Bible Notebook: Word Study

September 25, 2012 by Patti Brown 2 Comments

Have you ever been reading along in your bible when a word seems to leap off the page at you? Perhaps you’ve noticed a theme in your life and suddenly the topic is everywhere, including your bible.

Or maybe you feel the Lord has shown you a word to focus on for a season. Some people like to choose a word at the beginning of the year, to inspire them to change or growth. Communities have even arisen around this concept.

If God created the world with words (“And God said…”), and if Jesus is the Word (John 1:1), then it goes without saying that words matter!

When a word becomes particularly meaningful to me, I like to make lists of scriptures that include that word.

Doing word studies and making scripture lists has been one of the more fruitful exercises I have undertaken in studying the bible. I enjoy digging into the original meaning of the words, but I also like to see different instances of the word side by side.

Perhaps you might like to try this exercise as well. We’ve created a free printable Scripture Word Sheet for you to add to your bible study notebook! There is space for each scripture reference, as well as a place underneath to write out the verse. If you enjoy researching, you’ll also find an area to note the original Greek or Hebrew word and its meaning.

To download this free printable pdf, just click on the picture above. We’d love to hear what you are learning in your word study! Please share with us in the comments.

It’s Who You Know – “Unshakeable Faith” Lesson 2

September 24, 2012 by Kathy Howard 10 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.

Have you ever faced hard or painful circumstances over which you had no control? The trial may have consumed your thoughts, time, and strength, but still you could do nothing to change it. Times like that can leave us feeling helpless and vulnerable.

Maybe even today your world has been turned upside down by grief or tragedy and you don’t know where to turn. Even in those situations where we are powerless, there is One who is all-powerful. We can always place complete confidence in our Lord God.

In this week’s study we will examine the identity of Jesus to help us find confidence to follow Him no matter where He leads.

Unshakeable Faith Trait Two:

Secure in Your All-Powerful, All-Knowing, Sovereign God

When Jesus called Peter to follow Him, Peter knew He was a great teacher sent by God. But as the weeks and months passed, Peter learned much more about the power and authority of Jesus.

Look up the following Scriptures. Each passage relates a miracle of Jesus that demonstrates His divine authority over a specific area. Match each passage on the left to the corresponding area of power and authority on the right.

Mark 1:21-28                                      nature
Mark 1:40-42                                     demons
Mark 2:1-11                                          material world
Mark 4:35-41                                     disease
Mark 5:35-43                                    forgiveness of sin
Mark 6:39-44                                    death

Jesus has authority over demons. He can heal any sickness and cure every disease. Jesus can still the wind and calm the waves. He even has power over sin and death. And He also has the authority and power over every circumstance of your life.

Based on these truths, how might Jesus choose to work in the circumstances of your life?

God is able to do anything! However, He doesn’t always act like we want or expect. Sometimes He allows us to go through painful circumstances. But even in the midst of the pain, God is always with us. He strengthens and comforts us in the midst of our troubles. And we can trust that He will work through our circumstances to accomplish His eternal purposes.

Let’s talk: Has your view of Jesus been limited? What specific circumstance do you need to trust Jesus with today?

Unshakeable Faith: Secure in the God Who Chooses

September 21, 2012 by Sandra Peoples 2 Comments

Over two years ago, my family decided we were ready to begin the adoption process. We filled out the application with the agency we chose and waited to hear if we were accepted. After a couple weeks, they called with good news and bad news. The good news was we were accepted into the program. The bad news was we had 90 days to raise $15,000. Social services looked at our information and wasn’t sure a pastor and a stay-at-home mom would have enough money to see the adoption process through to the end (over $30,000 total). So they set the bar high, asking us to prove ourselves.

Some might have seen this as God “closing a door.” But we knew God calls all Christians to care for orphans. We knew He put the desire in our hearts to adopt. What would we do with this challenge?

Peter was also in a challenging situation in Luke 5:1-11. Christ seemed to expect the impossible. And Simon Peter didn’t know what to do. “Jesus said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets'” (vv. 4-5).

In our book, Unshakeable Faith, Kathy writes, “Think of a time when God guided you in a direction that did not seem logical to you. Did you obey? How did God work in this situation?”

As we learned in this lesson, God calls each one of us. God Himself chose you. He brought you first into a relationship with Him, then called you to specific ministries and opportunities. Acts 17:26 says He even determined when and where you would live. He chose the life you are living. The school you attend. The job you have. The husband you love. The children you raise. In all of this choosing, He asks you to trust Him, just as He asked Peter.

Well, we didn’t raise $15,000 in 90 days. Halfway through our 90 day deadline, they called again and said we only had to have $7,000. Because we had been working so hard to raise $15,000 we already had the $7,000 we needed. Like Peter, we were overwhelmed with God’s goodness and faithfulness to our family. We praise Him for choosing us first for salvation, and also for each opportunity He has for us.

What can you praise Him for today? Has He asked you to continue to step out in faith, as He asked Peter to do in Luke 5? Is He asking you to rest in the assurance of His love? Tell us in the comments what you learned from this lesson in our Unshakeable Faith study.

Bible Notebook: Prayer Album for Women on the Go

September 18, 2012 by Julie 11 Comments

I’m pretty sure I frequently look like a refugee. Women have a lot of “stuff” to take with us. Maybe it’s because we want to be prepared for any possible scenarios. Maybe it’s because we want to justify having large floral bags. Maybe it’s because people get used to us with a diaper bag appendage, and that matures into carrying extra snacks, random trash, and assorted fast food coupons. Or maybe it’s that we want to be ready to use our spare moments well.

When life is busy, we need to think ahead about how to make the most of time to turn our hearts to the Lord. There are many ways to organize simple devotional, study, and prayer resources we can take with us.

As a woman often on the go, there are times when I just can’t take my Bible Study materials with me. I want a handy, easy-to-carry, mobile tool for unexpected times I can turn my attention to the Lord. Imagine yourself sitting in a school pick up line … because you didn’t have time to go home. Think about waiting at the doctor’s office … because she was called away to an emergency. Or envision the 30 minutes wait during a music lesson, because it’s not long enough to leave and come back. Women have little time to waste, yet we have to learn to wait. In the waiting, it’s good to have a Prayer Album for Women on the Go. Pull it out of your purse, glove compartment, lunch bag, desk, diaper bag, or other case and use your time to do a little “praying without ceasing.”

We created these Prayer Albums as an activity at a women’s shelter. We talked about, “How do you really pray without ceasing?” It was a fun way to spend an evening with other women, putting together a tool we can all use to make the most of our time and help us abide in the Vine (John 15:1-11) in our busy lives, talking to God throughout our days.

Five sections for prayer include: Praises (giving thanks), Pits (temptations/sin), People (specific needs/hopes), Pleas (burdens/requests), Promises (scripture to guide/encourage).

Download The Prayer Album for Women on the Go here.

10 Steps to Make Your Prayer Album for Women on the Go

Purchase a 4×6 slide in photo book (Ex. $2 option & $4 option at Target) & index cards
Print out the 6 pages on to card stock
Carefully cut out the divider cards
Prepare 2 tabbed cards for each section: Praises/Pits/People/Pleas/Promises
Trim away extra words, preparing 2 cards per section
The final card can be used as a cover card
Put two cards, back to back, into a pocket, so that they show on each side
Fill 3-4 pages with index cards in between each section
Repeat for each section
Use index cards to write down requests, answers to prayer, and scripture, and update regularly. You can even add pictures or notes unique to the content.

Click here to download your free printable Prayer Album cards.

And when you carve out sweet time to open up your Bible Notebook, use the Bible Notebook tabs, the Meditation Worksheet, pages for Seminar and Sermon Notes, and Prayer Calendars to dig deep in God’s Word.

“He Picked Me!” – Unshakeable Faith Lesson One

September 17, 2012 by Kathy Howard 11 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.

When I was in high school, a social slight felt like the end of the world. Now I know that rejection can be much more serious and hurtful than not getting asked to the senior prom. A departure of a spouse, a job layoff, or a broken friendship can make us feel unloved and discarded.

No matter how much rejection you may have faced in your life, never forget that God will never reject you. In fact, if you are a Christian – if you have entered into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ – it’s because God chose you! (Here’s more about how to have a saving relationship with Jesus.) Have you ever taken a moment to dwell on the incredible truth that God chose you?

Unshakeable Faith Trait One:

He Picked Me! – Secure in the God Who Loves and Chooses

Read Ephesians 1:4-5 from the New Living Translation below and note the words that describe God’s action on your behalf.

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:4-5, NLT

How did God feel about doing this for you? How does it feel to be chosen by God for salvation and adopted into His family?

Believer, God chose you before the creation of the world. He picked you out for His very own, before you were even born. He saved you for a purpose: “to be holy and without fault (Eph 1:4).” You were chosen by God, saved by the blood of Jesus, and now the Holy Spirit is working in your life to transform into Christ’s holy likeness. God wants to grow your faith from shaky to unshakeable!

Let’s talk: What situation are you facing right now in which you need to remember that God loves you and has chosen you?

Unshakeable Faith Testimony ~ Week 1

September 14, 2012 by Julie 8 Comments

On the journey from a shaky to an unshakeable faith, it can be really hard to “count it all joy,” and in the midst of a trial, a “little while” can seem like a long time. Ground Zero in your trial may feel like the loneliest place you’ve ever been, with few rays of sunlight. In those moments, we may lift our eyes heavenward and wonder if God sees us and our pain, if He’s working, and if the disappointment covering us as we tremble in front of that roadblock could possibly be used for good.

As we shore up the foundations of our faith during these weeks together, our team invites you to sit down with us on Fridays as we share first-hand experiences of watching God use trials to strengthen our faith and that of women where we live.

Today I want to share the story of a U-turn, a desperate prayer, and God’s amazing provision in the middle of one woman’s trial. None of it was by chance; it was all part of His perfect plan to give a group of woman Unshakeable Faith.

How is God strengthening YOUR faith this week?

Bible Notebook: Tabs

September 13, 2012 by Lisa Burgess 15 Comments

What do you do with . . .

the sermon notes you took last Sunday?
the handouts from your ladies’ group book study at church?
the list of memory verses you’re hiding in your heart?

If you want to collect all those scattered papers and capture your insights in one place, we’re offering free printables all month to help you create your own Bible notebook.

Getting organized isn’t as difficult as you might think, and is less time-consuming in the long run than chasing down paper clutter or forgetting lessons you want to remember.

Here are 4 easy first steps:

Print this page of tabs (three blank tabs included)
Cut on the solid lines; fold on the dotted lines (makes the category visible from front and back)
Insert tabs into plastic tab dividers or tape onto a piece of paper (use only the ones you need)
Put all into a binder with loose-leaf notebook paper (or decorative paper if you’d prefer)

Then start collecting! Just by setting up the notebook, you’ve conquered one of the greatest hindrances to getting organized.

God wants us to remember and worship Him for what He’s done and is currently doing. Being organized makes that easier, as well as helps us serve others more effectively by accessing scriptures we’ve learned from.

I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.
Psalm 77:11-12

Click here to download your free printable tabs sheet.

What categories would you include in a notebook? Please leave your suggestions here.

Bible Study Notebook – Meditation Worksheet

September 11, 2012 by Kathy Howard 2 Comments

As a tea bag steeps in the tea cup, the hot water absorbs the flavor of the tea. In fact, the water becomes tea. The longer the bag stays in the water, the richer and more flavorful the water becomes.

Simply reading through or hearing a biblical passage will not affect our hearts, minds, and lives like steeping in its richness. Like the tea bag, we must immerse ourselves in God’s Word, holding onto it in our thoughts until its truth becomes a part of who we are. This process is called “biblical meditation.”

A few months ago, I wrote a post about what Christian, biblical meditation is and why and how we should meditate. Read “Meditate on God’s Word: Time to Mull, Ponder, and Steep.”

I’ve created an easy-to-use, printable worksheet to help you meditate on God’s Word. Download and print the PDF now: Bible Meditation Worksheet.

This worksheet is just one of many resources and tools we’ll be sharing this month here at Do Not Depart. Lisa’s post about making a Bible study notebook got such an overwhelming response, the DND team wants to encourage you with a month full of useful items to add to your notebook!

Let’s chat: How has God used biblical meditation to grow your relationship with Him?

“Unshakeable Faith” Introduction

September 10, 2012 by Kathy Howard 30 Comments

Our fall Bible study starts today! It’s not too late to jump in with us. This post is the Devotional version of the study intro. You can also access the Quick Study (2 page introduction lesson) of today’s lesson in a PDF. There is not a corresponding intro lesson in the book.

Christians Do Have Trials

Many Christian women I love and admire have faced or are facing significant trials like life-threatening illness, divorce, death of a child, and financial hardship. These kinds of situations would knock many people flat. But these women are standing firm on their faith in God. They’ve discovered that God works in the middle of it all for His glory. They are standing on the truth of His Word in the midst of the storm.

It’s vital for us to know what the Bible says about why God allows trials in our lives and how He uses them. Otherwise, we might be thrown off course by false teaching that claims Christians who obey God and have enough faith will experience only prosperity.

What Does the Bible Say About Trials?

Read the following passages and record what the Bible does teach about trials in the lives of believers?

John 16:33
John 15:18-20
2 Timothy 3:12
James 1:2
1 Peter 1:6

Scripture makes it clear that believers will face trials and difficulties. However, as we continue to faithfully follow God, those trials are never wasted. He uses them to refine our faith, shape our character, work out His purposes, and bring glory to Himself. And yes, God does care about every aspect of our physical well-being. But He cares even more about our eternal well-being.

Are You Ready?

Are you ready for the inevitable trials of life? You can have a faith that will stand rock-solid whatever comes your way. Over the next eight weeks we will discover eight faith traits God instilled in Peter to grow his faith from shaky to unshakeable! Our goal for this study is to allow God to do in our lives what He did in Peter’s. Are you ready?

Group discussion: What trials and difficulties have you encountered that have threatened to shake your faith in Christ? Can you see how God was working in them?

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