What an interesting week we’ve had, as we finish with Week Two One in a Million: Journey to Your Promised Land. Author Priscilla Shirer packs muck content in such a short lesson! Today’s lesson is about refreshment from God. In our wilderness journey, God provides. I found it fascinating that God provided 12 wells at Elim….and Israel consisted of 12 tribes. “God gave the weary, thirsty Hebrews exactly what they needed to suit their precise circumstances,” says Priscilla Shirer.

Last weekend I attended a worship event at my church, featuring Leeland, Matt Maher and Phil Wickham. The music was so powerful, I wanted to share some of it with you. Please enjoy the songs!

Prayer Requests

Replace your name with the words of Ephesians 3:17-20

May Christ may dwell in (your name)’s  heart through faith; and that (your name), being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that (your name) may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that (your name) asks or thinks, according to the power that works within (your name).

Priscilla Shirer Quotes

• God knows what’s required to refuel your tank and encourage you in your journey.
• God will refresh us by a river of His provision, He will provide healing places and oases for us.
• Our Father will remain mindful of us, knowing our needs and caring for us in the midst of our journey.
• He will never lead you into a place that will not work toward accomplishing His purpose for you.

Today’s Scripture Verses (NASB)

I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. Isaiah 41:18 (ESV)

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head. Psalm 3:3

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” John 7:38

Group Discussion

Please complete the exercise on page 52, writing the verses on an index card for encouragement when things get tough. Carry this with you in your purse.

Meditate on God’s wilderness as an oasis from Psalm 23, filled with still water and green pastures. Place yourself inside this oasis as you meditate.

Following Him,

God might want to minister to you in a miraculous way that you can experience through your five senses. -Priscilla Shirer

Last night before going to bed, I wrote about my wilderness journey and shared my disbelief in angels. I knew that by sharing this, God was going to teach me about angels. I have experienced His supernatural power in similar situations. Priscilla encourages us to keep a journal of God’s supernatural presence and His gifts to us….this will be the first one to write in my journal. We’re reading week two of One in a Million: Journey to Your Promised Land.

When I revealed my disbelief, God knew it was sincere. It would not help for another Christian to point to me and say “you have unbelief” because I needed to experience this myself in my journey. I revealed it to God, not so He would prove Himself to me, because that would be deceptive and an even bigger disbelief. I revealed it to God because it was true and I was sharing my heart with Him. God answered with a supernatural experience, for me to believe. It does not matter if you believe, because the experience was not for you, it was meant for me. I am only sharing this so you will understand how He appears and answers us during a wilderness journey.

Before going to bed, I asked my eight-year-old daughter if she believed in angels. She replied “angels are all around us, covering our body and protecting us from sin. They guard us like a layer. Right now there are my angels and your angels and they are covering both of us.” I asked if she could see them and she said no. I asked how she knows all this, did she learn this at school. She replied “it’s in my head. I just know it because it’s in my mind.” Children believe much easier than adults!

About 1:30 in the morning, I woke up to sounds in my bedroom. These were not the ordinary sounds that come from squirrels on my roof, these were sounds coming from my dresser, about three feet from my head. The sound was a light knocking noise, on the dresser. My initial reaction was to disbelieve what I was hearing. So the sound continued. My second reaction was absolute terror…..angels were in my room and revealing themselves to me….that’s major frightening! So the sound continued, and as I let go of my fear, I accepted that God was teaching me about angels. Once I felt His presence, My fear dissolved and I thanked Him for the experience and the knocking stopped.

In today’s lesson Priscilla writes about using our five senses to experience God. I do this constantly, using my eyes, ears, touch, taste and smell to know God. My eyes may see something unusual, such as two trees that appear to be dancing, while the surrounding trees are standing still without wind. My ears may hear God’s word as I listen to Christian music. My hands may feel God’s presence as I am touching an animal. My mouth may taste God as I eat my evening meal, sometimes eating as Jesus would eat so I experience more of Him. And I may smell God in the flowers that sit on my table. I’m not just reading about God in a Bible, I am experiencing God through my five senses. I was excited to read about this in today’s lesson….because it has been very real for me.

Normally I do not share my supernatural experiences in such a public way, visible on a blog. It will tempt some people to take the focus off God and Jesus, and place the focus on me, where it does not belong. I’m not some supernatural person with Biblical powers. I am simply a woman of God, who reads her Bible and experiences God through her five senses. I’m just like you!

Prayer Requests

Father God, we pray that the Holy Spirit will open our five senses so we see you moving in our lives in supernatural ways. As we walk in our wilderness journey, and you strip away any areas that are hampering intimacy with You, we come in obedience to You, willing to learn. Each woman in this Bible study has a unique relationship with You. We pray that those relationships are respected by others, not envied by others. We pray that those relationships are shared in learning, not in pride. We pray that each woman reading this will examine her own heart, not the heart of those in the Bible study small group. Father, we pray for your loving heart to reach our human lives….Amen.

Priscilla Shirer Quotes

• In His grace and His love for His feeble children, the Lord showed His presence so that they could be certain He was with them on the journey.
• God still chooses to display Himself to people today when, for reasons we’ll never know, He orchestrates nature or circumstances to dramatically show His presence.
• He can and will encourage us in our journey by allowing, when He sees fit, His children to have visible evidence of His working on our behalf.
• God might want to minister to you in a miraculous way that you can experience through your five senses.

Today’s Scripture Verses (NASB)

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17

But God’s angry displeasure erupts as acts of human mistrust and wrongdoing and lying accumulate, as people try to put a shroud over truth. But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can’t see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse. What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn’t treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand. Romans 1:20 The Message

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun. Psalm 19:1-4 NLT

Group Discussion

Have you experienced God in a supernatural way? If so, please share your experience. If you have not experienced Him in this way, what do you imagine your response would be….if you saw God’s supernatural presence? Would you believe, or wait for a jury of your peers to prove that it did or did not happen to you. Let’s start a conversation about this.

Following Him,

Welcome back to the Bible Cafe, we’re about to begin an interesting conversation based on One in a Million: Journey to Your Promised Land. Our lesson today is about God’s wilderness plan, based upon the 40 year journey with Moses.

In our lesson, we see that our wilderness journey has three key plans:

1. Purpose- testing our intentions, call to obedience
2. How-Humble us
3. Why-to strip away something, an obstacle to faith

I’ll use my own wilderness journey to demonstrate this.  In my journey, God intends to strip away my unbelief. I do not believe in angels, so if an angel sat in front of me saying “I’m an angel, a messenger of God” I would not believe him. In fact, if I saw an angel with fluttering white wings land before me on the car windshield, I would still not believe. God knows that I have this unbelief, so He intends to walk me through a wilderness journey to reveal this unbelief.

When you see the image I selected, you see why I remain in disbelief about angels. After a Christian education, I learned that angels are majestic, glowing in light, and playing a musical instrument. With this image, I would not believe an angel unless he looked like my image. This is my unbelief.  So God brings me into a wilderness journey, revealing my unbelief, so that I may be called to obedience.

When God sends an angel to speak, it is my belief and only my belief, as to whether or not I choose to believe. He shows me this and then He waits for me to see an obstacle to my faith. Angels are present in scripture, one of the most notorious is Satan. It’s easy for me to believe in Satan…I see evidence of his work all around me. Why then, it is more difficult for me to accept good angels, as messengers and protectors from God.

My answer is unbelief. I find it difficult to accept that God would love me that much, than He would send a messenger to speak to me. I can find many family members and friends who would prove this to me, citing evidence that an angel would never speak to someone they know. They love me and would be certain to convince me that angels are real, just not for me.

So God sends me into a wilderness journey, just God and me. He reveals my unbelief in angels, and then He waits. Do I really believe? Pride says an angel would never appear to me. Belief says all things are possible with God. That is a difficult wilderness journey.

It is my journey alone…and not relevant to my journey… for you to convince me about angels. God will do that for me. He wanted me to recognize my unbelief in angels.

Prayer Requests

Father God, you bring us into a wilderness journey so we may see, know and learn as children of the Lord. The journey is designed for your purpose as you strip away our obstacles to faith. We pray for you to bring us into a wilderness where we see, hear, and know You through the journey. Give us discernment through the Holy Spirit and reveal to us those things that need to be peeled away. God, we come to you with open and willing arms….we are in Your Presence with willing ears and hearts. Speak to our minds through scripture, and guide us through the wilderness journey. In the name of your son Jesus, we pray.

Priscilla Shirer Quotes

• Moses encouraged them not to forget that God was the source of all good things.
• The key to taking full possession of the land God promised was obedience.
• The Lord used the Israelite’s time in the desert to strip from them any pride that might keep them from blossoming into the submissive, teachable people He desired.

Today’s Scripture Verses (NASB)

“He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD. “Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. Deuteronomy 8:3-4

Group Discussion

If you have been in a wilderness, or are in one now, what do you think God is stripping away in you? If you are unsure, please pray before answering this question.

Following Him,

Welcome back to the Bible Cafe, as we continue our second week reading One in a Million: Journey to Your Promised Land. Today’s lesson is about God’s purpose and author Priscilla Shirer brings awareness to many Biblical characters who questioned God about their life purpose. We learn about Job’s story as seen in Job 42:5

My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.

The story of Job is one of extreme wilderness, and passionate faith during his many trials. Habakuk, Jonah and even Mary were mentioned in our study today, as they questioned God’s purpose. Priscilla reminds us that our questions should not overshadow the fact that God has the answers and the purpose. At the end of the lesson on page 39, we have the opportunity to rate how well our purpose aligns with God’s. We learn that sometimes we may be armed for the wrong battle, and the importance of keeping our eyes focused on God.

Prayer Requests

Father God, we pray for more intimacy with You so we may listen for Your purpose in our lives. Direct our steps as we follow You, help us to plan Your way. Amen.

Priscilla Shirer Quotes

• We must never allow our questions to overshadow the fact that God has all the answers.
• I struggle with keeping my purpose the same as God’s purpose.
• We must synchronize our primary purposes with God’s.

Today’s Scripture Verses (NASB)

Oh that my request might come to pass,And that God would grant my longing! Job 6:8

One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple. Psalm 27:4

The mind of man plans his way,But the LORD directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9

Group Discussion

Why is it difficult to experience intimacy with God?

Following Him,

We’re starting our second week reading One in a Million: Journey to Your Promised Land by Priscilla Shirer. Last week we learned about deliverance and this week we begin our study of development. If you are listening to the audio/video sessions, be sure to listen to Session Two: Welcome to the Wilderness. Priscilla has a great message about God’s plan for leading us INTO the wilderness…on purpose! If you never understood why bad things happen to good people….then you’ll want to listen to this audio session.

During the audio session, Priscilla repeatedly asks you to reflect on the journey God has asked you to walk through.Is there a specific place that God has called you to…your wilderness. Are you in a wilderness season right now? Do you intend to yield to the wilderness, and allow God to do His good work in you?

As mentioned by Priscilla, in wilderness living, we meet Him and see more of Him in our lives.

Prayer Requests

Father God, you carry us like a father carries His daughter…through the wilderness and storms of life, you are there beside us. We seek you in our darkest days, and you are there. We find you in our fear, and you offer strength. We feel your presence in our lives, and know that we are safe in your arms. Our heart’s desire is to experience this intimacy with you at ALL times…not just in our wilderness. May we yield to your love and your Spirit and experience you each day of our lives. May we feel you in every breath we take…and may we slow down….yield…and listen when You speak. Thank you God, for giving us the gift of your unfailing love….in wilderness…and in daily living. May your blessings blanket us with peace, joy, love, comfort, hope and faith. Amen.

Priscilla Shirer Quotes

• God often chooses a wilderness journey for us, to give us an opportunity to experience Him in  a way we might miss in a place of ease and convenience.
• The Lord often chooses a wilderness experience for us because His goal is to make us more dependent on Him.

Today’s Scripture Verses (NASB)

I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You. Job 42:5

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8

I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not in himself, Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. Jeremiah 10:23

Group Discussion

Are you presently in wilderness living, and if so, what are you doing to allow God into your journey? Please share a past or present wilderness experience.

Following Him,