Well, we’ve made it to week eleven of our current study of the book of Daniel. We’re coming up on our LAST week of homework - I can’t believe it!
On page 205 of our homework this past week, Beth shared the following thoughts: “Beloved, I don’t just take God at His word because people to me to. God didn’t give us a brain so we’d be ridiculously gullible. God said, “Come now, let us reason together” (Isa. 1:18, emphasis mine). Reasonable people can believe God and take Him at His Word because God has proved believable. Yes, we walk by faith, but we stand on fact... We believe because God has proved Himself believable.” She then asked us to give the following question (which is our discussion question of the week) some thought:
What would you consider to be the key to your own personal trust in God?
I don’t think I’m alone in admitting that I sometimes struggle with doubts. But for me, at the end of the day, the key to my own personal trust in God can be summarized best by Joshua 23:14, “you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed.” What I know is this: I only live, I am only truly living, when I live my life to bring God glory, when I walk according to His ways. In every way that He has directed me in my life, God has never (not once) given me bad advice, wrong directions, or set me on a bad course. Whenever I have set my heart to do His will, I have walked the path of life. Psalm 119: 92-93 puts it this way, “Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them You have given me life.” He gives me life. Not just eternal life, but abundant life. Just like He promised He would (John 10:10). He keeps His promises. And, for me, that’s the key.
This week, we’ll be watching video session eleven, entitled, “Kings in Succession.” Below is the link for video session 11. The corresponding viewer guide is on pages 212 and 213 of your workbook.
http://www.lifeway.com/product/005035491/?cs=1
Please post any comments and/or prayer requests at any point throughout the week. We will all enjoy and benefit from hearing what you’ve been learning, and it is truly our privilege to lift one another up in prayer.
Do your homework, and don’t forget your commitment to LEARN!
Your friend, Amy
Friday, June 25, 2010
Session 11 - Daniel
Well, we’ve made it to week eleven of our current study of the book of Daniel. We’re coming up on our LAST week of homework - I can’t believe it!
On page 205 of our homework this past week, Beth shared the following thoughts: “Beloved, I don’t just take God at His word because people to me to. God didn’t give us a brain so we’d be ridiculously gullible. God said, “Come now, let us reason together” (Isa. 1:18, emphasis mine). Reasonable people can believe God and take Him at His Word because God has proved believable. Yes, we walk by faith, but we stand on fact... We believe because God has proved Himself believable.” She then asked us to give the following question (which is our discussion question of the week) some thought:
What would you consider to be the key to your own personal trust in God?
I don’t think I’m alone in admitting that I sometimes struggle with doubts. But for me, at the end of the day, the key to my own personal trust in God can be summarized best by Joshua 23:14, “you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed.” What I know is this: I only live, I am only truly living, when I live my life to bring God glory, when I walk according to His ways. In every way that He has directed me in my life, God has never (not once) given me bad advice, wrong directions, or set me on a bad course. Whenever I have set my heart to do His will, I have walked the path of life. Psalm 119: 92-93 puts it this way, “Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them You have given me life.” He gives me life. Not just eternal life, but abundant life. Just like He promised He would (John 10:10). He keeps His promises. And, for me, that’s the key.
This week, we’ll be watching video session eleven, entitled, “Kings in Succession.” Below is the link for video session 11. The corresponding viewer guide is on pages 212 and 213 of your workbook.
http://www.lifeway.com/product/005035491/?cs=1
Please post any comments and/or prayer requests at any point throughout the week. We will all enjoy and benefit from hearing what you’ve been learning, and it is truly our privilege to lift one another up in prayer.
Do your homework, and don’t forget your commitment to LEARN!
Your friend, Amy
On page 205 of our homework this past week, Beth shared the following thoughts: “Beloved, I don’t just take God at His word because people to me to. God didn’t give us a brain so we’d be ridiculously gullible. God said, “Come now, let us reason together” (Isa. 1:18, emphasis mine). Reasonable people can believe God and take Him at His Word because God has proved believable. Yes, we walk by faith, but we stand on fact... We believe because God has proved Himself believable.” She then asked us to give the following question (which is our discussion question of the week) some thought:
What would you consider to be the key to your own personal trust in God?
I don’t think I’m alone in admitting that I sometimes struggle with doubts. But for me, at the end of the day, the key to my own personal trust in God can be summarized best by Joshua 23:14, “you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed.” What I know is this: I only live, I am only truly living, when I live my life to bring God glory, when I walk according to His ways. In every way that He has directed me in my life, God has never (not once) given me bad advice, wrong directions, or set me on a bad course. Whenever I have set my heart to do His will, I have walked the path of life. Psalm 119: 92-93 puts it this way, “Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them You have given me life.” He gives me life. Not just eternal life, but abundant life. Just like He promised He would (John 10:10). He keeps His promises. And, for me, that’s the key.
This week, we’ll be watching video session eleven, entitled, “Kings in Succession.” Below is the link for video session 11. The corresponding viewer guide is on pages 212 and 213 of your workbook.
http://www.lifeway.com/product/005035491/?cs=1
Please post any comments and/or prayer requests at any point throughout the week. We will all enjoy and benefit from hearing what you’ve been learning, and it is truly our privilege to lift one another up in prayer.
Do your homework, and don’t forget your commitment to LEARN!
Your friend, Amy
Friday, June 18, 2010
Session 10 - Daniel
It is week TEN of our current study on Daniel. Time certainly flies, doesn’t it? It seems like just yesterday that we started this study. Now, we only have two weeks left. Let’s finish these last two weeks strong, shall we?
This past week, the major focus of our homework was Bible study and prayer. Indeed, we learned that reading the Bible should prompt us to act, and our actions should include prayer. According to Daniel 9:2-3, Daniel’s understanding of the times (through the reading of the word of the LORD) prompted Daniel to “set [his] face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.”
We should likewise strive to understand the times in which we live by reading the Bible and then seeking God through prayer. However, as Beth rightly pointed out, “We are so culturally indoctrinated to be fast-paced, high-energy, hands-on kinds of people that we tend to think of prayer as a passive, nearly ‘do-nothing’ reaction.” But as we saw in Daniel chapter 9, nothing is further from the truth.
On page 183 of our homework Beth asked the following questions, both of which we will consider for discussion this week:
In all honesty and in this season of your life, how convinced are you that your prayers matter?
What recent experiences-whether negative or positive-have caused you to come to this conclusion?
Without getting too personal, try to give a sincere answer to these questions. As usual, I’ll go first. In all honesty in this season of my life, I am almost entirely convinced that my prayers matter. I say “almost entirely” because (to be completely honest) I confess that I have some level of doubt. That minimal doubt, however, is far, far outweighed by my conviction that prayer is both powerful and effective (James 5:16).
In response to question two, I have had many recent experiences that have built my faith on the issue of prayer. Almost all of these examples are near impossible to explain in writing. There was, however, one prayer-one very specific prayer-that was recently answered miraculously. I’m sorry to report that the specifics of this prayer are very personal, so I will not give intricate details. But I will tell you that I believe the answer to this prayer was a miracle. Could it have been a coincidence? I won’t lie. I’ve had that thought. I’ve even wondered if I’m crazy on some level. But in the core of who I am, I know it was not a coincidence. I know I am not crazy. I know that prayer matters.
This week, we’ll be watching video session ten, entitled, “Speechless.” Below is the link for video session 10. The corresponding viewer guide is on pages 192 and 193 of your workbook.
http://www.lifeway.com/product/005035490/?cs=1
Please post any comments and/or prayer requests at any point throughout the week. We will all enjoy and benefit from hearing what you’ve been learning, and it is truly our privilege to lift one another up in prayer.
Do your homework, and don’t forget your commitment to LEARN!
Your friend, Amy
This past week, the major focus of our homework was Bible study and prayer. Indeed, we learned that reading the Bible should prompt us to act, and our actions should include prayer. According to Daniel 9:2-3, Daniel’s understanding of the times (through the reading of the word of the LORD) prompted Daniel to “set [his] face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.”
We should likewise strive to understand the times in which we live by reading the Bible and then seeking God through prayer. However, as Beth rightly pointed out, “We are so culturally indoctrinated to be fast-paced, high-energy, hands-on kinds of people that we tend to think of prayer as a passive, nearly ‘do-nothing’ reaction.” But as we saw in Daniel chapter 9, nothing is further from the truth.
On page 183 of our homework Beth asked the following questions, both of which we will consider for discussion this week:
In all honesty and in this season of your life, how convinced are you that your prayers matter?
What recent experiences-whether negative or positive-have caused you to come to this conclusion?
Without getting too personal, try to give a sincere answer to these questions. As usual, I’ll go first. In all honesty in this season of my life, I am almost entirely convinced that my prayers matter. I say “almost entirely” because (to be completely honest) I confess that I have some level of doubt. That minimal doubt, however, is far, far outweighed by my conviction that prayer is both powerful and effective (James 5:16).
In response to question two, I have had many recent experiences that have built my faith on the issue of prayer. Almost all of these examples are near impossible to explain in writing. There was, however, one prayer-one very specific prayer-that was recently answered miraculously. I’m sorry to report that the specifics of this prayer are very personal, so I will not give intricate details. But I will tell you that I believe the answer to this prayer was a miracle. Could it have been a coincidence? I won’t lie. I’ve had that thought. I’ve even wondered if I’m crazy on some level. But in the core of who I am, I know it was not a coincidence. I know I am not crazy. I know that prayer matters.
This week, we’ll be watching video session ten, entitled, “Speechless.” Below is the link for video session 10. The corresponding viewer guide is on pages 192 and 193 of your workbook.
http://www.lifeway.com/product/005035490/?cs=1
Please post any comments and/or prayer requests at any point throughout the week. We will all enjoy and benefit from hearing what you’ve been learning, and it is truly our privilege to lift one another up in prayer.
Do your homework, and don’t forget your commitment to LEARN!
Your friend, Amy
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