Category: Bible study

Who Am I Listening To?

Carolyn

We are studying the Storyline of the Bible in Women’s Bible Study this year. The first week was about creation and the fall. I left thinking again about Eve listening to the serpent. God had already said that if they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they would surely die (Gen. 2:17). His word was clear. And yet when she started listening to the serpent, things didn’t seem as clear. The serpent said to Eve, “You surely shall not die!” (Gen. 3:4)

I am reading a book my mom gave me by Martyn Lloyd-Jones called Spiritual Depression. No, I don’t feel spiritually depressed, but it is an excellent book. Lloyd-Jones writes,

“…the ultimate cause of spiritual depression is unbelief. For if it were not for unbelief even the devil could do nothing. It is because we listen to the devil instead of listening to God that we go down before him and fall before his attacks. That is why the psalmist keeps on saying to himself: ‘Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise Him…’ He reminds himself of God.” (emphasis added)

I want to know God and listen to His Word.

Jesus says in John 8:32, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

He then asked in John 8:43-44, “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to my word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources; for he is a liar and the father of it.” (emphasis added)

By contrast, in John 8:47, Jesus says, “He who is of God hears God’s words.”

Interestingly, Jesus goes on in John 8 to say in verses 51 and 52 that if anyone keeps his word, he shall never see or taste death.  This takes me right back to the garden. If you eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (essentially, if you disobey what God has said), you will surely die. Here in John 8, if you keep his word, you shall never see death.

What incredible contrasts between God versus Satan; life versus death; truth versus lies; obedience and subsequent blessing versus disobedience (or sin) and resulting judgment.

Genesis 3 makes it clear we needed a Savior. Thank you, Jesus, for being the serpent-crusher and rescuing us from sin and death through faith in You!

So who am I listening to? May I always listen to you, Lord, and believe You and speak truth to the lies that come against me.

Tomorrow, I’ll tell you why this is so important to me today.

The Last Week and the New Academic Year

Carolyn

It’s been a big week for us. A humbling week. A week of seeing God’s faithful provision.

My mom’s house sold, and my husband drove to Memphis this weekend to pack her things and move them here. We unloaded everything Sunday afternoon with the help of four friends — what a wonderful gift! The move could not have gone more smoothly. Every detail went just as planned and organized. I was so thankful for that answered prayer!

Monday night we went to the faculty dinner where my husband teaches.

Then Tuesday we all started back: my husband to in-service, my children to a half day of school, and me back in my work schedule.

First Day of School
Tonight we finished the James Bible Study. It was truly a wonderful study. I think we all learned so much. It’s been beautiful to see the things the Lord has done in our lives over the course of the eight weeks of this study as we’ve prayed for one another and studied together.
 
Last Night of Bible Study (I took the picture!)

I am very tired tonight after this last week of moving and starting the new school year. We even painted my daughter’s room since my mom was bringing her a new bedroom set of furniture. We still have things all over the place to organize, but soon. I just need to get to the weekend! But I want to praise the Lord for His goodness to us in all of these things and for providing for every need. I am grateful!

I’ll end the post with another Matt Redman song from his CD that I am loving. I got it at Lifeway a week or two ago for $5! Couldn’t pass it up, and these songs are wonderful. This is “Never Once.”

But He Gives a Greater Grace

Carolyn
 James: Mercy Triumphs (Member Book)

One of the highlights of this summer has been studying the book of James with about 12 women. If I had tried to plan a Bible study, it wouldn’t have happened. I was marveling the other day about how God really planned it and brought us together.

Earlier in the spring, three different friends had asked me about what I would be doing for Bible study this summer. Then I ran into my friend Sasha, and she was willing to do this James Bible study with me and help lead it. My mom was moving here and had the DVDs. We decided to just pray about it and see who God brought into our paths. I contacted the three friends, and then the rest of the ladies truly were people who entered our paths at exact moments. (Those are fun stories, too!) They range in age from 28 to 68, attend a variety of churches, and most of the women met each other here in the group!

This group has been such a blessing. This study has been wonderful!

A verse from this study that has stayed on my mind this last week was James 4:6a: “But He gives a greater grace….” I’m not sure exactly what to make of it in context or even out of context!

I’ve been intrigued by learning that James is much like the Proverbs of the New Testament with lots of wise sayings that often don’t seem connected (but upon further study, sometimes actually seem like they are). Is this statement (“But He gives a greater grace…”) simply one that stands alone and separate, or is it in some way connected?

I’ve also benefited from thinking through how the teachings in James mesh with and complement the teachings of Paul, despite a first glance that might make us think they could be contradictory. One writer focuses more on the works of our faith (James), while one stresses grace over works (Paul). Yet here, in the middle of the book of James, we see, “But He gives a greater grace…”  It makes me think of this overarching grace over all our works, grace flowing down, the acknowledgement from James that grace really is greater than all our sins, all our works.

But I don’t know. I haven’t studied this in depth (nor did the study we’re doing), and I’m no theologian or scholar. But it has been running through my mind… grace, grace, grace… His grace is enough, it’s sufficient for all my sins. It’s greater than I know. It flows from the top down to me, not me working hard from the bottom up to earn it. It’s just flowing down on me. God’s grace. I don’t deserve it. I didn’t earn it. It covers me. It covers my sin. It’s greater than my shortcomings and my best efforts. For this I am so thankful.

Bible Study Wrap Up

Carolyn

My Bible study group had a wrap up dinner together a week or two ago in our leader’s lovely home. What a fun year it has been together! We studied Philippians during the fall semester and the Minor Prophets in the spring.

I did not expect to do Bible study at church this year because I work on Wednesdays, and the classes are on Wednesday morning and Wednesday night. By night time, I am pretty tired and in the middle of a busy week. However, I thought it might be fun to do with a friend, so I thought I would invite her, and if she said yes, then we could do it together.

Well, she did say yes, and we both enjoyed the studies so much. My children participated in Wednesday evening programs, so Wednesday became a church night for us this year. It had been seven years since I had been able to participate in Women’s Bible Study because of a year of homeschooling, then six years of working, and it was wonderful to be back. I remember the first lecture back in the fall as the speaker gave an overview of the Bible. My heart was so full being back in this setting together, gathering with women in the community to study God’s Word.

Then who would have thought my two sweet leaders would recommend I speak at the Bible study spring celebration!? And that I would agree?! I was grateful to be able to share what the Lord has done in my life and trust He will use it for His glory. That He would be seen and I would not was my prayer.

I praise the Lord for what He has done in this group this year, for the truths we have learned about His character that absolutely caused us to stand in awe of Him, and for the friendships He has developed. The study of His Word does not return void, and my life is richer for knowing these ladies!

Bible Study

Carolyn
“Let us press on to know the Lord” Hosea 6:3

I am enjoying blogging more regularly because it is keeping me accountable! I have a goal to exercise at least 3 times a week (I’m starting with low expectations), and it was great to wake up and walk again this morning. It was so neat to see the moon out as I walked one direction, and the sun rising as I walked the other! I read Proverbs 9-10 before I walked (I was already a day behind in that goal!) and reflected on the verses as I walked.

Proverbs 9 continued with contrasting wisdom and folly, while Proverbs 10 talked a lot about the tongue/mouth and also contrasted righteous living with evil. There is a connection between the way we speak and the way we live, between mouths that are a fountain of life and righteous, wise living.

It struck me again that God’s Word teaches us how to live and speaks to our lives. The reason I sometimes don’t know what to do is because I don’t ask or seek or look in the Bible. But it is there, the truths that I need, the ways I should follow, knowledge about the loving God who made me and whom I want to trust and serve.

My Bible study group for this year met one last time last night for dinner at my leader’s house. It was lovely, and I am going to miss seeing these ladies regularly. Studying the Bible together and praying for one another through the year builds sweet friendships and brings encouragement.

I am doing a Beth Moore Bible study Esther: It’s Tough Being a Woman with a friend now and looking forward to studying James: Mercy Triumphs, another Beth Moore study, with a group starting in late June. I find if I don’t have a plan for summer, it’s easy to miss my daily time reading the Bible simply because I don’t have a plan!

So my praise for this morning is God’s Word, the Bible. What an amazing gift to us that God has spoken to us through His Word. I also remembered this morning that it is a gift to have it in my language, readily accessible,  and to have the freedom to read and study it openly with friends. We have been given much, and I want to know this gift and its Giver and give it to those who do not have it or know its power.

Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Proverbs 10:19 “In the multitude of words, sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.”