1 Thessalonians 1-8

Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

Still Here!

I haven't forgotten about our poor blog ; just haven't had much opportunity to start anything here. We are now working on the last lesson of our book. It has been a big blessing to go through it. Hopefully I get a chance to come add some more details soon.
Stay encouraged all and keep lets keep our eyes on God our Redeemer and Friend!

Forgiveness

WOW! We had an amazing time today, as a group, sharing about the complete and total forgiveness of God and then worshiping Him after.
As I went on to the next lesson I was once again encouraged by reading the Faith Builder story. Here is what encouraged me, as I was still thinking about forgiveness and the wholeness of it:
"...when the Holy Spirit reminded her (Sue) that it was from the cross - from the intense agony of the cross - that Jesus spoke and gave forgiveness, Sue knew He wanted her to do the same."
She goes on to say that at that moment she needed to make a choice: was she going to forgive or was she going to become a "bitter old woman". Sound familiar girls?! :)
How can we not forgive, if Christ forgave us!
Forgiveness. What a blessing that has been given to us.

By Kathy Thiessen

The Depth of Forgiveness

Have we forgiven as Christ has forgiven us? I have come to the conclussion that no we are not there yet. Christ forgave all our sins in an instant. He took all of our sins on Himself though He did not deserve that punishment! Can we say we are at that point where we have already taken everything anyone could possibly do to us today, tomorrow or in the future sometime, and have already forgiven all of it? Going into this lesson, I was thinking well this isn't going to be a big issue for me at this point because I have already forgiven everyone that has hurt me in anyway and I know that I want to forgive all coming offenses no matter what. No doubt about it! What God proved to me though, is that He can always take you to the next level of forgiveness. He showed me how small the things are that we need to forgive compared to what He has forgiven us. He seemed to expand things a little and show me a bigger picture of how unlimited our forgiveness needs to be. We can always grow and forgive more. Just another step closer to what He did. Such a tiny step really! The burdens He carried on the cross suddenly looked much heavier than before and I am more grateful than ever for what He did for me!

Also I've often been selfish by getting wrapped up in the areas where others have hurt me. I would have been a brighter light for Jesus if I hadn't been wrapped up in me.Maybe if I was more wrapped up in the things of God , I wouldn't even have noticed when someone did me "wrong."

Also, I should be more concerned about how I may have hurt someone else then how they hurt me. There is the best way for us all to look at it I think. To be able to apply that to our life and not just say it, is by prayer and feeding ourselves daily with God's word. Put our focus and energy into God. Loving Him above all else! It is then God Himself who forgives through us.

Ephesians 4

29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Lets ask ourselves:

Have we truly forgiven all things and gotten rid of any bitterness? If we have, we will no longer need to talk about any offenses and we also won't need to say I forgave but I won't forget. Not that we will have a lost of memory, but we just won't have any reason left to think about the issues anymore.

Love and Obedience

I know I haven’t come to share in a while. We are now working on lesson 9. Lesson 7 was on obedience, the test of love. It is just so true, that if we truly love the Lord , we will want to obey Him and do His will. We are not working to earn our salvation, that was already a free gift to those who believed and personally accepted it. Having received now and having a personal relationship with Him now, we have so much to be thankful for! Though I can’t do anything to earn this on my own, He gave me eternal life. The hope of eternal life is now what is a for sure thing. He saved my soul. Me! (A sinner from the beginning. ) And to all of those who have accepted this. Jesus freed me from what I really deserved and gave me an eternal future in heaven. He is preparing a place for us that is great beyond what we can comprehend.
So, the price has been paid, it’s finished …. Nothing I can do beyond receiving it.
So now what? Say thank you and go live for the devil? Not So! If we have really been born of the Spirit; Our life and future being in His hands then why would we want to live on the dark side? Why would we want to serve Satan. We cannot not worship God and serve Satan at the same time. Maybe it sounds extreme, but our life really does show what we strive for , whom we are living for. If we love the Lord, we will want to wait on Him. We will be grieved by our disobedience. Often what we need to do is so hard and we are not without failures. I have had to go to the Lord many times, and confess my sins. To this day He isn’t finished working in my heart. I can think one day I am obeying the Lord and the next day He will show me an area I have not obeyed. So, I continue on in my relationship with our savior striving to be obedient to Him until one day He will take me home.

The Works of Our Father

Today we got together again to share with each other what God showed us through this lesson and what he has been doing. I was very encouraged by our time together. I see again that God is not finished with me yet and that He wants to draw us all nearer to Him. I pray that He will overflow in my life in a way that will touch many others as well. I see how, I myself do not have anything to give but with Him all things are possible. I want to be transparent and honest in all things. I want to be willing to share God's word, and just become .... like an open book, I guess you could say. That isn't easy for me, but I want to do it for God.

This study is not about obtaining more knowledge for ourselves. It's about God doing a miracle in our lives and bringing us to a point, we didn't know existed. Is He bringing us to a whole new level again? Is He bringing us revival? I pray that it is evident that He is. I pray that He Himself has His hand over all of us and is blessing us with a real touch of Him.

We will not find satisfaction in anything else, but Him. The world can fall apart around us, the ecomomy can be in a pit, things can look pretty gloomy but with our eyes on Jesus and the ultimate prize, we will not fall into the world's pit.

I pray oh Father, that you will keep us in your arms and that your spirit will take over our lives in a way that we can not even put into words. Lord make us a light to shine brightly, and lead many more to the light. May your love flow through each of us and may our actions show your love to those around us. I am so unworthy to be your child and I know that I deserved punishment for my sins. Lord, I thank you that you have taken my punishment for me and that you are still with us. I pray for all of those who are seeking you. Bless them all with a revived heart. In the name of Jesus , I pray. Amen.

Can We Be Holy?

"Man's holiness is now his greatest happiness, and in heaven man's greatest happiness will be perfect holiness." Thomas Brooks
(I really like some of the quotes that are in this book!)

So, what is it we think of when we think of holiness? I use to think of it as a word that only described God and His word, because God and His word are perfect. People are not perfect so how can they then be holy? Well for one thing, we cannot be holy without God's Spirit in us. Without God, our good works and our good values will not be considered holy works of God, but these things will be in vain. Only when it is God working through us are we being molded to His holy image. We cannot take any credit for ourselves. ( I speak of personal holiness here and in our personal holiness, it is God at work in us, making us more and more like Him.Not our own doing.)

HOLY (HOLINESS): The original meaning of holy is "other" or even "transcendent." To be made holy in a spiritual sense is to be raised into a transcendent realm, beyond the normal bounds of what would ordinarily be true. Ultimately holiness would have everything to do with a transformation of being.

In the beginning of this lesson, it talked about how people often see holiness as dour faces, rigid rules, and self righteousness. I think I too had some wrong images in my own head about holiness. I didn't think of it as joy and gladness coming with it. Sometimes, I think I even tried to be different then what God intended for me to be, because of my wrong ideas. I didn't know who I was suppose to be as a woman serving God at one point. The ideas I had gotten out of a book I read, seemed so different then what I could be or now I think then what I was suppose to be. As I prayed about it for sometime, God made it clear again. I think we have to be careful with what we read, even if they are Christian books, because we can start loosing sight of God, in some books. (Seek God and He will help us to discern what is of Him)
I could get into a lot of little details here right now, but I won't do that because I am still learning as I go, and I don't want to share anyhting unless I know God 100% directed it.

Conclussion:
With God in us, we will not be able to stay as we are. He will feed us and as we grow, we go through many changes in our lives.(not to mention growing pains.) Each christian is in their own stage of growth; God works in us individually. We cannot judge what God is doing in other believers. It can be easy to judge other believers, but if we think of it as actually judging God's work, it suddenly makes sense why we are not to judge others, but to to pray for them and exhort exhort them.
On the other hand, we can very easily feel as though we are being judged, when maybe that is not the case at all. I know I have felt that way before and once more I needed God to search my own heart to get to the root of my feelings.
May God continue to work in all of our hearts as we seek Him together. May we become more and more like Him.

Every Spiritual Blessing

"Blessed be the God and Father of out Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." Eph. 1:3

'The contents of the Christian's heavenly "bank account": adoption, redemption, forgiveness, wisdom, inheritance, the seal of the Holy Spirit, life, grace, citizenship - in short, "every spiritual blessing." '

We are to put off the old man, be renewed in our mind and then "put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." Eph. 4:24

Holiness - without spot (sin) and blameless - (Here, in 2 Peter 2:10-15, “spots” are described)

Wow...this was a big one for us at Bible Study on Monday. The proud people...humble people list. Ouch. That really did hurt. But God is definitely working on us ladies. A number of them shared how God is at work and its hurting but God sometimes has to break us before He can really mend us or heal us. Either from past hurts or past sins. We are not about jump off the surgery table now. God Is Good.

Positional & Personal Holiness

(From Seeking Him)

“Holiness can be defined on two levels.
Positional holiness is what God imparts to us when we become His children. Since Hod is holy and we are sinners, we are reconciled to God by the blood of Christ shed on the cross.
Personal holiness on the other hand, is the outworking and fruit of pesional holiness, evidenced in the way we thinkand live. "

Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. Ephesians 5:25-27

“To be sanctified is to be made holy in our practice. Sanctification is a process that begins in every child of God at the point of regenaration and continues untill our final glorification whrn we see Christ face to face.”

More Grace

Well, it seems God has directed for us to spend some more time meditating on His grace. We are finished Lesson 5 , but for the next few weeks let us just focus on what we have already been learning. Go straight to the word of God and look for verses that speak of His grace. Find songs that speak of grace and ask God to speak directly to you through them.

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me....

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now, I see.

T'was Grace that taught...my heart to fear.

And Grace, my fears relieved.

How precious did that Grace appear...

the hour I first believed.

God's Grace Enables

I wasn’t able to get together with our study group this morning, so I studied the lesson some more on my own. This quote really stood out for me:

“Your worst days are never so bad that you’re beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you’re beyond the need of God’s grace.”

Don’t know if you can put it any better way than that! I need God’s grace everyday of my life.
I need God’s grace right now to deal with diappointment. There were a few things I just don’t quite know how to handle as I go through it. I am encouraged this morning that His grace is sufficient. Sometimes it’s just a matter of keeping our eyes on Him instead of other people or things.
Also, we need to humble ourselves in order to receive His grace.
Our kids have chores and other expectations in our home. Sometimes they may think that what they have to do is too hard. We know that it is good for them to learn from it and good for their character so they don’t get a choice in these little things. When they are all finished they might even see, hey that wasn’t so bad or they may be glad they learned something new.
Our struggles are the same way. We may not like going through them, but God already has a bigger picture in mind and He knows what is good for us.
After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace , who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm and strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10

A Brief Note

As Margaret has already done, if you are behind in the lessons, just label your lesson number when you post something. This way if you would like to read what people have said about certain lessons , you just have to click on the lesson (on the right) you would like to read about, and only those will show.

Breaking Up The Ground

Hi girls,
We finally started our "Seeking Him" study. We are all very excited. I hope my posting won't confuse any of you because you are in lesson 4 or is it 5.
We weren't sure how to start. We thought the first day would be a lot of introduction on the video but it was only a few minutes long so we dove right in to lesson one. I like the analogy about the farmer having to work up the ground before any planting can be done. And when that happens in our hearts, its going to hurt(OUCH). And its going to reveal whats under there(YUK). Maybe something hidden and buried a long time. But we have to stick to it. We would never get off the surgery table and say "I'm out of here" before the surgeon was completely done with us. In the same way we can't quit the study before its complete. And I have a feeling even when the study is over the surgery won't be done. Scary but exciting...
"If we want to return to God, we must be prepared to break up the hard, barren ground of our spiritual lives."

Grace Like Gold

Annie is part of our study group but has not been able to get on Blogger. She asked me to post this for her.


Grace Like Gold- by Annie Braun


It’s gleam drove men and women alike
to seek with stength and pain
a thousand hills and river banks
in hope of wondrous gain.


Men fought and died just to satisfy
their thirst for land and price
such passions very cost
for which they gave their life.


The rich rejoiced , the poor worked hard,
to taste the sweeter side,
all tried to reach their golden dreams
of wealth and sinful pride!


O that men and women alike
would repent their dreams of old,
rather turn and cast their crowns at Christ
and search for grace like gold.



God makes available to everyone of His children an incredible resource to make it possible for us to live a godly life. That amazing , extravagant provision is called…. Grace.

A look back, before moving forward

I am finished the first 4 lessons in the book. Lesson 0ne was on Revival. What is revival? Who needs revival? Well we know it is a spiritual awakening, recognizing our need for God and being restored into an abundant close relationship with Him; a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit. We all need that.

Lesson 2 , on humility was very eye opening for me. My eyes were opened to areas of pride in my own life. We need to humble ourselves before the next step will do us any good.

Lesson 3 was on honesty. Coming clean before God, and allowing Him to make our hearts into honest hearts. A "little white lie," is a lie as any lie. Sometimes even silence can be a lie. There are times to be silent and times not to be. I think God is quick to reveal to us what we are to do, if we walk with Him daily.

We then went on to repentance in lesson 4. Without humbling ourselves and being honest before God, repentance won't be possible. These were all in a very good order of what we needed!

I hope you have all been blessed during this study. It has been helpful for me and encouraging too. I have been thinking about how it isn't actually this study, nor the book and not other people either, who can revive us. It is only God Himself. Only He deseves the credit for the good things done in our lives. We are using these tools to learn and seek, but ultimately it's all only through our savior that we will find and be fulfilled.

So, if you are behind don't be discouraged about it. Just label any post you are adding later with the lesson number. The important thing is that God will meet your needs where you are at. Just walk through it with Him. Also just this book or even the videos will do in our lives what God is able to do through His word, the Bible. Make that the # 1 thing to read.

Honesty

I noticed today that there was nothing added concerning lesson 3 and I think that too was an important lesson.

I find it so neat to think about how, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God they hid from God. Right away you see the broken relationship. God, their Father, mighty creator, could have just come, grabbed them by the ears and pulled them out from behind the bush. (hmmm, that is kind of how we would do things sometimes) He didn't do that even though He knew where they were. Instead He asked "where are you?" He gave them a chance to come to Him. He still is like that today, always giving us these chances to come to Him instead of hiding from Him. He then asked them if they had eaten of the forbidden fruit. This too, He knew the answer to, but gave them that important chance to confess.

Now, when we really think about this it is so awesome! God knows when we have disobeyed or lied. When we confess our sins we are not telling Him anything He doesn't already know and yet He allows us to come to Him this way. He knew this is the way we would be able to grow closer to Him. I am just seeing a glimpse of His plan in this however. I believe there is so much more to this yet then what I see. How exciting it is though to be able to keep searching His word and growing closer to our heavenly Father!

If you would like to read the story of Adam and Eve for yourself, you may do so by clicking right here. > http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=3&version=31

Remember: Silence is not always golden.

Psalm 51

Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your unfailing love;

according to your great compassion

blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity

and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you are proved right when you speak

and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,

sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts

you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;

wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;

let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins

and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence

or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation

and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

and sinners will turn back to you.
Save me from bloodguilt, O God,

the God who saves me,

and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice,

or I would bring it;

you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart,

O God, you will not despise.
In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;

build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Then there will be righteous sacrifices,

whole burnt offerings to delight you;

then bulls will be offered on your altar.

REPENTANCE? YES, REPENTANCE!!

- The Big Turn-Around
"Notice the complete absence of blame on David’s part, once God convicted him of his wrongdoing (Psalm 51:1-6). Why is it so important to accept full responsibility for our own sins?" - (pg.63)

God deals with us personally. Why? Because He is a personal God. The only sin that God will convict you of is your sin. (Job 9:20) If I think that I share responsibility of my sin with someone else, I commit another sin.

It’s important to accept full responsibility for our own sins because it’s the only way to be honest, before God and ourselves, and to be set free. (Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.")
I can confess my part and remind God that my sin wasn’t all my fault and that others had something to do with it too, but what does this show about me?! Pride, Self-righteousness, deceit, judgmental attitude…
Is this repentance? NO!
"…Every child of God who is seeking after Him (God) with a whole heart must realize that repentance is not an option but a requirement." (pg.64)
"For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation, without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death." 2 Cor. 7:10
Godly grief = salvation (life; saved from sin and death; restored back to God)
Worldly grief = death (continual burden and sin; separation from God)
Are we ready to turn from the things that we have been doing till now, accept full responsibility for our sin, and turn to God and His good and perfect will?! It’s time. It’s time for repentance. It’s not an option. How serious are we and how badly do we want a closer walk with God? If we refuse to repent, this is the last lesson in the book for us. We can’t move on. Let’s repent from all the sin that God has been showing us in this study so far. (pg.33-35; 54-55)

REPENTANCE? YES, REPENTANCE!!