Monday, April 27, 2015

Womens Bible Cafe™

Womens Bible Cafe™

Anonymous Online Bible Study | Week 5

Posted: 26 Apr 2015 10:33 PM PDT

You are loved

This was a difficult week for many women in online Bible study as we continued our study of the workbook “Anonymous: Discovering the Somebody You Are to God,” by Cindi Wood. Knowing we faced a challenging week, Cindi posted on Twitter “Our Prayer Team met last night. We continue to pray over Anonymous study groups.” Ladies, the purpose of this study is to discover the somebody you are to God. By the time we finish next week you will know your identity is NOT invisible, judged, hurting, ordinary or shamed. Keep walking with us as we discover a new rhythm of grace and a new identity next week.

During our fifth week of study, we met the woman who committed adultery and lifted the layers of shame. More than once I received a personal email from someone who felt shamed by her past and struggled with her identity. Each time I reminded these friends that we have a new identity in Christ.  In explaining our identity, I like to use the imagery of a sackcloth, often worn in Biblical times for grieving. Women who wear the identity of shame are burdened by sackcloths of shame, hidden under beautiful clothing, makeup and hair. When shame encounters Jesus, the sackcloths are discarded and she puts on her new identity in Christ. So my question is…why would you go back and pick up your sackcloth again?

Your past is not your identity and neither is shame. Do you know Jesus, hear Jesus and see Jesus in you life? If so, then let go of the false identity. The devil is the source of identity theft.

Identity theft is when you wear a label of invisible, judged, hurting, ordinary and shamed. Jesus does not accuse you, as we learned this week, so why do you continue to accuse yourself? Why do you wear an undergarment of shame for something already forgiven? I’m very passionate about sharing this message with women around the world. If I could stare at you with my deep blue eyes, I’d look as close as I could into your heart and say “Stop it!”

Stop wearing labels of the past.

Stop wearing an identity that does not fit the Daughter of the King.

Stop allowing the devil to victimize you with a false identity.

Then I would hold your warm hands inside mine, pray over you, and as I squeeze your hands I’d imagine Jesus smiling at us because we’re not anonymous in His eyes. We are loved. We are heart sisters.

ASSIGNMENT FOR THIS WEEK

  • Join a small group this week
  • Read WEEK SIX in your book. You’ll read one lesson per day, each lesson is about 20 minutes.
  • Optional due to cost: AFTER you finish the reading assignment, watch video session six  available from Amazon or the publisher website.
  • Register for the Conversation Peace online Bible study- starts May 18- when you click here

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEK

  1. Why do you think only the woman was brought to Jesus and not the man? (Day 1, page 145)
  2. Scripture says: But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. John 8:6b (NKJV) Why do you think Jesus behaved as though He did not hear? (Day 2, page 152)
  3. Have you ever heard the audible, inaudible voice of God speaking to your spirit? How can we nurture our ability to hear God’s voice? (Day 3, page 157)
  4. Spiritually speaking, why is it poor advice to tell someone “Be true to your heart, follow your heart, listen to the learnings of your heart?” (Day 3, page 158)
  5. Scripture says: And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." Matthew 8:20 (NKJV) What are your thoughts about the “aloneness” of Jesus? Do you think aloneness was a necessary part of His ministry and calling? Why? (Day 3, page 160)

With Love,

christine abraham

How to Study Your Bible Online Inductive Bible Study | Week 5

Posted: 26 Apr 2015 10:33 PM PDT

How to study your Bible week 5

Welcome to Week 5 of our online Inductive Bible study at the Women's Bible Café, “How to Study Your Bible” by Kay Arthur, David Arthur and Pete DeLacy. What a divine time we are having digging deep into God’s Word and uncovering nuggets of truth for our spiritual treasure chest!

This week we are going to look at various forms of “figures of speech” so that we will have a greater understanding of biblical interpretation and understanding what God is saying to us in His Holy Word.

“A figure of speech is a word, a phrase, or an expression used in a figurative rather than a literal sense.”

When you read about the difference between a simile and a metaphor the question may come to mind, “are we back in English class?” It may appear that way, but if we are to understand the whole counsel of the Word of God, we must be able to identify when the author is using various forms of figures of speech. Our daily reading lessons this week includes:

  • Chapter 7: The When, Where, and Why
  • Chapter 8: Let’s Figure it Out
  • Appendix E: Tense, Voice, and Mood of Verbs

Kay Arthur writes:

“At this point are you thinking about how much time and work and effort it takes to truly delve into the Word and come to a right understanding of it? It takes a lot, Beloved. It is going to take some discipline on your part to do all this. And discipline is never easy. But, O child of God, it’s worth it. For all this is a matter of life—life on the highest plane!

Are you with me? Are you in it for the long haul? Don’t give up! Keep digging deep for the rewards are well worth the effort!

ASSIGNMENT FOR THE WEEK:

  • Don’t forget to always begin your Bible study by praying and asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth and to open your mind and heart for understanding.
  • Read Chapters 7 and 8 in How to Study Your Bible.
  • Read Appendix E: Tense, Voice, and Mood of Verbs
  • Do a Chapter Study on the Book of Colossians. Instructions for Practice Exercise 2 is posted in the Inductive Studies chat room.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR THIS WEEK (answer in your small group or post your answers here):

  1. When do you refer to commentaries? What is a commentary, and how is it helpful?
  2. What is the author’s purpose in using a figure of speech?
  3. How can you discipline yourself in order to study God’s Word on a deeper level?

Blessings,

Sheree Poole

Experiencing God Online Bible Study | Week 5

Posted: 26 Apr 2015 10:20 PM PDT

Experiencing God week 5Welcome back to online Bible study at Women's Bible Café! This week we are discussing Unit 5 of Experiencing God by Henry and Richard Blackaby entitled "When God Speaks – Part I". Our lessons this week focus on the fourth of the seven realities of Experiencing God – "God speaks by the Holy Spirit though the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes and His ways" (p. 90).

In our busy, loud and chaotic lives often we don't hear God speak. When we don't hear Him, we tend to say it is because he is silent. But is He? Certainly, there are times when God is quiet. I like the analogy of comparing God to a teacher during a test – the teacher does not speak while the students are tested. At that point the speaking/teaching is done for the moment. It is the student's opportunity to show what they have learned. But what about the rest of the time? How do we make sure that we hear God when He does speak?

Our memory verse for the week addresses this point:
"He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God". John 8:47

OUCH!!! What does that mean??? Yikes… Just hold on a minute and do not panic, okay? The key is in knowing how God speaks so that we can listen. This is a big topic. We will talk about it about it this week and again next week in Unit 6 – God Speaks, Part II.

This week we looked at some of the different ways God speaks – and some of the ways He doesn't. We learned that God does not generally speak by opening or closing doors to reveal His will. He does not generally respond to our "If this is not your will stop me" kinds of prayers. We learned that He reveals himself to us. We learned that the words of Scripture are still very relevant and speaking to us today. So how can we make sure that we hear?

My favorite section of this week's lesson is on p. 93 where Blackaby gives us suggestions that will help us look for God's direction in our lives:

"If you do not have clear instructions from God in a matter, pray and wait. Learn patience. Depend on God's timing, which is always right and best. Don't get in a hurry. He may withhold directions to cause you to seek Him more intently. Don't try to skip over the relationship to start doing something. God is more interested in a love relationship with you than He is in what you can do for Him. If God is having you wait, He may want to develop a deeper relationship with you before He gives you your next assignment. He may have you wait because the timing is not yet right."

Hmmm, there it is again. That stuff about relationship. Perhaps you are like me. You KNOW what you want to do for God. And you are ready to do it – RIGHT NOW. Been there? I know I have. And the result has often been frustration. Why isn't God opening the doors for me to do what I want to do for Him? Why isn't anything happening? Why isn't He blessing my plans, my dreams? Sound familiar? Take some time this week to think about that and what it might mean about your relationship with God. We'll talk about this subject more next time.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT FOR THE WEEK:

  • Join a small group for study and fellowship.
  • Complete Week 6 in your Experiencing God workbook.
  • Optional: Watch the Session 6 video or listen to the audio.
  • Record your thoughts in your spiritual journal.

BIBLE STUDY TIP FOR THE WEEK:
Have you noticed the memory verses at the beginning of each week's lessons? Did you see the scripture memory cards at the back of your workbook? Yes? Well, what are you doing with them?

These verses are tied very cleverly to the lessons each week. Reading the verses, perhaps in several different translations, and meditating on them each day adds to your understanding of the material. Memorizing them takes this experience even deeper.

I recommend finding a way to carry your memory verses with you wherever you go. Use the memory cards, or make your own using index cards in the Bible translation of your choice. I like to paraphrase the verse in my own words on the back of each index card. Another method is to use an App on your phone to record the verses. Look at the verses throughout the day. Read them to yourself, or preferably aloud a few times. When you do that your mind absorbs the verse both visually and auditorially so it does double duty. I also like to write the verses out each day – there is something about the physical act of writing that helps me remember them.

It doesn't really matter how you chose to memorize your verses – these are just some ideas. Blackaby shares some additional tips for responding to Scripture on p. 105 in your workbook. The important thing is that you don't just ignore them. They are there for a reason! Give them a try.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR THIS WEEK (answer in your small group or post your answers here):

1. Describe a time when God told you to wait (p. 92).
2. Has God used a particular Scripture verse from Units 1-5 to speak to you
during the course so far? What verse has God brought to your attention and why? (p. 104-105)
3. Has God spoken to you by the Holy Spirit through prayer during this course? If so, describe what you sensed He was saying. (p. 110)
4. Has God given you any confirmation through the Bible, circumstances or other believers thus far during this course? Describe what you sense He is saying. (p. 110)
5. How have you responded to what God has called to your attention thus far during this course? (p. 96)

If you are having trouble with these concepts or feel you are not hearing God speak, do not worry. We will be spending next week talking again about how God speaks to us and things will be clearer after that. For now, work on your lessons and spend time with Him. Work on the relationship. Bask in His presence. You will be amazed at the results.

See you next week.

Blessings,
Carla
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