Knowing When God is Involved

TBNN has learned recently about a forthcoming book expected to top the religious charts in the coming months. We were able to obtain the review the publishers intend to use to promote the book:

***Review Begins Here***

Are you sick and tired of hearing lame cliches, feeling left out in the cold, knowing all along that failing to plan is planning to fail? Can't see the forest of your existence for the trees of daily grind? Well, you will never know any better if you don't try. There's no time like the present to learn. Get up off the couch, and learn the concepts of this book. It will stick to you like glue, and you'll sleep like a log.

Ten Steps to Knowing When God is Involved, written by Parker Rodley, is a powerful book. Yet it gently walks the reader through a 10-step plan of study. "Study" may not be the correct word. The book is not overrun with mind-wearying Bible verses, but is instead filled with easy to understand clarifications from Rodley's Biblical introspectiveness.

Designed to last for 10 weeks, Ten Steps to Knowing When God is Involved takes each spiritual cliche and explains it so that even the most spiritually immature person in your church can learn the correct time and the correct place to confidently speak truth.

The first 5 weeks are designed for the readers to realize the times that God has been involved in the lives of ordinary people-- their own lives. Readers memorize Step #1 and attempt to properly use the spiritual cliche at least one time per day for a full week. Regardless of how long it takes, readers should not proceed to Step #2 unless they have properly used the phrase from Step #1 at least seven times.

PART I: LEARNING TO RECOGNIZE GOD'S INVOLVEMENT

Step #1 "Those aren't goose bumps, those are God-bumps."

Step #2 "God carried me through that time."

Step #3 "God showed up today."

Step #4 "God works in mysterious ways."

Step #5 "It's a God thing."


PART II: ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO INVOLVE GOD

Step #6 "Let go and let God."

Step #7 "Make Jesus the Lord of your life."

Step #8 "Wait on the Lord (Timing is Important)."

Step #9 "We just need to step out on faith and let God do it."

Step #10 "Receive God's best."

The second 5 weeks are designed to assist readers in helping others learn the truth. Once we learn to learn, we should learn to teach. Encourage others to get God involved.

Clarence Jones recently finished the book during a personal 10-week Bible Study at home on Wednesday nights. "As I grew up, I never felt comfortable attempting to state these deeply spiritual truths. I was lost when it came to knowing how to get God involved in my life. Parker Rodley explains it so clearly."

An expanded outline with brief explanations follows:

Week #1: Those aren't goose bumps, those are God bumps

• When our skin tightens up, sometimes it's the work of God. This is the first step to recognizing God.

Week #2: God carried me through that time

• When we notice times in our lives where we have exhausted all of our own strength, yet we still made it through, we must recognize that God helped us in that particular situation.

Week #3: God showed up today

• Learn the type of days in which God shows up. If the worship center reached at least 85% capacity, and everyone truly came prepared for an emotional experience, there is a much higher chance that God was in the midst.

Week #4: God works in mysterious ways

• Knowing when to use this statement is important. This statement should only be used after a series of circumstances sometimes "coincidences" by the world. As we grow more spiritually mature, we are able to discern whether the so-called "coincidences" were really random or were truly a God-Thing (see Step #5).

Week #5: It's a God thing

• We have arrived at the highest level of personal spiritual maturity if we can learn to recognize when God purposefully controlled a situation vs. the times when things occurred without the need to involve God. After we learn to say "It's a God thing" at the proper time on a consistent basis, we are ready to begin teaching others.

Week #6: Let go and let God

• We grow when we help others release their strong grip on God. When God is free to work in lives within the world, we will all experience joy. This is the first God-involving lesson we should teach to others.

Week #7: Make Jesus the Lord of your life

• Learn to combine our votes for His Lordship with the votes of those around us. Learn to confidently ask others, "Why not give Him your vote of Lordship?" The best time to do this is when the spirit is as thick as pea soup during a revival service.

Week #8: Wait on the Lord

• Timing is important. After exhausting all of our own energy, we often find ourselves having failed. After speaking with friends and family and exhausting their energy also, is there anything left? Yes! When all other resources are gone, it's time to wait on the Lord.

Week #9: We just need to step out in faith and let God do it

• Learn the perfect time to make this statement during committee meetings or business meetings. When we are convincing enough, we can call for the vote, ending the meeting much more quickly despite any negative probing questions previously being discussed.

Week #10: Receive God's best

• Once we master the ability of allowing God to be at His best in our lives, we can encourage others to look forward to the same earthly blessings we have if they also take this final step in getting God involved.