Bible Study: Where To Start When You Just Haven't In Too Long

It’s been a month, and you realize you can’t remember the last time you touched your Bible. You’re not even sure where it is. Where do you even start to get back into the Bible? Where do you even go in the Bible to get your hunger for the Word of God back? What do you read when you don’t even really want to read?

Does this sound familiar? It is a common situation, but I want to help you combat the shame and condemnation that also shows up in these seasons.

You’ve neglected your Bible study, so you are already vulnerable, and then here come guilt, shame, and condemnation to dogpile on top of you and kick you while you’re down. This makes jumping back in and knowing where to start all the more challenging.

I want to help you figure out how to get back into studying the Bible and actually enjoying it. The Bible is a vital and redirecting source, and I want you to be able to jump back in with joy and excitement.

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Love is Not Rude - How To Be Kind When It's Hard

I am sure anyone who has bought anything from anywhere in person has had at least one poor customer service experience. Rude people are no fun. It is always startling when someone treats me rudely. Today we are going to talk about how love is never rude.

Sometimes rude people are arrogant, you can check out last week's post to read more about arrogant people. Today though I want to look at and speak to the person who is just not good with people. You’ve been called rude…and a whole lot worse I am sure. I know because this is a pitfall of my own. 

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Five Phrases Christian Women Need To Stop Saying

I love people. I worked in the helps field for 5 years and I am currently surrounded my ministry so I have experienced women at all stages of Christianity…and lack thereof. Today I want to talk about some Christian “catch phrases” that we have all heard and probably even said at some point in our journey. This post is not to condemn but to start a discussion and to challenge each others perspective.

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Those Who Know Him Trust Him

     Lately my thoughts have been on relationship and communication. In order for any relationship to be successful there has to be good communication, right? The Bible repeatedly communicates the importance of prayer. 

We are told to pray constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17), enthusiastically (James 5:16) and expectantly (Matthew 21:22). 

I have this desire building in me constantly to dive deeper into prayer. I crave a close intimate relationship with God.

However I feel like I keep hitting a barricade. Searching my heart the question came to mind: Do I trust God? Do I really trust God? I think I do, but does my life reflect that? As I was working through this question I stumbled upon this verse:

And those who know your name put their trust in you,

for you, O 

Lord

, have not forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10 ESV

     Such an appropriate verse for what I was working though, right?! I love the Holy Spirit’s timing. This verse says that those who know His name put their trust in Him. God has more names than I could count and each one gives a glimpse of who He is. His name is Jehovah Rapha which means He is the Lord that heals. His name is Jehovah Shalom which means He is our peace. He is Jehovah Jireh. He is our provider. The names go on and on. His names are a description of who He is.

     So knowing who He is causes us to put our trust in Him. When we know Him to be a healer we can trust Him to heal. When we know Him to be our provider we can trust Him to provide. The verse goes on to say assure us that He will not forsake those who seek Him.

     Jeremiah 29:13 says, “

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all of your heart

.” (ESV) God promises to be found by those who seek Him. So maybe you are like me today. Maybe there is this burning desire in you for more of God but at the same time there’s this root of doubt deep in your heart. Maybe you like me need to learn or be reminded of His names so that you can strengthen your trust in Him. Maybe you need Him to remind you that He is our peace. Maybe you need to experience that He is our healer. Maybe you just need to know Him as El Shaddai, our Lord God Almighty. Whatever you need He has promised that if we seek Him out we will find Him. When we find Him we will learn more of who He is. The more we understand who He is the more we trust Him.

He will be found by the seekers. Let’s live like seekers.

Weekly Challenge!: Do some  research. Look up some of God’s names and pick the ones that stick out to you. Find where they are in scripture and just meditate on their meanings this week! 

The More I Seek You

I wanna sit at Your feet
Drink from the cup in Your hand
Lay back against You and breathe
Feel Your heartbeat
This love is so deep, It's more than I can standI melt in Your peace, It's overwhelming.
Guys, this song has been on repeat in my mind all day. They even played at church this evening. That line... "Lay back against You and breathe, feel Your heartbeat" Is my prayer. I just want to fall into His embrace. It's the only place that I know of to run to knowing I can just rest.  In His presence I can breathe. His presence is like breathing and I have one of those moments where I realize that I have been holding my breath for far too long. I just need Him closer than my skin. I can't stand any space between us. I want to hear His heartbeat. I want to memorize His heart. 
I don't know if this is making any sense. I just keep thinking of Psalm 42 where David says, "Like the deer pants for the water, so my soul pants for you God. When can I get to this God?" I am desperate for this God. I can't live without Him. I can't breathe without Him. 
My soul is hungry for more of Him this evening. I love these kind of evening. May they never fade.