a lot, because I was getting answers to questions that I didn't even know that I had. From there, I could write a book. Believe that he is real, and seek him for your self. You will never be sorry !!!
Richard Foster wrote a book called 'Streams of Living Water' where he looks at how different types of character and different traditions experience God in different ways. He argues that only when all these six traditions get together will we really experience God fully, but he does recognise that different people naturally go for one or two of the styles. I've cut and pasted a summary of the traditions here. It's a bit heavy, but it may help:
The Contemplative Tradition is the prayer-filled life, yearning for "a richer, fuller practice of the presence of God."
The Holiness Tradition focuses "upon the inward re-formation of the heart and the development of ‘holy habits’" to the end of addressing "the erosion of moral fiber in contemporary society."
The Charismatic Tradition focuses "upon the empowering charisms or gifts of the Spirit and the nurturing fruit of the Spirit."
The Social Justice Tradition is a "compassionate way of living" that "focuses upon justice and shalom in all human relationship and social structures" and "addresses the gospel imperative for equality and magnanimity among all peoples".
The Evangelical Tradition "focuses upon the proclamation of the evangel, the good news of the gospel" and addressing "the crying need for people to see the good news lived and hear the good news proclaimed."
The Incarnational Tradition "focuses upon making present and visible the realm of the invisible spirit," addressing the "crying need to experience God as truly manifest and notoriously active in daily life."
Cut and paste over...
So, do any of those traditions 'click' with you? Maybe that's the way God wants you to experience Him. And, to all of us Christians, do any of the traditions seem weird or wrong? Maybe we just need to learn that God made us more varied than we realise... Maybe we need to try something new? (I had to think and pray hard about some of them, when I read the book.)
Everyone personally experiences him differently...
each of us... has something called.. a calling... which is... where you're called to do something like... sing... act... preach... reachout to others... anything... and usually... we experience him through that... but there's so many ways to experience him... you do... everyday actually... if you think about it.
Jump in and get your feet wet !!!
Seek him, while he may be found.
Knock and the door will be opened unto you.
He is Spirit, and is seeking those who will worship him in spirit and truth.
For this purpose, we were created ...
We worship all kinds of things...
while it ought to be our creator...
He is waiting... for you !!!
I believe there are many ways to experience God. Reading about Him is one. Others are praying, praising,singing, dancing, and worshipping.I have experienced God in many ways but I believe that the best way I experienced Him is by placing my faith in Him and releasing all my doubt. That is when you receive all that God has to give.
it depends on the person really, no one can answer that but you.
pray and keep reading the bible and the answer will come to you
well all I have to say is it really depends what you want to believe in
