Monday, February 08, 2010

When Heaven Comes Down: Experiencing God's Glory In Your Life by Che Ahn

This is a powerful book that ignited a new hunger for God in me – and continued a journey that I feel the LORD started me on within the past year, but that really began in my childhood. The knowledge that God is still moving in signs and wonders and is speaking and wants us to learn to hear Him loud and clear on a daily moment-by-moment basis. He wants us to have a relationship with him! And what does relationship involve? It involves getting to know each other (although He created me, so He already knows me even better than I know myself) – what does He like? What makes Him laugh? What delights His heart? What makes His heart break? How does HE see others around me that He also created? And trust me, it’s often a lot different from how I see them!

Che Ahn’s book begins as a testimony of what the LORD is doing right now around the world – many things that my own family has witnessed also. As people are spending time getting closer to the LORD, praising and worshiping him and getting hungry for more of HIM – both corporately and separately, He is showing up. My own family has seen gold dust appear on people, tasted manna (wafer-like food from heaven) that appeared and they’ve seen angels. Che Ahn tells about things that he has witnessed and also shares the stories of others – people being raised from the dead, seeing angels, things appearing such as angel feathers (I asked my sister, since she has seen angels and she says that yes, many of them do have wings with feathers), flawless gems and gold dust, rain inside of buildings, etc.

“God releases His glory for a purpose: to bring salvation and transformation to His people and the world, until the whole earth is filled with His glory. As believers, we must allow ourselves to be transformed by His glory and, in turn, release His glory throughout the world in which we live.”

Before you think that I am getting excited just about the experiences – but trust me, how could an experience with God not be exciting? Please understand, I believe that the purpose of experiencing God’s glory personally in our lives ultimately bring HIM glory, changes us for the better and MORE THAN ANYTHING is meant to help fulfill the Great Commission of letting the world know about him.

“When I gave God the opportunity to reveal Himself, He manifested His presence, immersing me in a profound experience of His love, joy, mercy and goodness. From that moment on, my life has never been the same.”

Something that my Dad heard as a young Christian and that I heard recently was “be careful that you are not seeking experiences more than God.” When my Dad first became a Christian about thirty-five years ago, he had some amazing experiences with the Holy Spirit. When he went to church and told people about it, they told him this. My question is: If I am seeking experiences more than God, why would He answer my prayer to experience more of Him? (and how could it be bad/wrong to experience more of God?). I don’t think He would answer my prayer to reveal more of Himself – or anyone else’s prayer either – if it wasn’t a good thing.

“When God’s glory comes, all of His goodness comes. And when His goodness comes, there is mercy, compassion, love and healing. Our God is a good God.”

God is a good God…”We need to realize that God is not the one causing our tragedy, pain or illness.” John 10:10 – The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.”

The LORD intends for the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead to be at work in our lives. As Che says, salvation is the beginning, but He does not intend for His mighty power at work in our lives to stop there!

“We all have the potential to see God’s glory released through us with evidence of His mighty resurrection power.”

Healing…”Jesus conquered not only our sin on the cross but also our sickness.” Romans 8:11, “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.” Jesus not only died to set us free from sin, but also so that our physical bodies can be completely healed!

This book not only encourages you to experience God’s glory in your life, but it includes a clear explanation of the keys to living your life in such a way that this can happen. A primary topic that stood out to me was the importance for holiness in our lives.

I have begun praying for God’s holiness and glory to fill our home and our lives – this includes praying over our daughters after they’re asleep at night. Since I have begun praying this, both of our daughters have dreamed that the LORD took them to see Heaven!

This book was provided for review by Chosen Books a division of Bethany House Publishers.

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