Psalm of the Week - Psalm 40:9 -11 - Week of 30 June, 2014

9I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;

I do not seal my lips, Lord,

as you know.

10I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;

I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.

I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness

from the great assembly.

11Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;

may your love and faithfulness always protect me.

Personal Application

Lord, help me to proclaim your saving acts to people. Help me to not seal my lips about you Lord. I do not want to hide your righteousness in my heart. Help me to speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. I do not want to conceal your love and your faithfulness from people. Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord. I pray that your love and faithfulness will always protect me. 

Amen.

God's Purpose For You - Week 2

The video links are no longer working. The video playlist has been deleted from YouTube. 

Sallee's Notes

• Purpose - original Greek word for purpose was boule.
• Definition of boule: will, project, intention, deliberation, reflection.
• The thought process of God for your life includes deliberation and reflection.
• God thinks about YOU.
• We have this stronghold of insignificance that isn't true.
• Beth's testimony of an incident that happened at the airport restroom.
• Am I invisible or something?
• Is anyone there?
• Does God even know I am alive?
• Does God see me?
• Do I stick out to him?

Jeremiah 29:11-14
11For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14And I will be found of you, saith the LORD...

God has thought it through.
Deliberation and reflection are shown in Jeremiah 29:11-14 KJV.

• "I think thoughts toward you," 
• The word "think" is used elsewhere in the bible for artistic work.
• In other words, God has a plan for you and it is artistic.
• Your God is not boring! 
• He will take you on the wildest ride of your life!
• His plan is for you is in color, not black and white
• He thinks in colors that are outside of the "crayon" box of 66 colors.

Stranger by Anthem Lights *Lyrics*

I love this song! It reminds me that I am in the world, but not of the world and waiting for Jesus to come back.

Lyrics
Somewhere between where I started and right now
You caught my eye
Now all I can see
Is the distance that remains between You and I

In a land of settling
I can't seem to settle in

I am a stranger in this world, just passing through
Waiting on the Son to come down
Waiting on the Son to come down
I know that I will be on my way real soon
Waiting on the Son to come down
I won't be home 'til I'm with You
I won't be home 'til I'm with You, with You, with You

I don't belong
I speak the language but still I can't understand
What's going on
So I'm running to You just as fast as I can

Don't wanna settle in
This place is not my home

I am a stranger in this world, just passing through
Waiting on the Son to come down
Waiting on the Son to come down
I know that I will be on my way real soon
Waiting on the Son to come down
I won't be home 'til I'm with You

Gonna keep my eyes
Looking to the sky for You
The Son is on His way
And I wanna be ready
And I won't forget
I'm not home 'til I'm with You
The Son is on His way

I am a stranger in this world, just passing through
Waiting on the Son to come down
Waiting on the Son to come down
I know that I will be on my way real soon
Waiting on the Son to come down
I won't be home 'til I'm with You

I am a stranger in this world, just passing through
Waiting on the Son to come down
Waiting on the Son to come down
I know that I will be on my way real soon
Waiting on the Son to come down
I won't be home 'til I'm with You

I am a stranger, stranger
I won't be home 'til I'm with You
I am a stranger, stranger
I won't be home 'til I'm with You

I am a stranger, a stranger
I am a stranger, a stranger 
I am a stranger, a stranger 
I am a stranger, a stranger 
I am a stranger, a stranger 
I am a stranger, a stranger 
I am a stranger, a stranger 
I am a stranger, a stranger

John 15:18-19
18"If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19"If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.

2 Corinthians 4:14
14knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. 

Phillipians 1:6
 6For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. 

Grains of Truth - Number 8

 It’s time to shuck off the worry, the what if’s, the why’s and the sorrows. Not only does this magnificent, ever present, inspiring God got the whole world in His hands, He has you in His hands!

Rebekah Beene

Psalm of the Week - Psalm 40:5-8 - Week of 23 June, 2014

5Many, Lord my God,are the wonders you have done,

the things you planned for us.

None can compare with you;

were I to speak and tell of your deeds,

they would be too many to declare.

6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—

but my ears you have opened —

burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.

7Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—

it is written about me in the scroll.

8I desire to do your will, my God;

your law is within my heart.”

Personal Application

Lord my God, many are the wonders you have done. Many are the things you planned for me. None can compare to you, Lord. Your deeds are too many to tell. 

You have opened my ears and did not require sacrifices or offerings from me. 

Lord, Here I am! I am here!

 I desire to your will Lord. Your word is within my heart.

And Jesus Said

"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.

John 4:34

God's Purpose For You - Week 1

The video links are no longer working. The video playlist has been deleted from YouTube. 

Sallee's Notes

• What season are you in now? 
• What has your life been like for the last couple of weeks?

6 weeks in Beth's Life

• Beth shares about losing her mentor of 24 years and how her mentor helped her.
• Beth shares about gaining her first grandchild and the impact on her life.
• The stress of waiting for the results of medical testing.

• God will speak to all of our needs.
• God's timing is perfect.
• God will manipulate bible lessons to speak directly to your problem.
• God will speak straight into your experience.
• Don't disconnect Him from real living.

The Word Generation in the Bible

Acts 13:36

36“Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed. NIV

36For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption KJV

• David served God's purpose in his own generation.
• God has a purpose for you in this exact generation.
• Put yourself in this verse. Substitute your name for David's name.
• "Now when Sallee had served God's purpose in her own generation, she fell asleep, ..."
• David was flesh and blood, just like us.

God's Purpose for You in Your Own Generation - It is Highly Personal

• What God has planned for you is highly personal for you.
• He plans just for you!
• Individuals like you and I have a purpose in God's world. AND it is highly personal.

Who’s Your Road Captain?

Who’s Your Road Captain?   Love this article! Jesus from the biker point of view.

Psalm of the Week - Psalm 40:1-3 - Week of 16 June, 2014

This scripture is one of my favorites.
 I can identify with how David felt. I was trapped in a pit of my own making. However, a pit can be from distress, grief, a spiritual trap, addictions, or a term for the grave. 

.  

In last week's Psalm of the Week, Psalm 37:7 also said, "Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him;" 

Patience is hard to have sometimes, but the Lord will act in his time. I know he hears me, but he will act in his time, not mine. 

Bible commentaries believe that David was also speaking from a spirit of prophecy about Christ. Verse 2 applies to Christ on the cross

Personal Prayer Application

Lord, I waited patiently for you and you turned to me and heard my cry. You lifted me out of the slimy pit I was in. You lifted me out of the mud and mire. You set my feet on a rock so I would have a firm place to stand, Lord, you put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to you. Many will see and be in awe of you and put their trust in you. 

Amen.

Beth Moore video,  Get Out of That Pit ! 

This is a great video. A friend, Teresa, gave me Beth's book, Get Out of That Pit! when I was dealing with a broken promise and a broken heart. I kept asking myself," How did I get into this situation?" This bible study showed me how I had slipped over the lip of a pit and fallen to the bottom of it. 

Grains of Truth - Number 7

"God will take you on the wildest ride of your life!"

Beth Moore in "God's Purpose For You" video

The Captivity of Activity - Conclusion

Sallee's Notes

Nanny's house testimony - continued from last week

• Beth's mother choreographed her own flower garden
• Michael wanted to pick all the flowers
• Morning routine at Nanny's house is for one of the grand kids to pick a bouquet of flowers.
• Nanny asked Michael if he could pick one and Beth didn't think he could.
• Michael assured Beth that he could BUT he didn't want her to watch.
• Beth asked why and he said, "Because I want to pick it for YOU." 
• Beth and Nanny went inside and trusted Michael.
• He picked a 7 foot, prize sunflower.
• He knew he only had one trip in the flower garden, so he went for the gold.

Mary chose the sunflower and nobody can take that from her.

• What are you going to do? 
• Time is going fast.
• What's is going to be? You have a new choice to make every day. No matter what you chose yesterday, Today you have a new choice to make. 
• Choose what cannot be taken from you.

Prayer

Lord I love your word. It speaks to us right where we are. At Mary and Martha's, in one or the other, somehow wrapped up in one complicated person. Father you have given us the gift of choice. And Father I have to say that I have not always chosen well, but I have a new day. A new chance so choose and I want to choose you. We bless you and we love you. Come and do what you do. And bring peace to our hearts and minds. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.

The Captivity of Activity - Week 7

Sallee's Notes

Philippians 4:6-7 
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

•  Prescription for our stress - pray about everything (Philippians 4:6)
• Prayer will affect everything - God tells us to pray about everything to gain the result of peace. (Philippians 4:7)
• Prayer for anxiety issues will bring us God's peace. Tell him everything. 
• Control issues are connected to our pride
• Pray about every part of your anxiety

Psalm 62:8
8 Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

Luke 10:40-41
40 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!”


41“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42but few things are needed—or indeed only one.f Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Point 3 -  At any given time God gives us the right to choose.

• No matter what age we are, we can begin to change one choice at a time
• One choice at a time choose what is best - give it to GOD
• We cannot do a thousand things to the glory of God
• We are losing excellence because we are doing too many things and none of them well
• We can chose the one thing that is absolutely necessary that cannot be taken from us
• Only God can fix it - Only GOD
• Testimony from Beth  - continued on next video

 I'm working hard to change my behavior, one choice at a time.

My anxiety tends to be about finances. If I can't control my finances, I feel like I am failing. God is giving me everything I need. Clothing, food, travel money, everything. EGO as an acronym - Edging God Out. Pride is ego. I love the Lord and I do not want to be edging him out of my life. I want his peace. I want my heart and mind to be guarded, in Christ Jesus. Prayer fills my life, but I still tend to talk to other people about my anxiety, instead of God. 

Psalm of the Week - Psalm 37:1-9 - Week of June 9, 2013

1 Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

Personal Prayer

Father God, do not let me fret or be envious of those who do evil, or are wrong doers. I know that they will wither like the grass, or die away like green plants. I trust you Lord and will do good. I am enjoying the safe pasture that you have given me as I dwell in the land. You are my delight. I know you will give me the desires of my heart because you are my joy and my delight. I am committed to your way and trust you to make my righteous reward and vindication shine like the dawn, or the noonday sun. I am quiet and still before you Lord. I am waiting patiently. Help me to not fret when people succeed in their way and carry out their wicked schemes. Help me to refrain from anger, wrath and fretting because it will only lead to evil. I do not want to do evil because I know that those who are evil will be destroyed by you. Father, my hope is in you. I believe I will inherit the land because your scripture says so. 

Spoken by the Lord to my Heart

Daughter, I love you. You are my beloved. Shelter in me and I will protect you. Grow and increase your knowledge of my ways so that your growth will testify to my glory. Continue to serve me in all your ways and I will prosper you. The desires of your heart will be fulfilled because of your faithfulness. The workers are few. Continue to serve me and increase the harvest.

The Captivity of Activity - Week 6

Sallee's Notes

• Control freaks - Are you a control freak?
• We feel at peace when we have a tight hold on things
• The lie - I want to control it for God. What I want to happen is what God would want to happen.
•  He wants to take control and I will be the glove through which he puts his hand.

Luke 10:41

41“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 

• Key words - worried and upset, or anxious care

1 Peter 5:6-7

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

• Key word anxiety, or worried
• Cast - to throw
• The faster we throw our anxiety the better.
• Anxiety causes physical ills.
• We never had any control even though we are positive God needs our help

Isaiah 6; Ezekiel 1; Revelation 4 all say,"one sits upon the throne..." and it is NOT us.

Philippians 4:6-7

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 

7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

• there's our word - anxious
• this is our prescription
• everything can be affected by prayer
• prayer is the prescription of anxious driven care
• the kind of prayer that says you are God and I can't do this.
• whole heartedly give everything to God

1 Peter 5:6-7

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 

7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

• Humbling yourself
• Control issues are pride
• Pour out your anxieties to him.
• Talk to HIM. Tell him your concerns.
• Psalm 62 says, "He is a refuge for you."