We met in my home and shared a dinner consisting in part of the enchilada recipe provided within the workbook. So good!
Then we watched videos and discussed scripture. This is the first such Bible study in which I have been involved. This is a learning experience! Not quite sure I am dong this right! Then, Mrs. Dawn suggested we study the scripture using the model we are learning on Sunday evenings in Discipleship Training as encouraged by Anne Graham Lotz in her study of The Magnificent Obsession. Interesting!
Following this, I have been working through the daily sessions in the workbook and am truly appreciating studying God's word verse by verse. I get in such a hurry to read so much a day...or worse, I get behind in my attempt to read the Bible through in a year, and I read too fast, not comprehending even a fraction of what is embedded within each book, each chapter, each verse.
I praise the Lord for opening my eyes and finding my way to both of these studies...Nehemiah through Kelly Winter's book Nehemiah: A Heart That Can Break and Abraham through Anne Graham Lotz's The Magnificent Obsession. An added bonus is the opportunity to get to know all three of these ladies better...authors Kelly and Anne and my friend Dawn as we study together. Truly empowering...sisters studying together.
Today's Nugget:
In Nehemiah 2:3-15, the phrase "put its doors and bolts and bars in place." Nehemiah paid very close attention to detail, making sure that the wall would be very secure, doing his best work for his God. I fail in this area of my life. I need to check more diligently the doors, bolts, and bars of my life, tightening up here and there, better securing my walk with Him.
For instance, I love to read, and in this love of reading, I do not always censor my selections closely enough, yet the Lord is working in my life in this area as "we" have chosen to not read two series: 1) Fifty Shades of Grey and 2) Diana Gibaldon's Lord John series.
According to this blog post "Fifty Shades of Magic Mike" (and a follow-up post here) that I came across via link on Facebook, author Melissa Jenna had made the decision to NOT read Fifty Shades of Grey due to God's convicting power.
- UPDATE: Just came across this link via Facebook to another blogger similar belief on this topic who wrote this post entitled "Magic Mike Who?"
I have struggled with this choice, even went several times to Amazon.com and placed them in my shopping cart, yet I could not bring myself to purchase them. Another series that I am choosing not to read is Diana Gibaldon's Lord John series...Lord John is a homosexual and promotes that lifestyle. I purchased the books before realizing the topic.
Also in watching Kelly Minter's video for week two, she comments on watching movies because "it's just so funny," never-minding what other inappropriate topics might be involved. Yes, I have given that very explanation myself. Once when dealing with this, though, she heard the Lord say to her, "Because I went to the cross, then it's not funny." We should not feed our minds on topics that contradict our Christian walk.
Now, let's just clarify something here: I am NOT perfect! The Lord "is still working on me to make me what I ought to be." Every day He works on me!
It's does feel good, though, to make this decision, to decide for spiritual reasons that I will not read these series. Making such decisions with music also...I listen to more and more gospel music...love KLOVE!
I like to think that God is breaking my heart and putting it together to be more like Him. You see...that is just the kind of God I serve. He loves me enough to die on the cross just for me AND then to continually work to make me, to guide me to live more and more in his image.
How are you and God doing today?
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