The House You're Building

Prayer Prompt: Lord help me to be united with Your people, bonded together by one Spirit to corporately worship one God through one faith. Read: Ephesians 4 Introduction: Last week the focus of our study was walking with the Spirit.   This chapter of Ephesians gives us more practical ways to show this by instructions to live “as one” with other Christians.   It also says if we don’t live that way, the Holy Spirit can be grieved…have you ever felt that?   Psalm 30:4 says For day and night You hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer; Selah [stop and think] . In this chapter we learn that through the Spirit all who believe in God through Christ can have unity and that our aim should be to preserve that bond with diligence.   This means you must intentionally guard and protect it.   Our enemy seeks to isolate and devour us (1 Peter 5:8).   It is much easier for Him to mislead one who is standing alone.   Study: ·  ...

Prayer Prompt:   Lord, bear fruit in my life that is from your Holy Spirit’s work in me and keep me walking with you.   Read: Galatians 5 Introduction:   I am a runner, but not exactly by choice.   I got roped into playing adult soccer a few years back and I run to try and keep up with the other members of my team.   When I’m getting ready to start a new season, I always train in intervals-running mixed with walking.   I try to do sprints to simulate the experience of the quickness you must have in times where the motivation to move comes from a place of protecting the goal.   I play defense.   Even if I’m out of breath, if someone comes on my side of the field with the ball I know my team is counting on me to guard and attack the area of the field entrusted to me.   My body will move on pure desire alone.   I have trained for this.   I am ready to give it all when harm is lurking.   Though I love the game, there are times when...

Prayer Prompt: Lord, show me the special gifts You have given me, to show the world Your love. Read: 1 Corinthians 12 Introduction:   I don’t look forward to birthdays and mine is coming up soon.   Sure, I’m getting older, but that’s not really why I dislike them.   I don’t like the attention.   Those of you who know me may laugh at that but I tend to get uncomfortable with being spoiled.   Now put me in a discussion group or in front of a classroom and I’ll talk constantly!   Then there is the matter of gifts.   Have you ever received one that wasn’t quite right?   You love the person and don’t want to hurt their feelings.   You appreciate it but it doesn’t quite fit.   Maybe it’s a gift from a co-worker and they don’t know you well enough to pick out the perfect gift?   What do we say?   What do we do with it?   Well, sorry I can’t answer those questions (and if you can please let me know the right etiquette)   but ...

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.   Philipians 4:11-12 (NIV) I’m pretty much in domestic bliss right now.   Spent the morning in peace and puttering.   After sorting some laundry, I noticed the bananas on the counter had ripened to a brown hue and just needed to be made into muffins.   I have Future of Forestry on shuffle on my iPhone am having the debate over if I should exercise and not excersizing is winning…it’s a great place to be, home. Contrast that with how I spent the last two days.   Canceled flights, airport food, waiting on standby, trying to find out how to get to the hotel at midnight with a sleeping four-year old and too many bags to carry.   The theme was hurry up and ...

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart... you all are partakers of grace with me.   Philippians 1:3-7 Ladies!   Just wanted to let you know that my family is off to many adventures during Spring Break and I will be taking off the week from posting any new studies.   I will be back at it the second week of April.   And hopefully you will be back with me!   I posted Paul’s words above because it really describes how I feel about you-my partners in grace, spreading grace and being grace to a hurting world that needs His love so desperately.   If you are also off to any special time with friends and fam...

Prayer Prompt: Lord, remind me to seek Your perfect wisdom and give me the courage to act on what You say.   Read: 1 Corinthians 2 Introduction: If you’ve spent any time at all in church you’ve probably heard Proverbs 3:5 at some point: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.   With verses we’ve heard many times it’s easy to think we know what they mean.   More importantly to assume we’ve already put the instructions into practice in our lives.   Don’t miss one little word.    I love the word lean.   To lean is to put your weight into something-to trust it enough to sustain and support you.   This verse is clearly saying that loving the Lord with everything we have means putting more weight in His perspective than our own.   This is difficult because we don’t see everything as He does.   For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as...