Secrets and Rewards of Walking with an Invisible God Divine Applause (Paperback) - Common

by Jeff Anderson

Excellent Book

Paperback

First published January 13, 2015

About the author

Librarians note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Paula Vince · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book draws us in with a question we've surely all pondered. How do you form a father/child relationship with somebody who we can't detect with our five senses? The title appealed to me because we all hunger for feedback. I know many people hope to hear, 'Well done, good and faithful servant' in their next life, but what if there are ways we can detect divine applause in the lives we're living? I'm always interested to read about such things. As feedback has proven to be a powerful motivation tool for humans, it's probably not unreasonable to think God has given us means to be attuned to his.

I like the way Jeff Anderson explains that we must learn to see things differently. He has a hearing difficultly, and had to learn different approaches in receiving information at school, which didn't involve his ears. In the same way, we need to stop relying on our physical senses when it comes to God, and learn other techniques when it comes to hearing from him. These involve attuning our spiritual senses, and is what this book is all about. Thinking of it as learning a foreign language makes the whole concept a bit easier.

As a father of young children, Anderson uses frequent anecdotes of life with his family to lead into general principles about our lives with God. At times, the book seemed to drift into other subjects, such as giving and fasting, because these were subjects around which he felt he experienced some of his greatest revelations. For others, they will be different.

One of my favourite aspects of the book is the emphasis that our original purpose was not to evangelise the world but to simply share God's delight. When you think about it, people who successfully do the second may be best at doing the first anyway. Overall, we're encouraged to sharpen our spiritual senses by expecting good things from God.

Thanks to WaterBrook Multnomah and Blogging for Books for my review copy.

[christianchicklit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Your Efforts Impact Your Relationship With God

The author’s purpose in writing this book is to help others develop a closer relationship with God. He includes many insights from personal experience about how he got God to notice him more. Sometimes the author’s perception seems contradictory to what I know to be true. Through Scripture (and faith) I know that God is always present and always sees us. We don’t have to get God’s attention. But, as the author explains: “Often we’re looking for a signal from God, but it could be that He’s looking for a signal from us. Sounds a bit backward, I know. But according to Scripture, we can live in ways that get God’s attention. And as we learn to live each day seeking to connect with God, we are more likely to recognize Him when He responds. Like a child pulling on Dad’s pant leg, we have the same power to draw our Father’s attention.”

Anderson talks throughout the book about doing things to try to get God to notice him: fasting, secret acts/secret giving, prayer, etc. This book is filled with personal experiences and anecdotes of how life events mirror his faith walk/journey and the lessons he’s learned along the way about God.
• Spiritual hearing loss and the times we choose not to listen to God is like the author choosing to not wear his hearing aids (as he did in high school)
• The author’s job experience with stock trading breakouts mirrored his Christian journey with a series of faith breakouts
• Praying a buzzer-shot prayer and seeing God’s immediate response and knowing that He does see us

I do believe that sometimes our actions (e.g., praying, fasting, reading the Bible) allow us to see Him more clearly. In reality, in those moments where we don’t have the distractions of this world, we can come to find God at a deeper level. The book’s title, Divine Applause, describes how God does take notice of the things that we are doing to connect with Him and is delighted by them. While I enjoyed many of the author’s anecdotes, this book is best for a new believer who is just starting to ponder how the life choices they make can impact their relationship with God and draw them closer.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging For Books in exchange for this fair and honest review.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew I liked his style of writing. I just didn't recall that I had read anything from him before. Oh, but I had.

The book in question is Divine Applause by Jeff Anderson. The previous book was Plastic Donuts, which you can see my review on here.

I don't know how you read books, but I normally do so with a pencil nearby. I like to underline sections that grab my attention. But since I'm not going to spend the time flipping through a book to look for pencil marks, I also fold over a corner of the page. As you can see by the image below, I underlined quite a bit, as I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

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To say I enjoyed might need some clarification. It challenged me and caused me to stir about the choices I make. So, for as much as anyone enjoys being challenged, I would recommend Divine Applause.

Jeff Anderson has taken Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and reflected on what turns out to be pretty straightforward talk from Jesus. In that sermon, Jesus told us to pray, give and fast and watch what happens in return. Jeff tells us these are the not-so-secret ingredients to getting God's attention and seeing how He responds to us.

Far from being a seek-after-God-and-receive-untold-riches kind of story, Jeff centers in on the sometimes mundane manner in which God responds to His children. He explains this is because we are individuals and God desires a relationship with us that reflects that individuality. But make no mistake, God is watching us.

"But the reality that God is watching speaks of His care. His watchful ways are intended to inspire, not frighten us. This is one of the key mind shifts necessary to hearing god's applause. It all has to do with how your picture God's face." ~Divine Applause, page 15.

I'd include some more direct quotes, but when I choose not to read by my Kindle, where I can highlight and then copy/paste quotes, it means a lot more typing for me. And when I think you should simply get the book yourself, it would also be counter-productive.

I received this book for free from my good friends over at Blogging for Books. They give me books and ask for my thoughts, which you now have.

More Info
Read Chapter One
Author Bio

[Karen Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jeff Anderson shares personal stories to illustrate his relationship with an "invisible God" in Divine Applause. Anderson's focus is upon getting God's attention and catching "buzzer shot" moments with God, those special moments when we recognize that God was at work in our lives and the lives of others.

Instead of using the Bible as it is written, Anderson adds to it when it makes a better story. He creates the name "Steve" for Abraham's "Chief of Staff." "Steve" is charged with going to Abraham's home to find a wife for Isaac. Since Abraham's servant is not referred to as Eleazar in Genesis 24, Anderson rightly asserts that we cannot assume that this servant is Eleazar. So, Anderson names the servant "Steve." Anderson tells us that Steve's "buzzer shot" was when Rebekah gave him a drink from the well and then watered his camels.

Anderson writes, "God is interested in you, and He's waiting for you to engage in a real walk with Him. The basic ingredients of the Christian journey are simple but were never intended to be dull. Maybe that's why Steve's story, and so many others in the Bible, jolt us into looking up and expecting more in our relationship with God." p. 54

Anderson claims that Jesus gave us secret ingredients to connect with God and "notice Him noticing us" in Matthew 6. Giving, praying, and fasting are Anderson's ingredients to wait on God's notice.

Anderson uses his experience as an earthly father to understand his relationship with his Heavenly Father who is invisible to him. Unlike Anderson, I see God throughout His creation, and feel His presence as He surrounds me and is within me.

Jesus told the disciples, "lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28: 20 In addition, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 6:19. Our Heavenly Father notices His children constantly, unlike earthly fathers. It is God's children who do not notice Him.

"Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." James 4:8

Anderson is focused upon getting God to notice him and getting God to give Anderson signs that God notices him.

I wonder how God would respond.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

[Jean Sommers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be able to talk to God and to 'hear' him talk back to you, like in Moses' day? When things are going bad and you need someone to talk to and provide a solution to your problem.
In this book, he talks about sharing secrets with God by giving, praying and fasting in secret. Our Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly. I like the section about "Special Ears." When I read that it reminded me of the times I have been doing something or going somewhere and out of the blue an idea or a thought would pop in my head and it would stay there until I acted upon it and it made me smile like something just between me and God. Or pray a prayer to have it fulfilled and whisper, "Thank You, Lord." When I read the section "Pleasing God And Doing Stuff," I thought about when I helped some people and there was no food in my refrigerator for at least a week except what was left from our Thanksgiving dinner, which was just enough for the 3 people in the family. This food lasted for 9 days. We ate 3 times a day. It brings to mind " I will open you the windows of heaven , and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And finally, the section on "Looking Forward To What Lies Ahead," I look forward to growing with God, watching grandkids and great grandkids grow with God also. This is a very inspiring book. It was well written, easily read, nice cover,(front and back). It covers a lot of interesting points.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

We Christians know that God is always seeing us, but Anderson believes by living a certain way, we can get God to notice us. Doing particular activity is not a guarantee, however. He recounts his 40 day juice fast, praying for a God encounter. It did not happen. But he was at peace, trusting what he could not see. The book is a good reminder that our purpose is to live to please God. I think there is a bit too much emphasis on rewards, otherwise a good book.
See my complete review at http://bit.ly/1Jzvv85.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

[Karen Klein · Rating 2 out of 5]

NOTE: I received a copy of this book through BloggingForBooks in exchange for an honest review.

There are so many books out there now about our Heavenly Father that it is difficult for me to discern which ones I should read and which ones should just be discarded. I know that other reviewers really seemed to enjoy this but it just wasn't something that interested me. I started reading and got halfway through and put it down - still haven't picked it back up yet..... I'll add it to my collection and who knows, maybe I'll sit down and finish it one day.