Wow, friends! It’s our last gathering for our Siesta Summer Bible Study 2014! Thank you so much for allowing me to serve you this summer! I am so proud of you for hanging in there and pursuing God through His Word in tailspins of activity and swirls of people. Listen, don’t you dare get discouraged if you were unable to finish in eight weeks. Keep at it and see it to a conclusion even if you don’t get to the last page until October! God will time the themes of the lessons to match your challenges. He is so faithful.
I hope you are able to view the video but, if not, you’ll find the basic instructions for your discussions and comments below this screen.
SSBS Session 5 COTD from LPV on Vimeo.
Discussion from Week Seven: (To Love the Truth)
1. In your small group or in your comment to the post, review Day 4, “A Strong Delusion”. How can God use darkness when we refuse the light? Was the lesson any help at all in sorting out some difficult concepts?
2. Pages 180-181 – Choose one of those three sections that hit you the most personally and discuss why. For instance, have you experienced a sifting season? Or a thorn in the flesh? Share something you filled in on pgs. 180-181.
From Week Eight: (The Lord of Peace)
Pg. 205 – Reread Romans 16:20.
1. Day Four: Discuss why you will be especially happy for that day to come. How do you truly owe the enemy one? What do you hope to make him sorry for?
2. Pg. 209 – Did you happen to write your own word picture of grace? If so, share it.
3. Lastly, if you have one primary thing you believe this eight week series has been about between you and Jesus, what would it be?
Bless you, Sister! I love you and appreciate you so much! Let’s stay in the Word and hold tight to Jesus! I love this portion of Ephesians 6 out of The Message. It’s a perfect wrap up to our series:
“God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet.” Ephesians 6:10-13 (The Message)
My main take away from this summer study is that I’ve truly been “theodidaktoyed”..or “God taught”. I truly desire to walk worthy of His calling & for Him to fulfill every resolve for good & work of faith by His power so that He may be glorified. Going through a new church transition w/ my husband this summer & also learning all about being an empty nester has been a challenge & very lonely at times. This study truly came in Gods perfect timing for me & I’ve truly clung to everyone of these blessed scriptures this summer. But mostly the author..who through this whole season has seemed to be teaching me about His awesome grace. So to me He truly is the face of grace.
A few days ago, I was feeling really discouraged & decided to go for a walk in my hood. (I seem to do that a lot lately. Maybe cause Im pre-menopausal, but thats a whole other story, ha) Anyway, I always pass this one house & want to ask them who did the work on their home, cause we’ve also been wanting to do some work on ours. So this day I decided to just knock on their door. The lady that answered the door was very friendly & invited me in to see. We ended up talking for a while. She shared w/ me a story of her Grandmother & how growing up she always had this daily bread box filled with scriptures. She told me that she had looked everywhere for the colored scriptures & finally found the ones like her Grandmothers but looked & looked & was never able to find them again..only the black & white ones. Anyhow, she went on to tell me how she loved having people who come to her house take one out of the stack of hundreds & to keep it. I shared w/ her how she would never believe me but I have the very same daily bread box & the scriptures were in color. She was flabbergasted! Needless to say I pulled a scripture from the stack..I was then totally flabbergasted as well when I read my verse..”But The Lord is faithful. He will establish you & guard you against the evill one.” 2 Thess. 3:3..My very same memory verse for that very day. Praise God for like you say Ms Beth His pursuit for us & His unabashed affection. Tell me that was just coincidence?
We then exchanged phone numbers & I told her I’d text her a pic of my colored daily bread scriptures. As soon as I got home I found the daily bread script box it in my house.(a little dusty may I insert here). Needless to say the 1st verse I pulled out i immediately texted to her. It was Hebrews 13:5..”I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” She texted me back that when she had been praying that very day, she’d asked God if He’d left her. Praise Him. Thankful our precious Father knew both our hearts that day.
Thanks again Ms. Beth for taking us through this study this summer. Praying The Lord to refresh you in a mighty way today.
Love in Christ,
Monica
Love in the the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I meant to put 🙂
Thank you so much for coordinating this study. I watched the bi weekly vimeo and completed my member book. It was a really great study and I felt like the. Lord spoke to me in a couple of areas.
I am sorry I am not answering all of the blog questions. I am running low on time this summer.
Thank you again!
Melissa
We just recently had our final bible study gathering and it became a celebration! I just had to share that two of our sweet ladies had made through their very first study-ever– and opened their hearts further to Jesus and to us in really cool ways. One of these young girls made the decision to be baptized! We’ll look forward to celebrating this with her at the end of the month.
One of the ladies in our study even made a “Children of the Day” cake! Is there a way I can share a picture with you all? It’s amazing! She beautifully recreated the cover-on a sheet cake at that! 🙂 (It wasn’t chocolate, but I loved the similarity!)
Thank you Beth and to everyone that helped make this summer study happen! The Lord spoke to me in perfect, unexpected ways through this study and it left me with one word as I closed the book on this study–hope.
Thank you!
Hi, I have kept up with the study, maybe a week or two off but I wanted to thank you and to leave you my own word picture of Grace:
Grace is the stone on the ground and no one can lift it to condemn me
and the only one who can, who I think should, is holding out his hand instead…
God bless you,
Christine
Week 7 pages 180-181 I believe that God’s process of sifting us is to keep us from living a defeated life and cause us to be a victor, instead of a victim. I am being sifted for my own insecurities, and pride in my life And even though it is very hard at the time,as I yield more and more to God, he is giving me peace and freedom. In week 8, page 205- This was is so awesome to just know that one day God will crush Satan under our feet.Before this study when I pictured this I would always see Jesus crushing Satan under his feet. I long for that day. About the strong delusion, This scripture has always troubled me because I have family members that are lost. But it doesn’t change the fact that God is longsuffering and it is not his will for anyone to perish and he is always just in everything he does. I have been so enlightened and encouraged through this study. I was so touched by the love Paul had for the Thessalonian brothers and also the love he received in return. I also admired the Thessalonians zeal in spreading the gospel, in spite of all their trials, and persecutions. This has given me a dearie to be like them. The phrase “More and More” has really stuck with me through this study. I want to be counted worthy of his calling,and I am happy to know that by God’s power he will fulfill every good purpose of ours and every act we do by faith. Glory!!! The end results are up to him, not us. I am so thankful for you, Beth, for all the time, love, and energy you have poured into this study, and all the prayer.May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Love you my sweet siesta sister.
sec
I’ve had dark places show me where I didn’t want to be. Sometimes God has to take us there to get our attention.
Sifting season when I needed to change my selfish ways and truly see what being a Christian and following Christ really meant. Through much prayer and study he saw me through it.
Sorry for messing with my family!
I came away from this study reinforcing God’s grace for me and his willingness to fight for me no matter what.
Thanks for your hard work in bringing us such relevant teaching from our Lord Jesus Christ. Love you Beth!
The J & J girls TRA (in Medford, Oregon). Here is our last homework assignment:
1) God can use darkness in many ways when we refuse the light i.e. a long term illness, a bout of debilitating depression, or a long dark period of mourning are just a few examples. This concept was a good reminder that God can use all things for His glory. What an encouragement!
2) We both agreed that “a thorn in my flesh” resonated personally with us. One in a family dispute and the other in a work situation involving non-believers. We are choosing to view these as a growing experience sent by the Lord and trying not to let anger, bitterness, and despair take over.
3) We will be especially happy for the day of the Lord to come since it will mean no more sorrow and tears of sadness for us. We want to make him sorry for all of the pain and misery he has put our family through on this earth.
4) Here are a couple of word pictures:
a) Grace is His loving forgiveness for my daily failures.
b) Grace is a jet boat racing to save me when I am drowning in the river’s rapids.
c) Grace is the voice that whispers “you were worth it” over and over and over again when I struggle to believe it myself.
5) For one of us, the primary take home message was: being thoroughly equipped by God and not trying to do things our way and by ourselves.
For the other, the message was: this journey will be rough, but I AM will get me through it. Hold on tight!
This has been an amazing journey through scripture which we are very grateful for. Love y’all!
Thank you so much for the Bible study and what you said about being behind. I am behind but I will finish. Summer is really hectic, I had grandkids staying and wanted to enjoy them, plus extra outside work and my regular Bible time. Thanks for what you do.
Yay I made it! =)
1. God can use the darkness to open our eyes to the truth and to the Light.
2. I experienced a season of great anxiety in 2010/2011 that Satan meant to use to tear me down but God used to remove an ungodly mindset and behavior pattern. God can allow Satan to sift someone like wheat in order to unleash our faith and fulfill our calling. “Those who retain destructive or ungodly mindsets and patterns despite divine rebukes are at greatest risk of a sieving” hit home.
3. I cannot wait for the evil in this world to be absolutely destroyed and persecution, tragedy and harm to children be no more.
4. Grace is a pure, white robe of righteousness that Jesus gives us in exchange for our filthy rags.
5. I loved the opportunity to learn and dig deep in the Word. I plan to start over and go through it again! The one thing I got the most out of this is that I DO have a calling.
Love you Beth! Thank you for your humble service!
I am always sad and exhilarated to complete a study. Glad for the accomplishment and learning, but sad to say good-bye. I could open up Children of the Day and start right in again. It spoke to me in so many ways. The receiving instead of achieving keeps coming back to me.
I also wrote a huge Amen beside the spiritual neurosis of feeling unworthy when life is rough because I’m not handling it well and feeling unworthy when life is terrific because I don’t deserve it.
I highlighted, circled and exclamation pointed the paragraph about Satan building roadblocks between people who would bless, encourage, and edify one another in Christ.
I’ve been struck recently by how mean Satan is. BUT, he will not win. And as pg 205 of the study pointed out Romans 16:20, he will be crushed under our feet.
I thoroughly enjoyed writing the verses out each day and writing the whole books by the end of the study.
Thank-you for the blessing of the study of the Word and all the time and prayer and tears and joy invested!!! Glory to God!
The Back Porch Girls of Rome, GA got a week or two behind with all our vacations and work schedules, but we are wrapping up the study tonight. We have loved every minute of it. THANK YOU!!!!
Oh Beth. Please don’t ever leave us hanging like that again about your health! From the moment I read the HW assignment that you first mentioned your brush with potential breast cancer, I prayed for you, and I was on pins and needles wondering how it would turn out. I havent been faithfully following along (though I’m going back now to watch the video blogs), so I dont know if you mentioned it on here, but, our God is good, and I rejoiced with you when I got to the final week and final day where you “revealed” that not only was it benign but that you were cleared for another 6 months. Thank you for sharing your worries and allowing us to pray for you too.
Also, my heart and prayers go out to Melissa. My family is also experiencing the earthquake of broken marriages, on two separate fronts. As I lifted up the two hurt and searching women in my family, I included Melissa in the requests. I know she knows how much God loves her, and how God will never reject her. I know how important it is in the lives of women, just as you mentioned your friend took comfort in, to know that we have a God who will fight for us–always. Thank you for reminding me.
For me I believe God has allowed this season of darkness/sifting to draw me near, to break down my self reliance and build up my dependence on Him. No doubt I would not have sought Him through His word without a desperate desire find a trace of truth left in this world. I find peace in the fact that this darkness has purpose, that it is the best and only way God can accomplish exactly what He desires-that not one should perish. And I am humbled that He would find me worthy to be used, “He must think I’m strong, to give me what I’m going through”. Digging into this study has shown me my worth and importance in His plan, Who am I that He is mindful of me? His grace allows me to love like Jesus, whosoever and unconditionally, and results in the peace that passes understanding. I stand amazed!
Week Seven
1. This lesson was extremely helpful and very timely. A family member has been so angry at God for most of her life. She is now in her late 80s and is such a sad, hurting person filled with regrets. My heart is just so burdened for her. God’s timing is perfect! I’m behind in the study – but it was as it should be. I have such a better understanding of how to reach her. I pray that her hurting heart will be open to receive the love that God has for her. And I pray He gives me the words to reach past the hurts.
2. The “sifting season” hit me the most personally. The past 9 months would qualify as a sifting season for me, and again, God’s timing is perfect. The week on ministry was absolutely perfect. I have been released from the ministry area that I have served in for much of my adult life for the past 9 months. This is a been a challenging, hurtful season for me. But God has revealed to me another gifting that I would not have recognized had it not been for this season. And just in the past week, I have been asked to help again in my original ministry area. It’s so hard to explain without going into details, and I’m not sure I’m making a lot of sense. But God’s faithfulness overwhelms me. God is working all things together for good.
Week Eight
1. The enemy has tormented me through fear and self-esteem issues. He has tried to make me fearful of EVERYthing. And he is constantly trying to point out everything that is wrong with me.
2. Grace is God’s never giving up on me even though it’s taking me a long time to truly “get it”.
3. I would have to name two things – this study has helped to further define my ministry / gifting and it has awakened a burden within me for the lost around me.
Why did God lead me to this study? For the past 16 years, my ex DIL, Mother of my grandchildren, 3, has continually abused, not sexually, but in ways you could not believe, the children, and now the young adults. God has given peace, answered prayers, and seen us all through all of this to date. However, the visual of God fighting for us was illuminating. Now, with each new situation, some of which have occurred while I was doing the study, I can just pause and visualize God fighting for us, we don’t have to, He will do it. Thank you, Beth, for giving that to me, and subsequently to our family. I have already passed it on, it is our mantra.
Page 209 Grace…The power that lifts you up when you are at your lowest place…with me laid out prostrate on the floor.
Will teach to my home Bible Study this Spring, we will begin in Sept with Revelation, and love how God orchestrated these two studies in the same year.
Week 7:
1) Sometimes God uses darkness to make His children long for and appreciate the light, i.e., to bring us to repentance, in the way the prodigal son “needed” to come to the point of hunger and envying the pig slop before he could receive his father’s love. Sometimes He uses it to refine us or to humble us, for His glory and our good. Sometimes, sadly, He uses it as confirmation of a person’s rejection of Himself. I guess that’s why Paul told Timothy to deal gently with those who opposed him, in case God might “perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will” (2 Tim. 2:25-26).
2) Ugh. Yes and yes. My most obvious thorns in the flesh are multiple chronic health problems and a tendency to be anxious. Both humble me but also open me up to a deeper experience of God’s grace and power.
My first sifting season came when I went to a denominational university to major in church music with plans, I fully believed from God, to become a music minister. In my freshman year, I learned that the church I’d been raised in had long ago rejected the authority of the Scriptures & the idea that Jesus is the only way of salvation and reconciliation with God. My “before” was: naive about false teachers within the visible church; shallow and untested in my faith and the Scriptures; and overly dependent on the applause and approval of others. My “after” was: disillusioned of false ideals about the church on earth; exposed to the whole counsel of Scripture and basic theology; equipped with study skills and resources to investigate the Bible firsthand; and broken of reliance on my own strength¬¬—not completely or finally, but irrevocably.
Week 8:
1) For his constant hum of accusation, “Has God said? Is He really good? Is Jesus really enough?” For enticing a loved one to embrace false teachings about the Word, the gospel, and grace. For ensnaring me in fear again and again (or maybe bullying is the right word?). For mental and physical illnesses that ransack families I love. For all the violence across the world and the ages which he has incited.
2) Grace gives soft rags to cushion my armpits from the rope with which He hauls me out of the pit (Jer. 38).
Grace seeks out the lost sheep who doesn’t even know she’s part of His flock.
Grace clothes the pauper with the King’s best robe and puts His signet ring on the hand of the rebel.
3) “Endurance of hope” and joy “in spite of” everything that opposes it.
Lesson 7:
1. Day 4 caught my attention especially regarding Peter, and other believers, being allowed to be sifted in order to fulfill his/their callings. In my feelings of circumstances being out of control, I can know He is in the drivers seat. It shows our mighty God’s sovereign control and love for us by even working through the darkness to bring about good. So happy God’s grace reaches us!
2. The section that hit me the most was contemplating the good that came out of a sifting season of altered plans that I went through.
My before found me in pride, judging attitudes, relying on my own plan instead of God’s, and pushing my own agenda, not His.
My after brought about surrender to God’s will, trust in Him & His plan, more compassion for others in the same circumstances, & knowledge of His faithfulness.
Lesson 8:
1. What a picture of God crushing Satan under our feet! I hope to make him sorry for lies he had me believe about needing to have others like me and that God is not powerful enough to give me victory in every situation.
2. My word picture: Grace is the arms that carry and fight for you in the midst of a trial . . . even if it is your actions that brought on the trial.
3. I believe the main purpose of for this series, between God and me, would to be that God does have a plan and good works for my life to bless and build up others; and He is able to prepare and empower me to accomplish what He has in store.
Thank you so much for sharing your life and the Word … the mentorship means so much!
I have not yet completed this study but will within in the next two weeks. 🙂 I am on Week 6 and it has been wonderful! I don’t think there is one other woman in this study that has had the incredible opportunity to be travelling on the bus to Thessaloniki Greece the same week that this study began! God has just blown my mind with how PERFECT HIS TIMING was at having me start this study at the same time that I was travelling to Greece! WOW WOW WOW! :)So, I plan on finishing up this study before Sept 8th and then that week I will be leading 4 groups through this study. It means so much to me! I love meeting together with women for Bible study and I love God’s Word. I can’t wait to go through it with them! Thank you Beth for allowing God to use you to write this study and thank you Living Proof gals for being a continual encouragement and support to hundreds of thousands of women across the world. God bless you! Wish I could hug y’all right now! 🙂
It’s taken me a bit longer to finish the study due to vacation at different times this summer but I am not finished!
Week 7:
1. God can use darkness when we refuse the light to wake us up to something he want’s us to be more aware of and/or bring us back to him. God is not limited in how he can reach people or make a change in people’s lives – sometimes darkness is exactly what is needed.
2. The idea that struck me the most from pages 180-181 is that a sifting doesn’t make you perfect. It makes you less prone to defeat. Often when change is happening or things feel out of control for me, I struggle to find God in the situation, but this reminded me that God’s goal is to strengthen me and make me stronger to stand up against the enemy and his plans for defeat for me. Without trials and tribulations I wouldn’t have the weapons and past experiences of God coming through to lean back on and use as support.
Week 8:
1. I have never realized that in Romans 16:20 it is OUR feet which will crush Satan, as Beth said in this day of homework “Christ, in His majestic mercy, makes His victory ours!” Amazing! I am excited for this day and hope to make the enemy sorry for the lies he has had me believe about myself, my worth and my ability to overcome my stinking thinking and sin.
2. My word picture was: grace is a second chance when you’ve already had a million.
Week 7:
1. I do believe God can use darkness when we refuse the light. I personally experienced this. I did a 10 year detour from God, caught in a sick cycle of sin and defeat. I finally hit rock bottom–the very bottom! But God reached in a pulled me out of miry pit and lavished such grace on me. I do not deserve to be where I am today. It brings me to tears still. He won my heart forever.
2. Like you said on p. 181, “Sometimes we have to experience an onslaught of the Enemy to realize we want God. Do you think that is why He tarries? To make sure we get a belly full of evil so we can be perfectly content to live eternally without it?
Week 8:
1. I had a dream. I was in the garden digging and I dug up a poisonous snake. It latched on to my hand and I grabbed it by the tail and flung it as far as I could throw. It was too fast for me and came back. When it got close I stomped on its head and killed it. I do believe by the power and authority of the name of Jesus Christ, satan is under my heel. But I will be all too glad to see him finally get what he deserves for wrecking such havoc on this world.
2. Grace is, like the ballerina, an extreme use of agility and strength (not our own, but in Jesus) with fluid, joyful movement. Lord, let us be like the ballerina, moving in Your strength and yet filled with grace. Make us graceful.
3. The thing that really stuck to me from this study was the part about living my life without hindrances. “My life-the hindrances of my hindrances=my God ordained destiny!” I (like many women) have had some serious hindrances, but I can choose to not let them be a hindrance! I also loved where you said on p. 76, “God can shove us with His Mighty hand wherever He wants us to go, or He can gently blow us there with an almost imperceptible breath. God is ever at the helm, patient and foreknowing.” Do you know I read that last line while sailing this summer?!! My husband and I had been praying for direction at that time as well. His timing is impeccable.
I wish I could tell you my story (WAY too lengthy to write here). Anyone who says following Christ is boring, is not doing it right! For me it has been a WILD adventure, way beyond anything I could ever have dreamt up! Praise You Jesus!
Thank you, Beth for your mentoring. You say all the time how you love us and I truly believe that. I love you too. God has used you mightily in my life. I look forward to seeing you live in San Diego, where I live. I’ll be praying for you as well. God bless you!
I have soooo enjoyed doing this study:) God has really been working on my heart continuously throughout the weeks.
I will share 3 things…
#1 my grace picture: GRACE is the open arms of the Father embracing the prodigal:) *i just love that…all the Grace pics were wonderful.
#2 my thorn in the flesh…I feel is my struggle with my food issues. God has been dealing with me for so long about this. I have had so many successes and so many failures, but my struggle always brings me closer to my Savior. I know He wants me to be free in this area and the more i give myself to Him, the free-er I become:)
#3 the most stand-out thing through the entire study (with the exception of Week 6 (SO POWERFUL FOR ME:) was the simple truth that….Jesus will NEVER stop fighting for me, and I have to share a story…but I promise to keep it short.
I had missed a few days of study and decided to take the week off and wait until Thursday to do my final 2 lessons of the study (one on Thursday and the last lesson on Friday). This week, my hubby and I were CHRISTMAS shopping at Hobby Lobby and I found a piece of art that I thought would encourage someone in my life and got it. it was a pic of a shepherd with the verse Exodus 14:14 “The Lord will fight for you and you shall hold your peace.”
I brought it home and wrapped it, but the verse just stayed on my heart all day and in my journal time I just asked The Lord to fight for me over my food struggles. I said that I was tired of the fight, but I wasn’t ready to give up yet.
Well, whaddya know?!? The lesson that day was Week 8 Day 4! At All Times:)))
Coincidence? I think not….God is so good:)
Vivian
I was so relieved to read the note on the last lesson about finishing in eight weeks or eight months! I never believed I would be an eight-monther, but things happen. I am so happy to finally complete this wonderful study.
Week Seven
1. God has used darkness in my life to show me His light after a season of terrible delusion by the enemy. There was a sifting season years ago that indeed helped me make that complete turn away from a compromising life to Him. I still had years of maturing in front of me, but it is a time I will never forget. This lesson was helpful in putting some of this past stuff in perspective.
2. God can allow Satan to sift someone like wheat. After my “season” I knew the bright relief of a life no longer characterized by compromising struggles. There would be other “maturing” circumstances but His light now lit my path!
Week Eight
1. I owe the enemy for his slick way of delusion; sometimes almost paralyzing my ability to think on my own; like I was under a spell. It makes me shudder to remember how powerless I was in some situations. It was a neat lesson learning he would be crushed by Christ under my feet, too!
2. Grace is the safe haven of a room where you can sit by a friendly, crackling fire after having come in from the harsh, bitter cold.
3. There are many lessons that spoke to me through this study. But the lesson on hindrances struck a chord with me for I need to escape the “hindrances” that keep me from more study, more praying and sharing my faith. I want to know Him better so I can serve Him better.
I will now be reviewing all these lessons before I begin another study. I will even write the books again because I long ago found that writing the Scriptures taught me to think more deeply about His Words. Thank you for adding that to our studies. I must also tell you how much the last session meant to me as you gave us the 10 words! I do need them! “For not all have faith, But the Lord is faithful.” (Woe is me…WOW is God!) How can you not love HIM?! All praise to our Father God!