The FLAME shall NOT consume you November 4, 2010

WOMAN OF THE WEEK: BETH MOORE!

“At the age of 18, Beth sensed God calling her to work for Him. Although she couldn’t imagine what that would mean, she made it her goal to say yes to whatever He asked. A love for the Word of God was embedded in Beth’s life when she took a Bible doctrine class at her church. Her teacher was Buddy Walters, a former college football player who taught the Scriptures with tears streaming down his cheeks. She fervently prayed for such a passion for God’s Word. It was Buddy who first taught Beth how to study the Bible. Beth founded Living Proof Ministries in 1994 with the purpose of teaching women how to love and live on God’s Word. Beth attends Houston’s First Baptist Church, where she hosts an interdenominational Tuesday-night Bible study for women in her city. Because of her burden for unity in the body of Christ, Beth counts serving women of all denominations as one of her greatest privileges in life.”

This week’s Woman of the Week is Beth Moore! Every time I hear Beth Moore speak or read something that she has written, I am inspired and amazed at the way she relates to God. She has such a passionate relationship with God and this is seen through the passionate way that she speaks to women all over the world. Here is a little bit of her biography, found on her website, Living Proof. http://www.lproof.org/

“If Jesus gives us a task or assigns us to a difficult season, every ounce of our experience is meant for our instruction and completion if only we’ll let Him finish the work. I fear, however, that we are so attention-deficit that we settle for bearable when beauty is just around the corner.”
-Beth Moore

This week’s lesson is on STRUGGLES. A Proverbs 31 Woman is surrounded by struggles every day. She has duties to fulfill for her family and her husband. She praises God in spite of them. Her days are filled with things to do, and she does them cheerfully. How do we find strength like hers? This week, we all shared our struggles with each other. We allowed our sisters to help carry our burdens. Here is what we learned:

Isaiah 43:1b-3a, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

• “Do not fear, for I have REDEEMED you…” Redeem: to purchase with the intent to set free from slavery. The term redeem was used in the past in reference to the purchase of a slave’s freedom. It is now applied to Christ’s death on a cross. If we are “redeemed,” then our prior condition was one of slavery. God has purchased our freedom, and we are no longer in bondage to sin or to the Old Testament law. We have redemption through Christ’s blood.
• “I have called you by name, you are mine…” God knows who you are. Don’t forget that He knows exactly what you are going through. He created you! You are HIS. You were bought with a price so that you never had to face life alone. You have been under His protection ever since you decided to give your life to Him.
• “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you…” God is with you throughout ANY struggle. If you are facing death in the family: God is there with you holding your hand. If you are struggling with balance: God is holding each thing in the palm of His hand. He won’t let any of them fall. He is CAPABLE. If you are unsure of your purpose: God has a road map. He knows where He is taking you. TRUST in Him. The list goes on…God is with you through the waters.
• “Through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you…” God only gives you what He KNOWS you can handle. He puts you through trials to test your faith. He will not overwhelm you.
• “When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you…” Whenever you are walking through tough times or heartache or suffering, KNOW that you will not be burned. You may have a few scars, but you will not face any pain with God protecting you. God is a SHIELD around you. You will not be consumed by your suffering. It will pass.
• “For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your SAVIOR.” Jesus is your SAVIOR. He died on the cross so that we would be able to have a relationship with Him. He doesn’t promise that we won’t go through struggles or face hardships, but He DOES promise that He will be there with us through the struggle. TRUST in His promises and His greatness. He will be there holding our hand. He will not let the waters overwhelm us or the fires consume us. He is your SAVIOR.

“My Dear Sister, your God has called you to use that mouth of yours for His great glory. Don’t just add to the noise. Become a REAL woman who opens her mouth with wisdom. God wants the Law of Kindness on your tongue and the love of Christ in your heart. Never forget: kindness is not a weakness! When you’re wearing down, head to Christ and His people and let them build you back UP. Always remember: His yoke is KIND. Make sure it’s the only yoke you wear. It’s time to go our separate ways but we’ll all meet up again at the glorious epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ. Until then, let the One who led you here lead you on with cords of kindness. Now, get out there and build a welcoming FIRE in a cold world. Live by the Law of Kindness!” -Beth Moore

Love, Caroline

Here you go Natalie

Choose Joy! October 26, 2010

WOMAN OF THE WEEK: MARY AND MARTHA!

“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her,” Luke 10:38-42.

How was Mary different from Martha? Who does Jesus say that we should be more like? Why is this? I think that sometimes it’s better if we just sit still and listen to what Jesus has to say to us. If we fill our lives with busy things and run around trying to please God instead of listening to Him first, then we will miss out on a lot. Think on this throughout this week.

This week, our lesson is on JOY!!!

I often feel like my life takes on aspects of an inflated balloon. I’m always looking forward to something such as the next break from school, or a fun event, or when Josh comes to visit, or etc. (This is when the balloon inflates). I find something exciting to look forward to and that is the driving force that pushes me forward each day. An example would be the recent Fall Break. After the event, I feel myself slowly deflating into a more neutral state. Every day is a whirlwind of activities, classes, a bite of food here and there, and I seem almost robotic.

Define JOY. What do you think it means to be truly joyful? Is Joy the same as Happiness? Proverbs 31 Women are joyful because they go about their daily activities and busy life without complaint. They accept their tasks on earth and do them joyfully.

1. JOY is a CHOICE

o  Read Philippians 1:12-20. Today’s lesson comes from Paul’s prison cell where he is talking about joy. Paul is in prison and he is rejoicing. How many of us could do that? The prison guards came to Christ because of Paul’s joy and outspokenness for Christ. If Paul could choose Joy even in prison, who’s to say that we cannot choose Joy on earth in everyday circumstances?

o   Psalm 68:3, “But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.”

Whenever I’m in a bad mood or something gets me down, I remember something that my mom always told me, “Choose Joy.” It never really occurs to me every day that joy is a choice. It seems like joy would come from a happy circumstance (great boyfriend, good grades, healthy family, multitude of friends and activities, etc.) Is happiness the same as Joy?

2.  JOY is a product of PERSPECTIVE

o  I heard Pastor Steven Furtick from Elevation say one time that “Happiness is a symptom of circumstances…JOY is a product of perspective. God is still good. I will be grateful.”

o  No matter what your day looks like, no matter what your life looks like, it is possible to find joy by changing your perspective. As Christians, we are not immune from difficulties, yet we get the opportunity to show our neighbors, co-workers, and family the joy that remains in spite of our difficult circumstances. 

o  Philippians 2:14-16, “Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you SHINE like stars in the world. It is by your holding fast to the word of life that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.”

o  ACTIVITY! This week we’re going to try something new. When you get home tonight, I want for you to find a jar or a cup. We’re going to create Ugly Jars. This week, every time you complain or argue about something, I want for you to write down what it was you were complaining about on a scrap piece of paper and place it in the jar. EVERYTIME. Next week, we will go through them and read them silently. Perhaps we will find that joy was lost in these complaints and arguments. We may find that looking back, there was nothing to complain at all about.

3. A Christian’s JOY is INDESTRUCTIBLE.

o   Pastor Furtick also said, “My joy is not determined by what happens to me, but what Christ is doing in me and through me.”

o Phil. 1 vs. 18- 21 (From The Message)

“So how am I to respond? I’ve decided that I really don’t care about their motives, whether mixed, bad, or indifferent. Every time one of them opens his mouth, Christ is proclaimed, so I just cheer them on!  And I’m going to keep that celebration going because I know how it’s going to turn out. Through your faithful prayers and the generous response of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, everything he wants to do in and through me will be done. I can hardly wait to continue on my course. I don’t expect to be embarrassed in the least. On the contrary, everything happening to me in this jail only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die. They didn’t shut me up; they gave me a pulpit! Alive, I’m Christ’s messenger; dead, I’m his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can’t lose.”

o   Since God is stronger than death, a Christian’s joy is absolutely indestructible. Paul says that whether he lives or he dies, he will be joyous. If he lives, he will live each day for the glory of God. If he dies, He will be going to join his father in Heaven.

o  I must stop looking for joy all around me, but remember that joy is within me because Jesus is in me.

Devotion for Week October 18- October 24 October 20, 2010

Hello girls! I hope you are all as excited for Fall Break as I am! As a result of Fall Break, we are not having Bible Studies this week. Therefore, I have decided to give you all a small devotion just for a little bit of spiritual encouragement. I was home in Charlotte last weekend and I had the fabulous opportunity to go to Elevation Church- a church that I absolutely adore. I always receive some sort of spiritual nourishment from Elevation; something that encourages me to think hard on a topic or reflect on myself and my actions. I always feel challenged whenever I hear one of Steven Furtick’s sermons. Sunday’s sermon (October 17^th) was on A Scarecrow in a Melon Patch. It sounds ridiculous but I gained so much from it. I took so many notes and I want to share them with you this week!

This series is about the idols in our lives and is based out of Jeremiah 10:1-6.

 

Hear what the LORD says to you, house of Israel.

This is what the LORD says:

“Do not learn the ways of the nations
or be terrified by signs in the sky,
though the nations are terrified by them.

For the practices of the peoples are worthless;
they cut a tree out of the forest,
and a skilled worker shapes it with a chisel.

They adorn it with silver and gold;
they fasten it with hammer and nails
so it will not totter.

Like a scarecrow in a melon patch,
their idols cannot speak;
they must be carried
because they cannot walk.
Do not fear them;
they can do no harm
nor can they do any good.”

No one is like you, LORD;
you are GREAT,
and your name is mighty in power.”

Reflect on this passage for a little bit. What exactly is an idol?

An idol is when I take something that is good and put it in the place of God.

This looks different for all of us.  For some, its school or our job, for others it can be acceptance, boyfriends, the pursuit of love, or materialism. What is an idol for you in your life? What do you spend the most time thinking about, working on, spending time with, etc.?

An idol is a good desire that loses its God purpose. In the passage in Jeremiah, this good object is a tree that has been turned into an idol and put in the place of God. Their idols are their scarecrows. Pastor Furtick said that a scarecrow can be used to scare of certain things and it will protect your crops for awhile, but one good tornado or hail storm, and your crops stand no chance. What are you putting your faith into? Don’t you know that God is the ONLY one who is great and the only one in whom you can place your trust?

Idols are often good things in our life that make us happy and make life worth liv­ing, that become ele­vated to a posi­tion our life where they become the only thing. Ulti­mately idols are the root of our sin­ful nature.  We must go beyond simply rec­og­niz­ing and repent­ing our idols. We must replace our idols with Jesus life in our life and focus our lives in wor­ship, in glory of the one thing we are called to trea­sure and desire most- God. Here are some questions to reflect on:

1. What am I most afraid of?
2. What are the primary things I spend my money on outside of necessities?
3. What do I long for most passionately?
4. Where do I run for comfort?
5. What do I complain about most?
6. What makes me happiest?
7. How do I explain myself to other people?
8. What has caused me to be angry with God?
9. What do I brag about?
10. What do I want to have more than anything else?
11. What do I sacrifice the most for in my life?
12. If I could change one thing about my life, what would it be?
13. Whose approval am I seeking?
14. What do I want to control/master?
15. What comfort do I treasure most?

If your answer is anything but God first, then maybe you need to rethink your priorities. I know that I did as soon as I heard this message on Sunday. It’s hard to remember that God should come first in your everyday life. Here is what Pastor Furtick said are solutions to diminishing idols in your life:

Restore God’s RIGHTFUL role in your life and put all other things in their proper place.

• All other things must be: BENEATH Jesus in Priority.

• All other things must: REVOLVE around Jesus in Practice.

• All other things must be: SMALLER than Jesus in Perspective.

“It’s not so much a process of loving things less, but about loving God MORE.”

I hope that this small devotion gave you something to think about this week! I know that it challenged my mind. I am still processing what this looks like in my life. Allow it to challenge yours by answering the questions above and really picking out the idols in your life.

Love, Caroline

The Enemy: Every Joy is Opposed October 12, 2010

WOMAN OF THE WEEK: MIRIAM!

The Woman of the Week is Miriam! Everyone knows the story of Moses and the Israelites. Yet, sometimes we forget the helping hands that led Moses to his high position. Many of the helpers were women! Moses’ mother who wove a basket and sent him down the river to keep him from being killed by the Egyptians, the daughter of Pharaoh who pitied the baby and took him in, and Miriam, Moses’ sister. Miriam means “prophetess,” which I think is very appropriate for what we discussed last week in our lesson. Miriam, along with Moses’ brother Aaron helped to lead the Israelites to the Promise Land. Read Exodus 2:1-10. The very survival of Moses depended on the courage of Miriam, even as a young girl. Read Exodus 15:21. As a young woman, Miriam led the Israelite women through the wilderness Miriam’s life was one of service and leadership. She expressed all the qualities of courage in a dangerous situation, loyalty to her family, a love of music, story-telling and dance, and intellectual questions about authority and social responsibility. Although she was constantly, like Moses, faced with the enemy, she remained strong. She never gave in to the enemies desires for herself or her people. She remains a model for women today.

Last week, we talked about Discipleship and what it means to be a disciple for God. There were three different points. First, a disciple must lose their life in order to save it. Second, a disciple has been entrusted with the truth. And last, disciples are not afraid to stand out. I loved the message and how it encouraged us to stand out as shining lights in this dark, corrupted world. However, we MUST go into this call of discipleship with all of the facts. There is a force that is going to oppose us EVERY step of the way. He is the enemy. Where there is LIGHT there is also DARK.

MEET THE ENEMY: SATAN

Define enemy. What kinds of words do you think of to describe its meaning?

“I have an enemy. I have someone in my life who personally seeks to destroy me.  He strips me of all hope. He whispers lies to me.  He attacks me so regularly that I am tempted to forget he is there.  He has been wreaking havoc on me the past few weeks.  I nearly allow him to steal everything I care about, including my faith.  All of the trials that have been put in my path are from the enemy. I have been busy placing blame on my Savior. The enemy wrecks my life and then entices me to blame my Savior.  This enemy is Satan and he is the enemy of all of us.”

• Read Revelation 12:7-17.
• We can also look to the story of Adam and Eve. (Genesis 3:1-15). How was Satan at work in this story?
• 1 Peter 5:8-9, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”

THE BATTLE

Every hardship, every hard circumstance, anything that has every gotten you down on life is the result of being opposed by something dark in this world. Jesus Christ offers LIGHT. He offers HOPE. He offers LOVE. And you can count on Him for anything. Oftentimes we lose sight of this fact. We lose sight that there is another force in this world: Satan. And as a result, we end up blaming God for our troubles instead of Satan.

• First off, you must recognize that there is a difference in the things that God is placing in your life for a reason. Some things are hard because God is training you for bigger and better things. He is equipping you for future circumstances. Other things, such as relational problems, anger, violence, etc. are the result of Satan’s work.
• Have you ever blamed God for the hardship you are facing?
• TRUTH.  Every joy is deeply opposed.  Every good and amazing thing God is doing is going to be opposed by the enemy.  The more glory that God is going to receive and the better it is for us, the more opposition we will experience.  When God is doing something truly amazing in your life, the opposition is almost unbearable.  Satan wants you to fail. You may be under fire, but the hope is in the fact that God is not the one firing upon you.  You may be under fire because an amazingly loving God is trying to pour out joy over you.  He is fighting for you just as hard as the enemy is, and the good news is that God will ALWAYS win.  You are HIS.  You are not a child of the enemy.  Every joy is deeply opposed.
• Read 2 Corinthians 4:4-11
• There is hope because where there is opposition there is JOY waiting.  Praise the Lord!  Now you can place anger and blame with whom it lies- with Satan.  You can fight for joy.  You can withstand attack and know how to fight when you know who the enemy is. So, if you are under attack and you are a child of God it is because there is an unspeakable joy waiting for you.  Fight!

THE SOLUTION: LORD, LET THERE BE MORE OF YOU AND LESS OF ME

Isaiah 53:4-5, “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our sins; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by His wounds we are healed.”

• This verse is heart breaking for me. It opens up a place in my heart that knows how little credit I give my Savior.  He took my sin and my sorrow and carried them on His shoulders straight to the cross.  It is only by His wounds that I find healing.  It is all about what He did and not about what I am feeling.  I can have peace because of His punishment.  My healing is a direct result of His death.  It is all about Him and not about me. The truth crashes in on you sometimes in a mighty way.
• The reason we sin is because of the sin brought into the world by our enemy. Why would we ever seek to hurt our Savior? What do you guys think about this verse?
• The solution to fighting Satan and becoming a disciple is recognizing that GOD is the only one who can truly defeat Him.

1. Make sure your relationship with God is so strong that you can fight off any force together. Have a friendship with Him. Pray as easily as you breathe. Honor and respect Him. Have a STRONG relationship.

2. You are not perfect. You alone cannot fight off Satan. He has dominion over many parts of the earth. We are not immune to his power. Our sin is the result of his work.

3. God is the only one with the ability to fight Satan off. We alone cannot. Therefore the solution is to have MORE of God, and LESS of ourselves. We must include God into our lives so fully and completely so that He lives inside of us. In this, we will become strong disciples, women of God with the power to fight off our enemy who seeks to destroy our good works. Proverbs 31 Woman know that they are women of GOD. And they live each day for Him, continually fighting the enemy off with Christ’s power.

Love, Caroline

Prayer Brunch! (Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker, Melissa Taylor) October 12, 2010

Sunday, October 10th.

Hey girls!! Here are a few notes that I took during the Prayer Brunch on Sunday! Thank you to everyone who came out to hear Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker, Melissa Taylor!! She was absolutely wonderful and I think we all needed to hear what she had to say! So inspirational!

Steps to Becoming a Godly Woman!

1. There is always going to be trouble- TRUST God anyway.

• John 16: 33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
• You WILL have trouble. But God is BIGGER!
• “Life is Okay, God is GOOD.”
• John 14: 1, 27, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
• God sees the BIG picture. Throughout each trial, PEACE is possible!
• Psalm 55:22, “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.”

2.  Defining Yourself

• Proverbs 31- defined by who she IS. Not once is her appearance mentioned. A woman who FEARS the Lord. This means that she honors and respects her Lord.
• “Life is Okay, God is GOOD.”
  
• Don’t be afraid to discover who you truly are in college. You can be many things. Don’t let anyone ever tell you who to be. Discover who you are and what you deserve and don’t settle for anything less.
• More than anything, you are a child of God. You have access to the King’s power and glory. Don’t be afraid to do something with that!

If you want to check out Melissa’s blog page, go to:

http://melissataylor.org/

And Proverbs 31 Ministries is:

http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/

The LOST Get FOUND: Discipleship October 2, 2010

LESSON 5:

WOMAN OF THE WEEK: Britt Nicole!

“It’s about stepping out and being who God has called you to be and not being afraid of that,” states Britt.  “I believe when we look different and carry something different, people are going to see that and want it too.  They are going to see the love of Christ in us and they’ll desire that.  I believe people will come to know God if we as Christians will just do that.”

“As I was driving home from the conference, everywhere I would stop, whether at a gas station or a restaurant, God was challenging me to step out and tell people about Him and His love for them.  There are so many hurting and broken people around us each day and God was showing me the importance of reaching out to them just as He would.  In the past, I have often let the fear of people and their opinions stop me from being who I am.  At the core though, I know who I am and who God has called me to be.  In letting go of my past, I was able to move forward, and instead of focusing on all my mistakes and failures, I started focusing on those around me.  That’s ultimately why I’m here, to worship God and to reach those who need to know Him.”

I saw Britt Nicole perform at the Revolve tour for women a few years ago. She is a really young Christian artist and a lot of her songs are about discipleship and her desire for seeing God’s love touch people all over the world. Her courage and her devotion to see God at work in the lives of others really inspired me. She is definitely not afraid to stand out and tell others about Jesus Christ. Britt Nicole is our woman of the week because of her daring faith. She dares to talk to ANYONE about Jesus. Complete strangers come to Christ because of her. This week, we will talk about what it takes to be a disciple and what we can do to help the Lost get Found.

Our lesson this week is on DISCIPLESHIP. We will discuss what it means to be a disciple for Christ. A fisher of men. As believers, we are called to be disciples for Christ. A Proverbs 31 Woman recognizes that it is her duty to spread the love of God and be an example for others in this world. She has a kind heart, opens her arms to the forgotten, and for this she is praised. She is a true imitator of God’s abounding love. What do you think it means to be a disciple? Three points about discipleship:

1. DISCIPLES LOSE THEIR LIFE IN ORDER TO SAVE IT. This isn’t about you. This is all about God. We were placed on this earth so that we could be witnesses for others. As soon as we commit our lives to God, we are His. He is free to use us in any way, shape, or form. Luke 9:23-26
2. DISCIPLES HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH THE TRUTH. Paul describes to us in 1 Thessalonians what it means for him to be a disciple for Christ. After he was saved, he devoted his entire life to spreading the word of God. 1 Thessalonians 2:4, “But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts.” We have been specifically approved by God to be entrusted with his word. He has called us to be disciples for him. We are so lucky to be FOUND and not still LOST and SEARCHING. We are so blessed to already have security in that we are saved now. Therefore, we must make it our life mission to lead others to Christ.
3. DISCIPLES ARE NOT AFRAID TO STAND OUT- you could change the world. It’s so scary being one of the few! These days, saying that you’re a Christian can mean so many things. It can mean that you go to church every Sunday, that you look down on nonbelievers, that you sometimes look like a hypocrite, etc. We are not perfect! However, we worship someone who is: Jesus Christ. You should be PROUD of that. Somewhere, somebody needs a reason to believe. You can give them that! If you had the cure for cancer, would you keep it a secret and not tell anyone? OR would you tell anyone who would listen to you?? It’s the same with discipleship. You have the CURE for sin. You have the HOPE for eternal life. You have the PROMISE of salvation. Don’t you want to share that with the entire world? This is God’s plan for us all along. You don’t have to be a singer like Britt Nicole. A teacher, a business manager, a psychologist, a communication major, etc. has the power to make a difference in this world. God can use you! John 16:33, “I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!”

“She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy… Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” Proverbs 31:20, 31

Love, Caroline

This City is Yours- Elevation Worship

This city, Lord, it is yours

So break our hearts, break our hearts
For the people who are far from you
Break our hearts

Teach us to love, the way you loved us
Send us out, send us out
Pour out your fire, and flow through our lives
Send us out, send us out

The heart in my chest, it is beating so fast
I can hardly contain all the hope in my veins
As I see you alive in this city arise
Like the sun shining bright
We see darkness and night run from our lives

This city, Lord, it is yours

Teach us to love, the way you loved us
Send us out, send us out
Pour out your fire, and flow through our lives
Send us out, send us out
We’ll take to the streets with fire in our hearts
Send us out, send us out

1st Joint Bible Study with XAO! October 2, 2010

God First, Relationship Second

Girls, I am so thrilled that the first Joint Bible Study with XAO was a success! Troy and I are so excited to see God at work through the sorority and the fraternity. It was so nice to have the opportunity to discuss relationships with each other this week! I hope that each and every one of you will make the effort to come to the Joint Bible Studies. They are so important and I really love growing together with the guys. They will tentatively be the last Wednesday of every month. But this is open to change. Here are a few notes from Wednesday night in case you weren’t able to be there!!

GOD FIRST.

Whether you know it or not, your first love was Jesus Christ. God loved you so much to send His son to die for your sins and for my sins. He loved us so much that He allowed His perfect son to take on the pain and sins of the world even though we didn’t deserve it. And now He loves us enough to forgive us time and time again whenever we mess up or choose to ignore Him. Jesus Christ is our first love. Let’s examine what exactly love is as seen through the scripture:

• “You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, and with all of your soul, and with all of your mind, and with all of your strength.” Mark 12:30-31.
• “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
• “God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins…We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:9-10, 19

Did you know that your deepest longing is to be caught up in a relationship with God?

• “This longing is the most powerful part of our personality. It fuels our search for meaning, for wholeness, for a sense of being truly alive. However we describe this deep desire, it is the most important thing about us, our heart of hearts, the passion of our lives.” –Devotions For Dating Couples

No human relationship or material possession can satisfy us the way that God can. God was our first love. He continues to love us each day without fail. We are called by Him to love Him with every part of us. With our heart, our soul, our minds, and through our actions. Love starts with God. He is the initiator and the only way we can truly love is to receive His love first (we love because He first loved us). When you establish that God is your first priority, your primary focus, your first love, then you are in the best position to love someone else. God first.

GOD FIRST- MEETING THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE.

This lesson is not meant to show you what you are doing wrong in your current relationship. It is not meant to make you feel bad if you are not in a relationship. And it is not meant to force you to begin looking for a Christian relationship. It is simply telling you what to LOOK FOR in a relationship. A few things you should know:

• “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” Psalm 139:13-14
  • RESPECT YOURSELF. You must know how valuable you are in a world like today. Strong Christian men and women of God are hard to find.
• “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.
  • Never LOWER your standards to meet the standards of someone else.

GOD FIRST- GOD IS JEALOUS FOR YOUR LOVE.

When you enter into a relationship with someone else, make sure you realize that you are ALREADY in a relationship with someone. That someone is God. One should not replace the other. But you must include both in your life. Your spiritual life should intersect and merge with your social life. A boyfriend/ girlfriend can quickly become a type of idol.

• “Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” Deuteronomy 4:23-24

The God we worship is jealous. He is jealous for our attention. He is jealous for our devotion. And He is jealous for our love. Do not forget Him and His devotion to you in your devotion to someone else.

We also talked about how Passion 2011 is coming up in January and if ya’ll would want to get a group together to go, please come talk to either Troy or myself!

Love, Caroline

Here’s the 2011 Passion Promo Video:

Refuge in the Shadow of Your Wings: finding PURPOSE September 28, 2010

LESSON 4:

WOMAN OF THE WEEK: ELIZABETH!

“This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favorably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people,” Luke 1:25

Elizabeth is our fourth woman of the week! Elizabeth, friend of Mary of Nazareth, gave up hoping for a child. She was past menopause, and her husband was elderly. Yet she conceived, and became the mother of the man called John the Baptist. Events in her life echo several similar stories in the Old Testament, where God’s power is shown through a woman.  Read through Luke Chp. 1 to hear her story! Elizabeth was old in age and had never conceived a child, something that had caused her to be looked down upon by her neighbors. However, God chose her to not conceive previously so that his glory could be seen through her. Perhaps she remained barren because He had a BIGGER plan for her all along. We must learn to be like Elizabeth: Striving to be patient and rejoicing when God reveals another step in His plan for us. We must recognize that God’s purpose for us may not always be clear at first, but it will be revealed soon enough, even bigger than anything we could have imagined.

This week, our Bible Study is about finding purpose in life. Proverbs 31 Women recognize that God has a purpose for their lives. They continue on with their daily activities and do not worry, trusting that God will lead them. Read through Psalm 57 this week and learn how David felt when he was running away from his problems and called out to God for help. Can you relate?

(The Message) Psalm 57: When David Hid in a Cave from Saul

^1-3 Be good to me, God—and now! I’ve run to you for dear life.
I’m hiding out under your wings
until the hurricane blows over.
I call out to High God,
the God who holds me together.
He sends orders from heaven and saves me,
he humiliates those who kick me around.
God delivers generous love,
he makes good on his word.

⁴ I find myself in a pride of lions
who are wild for a taste of human flesh;
Their teeth are lances and arrows,
their tongues are sharp daggers.
⁵ Soar high in the skies, O God!
Cover the whole earth with your glory!

⁶ They booby-trapped my path;
I thought I was dead and done for.
They dug a mantrap to catch me,
and fell in headlong themselves.

^7-8 I’m ready, God, so ready,
ready from head to toe,
Ready to sing, ready to raise a tune:
“Wake up, soul!
Wake up, harp! wake up, lute!
Wake up, you sleepyhead sun!”

^9-10 I’m thanking you, God, out loud in the streets,
singing your praises in town and country.
The deeper your love, the higher it goes;
every cloud is a flag to your faithfulness.
¹¹ Soar high in the skies, O God!
Cover the whole earth with your glory!

1. Learn to have child-like faith! Remember when you were a child, you never asked your parents where they were taking you. If you were on your way to school, you just trusted that when they told you to get in the car, somehow you would end up at school. You probably didn’t even know how to get to the school until you grew up! It’s the same way with God. Trust that He will not lead you astray. He knows exactly where He’s taking you!
2. Know how to locate your Heavenly Father even in the darkest corners and situations in life. (Go back to lesson 3 last week. PRAYER is your Highest appeal, not your last resort).
3. God may take you a strange route…but TRUST in His greatness. Place your confidence in Him.

A Proverbs 31 woman knows that, through the stress, God still has a purpose for her life. She trusts that God will protect her in ALL circumstances and will never leave her side.

Proverbs 31:25 says, “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” How many of us can do that?

Love, Caroline

The Power of PRAYER September 17, 2010

LESSON 3:

WOMAN OF THE WEEK: MARY!!

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked with favor on the lowliness of His servant…” Luke 1:46-48

Mary is our third woman of the week! We all know the story of Mary of Nazareth, the mother of Jesus. However, if you would like to get a head start on reading through her story, go ahead and read Luke Chapter 1.  Mary was a young girl and a virgin when the angel Gabriel came to tell her that she would conceive a child. Her faith in Jesus was not a product of her actions. It was a gift. Mary received the greatest honor God could give:  He chose her to be the mother of His son. Mary was probably a teenager at the time and she had done nothing to deserve such a gift. Her strong faith is seen through her response. “Here am I, the servant of the Lord, let it be with me according to your word.” She said yes to God’s plan to take over her entire life without any hesitation whatsoever. She endured the gossip of her neighbors, the threat of King Herod’s plot to kill Jesus, raising a child that was more powerful than anything she could imagine, and finally, she watched her son die on the cross. How many of us have that kind of faith?

“When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered was shaken…”

Our lesson this week is on the power of PRAYER. This lesson is one that was preached to ME over Christmas Break last year. I was really moved by what I heard and I took at least three pages of notes to keep in my Bible in Acts Chapter 4. I’ve decided to use it as one of my lessons on Proverbs 31! I want to teach you anything that I know that I think will benefit you. I hope you get as much out of it as I did. The lesson is on “How to build a powerful case before God” and it concerns Acts 4. If you would like to read ahead, please read through Acts Chapter 4 this week.

In Acts 4, while Peter and John were preaching to the Jews, the Sadducees came to where they were teaching and arrested them for claiming that Jesus had resurrected from the dead. Peter and John appeared before the high officials the next day and stood their ground. “’There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.’ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus,” Acts 4:12-13. After Peter and John were released from custody, they came back to the church of believers. The church of believers immediately began to pray. Without giving too much away, I want to tell you that you will learn 5 important facts about praying this week. Not only praying, but praying with power. God is pleased when you participate in His purpose. This happens when you pray. You are interacting with God in a way that is intimate and reflective of your relationship with Jesus.

“She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue,” Proverbs 31:26.

Love, Caroline

Bible Study on the Parkway! September 16, 2010

I have to say that my favorite part of Recruitment week is the Bible study on the Parkway!! These are a few reasons why tonight was so great:

• We all got to sit in a circle and study God’s word in a beautiful setting.
• We watched the sunset.
• We all shared each of our spiritual gifts.
• We got to know each other better.
• We read Proverbs 31.
• We shared many laughs!
• We took a group picture.
• We had ice cream afterwards

I am so excited to welcome new girls into Sigma Alpha Omega! It is such a blessing to have so many girls who want to be a part of a sisterhood that loves God more than anything in the world. I hope that each and every one of you bring your special gift into SAO with a willing spirit. You are all so special in your own unique way!

^“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you should, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has given to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We each have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;  if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

- Romans 12:3-8

Also girls, I attend Elevation church in Charlotte sometimes and this video on their website has given me a lot of encouragement and inspiration this week. I just want to share it with ya’ll!

http://www.elevationchurch.org/worship