I'm going to be real non-wordy here so that I can hear YOU...yes YOU. Please tell me what God is revealing to you through this study. It doesn't have to be profound in your eyes, and it doesn't have to be a new teaching to you. Whatever you want to say. Can even be from Day 1!
I can't wait to read your comments, and see where the conversation goes. Conversation does require your participation though. So, start typing.
LOVE you and already getting into Week 3 of the study. Jenny
11 comments:
Gosh, where do I start? It seems each new lesson/day's study brings something to the forefront to me. From Day 5 - Why Idols? (p.49) I was surprised, although I really shouldn't have been, to see that the root of most false idols is FEAR. It's made me have to really open and be completely honest with myself - it's hard to admit that maybe I run because of my fear of not having a "fit" body or that I wouldn't seem attractive to my husband. Notice, I still use MAYBE - is it because I haven't yet determined the underlying factor or because I'm still not willing to SAY it?!??
Recently, I was touched by what Michael Wells had said and was quoted on p. 62 - "Satan will tell us what's true, but he never tells us the truth." WOW. Those words are powerful - because the root of insecurities, our fears, our false gods is Satan deceiving us.
I recall going through a period, not too long ago, where my husband and I both lost income (received fairly lucrative stipends for a magazine owned)- this came the first day back to work after Christmas and with my father on his death bed. Naturally, our fear of not making ends meet were realistic but, now, as I see it, only partial truth by Satan in one ear which was overshadowing the whole truth which is that God will take care of our needs. God definitely took care of those needs - it was all in His plan. Years before he walked us through courses which taught us to be financially at peace and he even placed this terrible circumstance in the midst of something even greater (my father dying) so that I/we wouldn't focus on the loss of the income. It could have truly been devastating - and Satan wanted us to believe as much - but God took care of our needs.
Now the challenge is to approach all things in life with such an attitude - big or small.
I am loving this study! I look forward to a new personal discovery every day.
Day 5 about fear and idols was a real eye-opener for me. I recognize that I hold onto my family too tightly and worry too much about little things, but I could never figure out why. Now I realize that it is really all about fear.
I know that as a believer, I shouldn't feel this way, but I fear death. I fear that I will some how be separated from the people in my life that I hold so dear. As a result, I hold them too tightly.
I also fear that when I face death, I will look back on my life and realize that I did it "wrong". I somehow wasted it away. As a result, I try to micro-manage my world and get it as "right" as I can.
Hopefully discovery and admission are the first steps in recovery! I keep thinking back to week 1. I need to MAKE ROOM! Less me, more HIM!
If you wanna take the whole thing down another layer. Idols originates from fear. Fear originates from unbelief. I studied this in a past study, and it was so eye-opening for me. When we choose fear (because it really is a choice) we are choosing NOT to believe God.
Note the difference in believing IN God and believing God, an active day-to-day belief. Beth Moore says, "You must believe Him. Believe He can do what He says He can do. Believe you can do what He says you can do. Believe He is who He says He is. And believe you are who He says you are."
I have struggled with fear (fears of every kind) my whole life. Quite a few years ago, God delivered me from a stronghold of fear, as I was so afraid of death, losing control, rejection, loneliness, etc. It was debilitating. Praise God I don't live with that anymore, and the freedom came from me choosing to believe God, believe His promises for my life. Now, I just struggle with your everyday fears, run-of-the-mill stuff--dogs, scary dark places, being kidnapped,:) etc. etc.--still unbelief!
Anyway, maybe this will help. When we have those fears like the little scary dog (like the shitzu) barking at me while I'm running ;), I confess my unbelief, speak Truth (Psalm 118:6 "The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?" NOTE: I the Bible doesn't exactly say "what can dog do to me, but I'm combining little dog with man!) and ask for help to believe and be strong. The dog is an example, but taking those thoughts captive and replacing with Truth works for it all!
Wow, Jenny! I think you should write our next Bible study. I love the one that we’re doing, but I also love reading the comments on here and seeing that the things I struggle with aren’t just me. It was really difficult for me to read what you wrote about fear originating from unbelief, but it is so true. I, too, have so many fears in my life. With a new baby on the way, I feel like I am afraid of everything. Page 47 from last week is now hitting home even more: “The Israelites turned God’s gifts into Gods.” That is exactly what I am doing! My baby is a gift from God, yet I am unwilling and afraid to trust and believe that he will do what is best for her. I want to take everything into my own hands and I am so afraid of something going wrong. I know that practicing that active day-to-day belief is the only way that I can have peace, but it is so hard!
The most powerful verse I have read so far in this study is 1 John 4:18. “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
What a blessing Brianna, that God is giving you this study at this time of your life! Your so right about God's gifts turning into gods for us. What bigger example than our children? I mean, gee whiz, there's so much riding on them. We love them so much. It's one thing to mess up our lives, but to be responsible for other people's lives?!!?
If only we can remember we're not responsible for their life. I mean we're responsible to love them, care for them--really, to show them an example of the Father's love which is a HUGE responsibility. It's the LORD, though, who has planned their days. Oh, the joy in those moments when we allow ourselves to Trust in the Lord for their well-being!
I really had no idea the amount of control I tried to have over my family's lives until Keely went to school and had some normal, but albeit difficult social struggles. All of the sudden, I couldn't be there to work everything out for her and control the situation. Sad to say, but I HAD to trust God. He gave me such peace in the situation. Humility came with it.
I think it's excellent that you can look at this and examine your life before that sweet life comes into the world. To be ready as Hannah did and say, "I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD." 1 Samuel 1:27-28
What about you moms out there? Have any advice or war stories on how to let God be God when it comes to parenting?!?!
SHOEE! Parenting - where is that instruction book? I asked that when my children (now teenagers) were infants & still ask for the instruction book when difficult times arise (and yes, they continue to arise). As Jenny wrote, 'if only we can remember we're not responsible for their life.' I get that but it's very difficult at times to let them struggle with situations that you just can't fix but allow them, to perhaps fail, in order to grow. That's that TRUSTING in the Lord part. At times, that seems so easy to do. If only I had learned that when they were younger so I could show by example that trusting in the Lord is key. Now that they are teenagers, I can barely get a few words out of them and they never seem to be around. But I hope the spare moments we do have they can see the reflection of God in all I do and mirror that same image among their friends.
I've tried to post several times here but was unsuccessful, that's beside the point! I wanted to tell you that one of my fears is that my children don't need me anymore. Don't get me wrong, they need me, but they don't depend on me to get them dressed, fed, help with homework, driven places (for the most part). It's a new chapter in my book- letting go.. It's not easy. But, I've been learning to trust in God. I sometimes ask Him for specific things I think my kids need and lately, I've said to Him "you already know what it is they need, so please help them".
I'm enjoying this book and am finding Kelly Minter to be real, she's deep and one that can focus on a small detail and make a great example out of it. (i.e. the lizard and the Dr. Pepper can)
Judy, I'm so thankful you were able to leave a comment this time! Keep doing it. Wow--the wisdom you have for us. You've experienced (and lived through :)) the earlier years with children. Sometimes I eagerly await the days that I can do my thing without having to care for those day-to-day needs, but you remind me it goes so fast, and it will be something I miss!
Ok, forgive me if this posts twice and forgive me for not posting more regularly - I'd like to have a lame excuse like I just forgot or my life is just way too busy for this but the fact is, I've been avoiding it. At first it was because I would get on regularly and read everyone's comments and didn't feel I had anything worthwhile to add so I didn't...then the end of week 2 kicked my tail! Lesson 5 which several of you have mentioned has grabbed onto me in a way that nothing else has in a while. Up to that point I knew God wanted me to get a control of the idol of TV but I felt there was something else, something more personal that was really keeping me from having the relationship with Him that I have always craved (even though TV by itself can really eat up the time I could be spending with Him). I had been questioning whether fear, insecurity, laziness, etc could be the idols in my life but I think she did such a good job of explaining that those are not because no one really wants to hold onto those things (although I do have a death grip on them at times)but they serve as the "gatekeepers" of what we really treasure, where we really find our identity. And that fear of losing people really got to the heart of the matter for me. I don't fear losing people physically, but I'm so caught up in what people think of me and the fear that I could lose someone emotionally if I do or say the wrong thing that it's really become a stronghold in my life. I'm such a "people pleaser" that it becomes priority in my life. Even much of the way I behave or the things I do are a direct result of that fear of disappointing someone. It's to the point that I don't seek what God wants for me as much as I worry about what other people would want from me. And it's one of those things that in and of itself might not be a bad thing - God has given me my husband, my wonderful Christian friends, a great job with great colleagues to fill my life - but it's the importance that it gets in my life that becomes the problem. And I become so consumed with losing that, that I don't have "time" to think about the really important things like my time with God. Isaiah 8:11-13 was a real thought-provoking verse for me from that lesson - it boils down to only God is Holy. When I put so much emphasis on what other people think about me or want from me, I'm making them "holier" than God in a sense.
I can't wait to see what she kicks me in the tail with next!
Love to all!
I love this study!!! This, along with Consumed, is speaking to me in a way that I haven't been open to in a long time. I won't be as wordy as my last comment but just wanted to share 2 things that God has said "Hey, read that again!" to me this week (I admit I'm a few days behind, still in the midst of week 3) but I needed the reminder from day 1 of this week that "He will be God whether we make room or not but how much we miss if we do not allow Him full space in our hearts!" That really made me think - my idols are not holding God back from being God and doing God-things at all but boy, am I missing out on so many opportunities to be a part of that when I hold on to my idols, whatever they are.
The other thing was from day 3. The verse, 2 Chronicles 32:8 - "...but with us is the Lord our God [MY God] to help us and to fight our battles." When I first read through it, I thought "God's with me while I'm fighting my battles, how cool" but then God said, "Go back and reread that" God's not with me while I fight my battles...God's there to fight my battles for me!!! All I have to do is "let go and let God".
Beth, yeah, new blogger! So glad you decided to write. Your transparency, I'm sure, will empower others to be honest if none other than themselves and God. Thank you. As a fellow people-pleaser, you know I relate girl!
I did the best Bible study over the summer. When we finish this one, if you're looking for an amazing study, check out LORD, I Want to Know You by Kay Arthur. It's on the names of God. It's one of my favorite studies ever! Anyway, I wanted to give you this name, Beth...Jehovah-nissi, the LORD is my banner.
According to International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, a banner was an ensign or standard "carried at the head of a military band or body, to indicate the line of march, or the rallying point." Kay Arthur says Jehovah-nissi, "the LORD is my banner" shows us, "a great principle for attaining victory over our enemy, the flesh." "Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might." (Eph 6:10). Kay Arthur says, "It is the Lord's battle; victory depends on His rod being lifted up....What part do you play in it all? Are you to sit in the grandstands, eating hot dogs, drinking sodas, and giving a hoot and hller every now and then?" "But you, O valiant warrior, are to put on the full armor of God and get on the battlefront. Under the banner of God, victory is always assured, but apart from it, defeat is a certainty."
Anyway, thought of Jehovah-nissi as you were saying God fights the battles. When you are feeling overwhelmed by the battle, you can call on Jehovah-nissi remembering the Banner that is leading your way to victory!
Thanks Jenny! I love that - Jehovah-nissi! You have such a gift for having the perfect thing to say at the perfect time and are always such an encouragement!
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