Namesake Week 5 Day 1: From Mess to Ministry

Today's Scripture: Matthew 16:13-18, Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:16-19, Luke 6:13-16, Acts 1:13-14

I have shared that I was raised in a Christian home, but after I became pregnant with my oldest that I turned away from my faith. The year before a found my faith again my best friend was always trying to get me to go to bible study with her, I declined every time. I felt that I didn't know enough, my biblical knowledge was nil. I didn't want to go into a room with other women and show how little I knew about the bible, to be judged by others on how little I knew. When I stopped ignoring God speaking to my heart and really listened the first thing I did was go out and find a bible study. I picked up What Happens When Women Say Yes to God by Lisa Terkeurst and it really helped me start to rebuild my relationship with God. I was and still am extremely imperfect, the same is true when we meet Simon Peter in Matthew 16. Simon Peter was kind of a mess, why would Jesus chose him as a follower and a leader? When Jesus asked the disciples what they knew of Him, Simon Peter didn't think if his answer was right or wrong. Simon Peter simply answered what he felt in his heart to be true. Jesus doesn't care if we have extensive biblical knowledge He only cares about what we believe in our hearts, and if we chose Him.

This chapter asks "Who do you say that I am?" My answer - You are a great leader and teacher. You are like a stone dropped into water that has created thousands of ripples that will be made for hundreds of years. You are my savior, my father, my friend and example.

Simon was completely open, honest and personal in his response, he acknowledged that Jesus was the one person that was making changes in his life and changing the whole world. Jesus changed Simon's name to Peter, the rock. Jesus build the church's foundation on the rock, on Simon Peter. Jesus knew that Simon Peter was a work in progress, but I think He chose a person that he could change and help grow into the position He needed him to be. "...he was great building material, not a finished product." (speaking of Simon Peter). Jesus' pull to us has everything to do with loving us as we are, not loving the person that we have build ourselves to be. He can change us break us down and build us up for the better.

My favorite quote from this chapter reads,

An Introduction to Namesake by Jessica LaGrone

I just received my copy of Namesake in the mail last week and I will be sharing my journey through this book with you, I hope you can follow along.

Namesake is a bible study aimed at helping us see God's dreams for us and helping us to make them a reality. Throughout this book we will read about the stories of Abraham and Sarah, Jacob, Naomi,, Daniel, Peter, and an unnamed women.

Each chapter of this book has two main themes, transformation and revelation.

Transformation - A true and remarkable change. God is a wonderful creator and so when things he has created (mainly Us) goes astray he gets down in the mess and does everything He can to transform the situation, and make it new. (Revelations 21:5)

Revelation - To have revealed something. God makes revelations throughout the entire Bible by showing himself and His character.

"When we know who He is, our understanding of who we are and what we are about shifts dramatically...to show us (reveal) who we are and change us into whom we are called to be." -Namesake

This study looks at the question "Who is God?" and "Who is God calling me to become?"

Each chapter there are five readings in the following segments:

Read God's Word

Reflect and Respond

Pray About It

Act on It

I hope that all of you can join along and get this book, it really is a wonderful read. The study can be done individually but is structured for as a group devotional study.

She Reads Truth - Prayer in the Bible Day 18

Prayer in the Bible Day 18: Private and Corporate Praying

Day 18 Scripture: Matthew 6:1-6

The who, where, and when of praying

I think most of us can easily say that we have no problems with private prayer. That quiet time when we build our personal relationship with God. When we can humbly speak to our Father and in the quiet hear his response. But what about Corporate prayer? Out in the public for all to hear? Social media is the synagogue of today. Do you struggle with putting your prayers out there for all to see / read / hear? 

Whether it’s on Instagram or as a guest at your neighbor’s table, each time we call out His name publicly, we must carefully examine: am I doing this to be impressive, or am I doing this because He’s impressive? - She Reads Truth .com

Corporate prayer is when we a community (the christian community in groups large or small) come together in prayer, lifting one another up and praising God. 

Are we calling out his name to impress others or because He is impressive? I think we really have to ask ourselves this question. 

From my journal:

I'm sure you have seen o Facebook or received an email that say "if you are a believer than repost this or forward it on." I don't need to "like" something so that everyone knows I am a Christian. My prayers and actions show I'm a Christian, I don't need to impress others with my prayers.

Do not go around tooting your own horn at all the charity you give, the works you do for the church, or yell out about the prayers you pray. Don't act like a Christian to impress people.

"But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you." Matthew 6:6

God calls us to pray privately and also to share in prayer with other like minded and like hearted people. There is nothing wrong with asking the church or small group to pray with you, or for a group to pray together and all pray for someone  or something.

"The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." James 5:16

Additional Scripture:

James 5:16

Acts 2:42

Luke 9:28

John 17

Mark 14:32

She Reads Truth - Prayer in the Bible Day 1

Prayer in the Bible Day 1: Praise

Day 1 Scripture: Psalm 8

There are those moments when we pray for help and guidance or for the screaming baby to fall asleep. But there are also those moments when our breath is taken away and we forget ourselves - these moments are moments of prayer praise. Words don't even have to be spoke for God knows that you are in awe of something he created, you are enjoying a gift he made for us.

These moments are best when experienced when we wake up each morning, not that I roll out of bed ready to praise, but if we find just one moment each morning to sit and make it all about God then our day might be so much better. The moment I enjoy the most is those few minutes before the kids wake up and the hustle starts, to say "Thank you God".

From my Journal:

I know that I feel more centered when I do my devotional time in the morning, when I take the time to cherish and nurture my relationship with God. My mornings spent with God are for learning the word, applying it to my life and to give praise and thanks to God. My nights before I fall asleep and when I'm in the car alone are my times to pray for help.

Moving on there were two versus that I really liked in Psalm 8.

V3 "When I look at the night sky and see the work on your fingers p the moon and the stars you set in place."

David is in awe - he is thanking God for the wonder of the sky and acknowledging that God made it.

V5 "Yet you made them (Us) only a little lower than God and crowned them with Glory and honor."

We are only a little lower than God and oh the blessing of his glory and honor. Grace

O Lord, Our Lord your majestic name fills the earth." - Psalm 8:1

She Reads Truth - Prayer in the Bible Day 1: Intro

Prayer In The Bible

Intro

Building a relationship with God requires that we have open communication. Prayer is a way of communicating with God. As with all relationships we must show vulnerability, understanding and practice. 

Prayer is a blessing, privilege and a gift, but putting prayer into action takes practice. Over the next 3 weeks we will explore 5 types of prayers - praise, confession, petition, intercession and kingdom advancement. – She Reads Truth will lead us through instructions and examples of each type of prayer in Scripture. Together we will discuss the Who/Where/When of prayer and challenge ourselves to put what we have learned into action.

Tomorrow will be the first day of this lesson and we will start by exploring the first type of prayer, Praise.

Praise: Noun to offer grateful homage to (God), as in words, song, or prayer.

Getting back into the Word

After a long weekend away at my parents home in Nevada, I have woken up early today with a renewed purpose. I was going to explore a new daily bible study, but felt drawn back to shereadstruth.com and found the 3 week study Prayer in the Bible.

I also want to incorporate some of my sewing and crafting projects into this blog. So I need to know from you, do you want tutorials or just pictures and updates?

Stayed tuned tomorrow for the start to Prayer in the Bible.

Stacking Stones

During the 25th anniversary celebration at my church each family received a stone. We were told to place it somewhere where we could see it each day and be reminded that God is always there and will provide all the help we need. I love this living stone tradition and placed our families stone on my mantle with other nature items that we have collected as a family.

During the parting of the River Jordan God said to collect 12 stones from the middle of the sea and stack them on the other side so that when their children asked about them they could tell the story of God's greatness. There are many cultures that stack stones.

This is still a tradition among the people of Israel to stack stones. These stacked stones act as a reminder of something great that God has done. Often the children and grandchildren will come across these stacks and ask "what do these stones means?" and the adults can tell the story that goes with each stack. 

In some places in scripture, a stone is used to describe strength and resiliency in a person's character. How great would it be to look out into your yard or garden and see stones that represent not only the great things that God has provided you with, but also the strength that you have in hard times. 


I am going to try and get my family involved by making stacks in our garden. Maybe stacks or maybe we can add 1 stone and build a wall or walkway. 

Church Problems - Finding and Loving a Church

Since attending church again I automatically went back to my "home church" the church where I went with my parents, Destiny Christian Church. Sunday was a celebration of 25 years, a look back at the past and a look forward to the future. Our pastor announced that the churches goal is to open a second location by 2015 and to open many locations in the next five years. As well as an increase in missionary work and community outreach. 

These are all great goals, but the way our pastor brought it to the church was a little offputting. Instead of asking the congregation to pray about these things and ask God to lead us toward meeting these goals, he more told the church that the church leaders had prayed about it and this is the plan.

https://www.facebook.com/DestinyRocklin
http://destinyrocklin.com/

I like attending a larger church and I understand that this is the model of the quote Megachurch. And I don't think that I have to agree a 100% with what the pastoral staff would like to have happen. I don't think there will ever be a church that we agree with everything that happens all the time. I like the messages and the worship and that's why I attend Destiny.

As things come up I will pray and if I want to volunteer or get involved I will and if not then I won't. 

I would love to know

Are you a member of your church?

Do you love everything about your church?

Do you like / attend a large or small church?

Prayer, Fasting, and Thankfulness

 

I wrote on Monday that I was starting a 21 day fast. Every morning I have put my social media aside, fasted through breakfast and have done my bible study with silent prayer. I have started a prayer journal and at the end of my quiet time I write down my thoughts and my prayer for the day. I have noticed that these last few days I have been more focused, full of purpose, and more calm.

Part of fasting is replacing the time that would have spent in doing whatever your fasting from in prayer. The foundation of our faith should be our relationship with God. To have a great relationship you have to spend time nurturing it. The communication and praise that is done before the crisis and requests for help from God is what builds our relationship.

I have prayed everyday, sometimes many times during the day for help with something. But I have been making an effort to thank God during prayer. To show Eucharist (Thanksgiving) - being thankful.

Here are a few questions to consider:

1. What can you do to deepen and increase your thankfulness, Joy, and grace?

2. What people in your life have revealed lives of grace, thankfulness and joy?

Fasting for the Greater Me

On Sunday my church started a 21 day fast. I have chosen to do the partial fast of a one meal a day fast. I will choose one meal each day and fast through that meal. I am also exchanging my morning Facebook and Instagram time for bible study.

My reasons for fasting.

1. I am fasting for a greater me in 2014
2. That my daughter will receive the message of God in her heart and follow his path (so that she may stop getting in trouble and start getting along with me and her dad)
3. I am fasting for patience with my family and guidance to be a better parent and wife

All those at my church that are doing the fast wrote down what they are fasting for on a paper and placed it on the alter. Our pastor prayed over them all and we received a bracelet that is to remind us that there is more...We can look at it during the day when we are having hard times.

Fasting is a private discipline and is meant to be attainable. In these areas where you fast the time should be filled with God and building your relationship with God. I hope that I can make it through the whole 21 days and I am committed to try to get to the 21st day!!!!

I will post my progress as I go.