Category Archives: theology

Experiencing God Day 1

Posted on by shannonrainwater

Military pilots and civilian alike are trained to know what the gauges are saying. They know to trust them. When I was going through Naval Aircrewman school, we went through what was known as the “Spin and Puke”. It was a pod in which you sat in that was allowed to spin left and right as well as around in a big circle with other pods. There was a joystick on a display pad so that when asked you had to determine what angle you thought your wings were at. The instructors spun the machine so that we were disoriented, hence the “Spin” part and then they spun the individual pods, hence the “Puke” part. No I didn’t puke or hear of anyone in my class puke but I can see why they would call it that. The objective of this was simply to let you experience that your body is not meant to fly. After spinning around we were asked to indicate where do we “feel” the wings should be at. Then they would reveal that the tilting that we felt was totally opposite and sometimes we were stopped. In an aircraft, the forces being felt by your body tricks your brain into thinking that the wings are in a left turn when in fact the wings are actually in a right turn. This obviously could lead to a very dangerous situation. So to counter this “feeling”, the pilots are trained to rely on the flight gauges. The gauges never lie and can be trusted. (I do realize that there can be some mechanical and electrical failures that could lead the gauges wrong but in most situations they worked.)

When we as Christians go through our daily lives, we tend to live by our “feelings”. Then we wonder “What is God’s will for me today?” Often we get no reply. Do we hear God’s voice? Do we trust it when we do? How do we hear it? Audibly? This series on Experiencing God we are going to explore what it means to really get closer to Him. Just as the helicopter pilots that I flew with learned to trust their instruments and distinguish their feelings versus what the helicopter is doing, we will distinguish God’s voice and will for our lives. So without further adieu lets look at the book. If you do not have the book then just follow along with my lead. I’ll post a link later for you to order the book. It would be advisable to keep a journal while doing this Bible study. You will need to answer questions as we go along. Don’t worry I will never them and neither will anyone else, unless you share them. Also, writing your answers in a journal will help you review if you happen to miss a day or two. You will notice progress in your walk with Christ as you look back in your answers.

1. When you come to the Lord Jesus to seek His will for your life, which of the following requests is most like what you ask? Check your response.

  •       Lord, What do you want me to do? When you do you want me to do it? How shall I do it? Where shall I do it? Who do you want me to involve along the way? And please tell me what the outcome will be.
  •       Lord, just tell me what to do one step at a time, and I will do it.

You know many of us just wants to know the place where God wants us to go and we will find the way there. Instead we should let our response correspond to the second one. It’s almost like we were taken to the amusement park by our parents and then told to meet back up at a certain time. We rode every ride that we saw first and stood in long lines just to ride to best ones. However, our parents saw the big picture and wanted us to experience the whole park by following a certain path. You see, when we follow our own path we miss the blessings of the whole. Who is it that really knows the way for you to go to fulfill God’s purpose in your life? God is. Jesus said, “I am the Way.”

If you were to do everything that Jesus tells you one day at a time, do you suppose that you always would be right in the center of where God wants you to be?

The book tells of how Abram (later to be renamed Abraham) followed GOd one day at a time. God told him to go to a land that I will show you.

Gen 12:1-5  The LORD said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.  (2)  I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  (3)  I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.  (4)  So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran.  (5)  He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated, and the people he had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,

How specific was God? He just told Abram to go. Where? “To a land where I will show you.” Are you ready to follow God in that way? (This is a good time for journal reflection)

God is more likely to call you one day at a time rather than giving you the whole details.

Please comment on this material. I take each comment serious. It only makes it better.

Experiencing God Day 1

Posted on by shannonrainwater

Military pilots and civilian alike are trained to know what the gauges are saying. They know to trust them. When I was going through Naval Aircrewman school, we went through what was known as the “Spin and Puke”. It was a pod in which you sat in that was allowed to spin left and right as well as around in a big circle with other pods. There was a joystick on a display pad so that when asked you had to determine what angle you thought your wings were at. The instructors spun the machine so that we were disoriented, hence the “Spin” part and then they spun the individual pods, hence the “Puke” part. No I didn’t puke or hear of anyone in my class puke but I can see why they would call it that. The objective of this was simply to let you experience that your body is not meant to fly. After spinning around we were asked to indicate where do we “feel” the wings should be at. Then they would reveal that the tilting that we felt was totally opposite and sometimes we were stopped. In an aircraft, the forces being felt by your body tricks your brain into thinking that the wings are in a left turn when in fact the wings are actually in a right turn. This obviously could lead to a very dangerous situation. So to counter this “feeling”, the pilots are trained to rely on the flight gauges. The gauges never lie and can be trusted. (I do realize that there can be some mechanical and electrical failures that could lead the gauges wrong but in most situations they worked.)

When we as Christians go through our daily lives, we tend to live by our “feelings”. Then we wonder “What is God’s will for me today?” Often we get no reply. Do we hear God’s voice? Do we trust it when we do? How do we hear it? Audibly? This series on Experiencing God we are going to explore what it means to really get closer to Him. Just as the helicopter pilots that I flew with learned to trust their instruments and distinguish their feelings versus what the helicopter is doing, we will distinguish God’s voice and will for our lives. So without further adieu lets look at the book. If you do not have the book then just follow along with my lead. I’ll post a link later for you to order the book. It would be advisable to keep a journal while doing this Bible study. You will need to answer questions as we go along. Don’t worry I will never them and neither will anyone else, unless you share them. Also, writing your answers in a journal will help you review if you happen to miss a day or two. You will notice progress in your walk with Christ as you look back in your answers.

1. When you come to the Lord Jesus to seek His will for your life, which of the following requests is most like what you ask? Check your response.

  •       Lord, What do you want me to do? When you do you want me to do it? How shall I do it? Where shall I do it? Who do you want me to involve along the way? And please tell me what the outcome will be.

  •       Lord, just tell me what to do one step at a time, and I will do it.

You know many of us just wants to know the place where God wants us to go and we will find the way there. Instead we should let our response correspond to the second one. It’s almost like we were taken to the amusement park by our parents and then told to meet back up at a certain time. We rode every ride that we saw first and stood in long lines just to ride to best ones. However, our parents saw the big picture and wanted us to experience the whole park by following a certain path. You see, when we follow our own path we miss the blessings of the whole. Who is it that really knows the way for you to go to fulfill God’s purpose in your life? God is. Jesus said, “I am the Way.”

If you were to do everything that Jesus tells you one day at a time, do you suppose that you always would be right in the center of where God wants you to be?

The book tells of how Abram (later to be renamed Abraham) followed GOd one day at a time. God told him to go to a land that I will show you.

Gen 12:1-5  The LORD said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.  (2)  I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  (3)  I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.  (4)  So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran.  (5)  He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated, and the people he had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,

How specific was God? He just told Abram to go. Where? “To a land where I will show you.” Are you ready to follow God in that way? (This is a good time for journal reflection)

God is more likely to call you one day at a time rather than giving you the whole details.

Please comment on this material. I take each comment serious. It only makes it better.

Experiencing God Day 1

Posted on by shannonrainwater

Military pilots and civilian alike are trained to know what the gauges are saying. They know to trust them. When I was going through Naval Aircrewman school, we went through what was known as the “Spin and Puke”. It was a pod in which you sat in that was allowed to spin left and right as well as around in a big circle with other pods. There was a joystick on a display pad so that when asked you had to determine what angle you thought your wings were at. The instructors spun the machine so that we were disoriented, hence the “Spin” part and then they spun the individual pods, hence the “Puke” part. No I didn’t puke or hear of anyone in my class puke but I can see why they would call it that. The objective of this was simply to let you experience that your body is not meant to fly. After spinning around we were asked to indicate where do we “feel” the wings should be at. Then they would reveal that the tilting that we felt was totally opposite and sometimes we were stopped. In an aircraft, the forces being felt by your body tricks your brain into thinking that the wings are in a left turn when in fact the wings are actually in a right turn. This obviously could lead to a very dangerous situation. So to counter this “feeling”, the pilots are trained to rely on the flight gauges. The gauges never lie and can be trusted. (I do realize that there can be some mechanical and electrical failures that could lead the gauges wrong but in most situations they worked.)

When we as Christians go through our daily lives, we tend to live by our “feelings”. Then we wonder “What is God’s will for me today?” Often we get no reply. Do we hear God’s voice? Do we trust it when we do? How do we hear it? Audibly? This series on Experiencing God we are going to explore what it means to really get closer to Him. Just as the helicopter pilots that I flew with learned to trust their instruments and distinguish their feelings versus what the helicopter is doing, we will distinguish God’s voice and will for our lives. So without further adieu lets look at the book. If you do not have the book then just follow along with my lead. I’ll post a link later for you to order the book. It would be advisable to keep a journal while doing this Bible study. You will need to answer questions as we go along. Don’t worry I will never them and neither will anyone else, unless you share them. Also, writing your answers in a journal will help you review if you happen to miss a day or two. You will notice progress in your walk with Christ as you look back in your answers.

1. When you come to the Lord Jesus to seek His will for your life, which of the following requests is most like what you ask? Check your response.

  •       Lord, What do you want me to do? When you do you want me to do it? How shall I do it? Where shall I do it? Who do you want me to involve along the way? And please tell me what the outcome will be.

  •       Lord, just tell me what to do one step at a time, and I will do it.

You know many of us just wants to know the place where God wants us to go and we will find the way there. Instead we should let our response correspond to the second one. It’s almost like we were taken to the amusement park by our parents and then told to meet back up at a certain time. We rode every ride that we saw first and stood in long lines just to ride to best ones. However, our parents saw the big picture and wanted us to experience the whole park by following a certain path. You see, when we follow our own path we miss the blessings of the whole. Who is it that really knows the way for you to go to fulfill God’s purpose in your life? God is. Jesus said, “I am the Way.”

If you were to do everything that Jesus tells you one day at a time, do you suppose that you always would be right in the center of where God wants you to be?

The book tells of how Abram (later to be renamed Abraham) followed GOd one day at a time. God told him to go to a land that I will show you.

Gen 12:1-5  The LORD said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.  (2)  I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  (3)  I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.  (4)  So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran.  (5)  He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated, and the people he had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,

How specific was God? He just told Abram to go. Where? “To a land where I will show you.” Are you ready to follow God in that way? (This is a good time for journal reflection)

God is more likely to call you one day at a time rather than giving you the whole details.

Please comment on this material. I take each comment serious. It only makes it better.

Welcome to Bible Grounds

Posted on by shannonrainwater

Welcome to the very first post to Bible Grounds. I want to introduce the intent of this blog and explain some of the background to its making.

First “Why in the world did you name it ‘Bible Grounds’?”? Well, I think it starts with my fascination with coffee. When I was in the Navy I fell in love with the dark nectar of roasted legumes. I jumped on the band wagon when the coffee craze was beginning to become popular in the early 90’s. It started when my brother was hanging out with some friends and they invited me to a small coffee shop in the historic Marietta square in Marietta, GA. They introduced me to new ways and forms of coffee that I had never fathomed. I was hooked. I became a junkie and craved to know all about this wonderful elixir. Cappuccino, espresso, macchiato, and café au lait were becoming mere peasant drinks. I wanted the exotic. It wasn’t until I was stationed in Sicily that I really experienced the best of the best. Before this time my goal in life was to drink a cappuccino while sitting underneath the Eiffel Tower. My chance came when my squadron deployed to the North Atlantic and I took a trip to Paris. I walked right up to the enormous hunk of steel that towered above many tiny café around the area. Immediately I ordered a coffee from the first place I came to. I carefully cradled this cup and sat almost dead center of the Tower. My dream goal is actually taking place but something was missing. I could not figure it out. I looked around to enjoy the scenery and somehow it just seemed normal. I thought for sure that this would be something magical. It turned out that the seat wasn’t comfortable, the coffee was terrible, and something smelled like a New York Subway. Urine!!! Yuck!!! I probably would have been better off drinking 7-11 coffee in East Atlanta looking at a picture of the Eiffel Tower.

I know what you are wondering right now. “Why in the world did he just tell us about COFFEE and not answer our question?” In a way I did, I just didn’t tell you that the “Grounds” in the title is a double meaning. You see, after learning about brewing coffee properly it is all about the type of ground you have. The finer the ground the richer the coffee or better put it is the better tasting. “Grounds” also refers to the earth. Get it? Yes, I said it refers to the earth … ground… floor… what you are standing on right now.

The other part of the title is a simple explanation. Bible, it is God’s word. It is the basis to everything that I do. It is my guidebook, my reference. This blog and everything about it WILL be based on the Holy Scriptures.

So to put the two together, Bible Grounds, you can get the mission of this blog. I will do a lot of play on words with the different sections to come, i.e. Breakfast with God (morning devotional that will guest star a feature coffee recipe).

There are many directions that I want to take this blog but for now it is in pilot phase. That is a term I stole from the media. It means that it is in testing. I want to reach a wide audience. Christian and Non-christian. So for now I am starting small. My team and I would love hear comments and suggestions on the topic for discussion.