The first key to stressing LESS

Hello and welcome back to A Good Bible Study. Let's pray and get right into the Word of God.

Our Father, who lives in heaven, and in our hearts, Your name is holy on our lips. Let Your kingdom rein in me, let Your will be done in me, let me be so malleable to Your will that I respond instantly to Your voice, just as the angels do in heaven. Take care of my needs today, Lord, and help me to have a soft, forgiving heart, like Yours. Go before me Lord, and remove obstacles for me. Let any evil plan formed against me whither and die before it reaches my awareness. For to You belongs this Kingdom, from You comes all Power, and You alone deserve any Glory in this world, or beyond. Thank you Father. In Jesus' name, amen.

During this bible study, I will share with you the three most important keys I have found to reduce stress, and increase joy and satisfaction in life. The first key is called Authenticate.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines authentic as: conforming to fact, and therefore worthy of trust, reliance, or belief.

Do you conform to the fact of who you are inside, and as such do you inspire others to trust you, rely on you, and believe in you?

Living your life authentically means being genuinely who you are, at all times. Sounds easier than it is, if you have been raised to please others at all costs, or tend to feel you don't measure up just as you are. Don't worry. By the time we are through with this study you will have a much more accurate picture of your value both to God, to yourself, and to those around you.

How many of you grew up with all the affirmation you needed to feel valued and loved, all the experiences you needed to develop confidence and competency, all the opportunity you craved to allow your creativity to flourish? Anyone . . . . anyone . . . . anyone. (If you ever watched Ferris Bueller's Day Off, you got that.)

I'd be surprised to hear back from more than a tiny handful. That's just not how most of us were brought up because we are each raised not by perfect individuals with whole hearts and complete agape (self-less) love. No, you and I were raised by fallible human beings doing the best they could with the knowledge, resources, and inner strength that they possessed at the time. Bummer.

Guess what, we are raising our children with some of the same problems. Scary.

The good news is that children are able to respond very quickly to a change in our behavior and attitude. They want the best of us and from us, and will accept a new, improved me and you with ease. Other people might take a little time, but believe me, the best way to change the way someone treats you, is to change the way you treat you. All in good time.

Open your bibles to Genesis chapter 1, and read it all the way through.

Do you see that God created more and more complex and wonderful life each day. What did God create on each day?

Day one _________________
Day two _________________
Day three ________________
Day four _________________
Day five__________________

So, He created everything with less intelligence, capability, and creativity in the first six days, saving the best for last. His "p`iece de r'esistance."

Read verse 27.

In whose image were man and woman made? _______________
Strong's Concordance identifies the word image, used in this passage, as the Hebrew word tselem, which means just that: image or resemblance.

Is God unworthy, untalented, lacking, un-lovable, strange, boring, less-than? ______

If you are created in the image, the likeness of God, a resemblance of God Himself, how can you be anything except wonderful? Not a vain, self-centered, arrogant sort of wonderful. But think of it. You and I were designed from the beginning from the "form or molding" of God.

Read verse 31.

"And God saw everything He had made, and indeed it was very ___________. NKJV

Let's pray.

Father, I am so thankful to know that I am not an accident, not some random spark of genetic mutation that somehow created a chain of events leading to me. When I look at myself from now on, let me be fully aware that I am looking at the image of God, no less than when I look at my parents, or my siblings, or my cousins, that I am looking at the image of my family. I might have my parent's features, but I have my Father's genetic design. When others look at me now, I pray they see the family resemblance to You. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Folks, I have an assignment for you tomorrow, that is very important. Instead of reading this study, I want you to get your bible and look up all the verses you can find in which God expresses His value, love, appreciation, or pleasure in humans. Write them down so when you are feeling less-than, you can remind yourself of the truth.

I encourage you to share with each of us in this study, through the comments, what verses mean the most to you. You can just post the verse itself if you do not want to elaborate. Let's learn from one another.

Until Monday,

Love, Karen

Photo by ENTER_DESIGN, courtesy of http://www.photoxpress.com/

The second step in overcoming depression and reducing stress

Hello again. It's good to see you here in A Good Bible Study.

Did you enjoy your weekend break? It's good to take that time off for the Sabbath, or the "rest" and just re-charge. Let's get started with prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we bow our heads before You and thank You for providing us with Your Word. Please clear our thoughts, Lord, so we can spend this time with You, instead of our distractions. Open your Word to us and fill our minds with Your wisdom, and our hearts with Your love. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Let's read Proverbs 3:6 together. "________ Him and He will make your paths __________."

Last time we met, I told you about my becoming so downtrodden and depressed, I started giving up on myself and just making it through the day for my family's sake. A couple of things sparked hope in me, or at least a desire to help myself.

One was my sister's visit and her observations about the way I did not treat myself with value. I realized no one else would treat me with value, if I didn't show them how. I had to do it first.

After that, I went out and hit some sales and bought myself some clothes that fit me right then, not for when I lost weight. I also got a good haircut and bought some new makeup. You know what, it might seem unimportant to some, but it made a big difference in how I felt.

I also began telling myself I was valuable, good, and loveable. It wasn't easy at first, but after a few days, it felt more comfortable. Today, I can look myself in the mirror and say, " I love you. You are a great person and worth loving," and mean it.

Try that today. I hope it is an easy task, but I think for a lot of us, if not most, it will be harder than you expect. You might be suprised to find you don't love yourself, really.

But, even if it feels false, do it. I'll tell you the truth, the first time I did this exercise, I broke down and sobbed, because I needed to hear those words so badly.

Some of you think you are not loveable, that you have to do something special for God to favor you.

Read the following verses about how God loves:

Deuteronomy 1:17 Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of any man, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.

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Deuteronomy 10:17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.

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2 Chronicles 19:7 Now let the fear of the LORD be upon you. Judge carefully, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery."

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Job 34:19 who shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?

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Acts 15:9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.

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Romans 2:11 For God does not show favoritism.

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Romans 3:29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,

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Galatians 2:6 As for those who seemed to be important--whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance--those men added nothing to my message.

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Ephesians 6:9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

See, God created each of us and loves each of us equally, wants the best for each of us, equally, works in each of our lives, equally. Does this mean we can expect as Christians that our life circumstances will measure equally to all others? Well, in some ways, yes. Read Matthew 5:45

It means that we all may seem different in social status, wealth, opportunities, outer appearance, etc., but each of our lives are marked by joy and pain, blessing and curse, rest and work.

Think about it, you might have thought my life is only marked by blessing, because your only knowledge of me was through my "bio" as a writer, which only talks about the successes, the exterior. Now you know differently. Until this study, you didn't know some of my pain, and I still don't know yours. But, I do know we are joined by the fact that we will both experience sunshine and rain, and we are both created, and loved, by God.

Now, I promised to tell you what the next thing was that helped spark my recovery from depression. What I didn't tell you was that during this time I began experiencing severe anxiety. In addition to the problems with my ex-husband and children, we were simultaneously going through a major financial crisis.

Like so many people, we felt the economic crunch. In 2006 my husband bought another truck and leased it to a friend who was a driver and needed a boost up, and we bought what we thought would be our dream home. Things were good, we thought.

Within three months, our trucking income was cut in half as rates fell to the basement in response to the financial climate. Stores put the brakes on ordering items, manufacturers cut way back, and all this affected the trucking industry. There is a saying, "If you've got it, a truck brought it."

Well, if no one is buying, making, or distributing products, truck's aren't bringing it and we weren't making the money we planned on making before we bought this house!

During this time, I woke up feeling my heart pound in my chest every morning. I felt a strange energy that wouldn't go away, and I just couldn't relax and enjoy anything about my day. Sure, I handled my daily responsibilities and kept a smile on my face for my kids, but inside I was a nervous wreck.

I talked to my son (the one living with his dad) about wanting to get in better shape and he told me, "Mom, just do 10 situps, 10 pushups, and 10 squats everyday. You''ll start to get stronger."

Well, I wanted to please my son, and I did want to get stronger, but 10 of each? I wasn't sure at that time that I could do 1!

I hung up the phone, and I got down on the floor and I did a push-up. Barely. So I rolled over and did 3 sit-ups, and then I stood up and did 5 squats. You know what? I felt just a tiny bit proud of myself.

The next day, and every day after that, I did 5 each of those exercises, and I kept building up until I could do 10, then 15, then 20, and finally I was doing 30 situps, push-ups and squats every day. It wasn't the cure to my anxiety, I will tell you about that tomorrow, but it was the next step in caring for myself that made all the difference.

As a former clinical therapist, I knew that exercise is one of the most effective ways we can reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and a host of physical ailments. I knew it, but I still needed someone else to encourage me to do it. Let me encourage you now.

God says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Loving yourself is active, remember? He gave us bodies to use, not abuse.

Today I want you to start adding things into your day that will cut down on your feelings of stress.

1. Read this bible study every week-day and look up the verses, and pray aloud the prayers.
2. Do 1, or 3, or 5 or how ever many you can do, each of a pushup, a crunch or a plank, and a squat. For proper form see here http://exercise.about.com/cs/weightlifting/a/bestexercises.htm
3. Buy yourself one new thing, an item of clothing, a new lipstick, a pair of shoes.

Promise yourself you will do this. I guarantee you will feel better this week if you keep your word. Comment to me and let's all be accountability partners to love ourselves this week, with ACTION!

Lord, as we begin a new week, help us to have thankful hearts. Help us to see the small moments of joy instead of the long stretches of anticipation, or struggle. Motivate us to get up and move this week, starting with today. Help us to see anxiety and depression as a message from our hearts that we need to help ourselves, and help us to take action now. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Love, Karen

Photo by .Shock, courtesy of http://www.photoxpress.com/

Helping helpers

Hello, it's good to see you here in A Good Bible Study! Let's begin with prayer:

Lord, here we are again, wanting You, wanting to be closer to You and closer to who You created each of us to be. Help us to drop the worries and stressors for these few moments, so You can minister to our spirits and equip us for the day ahead.

We might be tired, we might feel so burdened with our responsibilities, we might have nothing to give right now but our willingness to be refreshed by Your Word. I know that I only need to show up, for with You, all things are possible. In Jesus' name, amen.

I first called this study Stress Inoculation, because it helps you reduce stress before it gets out of hand, kind of like vaccination shot. Gee, wouldn't that be nice if all we had to do was get a little shot once a year, and we could be inoculated against the effects of stress for another 12 months?!

Ahh, hectic schedules would sort themselves into orderly blocks of time; telemarketers would lose our numbers; and annoying interruptions would be a faint memory in the distant past.

Unfortunately, we're out of luck on that one. However, we can make a few small changes to the way we think about our lives and our relationships that, with practice, will make it seem like our load is much lighter.

For now, let's get God's take on stress. Read Isaiah 40:28-31 (New International Version)
     "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
     Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength." Write that down somewhere for when you are ready to slap someone silly if they do that thing just one more time.

You know, I believe the people who experience the greatest level of stress are those who make it their job, or mission, to be helpers. A lot of people feel called to help others because of their upbringing.

When you experience trauma or harsh difficulties growing up, it seems to have one of two effects (and sometimes both at the same time): it creates a desire to protect yourself at all costs from financial, emotional, or physical insecurity; or it creates a desire to compassionately help others who are in the same situation that you survived.

Which one are you? Explain:
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

I responded to my own upbringing with both a difficulty in trusting other people, and also a fierce desire to parent in a way that would give my children no doubt of my love, and in my vested interest in their well-being. I also became a Clinical Therapist, helping adults and children with some of the same problems that I witnessed and experienced growing up.

Some of you are probably helpers, as well. You may not work in a helping field, but you likely have a helping personality. The hardest thing for a helper to do, is learn when it is more helpful to not help, am I right?

The second hardest thing is to know that no matter how you try, some people just don't want to, or are not ready to, be helped. Some times it seems like we see failure after failure, and nothing we do makes any lasting difference.

What in your life seems like a failure? _________________________
_____________________________________________________.

I want you to know that you are making a difference in ways that you might not see for years, if ever. The only way to cope with being a helper is to accept that, and help because you love people, even if you aren't getting the results you want all the time.

Winston Churchill said "Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm."

I want you to keep your passion and your enthusiasm for helping others, while you also help yourself by reducing stress. Helping others can, and ideally should, come from a joyful, energized spirit, but sometimes all we can do is pray we get through the day without doing more than 3 things we have to apologize for later. The only way to keep giving love out, with joy and longevity, is to fill up with something greater than you. Re-read the verse above.

Let's pray:

Dear heavenly Father, when I am tired and weary, You are not. When I am dry, You can fill me up with Living water. Give me Your strength for the day, Your power. When I stumble and fall, remind me that I can turn to You, and You will renew my strength again.You'll make me feel like I can soar on the wings of eagles, that I can run and never get weary, that I can walk and never get faint. I praise you, Lord Jesus Christ! In Your name, amen.

Love, Karen
 
Photo by Simon Howden, courtesy of http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

Can you feel the change?

Welcome back to A Good Bible Study - it's good to see you!

After a day of rest yesterday, I am excited to get back in the Word of God! Let's pray:

Father, thank you for giving us rest. Help us to take advantage of Your good commandment and obey. It is so important to recharge our batteries and love ourselves! We forget that without us, a lot of what other people enjoy in our homes, just wouldn't happen. So empower us Lord to obey You here. Thank you, and in the name of Jesus, amen.

As we near the end of our focus for this particular series, The Love Revolution Devotional Workbook and Field Journal, by Joyce Meyer,we are becoming, more and more, Love Revolutionaries. Can you feel the change?

It might have started out with a fervor and is now mellowing into a strong undercurrent of our daily lives. Perhaps for you it has been slowly building as you see the effects of loving God, loving others and loving yourself, in action. May be you came out of the gate with a new burning goal to put love in action and have not looked back since.

In whatever way the Love Revolution is working itself out in your life, I am proud of you. You've stuck with me and are allowing yourself to let love in and let love work in you, and through you. We are not done yet, but I want you to spend some time today thinking about the changes you have experienced over the past few weeks as a result of your time in this study. Share some with the rest of us in the comments. No one wants to feel alone.

The greatest change I have experienced is feeling more sense of responsibility for the way I love my immediate family. I want them to have my best love, my kindest tone of voice, my most sincere apologies and most immediate forgiveness.

For some of you that is an easy task, but it can be a challenge for me especially when I am under deadlines and have a busy schedule. Then I am quicker to bark orders than say please, much of the time. This has been a continuing journey for me over the past few years, remembering "Relationship First, Schedule Second" and the Love Revolution is helping me keep the heat under my heels.

In what ways are you changing, or seeing the need for change? Write out your answer, it is much more powerful when you do:
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________

Pray along with me:

Father, I want Your love more than anything else in this world. I can't even love myself without You, much less anyone else. Not in a way that fills me up, instead of slowly draining me dry. Lord, I just can't do it all without You. There is not enough of me to go around. Give me what I lack, Lord. I want to love You with all that I have. I want to love others because I have so much love I just can't stand not to share it. I want to treat myself with love, because I am the image of You, and I am worth loving. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Love, Karen

Photo by Dabobabo, courtesy of Photoxpress.com

Q-TIP (quit taking it personally)

Welcome back to A Good Bible Study! I hope you have had as wonderful a week as me - if not, we are going to change all that right now. Let's pray:

Father, we thank you for the beauty you have created in our world - it helps to offset the evil that tries to ruin the good for us. Help us to keep our eyes on You, on Your beauty, Your love for us. Help us to remember that hurting people, hurt. Give us hearts so full of love that all we can see in those who can't seem to get along with anyone, is their need for, and fear of, love. Let us be the key to unlock someone's heart to love. Help us to remember to use Q-TIP when we are tempted to quit it! In the name of Jesus, amen.

Let's dive right into chapter seven of The Love Revolution Devotional Workbook and Field Journal, by Joyce Meyer. Read 2 Corinthians 11:24-28.

Sometimes all we get for our trouble to help others is mistreatment. Has that ever happened to you?
____________________

Afterwards, are you tempted to just say, "forget you then, see if I care what happens?"
___________________

In the above passage, Paul was not boasting about what a great martyr he was, in fact, he reluctantly boasted because he needed to remind his church of his true motives in defense of the charges false teachers were spreading about him.

There he was, having been beaten with whips five times, beaten with thick sticks three times, was stoned once (usually fatal), shipwrecked three times, and once survived a day and a night alone in the sea. Due to his traveling all around to spread the Word, Paul was always in danger from robbers, other Jews who sought to silence him, from wild animal attacks, and now false teachers seeking to profit themselves by discrediting him!

Could you continue to travel and preach under these conditions? Today, I think a lot of people would tell Paul that these hardships were a sign that God was not with him, didn't support him, or was trying to punish Paul for some kind of sin.

What would people tell you if all your efforts resulted in your being beaten, hunted, almost murdered, and frequently "torn apart" in the media, today?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________

Paul was forced to recite all he had put up with in the pursuit of everyone else's happiness in order to demonstrate that he was not in this for money or for fame, and he really didn't care if it cost him his life, his freedom, or his health. He would not rest until everyone, even those who mistreated him, knew and believed in the love, the eternal love, of Jesus Christ.

Name one thing you believe in so strongly you would go through literally anything to promote?
___________________________________
___________________________________

Would Paul go through all that if he didn't really, truly, in his heart of hearts, know that it was not only the truth, but it was worth anything to share? Otherwise, Paul would have sold us a feel-good bill of sale that would only break your commitment at the first disappointment. Been there, felt that, how about you?

Look, God isn't going to sell you a fairy tale. He doesn't lie to us and say if we believe in Him then He will take away all pain, all disappointment, and all critical voices . . . at least not during our earthly lives. Quite the opposite, in fact.

He promises others will laugh at our expense. He guarantees there will be hardships. He assures us there will be opportunities to take the easy way out in this life, and give up the life-altering rewards in the next. But He won't pull your leg and say do this, and everything will work out the way you have always wanted and everyone will just applaud your every move.

He does promise that with or without Him, life can be very hard. And He promises to be with you, and me, when it is easy and when it is unbearable. He promises that if we let Him, He will show us the way out. Finally, He promises to fill us up with hope, love, joy, and peace no matter what is going on in our lives if we ask Him, and if we choose to believe in His willingness to do so.

He even promises that no matter what happens, if we go thought hardships because of our dedication to Him, and others don't understand, others try to stop us, or in the worst cases, we or those we love lose our lives in order to stay faithful, it will . . . be . . . worth it.

But how can we help people that are not like us, or don't even like us? Read 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 to discover how Paul was able to relate to so many different kinds of people and share the love of Jesus:

"For though I am _____ from all men, I have made myself a ________ to all, that I might win the more, and to the _____, I become as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the ______, as under the law; to those who are without law, as ________ law (not being without law toward _____, but under law towards ________), that I might win those who are ______ law, to the ______, that I might ____ the weak. I have become all things to _____ men, that I might be all means ______ some. Now I do this for the _______ sake, that I may be _______ of it with you." New King James Version

My Nelson Study Bible says this commentary about the above verse:

    ~Paul was willing to conform to the customs of other people, whether Jew or Gentile, in order to bring      them to Christ. For example, in order to relate to the Jews in Jerusalem, he made a Nazirite vow in the temple. Around those who were under the law-the Jews-Paul obeyed the (Jewish) Law (traditions.) Around those who were outside the (Jewish) Law-gentiles-Paul did not observe Jewish custom.

     Paul clarified this, in case anyone misunderstood his actions. He obeyed God's law through obedience toward Christ. This was actually a broader law than the Law of Moses (which the Jews followed;) this was the fulfillment of Christ's will. ~

Read 1 Corinthians 11:1; Romans 13:8; and Galatians 6:2.

Lord, help us to remember that our differences don't have to be a reason to separate us from one another. Help us to let go of our rules, and let only Your commandments be our law. To love the Lord our God with all our hearts, minds, souls and bodies and to love one another as ourselves, for these are the greatest commandments. If we do that, we cannot help but be welcome in Your eyes and be welcoming, to all others. And when others reject our love help us to Quit Taking It Personally, and get out of the way so You can do what we cannot. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.

Remember: Q.-T.I.P.

Love, Karen

Get Real

Welcome back to A Good Bible Study!

Let's get right into prayer and into the Word!

Lord, we hear the term "Get real" all the time. Help me to be a "real" Christian. Help me to live what I say I believe. Help me to determine what I do believe and why I believe it, so I don't need to justify who I am to anyone, anymore. I don't need to say it, I can live it! In the name of Your Son, Jesus who gave His life so I might have mine, amen.

What does that mean to "get real?"
________________________________________________

I say it to mean, "Give me a break, don't try to fool me with that," or "Get the blinders off and see what is really happening to you or with this situation," or "stop joking around and be serious," or any number of things.

Mostly I think we say "get real" to either mean to be sincere in our behavior, or in our understanding of a situation, don't you think?

Do you think people in general think most Christians are sincere in our behavior or have a good grasp of their real life situations?
________________

Sometimes we are insincere by not being who we say we are. Other times we are insincere by not saying how we really are, inside.

Try these simple exercises. You will get more out of this study if you take a few minutes and write down your answers, look up the verses, and pray the prayers, I promise.

What is one thing as a Christian that you say you believe, but you haven't really acted out in daily life?
_______________________________________________________

Do you believe this thing, or not? Be honest, there is no right answer. ______

If your answer is yes, will you choose to take one action today to act out what you believe? _______

If your answer is no, why not?
__________________________________________________

Either way, look in the back of your bible and find three verses that have to do with the subject and look them up. Write them here:
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________

Have you changed your mind? ___________

Either way, you know yourself better now than you did fifteen minutes ago. Now you are getting real.

When your behavior matches your true convictions, you feel genuine and others respond to you with trust and respect.

Try this with anything you find you are not acting out and see if you can determine if the problem is that you just have not taken action on your belief, or that you really don't believe it. Get to know the real you.

Love, Karen

Photo by M. Bartosch, courtesy of Freedigitalphoto.net

Jesus in disguise

Hello! Welcome again to A Good Bible Study - let's get right to it!

Father, thank You for the person who is reading these words. Bless them Lord. You know their heart's desire, and their greatest need. You know what will make a difference today for them. I thank You for opening their eyes to Your love, and hearts to Your message. In the name of Jesus, amen.

I'm going to point you to the Word first thing today. Please read Matthew 25:31-40. I want you to hear the whole context of the message. I think it is important when we are given a scripture, that we read the verses before and also after, and if there are study notes under the passages, read those as well. That way you know for yourself what the verse is about.

Jesus said that in as much as we ______ the hungry, and give water to the ________, and _______ those who need covering, or _____________ the sick, and also those who are in ____________, we have done it to __________.

He also says further on that if we turn our backs on those who are hungry, thirsty, without proper clothing, sick or in prison, we have in essence, turned our backs on Him.

Puts things in a new light, doesn't it.

Does Jesus ask us to question how people got into their predicament to decide whether or not they deserve help? ___________

Does Jesus ask us to follow them around and see if they please us with their use of our gifts? ________

Does Jesus ask us to give them help only if we can spare the time, or are exceptionally wealthy, or know for certain people are innocent of the crime for which they are imprisoned? ________

Can you and I make a pact? Let's choose from today onward to just give value to every person we come into contact with. That's all. Treat them as if they are of value. Treat them as if they are Jesus in disguise.

How are some ways you can treat even strangers with value?
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________

Revolutions are dangerous. What are the spiritual implications of being kind to those who are in need, or ignoring them? Read Matthew 25:41-46

So, does God want you to help people out of fear of His retribution? Absolutely not.

He simply wants us to understand that love is action, not words. God knows if you have a heart to help those in need, it is a reflection of your love for Him; of the fact you truly value Jesus and follow Him in sincerity. If you do not care about hurting people, you cannot sincerely care about Jesus.

If you say you believe that Jesus is God; that you believe God came to earth in a human form for the sole purpose of sacrificing Himself to buy our freedom; that you believe He loves all of us, not just the ones who do everything right, then how in the world could you not care about what He cares for?

Does that mean you give your whole life over to going to the jail in the morning, to the hospital in the afternoon, the homeless shelter before dinner, and the food shelf each evening? Getting out of balance is not loving yourself and we are to love others as well as ourselves, not instead of ourselves.

Give it some thought and tell me what you come up with.

Lord, these are difficult concepts for many of us. All we ask is that you soften our hearts so we can see how giving to those in need, no matter the cause or circumstance, is the same as giving to You. "We do this in remembrance of You." We say those words as we take communion in church. Let us say those words whenever we give to one of your children on earth. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Looking for Jesus in disguise, Karen

Photo by Ann Triling, courtesy of Photoxpress.cm

Be transformed

Hello. Welcome again to A Good Bible Study! Get ready to be transformed.

By the way, I am so excited to hear how your day went after yesterday's session. It was a moving, meaningful lesson for me, one of those good crying, praying, loving God loving me kind of moments.

Let's pray for more of those:

Father, I thank you for opening  my heart more fully to you. I pray for a soul-searching, heart-wrenching, love-fest kind of session today in your Word, for each person reading this. You know what we each need, Lord. We want it and we want it abundantly! In the name of Jesus, amen.

God has so much for us. The great thing is He does 99% of the work. All we have to do is be willing to be renewed. Are you willing?

If not, what is holding you back?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________

Say a prayer on your own right now, asking God to remove any obstacles in your heart or mind.

When you're done, begin by reading Romans 12:2 to see what God can do with a willing heart.

"And do not be ____________ to this world, but be ________ by the renewing of your mind, that you  prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God." New King James Version

The Message translation says it this way: "Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."

Conformed means to mold or form yourself to the world, which is defined as the current age or era. The Nelson Study Bible New King James version emphasizes that spiritual transformation starts in the heart and mind.

If you are dedicated to following your culture's concerns and values, you will be tossed back and forth by the current of popular opinion. But those who are dedicated to God's truth can stand the test of time. "We can resist the temptation of our culture by meditating (thinking about it frequently and studying what it means) on God's truth and letting the Holy Spirit shape our thoughts and behaviors."

Joyce Meyer, the author of the study I'm in the midst of, The Love Revolution Devotional Workbook and Field Journal, calls this verse a "revolutionary war verse."

She says, "Love is the power of the Gospel . . . Jesus died for all, that all those who live might no longer live those selfish, self-centered - me,me,me - lives, but they might live to and for Him. He died so that you would not have to live a life that you are in all alone. Love is the highest form of spiritual warfare." p. 53

Read 2 Corinthians 5:15

Understand?

Joyce recommends we write this verse down, and take it out throughout the day and read it. Let it sink into your spirit, and commit it to memory. It is why He gave his earthly life, and why He rose from the dead, to demonstrate to all of us who will not believe without seeing, that He is the Christ, the Son of God, able to take the punishment we deserve, and yet have the Authority to transform Himself from death to eternal life.

You know, the historical evidence, aside from the Bible even, is so overwhelming that Jesus lived as a human being, was crucified just as described in the Word, and was raised from the dead to resume His ministry on earth for another 40 days, to demonstrate He did what He said He would do . . . is remarkable. Read books like The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel (for one) that research and document the historical evidence.

Not one writing of the day, not even from His enemies, not one religion (even the Muslim religion) refutes the fact that He lived, was crucified, and rose again on the third day, performed all the miracles in Scripture, and ascended into heaven in full view of the people (Acts 1:3). It would take more faith to disbelieve Jesus, than to believe.

He is real, and you would not be here today if some part of you did not believe that already. He wants to renew you from the inside out. He is renewing me even now. If you have not already, join the revolution!

Lord, thank you for every moment you took on human form and lived as us, and for us. You took the pain that was mine, you accepted the blame that rightly belongs to me. Change me Lord, every day do the work for me so I know it wasn't my effort that made this new creation, it was Your love! In the name of Jesus, amen.

Stay still, read 2 Corinthians 5:15 again, and be transformed.

Love, Karen

Photo by Dmitry Remesov, courtesy of photoxpress.com

Who's your neighbor?

Hello. Welcome back to A Good Bible Study. Let's dive right in!

Father, we want to love what You love, and want what You want. Sometimes it is so hard to know when to help and when to wait; how much is too much, and how much is not enough. Help us to remember to ask You when we are unsure, to read enough of Your Word to know Your thoughts, and to have courage to step up when we are needed. In the name of Jesus, amen.

I'm so glad you have come back to the study today. I know this section has been difficult at times, because we are being challenged at some level to do what does not come naturally, most of the time, and that is to set aside our own plans and do something for someone else.

Does this mean never setting limits or boundaries; never getting rested; never being able to do something just for me? Absolutely not. We can't help anyone else if we exhaust ourselves. This is more about examining our motives for helping and overcoming our selfish nature more often.

Think about what your motives for helping others have been up to this point: has it been to look good and gain friends, serve some misguided notion that kindness is a prerequisite to God's love or to earn entrance into heaven, to show everyone what a giving, tread-upon kind soul you are . . .or is it to spread the love that God has shown you to someone else?

We are told at least eight times in the Bible, to love our neighbor as ourselves. So, what does that look like?

If you make sure that you get time to rest and relax, do you also watch your friend's kids so she can catch a break now and then? If you enjoy heading up to the cabin every summer, have you ever invited a less privileged family for a weekend at your cabin when its unused? As you are harvesting that luscious garden, do you bag up some of the excess and donate it to your local food shelf? Or . . . do you just complain about how much you already do for others without any appreciation in return?

The best way to find out if you are showing love, is to check your motives. What are you expecting in return for your good favor? List some people you help, but with an attitude of resentment for not getting back thanks, appreciation, or a good deed in turn: _________________________________________
_________________________________________________

My top people would include my own family. Sometimes we need to stop helping people so that they can learn to help themselves. This is one of those times when you might get a thank you later, much later.

For instance, when I find myself screeching that I am SICK of picking up after you people (my husband and kids) with NO thanks, whatsoever(!), I realize I need to stop picking up after them and give them the gift of self-reliance. If your motive behind cleaning up your house is the appreciation of your kids . . . it's not gonna happen, get over it.

A better motive is the intention to raise children who are prepared to live independently once they leave my home. The best way I can help my kids is to lovingly and kindly teach them how to do that along the way, and let them practice right here and now. You try it once:

"No clean clothes? Oh, that's a bummer. Would you like me to show you how to use the washing machine, again?" Smile.

So, now that we are done thinking being a help means always doing things for others, we can focus on knowing when it's time to take action. Who is your neighbor anyway?

Read Luke 10:30-37

In Jesus' day, priests and Levites served God, and should have been the first to stop and help. Samaritans, on the other hand, were despised by the Jews, because they intermarried with foreigners. No one would expect anything good from a Samaritan. Who helped the injured man?
_________________________________

Name all the things the Samaritan did for the man:
When he saw him, he had _________. He ______ to him,
and __________ his wounds, pouring on _____ and _______ (to disinfect and salve); and set him on his own _________, brought him to an _______ and took _______ of him.
On the next day, when he departed, he took out two ____ and ______ them to the
innkeeper, and said to him, "______ care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will ________ you."

Who is your neighbor?
a. Someone who lives next door to you
b. Someone in your church
c. Anyone near where you presently are
d. Anyone you become aware of that is in need

How do we know when it is right to help, and when to wait? I think it is safe to say that if someone is in danger, hurt, lost, confused, hungry, thirsty, etc., we can and should do something. Call 911 if you don't feel safe going out to help, shout out the window that the police have been called, go buy a sandwich for someone you are afraid will spend money on drugs, alert a Pastor if you think someone in your church might be a victim, there is always something that can be done to be a help. If you are not sure if you can do anything, ask.

Finally, read Proverbs 3:5-6.

What will happen if everyone who says they love God, begins to love others as we do ourselves?
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____________________________________________

In what way have you been challenged as a result of this study?
_____________________________________________
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What is the most important truth you have taken away?
_______________________________________
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What is one thing you can do today, to live that truth?
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Lord, I seek You now and acknowledge You in all of my ways. I want You to guide my thoughts and my actions from now on. Father, show me someone I can reach out to intentionally. Help me to see my neighbors, even those who live far away from me. I ask You to fill my heart with compassion, and to cause me to be sensitive to the true needs of those around me. Give me wisdom to know what to do and how to do it. In Jesus' name, amen.

Please come back, and also tell me in the comments what about The Love Revolution Devotional Workbook and Field Journal, by Joyce Meyer, the inspiration for this study, has inspired you!

Go ahead, be the first!

Love, Karen

Photo by dabobabo, courtesy of photoxpress.com