That's right, ladies! Here is a sneak peek at our Fall Women's Bible Study, Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted by Priscilla Shirer!
Jonah: LifeWay Women Bible Study, Priscilla Shirer from LifeWay Women on Vimeo.
Details and registration will be coming soon, but I just could not wait to give you a little peek!
I am on vacation this week, so I set this up to automatically post on the blog. I may have something else to post from the One and Only study or I may not have something for Week 7 until I return.
Have a blessed week!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Week 7: Days 36 - 42
As you know, last week was Vacation Bible School at St. Philip's. What an amazing, hot, fun-filled, exhausting and totally awesome week! Throughout the week, the children learned how much they are like Jesus when he was a boy in Nazareth. Jesus had a family, a name, a home, went to church and served others...and they do too.
As I talked with my girls about the lessons they learned at VBS, it struck me how much I want them to have a solid relationship and friendship with Jesus throughout their whole life. Not waiting until they're forty-something to fully embrace Jesus as their friend! The idea of being friends with Jesus is a big idea for a six- and eight-year old to grasp...it's a big idea for a forty-something year old to grasp! But, oh how sweet it is once we start to drink in all He has to share with us.
This week's study devotions where so special to me. You know when you have those weeks when you feel like the lessons were created just for you? This week was for me! Here are a few highlights that I jotted down this week...
Day 36 – Satan is just looking for those who isolate themselves from the support of others and when he finds them, he will have a field day.
Day 37 – Throughout his ministry on earth, Jesus displayed his compassion for the weak who honestly and humbly admit how desperately they need Him.
Day 38 – There is no limit the Christ's power. When we act in faith, even our smallest concern does not go unnoticed by Christ.
Day 39 – Our calling is to surrender to God!
Day 40 – Give as freely as you have received! Matthew 10:8b (NLT)
Day 41 – Am I thinking in “faith-mode” or practicing “fragmented-faith”? Christ does not plan to meet some of our needs, He can meet all our needs. See Day 38!
Day 42 – We won't experience divine approval unless we step out of our comfort zone and say, “Yes!” When we are willing to say, “Yes!” we won't leave empty-handed.
There was so much awesome content to study and ponder over this week! Was there anything that made you think, “Wow! I needed to read that today!”
We are nearly half way through the summer and our study. I'm looking forward to beginning a new study with you in August! It will be here before we know it...did you see that the stores are already stocking shelves with school supplies?! Have a wonderful week, ladies!
NOTE: If you posted a comment and it has not appeared, please see this post. Any questions, let me know!
As I talked with my girls about the lessons they learned at VBS, it struck me how much I want them to have a solid relationship and friendship with Jesus throughout their whole life. Not waiting until they're forty-something to fully embrace Jesus as their friend! The idea of being friends with Jesus is a big idea for a six- and eight-year old to grasp...it's a big idea for a forty-something year old to grasp! But, oh how sweet it is once we start to drink in all He has to share with us.
This week's study devotions where so special to me. You know when you have those weeks when you feel like the lessons were created just for you? This week was for me! Here are a few highlights that I jotted down this week...
Day 36 – Satan is just looking for those who isolate themselves from the support of others and when he finds them, he will have a field day.
Day 37 – Throughout his ministry on earth, Jesus displayed his compassion for the weak who honestly and humbly admit how desperately they need Him.
Day 38 – There is no limit the Christ's power. When we act in faith, even our smallest concern does not go unnoticed by Christ.
Day 39 – Our calling is to surrender to God!
Day 40 – Give as freely as you have received! Matthew 10:8b (NLT)
Day 41 – Am I thinking in “faith-mode” or practicing “fragmented-faith”? Christ does not plan to meet some of our needs, He can meet all our needs. See Day 38!
Day 42 – We won't experience divine approval unless we step out of our comfort zone and say, “Yes!” When we are willing to say, “Yes!” we won't leave empty-handed.
There was so much awesome content to study and ponder over this week! Was there anything that made you think, “Wow! I needed to read that today!”
We are nearly half way through the summer and our study. I'm looking forward to beginning a new study with you in August! It will be here before we know it...did you see that the stores are already stocking shelves with school supplies?! Have a wonderful week, ladies!
NOTE: If you posted a comment and it has not appeared, please see this post. Any questions, let me know!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
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Any questions, please do not hesitate to email me or give me a call.
Kelley
Any questions, please do not hesitate to email me or give me a call.
Kelley
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Week 5: Days 29 - 35
I cannot believe that we're nearing the end of June. It feels like the girls just got out of school yesterday... and then, there are the days that it seems like they've been out for six months!
I pray that you are enjoying the summer and your time in God's Word as you draw closer to Jesus. I've run into several of you in the past few weeks and I just want to hug you when you feel obliged to confess that you're behind. Don't worry about getting “behind”, but don't completely give up on your 90 days with Jesus either. It may take you 180 or 365 days to complete the devotional, but please don't put the book and your Bible on the bookshelf because you think you're behind. You are exactly where you need to be right now!
I'd like to share a few words of encouragement that touched me this week. They come from a fictional book and a magazine article. God really does speak to us in all sorts of ways!
“It's always easier to hold our your arm and say, 'Don't get near me, Jesus,' and then just criticize all the bad things around us. It is scary...to get to know Jesus the way you know your best friend. But if you want to change, that's what has got to happen. There's no other religion that has a personal God... No other religion where their god came down to earth and sacrificed himself out of love. If you want to be a Christian, you've got to realize that it's all about knowing God, knowing Jesus. Not a religion. Not just going to church.”1
It's all about knowing God, knowing Jesus.
Candace embraced the idea of living in relationship with Christ and allowed the Holy Spirit to move into her life. “I had to let the Spirit really move in – unpack His bags and even rearrange the furniture in my life,” she says.2
Let the Holy Spirit move in, unpack His bags and rearrange some of the furniture.
Have a blessed week!
1 The Swan House by Elizabeth Musser, p. 189
2 Life Beautiful Magazine, “Finding Her Balance” by Julie Martens, Summer 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Week 4: Days 22 - 28
Last week, I mentioned that The Reverend Greg Methvin's topic for his sermon on Sunday, June 19th was Movement: Focused on Jesus. What an awesome sermon! Reverend Methvin's message was a wonderful complement to our devotional study. If you didn't get to hear his sermon on Sunday, listen to it online here.
One of my favorite questions from this week's study was when Beth asked us to think about the subtle differences between working “for” Jesus and working “with” Him. I pondered this for quite awhile and looked up “for” and “with” on Merriam-Webster online (Yes, I'm a word nerd!). After my research and pondering, I think that working “for” Jesus implies that we are working on our own, but on behalf of Jesus. He tells us what He wants done and we go out and do it. Working “with” Jesus implies a side-by-side activity. He tells us what He wants done and works alongside us to get it done. Working “with” Jesus sounds a lot less stressful and a lot more fun to me! What do you think?
Jesus told his disciples, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15)
Reverend Methvin reminded us that as disciples of Christ, we are not His servant, but His friend. Jesus wants to be in a dynamic, give and take relationship with us. He wants to work alongside us to fulfill His purpose for our lives here on this earth.
Over the next several weeks, many in our St. Philip's family will be working alongside Jesus as they serve near and far...a team of volunteers is making lunches for Bright Zone kids this week and reading with them throughout the summer, a group of families will travel to Nocona this week, a team will travel to Belize later in the week, the VBS team will be staying in Frisco next week but taking more than 160 children on a journey to Jesus' hometown, and the youth group will travel to Tahlequah, OK in July. Keep these friends of Jesus in your prayers!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Week 3: Days 15 - 21
Several years ago, I was in marketing at a large software company. My team focused on the portion of a suite of products that the company intended to be it's big money maker. Our team's motto for marketing and advertising was, “Make Noise”. We wanted the industry to take notice and more importantly, we wanted potential customers to take notice and believe that we had the best product.
This week, we saw how the enemy made noise as Jesus' ministry was beginning. Satan's intent was to tempt Jesus and to distract others from His message. Satan is still in the business of making noise. He wants us to take notice and believe what he is selling. Don't buy it! Even if he is offering 50% off! Instead, invite Jesus into your home. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord (Ps. 100:1), and fight the enemy's noisy temptations with the power of Scripture.
How does the enemy distract or tempt you with noise? Satan knows me well and knows that I can be totally distracted by my own musings. He fills my head with all sorts of thoughts, scenarios and imaginary conversations that cause me to live inside my head all too often. I can get all worked up over something without leaving my chair or interacting with anyone!
In Luke 4, Jesus came face to face with Satan's noise when he was hungry and, very likely, quite tired. How do you quiet the noise? Jesus beat the enemy's temptations with Scripture! When we are overcome with noise that disrupts our life or tempts us to the edge, you can be sure that it is Satan at work and he isn't going to try just once. I usually turn to Christian music to beat the enemy's noise. There isn't any room for his noisy nonsense when I'm belting out (admittedly off key) a song giving praise to my Creator! How about you?
Do you have a “life passage”? Scripture that has special meaning for you or is your “go to scripture” when you need to quiet the enemy? You may think that there isn't one for you or that you don't know the Bible well enough to figure out what it is for you. Beth Moore mentions Isaiah 61:1-2 as one of her dearest life passages (pg. 83) and it is certainly a passage that should be dear to all of us. This is why Jesus came!
Father, thank you for the promises You made and You keep. Thank you for filling us and healing us and carrying us when we can't even think about putting one foot in front of the other. Lord, guide and protect us as we navigate this world full of noise. Amen!
This week, we saw how the enemy made noise as Jesus' ministry was beginning. Satan's intent was to tempt Jesus and to distract others from His message. Satan is still in the business of making noise. He wants us to take notice and believe what he is selling. Don't buy it! Even if he is offering 50% off! Instead, invite Jesus into your home. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord (Ps. 100:1), and fight the enemy's noisy temptations with the power of Scripture.
How does the enemy distract or tempt you with noise? Satan knows me well and knows that I can be totally distracted by my own musings. He fills my head with all sorts of thoughts, scenarios and imaginary conversations that cause me to live inside my head all too often. I can get all worked up over something without leaving my chair or interacting with anyone!In Luke 4, Jesus came face to face with Satan's noise when he was hungry and, very likely, quite tired. How do you quiet the noise? Jesus beat the enemy's temptations with Scripture! When we are overcome with noise that disrupts our life or tempts us to the edge, you can be sure that it is Satan at work and he isn't going to try just once. I usually turn to Christian music to beat the enemy's noise. There isn't any room for his noisy nonsense when I'm belting out (admittedly off key) a song giving praise to my Creator! How about you?
Do you have a “life passage”? Scripture that has special meaning for you or is your “go to scripture” when you need to quiet the enemy? You may think that there isn't one for you or that you don't know the Bible well enough to figure out what it is for you. Beth Moore mentions Isaiah 61:1-2 as one of her dearest life passages (pg. 83) and it is certainly a passage that should be dear to all of us. This is why Jesus came!
Jesus came to...There is a big difference between believing in Jesus and having a relationship with Him. He came long ago so that we could have an abundant life right now. A life filled with joy because He is our best friend! We don't need to seek fulfillment from things or people when we have a relationship with the One and Only. Let Him fill your cup and then, shout to the Lord because nothing compares to the promises we have in Him!
Fill us with the good news,
Heal and restore us when we are broken,
Offer us freedom,
Clear our spiritual vision, and
Release us from Satan's oppression...
Now!
Father, thank you for the promises You made and You keep. Thank you for filling us and healing us and carrying us when we can't even think about putting one foot in front of the other. Lord, guide and protect us as we navigate this world full of noise. Amen!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Week 2: Days 8 - 14
You may have noticed that I jumped ahead to the content included in Day 8 last week when I asked you to imagine Mary's thoughts and feelings upon the birth of Jesus. I intended for you to paint your own picture before Beth gave us her imagined account of that first night that Mary held her son. I get that feeling – you know that feeling deep inside you that goes beyond description – every time I think about young Mary holding her newborn son!
We covered a lot of ground this week! We went from the first night of Jesus' birth, to his circumcision 8 days after his birth, followed by his presentation at the temple 33 days later, to his three days with the teachers in the temple when he was 12, and finally his baptism performed by his cousin John in the Jordan River.
Not only did our study cover several years of Jesus' life, we also covered a lot of really important subjects related to our relationship with Jesus. I've tried to summarize the highlights with a few sentences below, but if you have something else that jumped out at you, please share it in the comments.
Prayer Jesus loves to hear from us even though He knows everything; He wants us to talk him and to ask questions. And, when we talk to Him, He will answer us! We may not like His answer, or we may not understand it, or we may have to wait for it and that wait may take us to eternity, but have no doubt that there will always be an answer. From my own experience, I know that God answers us in all sorts of ways. Just last week I read a random blog post on a site that I had never visited until that day and there was wisdom straight from scripture for a very confusing situation that I had been praying about for months...seriously!
Being About God The more precise translation of Luke 2:49 that Beth gives – “Didn't you know that I had to be about my Father?” (pg. 53) – really got me thinking. What does it mean to be about God? The word about can mean “to be near” or it can mean “in the make up of” and it can also mean “fundamentally concerned with.” Is being about God related to Father Clay's question to us, “What does a movement look like in me?” Is being about God where your movement starts?
Ordinary Folks I had to laugh when I read, “I simply cannot IMAGINE Christ not being BEAUTIFUL...”(p. 57 – emphasis mine) because as I read it I heard Beth's voice in my head saying it and when she got to the word beautiful, saying it in that nearly breathless whisper of hers. I tried to convey that with my typed emphasis! Her point though is to remind us that Jesus came to to earth as an ordinary baby and grew into an ordinary looking man to teach and serve ordinary folks. He isn't way above our heads or out of our reach.
Repentance Talking about confessing our sins is an uncomfortable subject, isn't it? But, after finishing day 13, I had a different feeling about confession and repentance. I liked being reminded that we have already received salvation through Christ and that the confession of our sins is refreshment for our soul. It shouldn't be painful. When we turn to God to confess our sins and seek repentance, it should feel like a tall glass of cold lemonade for our soul. We are ready to be filled with the Holy Spirit and be about our Father!
Meeting Christ My favorite sentence from Beth's fictional account of John baptizing Jesus is, “He [Jesus] walked out of those waters and into our lives, interrupting a fallen world with grace and truth.” (p. 68) He walked into my life and your life! Beth gave us plenty of room to recapture that moment when we first met Christ. I hope that you filled that space and maybe more with your memories of that moment when He walked into your life!
Discussion Questions
What does being about God mean to you?
Day 9 (Luke 2:21 – 24) covered the typical rituals followed by devout Jewish parents of a newborn. Which religious customs and disciplines carry the most meaning for you – not just in their warm feelings of nostalgia but in their true spiritual significance?
How has God answered your questions or spoke to you? Was it through scripture? With a random thought? With a recurring thought? Through a friend? During your quiet time? While you were sitting in the car pool line? In an email?
I hope that you'll share some or all of your answers to these questions in the comment section. Also, feel free to share anything else that touched you during this week. If you're unsure about how to leave a comment on the blog, click HERE for instructions.
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Your One and Only to walk into our lives and for the refreshment we receive through your Word. Thank you for blessing Beth Moore with her unique gifts that guide and encourage us to draw closer to You. We long to be women about You! Guide us to be the women You intend for us to be, using our unique gifts to serve others and glorify You. Amen!
We covered a lot of ground this week! We went from the first night of Jesus' birth, to his circumcision 8 days after his birth, followed by his presentation at the temple 33 days later, to his three days with the teachers in the temple when he was 12, and finally his baptism performed by his cousin John in the Jordan River.
Not only did our study cover several years of Jesus' life, we also covered a lot of really important subjects related to our relationship with Jesus. I've tried to summarize the highlights with a few sentences below, but if you have something else that jumped out at you, please share it in the comments.
Prayer Jesus loves to hear from us even though He knows everything; He wants us to talk him and to ask questions. And, when we talk to Him, He will answer us! We may not like His answer, or we may not understand it, or we may have to wait for it and that wait may take us to eternity, but have no doubt that there will always be an answer. From my own experience, I know that God answers us in all sorts of ways. Just last week I read a random blog post on a site that I had never visited until that day and there was wisdom straight from scripture for a very confusing situation that I had been praying about for months...seriously!
Being About God The more precise translation of Luke 2:49 that Beth gives – “Didn't you know that I had to be about my Father?” (pg. 53) – really got me thinking. What does it mean to be about God? The word about can mean “to be near” or it can mean “in the make up of” and it can also mean “fundamentally concerned with.” Is being about God related to Father Clay's question to us, “What does a movement look like in me?” Is being about God where your movement starts?
Ordinary Folks I had to laugh when I read, “I simply cannot IMAGINE Christ not being BEAUTIFUL...”(p. 57 – emphasis mine) because as I read it I heard Beth's voice in my head saying it and when she got to the word beautiful, saying it in that nearly breathless whisper of hers. I tried to convey that with my typed emphasis! Her point though is to remind us that Jesus came to to earth as an ordinary baby and grew into an ordinary looking man to teach and serve ordinary folks. He isn't way above our heads or out of our reach.
Repentance Talking about confessing our sins is an uncomfortable subject, isn't it? But, after finishing day 13, I had a different feeling about confession and repentance. I liked being reminded that we have already received salvation through Christ and that the confession of our sins is refreshment for our soul. It shouldn't be painful. When we turn to God to confess our sins and seek repentance, it should feel like a tall glass of cold lemonade for our soul. We are ready to be filled with the Holy Spirit and be about our Father!
Meeting Christ My favorite sentence from Beth's fictional account of John baptizing Jesus is, “He [Jesus] walked out of those waters and into our lives, interrupting a fallen world with grace and truth.” (p. 68) He walked into my life and your life! Beth gave us plenty of room to recapture that moment when we first met Christ. I hope that you filled that space and maybe more with your memories of that moment when He walked into your life!
Discussion Questions
What does being about God mean to you?
Day 9 (Luke 2:21 – 24) covered the typical rituals followed by devout Jewish parents of a newborn. Which religious customs and disciplines carry the most meaning for you – not just in their warm feelings of nostalgia but in their true spiritual significance?
How has God answered your questions or spoke to you? Was it through scripture? With a random thought? With a recurring thought? Through a friend? During your quiet time? While you were sitting in the car pool line? In an email?
I hope that you'll share some or all of your answers to these questions in the comment section. Also, feel free to share anything else that touched you during this week. If you're unsure about how to leave a comment on the blog, click HERE for instructions.
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Your One and Only to walk into our lives and for the refreshment we receive through your Word. Thank you for blessing Beth Moore with her unique gifts that guide and encourage us to draw closer to You. We long to be women about You! Guide us to be the women You intend for us to be, using our unique gifts to serve others and glorify You. Amen!
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