Divine Applause: Secrets and Rewards of Walking with an Invisible God

by Jeff Anderson (5)

Overview

How will God make himself known to you?

“This work begs to be read by anyone who wishes to see the invisible God.”—Dr. Tony Evans, president of The Urban Alternative, senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship

How do we have a relationship with a God we can’t see? There must be more to the Christian life than silence, and more to God than a vacant stare.
 
Divine Applause weaves together biblical insights and personal stories that illustrate the surprising ways God connects with us. Let Jeff Anderson show you how to use your spiritual senses to experience God:

• Sense God’s personal attention in unmistakable ways.
• Cultivate a constant awareness of God’s presence.
• Enjoy the reward of secrets between you and God.
• Take risks to break out of a status-quo life and connect more directly with God.
• Discover the intensity of God’s interest in you.
 
You don’t have to settle for a distant walk with God. He wants you to know that He notices—and that He delights in you.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781601425300
Publisher:	The Crown Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/13/2015
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.21(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.56(d)

About the Author

Jeff Anderson speaks and writes about walking with God, using an approach that combines Scripture and story. He is the author of Plastic Donuts and founder of Acceptable Gift. Jeff and his wife, Stephanie, have four children.

Read an Excerpt

Introduction
 
Connecting with a God We Never See
 
When does God see us? All the time, right?

 
But when does God look at us? I mean really look.

 
In my mind, God always sees me. But it seems He’s also looking for something...in us. You may have heard this verse before: “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9).
 
Besides the imagery of two giant eyeballs galloping around the globe, I’m intrigued by the idea that God looks, and even takes action, in response to us.
 
Scripture is full of examples. As early as the first generation of earth-born humans, God was caught gazing upon Abel and his gift. There are times God sees a person do (or even think) something and seems to respond with “I’m going to get involved.”
 
Just as we would expect from a loving Father, God is interested in us. When I am with my kids, I always see them. But there are times when they really get my attention. That’s when my simple awareness shifts from watching...to focusing on...to gazing at them. At those times I’m often moved to action.
 
If our Father sees us at all times and in all situations, might there be circumstances that invite His special, focused attention? Could we start living in ways that capture God’s attention?
 
For those who love God, it’s a comfort to know we can never drift beyond His sight. King David relished knowing “the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love” (Psalm 33:18). Jesus reminds us that God enjoys wildflowers and cares about sparrows, but His care for us is far greater.
 
Unfortunately, these truths can lose impact over time. It’s like watching reruns on television. Even if you’re watching your favorite program, if you’ve seen the episode already, it will be less funny, less suspenseful, less captivating.
 
When we reread familiar passages of Scripture, we can take mind-blowing truth for granted: God is always and everywhere seeing us, and He is always and everywhere loving us. We know God can count the grains of sand on every beach, and He knows the number of hairs on your head and mine. We have known these truths since childhood, but sometimes we want more than what the Sunday school answers tell us.
 
We believe God sees and loves us, and we trust that He notices the details of our lives. But sometimes we want to know—and I mean really know—that He delights in us.
 
After all, what child of God wouldn’t long for more direct, more personal encounters with his or her Father?
 
It’s inspiring to read about heroes in Scripture, some of whom were called friends of God (Abraham and Moses), rewarded with a unique description such as “a man after God’s own heart” (David), or given new names (Jacob became Israel) after some direct dealings with God.
 
One thing all of these biblical figures shared in common was an audacious hunger for more. They would not settle for a silent or distant relationship with God. Later on, we will look more closely at the stories of Moses, Gideon, David, John the Baptist, Peter, and many others. (While we’re at it, we’ll even take a look at Steve, Abraham’s servant. Yes, there are some surprises ahead.)
 
What Do We Desire from Our Father?
 
We seek God’s attention and long to experience a close relationship with Him. Why do we feel, then, that He is not interested or more noticeably involved in our lives? It’s because God cannot be seen or heard, at least with our physical senses. But like any dynamic personal connection, walking with God requires two-way engagement. And because we know God to be invisible, we tend to lower our expectations. But no one should be content with a one-sided relationship. God isn’t.
 
I’ve made it my life’s ambition to walk with God, and I continue to be inspired by the story of a man named Enoch. Scriptures don’t tell us a lot about him, but one characteristic stands out: he “walked with God” (Genesis 5:24). We know that Enoch never died, in the way we think of death. It seems that he simply walked straight into heaven.
 
A page later in my Bible I find the story of another man who caught God’s attention: Noah, like Enoch, “walked with God” (Genesis 6:9). He didn’t get snatched up at the end of his life, but he did get that first-ever cargo-ship ride, which extended his life on earth, as well as his walk with God, for many more years.
 
Ever since childhood I have looked and listened for this invisible God. The search is different for each of us, but one aspect of it holds true for us all: we want to know we are seen—noticed by our Father. Wouldn’t you love to hear God’s applause?
 
Surely we can expect more from our loving Father than a vacant stare. We can walk with God in a way that draws His spotlight to our lives and gives us the close connection we’re looking for.
 
Let’s take our first step down that path.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xiii

Introduction: Connecting with a God We Never See 1

Part 1 Seeing Differently

1 Compensating for Loss 7

2 The Comfort of Seeing God's Face 13

3 God Is Interested 19

4 Creating Secrets with God 27

5 A Buzzer Shot from God 43

6 Meet Steve, Abraham's Chief of Staff 51

7 God is a Smitten Father 59

Part 2 Bold Steps

8 The Unexpected Visitor 71

9 Giving Away Your Rice and Beans 79

10 Spiritual Hearing Loss 93

11 Waiting to Be Seen 107

12 When God Passes By 121

13 Walking with Doubt 133

14 The Power of Choices That Please God 141

Part 3 Walking Upward

15 Stars on the Ground 153

16 Trading Up 163

17 Roosters and Wimps 177

18 Rewards at Family Camp 191

Epilogue: Look for a Buzzer-Shot Moment 203

Editorial Reviews

God’s love isn’t based on our performance. But He does want us to actively engage with Him, to get His ‘attention’ through prayer, devotion, and acts of service. Divine Applause offers practical guidance to help readers make that a deeper reality in their lives.”—Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family

“Jeff Anderson reminds us that God doesn’t just sit in the bleachers of your life. He’s paying close attention. He applauds. He gets involved.”—Doug Bender, author of I Am Second

“Unlike human applause, ‘divine applause’ is a receipt, not a bill. Jeff Anderson shows us how to have a real relationship with God that is not based on bill-paying but on bountiful receipts of God’s favor and pleasure.”—Leonard Sweet, bestselling author, professor, and chief contributor to Sermonsdotcom

“Attention is something children will cry for and adults will die for. Jeff Anderson shows us how we can connect with God’s blessing and applause.”—Jim Stovall, bestselling author of The Ultimate Gift

“What a bold encouragement! We are often looking for intimacy with our Creator, and in Divine Applause Jeff Anderson illuminates just how close we really are to Him.”—Tom Ziglar, president/CEO of Ziglar, Inc.

“Jeff unpacks the truth about what it means to truly walk alongside the One we call Lord. His creative and intuitive look at the Bible is rejuvenating.”—Jarrid Wilson, next-gen pastor at LifePoint Church

“If you have wondered how you can know Someone you can’t see, and if you’re curious about what an invisible God thinks of you, then you need to read this book.”—Jeff Goins, author of The In-Between

“Jeff Anderson has addressed an issue that many people know intuitively, but rarely verbalize: God is invisible. At last we have a book that addresses this reality in a creative, refreshing, and encouraging manner.”—Dr. Richard Blackaby, author of Unlimiting God, co-author of Experiencing God

“Real intimacy with God changes everything, and this book clearly moves people in the right direction. Divine Applause appeals to your deep longing for God and takes you on a practical journey.”—Randy Gariss, senior pastor of College Heights Christian Church

“So many Christians are striving to find a stage, microphone, and lights where they can offer their gifts. Ironically, they miss the connection they long for and the divine applause we were meant to hear.”—Gary Barkalow, author of It’s Your Call

“Jeff’s engaging and honest approach will challenge readers to explore more deeply the intimacy of their relationship with God, look for Him in the ordinary moments of life, and make the most of each encounter.”—Mickey Rapier, directional leader at Fellowship Bible Church Northwest Arkansas

“Divine Applause delivers moving stories and fresh insight. This transparent work will satisfy those who want to draw near to God.”—Chuck Bentley, CEO of Crown Financial Ministries

From the Publisher