Been a While

I know it has been a while. I am still slowly reading...just no time to post.

I am in Chapter 5 and still reading about meekness. There is a lot that Kay discusses about meekness in this book. I think she moves on in the next chapter to learning about Righteousness. Yea. I am looking forward to it.

Chapter 4, Day 2

"Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth." Matt 5:5

As I have posted before, this study is taking us through the Sermon on the Mount. In this chapter we are learning about being "gentle". "Meek" or "Meekness" is often translated "Gentle" or "Gentleness". Meekness is one of those words in the Bible that I have always heard and thought that I understood but never really took the time to go "deeper" and study...until now.

What a great first day of study and reading so far, learning more about meekness. Here is a quick summary with what Kay describes as meekness:

"Meekness speaks of a submissive and trusting attitude towards God. It is an attitude which accepts all of God's ways with us as good. It does not murmur or dispute. It neither rebels nor retaliates. It realizes that what comes to us from the hand of man has been permitted by God's sovereignty, has been filtered through His fingers of love, and will be used by God for His glory and our ultimate good. ... Meekness looks beyond circumstances - no matter how upsetting and hurtful - and bows the knee to the sovereign God."

A New Look!

I've been itching to update this blog's look for awhile now so this weekend, I devoted my time to it! I am hoping this new look will inspire me to really get committed to reading our devotional! Amy's on Week 2 and I am barely on day 2!! So I need to get caught up!!

Disclaimer: This blog's look reflects me and my personality! Amy's not a pink girly girl! Sorry Ames!! I promise next time to make it look more like you! (You know I'll be changing it up soon!! I can't seem to help myselft!!)

Getting Ready to start week 2

Yep, I finally finished week 1. It was some really good stuff.

Come on Jen. Keep reading with me.

Week one covered the background and understanding the Sermon on the Mount. Here are few of my "highlights" (literally...yellow highlights to be specific) :)

*Righteousness is an absolute necessity for those who are going to enter the kingdom of heaven. "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." Matt 5:20

* "We live in a time when many who claim to know Christ undermine the Gospel by short-circuiting the radical implications of a life of discipleship as set forth by Jesus the Christ. " (a statement by Robert Guelich used by Kay Arthur)

*True Christianity is Discipleship

*The Sermon on the Mount is a teaching given by Jesus Himself on the new relationship with Him that is ours through the New Covenant.

*More to come: learning about the Character, Conflict and Conduct that comes with a relationship with Him.

It's been TOO Long!!

I am embarrassed it's been so long since I last posted on this blog! The reason why I am embarrassed is because I haven't gotten very far in the study my sister and I had started! Yesterday she emailed me to let me know she has gotten a little further in our study and to remind me to keep reading! So this weekend I am going to make it a priority to start reading our devotional study! I really feel the need to draw closer to the Lord and think this is best way to spend time with Him!

Hope everyone is having a great Saturday!!

Blessings,

Jen

The Sermon on the Mount

In starting this study, the first thing to do is to read "The Sermon on the Mount", Matthew 5-7. In this sermon are the beatitudes as well as what Jesus tells us belonging to the Kingdom would mean in our daily lives, the changes that will come and the price we will have to pay in making those changes.

There is so much to learn in these 3 short chapters. I can see how it will take 9 weeks (the time line for this study) to work through it all.

New Year Resolution

I figured this would be the appropriate place to post my new year resolution being that it is to "finally start and work through our (Jen and I) Bible study together". This resolution, if you will, is the physical act of what I truly hope for and desire as my new year resolution, and that is to draw closer to God. The study is from a book, Lord, Only You Can Change Me, that will take us through growing in our character through studying the scriptures on the Beatitudes.

I am looking forward to reading and studying each day. I will say, as far as posting and writing about what I learn is actually going to be more difficult for me then studying the text and scripture. I am not the best writer and it makes things even harder for me when I have to write about personal feelings and experiences.

Anyways...here's to a new start! Are you ready too, Jen?