Fast Fact Wednesday

Good morning. .

Hope you are already being intrigued by what the apostle John is bringing to our attention through his divinely inspired writing. .

A few more items of housekeeping. .

You can expect to find posts to the blog 3 times a week. .

 

Monday will include the goal of the week through the readings. .

Wednesday will include some "extras". .

 

extra notes, sometimes extra scriptures to check out, and once in a while a visit to youtube to view a great Christian song. .

Wednesday will also be a little special. .

because it will include a "fast fact" about yourself. .

If you are doing the study online. .

just add your comment on. .

It's actually been a fun thing for the email group. .

and we've learned a lot about who each one of us really is!!

 

Fridays will include the "what have I learned this week" response time. .

I hope you choose to respond without inhibition at that time. .

It may be easier to type your response in a Word doc or even just an email draft. .

And copy and paste it into the comment section. .

If you are doing this on your own rather than publically. .

Be SURE you answer the questions for yourself in a notebook. .

I would say that the ladies that just finished this study via email. .

Learned as much as they typed their thoughts. .

just by acknowledging the answers and seeing what they wrote. .

 

So here's our food for thought for the day. .

For those of you that know me WELL. .

You will not be surprised to hear me say that my mind is BUSY. .

I don’t mean just busy from life. .

but busy. .

always working. .

ALWAYS!!

And I find it easy to get distracted. .

or find my mind has wandered. .

sometimes I don’t even realize that it had gone away. .

If you find that occurring with you as you read your bible. .

one thing that has helped me TREMENDOUSLY is to read it aloud softly to myself. .

When I can hear it and see it at the same time, my learning is usually enhanced! If you are not in the habit of reading regularly (and sometimes I think that when I am on the brink of reading something really important to ME) Satan tends to start sending monkey wrenches to me. .

phone calls, kids that get up a million times to bother, someone that didn’t turn the volume down on the computer and I heard my “got mail” ding,  interruptions, etc. .

Know it will happen. .

Expect it to happen. .

and be ready to persevere DESPITE them!!

Satan doesn't want you to spend time learning God's word. .

So HE will be strong at work to frustrate you, confuse you, and discombobulate you!!
Hang in there! 

I am also encouraging you to get a notebook handy. .
I think you will benefit greatly from that. .
In a week or so when I am encouraging you to make some lists and read the scripture looking for certain aspects within it, you will REALLY want that. .
But even as I read the first night. .
I found myself digging for one. .
and writing on it my favorite few verses. .
the ones that really hit my heart this week (that is actually our “assignment” for this week) and I will write about those later in the week, as I want you to do also. .
BUT. .
I also found myself listing a section that was titled “further study.” There are 3 passages listed on it that I just flat don’t understand. .
I will seek over the month to do some online studying. .
thru scholars, thru other translations, thru cross referencing with my study bibles. .
I encourage you to list out the areas that are just like “what????” to your mind/heart. If I feel like I get a grip on mine, I may bring those to the table. .
I also realize that only in TIME will the Spirit help my understanding. .
and if I just can’t get it. .
I won’t despair. .
I will put it off until God’s time is right.

 

I also listed a few things that I picked up through the chapter that I found just cool. .
for instance. .
John is sooo sweet!!
Note that he calls the audience he is writing to (and us ultimately)
 Little children. .
children. .
and beloved. .
He LOOOOVVVVVEEEEES those people. .
and uses their names. .
beloved. .
to show their importance to him, John. .
He is being so TENDER to them. .
How do we talk to those that we really love and really want to understand. .
or maybe those that we feel sorry for because they just aren’t getting it. .
honey, sweetie. .
sort of soft spoken, in their face with tenderness in our eyes. .
maybe a hand on their shoulder or patting their arm. .
you get my drift. .

 

And finally. .
I am praying for you all. .
and what God will reveal to you each through your commitment to study His word and apply Him in your lives. .
BUT. .
I also have been praying for ME. .
each time I begin to read the passages (and I encourage you to pray for wisdom and understanding each time you read it to). .
My prayer has been. .
God. .
Please show me how I can lead these people through your word. .
show me what YOU want pointed out and discussed. .
and would you believe (I am always a little ashamed to admit when I am surprised that He answered) that by the 2nd chapter. .
God was already putting a theme on my heart. .
that I SWEAR I hadn’t noticed the day before!!
 I’m pretty excited about that. .
But you will have to wait a few more days to hear it. .
because I DON’T want you to miss what God has for YOU. .
because you  are focused on what He was saying to ME!! I believe that the theme He was pointing out to me NEEDS to be highlighted later so you can wrestle through that with God yourself in the next few weeks!!

My point is this. .
I asked God for direction. .
He provided it. .
Don’t just read it to fulfill your daily duty. .
ask God to speak to you THRU it. .
I’ll say. .
I’ve done it both ways. .
just last week to be exact. .
It ALWAYS works out best for me when I come to God, without distractions, seeking to find. .
not just seeking to DO. .
there IS a difference. .
and I’m going to guess, that each of us will still have those days this month. .
when God speaks because our hearts are ON. .
and when we just read the same sentence 14 times because our head and our heart. .
is flat out somewhere else that moment! Don’t get discouraged. .
come back the next day ready to go. .
and if you CAN’T get yourself quieted enough to get into it. .
Ask God in EXPECTANCE that He will quiet you. .
He will, even if it is at 3 in the morning!!

 

I want you to know I am PUMPED!!
I’ll admit. .
that after having contacted some people. .
and had some commitment back. .
I had some fleeting thoughts like. .
Yikes, what have I done?? (this happened both with the email study as well as this blog study!)
 I have to tell you. .
that I learned a while ago. .
that as God puts something in my head. .
and then He is gracious enough to form the plan in my head, even if over the course of a day (as this study developed) I jump ON it. .
because if I don’t. .
I will quickly be able to completely STIFLE His voice of direction right on OUT of my head!! I have missed a LOT of opportunities over the years because I didn’t move when God said MOVE or speak when God said SPEAK!! I assure you that it was only my human fear. .
and the thoughts were truly fleeting. .
I am not scared of this. .
because God is in control of this group and where we are headed. .
and as I had my glimpse of what He is going to do in MY life through this. .
I am READY for the ride!! By now you might think that I am just plain CRAZY. .
but I hope you shortly find yourself JUST as excited as I am to dig in!!

 

I am praying for a BLESSED week to you all in His living. .
and life-giving word. .

SOOO. .
Fast fact for the day. .
With the change of seasons upon us soon. .
What is YOUR favorite season. .
And why??

I'm a fall kinda girl. .

I love the cool, crisp mornings. .

the fall colors. .

the promise of holidays. .

and sweaters!!

 

Your turn. .

GOOO!