To Live Is Christ…Week 9

A Phone Tree Bible Study Series (January 1, 2012 – March 4, 2012)

To Live Is Christ – The Life and Ministry of Paul

Phone Tree Bible Study Model: Treasure Hunting (Scripture Emphasis); Discovering Riches (Personal Study Option); So Says Beth (Lesson Summary and Quotes); The Journey to Self (Questions to Consider); Connecting (Take Away Points)

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Week 9: Letters Bridging the Miles

Treasure Hunting: Colossians 2;  John 8:32; Ephesians 6:11; Philippians 4

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Discovering Riches: Review the background associated with each of Paul’s letters.

So Says Beth: At week 9, Beth takes us to Paul’s ”long-awaited destination.” We learn about his heart toward God even more, as well as about his passionate desire to be used for the glory of the LORD. We are made aware of God’s purposed plan for his life, and we are shown how his ministry evolved into a unique task that had far-reaching meaning.

- “We should study the Bible to know and glorify Jesus rather than to impress others with knowledge.” (p. 182)

- “Not even the faithful are completely immune to deceptive doctrine.” (p. 183)

- “We cannot enjoy spiritual victory without actively calling on the power of God. We are only strong when we are ‘in the Lord and in His mighty power.’” (p. 189)

- “The best way to protect our minds is to fill it with the Word of God and things pertaining to godliness.” (p.191)

- “We cannot serve God wholeheartedly without the whole heart.” (p.196)

- “Peace overflowing from an active prayer life lends contentment.” (p.198)

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The Journey to Self: (Answer one, some, or all.)

1) Read Psalm 51:6 (Personalize this verse.)

2) What does donning the full armor of God mean to you? (Refer to Ephesians 6:11-18.)

3) Can your actions and thoughts be traced back to the Word of God? (Spend time journaling about this.)

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Connecting:

- What may be considered confinement to one may be viewed as freedom to another.

- In every situation, there is a more divine purpose that works in the favor of God.

- We must follow hard after God’s Truth versus the twisted and deceptive doctrine of Satan.

- Spiritual warfare is real. Once you acknowledge it as being real, the battle really begins. But trust in this truth – victory is always assured in Christ.

- Submission is an act of the heart.

- Time spent with God and His Word brings forth a changed perspective in the heart and walk of a true disciple of Christ.

Stay tuned to The Phone Tree to follow special To Live Is Christ blog links.

 

The Beautiful Ones

“Who is beautiful to God if not the beautiful ones who live before His presence?”

- Eva Kim

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Daily, I am astounded by the love that God extends to His beautiful princess daughters. It amazes me how He cherishes each one, holding her close and showing her the unique beauty that she possesses.

Through His words, He directs her life. Through His blessings, He provides as she has need. By His power, He equips her, preparing her for the divine grace-kissed journey meant to build her faith. Through the music of His creation, He inspires her. By His love, He delights her.

Each action, each message from the Most High is freely given that she might see Him, and that she, in turn,  might see herself as He sees her.

Beautiful. Beloved. Blessed.

His presence before the beautiful ones – His princess daughters - is such that it breathes wonder. It depicts that which is fantastic. It boisterously whispers joy. It shouts extraordinary.

And isn’t that how He views each of the beautiful ones?

She is wonderfully made, fantastically complete (in Christ) , extraordinarily beautiful, and abundantly joy-filled.

She is the apple of His eye. She is His beautiful one.

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Q4U: Do you see yourself as beautiful before God?

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“He’s the melody that makes my soul sing. He adores me…And I can say, I’m beautiful because He sees me…He overwhelms me. I laugh, I cry, I dance, I sing, I write, as if my body just can’t contain all this praise inside. I’m so amazed…”

- Beckah Shae (I’m Beautiful)

 

Beautiful Battle: A Woman’s Guide to Spiritual Warfare by Mary DeMuth

Phone Tree Rating:

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Book Review:

Every woman should read this book.

Beautifully written, it gives voice to the struggles that all women face. Woven into the pages are lessons that can fill the empty or low-flowing soul. Without a doubt, the messages could even nourish the seemingly filled heart of the woman who thinks herself complete.

As usual, Mary shines a light on that which can be dark and suffocating in our lives.

Do yourself a favor and get this book!!!

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Beautiful Battle Quote: “God wants to flood our empty-cupped lives with laugh-out-loud hope.” – Mary Demuth

 

To Live Is Christ…Week 8

A Phone Tree Bible Study Series (January 1, 2012 – March 4, 2012)

To Live Is Christ – The Life and Ministry of Paul

Phone Tree Bible Study Model: Treasure Hunting (Scripture Emphasis); Discovering Riches (Personal Study Option); So Says Beth (Lesson Summary and Quotes); The Journey to Self (Questions to Consider); Connecting (Take Away Points)

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Week 8: The Pathway to Rome

Treasure Hunting: Acts 27-28; Romans 1:8-13, 20

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Discovering Riches: Research the island of Malta.

So Says Beth: During week 8, Beth discusses Paul’s pathway to Rome. Although the trip was filled with gentle breezes, it was also not without its share of storms. Still, Paul stayed his course and focused on his eternal destination…all the while being led of the Spirit. No matter what he encountered, God always provided as he had need.

- “Don’t give way to the storm. Give way to the Master.” (p. 161)

- “Incline your ear to the Master of the seas when the storms rage. He will not be silent.” (p. 162)

- “We must…be careful to give God the glory when He uses us to accomplish things only He can do.” (p. 169)

- “Be bold in your prayers!” (p.172)

- “Those who allow God to unleash His Holy Spirit in their lives are those who often perceive the spiritual and eternal works in the physical and temporal realm.” (p.176)

- “…if we cease to exercise our hearts by loving God and loving others, getting involved, and taking risks, our hearts will become diseased and hardened.” (p.177)

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The Journey to Self: (Answer one, some, or all.)

1) What does Psalm 62:5 mean to you? (Break down this verse.)

2) Do you find it hard to find brothers among strangers? (Refer to Acts 28:14.)

3) What baggage or ”old cargo” are you holding on to that needs to be released/let go. (Spend time journaling about this.)

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Connecting:

- God has a way of revealing the things in our lives that need to be cast away.

- We will encounter rough times and easy times; the key to surviving each is Jesus Christ.

- Our LORD  and Master controls the wind and the waves. We must allow Him to be Master of our lives.

- God goes ahead of us and prepares the way.

- Recognize the gifts and blessings of God and give thanks.

- Strength and encouragement can be drawn from the unique fellowship found among believers.

Stay tuned to The Phone Tree to follow special To Live Is Christ blog links.

 

Why Not You? – 28 Days to Build Authentic Confidence

About the Book: Why Not You?

“Why Not You? provides the tools you need to …

- Gain the assurance needed to transform your thinking

- Focus on who you are, not what you do

- Give yourself permission to be imperfect

- Stop competing and comparing

- Eliminate your confidence stealers

- Learn how to achieve success by being authentic

Packed with unforgettable examples, pointers, and sparkplugs for ideas that work uniquely for you, Why Not You? reveals the secrets to building authentic personal confidence from the inside-out.” – Amazon.com

About the Author: Valorie Burton

 

More Than Words

 ”For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.”

Hebrews 4:12

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When we read the Bible, oftentimes, we read it as if it has no personal ties to us. We review the stories and look into the lives of the men and women who lived before us, but we stand back, somewhat detached. We are disconnected. In essence, it – the Word of God - becomes impersonal and insignificant. It becomes limited. And even though we say our intent is for it to be more than words, it can only be fully alive to those who make it personal.

In truth, most, if not all, of us want the very opposite of what we tend to accept. We want a connection. We want to be a part of that something bigger. To be a part of the One who is biggest.

What would happen if we approached the Word of God personally? What would happen if we reviewed it, looking into the lives of those who existed in centuries past and we connected and made it personal? What if we made it a point to see ourselves in each story, each life, each word and each experience?

In learning to view the Word of God as alive and active or as individual and specific, we can grasp, even more so, what God would have us know. Seeing ourselves in the scheme of God’s big picture can only birth true intimacy and relationship, where Life and words meet and living really begins.

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Make It Personal: Read Psalm 56. Comment on what you learned from the verses and on what you uncovered about yourself while completing the activity.

“BE MERCIFUL and gracious to me, O God, for man would trample me or devour me; all the day long the adversary oppresses me. They that lie in wait for me would swallow me up or trample me all day long, for they are many who fight against me, O Most High! What time I am afraid, I will have confidence in and put my trust and reliance in You. By [the help of] God I will praise His word; on God I lean, rely, and confidently put my trust; I will not fear. What can man, who is flesh, do to me? All day long they twist my words and trouble my affairs; all their thoughts are against me for evil and my hurt. They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they watch my steps, even as they have [expectantly] waited for my life. They think to escape with iniquity, and shall they? In Your indignation bring down the peoples, O God. You number and record my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle–are they not in Your book? Then shall my enemies turn back in the day that I cry out; this I know, for God is for me. In God, Whose word I praise, in the Lord, Whose word I praise, In God have I put my trust and confident reliance; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Your vows are upon me, O God; I will render praise to You and give You thank offerings. For You have delivered my life from death, yes, and my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life and of the living.”

Psalm 56

 

Love Is…

“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails…”

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

 

To Live Is Christ…Week 7

A Phone Tree Bible Study Series (January 1, 2012 – March 4, 2012)

To Live Is Christ – The Life and Ministry of Paul

Phone Tree Bible Study Model: Treasure Hunting (Scripture Emphasis); Discovering Riches (Personal Study Option); So Says Beth (Lesson Summary and Quotes); The Journey to Self (Questions to Consider); Connecting (Take Away Points)

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Week 7: A Walk of Faith

Treasure Hunting: Acts 21:37-22:30; Psalm 51:12-13; Acts 23:1-35; 2 Corinthians 1:10-11, 12; Acts 24-26

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Discovering Riches: Research intercessory prayer.

So Says Beth: Week 7 is all about Paul’s unwavering dedication and consistent testimony. Beth lets us know about his willingness, his witness, and his hope. Whether on trial or enduring challenges regarding his faith, Paul never ceased testifying about the One who saves.

- “…success is obedience to God, not results we can measure.” (p. 138)

- “The simplest testimony from a person thankful to  be saved is more powerful than the most dramatic testimony from someone who has told it so methodically that it has lost its fervor.” (p. 141)

- “The conscience is a marvelous recorder of both our beliefs and our behaviors.” (p. 143)

- “The Holy Spirit who resides in us supplies abundant power not only to recognize the right thing, but to do it!.” (p.144)

- “A thankful heart is not the only result of helping someone be delivered through intercessory prayer; our faith in what He [God] can do in our own lives is also strengthened.” (p.149)

- “…we can always find our God when we seek Him with all our hearts.” (p.156)

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The Journey to Self: (Answer one, some, or all.)

1) What does John 14:26 mean to you? (Explore the background of this verse.)

2) How have you been a “witness” for the LORD? (Refer to Acts 22:15.)

3) Do you make it a practice to share your testimony with others? Why or why not? (Spend time journaling about this.)

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Connecting:

- Every opportunity that we are granted gives us a chance to share God’s message and our own personal life testimony with others.

- Obedience to the calling of God is more important than our own life’s pursuit or that which may be a life’s pursuit as defined by others.

- One should never underestimate the power or the significance of prayer.

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Stay tuned to The Phone Tree to follow special To Live Is Christ blog links.

 

Beyond Molasses Creek by Nicole Seitz

“Three lives are bound by a single book . . . and the cleansing waters of Molasses Creek.”

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Everyone should visit Molasses Creek. It is there that you will find yourself. Whether you seek to gain understanding about the injustices of the world or desire to gain wisdom from the young and the old alike, or whether you want to grasp the meaning of suffering just as much as you want to understand God’s blessings, Molasses Creek has something for you.

Three beautifully tragic and inspired lives merge and meet on the healing waters of Molasses Creek. Ally, Vesey and sweet Constance (Sunila) are brought together in this wonderful story of love. They each face a different journey down their various roads of life, and yet, their lives are brought full circle in such a way that others are granted a glimpse of grace.

I would highly recommend this book. I would even go so far as to say it is a must read. As far as I am concerned, it is a keeper.

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A Phone Tree Book Review

 

BECOMING

A Special Phone Tree Series on Confronting Your Faith

“[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]“ – Philippians 3:10

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Are you in your own way?

God has a way of getting the attention of His children. I know He did with me. With every step forward into my Jubilee year, He made sure that His presence was known. He was in every direction I turned. His words came at me from all sides. There was no place, no situation where He did not manifest His Being.

Upon deep reflection, I finally grasped the significance of it all. The reason God was showing Himself so strongly was because He wanted me to fully understand that He was always present, around, and within reach, no matter where I was located. He was impressing upon me the eternal truth that He was both with me and covering me on all sides, prepared to lead me into the direction of His choosing. With that clarity of vision came understanding. I understood that if God was (and is) with me, in me, beyond me, everywhere and at all times, then I should be faithful enough, bold enough, brave enough, and radical in Christ enough to head further toward Him. In so doing, I would be guaranteed to move even more so into His gloriously transforming Light.

God was present before me (Psalm 139). He had been present all along. He was the Light for my path. No matter where I was or where He was directing me to go, He needed me to unwaveringly see that He was the Lamp for my feet (Psalm 119:105). All He required me to do was to step out and walk. He would meet me there – at the place of His presence where I was to become for His glory. He would always meet me there.

Step out and walk. Go forward in faith. Leave and depart. This is what I had been called to do. I knew it. God knew it. Now it was time to execute it. The only thing standing in my way was…me.

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Are you prepared for My request?

Me? I was in my own way? Yes, I was. Not only was I in my own way, but I was also disobedient to a request that had been communicated from the Most High. And as long as I was being unintentionally disobedient to God’s request and call, the longer I would exist in suspended animation. The longer I would be living but not living alive in abundance.

It’s time. Words that were whispered during a season of spiritual prosperity. Words that I had ignored as I sought an ”easier solution” and a “better plan” so that no one was inconvenienced by anything I did. Still, God never stopped showing Himself and He never stopped sharing His message. He never ceased conveying His determined purpose for my life, which was and is to arise and walk into my destiny (into His glory).

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Are you ready to become?

As  the day after the next day revelation unfolded, I knew I could no longer avoid what God wanted me to do. Clear signs by way of His presence, Christ’s example, and the Spirit’s urgings hemmed me up so much so that I knew I had come to a beautiful place of yielding.

At the place of my yielding, I trusted God, I was willing, and I was ready. I was at a refreshing point of awakening where I was assured of my destiny. I knew what I was being led to do. My destiny was to focus on becoming – becoming who I was called to be. My destiny was to go forward, straight into the arms of the One who loves me most.

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It is in my new faith walk, in the year of my Jubilee, that I am becoming even more. It is in my purposed life that I continue to see God’s glory in a way that I never have before. And to this I can attest, I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine. I live alive in Him, and from this point forward, I will go forward with a Philippians 3:10 heart.

Would you care to join me?

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Confronting Your Faith Truth #3: You must get out of your own way and walk faithfully, boldly, bravely, and radically into your destiny and into the arms of the One who loves you most of all.

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Q4U: Are you ready to realize your determined purpose?

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Reach(ing) 2012…Upward, Inward, and Outward

 

Are You STUCK?

Stuck by Jennie Allen.

More from Jennie.

(Find out more about Stuck by clicking on the links above.)

 

To Live Is Christ…Week 6

A Phone Tree Bible Study Series (January 1, 2012 – March 4, 2012)

To Live Is Christ – The Life and Ministry of Paul

Phone Tree Bible Study Model: Treasure Hunting (Scripture Emphasis); Discovering Riches (Personal Study Option); So Says Beth (Lesson Summary and Quotes); The Journey to Self (Questions to Consider); Connecting (Take Away Points)

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Week 6: Travel Ties and Hard Good-byes

Treasure Hunting: Acts 19; Exodus 20:3-4; Acts 20-21; 1 Corinthians 13:8

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Discovering Riches: Research the city of Ephesus.

So Says Beth: In week 6 of our Bible study, we are able to gain a new appreciation for the saying, “parting is such sweet sorrow.” Beth paints a picture of Paul’s life, work, and relationships with men and brethren. We see his determined purpose and his life’s choice through his actions and words. Finally, we are led to a place of understanding where we can see the greatest importance in Christianity - choosing Christ in all things.

- “He [God] is worthy to be our first priority – our heart’s desire.” (p. 115)

- “We must never compromise our message…” (p. 121)

- “God desires for people to associate Him with life not death.” (p. 123)

- “God sometimes shows us His approval over a decision we have made by fueling our desire until it is a complete compelling.” (p.125)

- “God’s will is always best even when we cannot imagine how. Surrendering to His will does not mean you lose. Ultimately, it means you win.” (p.131)

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The Journey to Self: (Answer one, some, or all.)

1) What does Acts 20:24 mean to you? (Personalize the verse.)

2) Are you willing and able to walk in the good works that Christ has for you? (See Ephesians 2:10.)

3) Are you ready to move past your fear and step into your faith? (Spend time journaling about this.)

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Connecting:

- Inevitably, there will be times in your life when you will have to make a decision to either stay or go. Whatever your choice, make sure it is Christ-centered and Spirit-driven.

- When one travels the road of Righteousness and Truth, she will come under fire, but God will always be victoriously present.

- Living a crucified life is a gift, no matter how challenging it can be.

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Stay tuned to The Phone Tree to follow special To Live Is Christ blog links