How to Prioritize Bible Study with Freedom {Guest Post}

October 10, 2012 by Do Not Depart 59 Comments

Do Not Depart is pleased to welcome Mary Beth from New Life Steward as our guest today…

At at 3:37 AM I stumbled into bed after rocking my toddler back to sleep. I turned my alarm off—thinking my husband’s alarm would do the job so I could squeeze in Bible study and a shower before my son woke up.

Before I knew it, I had overslept—no time for Bible study or a shower now. I hastily dressed my son for Mother’s Day Out—thinking I’ll fit in some Bible study after I see my one client for the morning.

But then I get a text from another client asking for an emergency session, and I remember I’m supposed to clean the bathrooms today. So I spend 3/4 of my free morning in counseling sessions with clients and the other 1/4 cleaning bathrooms and showering.

Still no Bible study.

The day continues to roll on, and before I know it, I’m crawling into bed when I remember—I never did my Bible study.

So I make the choice to set my alarm and try again tomorrow.

It all starts with a choice.

On mornings that I manage to roll out of bed, I’ve usually got about 5 minutes to pray, 5 minutes to study my lesson, and 5 minutes to work on my memorization. That’s 15 minutes total. If any one part goes over, I probably don’t get to the rest.

But it all starts with a choice. Will I get out of bed?

Every person is created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). Many theologians agree that part of this “likeness” or “image” involves man’s reason, emotions, and will. These abilities separate us from the rest of creation and reflect God’s likeness. Focusing in on man’s will, we have the ability to determine–to choose.

Let’s apply this to the current choice before me: will I get out of bed?

When I sit back and take stock of my life, I have time for what I want to have time for. There’s always time to eat. Time to watch a TV show. Time to write. Time to read. Time to play with my son. Time to connect with my husband after the baby is asleep.

I make choices that create time for these activities.

The same is true of the spiritual disciplines. I make choices to either make time for them or not. Lately, the choice for me has been to set and heed the alarm when it goes off or not. Getting out of bed reflects a choice to prioritize Bible study. But more often than not, I choose to ignore my alarm.

That’s the problem with sin. We are predisposed to choose ourselves, our own wants and desires. Left to my own devices, I will choose sleep over an early morning Bible study every time. Even Paul struggled with this (Rom. 7:15 and following)! When I am in charge of my will, I will always choose my own selfish way.

Freedom comes from believing the truth.

Thankfully, we have a God who reached down to us and intervened in our sinful lives through Christ (Phil 2:5-7). He draws us to repentance with His kindness (Rom. 2:4). Through grace, His Spirit stirs in our hearts and causes us to long for God’s Word (Eph. 2:8-9). When the Lord is in charge of my will, I’m drawn into deeper relationship with Him.

This is such a freeing truth to realize. I do not have to muster up enough inner strength to get up when that alarm goes off. In fact, I am wholly unable to do this on my own. I can rest and ask the Lord to draw me to Himself with His Spirit. Then my will slowly conforms to His, and I want to get up to study His Word. The actions come naturally because the Holy Spirit is sanctifying me–slowly molding me into the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). The glory belongs to the Lord because it’s His work in me.

I have a choice, but when I submit my will to the will of the Father, His strength enables me to follow His will in my choosing.

What is influencing your will–yourself, the culture, or the Holy Spirit and Scripture?

My first love is Jesus Christ followed quickly by my husband and my son. I am now a stay at home mom, writer, and blogger. My career was first in teaching and then in Marriage and Family Counseling. Living in a small, Southern town in Mississippi, we enjoy SEC football, walking around barefoot, and playing outside. A day to myself would be spent napping, blogging, and reading with a bit of reality TV mixed in! You can find me blogging at New Life Steward, Facebook and Twitter!

Photo Credit: Jenni C.

Our Heavenly Father Disciplines His Children

October 9, 2012 by Kathy Howard 1 Comment

Father and children, Father's discipline — My brother, Dad, and me, 1968

When I was growing up, my father loved me enough to discipline me when I needed it. Sometimes his discipline was to correct wrong behavior. For example, if I talked back to Mom, I lost my phone privileges.

Sometimes Dad’s discipline was for the purpose of teaching me something I needed to know to succeed in life. For instance, Dad chose me to rake the pine straw in the yard. This was not a simple chore. Twenty-four pine trees grew on my parent’s half-acre lot.

As an adolescent, I saw no point in this task. Even if I did rake, the grass would soon be covered again. Yet I grudgingly obeyed. Now that I am a parent myself, I appreciate Dad’s training. I learned that every member of the family needs to contribute. I learned to persevere through unpleasant, but necessary tasks. I learned that a job done well brings pleasurable results.

Discipline is one of the primary responsibilities of a parent. We’ve all seen children whose parents have obviously shirked their duty! They are not doing their children – or the rest of humanity – any favors. Discipline is necessary for a child to grow into a fully functioning, law-abiding, productive adult.

Our heavenly Father disciplines His children. In Hebrews 12:7-11, we learn God disciplines us out of love. When we experience His discipline it proves we are His children. Although it can be painful, God disciplines us for our good. His purpose is spiritual growth and the development of Christ-like character.

The Greek word translated as “discipline” in Hebrews 12 is paideuo. It carries the ideas of both correcting or chastening and education or training. God’s discipline in the lives of His children corrects wrong behavior and equips us for the road ahead.

God picked you out for Himself and adopted you to be His child. Now He lovingly fulfills His responsibility to you as a parent through discipline. He moves to correct wrong behavior so you can share in His holiness. He teaches and trains you so you can grow into the spiritually mature woman He created you to be.

In what ways do you sense God’s discipline in your life today?

Don’t Forget to Lock Up! – Unshakeable Faith lesson 4

October 8, 2012 by Kathy Howard 4 Comments

This post is the Devotional version of the study intro. You can also access the Quick Study (2 page version) of today’s lesson in a PDF. If you want to do the Full Study you can purchase the book on Amazon or CBD.

Most of us naturally protect our physical property and the people in our care. We lock doors, screen babysitters, and back up important files on our computers. But how well do we protect ourselves from temptation?

The trials of life can tempt us to be less than completely obedient to God. Sometimes we don’t trust Him enough to follow Him down a hard path. Sometimes we give up on God too quickly and hastily act in our own strength.

Unshakeable Faith Trait Four:

Determined to Stay Alert and Guard Against Temptation

On the night Jesus was betrayed, He warned Peter and the other disciples about the upcoming trial and the temptation it would bring to deny Him. Of course our friend Peter emphatically insisted he would die first! But once again, Peter learned a lesson through the pain of failure.

Read Mark 14:32-41. What did Jesus ask Peter, James, and John to do in verse 38?

To “watch” means to refrain from sleep, keep an alert mind, and be aware of threatening dangers. If the disciples had combined a watchful attitude with prayer, perhaps they could have resisted the temptation to run when Jesus was arrested.

Peter intended to stand by Jesus even if it meant death. But when the testing came, Peter ran. So often we want to obey God, but when tough times come we run.

Peter may have fallen to temptation, but he learned from his failure. In turn, he wanted others to learn from his experience.

Read 1 Peter 5:6-9. Peter gives us four exhortations or “strong recommendations” for action when facing trials and temptations. Each verse begins with one. List them below.

Peter reminds us how much God cares for us in every situation. What might we be tempted to do if we doubt this?

In the NIV, 1 Peter 5:8 reads “Be self-controlled and alert.” That word alert is the same Greek word translated as watch in Mark 14. Peter was listening!

We do not have to yield to temptation. God always provides a way for us to choose obedience (1 Cor 10:13). We don’t sin by enduring trials and facing temptation, but we do sin when we reject God’s way and choose our own.

Where are you weak and susceptible to temptation? What are some specific ways you can guard yourself against these weaknesses?

Letting Go of Me and Clinging to God
{Unshakeable Faith Week 3}

October 5, 2012 by Patti Brown 10 Comments

Our third week of the Unshakeable Faith study centered on submitting to God. Giving ourselves over to His perfect will is an essential choice if we desire to stand firm on the Rock.

Like Peter, it sometimes takes me a while to get things through my thick skull! I have to flounder along and make an idiot of myself as I try to do it all my way. Thankfully, our Lord is merciful!

This week He showed me several areas in my life that I am still trying to keep control of. Still not handing over to Him. Ouch.

One of the means God often uses to help me along the road to submission is to take me out of my comfort zone. As it turns out, recording a vlog is way out of my comfort zone! But God is good all the time, and in the midst of breezes and fluttering papers and a kitty who desperately wanted to walk across the laptop, I was able to share my heart.

Grab a cup of tea and join me on our homestead…

If you are reading this post in an email you may need to click through to see the vlog.

I share in the vlog a bit about our journey to our homestead; if you’d like you can read more of the story of God’s work in our lives to bring us home.

And below is that GPS I talked about in the video…. :-) It’s all about your perspective, isn’t it?

What about you? Did this week’s study show you something in your life that you’ve not yet handed over to God? Do you struggle with giving up control? Join the conversation here.

Help End Bible Poverty

October 4, 2012 by Katie Orr Leave a Comment

It has been a year since Lara Williams and I first launched Savoring Living Water: How to Have an Effective Quiet Time. I thought we might sell a hundred or so copies of our little e-book. Yet here we are—thousands of copies later—with the book in print and a leader’s guide right around the corner.

God has chosen to use our little e-book in a big way to help end Bible Poverty. We set a crazy big goal last year to bring 104 verses to the Vidunda people, through OneVerse, a Wycliff Bible Translators affiliate.

Today, we stand with only 16 verses left.

Sixteen!

To celebrate all the Lord has done, and to reach our goal near our one-year mark, we are going to give ALL PROFITS to OneVerse for every sale of the e-version sold today, and we would love for Y-O-U to be a part of the work God is doing in the lives of the Vidunda people!

Every PDF, Nook, and Kindle version sold on Thursday, October 4th (TODAY!) will bring $5 to a Bible for the Vidunda people.

How you can help!

The easiest way to help us meet our goal is to purchase your own e-copy of Savoring Living Water: How to have an effective quiet time. Be sure to do that TODAY so we can send the extra $3 to OneVerse. (We usually do $2 a copy.)

If you already have a copy, consider gifting a copy to someone who would enjoy the book, or donating directly to the Savoring Living Water OneVerse project. Any gift amount is welcome!

Another way to help is to spread the word!

Click here to share on Twitter
Click this Facebook link and copy/paste this (or whatever you feel like saying about it):

Many people around the world do not have a single verse of Scripture in their own language. Want to help #endbiblepoverty AND get an ebook on how to have an effective time in the Bible? Follow the link to find out how.

Thank you for helping us bring God’s Word to the nations!

Hiding His Word in My Heart {October Link-Up}

October 3, 2012 by Lisa Burgess 1 Comment

Please link your posts below about scripture memory.

I Am Adopted

October 2, 2012 by Katie Orr 7 Comments

I’ve said it before, the most important thing about you and I is what we believe. Specifically, it is of utmost importance what we believe about God and what we believe about ourselves.

Our beliefs affect everything.

That’s why we love theology here at Do Not Depart. Because we know that if you and I get our theology—what we believe—in line with Scripture, and walk forward with what we discover, our lives will truly be transformed.

This month we will be looking at the great doctrine of adoption. We’ll take a look at the heart of the One who chose us and all the implications for the God-adopted child.

What do you think about the reality that you were hand-picked by God to be a part of His family? What are some of your favorite “adoption” verses?

Share them with us, in the comments!

Let Yourself Go! – Unshakeable Faith 3

October 1, 2012 by Kathy Howard 4 Comments

This post is the Devotional version of the study intro. You can also access the Quick Study(2 page version) of today’s lesson in a PDF. If you want to do the Full Study you can purchase the book on Amazon or CBD.

Many of us have had experience with “strong-willed” children. Doesn’t it seem ridiculous that a small child will stand up to an adult and stubbornly insist on their own way? They really think they know better than their wiser, more-experienced parents!

Yet, I sometimes do the same thing with God. In fact, each of us has been that strong-willed child who refuses to submit to the Father’s authority. Sometimes we act out of rebellion. Sometimes, we simply think we know best.

Unshakeable Faith Trait Three:

Submitted to the One Who Knows the Future and Has a Plan

Peter had a strong will. But even this hard-headed Apostle eventually learned that God deserved his yielded obedience.

Read Matthew 16:21-23. How did Peter react when he heard Jesus detail God’s plan?

Although Peter calls Jesus “Lord” in verse 22, the nature of his correction shows Peter was not really yielding to His lordship in that moment. In Matthew 16:23, Jesus identifies the core issue of Peter’s misguided intentions. “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

Many of us also tend to see things with our limited, selfish, human perspective instead of God’s eternal, all-knowing perspective. Intellectually, I accept that God knows best. However, I still want to do things my way, even while knowing from experience that I usually get it wrong.

We know from Scripture that Peter matured. He learned to focus more and more on the “things of God” and less and less on the “things of men.”

Read 1 Peter 4:1-2. Peter taught that one of two things will determine the direction of our life. What are those two choices?

If I am not living for the will of God, by default I am living for my sinful, fleshly desires. Either God’s will or mine. Not only is God worthy of our obedience, He also knows what is absolutely best for us.

What areas of your life do you have the most trouble submitting to God’s control?

Unshakeable Faith Week 2 ~ Living with confidence

September 28, 2012 by Julie 4 Comments

How would you describe your daily life right now? Do you have confidence to face the hard things and trials, or do you feel like the trouble could sweep you away?

In our study this week we asked, “Does the identity of Jesus truly matter in the midst of this, our daily lives?”

However we describe our days, let’s be confident in our all-powerful, all-knowing, sovereign God!

What do you know about Jesus that makes a difference in your life today?

Bible Notebook: Sermon Note Sheet for Children

September 27, 2012 by Sandra Peoples 10 Comments

I sit on the front row of chairs every Sunday listening to my husband/preacher with our son by my side. Most weeks our almost-seven year old is wiggly and just can’t help but loudly whisper, “Is Daddy almost finished?” about five minutes after Daddy has started.

I thought it would be a perfect time to introduce him to the practice of taking notes during sermons. He’s still a little young to outline Daddy’s three points and the application, but he isn’t too young to listen well enough for the Holy Spirit to impress something on his heart from the pages of Scripture.

This listening sheet has room for notes and for a picture so your kids can illustrate what the sermon is about or what they will do to apply what they learned. You could even add their notes to your notebook!

Click here for your free printable: My Sermon Notes. (perfect to go along with Caroline’s printable for your sermon notes!)