BECOMING MORE THAN A GOOD BIBLE STUDY GIRL - SESSION 2 - 09-16-10

SESSION TWO - BECOMING MORE THAN A GOOD BIBLE STUDY GIRL

 IN MY WALK WITH GOD

Lysa started this week's DVD segment with some fresh pineapple. She told of how she had been settling for canned pineapple instead of fresh pineapple because the outside of the fresh pineapple looked "scary". Then she watched a friend cut a fresh pineapple and realized, "I could do that. It's not so hard." She compared that to studying the Bible. Sometimes, we settle for the "canned" version - what others have studied and then told us - instead of getting the Word "fresh" for ourselves because the Bible can look "scary" on the outside. It's so big - I don't understand it - we use all kind of excuses.

She referenced Ephesians 1:17 as giving us an important clue to understanding the Bible: "I keep asking..." ASK for understanding and don't just ask once - KEEP ON ASKING. The only way we are going to have His Word dwell in us is to get it in to us and the only way to do that is to get in to the Bible for ourselves.

She used the story of David as an example of how we can learn by studying people in the Bible. Some questions we should ask ourselves when we are studying any person in the Bible are: What is odd about this passage? What could it say to me personally?

In I Samuel 16:1, 7, 10-13 we see that David was overlooked by everyone else but he was handpicked by God. (He wasn't even brought in with his brothers!) His character was developed in the fields of everyday life to match his calling. Even though David should have been afraid, he wasn't because he knew God was with him so he ran straight to the center of God's will.

If you settle for canned versions of someone else's revelations instead of studying the Bible for yourself, it could have a negative impact on your walk with the Lord. How? Because, how would you know if they were speaking the truth? Also, you can't get the same feelings from someone else's experiences as you can from your own.

Even after David was anointed as King where was he sent? Back to the fields! And he never complained once. He trusted God and didn't question.

We must remember that the fields of every day life are our perfect preparation place, just as they were David's. God knows exactly where we are and has us there for a reason. He knows His plan for us already. We need to trust Him and allow Him to work in and through our lives right where we are this moment.

Other scripture used in this week's lesson: I Samuel 17:34-37, 40, 45 and 48-49

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Each lady present received a bookmark with a picture of a pineapple and Ephesians 1:17 "I keep asking..." to help remind us not to settle for the "canned" version of the Bible.

And one lady (Alisa) was blessed with two fresh pineapples to take home! WOO HOO!!!

Please realize that this blog is a very abbreviated version of everything that we discuss on Thursday nights. Please feel free to come and join in even if you didn't sign up and don't have the books. You can really get a lot of insight just from watching the DVD session and taking part in the discussion that follows. We'd love to have you join us.

We will be watching the Session 3 DVD this Thursday, Sept. 23 at 7:00 p.m. You never know what little surprises might be waiting for ya :)



BECOMING MORE THAN A GOOD BIBLE STUDY GIRL - SESSION 1 - 09-09-10

Well, our first session in Lysa Terkeurst's Bible Study - Becoming More Than A Good Bible Study Girl - was certainly tinged with sadness. However, we had a good group of ladies and had some good prayer time and got right into it. Oh, and we had brownies - with NO nuts - for a snack! (wink, wink ladies - you'd have to be here to know what that was about)

SESSION ONE

BECOMING MORE THAN A GOOD BIBLE STUDY GIRL IN MY HEART

In the first session, Lysa used examples from her own life to remind us that we can NOT try to make any person, possession or position fill our heart. That is something that only God can do. If we try to force anything besides God to do it, it can quickly turn from a blessing into a burden.

Anything we use as a substitute for God is an idol - a false god. It wasn't just the people in the Old Testament that struggled with this. We still struggle with this today. But the same answer that their false gods gave to them is the same answer our false gods give us - there is no response, no one answers and no one pays attention.

We have to quit thinking "If only I had" statements and replace them with truths from God's Word. Proverbs 24:16 was one example she gave.

When we allow ourselves to be satisfied with God and filled up with His truth, then we can stop having unrealistic expectations from people, possessions and positions.

I must remember that just because something I DO might be a failure, it does NOT make ME a failure.

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We had a lot of good discussion after watching the video and I am enjoying the "between-sessions personal Bible Study" that she has us doing.

If you didn't sign up but would like to join us after reading this, come on! We still have an extra set of books and you really haven't missed THAT much yet. Come join us this Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. We'd love to have you.

This Thursday night there will also be an extra-special video (I hope - lol) besides the Bible Study and an important announcement to go along with it. No, it's not another Bible Study but something I think several ladies might be interested in. Come see what it is :)

HOW IS GOD SPEAKING TO YOU? (09-02-10)

There is some very exciting news at the end of this one, so DON'T SKIP TO THE END, but be sure to read ALL THE WAY to the end so you can get in on it :)

What a wonderful time we had last Thursday night. It was so interesting to hear the things that were shared of how God is speaking to different individuals. Some of the songs that were shared were "More Love To Thee", "Count Your Blessings", "My Shepherd Will Supply My Needs", "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "No Matter What". I have never heard the song, "My Shepherd Will Suplly My Needs" but the words spoke to my heart when they were shared. I know and have known for a very long time now that He DOES supply my needs, but it is so wonderful that someone else can put in to words and music what my heart is feeling. I just love that! I am going to share the words to that song later.

One lady shared that she almost feels like a "female Job" - like things are being taken from her but she is STILL going to serve Jesus anyway. She mentioned that sometimes she feels she is not able to do a lot of things that she'd like to do for the Lord but said she just remembers that He calls us for our AVAILability first and then HE will give us the ability to do what He asks us to do. We are not called to do anything else.

Another shared that she feels guilty about not witnessing more. We actually had two ladies to say this and, as we were all talking about it, we actually all felt that way to a degree. But this particular lady is praying and asking God to give her more boldness in that area so please remember this in your prayers. God knows who she is and will know who you are praying for. She said that she has to remember that God sees the whole picture while we see only a little, tiny portion. He knows why people do the things they do. He sees and judges by the person's heart while see and judge by the outward appearance of things. He sees the motive and intent of our own heart even when we may not. We may be doing something and not truly realize the intent of our heart or motive behind our actions but, if we pray and ask Him to reveal these things to us, He will. We may not like what He shows us but He will only be honest and truthful with us. The final thing she shared was that she wanted to give herself SO completely to God but asked "How do I do that?" We just have to place our life in His hands daily and truly surrender to Him and His will each day, sometimes even minute by minute and trust that, as we said earlier, He knows the intent of our heart. He knows if we are truly trying to hear Him and do His will.

Someone else shared almost the same thing - that she just wants to be closer to God, wants to FEEL Him more. We all agreed, as did she, that the one thing we have to remind ourselves of at times when we don't FEEL the Lord, is that we can NOT go by feelings. In fact, we all agreed that, more often than not, it is in the times when we don't feel Him that it is most important to praise Him and lift Him up. Why? Because that brings Him glory! (And, as an added bonus - it makes the devil mad!)

Everyone pretty much knows what I've been going through for the last year and a half and I had a lot to share of how He has been putting scriptures and songs in front of me during this time reminding me that He is in control. Just recently, the new song by Kerrie Roberts, "No Matter What" really grabbed my heart. I was like - "That's exactly what I've been saying for the last year and a half! No matter what happens, I'm going to serve Him and love Him anyway!"

I am not going to type out all the scriptures that I shared but I will tell you where to find them - their "addresses" - and you can look them up. You never know, they just might help you with something you're dealing with right now. The scriptures were: Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 97:10, II Thessalonians 2:3, Isaiah 54:17, Jeremiah 39:17, Isaiah 54:10, Micah 6:8, II Corinthians 9:8 (NLT) and Proverbs 19:21. The really neat thing about the scriptures is that after He shows one to me, I've noticed that the same scripture will pop up in something else that I receive in an e-mail or an article that I read. I just love how He reinforces things and confirms things to my heart.

He has also used Sheri Rose Shepherd's books, "His Princess" and "Prayers to My King" to really help me through this time. As well as books by Beth Moore (Breaking Free Day by Day) and Sarah Young (Jesus Calling).

He is with us each and every minute of our lives. All we have to do is call on Him and ask Him to show us His way. He is here even when we don't feel Him, even though we don't 'physically' see Him nor audibly hear Him - He IS here. He sometimes speaks in a still, small voice, so be patient, sit quietly, spend time with Him and in His Word and you will learn His voice. I know this to be true because I am learning. Sure, the enemy still tries to confuse me and make me doubt, but I am learning despite his attempts to stop me. We must not give up, we must press onward and upward. He knows our heart and the motives and intents of our heart and He will help us learn and He will and does speak to us - the question really is, "Are we listening for Him?"

MY SHEPHERD WILL SUPPLY MY NEEDS

MY SHEPHERD WILL SUPPLY MY NEED,

JEHOVAH IS HIS NAME

IN PASTURES FRESH HE MAKES ME FEED

BESIDE THE LIVING STERAM

HE BRINGS MY WANDERING SPIRIT BACK

WHEN I FORSAKE HIS WAYS

AND LEADS ME FOR HIS MERCY’S SAKE

IN PATHS OF TRUTH AND GRACE

WHEN I WALK THROUGH THE SHADES OF DEATH

THY PRESENCE IS MY STAY

ONE WORD OF THY SUPPORTING BREATH

DRIVES ALL MY FEARS AWAY

THY HAND IN SIGHT OF ALL MY FOES

DOTH STILL MY TABLE SPREAD

MY CUP WITH BLESSINGS OVERFLOWS

THINE OIL ANOINTS MY HEAD

THE SURE PROVISIONS OF MY GOD

ATTEND ME ALL MY DAYS

O MAY THY HOUSE BE MY ABODE

AND ALL MY WORK BE PRAISE

THERE WOULD I FIND A SETTLED REST

WHILE OTHERS GO AND COME

NO MORE A STRANGER NOR A GUEST

BUT LIKE A CHILD AT HOME

Now for the exciting news.................NEXT WEEK WE START OUR LYSA TERKEURST BIBLE STUDY - "BECOMING MORE THAN A GOOD BIBLE STUDY GIRL"

If you are planning to attend and haven't already let me know, PLEASE do so ASAP so I can get your books ordered. You can contact me by e-mail or on facebook. I am really excited about what God is going to do through each of us ladies in this Bible Study.

Blessings to each and every person reading this :)