Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter! This time around I am not going to post all the study guide questions as I challenge you all to look them up in the back of your books and answer them all on your own. Chapter five's study guide questions are on page 214-215 (appendix). BUT I am going to post the questions that I think stuck out them most to me. And you can respond and let me know what you think and how you feel! We would ALL LOVE to hear from YOU!
Questions for Discussion/Reflection:
-Someone has said that each of us is created "with a God-shaped hole" and that we will never be truly satisfied until we fill that space with him. Unfortunately many of us, as Teri described on page 69, fill up on spiritual Snicker Bars. What do you turn to instead of God when you're feeling empty?
Going Deeper:
I encourage you to click on the links below and read the verses there or look them up in your Bibles. Reflect over them. Jot them down in your journals even if you have one!-In the book it says that before we were Christians, Satan tells us we don't need a Savior. After we become Christians, he tells us we don't deserve a Savior. How have these lies affected your walk with God?
- Read the excerpt from "My Heart Christ's Home" (Pages 72-73) How does it make you feel to think that Jesus longs to have time alone with you-to be home in you?
-How could this realization turn your devotional life from a duty to a delight?
Now I will share some of the things in the book that spoke to my hear the most. I hope that maybe some of these things touch your heart too!
PAGE #:64-65 "When crowds flocked to view his acts of perceived holiness, Simeon determined to escape the distractions by living atop a pillar."
*I LOVE this story and example of extreme determination and desperation for time with God! It totally rocks my world! It makes me realize that no matter what we have to do to get away from the rat race of life sometimes in order to have that alone time that Jesus longs for us to have and share with Him that we MUST STOP and do it! There is no excuse! This man LIVED atop a pillar, I mean seriously!!!! What?! We can seriously carve out some simple time in our schedules to still our souls and sit at His feet right!PAGE#: 67 "I kept waiting for the day I'd be worthy to sit at his table never realizing that the cost of such fellowship was included in the price Christ paid for my passage."
*This to me is HUGE! I am constantly battling the LIES the enemy trying to feed me and it's up to me to demolish once and for all the barriers and insecurities that prevent me from letting go of the past once and for all move forward with the beautiful new creation that Jesus has created in me! I am good enough to sit at His table and good enough to have the people in my life that He has brought to me and good enough for the new life that I have now. Whew! That's a lot of stuff but it's demolition I am DETERMINED to DO!
PAGE #: 71 "It is not an exercise it is a privilege."
*This part in the book is talking about our devotion to God. It's not a duty or an exercise, and it shouldn't feel that way. It should be a joy! It should be felt like an honor and privilege. As a follower of Christ we have a special gift that we can have the honor of sitting at the feet of Christ in a true relationship with Him. He waits for us to come to Him patiently. And we should definitely take full advantage!I hope some of these things will inspire you in some way! I am praying for each of you as we continue to learn and grow in our walk with Christ together! PLEASE feel free to post ANY comments on here. They don't have to be answers to all the questions. You can post anything! Your thoughts on the book study in general, how your week has been, prayer requests, ANYTHING! We would just LOVE to hear from MORE of you!
Stay tuned for Chapter six!
In Chapt. 5 I have been most convicted by the story of the drawing rm. on pgs. 72-73. I just read it again this afternoon for the 3rd time! The idea that God waits for me, to build that relationship with me, and I ignore Him time after time makes me so irritated at myself. I dust and vacuum around Him, check things off my to do list, and He waits patiently, wanting that time with me. Such a great visual of how God truly does pursue our hearts.
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