CHAPTER 11: Balancing Work and Worship

Questions for Discussion/Reflection:

-What does your teetertotter look like when it comes to balancing work and worship? Draw a line to show which way it tends to tilt (if it does). *Journal this and come back to it in a few months to see if anything has changed-for the better or for worse even.

-Read "Listening to Your Soul" checklist on pages 182-183. According to the checklist, do you need to spend more time in the Living Room or in the Kitchen? What are some practical way you could lean into your weak side to bring balance to your Christian life?

Going Deeper:
-On one side of the teetertotter we find the importance of loving people. Read the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. Describe how the Samaritan fulfilled the following statements:

He took NOTICE:_________________________

He took ACTION: ________________________
He took RESPONSIBILITY: __________________
-Which of the these three qualities comes easiest for you? Which is the hardest for you?

-One the other side of Mary and Martha's story we find Christ's teaching on prayer. What does Luke 11:1-13 show about our part in prayer and God's promised response?

-According to the following verses, why is it dangerous to spend all our time on one end of the teetertotter?
Matthew 7:21-23
James 2:14-17
1 John 3:16-18

-We all need time to let our souls catch up. From Isaiah 58:13-14, list three ways that we can "keep the Sabbath" and also three blessings we will receive from honoring the "Lord's holy day".

-According to the following verses, what blessings do we receive from hospitality?
Isaiah 58:6-8
Matthew 25:34-36
Hebrews 13:2

Some things I loved the MOST about this chapter can be found on the following pages:

PAGE #: 180

"That's what happens, I believe, when no becomes our easy answer to anything outside our own personal agendas. Our souls grow skinny, starved, and weak. For we were created to say an enthusiastic yes to the call of God in our lives-both his call to devotion and his call to service. Saying yes to him releases his power and his joy to our souls. It's what gives us strength and the energy to do what he wants us to do."

PAGE #: 184

"Teetertotter. Up and down. Work and worship. Love the Lord and love other people. It's the dynamic rhythm that drives a meaningful, yes-centered balanced life."

PAGE #: 190 "The secret to balancing worship and work, devotion and service, love of God and of people is maintaining our connection to Jesus Christ. Our relationship with him is the fulcrum, the anchor, the steadying point that makes balance possible in the first place. And the deeper that relationship goes, the more stable the balance will be."

PAGE #: 191 "Below the Water Line" story! LOVE that story!

HEBREWS 10:25 "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

*I've ALWAYS LOVED this verse as it relates to loving others and being in community with others as God has called us to be and do.

LUKE 14:13-14 "But when  you give a banquet, invite the poor, the cripple, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

*This is powerful to me and means so much. When considering who to invite into your life or into your home even consider those you wouldn't normally consider, those that aren't always the most pleasing but that you could potentially shine Christ's light upon them.

CHAPTER 10: Mary's Extravagant Love

Questions for Discussion/Reflection:

-Describe a time you expressed love and concern for others and were misunderstood. How did it make you feel? Did you pull back or press in closer?

-Consider the differences between Mary's and Judas's love for Christ:

    MARY...                                            JUDAS...

    * Had a heart of gratitude                    * Had a heart of greed

    * Came with abandon                          * Came with an agenda

    * Heard what Jesus said & responded     * Heard but did not understand

    * Held nothing back                            * Gave up nothing

-Which aspects of Mary's love comes easiest for you? Which aspect is the most difficult for you?

 

Going Deeper:

-After reading JOHN 12:1-11 (CLICK HERE TO READ ONLINE) what was Judas's response to Mary's extravagant love? What did John say was the motivation behind his response?

-After reading MATTHEW 16:21-23 (CLICK HERE TO READ ONLINE) What was Peter's response to Jesus' explanation that he must die? What did Jesus say was the motivation behind his response?

- Mary loved extravagantly because she had experienced firsthand the extravagant love of God. Read 1 JOHN 3:1 (CLICK HERE TO READ ONLINE) and ROMANS 8:31-39 (CLICK HERE TO READ ONLINE).

 *I challenge you to write a love letter to God, expressing your gratitude for his lavish love and extravagant grace.

 

Here are a few things that I loved in this chapter and I hope you are as inspired by them as I have been!

 

PAGE #: 164 "Our strength can be our undoing. And Judas's strength was his ambition, his focus, and his commitment to getting ahead. It was also, of course, his greatest weakness. It caused Judas to care more about the political situation and his own bank account that the condition of his heart."

 

PAGE #: 165 "How sad that it is possible to know God but never truly experience God."

*This right here makes me so sad for those people out there that aren't allowing themselves the beautiful enjoyment of experiencing God in all His glory. To know is not to experience. We must be open, willing and sincere. We must come in true commitment and abandonment for God.

 

PAGE #: 166 "If we find ourselves becoming critical of other people we should stop examining them, and start examining ourselves.

*This is something I think that we as Christians can sometimes be the worst at. Quick to judge others, "outsiders" and followers of Christ alike, we judge, we become too critical when we ourselves have work yet to be done and improvements yet to be developed and lots to learn in this lifetime still. God is the only one with the authority to judge so we shouldn't think we have that right.

 

PAGE : 167 *The last paragraph of the page before "Lavish Love"

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 9: Martha's Teachable Heart

PROVERBS 4:13 "Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; keep her, for she is your life."

 

BE TEACHABLE...

 

- Being willing to Listen

- Acting on what we hear.

- Responding to discipline.

Questions for Discussion/Reflection:

-Which of the following best describes the kind of student you were in school?

    * Intellectual        * Absent-Though-Present    * Teacher's Pet

    * Procrastinator    * Party Animal                     * High Achiever

- What did you like most about school? What did you like least? How have you carried these likes and dislikes into adulthood?

 
Going Deeper: 

- We have to accept the diagnosis if we're ever going to experience the cure. I believe Martha did just that.

Read LUKE 10:38-42 (CLICK HERE TO READ THE VERSES ONLINE)

Now read JOHN 11:17-28 (CLICK HERE TO READ THE VERSES ONLINE)

-What differences do you see in Martha in these two stories?

 

- God is willing to forgive and change us-even at our very worst. Consider the prayer David prayed in PSALM 51:10-12 (CLICK HERE TO READ THE VERSES ONLINE) after his murderous, adulterous affair with Bathsheba. Rewrite this cry for transformation in your own words. Then read it aloud to the Lord.

 

The things that spoke to me the most in this chapter are listed below with the page numbers so you can check them out in greater detail if you would like.

 

PAGE #: 138 "Martha thought she had value because she was productive. Jesus wanted her to learn she had value simply because she was his."

* I LOVED this because I always say God is enough for me. And this is Jesus' way of letting me know that I am enough. This to me is comforting. That as long as His child following His ways, it's enough. I don't have to prove myself to anyone or do enough good things to get the Lord's love or approval. I am enough! WOW!!!

 

JOHN 10:27 "My sheep listen to my voice I know them and they follow me."

 

PAGE #: 147 "I've already said a lot about obedience in this book, mainly because I believe obedience is an essential ingredient in intimacy with God and the key to having a Mary heart. And obedience is exactly what we;re talking about here. Either we take Jesus' words to heart and change, or we listen but disregard them. And to disregard the voice of God is worse than not listening at all. Especially if we say we love him." 

 

PSALM 94:12-13

"Blessed is the man you discipline O' Lord;.....you grant him relief from days of trouble."

 

PSALM 51:10-12 "Create in me a pure heart, O' God and renew a stead fast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me."

 

Once again an AWESOME and powerful chapter that I could read again and again! Let's hear some comments, thoughts, prayer requests! ANYTHING?! 

 

 

Lovin' Life and Livin' Life Together!

Hey ladies! I had a great time this past Sunday in our Bible study time together. I am sure some of you missed due to baptisms going on. And we sure did miss everyone!!! I really hope that you all make it back for our next meeting!!! I can't wait to see how you all enjoy the final chapters in this wonderful book. I have enjoyed getting to know you all better and look forward to our next study!!! I feel like I could read this book over and over and over again and get even more out of it with each time.

Well I will be updating the blog soon! Sooooo stayed tuned! And post a comment! Holly and I would LOVE to hear your thoughts, concerns, prayer requests! Anything that is on your heart this week, let us know! Our group as whole can learn and grow with each other from hearing from one another.

Love to you all! Have a BEAUTIFUL day today!!!