Monday, June 22, 2015

Womens Bible Cafe™

Womens Bible Cafe™

Conversation Peace Online Bible Study | Week Two

Posted: 21 Jun 2015 08:28 PM PDT

conversation peace week 2Welcome back to Week Two of our Summer Study, Conversation Peace by Mary Kassian.  By now I am sure that, like me, this eye-opening study has begun to take root in your life and change your view of the words you use each day. It’s not too late to get a workbook and join us!

My Momma always had plants in our house when I was growing up.  She loved green plants as did my sisters. I thought they were pretty, but could not grow a passion for it.  Over the years my Momma explained to me how important the soil, or dirt as I called it, was to the life of the plant.  The soil was the foundation and it gave the plant what it needed to grow. Water and sunlight helped the soil to provide a good foundation for the plant. If the soil wasn’t watered and the plant didn't receive sunlight, it would become dry and the leaves would begin to become unhealthy and maybe die. Now you have to understand that I am one that never liked to play in dirt, wanted no part in planting or gardening, but at the same time, I could not believe that "dirt" was so important to a plant’s life.

Our lesson this week reminded me of this.  In Luke 8:15, Jesus explains to His disciples about seed that grows on good soil will produce a good crop.  The soil is the foundation, just like our heart is the foundation of our emotions.  What is in our heart will become what we believe, what we say, what we think and feel.  I realized that just like my plant, if I don’t saturate my heart with the word of God, communicate with Him through prayer, protect it from negative outside influences it will ultimately become dry, hard and not able to produce good fruit or words.

Now in no way does this excite or motivate me to begin gardening, I still don’t like to play in dirt (LOL), but this week’s lesson did open my eyes to how my heart shapes the way I think, the way I view certain words and how I respond in certain situations.  I want my heart to be healthy and to spew out words of life and love.

Our heart is a very complex, pumping many emotions, both good and not so good into our veins and ultimately manifesting out of our mouths.  We must make sure that what we keep Christ as the center of our hearts so that He dwells there and what overflows out of our hearts has no choice but to be full of positive and uplifting words pleasing to God producing healthy, green crops.  I believe that I can do it with God's help, do you?

I love our Memory Verse for this week, Psalm 19:14, “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (NIV)  As I carried my verse with me all week, I was reminded to take notice and responsibility of what I would say, asking God to partner with me to make sure that my words were pleasing to Him.  I started my day with this verse so that I could have the right focus when speaking with others during my day.

I want to share a part of one of my favorite quotes, this part says, "For beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness" (Audrey Hepburn) Remember this during the week as you continue to journey with us to transform your speech.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT FOR THE WEEK:

  • Join a small for study and fellowship
  • Pray through and memorize our Breath Freshener for this week: Ephesians 4:22-24
  • Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide your tongue
  • Look for positive changes in your speech this week, and thank God for them
  • Read Week 3 in your workbook
  • Visit the Conversation Peace website for more resources

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEK: (You can answer in your small group or post a comment here on the website if you do not have a Facebook account)

  1. What things in your life compete to be the center spot in your heart?
  1. Describe the image that comes to mind when you hear the word "overflow." (page 39)
  1. How have your speech habits changed over the years? On a scale of 1 to 5, are your words becoming more loving and kind or less? (1 = less loving and kind and 5 = more loving and kind) (page 64)
  1. Soil is the foundation of a plant's life, good soil gives the plant life, bad soil may cause the plant to die. Using our heart's as the soil in this analogy:

What ways can you change the quality of the soil in your heart to be more pleasing to God? (page 53-54)

This last question is for you to think about and answer during your devotion time:

PERSONAL REFLECTION: Look at the areas you listed as problem areas in your speech last week.  Are you seeing changes? If you are, how will you continue? If not, what will you do to start making changes? What are the causes/root of your negative speech?  Pray and ask God to continue to help you transform your words to be pleasing to Him.

Be Blessed,

sonya morris nelson

 

 

 

 

 
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