Ok, so we've had 5 days of reading and studying Nehemiah, what do you think? Are you ready for the next 5 weeks? (for those of you who thought you only had to read day 1, I have some bad news for you... you are now 4 days behind :)
I'll mention a few of my favorite parts from this past week and then I'll also list a few questions that maybe you'd like to share with us about. Feel free to just add a comment about how God has spoken to you or you can even use one of your own questions if you'd like.
I want you all to know how excited I am about this study and I find myself a bit anxious for Wednesday night Bible Study which also means I get to post on here! God is doing some amazing things, he is clearly speaking and breaking the hearts of people. Continue to seek Him and search for His will and desire in your life.
So there's a possibly that I won't be this excited for the next few weeks because my favorite NEW word is found on page 20. HESED!!! For those of you who have thought, "What in the world does this word mean?" "What does this website even mean?" Well, now you should know! It's another word for LOVE (show love). But, my friend, not just any kind of love... it is an "unfailing love, loyal love, devotion, kindness, often based on a prior relationship, especially a covenant relationship." I found today online another description of this word, that made me fall-in-love even more with the word... "The consisten, ever-faithful, relentless, constantly-pursuing, lavish, extravagant, unrestrained, FURIOUS love of our Father God." I mean, WOW, that is an awesome kind of love. A love that is even hard to fathom. And it's not really the word that I'm in love with, but the fact that God loves me THAT much. And that He is capable of that kind of love, when I, Jamie Davis, can't even come close to expressing this kind of love. It puts joy in my heart and a smile on my face to know that MY GOD loves me that much! And that He loves YOU that much, too!
Time to dig in to some truth...
Week 1 Questions (Recap from the past 5 days)
#1 (pg16) What gets in the way of your turning to God first? Feel free to discuss external as well as internal obstacles, such as lack of trust, fear, lack of intimacy, and so forth.
#2 (pg25) Do you think Nehemiah's sorrow of heart couldn't be contained, or do you think he purposely expressed his sadness in the king's presence?
#3 (pg27) What has God put in your heart to do? -Side Note: I know for many of you, you may not know yet what God has put in your heart and that's totally ok! Continue to pray for God to revel this to you and speak to you. So for those of you who knows exactly what you're supposed to be doing... share with us what that is and what it looks like and feels like and how God has confirmed your "calling"!
Session 2 Questions (after you've watched the video)(pg37)
Side Note: This video spoke directly to me and I felt like Katie's testimony is my testimony! I'll share more in my own personal comment...
#4 How has today's teaching caused you to think differently about repentance?
#5 In what ways does personal repentance free you from constantly focusing on the sin and shortcomings of others?
#6 How did Katie's story impact the way you think about repentance? What impacted you the most?
#7 Not that it's possible to raise your hand (duh, because this is a virtual bible study) but if you could... How many of you thought to yourself when you heard Kelly mention how so often when she hear's a mission-based sermon she automatically thinks of someone else... When in deed, these messages are for her. Be honest... how many times have you thought that?
Show Hesed is a place where you can find online bible studies for women. It's also a place where you can meet other Christian women from around the world and fellowship together. If you're unable to a attend a church small group bible study then Show Hesed is just right for you! Bring your book and let's dive in to the Word together.
Not in regards to a specific question, but OUCH. What Kelly said about entertainment hit home..."if it put Jesus on the Cross, it's not funny." I've definitely made those exact excuses before about shows or movies. I also really liked her quote, "We are set apart, not set against."
ReplyDeleteWeek 1 #2- I think Nehemiah was straight up heart broken. I don't think he could have been provoked by God and prompted to speak with the king like he did if his heart wasn't really breaking. I think he was legitimately sorrowful, and people noticed. So- I think that when we open our eyes to what God has us to see, our hearts will likewise break. And we can't help but do what we have to do for the ones our hearts are broken over.
I'm a pretty straight forward kind of girl and I really appreciate others doing the same with me, but geez Kelly is hitting home with the truth! Session 2 video really got my wheels turning when Katie was telling her story of repentence. Just got me thinking about my own life, my own selfish ways and all of my sin that Christ took to the cross. I know through this process of repentence in my life, God has showed me a number of things. I feel as if our culture can say they know Jesus loves them, but do they really KNOW the meaning of hesed? God has me examining my heart very closely after this past week and I'm excited for what's to come. Nehemiah's obedience to God and wanting to go rebuild the wall in Jerusalem is awesome to me. I love the part when he stands before his opposition and pretty much says "I've got GOD on my side" :) How cool is that! God is for His people, not against us!
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed week everyone!
#1 - Immediate Feedback. When my heart gets anxious over something God has placed on my heart my knee-jerk response has alwasy been to talk it over with someone, to get feedback as confirmation. I usually want that immediate feedback before moving forward, I'm just seeking it from the wrong place. I suppose, if I thought I had to intentionally wait 4, 6, 10 months before God responded I might abandon pursusing it. Sad. BUT things are changing! I am trying not to base my thoughts and actions on feedback or feelings, but instead on PURE TRUTH! and to be influenced by the Truth, I have to be constantly in the Word, reading, memorizing, discussing. I want so much for it to just pour endlessly out of my life.
ReplyDeleteI said I'd share about how I felt like Katie's testimony is and was mine... I went on my first mission trip to the DR (Dominican Republic) in Nov 2010. And it was there that my life was flipped upside down (in a good way). Everything that I had once thought was sooo important (a nice house, a nice car, nice clothes, lots of money in our savings account, nice dishes, nice linens, well you get the point) all become completely irrelevant to my life because I felt like God was telling me to abandon it all and just serve Him. He would provide and instead of using all the many blessings that he had already given to me for my own selfish desires, I began to realize that I had been entrusted with them in order to bless others that were less fortunate. It was at this point in my life I came to realize that God hasn't designed us to work our way up the ladder and become extremely wealthy and successful but rather to be humbled with whatever he gives me and to serve others, NOT MYSELF! I could go on and on about this but simply put... less of me & MORE OF HIM!
ReplyDeleteAfter watching session 2, Kelly really has Ron and I thinking about our selfish ways and the real reason we are called to serve God. Like a few of us participating in this study, we recently went on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, as Katie was telling her story, I couldn't help but think of our experience. Our lives were changed, and it opened our eyes to the life that we led. We too, saw our sins..It still breaks our heart when we think about the children and people we met. Jesus took so much to the cross for all of us, and we are commanded to be his hands and feet. I think this series is going to show us how to put our selfish ways behind us and to continue to put him first and the needs of others before ours.
ReplyDelete