Monday, February 28, 2011

Great Story

I am a big fan of Debbie Macomber and I recently started reading her latest book "God's Guest List".  The first story she tells really hit home with me and I felt that it would be a great story to share with our ladies study group Wednesday night.  So here it goes...

She tells of a lady who has gone to heaven and meets St. Peter at the gates of heaven.  He begins to give her a tour of heaven and she is in awe of all the beautiful sights.  After they have toured all of heaven she realizes there is one room they have not entered.  She asks St. Peter what is behind that door and he tells her that she has no need for what is in that room.  She persists until St. Peter opens the door to reveal an endless room full of beautifully wrapped gifts. 

She notices that some of the gifts have her name on them and asks St. Peter why she never received these gifts.  He tells her that these gifts did arrive in different forms.  They may have been a person, an event, or something else but she ignored the gift. 

This is just a made up story, but I felt that this was a great example of how we need to take care with the people that we meet and the events of our lives.  We never know when we are being presented a special gift from God.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Great Scripture

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

(Jeremiah 29:11-13)

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Lesson 1 - Part 1

A Heart Devoted to God

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. – Luke 10:42

What does it truly mean to be a woman after God’s own heart? It means: To be God’s women, to love Him fervently with whole hearts, is our sole desire.

A Change of Heart
We need to seek to make our life count every day and for eternity. To do this we should love God, worship God, walk with God, serve God and look forward to being with Him in eternity.

For we walk by faith, not by sight: - 2 Corinthians 5:7

God knows the desires of our heart!

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. – Psalm 37:4

God wants our heart…all of it…and our devotion. When we choose to give it to Him, when we choose to live totally for Him, He makes it count. God wants to be #1 in our lives. He should be the priority above all priorities!

Whether you are dealing with pushing a grocery cart or an aluminum walker –
Whether you are single, married, or a widow –
Whether you are challenged with eight children or no children –
Whether you are dealing with a life threatening illness or the common cold –
Your life counts mightily!

And as you face whatever challenges come into your life face those challenges with a heart full of devotion to God.

A Heart Devoted to God
Let us now take a closer look at Mary. Here is a woman who sat at Jesus’ feet and received His praise. This demonstrates again the meaning of a heart devoted to God.

What did Mary do that moved our Savior to praise her?
     • Mary discerned the one thing needed.
         
          Luke 10:38   Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
          Luke 10:39   And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
          Luke 10:40   But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
          Luke 10:41   And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
          Luke 10:42   But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Here we have an example that many of us, I know I can especially, relate to. Martha became wrapped up in the “importance” of playing host to Jesus rather than appreciating the wonderful time to be spent with Jesus. Oh how many times I have found myself running around the house in a flurry trying to make everything perfect for company coming to only obsess over things even after my company arrives.

Mary, being a woman after God’s own heart, made the choice that indicated her heart’s devotion…

She recognized the importance of ceasing her busyness to focus wholly on the Lord. Martha in all her busyness failed to spend time with Him.

     • Mary chose the one thing needed.

Mary chose to do the one thing that mattered most on that day: she chose to spend time worshiping God. Time spent sitting at His feet fuels and focuses all acts of service.

Time spent hearing and worshiping God can never be taken away, for it is time spent in eternal pursuits, time that earns permanent and everlasting dividends. Mary chose to spend that precious time with Him.

Lesson 1 - Part 2

Yes, But How?
How can we become women devoted to God, who love God deeply and live for Him daily?

1. Choose God’s ways at every opportunity.

Live according to God’s priorities; make sure our choices reflect that God is our ultimate priority. Priority = to prefer

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. – Proverbs 3:6

A 2-step partnership with God:
Our part – to stop and acknowledge God along the way
His part – to direct our paths

I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. – Psalm 32:8

Choosing God and His ways deepens our devotion to Him.
A couple of examples of this would be:
     a. Choosing a gospel music channel of your choice over a popular country or soft rock music channel.
     b. Eliminating the exposure to “R” rated movies.

Standing in awe of God –

Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. – Proverbs 31:30

Are you in awe of God and what He wants to do in you, for you and through you?

2. Commit yourself to God daily.

Our devotion to God is strengthened when we offer Him a fresh commitment each day.

3. Cultivate a hot heart.

God has a few things to say to us in Revelation 3:15-16 about our heart condition.

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. – Rev. 3: 15-16

coldhearted - unemotional, unconscious of God
lukewarm - indifferent
hot-hearted - the heat of your heart and emotion reaches a high temperature. Passion, emotion, excitement!

We should be fiery and excited about God, and God will fuel our fire. Our heart for God should be like a boiling pot. Our heart should be characterized by God-given and intense passion for our Lord.

For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. – Luke 1:49

Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. – Psalm 96:3

Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; - Psalm 107:2

Now, what is your heart's desire ... and your heart's temperature toward God?

Spend time in prayer. Confess and deal with any sin. Invite Jesus to be your Saviour, and welcome Christ into your life and become a new creature in Him. Turn your heart heavenward.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. – 2 Corinthians 5:17

Lesson 1 - Growth Application


1.  List 5 actions you can take to put worship at the top of our to-do list.


2.  Write out what you will do daily – just for this next week – to . . .
          …cease your busyness,
               …stop all activity, and
                    …set aside secondary things
                                        in order to focus wholly on the Lord.

3.  Verses to Memorize:

Luke 10:42 – But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Proverbs 3:6 – In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

4.  A Heartfelt Prayer –
          “Lord, just for today, help me to cultivate a hot heart by…

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

This Wednesday night


We will be conducting our business meeting and Brother Kevin will bring a devotion in lieu of our regular scheduled ladies study for this week only.

See you tomorrow night!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

New Wednesday night ladies study

We will begin a new Ladies Wednesday night study as soon as the weather permits us to meet on Wednesdays again.

Wednesday nights at 7:00 pm

Liberty Missionary Baptist Church
McKinney, Texas

for more information, contact Kimberly Bowen