I am sorry that I have been so delinquent in blogging this week. The kids have been a little sick and we have been loving just hanging out as a family! It is such a blessing to look back on the bible study I have been doing and revisit what was taught. I am truly convicted about how few of these things I have actually applied to my life. I love learning about the practical ways to live out God's Word, but unless I am really studying it, memorizing it and meditating on it day and night it will not be evident in my life!
So last week we talked about the beginning of the study ( A Heart Consumed with God). Kris spent two weeks on this topic and the homework was awesome! It was such a reminder of the Soverignty of our God and how awesome His love is for us. It was also a wake up call to what we are called to as Christians. She goes over verses that explain what a true Christian is and how this affects our daily priorities! One of the key verses in the section on priorities was Mark 8: 34-37. In these verses Christ says to the people and his disciples "Whoever desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." MacArthur says this about this verse "No one who is unwilling to deny himself can legitimately claim to be a disciple of Jesus Christ." If we are truly devoted to Christ we will give up the comforts of this world and the acceptance of this world and seek after Christ with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. What does my "to do" list show about my priorities?
On the last day of this section of the study Kris assigned verses that were penned by Paul. In these verses he describes himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, a prisoner of the Lord and he states that he is not on earth to please men but to please God. At the end of these verses she asks "how should I describe myself?" I really thought about this question for awhile. How often do I describe myself to others as a wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend. These things are all true, but the fact that I am a child of God is more important that all the rest and it defines how I fulfill all of those other roles.
So that is a small summary of the first two weeks. Stay tuned next Monday when I will go over what we learned about "A Heart Prepared to Serve"
love to you all
In His Strength
Staci
Monday, November 12, 2007
Another Extreme Monday
Posted by Swimwife at 2:08 PM
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6 comments:
I am enjoying this - thanks for sharing!
Staci, Thanks for doing this. I like the question, "how would I define myself?" I will definitely be thinking of that one today.
Off topic...Chase got to 2 long naps yesterday. I had been praying for this, and it just clicked without strife yesterday. Praise Jesus!
Stace, I look forward to every Monday that I can read your blog and reflect on the questions, quotes you bring up. Thank YOu! I love you, Kelli E
Hi Staci and Gabe,
I stumbled across your blog and wanted to say hello. Hope you're doing well! Can't believe you have two kids! Wow, seems like just yesterday you were getting married.
Blessings,
Beth
Staci...where are you? Love ya girl.
I love how often John MacArthur (as stated in your post) says that if we aren't ___________ then we cannot call ourselves followers of Christ. In this post it's the matter of denying ourselves. SO true but I think most of us are afraid to offend people or afraid to be "judging" when we should be helping them to examine themselves as 1 Cor talks about. Great example!! Oh can I count the ways daily that I can deny myself more!
Thanks for the post - much needed!
Love you!!!!!!!!1
Jen
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