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Knowing God Personally: The Foundation of the Christian Life
Experiencing God (Part 1)
About this episode
In this first episode, Dillon McCurdy and Drew Rogers begin a six-part series through Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby. They explore the foundational truth that experiencing God begins with a real, personal relationship with Him rather than religious activity, self-directed effort, or chasing a mystical version of God's will. This episode unpacks the difference between knowing God personally versus knowing facts about Him, how God still speaks today, the importance of spiritual markers, and the danger of building a self-initiated Christian life instead of joining what God is already doing.
Key takeaways
- The episode works through the first principle from Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God: God is already at work, and our job is to find where he is working and join him rather than start work for him and ask him to bless it.
- God has always been at work, is at work now, and will keep working after we are dead and gone, and he wants his church to grow and people to be saved more than we do, which shows how expendable we are in his kingdom.
- The shift is entering each day expecting God to be working, expecting that he wants to use us, and looking for the opportunities to join him instead of pushing our own agenda.
- Because we can only see the present while God sees past, present and future, both hosts argue for praying that God would give us "kingdom eyes" to see things from his perspective.
- Submitting to Jesus as Lord and King means laying aside our rights, which cuts against American instincts and shows up in churches where membership has become about the right to vote rather than covenanting with people.
- You recognize God at work by looking for things only God can do, such as drawing people to himself, revealing spiritual truth, and convicting people of guilt, and then adjusting your life and schedule to it the way Jesus did with Zacchaeus.
- Self-centeredness, busyness, and God working in a way that does not fit our understanding are the main reasons we miss it, so noticing is only half the job: pray and ask whether, when and how God wants you involved, and ask him for opportunities.
From the conversation
"God always has been at work in the world. He is now. And when I'm dead and gone, he is going to continue to be working."Pastor Drew Rogers
"It's not for me to try to do something for God and do a work for God. It's rather to identify and to see that he's working, where he's working, and then simply to join in that work."Pastor Drew Rogers
"I stop trying to push my own agenda upon God and try to get him to bless it. But instead, I enter each day with an expectation that God is working, that he desires to utilize me in that work, and that I'm looking for those opportunities to join him in his work."Dillon McCurdy
Scripture referenced
- "In losing everything, you will find your life" (paraphrased)
- "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done," from how Jesus taught us to pray (paraphrased)
- Romans 3 — "There's none righteous, there's none that seeketh after God"
- Zacchaeus in the tree, and Jesus saying "I'm going to your house today" (paraphrased)
- Jesus saying "I'm here to do the father's will" (paraphrased)
- Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar, and Joseph and Pharaoh, having dreams revealed to them (paraphrased)
- Jesus on the law — "He wasn't there to destroy it. He said, 'I'm come to fulfill it'" (paraphrased)
- The Levite and the priest who passed by the injured man on the road to Jericho (paraphrased)
- Isaiah telling the king to ask for any sign, and the sign given being "a virgin shall conceive and bring forth a son" (paraphrased)
- "He's not willing that any should perish" (paraphrased)
- "Pursue spiritual gifts" as a command of scripture (paraphrased)
- Matthew 6 — asking, seeking and knocking, cited as active verbs meaning continue to ask, seek and knock
- The parable of the importunate prayer, the person beating down the door asking a friend for bread (paraphrased)
- "You have not because you ask not" (paraphrased)
Mentioned in this episode
- Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby — the book the series is working through; the hosts recommend reading it and going through the workbook.
- Dr. Richard Blackaby — co-author of the book, scheduled as the guest for episode six, the capstone of the six-part series; a sequel to the book is said to be coming out in June.
- Blackaby's church, said to be in Saskatoon, Canada — the source of the example about setting a church budget well beyond their means and then operating in it by faith.
- Michael Williams and Pastor Jay Gosboro — close friends one host meets with every couple of months, with whom he prays that God would give them kingdom eyes.
- Bill Stregal — a friend described as having the opportunity to lead someone to the Lord almost every week, which the host credits partly to his asking God for opportunities to be a witness.
- "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" — hymn quoted for the line about the things of earth growing strangely dim.
- "We can't have church until the Holy Ghost shows up" — a southern gospel song quoted during the discussion of going through the motions.
- The Pursuit of God, mentioned as "maybe by Tozer" — named in passing as another book on pursuing God.
- ChatGPT — used to print a custom coloring sheet to go along with a Bible lesson for a five-year-old.
Discussion questions
Take it further
- Drew said that realizing how expendable we are in the kingdom of God changed how he views his life and ministry. Where have you been carrying work as though it depends on you?
- What is the difference in practice between starting something for God and asking him to bless it, and looking for where God is already working and joining him?
- The hosts prayed for "kingdom eyes." What is something in your life right now that you can only see from a human perspective, and what would it mean to ask God for his perspective on it?
- The episode listed things only God can do: drawing people to himself, revealing spiritual truth, causing people to see their need of a savior, convicting of guilt. Where have you seen one of those happen recently?
- The episode used the picture of a tea party with all the cups, dress-up and presentation but no actual tea. Where does that describe our church life, and would we like it if the Holy Spirit did show up?
- Self-centeredness was named as the number one reason we miss what God is doing, along with the line "if the devil can't make you bad, he'll make you busy." What in your schedule is most likely to make you miss a divine appointment this week?
- When you do notice God working, how would you go about asking him whether he wants you involved, and what would it look like to ask him for opportunities rather than wait for them?
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