"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."
These are the verses that I'm concentrating on this week and I thought I would share them with you. I'm going to try to each week as I'm learning these verses, to post them on the blog and dissect them to life. I've highlighted the areas of action that are required by me. Throughout scripture Christ tells us how to handle life. So many times during the busyness of the days, I'll read scripture but not really look in detail at what it tells me to do.
Receive Christ Jesus as Lord - At an early age I accepted Christ as my Saviour but it wasn't until 4-5 years ago that I accepted him Lord of my life. I see many people that have accepted him as Saviour but do not understand that it is more than that. Submitting your whole life to him to be Lord over is the ultimate reward. I use to pray and talk to him when I needed - during those "bad" times. Walking with God on a daily bases is so much more than that. It's talking to him during the good times, the hectic times, the times when you don't know what to do, the times when you hear him tell you of something he needs you to do, etc.
Continue to live in him - In recent blogs I mentioned F.R.O.G. (Fully Relying on God). This is one way that I can continue living in him. Studying verses. Attending church to hear others discuss passages. Being active in my small group - not just enjoying the fellowship but actively taking a part during discussions. These are all ways for me to continue to live in him.
Rooted, built up, & strengthened in him- Just as when plants need nourishment, they draw from the soil through their roots - we draw our life and strength from Christ. The more we draw closer to him and the more strength we draw from him - we are built up in him and less from the world. By reading and studying His Word, talking with Him, Relying on Him - we built ourselves up in Him.
Overflowing with thankfulness - We are to be thankful in all situations with all things. Sometimes this is hard to do. I've been trying to look at every situation I'm in - good and bad - and thanking him for those. It makes me more aware of when I rely on him, look to him for answers instead of the world, I can see where I'm growing by the way I handle situations. Try this - even in the bad times - it makes the world of difference.
As I've gotten older, memorizing things have gotten harder for me. (Runs in my family!!!) I'm writing these verses down on index cards and keeping them with me. For the next few days, I want to rewrite this verse every morning - first starting here with the blog, then on post it notes and sticking them in my car, at my desk, on the mirror in the bathroom, on the fridge, etc. Ways that will help me to see them visual.
I want to be rooted in Christ. He has blessed me with so many miracles and blessings. I owe it to him to truly take to heart his word and to learn it. If you have any other suggests for memorizing Bible verses - please leave me a comment. I need all the help I can get!!!! Thanks!!!
Showing posts with label Bible Study. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bible Study. Show all posts
Monday, June 30, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Chapter 1 - A Soul That Longs For More
I just finished reading Chapter 1 of "What Happens When Women Say Yes to God". The main topic was "whatever God says do, do it!".
Lysa told her story about giving her personal Bible away during one of her plane trips and how listening to God changed three lives that day. It really made me think about how we never know how God is using our actions to change the life of others around us. It also made me think about the times I didn't listen to him and how I may have been a stumbling block for someone.
On page 11 of the book it read "...I was also brokenhearted by the flood of thoughts that came to mind recounting times I'd told God no. How tragic to miss God's divine appointments. I just kept wondering, How many times have I told You no, God? How many times because I was too tired, too insecure, too uncertain, too busy, or too selfish have I walked right past Your divine appointment for me and missed experiencing You?" This really hit home for me. I'm always complaining about not having enough time, for being so busy, for being tired....how many times has my excuses kept me from doing what God wants me to do. How many times did I say no to Him?
I loved the verse that was used.....Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." I really need to do this more and more. I believe this is going to be my next index card at my desk, in my car, and by my bed. So many times I try to do things my way instead of His, and so many times because of this I fail!
Lysa told us that we don't have to be perfect and we don't have to have all the answers to all the questions. She tells us that we must surrender all that's clamoring for our attention in our hearts - by giving Him our calendars, our worries, our desires, our needs, our wants, our interruptions - by giving Him everything - to simply say what He is longing to hear from us - "Yes God!"
This morning I was awoken by a new pup who didn't want to be in her kennel and with a husband who took her out but didn't want to stay up and play with her at 6am. My morning was really not looking good. I decided to get up and go into the living room with the new pup. While she played around my lap and feet, I finished reading Chapter 1. The following part really impacted me....
Lysa wrote: "Being a woman who says yes to God means making the choice to trust Him even when you can't understand why He requires some of the things He does. It also means that once you've said yes to God, you refuse to turn back, even when things get hard. This kind of obedience invites you to embrace a bigger vision for your life. When you look at your everyday circumstances through the lens of God's perspective, everything changes. You come to realize that God uses each circumstance, each person who crosses your path, and each encounter you have with Him as a divine appointment. Each day counts, and every action and reaction matters. God absolutely loves to take ordinary people and do extraordinary things in them, through them, and with them."
This morning God used a puppy (even though I didn't understand at the time and really wanted my husband to deal with it) to provide the opportunity for me to finish the chapter in this book. The statements above help me to realize that I really need to stop for the moment, take a breathe and really look at my life by God's prespective and not my own.
There are so many areas of my life right now that I'm struggling with - work, home, ministries. I need to see where God is wanting me to say "Yes" and just do it. I need to be in radical obedience. Lysa describes radical obedience as "hearing from God, feeling His nudges, participating in His activity, and experiencing His blessings..... I want to hear, feel, participate, and experience Him. So I close this chapter with my prayer to Him...
Lord, grant me the strength and wisdom to be a woman who says "Yes" to you. I want to hear you, to feel you, and to do whatever it is you want me to do. Take away my desire to do things my way, I want to trust in you with all my heart. I want to walk the path that you have for me and when times get tough Lord, take my hand and lead me. I surrender everything to you - my time, my thoughts, my worries, my hopes, my dreams, everything. In your amazing name, I pray. Amen.
Lysa told her story about giving her personal Bible away during one of her plane trips and how listening to God changed three lives that day. It really made me think about how we never know how God is using our actions to change the life of others around us. It also made me think about the times I didn't listen to him and how I may have been a stumbling block for someone.
On page 11 of the book it read "...I was also brokenhearted by the flood of thoughts that came to mind recounting times I'd told God no. How tragic to miss God's divine appointments. I just kept wondering, How many times have I told You no, God? How many times because I was too tired, too insecure, too uncertain, too busy, or too selfish have I walked right past Your divine appointment for me and missed experiencing You?" This really hit home for me. I'm always complaining about not having enough time, for being so busy, for being tired....how many times has my excuses kept me from doing what God wants me to do. How many times did I say no to Him?
I loved the verse that was used.....Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." I really need to do this more and more. I believe this is going to be my next index card at my desk, in my car, and by my bed. So many times I try to do things my way instead of His, and so many times because of this I fail!
Lysa told us that we don't have to be perfect and we don't have to have all the answers to all the questions. She tells us that we must surrender all that's clamoring for our attention in our hearts - by giving Him our calendars, our worries, our desires, our needs, our wants, our interruptions - by giving Him everything - to simply say what He is longing to hear from us - "Yes God!"
This morning I was awoken by a new pup who didn't want to be in her kennel and with a husband who took her out but didn't want to stay up and play with her at 6am. My morning was really not looking good. I decided to get up and go into the living room with the new pup. While she played around my lap and feet, I finished reading Chapter 1. The following part really impacted me....
Lysa wrote: "Being a woman who says yes to God means making the choice to trust Him even when you can't understand why He requires some of the things He does. It also means that once you've said yes to God, you refuse to turn back, even when things get hard. This kind of obedience invites you to embrace a bigger vision for your life. When you look at your everyday circumstances through the lens of God's perspective, everything changes. You come to realize that God uses each circumstance, each person who crosses your path, and each encounter you have with Him as a divine appointment. Each day counts, and every action and reaction matters. God absolutely loves to take ordinary people and do extraordinary things in them, through them, and with them."
This morning God used a puppy (even though I didn't understand at the time and really wanted my husband to deal with it) to provide the opportunity for me to finish the chapter in this book. The statements above help me to realize that I really need to stop for the moment, take a breathe and really look at my life by God's prespective and not my own.
There are so many areas of my life right now that I'm struggling with - work, home, ministries. I need to see where God is wanting me to say "Yes" and just do it. I need to be in radical obedience. Lysa describes radical obedience as "hearing from God, feeling His nudges, participating in His activity, and experiencing His blessings..... I want to hear, feel, participate, and experience Him. So I close this chapter with my prayer to Him...
Lord, grant me the strength and wisdom to be a woman who says "Yes" to you. I want to hear you, to feel you, and to do whatever it is you want me to do. Take away my desire to do things my way, I want to trust in you with all my heart. I want to walk the path that you have for me and when times get tough Lord, take my hand and lead me. I surrender everything to you - my time, my thoughts, my worries, my hopes, my dreams, everything. In your amazing name, I pray. Amen.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Say Yes to God!
So much is taking place in my life right now and I really just want to make sure that I am saying "YES" to God! I had the wonderful opportunity to meet and hear Lysa TerKeurst at our local Renewed Conference in 2007. Since then I've read her blog daily. She is so inspiring. I was so excited when I found the blog "Write from the Heart" - they are doing a study on Lysa's book "What Happens When Women Say Yes to God". I'm real excited about this and feel that God is putting this in my life at a time when I really need it - for growth, encouragement, accountability, and fellowship.
Come join us........
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