James: Mercy Triumphs Week 6

Today we are gathering over at Natalie's blog to discuss our latest week of reading and questions.  I hope you'll join us!

James: Mercy Triumphs Week 5

Oh Sisters, how in the world do I recap this week chock full of so much that stirred my heart?!  The fun thing is knowing that the Holy Spirit is out there stirring your hearts too, and it may all be in very different ways.  He is speaking to us very specifically right where we are in our own little worlds.  Do you find that as amazing as I do?

I hope you were able to take this last week and get caught up if you were behind.  I was thankful for the break so I could go back and do two days that I missed last week while my daughter was home sick.  We're on the home stretch now, so don't give up!!

I want to concentrate today on one of the bullet points on page 143 that truly spoke to me:

"He is holy and worthy and incapable of abusing His divine authority over you.  So submit to God."

Do you believe this? Do I believe this?

Read it through again and really soak in what that statement is saying.

As I have re-read this over a period of several days, I have come to the conclusion that my faith is not sincere unless I wholeheartedly believe this statement. If I believe God for who he says he is, and believe all his attributes, how do I continue to assert my will and my control over my life and decisions?

I am stubborn, and in my arrogance I think that I know what is best for me.  But God has the entire plan laid out in front of Him.  Why can I not trust everything I am to Him?

Does this hit close to home for you as well?  I need a change in thinking and action on this one!

What else spoke to you this week?  Are you writing out the book of James?

James: Mercy Triiumphs Week 5

Ladies,I don't know about you, but here at the half-way point  Natalie and I both decided we need a week to catch our breath!  Because, WOW, is James jam-packed with hard-hitting information, or what?

We know some of you have expressed that you are several days behind, for some, even a week.  So take this opportunity to keep working away and get caught up.  We'll meet right back here next week for week 5.

If you are caught up, be sure you have written out all of your scripture, and then go back and review where we have been so far.  If God has been speaking to you about a particular subject through this study, spend some extra time this week seeking his wisdom.

We'd love to hear in the comments how you are being impacted by the study, so come share with us!

James: Mercy Triumphs Week 3

Girls, I don't know about you, but I was slammed by the Holy Spirit this week!  WOWZA!  There was so much covered in so little verses, and I have no idea where to start!

Deep breath......

For those of you watching the DVD teaching, that hour of study was jam packed with information, as usual.  I absolutely love her in depth teaching, especially the deeper meanings into words in the Greek and Hebrew.  Those explanations give so much depth to the scriptures.

I just want to highlight one thing, as to not leave anyone out who isn't able to watch the DVDs.  Beth really drilled home the fact that our anguish can turn into joy.  I couldn't agree more.  Yes, that road is often wrought with pain, suffering and choking, but God has a way of always making it turn into something good.  Does that scripture ring a bell with anyone?  I loved that we were reminded that our pain will very often turn into our passion.  For instance, my pain through several cases of depression makes that a passion of mind to teach right thinking in the Christian community about the stereotypes of depression.  Does that makes sense?  By sharing my past pain, I am able to help others, which brings me joy.  I hope you can resonate with that message.

Now, on to Day 1,  How about that intro to stop you in your tracks?  Who among us has never been quick to speak?  I am SO guilty of this!  We tend to miss half the converation because we are formulating in our mind what we are going to say next!!  Have you been  there? OUCH!

I was really touched and encouraged with a quote on page 77, "Those words I planted in you have the power to save your very soul.  Welcome them!"  Isn't that a compelling reason to memorize scripture?

I don't want to gloss over anything that really strikes home with someone, so please let us know if there were other parts of Day 1 that really struck you.  Does anyone have struggles with that "slow to anger" part?

I read the scripture in Day 2, James 1:23-24 like I have never known it before!  I loved learning that James was saying that the mirror wasn't just reflecting the visual appearance of the man that he was forgetting, but he forgot who he was IN CHRIST that should have been reflecting in the mirror.  Did anyone else have that revelation?  "I was created to be a bearer of the very image of God."

Day 3 brought us to that sensitive word "religion".  I enjoyed writing out those ways that manifest my devotion to Christ each week.  It reminded me of a conversation I had with a another parent at my kids' school.  We were talking about church, she asked me about my beliefs and I mentioned prayer and reading the bible, to which she replied, "Yea, I thought you guys were hard core."  This really opened my eyes to what others perceive to be religious activities!!

God has really worked on my heart in recent years about missions.  I got very excited reading these portions that command us to take care of the oppressed.  I know that God is not finished with me in this area, and I am looking forward to where He will take me next.  What did you write down on page 85 for those images that remind you of the exploited?

Days 4 and 5 flowed very nicely into one another with one central theme:  if you do not show favoritism, you will be able to love your neighbor!  I loved the walk through Old Testament and New Testament scripture that reinforces that God never changes: He does not show favoritism or partiality.  He loves those starving in Africa the same that He loves us.  It really rocks your mind when you spend time thinking about it!

This was a deep and rich week, and I fear that if I wrote everything that touched my heart, we'd be here for a very long time!  Please don't be shy in the comments about what you are learning.  It is all so very rich! We can't wait to hear your thoughts!


I am loving this walk through James with all of you!!

James: Mercy Triumphs Week 2

We've made it through two weeks, and already I can't believe how much I have learned!  I hope you are all keeping up with your reading and homework.  If you get behind, it is super easy to do two studies in one day if needed.

Today we'll head over to Natalie's place at Mommy on Fire for her Week 2 discussion. I'll meet you over there!

Does A Spirit of Unbelief Undermine Your Faith?

"For even his own brothers did not believe in him."

John 7:5

As I read and studied this week the lessons for James, I kept coming back to the unbelieving household of Jesus family.  I sense that we may all be like Beth Moore, in wanting to know more!  Tell us what it was like in their house.  What did they do for fun?  Did they fight like normal brothers and sisters?  How did Jesus act when he was in a quarrel with family members?  Did his mother not sit the family down around the dinner table and explain to them who Jesus was?  Yet, we're told in several places that his brothers did not believe.  They even scoffed and made fun of him, inferring that he was crazy.  The whole scenario just does not make any sense to me!  Can anyone else agree?

So if the people closest to Jesus did not believe he was the Son of God, does it surprise us that we have trouble going "all in" with our faith?  Because we can believe in some of those big promises from God, but do we really believe all of them?  Does our life reflect a person who chooses to go "all in" with God, placing our entire trust, well being, decisions, and life in the hands of the Almighty Father?  Or is easier to hand over only those things in life that we feel we can't handle?  Do we run to the Father only in those instances when life has gotten over our head and we need a hand out of the hole we have dug for ourselves?

Let's decide to be like Abraham.   He set a high example for all of us:

"Yet he (Abraham) did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised."  Romans 4:20

I am guilty.  Some promises I can repeat over and over in my head and truly believe them, like Jeremiah 29:11, but others I can read and not truly take them to heart, like Ephesians 3:20, 

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations."

More than we ask or imagine.

Are you "all in"?

What would it take for you this week to be "all in"? How different would life look if we pushed every area of our life into the Father, and said, YES, I am all in!

Would you share with us today an area of your life that you need to turn over to Jesus that you have been in unbelief?

We'd love to know how God has been stirring your soul this week through the study!

"Everything is possible for him who believes." Mark 9:23

The James Study Introduction

WELCOME TO OUR ONLINE STUDY

"JAMES: MERCY TRIUMPHS"

BY BETH MOORE

Natalie and I are so excited to get this study started! We have both been through the first week and the first video of the study, and in true Beth Moore fashion, she has knocked it out of the park!  Each day's homework will only take you about 15 minutes to complete, so I think we can all handle that!

Let me introduce myself to any of you who may be here for the first time or are visiting from Natalie's blog.  My name is Cherie and I have been blogging for about 2 years.  I've been a Christian since childhood, although I've had my share of difficult times throughout my life.  But above all else, Christ has always been my Rock!  I've been married for 15 years to my fantastic Husband, and we have 3 girls, ages 21, 11 and 10.  I work part time as an Administrative Assistant, and I do some Virtual Assistant work on the side from home.

Now let me introduce you to Natalie!  You are going to absolutely love her heart and her encouragement!  I met Natalie through blogging (it turns out we only live a few hours from one another), and then had the pleasure of meeting her in person at The Relevant Conference and the Hearts at Home Conference.  Natalie is the real deal!  She is a momma and wife, and is one busy woman!

Shall we get into the details of our study?  Each week you'll have some daily(5 days) homework to complete, which includes some reading and answering of questions.  Then on Wednesdays you'll come check in here for our discussion questions.  I will host the odd weeks and Natalie will host the even weeks, so week one will be back here at my blog.  We have also set up a private Facebook group, so if you feel you want to share prayer requests or something personal, you can feel comfortable sharing there.  We'll work very hard to get everyone friend requested and added to the group quickly.

You also have the option of heading over to the Lifeway site to purchase and download each week of Beth's sermons prior to that weeks homework.  We want to be sure that you know that this is OPTIONAL!  You will have a very enriching study with or without the videos, so please feel no pressure to have to purchase the videos.

Our schedule is as follows – facilitator listed in parenthesis!

February 8:  Discuss Week One and Video One (Cherie)

February 15:  Discuss Week Two and Video Two (Natalie)

February 22:  Discuss Week Three and Video Three (Cherie)

February 29: Discuss Week Four and Video Four (Natalie)

March 7:  Discuss Week Five and Video Five (Cherie)

March 14:  Discuss Week Six and Video Six (Natalie)

March 21:  Discuss Week Seven and Video Seven (Cherie)

March 28:  Concluding Thoughts and Wrap-Up (Natalie)

So there you have it!  If you plan to follow along with us, be sure to contact either myself or Natalie so we can get you hooked up with the Facebook page.  Other than that, start your study today and we'll see you back here next Wednesday for some fellowship and questions!

Now, let's start with some chit-chat!  Introduce yourself in the comments below!!

Online Book Study - James with Beth Moore

I've been waiting several weeks to be able to share this announce with all of you!  Mark your calendars for February 1st for week one of the online bible study, "James:  Mercy Triumphs" by Beth Moore!  I am very excited to be co-leading this study with my great friend Natalie from Mommy on Fire.  She's has a huge heart for the Lord and I guarantee you will just love her!

We'll do an 8 week study, with week one being an introduction.  Each Wednesday, Natalie or myself will post thoughts and reflections as well as welcome discussion among participants in the comment section.  For those of you on Facebook, we will also start a group where we can keep up with one another with thoughts that come to mind or questions that you want to raise for discussion.  Depending on how many participants also have a blog, we might even host a link-up for your own posts.

All you have to do is head over to Lifeway to grab your copy of the workbook.  You'll have several levels of participation to choose from.  You can choose which level fits your season of life right now! 

1. Watch Videos: Participating in the video sessions only
2. Complete Homework: Participating in the video sessions + doing the weekly homework assignments
3. Hand write James: Participating in the video sessions + doing the weekly homework assignments + handwriting the Book of James
4. Read Articles: Participating in the video sessions + doing the weekly homework assignments + handwriting the Book of James + reading “The Next Level with Melissa”
5. Memorize James: Participating in the video sessions + doing the weekly homework assignments + handwriting the Book of James + reading “The Next Level with Melissa” + memorizing the Book of James

So you have lots of options!   I can't wait to dig into this book with Beth Moore, along with her daughter Melissa, who gives some fantastic church history information at the end of each week of study.

So there you have it!  Are you ready?


If you are in, would you please let us know via the comment section?  We would love to know who's studying with us!