A New Study

I have been missing in action again....for a good reason though. I am teaching a women's Bible study at church called A Confident Heart, something I desperately need in my life right now. Anyway, for the last two weeks, I have used all my free time to prepare the first couple of lessons. Our first session was last night with about 35 women participating. I was nervous on the inside, but begged God for his strength to be made perfect in my weakness. And He was there in our midst...no doubt!

I struggled over this particular study and if it would be right to do in a public setting. I mean this is my struggle, it's a personal struggle, and it has been for years. I question myself, I doubt, I worry...all those things that God's Word tells me not to do. I thought maybe I should just work through this topic myself. But, at the end of the session last night, I had several women come up to me with tears saying how much they needed to get this message down in their hearts. They too lack confidence and beat themselves up over different issues. They too desperately want to walk in the confidence that God says is available to those who believe in Him. I know that this is not just my issue and I am praying that God does a work in all of us.

I have encouraged the group to have a quiet time every single day because that is the only way that we will grow in the knowledge of Him. We are using the SOAP method of daily Bible study that I have talked about on this blog before. I passed out a verse or a section of verses for each day of the week for the next 10 weeks and explained how to journal through each step of the SOAP method.

S = Scripture...write out the scripture for the day
O= Observation...write out what you see in the verse...summarize what is there
A= Application...write out one or two ways that you can apply the verse to your life today
P= Pray the Word and how you will apply it to your life back to God

I thought I would encourage the group today with my notes from our section of Scripture for Monday....

S= Ephesians 1:17-20
"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will KNOW what is the HOPE of His calling, what are the RICHES of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His POWER toward us who BELIEVE. These are in accordance with the working of the STRENGTH OF HIS MIGHT which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places."

O=
Paul is praying for the Christians in Ephesus, sharing his requests for them. He wants them to know God personally...to have a spirit of wisdom and revelation that can only come from God. Revelation has to do with the imparting of knowledge from God and wisdom has to do with the proper use of that knowledge in our daily lives. He wants them to know the hope of His calling, the riches they have in Christ as part of their inheritance, and the surpassing greatness of His power toward those who believe. All of these come through the power of His strength...the same strength that was at work when Jesus was raised from the dead.

A=
The same thing that Paul prayed for the Ephesian people is available to me today. I can know God in a very personal way and that knowledge will change my life from the inside out. I want to walk through this day with wisdom, confidence, and hope because of everything that He provides to me.

P=
Jesus, help me to grasp the fact that You love me and Your strength and power are available to me. Thank you that I have the certain hope of a great calling. Thank you that I have riches in Christ as part of my inheritance. Thank you that I have your power at work in me. Help me to know you more and more so I will have personal revelation from You. I love you Lord. Amen.

Well, maybe that helped someone out there...

Until next time...