Friday, April 15, 2011
Last of James
Hello all, I am a little overwhelmed this week by life, God, unbelief in others (in a liberal campus) and the sin that pervades this world. When I read the last verse of James, I saw a note I had written there years ago. It read, "See souls. Be brave." I needed to hear that verse about turning a sinner from the error of his way. Because so often I become discouraged by the unbelief around me and the efforts of others to destroy God's name. God sees them aright. He loves them so much. He does not weaken at the sight of them. He only loves perfectly. I need to be brave enough to love them, and I need to be filled up on his love. I am so amazed at how he picks me up each day. I am disheveled and I let doubts, worries, and insecurities plague me at times. But he forgives and encourages me to keep moving forward. He turns me from the errors of my ways and says, "See...look what I have done for you!" I'm so glad for his perfect walk and his courage and selflessness to the cross, that he lives for me! And for you! Though we are dying, we are alive...and the hope of heaven is sweeter than ever. Thanks to everyone for sincere faith and loving words. I am so incredibly blessed by the Word of God in my heart, and for the breath of God in the words you have taken time to write. It is good to share faith with you all. Thank you. So much. Love, Paula
Final Day of James!!
Good morning girls!
I just wanted to hop on here and say a big "THANK YOU" for all of your participation in our first GMG session over the last 3 months. I know personally I have learned alot about myself and how I express my faith in studying God's Word - I'm very inconsistent at times! And I'm sad to finish this "project", because I WANT more of God's Word, and I WANT more accountability for whatever it is that helps me to be.in.it.more and more often! Whether I need to work on getting up earlier or keeping better priorities and focus on what is important during the day - I'm still learning, and figuring all that out.
I want to post yet on our last verses for today, but prefer to give myself a bit more time than I have this morning, so my aim will be to post tonight or tomorrow for sure - before our Reflection Week begins (Week 12)! I love that we'll be finishing right before Good Friday/Easter weekend. What a reflective and beautiful way of wrapping up our Bible study.
Anyway, I know a couple of you expressed interest in starting a 2nd GMG Session - - I'm all for it!! And bring a friend along this time if you would like!! I thought we might go in the direction of GMG.org's next study, but they are doing a book study over the summer and their book of choice is primarily aimed towards mothers and motherhood. Since none of us are moms yet I think we better choose a different study! So here's my thought:
over the next couple of weeks would you all please gather thoughts/ideas/titles/favorite books of the Bible that you think would make a good 3-month study and post them for us?
Then I would say we could go simply off of feedback or cast a vote :) And, voila! We'll have our next session! I'm excited for going in a new direction! Thanks, girls!!
One more item of mention - I don't know if Becca will be reading this soon or not - or if she will want to tell you herself, but she's got some major good news for everyone in her life right now! I won't say anything yet, except a request that you say a prayer of thanks to God for the joy and blessing he's given her! We'll be waiting on you, Becca, to annouce it! :-)
Everyone have a blessed, wonderful Friday!
Love,
~Cait
I just wanted to hop on here and say a big "THANK YOU" for all of your participation in our first GMG session over the last 3 months. I know personally I have learned alot about myself and how I express my faith in studying God's Word - I'm very inconsistent at times! And I'm sad to finish this "project", because I WANT more of God's Word, and I WANT more accountability for whatever it is that helps me to be.in.it.more and more often! Whether I need to work on getting up earlier or keeping better priorities and focus on what is important during the day - I'm still learning, and figuring all that out.
I want to post yet on our last verses for today, but prefer to give myself a bit more time than I have this morning, so my aim will be to post tonight or tomorrow for sure - before our Reflection Week begins (Week 12)! I love that we'll be finishing right before Good Friday/Easter weekend. What a reflective and beautiful way of wrapping up our Bible study.
Anyway, I know a couple of you expressed interest in starting a 2nd GMG Session - - I'm all for it!! And bring a friend along this time if you would like!! I thought we might go in the direction of GMG.org's next study, but they are doing a book study over the summer and their book of choice is primarily aimed towards mothers and motherhood. Since none of us are moms yet I think we better choose a different study! So here's my thought:
over the next couple of weeks would you all please gather thoughts/ideas/titles/favorite books of the Bible that you think would make a good 3-month study and post them for us?
Then I would say we could go simply off of feedback or cast a vote :) And, voila! We'll have our next session! I'm excited for going in a new direction! Thanks, girls!!
One more item of mention - I don't know if Becca will be reading this soon or not - or if she will want to tell you herself, but she's got some major good news for everyone in her life right now! I won't say anything yet, except a request that you say a prayer of thanks to God for the joy and blessing he's given her! We'll be waiting on you, Becca, to annouce it! :-)
Everyone have a blessed, wonderful Friday!
Love,
~Cait
Thursday, April 14, 2011
James 5:17-18
Hello!
Something I wanted to share from these two verses that I found particularly comforting is that God chose to use the phrase "Elijah was a man just like us" (vs. 17a). Sometimes we can get so down on ourselves, on who we are in our faith lives, and focus only on our weak areas and where we need to grow...but the fact is, even a great hero of faith - Elijah - did too! He had sinfulness, weaknesses, areas of shame just like we do. But he also had the same loving Father and by Grace held onto the same forgiveness and hope that we do. When we compare ourselves to others, for some reason we always think that there's no way we could ever be like that person, or do that great thing. But we all as humans are just that - humans. We all have a limiting point, but we all also have great potential. Through Jesus, we can access that same amazing prayer power that Elijah did! I think that is just SO GREAT! We can move mountains by our prayers, as tiny and quiet as they may seem sometimes. The factors that change everything are our trust in and earnesty on God to do his good will for us in our lives!
We read that Elijah prayed specific prayers; he also prayed alot, for a long time- he prayed earnestly.
I am very easily impatient and so this is a grave topic for me; in realizing how quickly I have given up on things in the past, I know that God needs to work in me a greater patience and long-suffering, a greater trust in Him so that I DO persist in my prayers.
What do you girls think on this subject of prayer? Encouragement, ideas, prayers?
Thinking about each and every one of you as we wrap up our last week in James!
Love you,
~Cait
Something I wanted to share from these two verses that I found particularly comforting is that God chose to use the phrase "Elijah was a man just like us" (vs. 17a). Sometimes we can get so down on ourselves, on who we are in our faith lives, and focus only on our weak areas and where we need to grow...but the fact is, even a great hero of faith - Elijah - did too! He had sinfulness, weaknesses, areas of shame just like we do. But he also had the same loving Father and by Grace held onto the same forgiveness and hope that we do. When we compare ourselves to others, for some reason we always think that there's no way we could ever be like that person, or do that great thing. But we all as humans are just that - humans. We all have a limiting point, but we all also have great potential. Through Jesus, we can access that same amazing prayer power that Elijah did! I think that is just SO GREAT! We can move mountains by our prayers, as tiny and quiet as they may seem sometimes. The factors that change everything are our trust in and earnesty on God to do his good will for us in our lives!
We read that Elijah prayed specific prayers; he also prayed alot, for a long time- he prayed earnestly.
I am very easily impatient and so this is a grave topic for me; in realizing how quickly I have given up on things in the past, I know that God needs to work in me a greater patience and long-suffering, a greater trust in Him so that I DO persist in my prayers.
What do you girls think on this subject of prayer? Encouragement, ideas, prayers?
Thinking about each and every one of you as we wrap up our last week in James!
Love you,
~Cait
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
James 5:1-16
Good morning ladies!
A week and a half later, and here I am again, Martha-syndrome perfected and confessing. Getting on to post anything at all has been a challenge, but thankfully God has pulled me close to read our verses in James throughout the last few days. Thankfully, he has tugged at me through fears and weaknesses to talk to Him and pray over all. this. STUFF. as I go here and there and everywhere. I am enjoying a quiet morning finally! with a big mug of coffee and fresh spring air and bird-chirping filling the house. I have my notes in front of me from the past week and a half, and if you don't mind I would like to share what I've written and learned! :)
James 5:1-3
1 - The rich people mentioned there are not Christians.
2 - Corrosion is a result of hoarding, of selfishness and thoughtlessness of others.
3 - These verses are seriously warning against being selfishly rich...and not just addressing anyone who God blesses with wealth.
4 - It is wrong to be rich when we put our trust in the riches rather than God.
5 - The goal, whatever amount of money we possess, should always be godly contentment, and honest, hard work.
James 5:4-6
1 - The wicked rich people "fatten themselves on the very day of slaughter (like cattle!) totally unaware of their coming destruction". (from NIV footnote)
2 - God hears the cries of those that the wicked rich have taken advantage of and He will definitely and ultimately bring justice!
3 - As we work and earn money over the course of our lifetime, our focus should be on truth, selflessness, and godliness with contentment.
James 5:7-9
1 - Patient, uncomplaining endurance should characterize Christians at all times.
2 - To labor correctly, patient waiting is a must! (like the example of planting a seed and watering and tending and waiting for the harvest...)
3 - The Lord's coming means everlasting bliss for believers, NOT riches on earth.
4 - Don't give up patient endurance and contentment for envy and constant comparisons of "happiness" between ourselves and others.
5 - Focus on eternal life, but also gratitude in this temporal, earthly life.
James 5:10-11
1 - Blessed and happy are those that endure to the end! (Like Job, and he wasn't even patient, but he was perseverant!)
2 - God has special compassion for his own. :)
3 - (Interesting definition of the difference between patience and perseverance) - Perseverance is the quality of sticking to a project until it is done. Perseverance is not the same as patience. Patience is tolerating pain or difficulty. We are patient when we wait quietly until the difficulty disappears by itself. When we persevere, we work hard to remove our difficulty. Perseverance is patience together with constant work to remove the problem.
James 5:12-14
1 - The person that is always ready with an oath causes those that hear him to feel doubts as to his truthfulness and to discredit even those statements made under oath! It's like proving TOO much, thus not proving anything.
2 - Anointing with oil was a means used in the early Church for the miraculous healing of bodily ailments.
3 - We should think of the Lord not only when we're in trouble, but also in days of blessing and joy!
James 5:15-16 (Today's Reading)
1 - Be eager to ask for and give forgiveness often, and when needed.
2 - A Christian's prayer has great power, a power that we never can really even understand!
There's been a lot of meat & potatoes to teach us all different things in these last couple of weeks! I know for me, it's been perfect timing for this section of Scripture - God knows what I need!! :) So I have been praying to really learn from it and let it sink in and for God to help me change where I need to. It's so easy to read the Bible and think it doesn't really apply to us because we're too afraid at what it might mean if we have to change...!
I can't believe we only have 3 more days left in James! Since this is Week 11 and this is a 12-Week Session, GMG.org provides us with a Week 12 Printable that helps in wrapping up our study by finding a verse (or more than one!) that was special to each of us and sharing it with the group. Feel free to follow the worksheet and share as you would like! :) Thanks! This was so wonderful to do together!!
To wrap it up, here are two links for you:
A little further help to understand being rich or poor in the eyes of God -
4 Ways to Use Money in the Bible
And a favorite song of mine that keeps my perspective real - comforting, beautiful, and lovely reminder -
"Beautiful Ending" by Barlow Girl
Love you girls,
Always leaning hard on Him with you ~Cait :)
A week and a half later, and here I am again, Martha-syndrome perfected and confessing. Getting on to post anything at all has been a challenge, but thankfully God has pulled me close to read our verses in James throughout the last few days. Thankfully, he has tugged at me through fears and weaknesses to talk to Him and pray over all. this. STUFF. as I go here and there and everywhere. I am enjoying a quiet morning finally! with a big mug of coffee and fresh spring air and bird-chirping filling the house. I have my notes in front of me from the past week and a half, and if you don't mind I would like to share what I've written and learned! :)
James 5:1-3
1 - The rich people mentioned there are not Christians.
2 - Corrosion is a result of hoarding, of selfishness and thoughtlessness of others.
3 - These verses are seriously warning against being selfishly rich...and not just addressing anyone who God blesses with wealth.
4 - It is wrong to be rich when we put our trust in the riches rather than God.
5 - The goal, whatever amount of money we possess, should always be godly contentment, and honest, hard work.
James 5:4-6
1 - The wicked rich people "fatten themselves on the very day of slaughter (like cattle!) totally unaware of their coming destruction". (from NIV footnote)
2 - God hears the cries of those that the wicked rich have taken advantage of and He will definitely and ultimately bring justice!
3 - As we work and earn money over the course of our lifetime, our focus should be on truth, selflessness, and godliness with contentment.
James 5:7-9
1 - Patient, uncomplaining endurance should characterize Christians at all times.
2 - To labor correctly, patient waiting is a must! (like the example of planting a seed and watering and tending and waiting for the harvest...)
3 - The Lord's coming means everlasting bliss for believers, NOT riches on earth.
4 - Don't give up patient endurance and contentment for envy and constant comparisons of "happiness" between ourselves and others.
5 - Focus on eternal life, but also gratitude in this temporal, earthly life.
James 5:10-11
1 - Blessed and happy are those that endure to the end! (Like Job, and he wasn't even patient, but he was perseverant!)
2 - God has special compassion for his own. :)
3 - (Interesting definition of the difference between patience and perseverance) - Perseverance is the quality of sticking to a project until it is done. Perseverance is not the same as patience. Patience is tolerating pain or difficulty. We are patient when we wait quietly until the difficulty disappears by itself. When we persevere, we work hard to remove our difficulty. Perseverance is patience together with constant work to remove the problem.
James 5:12-14
1 - The person that is always ready with an oath causes those that hear him to feel doubts as to his truthfulness and to discredit even those statements made under oath! It's like proving TOO much, thus not proving anything.
2 - Anointing with oil was a means used in the early Church for the miraculous healing of bodily ailments.
3 - We should think of the Lord not only when we're in trouble, but also in days of blessing and joy!
James 5:15-16 (Today's Reading)
1 - Be eager to ask for and give forgiveness often, and when needed.
2 - A Christian's prayer has great power, a power that we never can really even understand!
There's been a lot of meat & potatoes to teach us all different things in these last couple of weeks! I know for me, it's been perfect timing for this section of Scripture - God knows what I need!! :) So I have been praying to really learn from it and let it sink in and for God to help me change where I need to. It's so easy to read the Bible and think it doesn't really apply to us because we're too afraid at what it might mean if we have to change...!
I can't believe we only have 3 more days left in James! Since this is Week 11 and this is a 12-Week Session, GMG.org provides us with a Week 12 Printable that helps in wrapping up our study by finding a verse (or more than one!) that was special to each of us and sharing it with the group. Feel free to follow the worksheet and share as you would like! :) Thanks! This was so wonderful to do together!!
To wrap it up, here are two links for you:
A little further help to understand being rich or poor in the eyes of God -
4 Ways to Use Money in the Bible
And a favorite song of mine that keeps my perspective real - comforting, beautiful, and lovely reminder -
"Beautiful Ending" by Barlow Girl
Love you girls,
Always leaning hard on Him with you ~Cait :)
James 5:15-16
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
I guess the first the person who comes to mind when I think of a righteous man who prayed and had quite an effect is Elijah, but there are so many more. God says when we knock the door will be opened. That is so amazing. Sometimes what's on the other side of the door isn't quite what we expected, but, nevertheless, he does answer our prayers in his all-knowing, perfect intentions to protect us, mold us, and carry us to be with him one day. He works all things for our good.
A sin to confess to you all is one of worry. It not only hurts me, but it hurts those around me. I worry about things in the future, like silly projects, that can't be completed until certain dates. God knows of them and cares. I need only ask him to put me at peace, but I continue to fret. Please pray that my faith would be stronger, that I would trust that he will do exactly what he says he will. O, me of little faith! Our God has so much strength to give, if only I would ask more!
Love you gals.
Monday, April 11, 2011
James 5:13-14
"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord."
I am reminded that I should be praying continually. There is always, always something to thank God for. In our happiness and joyful moments, in our quiet content moments, in our distress and under even a modicum of anxiety, we should call out and talk to God. He is ever-present...so near to help us and he delights in hearing our voices. If anything is good or noble and we think on it, it is an opportunity to thank God, and if there is anything that is oppressing us or causing anxious thoughts, it is a time to seek God in prayer. I want to have this constant communion with him, but I so often fall on my own mind and hands to get things done, to distract myself from these soul cries. Often, when I do call out to him, I find I am thirsty, and then I go to his Word. Oh, Lord, please give us hearts that long to praise and adore you, to rely heavily on you, hearts that know we are nothing without you...
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