Love Languages of God: Our Experiences of God

By Serafin Talisayon

The Rhema Practice Group offers this collection of experiences of God to show that we can directly and personally discern or listen to God. It is likely that many of us had experiences of God but we didn't recognize them as such. We invite you to a spiritual adventure and experience what the earliest Christians had experienced: asking and directly listening to inspirations or rhema from God in our daily lives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Oct 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9798765240748

Serafin Talisayon

Dr. Serafin Talisayon was Assistant Director-General of the National Security Council under the Office of the President of the Philippines. He was Deputy Dean of the Institute of Strategic Studies and a retired professor from the University of the Philippines. He is a grandfather to three American boys – Danilo, Gabino and Juan – and two Filipino boys – Elias and Diego.

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Introduction

Feel free to use and profit from this book as the spirit moves you. It has three sections.

1. You can start with the first section titled Group Conversations. They are a record of spontaneous Messenger¹² chat exchanges of the group of volunteers—we call ourselves the Rhema Practice Group—which contributed and collected stories of God-experiences from friends. They are organized into topics and themes for your convenience.

• Chats among Filipinos often use Taglish, a mix of Tagalog (the dialect in Metro Manila and Central Luzon from which the Filipino language is mainly derived) and English. In this book, Tagalog or Filipino words and phrases in the chats are retained and their English translations immediately follow and enclosed in parentheses.

• God in Filipino is Bathala Who is both male and female (see the section on Meanings of Words and Phrases). God in traditional Filipino culture is understood as Father-Mother God. Hence, some quotations use pronouns He/She and Him/Her to refer to God.¹³

2. From February to August 2022, the group invited a series of friends who we know are practitioners of rhema in the form of inspirations, prompts, dreams, discernment, and many other ways by which God communicates directly with each of us. Quotations and pictures from their talks were selected in the second section titled Ways and Wisdom from Experienced Practitioners.

3. The third section titled Stories of God-Experiences consists of stories of personal experiences contributed by friends. They illustrate the many ways God talks to each of us. Indeed, He/She¹⁴ uses many love languages. The last few stories were written by the contributors in Filipino. We felt that translating them to English would lose the nuances of the stories; hence, we retained their original Filipino texts.

Reading this book may encourage or inspire you to learn and practice rhema. Experiencing rhema is much more joyful and fulfilling than just reading about it. Set this book aside. Instead of collecting more information in your head, open your heart to God. Ask Him questions and listen to His answers, which may come in many or unexpected forms and channels. Feel the love from Above. Gain new and exciting experiences. See this as your new spiritual adventure.

Best results come if you form or join a group of friends to share God-experiences and learn from each other as you practice rhema. The earliest Christians were rhema practitioners. Try community rhema, where the group asks the same question and the question is motivated by love and caring for another person. Seeing the sufferings from the February 6, 2023 earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, the Rhema Practice Group performed community rhema to ask how we can help. One of the group members, Sheila, was inspired to write a poem summarizing what the members received.

Seeing the massive destruction all over

Tears flowed from my eyes

As I feel the the hopelessness around.

I cried in prayer to God

A prayer for peace and wisdom

from the One above...

As I quiet myself to listen to His response

I felt Him saying: "Be calm my child...

I am who I am.

I am in full control.

I am faithful...

And remember, I love you.

Look around you, my child...

Birds sing happy songs to cheer lonely hearts...

Flowers give fragrance to bring hope to those who have given up...

Butterflies remind that miracles still happen amidst confusion...

Rains refreshes weary souls…

The wind gently blows to calm perplexed hearts…

And as you quiet your heart and feel my love...

Extend kindness to everyone you know

Because even small acts of kindness extended

Will create ripple effects...

Pray without fear!

Pray with love and peace!

Because prayer works ...

Take heart my child!

My goodness wins all the time!

1. Group Conversations

The chapters in this section are transcripts of spontaneous and unplanned Messenger chats or conversations among members of the Rhema Practice Group. We were informal, friendly, and caring for each other. When we, the co-authors, were chatting as a group, we wrote what we felt—without attention to spelling, grammar, and punctuation, and using a mixture of Filipino, English, and Taglish we were comfortable in. Words and phrases in Filipino or Taglish are in italics, followed by their English translations within parentheses.

When we were chatting between February and April of 2022, we did not anticipate our decision in May to include the chat transcript in the book. We made the decision to share this transcript of our spontaneous thoughts and experiences because we hope that you may discover some resonances with your own thoughts and experiences. We do hope you will because we believe that God-experiences are very common to us all, but many often do not recognize them as such. We hope this book would excite you to start watching, listening, and recognizing those many moments in our lives when we feel in touch with God.

1.1 Why We Are Co-Authoring this Book

Ericson:

We are super blessed po with Sir Apin. 14171.jpg Actually may hawak na po siya na susi ng langit, at bibigyan niya tayo ng duplicate. 14174.jpg (Actually, he has the key to heaven, and he will give us a duplicate each.)

Serafin:

Doc Ericson, meron na tayong lahat ng duplicate. Nalimutan lang ng marami na gamitin. (Doc Ericson, we all have duplicates, but many forgot how to use it.)

Tayo sa grupo ginagamit na natin ang ating mga susi. Kaya ikukwento natin yan para gamitin din ng mga readers mga susi nila. (In our group, we have been consciously using our keys, and so we will tell our stories to help our readers discover and use their own keys.)

Nur:

Siyang tunay, Doc Ericson. Naging masyadong okupado lamang ang halos lahat sa atin kaya naituon o naitutok ang paningin at pakiramdam sa mga bagay-bagay na nakikita lalo na yung mga may kaugnayan sa tiyan, bulsa, at self-pride.. 14864.jpg (True, Doc Ericson. Almost all of us have become too busy focusing our attentions and feelings on the things we see, especially those related to the stomach, pockets, and self-pride.)

Nur:

Oo nga po, Kuya Apin. (Yes, elder brother Serafin).

Minsan, biglaang maaalala ng tao na may susi pala siya na pwedeng maging daan para masumpungan ang balon o daluyan ng mga biyaya para sa kapakinabangan ng higit na nakararami lalo na yung napag-iwanan na ng lipunan. 14866.jpg (Sometimes, a person will suddenly remember that he or she has a key that can be the way to find the wellspring or the channel of blessings for the benefit of the greater number, especially those who have been left behind by society.)

1.2 Many Love Languages of God

Serafin:

From our first video chat, here is my recall of each other’s languages of God’s love.

Grace—hearing voice; strong feeling through a reading material (i.e., Bible, book, etc.) or even while watching a movie (i.e., lines that resonate personally); sometimes through dreams also.

Mitch—hearing voice, intuitive insight, meeting the right people at the right time.

Le—intuitive insight, connecting with God in total silence.

Sheila—visual cues, answer to question or request.

Serafin—vivid dreams, early-morning messages, hearing voice, meeting the right people at the right time, reading/hearing something that exactly answers questions.

Please correct/add to the list as you deem better or more accurate. TY.

Sheila:

Thanks, sir. Yes po. Based on our discussion a while ago, as I try to recall my rhema moments, God has also spoken to me through songs as well. In one instance, He woke me up very early in the morning (4 a.m.) for several days reminding me of something He wants me to obey and that stopped only when I finally obeyed Him!

Story 3.11.2 below describes another instance.

Serafin:

Your two stories that inspired me to write the unplanned extra Practice 6.7 in our EI handbook, fit the title of the practice: Friendship with God. You converse with God so often (and He reminds you with a song if you lapse) that it has become a true friendship. To me, Yeshua has become both master, adviser, and friend.

Sheila:

He is a very loving God... And He knows exactly how to get my attention...

Mitch:

When you put it this way, SDT, God indeed speaks to each person in many ways. We just need to be cognizant of the many possibilities. Rhema is not complicated. It is about recognizing God in all areas of our lives, even in the most challenging times.

Serafin:

Mitch, I learned from an indigenous Filipino religious group (called Guardia de Honor Hijas de Maria, based in Pangasinan) that God is writing another book: your daily life. People try to read and interpret the Scripture, but they believe that you should also learn and practice reading and interpreting the micro and macro events in your life. They call it "pagbabasa ng Buhay na Aklat (reading the Living Book). The Buhay na Aklat" (Living Book) is our daily life which God is writing even right now. Yes, we need to be cognizant that God is everywhere/every time, especially in the smallest events in our daily life.

MORE LOVE LANGUAGES OF GOD

Serafin:

Our various love languages from God (revised; feel free to add/modify):

Grace—hearing voice, strong feeling

Mitch—hearing voice, intuitive insight, meeting the right people at the right time

Le—intuitive insight, connecting with Yeshua in total silence, seeing the sun, quiet pensive moments in the park

Sheila—visual cues, songs, answer to question or request, appreciating flowers

Serafin—vivid dreams, early-morning messages, hearing a voice, meeting right people at the right time, reading/hearing something that exactly answers questions, pop-ins during the day.

Grace:

Guess I’m going to add meeting people at the right time because I met you Sir and I’m in this group now 14868.jpg

Serafin:

Grace, it was you who suggested that we collect our God-experiences for the next book. That is a God-given idea. What do we call that love language from God?

Grace:

Hmmm 14871.jpg God’s leading? hmm...

Serafin:

The terms I had come across are promptings, cues, etc. Indigenous Filipino religious groups call it kaloob (given within).

Grace:

God’s leading seems too general, Sir Apin. The cues we are all getting are various leadings from God.

Serafin:

I call those sudden flow of an idea in the middle of my waking hours pop-in.

You see how difficult it is to use the English language to communicate spiritual experiences. Rhema is the Greek word that covers them all.

Love languages from God is a beautiful way of describing them.

1.3 Our Experiences of God

INSIGHTS ABOUT EXPERIENCE OF GOD

Serafin:

Here are my insights during my recent sickness.

Summa Theologiae by St. Thomas Aquinas is an excellent exposition of Christian theology. I learned that after he had a mystical experience of God, he stopped writing it.

His assistant, Reginald, later urged him to continue writing. The saint said, Reginald, all that I have written are like straw. The Summa was unfinished when he died.

My insight is this: experiencing God is superior to writing, talking, or thinking about God.

1.3.1.JPG

To help our readers experience God, they must first remember their God moments and recognize God in their lives—and that is the value of our collection of rhema experiences.

Mary Ann:

My own reflection (I’m not sure if everybody feels the same):

There should be a major shift in our focus.

We still think and read about God. I do. I think of God when I pray. I read about God. I have tons of books about God, the Bible included.

Do I experience God like Ate Malou (Elder Sister Malou, one of the guest speakers) does? Or, like you, Kuya, (referring to Kuya Apin) do?

For me, not quite. I am not consistent.

The shift I mean is I must be 100 percent aware that God do exist in every single moment of my life. Happy times, desperate times, ordinary day-to-day-doing-mundane-chores times, sick times, etc.

What’s happening with me is I sometimes lose connection, and my awareness wanes especially in times of trouble, grief, and pain. Recently, an unpleasant incident happened. Hurtful words were spoken; I felt an instant pain. Emotion ran high, and I knew I failed my EI test. Emotions managed me. I couldn’t manage my emotion. I did not fight back but the pain, real pain, made me upset. The mindfulness that I thought I was trying to master was out the door almost instantly. The good part was I knew I had to change course. That night, I prayed. The message I got was Let go.

I tried to obey. The succeeding moments were better. I took out and did the two-way forgiveness prayer—soul to soul. I am in a better place now.

Why am I relating this experience?

I am very much willing to share my God moments, but I do get down moments. I realized that even if I am down, I should be fully aware that my connection to God does not cease to pull me up again.

Experience God every single moment. Every breath. I am working towards this.

Sheila:

Yes, Ate Le. God allows for many chances to do things right...and even our mistakes. He can redeem if we ask Him to.

Whenever I fail Him—and there are many times—my prayer is for God to redeem my mistake. While I suffer the consequence(s), God has been faithful to redeem me.

I claim Romans 8:28 (NIV), and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

BASKING IN GOD’S PRESENCE

Grace:

Yes, Ate Le, I can also identify with you. I have tendencies to lose focus and awareness. That is why the concept of God is also a distraction wherein you/we define how He moves/communicates based on that concept or at times on expectations.

1.3.2.jpg

Recently also, just yesterday, I really felt bad at someone. Nakangiti siya pero (He was smiling but) behind my back, he’s saying many things. Last night too, I had difficulty in sleeping because of that bad emotion. Only when I asked God for help and gathered myself and be aware again that this emotion is not me na nakatulog na rin (that I finally fell asleep) at 12:30 a.m. I think.

Then this morning I listened to an excerpt of Pastor John Piper’s preaching, wherein when we hallow/worship God’s name, everything else becomes secondary—hurt, fear, and doubts. Worshipping or basking in God’s presence is truly the key to having peace and joy.

Serafin:

One way for me to bask in God’s presence is to listen to the Lord’s Prayer sung in original Aramaic.

Mary Ann:

Grace, you made a very good point, in my opinion. Our concept of God can be a distraction. We limit our understanding of God by our finite minds. Our thoughts become our reality. God is pure love energy.

As I review my own personal experiences of the past few days, my question is: do we have love for everybody especially those who cause us pain? Do we? My honest answer was no. In fact, I do not like a few people, love them? It is hard to do.

My soul leads me to a deeper understanding. Yeshua loves them all. God is in them, as much as He is in you and me. We are all one. Let this sink in. Let this sink in deep in your heart and in your mind.

As I rest on this magnificent, beyond awesome truth and as I see myself still operating in sometimes auto-pilot ego-filled mind, I take a moment to breathe and ask God to help me love like He loves, at the soul level. I feel a little easy.

After my two-way forgiveness, I ask God to bless me and them.

I feel better.

I tell myself: see, feel God in every breath I take. Stay connected.

Serafin:

My other insights during my sickness: we need to take good care of our bodies.

• Despite their remaining issues and limitations, our bodies have taken us this far—and for this we are grateful.

• Our bodies are temporary; we need to learn now to let go of them because eventually we will when we—the eternal soul-spirit that we all are—go home.

• Our collection of God-experiences are helpful reminders to our future readers that God loves us unconditionally and that we—the children of God—are eternal.

Sheila:

Thanks Sir Apin. My blood pressure went up yesterday. As I was resting, God impressed on me that I need time to commune with Him. I have been busy kasi (that is why).

Serafin:

That is the same insight Le shared: to stay connected with God and somewhat like what Grace was saying about basking in His presence.

BEAUTY IN NATURE CAN HELP US STAY CONNECTED

Sheila:

I think this is so far the most perfectly imperfect pink gumamela (hibiscus) flower I have seen. Nonetheless, it is still beautiful.

1.3.3.jpg

Serafin:

Beautiful indeed!

1.3.4.jpg

Sheila:

Dragon fruit flower po?

Serafin:

This is a new flower in my office backyard—violet passion flower or passiflora. Seeing it bloom for the first time gave me much happiness.

Sheila:

Ah ok po. Thanks.

Grace:

All of us are so occupied. It has always been one of the strategies of the enemy: busyness—sometimes gradual. Then we get to realize that we’re/I was too far already from the intimacy we once had with God, but we praise God pa rin kasi (still because) He continues to remind us.

Serafin:

Grace, pause and admire a flower. God is in that moment. That is what Sheila has been capturing with her camera. Her photos of flowers are doorways to God.

Sheila:

And when I was still with Land Bank, Manila Bay sunset views then.

Serafin:

Jan Johnsen wrote the book Heaven is a Garden.

Grace:

I really feel guilty. Office and school loads really eat up much of my time. Last night, I managed to pause and pray—the Amen I mentioned last night. Worship of God is really something na hindi dapat kalimutan (that must not be forgotten), our adoration/worship is the heart of the love language of God with all His creation—man, flora, fauna, etc.

GOD IN EVERYBODY AND EVERYTHING

Mary Ann:

This, I want to keep deep in my heart.

Quote from Kuya: God loves us unconditionally and we, God’s children are eternal.

This came to me this morning.

See God in everybody and everything. If you do, you will have nothing but love for all. We are one.

This, too, I will keep in my heart.

1.4 Love Languages between People

Grace:

The survey on love language¹⁵ could be two-way. I also give my loved ones acts of service/quality time, making coffee for example for breakfast when I’m home during weekends… Nanay didn’t ask for help but it was past 10 a.m., the time when she normally takes a bath, so before we started with the meeting yesterday, I asked if she would want me to turn on the water heater for her. I am also thinking if the same applies to why I am affected when my previous assignments at work were slimmed down because my new tasks occupies so much time as it is almost the same as doing audit.

Mitch:

I also believe so, Grace. But I think it is calling us to be aware of others’ love language so we would know how to show our love to them and make them feel more loved.

Grace:

Awareness of ourselves and that of others. Thank God, He is our Almighty. He communicates/gives His love language in various ways… as varied as His creation.

1.5 Various Types of Rhema Experiences

Sheila:

Hi Sir Apin, Ate Le, Mitch, and Grace. I am sharing my random musings on rhema.

How I experience rhema:

1. Total surrender to a loving, all-powerful, and ever-present God who longs to have a personal relationship with His creations. One who has provided a way to reconcile us with Him through Jesus Christ.

2.