Category Archives: Bible Study

Spiritually Drained

You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won’t grow weary
You’re the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Everlasting God by Chris Tomlin

david crosses swords

My spirit was drained and my soul weary by the time Sunday evening approached. I had a full morning of ministry and Bible study. The afternoon was largely spent in intense conversation and prayer with a new accountability partner. By the time I returned home, there was less than an hour before we needed to leave for the Concert of Prayer. I felt close to tears. My spiritual muscles were sore from use and my faith joints creaky and protesting.

Tim drew me outside to sit with him in the sunshine. We basked in the warmth of the late afternoon and spent precious minutes in sweet conversation. He did NOT offer to take the children off to church and let me stay home. He did NOT say we should all take the evening off from responsibilities. Neither did he lecture me about the importance of prayer and our commitment to the church or remind me of all the people we’ve invited to come and pray this evening.

He gave me time to talk and absorb the glory of the warm sun and then cheerfully gathered the family into the van.

My spirit quailed at the thought of spending another hour and a half at church. I was drained and weary. I had already given of myself – to the grownups in our Sunday School class, to the preschoolers, to the ministry leaders, to my family, to friends. I had already spent time in the Word, in prayer and in service. Surely I deserved some quiet time alone.

the lord builds the house

Welcome to the Ministry Fair!

How is it possible that I, who have been a believer for so long and who comes from a rich and godly heritage, could have such weak spiritual muscles? How could I have so quickly forgotten the passage we studied this morning?

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. I John 3:16

Here was an opportunity to lay down my life, my agenda, my desire for solitude and rest and come together with a beloved body of believers and intercede for the needs of the church.

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! I John 3:1

all these people ...

In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost. Matthew 18:14

My heart was cold and my attention distracted through the first song we sang as part of the worship time. Slowly, however, the Lord warmed my heart the way the afternoon sun had warmed my body. And then we sang Everlasting God. Surely this song was selected just for me, by the Almighty God who knew I was weary and tired and facing a full week of homeschooling and difficult parenting.

You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won’t grow weary
You’re the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

I may grow tired and worn, spending my pathetically small reserves of faith and grace, but the Lord — He who created the sunshine and the beauty of this world, who is eternal and unchanging — won’t grow weary. He promises to be my strength and salvation.

I don’t need to be strong — I can rest in His strength and continue laying down my life, knowing it is safe and secure in His hands.

Kathy
Project 365 – Days 255 & 256

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Walking On the Word of God

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

On Saturday Rachel and I stopped by to visit some friends. They are just completing the building of their new home and we have been privileged to watch, with excitement and wonder, the different stages of development over the past year. Tim and his brother Mark, along with the older boys, helped move the piano into the study on Saturday afternoon. The finishing touches are slowly and steadily being completed. It’s truly amazing to look around this beautiful home and know that Pam and Jay have done almost all of the work themselves.

zachary

Zachary is excited to move into the new house.

I heard that the carpeting was to be installed on Monday, covering the plywood floors of the upstairs, and thought that offered a unique opportunity. Treasuring and pondering the words in Hebrews about the LIVING Word of God, I asked if I could come over and write some verses on the bare floors. Receiving permission, Rachel and I brought our bag of Sharpie markers, grabbed two Bibles and set about to work.

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)

This family has been dear friends to us for many years and their love for the Lord is sincere and true. I was overwhelmed with a desire to bless and anoint the house with God’s Word in any way I could. I kept thinking about the power of walking in and on and through the living and breathing Word.

emily's closet

Emily works on the floor of her closet.

My Bible reading the night before led me to a verse for the boys’ bedroom which in turn brought me to a passage for the girls’ room. Suddenly I was eager to find verses for each of the upstairs rooms. A song of praise for the Lord in a room where music will be practiced, a reminder about physical training and godliness on the floor of the exercise area, verses about love and respect and marriage in the master suite, the passage from Philippians about thinking on that which is noble and pure and lovely and right for the library, the Bible treasure hunt was on.

the armor of God

After just a few minutes, Rachel and I were joined by Pam, Zachary and Emily, Bibles and Sharpies in hand. For close to an hour we copied Bible verses onto the bare, rough wooden floors of the upstairs. Pam found verses about clothing yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience and wrote them in the closet. Zachary wrote down his favorite verse, John 3:16. Emily copied parts of Proverbs 31.

zach's verse

emily

It was a precious, sweet time, as we worked all the while amidst hammering and nailing as Jay put up the trim and the little ones played. Zachary told me he wished he could copy the whole Bible on the floor of his room so he could easily turn to just the right verse. There is power in God’s Word. It is ALIVE. It is HOLY. It is the power to change and transform our lives.

For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. (Hebrews 3:4)

May our hearts and homes be built on the solid foundation that is only found in Jesus Christ!!

Kathy

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Words of Life

As a mother of five precious, sweet, adorable, rascally, loud, raucous children, my ears are often overburdened. There is a misconception that a large family means a lot of mess and work, mouths to feed and laundry to wash.

Wait, that’s not a misconception at all. That’s my life! Hey!

Still, the aspect that people might not consider is all the voices accompanying the mess. Talking, laughing, fighting, arguing, discussing, debating, teasing, bargaining, mediating. It’s all right here in my house. Lots of it. Times five, or maybe 7 if you add in the grownups. I guess if you start throwing parents into the jumble, you’ve also got judging, teaching, rebuking, comforting, and praising.

blue lips

Was there a bit of a cold snap today, Rachel? Poor dear, she’s shivering.

The Bible is overflowing with instruction on how we should relate to others through our words. A phrase I’ve been using lately with the children is “Speak Words of Life!” I want their words to be ones of encouragement and love. To build each other up rather than tear them down.

The children (the older ones) have all memorized this verse:

Do 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. (Ephesians 4:29)

blue tongue

Rachel obviously needs to work on her attitude.

Speaking “Words of Life” is something I am constantly working on with the children. It is so much easier to speak words of death. To hurt, criticize, tease, mock, and destroy. I’d love to think of a creative way to encourage the kids to be more active in applying this teaching. Maybe a Words of Life Jar or a Words of Life Points Chart where you are rewarded for kind and compassionate speech. Something where they would be on the look out for specific instances in their own conversation and the conversation of their siblings.

In our Proverbs study on Tuesday, I was amazed at how many Words of Life verses God brought to our attention.

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. 10:11
When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. 10:19
The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment. 10:21
The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out.
The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse. 10:31-32

bracelets made by Rachel

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. Proverbs 1:8-9

Once again God’s Word penetrates to the heart of our family and shines its light on our challenges, struggles and desire to glorify Him and be transformed in His likeness.

Kathy
Project 365 – Day 195

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2 Corinthians 4 – Renewing the Heart

Our Sunday School’s study of 2 Corinthians continues. I can’t help but think adult fellowship classes are like an overlooked treasure, a valuable antique that has been shoved to the back of the attic. Few people recognize the value but those who do are richly blessed.

In Sunday school we have time to dive into the scriptures and study God’s Word. The superficial “Sunday” smiles and hello/how-are-you’s are replaced with genuine relationships as people gather week after week. There is time for sharing prayer requests and lifting each other up before the throne of God. There is laughter and conversation (and occasionally baked goods).

It is obviously a sacrifice of time to attend Sunday school class as well as the church service and it can be difficult for children to be in the nursery or classroom for two hours. But, but, but, what an amazing opportunity to learn more about the Bible, to read, discuss and apply a passage; to have an hour of fellowship with other believers. Over my years in the church, I have been blessed to see hearts knit together and lives changed in the faithful practice of Sunday school attendance.

sarah looks at the pretty flowers

Sarah reaches for a flower.

This week we looked at chapter four of II Corinthians. We had an excellent discussion on the hope we have in Christ and how we carry around His life in us. At one point Ray (our wonderful guest teacher for the day) had us read the passage in the role of prosecutors and defenders of Paul’s ministry. That certainly sparked some lively conversation and challenged Ray’s ability to keep the class on track. :)

There is such a richness and depth to this chapter. At the end of the class period, I was wishing we had more time to further study, ponder, and apply the verses. I was particularly convicted by a verse near the end of the chapter.

2 Corinthians 4:16

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. (ESV)

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. (NIV)

The aging process is unavoidable and often unmerciful. No matter how hard we search for an eternal youth (with medicine, plastic surgery, lotions and potions) we can not keep death and decay at bay.

Outwardly we are wasting away.

And yet, and yet, Paul says we do not lose heart. Why not? Because inwardly we are being renewed.

sarah's new hat

This verse grabbed and held my attention as if the Holy Spirit had taken a highlighter and marked my Bible. Would the Lord say this is true of me? Am I becoming more and more like Christ every day? Am I being renewed and changed and transformed? Do I focus on my struggles, difficulties, and the aches and pains that come with my aging body or do I look at the “eternal glory that outweighs them all.”

Do I settle for an ordinary and complacent Christian walk or do I live and run with the “all-surpassing power” that belongs to God?

For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

Lord, give me eyes that look for Your eternal glory, a heart that is renewed every day, and a mouth that speaks of Your good news.

Kathy
Project 365 – Day 154

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Theological Discussion w/a 11 Year Old

To find the scripture for today’s post, skip the little heart to heart mother/daughter dialogue and go to the bottom. You’ll be blessed either way.

Setting: Driving in the car late at night at the end of a long round of errands, empty Starbucks cups in the console.

Mom (driving): What shall I blog about tonight? Any ideas?
Rach (feet up on the dash): No, sorry. My Starbucks hot chocolate was gone a long time ago and I’m tired.
Mom: Let’s see, I’ve only got one or two pictures. What did we learn about God today? Oh rats, we didn’t read Proverbs this afternoon.
Rach: Uh, Mom, it’s not a school day.
Mom (gasping at child’s attitude toward the holy scriptures): Hello, I think the Bible and God exist even on the weekends.
Rach: Yeah, and if God didn’t we’d all be a pile of dust.
Tired snickers and smiles.
Mom (ready for teaching moment): That reminds me of the passage in Hebrews that says, okay, I can’t remember what it says but it’s something about Jesus and the universe.
Rach (eyes closed): Shouldn’t have had decaf, Mom. Maybe you could look it up when we do school on Monday.
Mom (wondering if that was sarcasm): Um, great idea!
Pause
Mom:Now, how am I going to work my P365 picture of the day into the blog?
Rach (pats Mom’s hand kindly): I’m sure you’ll figure it out, Mom. No one’s complained about the other totally weird and random pictures so far. I doubt they’ll start now.
Mom: Thanks sweetie! Next time I’m springing for the whipped cream on your hot chocolate.
Rach: You are the best mom ever!

Note: This is a dramatization of the conversation that did in fact take place. I might have added in a little bit here and there but the Starbucks, dust, and random/ill-quoted scripture were all present in the actual discussion.

isaac

If we all end up as dust, will some dust be cuter than others? Cuz this guy is just too cute!

Hebrews 1:2
…but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

Colossians 1:15-17
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

I knew it was something like that. Hooray for biblegateway.com! Every possible translation and language available at the click of a button.

And you don’t have to wait until school.

Kathy
Project 365 – Day 153

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