Week 8 - Day 2

DAY 2 – In the following verse, a woman asked Jesus about the
right PLACE to worship.

Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in
Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship." Jesus said to
her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will
neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.
You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship,
for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is,
when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and
truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is
Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and
truth." John 4:20-24 NKJV

The following verse from Isaiah gives us an idea of what
worshipping in “spirit and truth” looks like.

When you cry out for help, let your collection [of idols] save you!
The wind will carry all of them off; a mere breath will blow them
away. But the man who makes me his refuge will inherit the land
and possess my holy mountain." And it will be said: "Build up,
build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way
of my people." 15 For this is what the high and lofty One says--he
who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy
place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to
revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the
contrite. Is. 57:13-15

The words contrite and lowly are translated from Hebrew words
that mean, “Crushed, bruised, broken, and depressed.”
When I (Amy) am feeling really down, I like to go to a quiet
place and worship God as my “hiding place” and “lover” of my
soul.

Now, let’s look at two more passages from Psalm and 1 Samuel.
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You
do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take
pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken
spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Ps 51:15-17

When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, "Surely the
LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD." But the LORD
said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for
I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man
looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD
looks at the heart." 1 Sam 16:6-7

True worship comes from a sincere and humble heart. A heart that
walks in the truth, obeying God’s laws out of love for Him. A
heart that has come to the realization that apart from God there is
no hope. Worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.

Week 8 - Day 1

EAT! - Week 8
SEEK GOD

Know God through Praise and Worship

Objective: To seek to know God intimately so that our lives
overflow worship in all that we do!

Key Verse: Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool;
He is holy. Ps. 99:5

This is our last week. Don’t give up! Finish the race strong!
Worship. We all do it. Every day our affection, adoration,
devotion, honor and reference are given to something or someone.
Who or what do you worship? All too often my devotion lies with
the things of this world. But when we see God for who He really
is, worship is true and spontaneous! Our prayer is that the past
seven weeks strengthened your relationship with God in such a
way that you are already in a full-blown worship mode with the
Only One worthy of our worship! In this final week of Seek God,
you will study what God’s Word says about how we are to
worship Him. May you never be the same again.

DAY 1 – Rom 12:1-2 states, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in
view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy
and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.” Read
1 Chr. 29 and look at how worship is a whole-life expression.
In what ways do you respond to God in worship? Meditate on this
question. Consider writing down your thoughts in your SOAR
notebook.

Week 8 - Group it!

GROUP ‘SHARE’ TIME
During our SHARE time this week, we are going to worship the
Living God!

Everyone has their own way to prepare to worship God. Maybe
today your life was chaotic and you didn’t have time to settle
your heart. Let’s take a moment now to do that – through prayer,
stillness, reading a verse. You choose the way that works for you.

If you need a verse, there are many verses in Psalm that can help
you prepare for worship. Pick your favorite or one of these and
take a few minutes to prepare your heart. (Ps. 134, Ps. 63:1-8, Ps.
150)

Something to Think About:

• If an investigator looked at your calendar and checkbook, what
would he say you worship?

o For me, he might say my children. What’s yours? Your
job, serving others, your family, money, health, sports, a
hobby, friends, depression, negative attitude? Lay it
down today. Ask God to give you a heart to worship
Him above everything else!

• Music is one way to worship, what are some other ways to
worship God?

• What are some ways that you can prepare your heart to
worship God?

Week 8 - Share it!

SHARE! - Week 8

SEEK GOD

Know God through Praise and Worship
Week 7 Review Question: Share one verse you wrote down in
your SOAR notebook and what it means to you. How did it
deepen your understanding of prayer? If you did the CRAVE!
Section and looked up the word “faith” in all four gospels, what
did you find?

Objective: To seek to know God intimately so that our lives
overflow worship in all that we do!

Key Verse: Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool;
He is holy. Ps. 99:5

I (Sheri) was at a professional basketball game the other night. As
the players ran onto the court, fireworks were going off (inside the
building). My kids were mesmerized and entertained! The MC
would say, "Scream" and everyone in the place would get louder
and louder. The excitement over this team just making one basket
was unbelievable. I saw this one man wearing the wildest hat to
support his team and others with their faces painted. Whether the
basketball team was doing well or not, the fans were ‘sold out’!

This was WORSHIP.

Before national championship game, fans prepare for “watch
parties.” They get all the right clothing gear, the right food and
then they explode in cheer and celebration for their team.
I love the following verse from the Bible where it talks about a
crowd that gathered to wait for Jesus. They came early – maybe
gathering like a parade and when the Jesus (the One and Only)
came in, read below what took place:

As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of
Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God
joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had
seen, shouting: "BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE
NAME OF THE LORD; Peace in heaven and glory in the
highest!" Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him,
"Teacher, rebuke Your disciples." But Jesus answered, "I tell
you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!" Luke 19:37-
40 NASB

This is WORSHIP.

There are two kinds of worship seen in these examples. One is
worshipping of something that is temporal (basketball) and the
other is worshipping the Eternal Living God. What or who do
you worship?

The past seven weeks have been a season to prepare our hearts to
worship God. Our prayer is that your life becomes an overflow of
worship to the Father! Whatever you do, work at it with all your
heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, Col. 3:23

Week 7 - Day 7

DAY 7

Today, as you read the Truth of God’s Word, open your SOAR
notebook and take notes on what each Scripture passage teaches
about prayer. Look carefully. Remember the Holy Spirit is your
Teacher. Are you teachable? Tell God you are hungry to know
Him more and ask Him to make you teachable.

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and
thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all
who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life
in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the
sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to
come to the knowledge of the truth. Therefore I want the men in
every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and
dissension. 1 Tim 2:1-4, 8 NASB

Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if
some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by
the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct
accompanied by fear. Do not let your adornment be merely
outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine
apparel-- rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the
incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very
precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times,
the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves,
being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed
Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do
good and are not afraid with any terror. Husbands, likewise,
dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as
to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of
life, that your prayers may not be hindered. Finally, all of you
be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as
brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for
evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing
that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For
"He who would love life and see good days, Let him refrain his
tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn
away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears
are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against
those who do evil." 1 Peter 3:1-12 NKJV

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but
the prayer of the upright is his delight. Prov 15:8 KJV

Cornelius answered: "Four days ago I was in my house praying at
this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining
clothes stood before me and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your
prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. Send to Joppa for
Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the
tanner, who lives by the sea.' Acts 10:30-33

The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him
in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears
their cry and saves them. Ps 145:18-19

I cried to Him with my mouth, And He was extolled with my
tongue. If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not
hear; But certainly God has heard; He has given heed to the voice
of my prayer. Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my
prayer, nor His loving-kindness from me. Ps 66:17-20 NASB
Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this
reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a
thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me -- to keep
me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord
three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, "My
grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."
Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so
that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well
content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with
persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am
weak, then I am strong. 2 Cor 12:7-10 NASB

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and
said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray over there."
And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He
began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to
them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here
and watch with Me." He went a little farther and fell on His face,
and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup
pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." Then
He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to
Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch
and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is
willing, but the flesh is weak." Again, a second time, He went
away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass
away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done." And He came
and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So He
left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the
same words. Matt 26:36-44 NKJV

You are now enriched with much of the Alive and Active Word
of God’s message about prayer! You are called. Enlist yourself
on God’s prayer warrior team!

CRAVE! THE EXTRA MILE

Challenge: Look up the word “faith” in the four gospels
(Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Document in your SOAR
notebook the similarities you find everywhere you see the word
“faith.” What did God reveal to you through this exercise? Write
it down so you can SHARE! later with others.
Hebrews 11 & 12:1-3 – These verses will give you a boost.

Week 7 - Day 6

DAY 6

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. "Every
branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every
branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more
fruit.” You are already clean because of the word which I have
spoken to you. "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot
bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you
unless you abide in Me. "I am the vine, you are the branches; he
who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from
Me you can do nothing. "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is
thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and
cast them into the fire and they are burned. "If you abide in Me,
and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be
done for you. "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much
fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. "Just as the Father has
loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. "If you keep
My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept
My Father's commandments and abide in His love. "These things
I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your
joy may be made full. "This is My commandment, that you love
one another, just as I have loved you. "Greater love has no one
than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. John 15:1-13
NASB

Write your favorite verse from this passage. Mine (Sheri) happens
to be that He laid down His life for His friends…there is no greater
love than that! Since I spent most of my life feeling rejected, I
can’t believe that I have always had this Savior and friend that laid
down His life for me! What caused you to choose the verse you
chose?

Let’s look at two parts of this passage: “Apart from me” and “If
you abide”

“Apart from me” means that apart from Him, it’s impossible
to be fruitful and our prayers are hindered. When we are
abiding in the love of God, He makes us fruit bearers.
Answered prayer is about God’s will and glory being
accomplished on earth through us.

Now, let’s look at the fruitfulness of a believer who abides in
the Vine!

I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in
my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.
Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. John
16:23-24

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I
have been doing. He will do even greater things than these,
because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask
in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You
may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John
14:12-14

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock,
and it will be opened to you. "For everyone who asks receives,
and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
"Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a
loaf, will give him a stone? "Or if he asks for a fish, he will not
give him a snake, will he? "If you then, being evil, know how to
give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father
who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! Matt
7:7-11 NASB

"Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been
bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been
loosed in heaven. "Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on
earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them
by My Father who is in heaven. "For where two or three have
gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." Matt
18:18-20 NASB

Do you have someone to pray in agreement with you on a regular
basis (a prayer partner)? If not, consider asking God to show you
who He wants to be your prayer partner. I (Amy) prayed this
prayer a few years back. Not long after that, I had a name of an
acquaintance pop into my mind, with the thought that this gal was
who I needed to ask to be my prayer partner. I located her phone
number, called her up, and then I stumbled through trying to
explain my reason for calling. Awkward!

Do you know what she said in response to my request? Basically,
she said, “I have chills. I have asked God for a prayer partner and
He told me to wait, because He would send her to me.” Wow!
God is so good and faithful!

Week 7 - Day 5

DAY 5

When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him,
asking for help. "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home
paralyzed and in terrible suffering." Jesus said to him, "I will go
and heal him." The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to
have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my
servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority,
with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that
one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he
does it." When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to
those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone
in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come
from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast
with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the
subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness,
where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Then Jesus
said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it
would." And his servant was healed at that very hour. Matt 8:5-
13. I (Amy) want Jesus to be astonished by my faith in Him!

Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without
warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves
swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went
and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" He
replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got
up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely
calm. The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is
this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" Matt 8:23-27

Jesus was with them in the boat! What storm is in your life right
now? Maybe you are in a financial storm, a marriage storm? The
same Jesus that rebuked the storm that the disciples were in, lives
in YOU! What can you learn from these scriptures to build your
faith in Jesus?

Jesus could have told the disciples to ride out the storm because
He was with them, but that is not what Jesus did. He rebuked the
storm and there was an immediate perfect peace. He can do the
same for you today! Pray and ask! He is the same today as He
was in that boat all those years ago.

Now let’s look at some scripture about intercessory prayer.

Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ,
sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his
prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will
of God. Col 4:12 NASB
We have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you
with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and
understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life
worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing
fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being
strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so
that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully
giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the
inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has
rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the
kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the
forgiveness of sins. Col 1:9-14

WOW! Read those verses again and make a list of what Paul
asked God to do on behalf of his brothers and sisters in Christ.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on
the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the
devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,
but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers
of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the
heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that
when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your
ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm
then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the
breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted
with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In
addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can
extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet
of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers
and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on
praying for all the saints. Eph 6:10-18

Prayer is important because it is how we war in the spiritual
battle!
• How have you been warring in the past? With prayer or your
own strength?
• How will you battle differently in the future?

Week 7 - Day 4

DAY 4

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone
through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to
the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is
unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who
has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin.
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so
that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time
of need. Heb 4:14-16

I (Sheri) cannot tell you how much of my Christian walk I spent
going to the throne of condemnation (or so I thought). I just
couldn’t seem to get control of my mouth or my behavior. I
would just drag myself to the throne so full of guilt and pain in
my heart for my lack of ability to walk in the truth. I never felt
like I was worthy to ask for anything of magnitude. I didn’t
realize that it was the THRONE OF GRACE. You and I can
approach God in prayer with CONFIDENCE – like a son or
daughter of a loving Father and the King of Kings!

Now, grab your SOAR notebook and take notes while you read
these amazing verses.

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on
ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.
After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by
himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the
boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by
the waves because the wind was against it. During the fourth
watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.
When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were
terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus
immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the
water." "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat,
walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the
wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save
me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.
"You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" And when
they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who
were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of
God." Matt 14:22-33

Has looking at our circumstances been a fire-extinguisher to our
faith? Faith is not a feeling and we have to keep our eyes on
Jesus!

Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their
synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this
wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked. "Isn't this the
carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his
brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren't all his sisters
with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" And they
took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "Only in his
hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor." And
he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Matt 13:54-58

Well-meaning Christian cultures can become faithless. Sometimes
church and religious disciplines become too common, the “norm”
and just no big deal. That’s when we have substituted a dynamic
faith relationship with God for religion. Pray this with me (Amy):
Father, I pray that we will know and want nothing but you.
Imagine what it felt like to Jesus not being able to fully minister in
His hometown. He came and laid down His life for all of us –
even those that rejected Him.

Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve
years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She
said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed." Jesus
turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith
has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.
When Jesus entered the ruler's house and saw the flute players
and the noisy crowd, he said, "Go away. The girl is not dead but
asleep." But they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put
outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.
News of this spread through all that region. As Jesus went on
from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have mercy
on us, Son of David!" When he had gone indoors, the blind men
came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able
to do this?" "Yes, Lord," they replied. Then he touched their eyes
and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; and
their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, "See that no
one knows about this." But they went out and spread the news
about him all over that region. Matt. 9:20-31

If you had to develop a statement for what the essence of all these
verses mean in 10 words or less, what would that statement be?
Write it down in your SOAR notebook. What verse has impacted
your life the most this week?

Week 7 - Day 3

DAY 3

The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.
Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had
any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves,
because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree,
"May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples
heard him say it. On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple
area and began driving out those who were buying and selling
there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the
benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to
carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught
them, he said, "Is it not written: "'My house will be called a house
of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of
robbers.'" The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this
and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him,
because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.

When evening came, they went out of the city. In the morning, as
they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.
Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree
you cursed has withered!" "Have faith in God," Jesus answered.

"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw
yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but
believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that
you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand
praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so
that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." Mark
11:12-25 KJV

Jesus made some amazing statements about faith! Is there
anything too difficult for God (the One who created everything)?
Recently, a friend of the family (Amy’s family) was diagnosed
with colon cancer. The doctors said it was terminal and that he
only had six months to live. This friend witnessed to the doctor
and told him he believed that God would heal him He later prayed
and told God that he wanted God to be “amazed” by his faith.
Guess what? Yep! This dear friend (in a matter of weeks) was
totally healed! The doctor was amazed! American Christians do
not always experience the miraculous power of God like other
believers from around the world. Could it be that we have God in
a “box?” Do we put limits on God?

What mountains are in your life? Consider this…prayer
without faith is useless.

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but
has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or
sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him,
"Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing
about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith
by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone
will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith
without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You
believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe
that-and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that
faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham
considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son
Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were
working together, and his faith was made complete by what he
did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed
God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was
called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he
does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab
the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave
lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As
the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
James 2:14-3:1

How do you live out your faith? Living in obedience to God is
faith in action!

If I say I believe, but my actions don’t match, then maybe I just
have a knowledge of God. We can have knowledge of God, but
not have faith (trust and reliance upon Him). Take a minute and
evaluate where you are.

Read these scriptures:
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no
one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we
should walk in them. Eph 2:8-10 NASB

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Rom 10:17 KJV

Isn’t it great that God provided a way for us to increase our faith?
From hearing! As you renew your mind with the Word of God,
faith will result.

Pray this: Father, I pray right now that you transform the inner
most parts of our minds and hearts through the power of your Holy
Spirit and through the renewing our minds with your Word! In
Jesus name, Amen.

Week 7 - Day 2

DAY 2 – The word “faith” is used over 250 times in the New
Testament. And without faith it is impossible to please God. Heb
11:6 KJV

In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when
translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping
the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body
was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Lydda was near
Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they
sent two men to him and urged him, "Please come at once!"
Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs
to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing
him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she
was still with them. Peter sent them all out of the room; then he
got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead
woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and
seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to
her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and
presented her to them alive. This became known all over Joppa,
and many people believed in the Lord. Peter stayed in Joppa for
some time with a tanner named Simon. Acts 9:36-43 KJV

I (Sheri) love this passage! He got on His knees and prayed.
Next, he spoke to her (see also Mark 11:23). He prayed, believed
and believed it so much that he spoke to a dead person knowing
that God would give him what he had prayed for. He wasn’t
shocked at the power of God because He knew God! Do you
desire faith in God like Peter? I do! Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,
the author and perfecter of our faith, Heb 12:2

So, are you stuck with the same measure of faith? Check out these
scriptures and ask God to strengthen and increase your faith in
Him.

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so,
because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every
one of you has for each other is increasing. Therefore, among
God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in
all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. 2 Thes. 1:3-4

Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought
You my son, who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it
throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and
becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast
it out, but they could not.” He answered him and said, “O
faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long
shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” Then they brought him
to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed
him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the
mouth. So He asked his father, “How long has this been
happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And often he
has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy
him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help
us.” Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are
possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the
child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my
unbelief!” When Jesus saw that the people came running
together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and
dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no
more!” Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and
came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said,
“He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up,
and he arose. And when He had come into the house, His
disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”
So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but
prayer and fasting. Mark 9:17-29 NKJV

Pull out your SOAR notebook. We have been through many
scriptures today.
• Write down what your favorite verse from this passage.
• Which verse shook you up or challenged you to know and seek
God more?

Week 7 - Day 1

EAT! - Week 7
SEEK GOD

Know God through Prayer

Objective: To seek to know God through intercessory prayer,
petitions, and faith.

Key Verse: And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds
of prayers and requests. Eph. 6:18

In 2007, my (Amy) prayer life took a huge turn for the good. I had
been walking with God for nearly 20 years, the trouble was that I
had become a professional (or so I thought) Christian. God was in
a neat and tidy box that I had made out of “good” theology. Please
don’t misunderstand. If God’s Word could be called “the box,”
then that is “THE BOX” we all can safely abide in. My “box”
forgot, left out, or misplaced the truth that our prayers can, by
faith, move mountains! Also, I rediscovered that person abiding
in Christ and living out of His righteousness, has an advantage.
James 5 tells us “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and
effective.” All Christians are positionally righteous, but not all
live out of that righteousness. Can anyone say “amen?” Basically,
my “box” blew up! I took the limits off God in my life and He
became infinitely greater to me! And I am more acutely aware of
His power working in and through me!

Prayer is one of the greatest privileges a believer has on this earth.
Through prayer we gain access to the Greatest Power Source (God
Almighty) known to man. You have an opportunity now to read,
look closely at, soak in, take seriously, receive and believe the
following scriptures. Do you want to become a person of prayer
and faith? Better yet, do you want to have effective and powerful
prayers? If you give yourself to the quest of seeking to better
understand prayer, this will be a faith-building, life-changing time
for you! Ask the Holy Spirit to teach and guide you as you study.

You may want to order and begin reading a book I (Amy) highly
recommend (The Kneeling Christian by An Unknown Author,
published by Zondervan) on prayer. My desire is that you will
know God intimately through prayer and rest in Him, and believe
like you’ve never believed before, that “With God all things are
possible”!

DAY 1 –
There are 7 days of assignments this week! You may want to
spend the next 2 weeks studying and meditating on these
passages.

Here are some ideas for your study time: Read, read and read the
Scriptures. Document in your SOAR notebook all that stands out
to you. You will see how closely prayer and faith are related.
Faith comes from hearing and hearing the word of God. Rom.
10:17

Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy?
Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should
call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him
with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith
will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he
has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to
each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah
was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain,
and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again
he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its
crops. James 5:13-18

• Do you confess your sins to one another?
All sins were paid for on the cross. However, when you are
living in a way that is not obedient or doesn’t honor God, the
Holy Spirit will convict you of this. If you continue to live in
sin as a believer, you leave a door open to the enemy to come
in and attack and you live outside the umbrella of protection
God has set out for you. Confess your sins quickly to one
another because a sin in the dark has power over you, but a sin
brought into the light can set you free!

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives
generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who
doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;
he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. James 1:5-8
KJV

Have you ever felt like “…a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by
the wind”? I know I (Sheri) have! I remember when there was no
peace in my life. I would ask God for something, but if I were
honest with you, I didn’t really believe that He would do it.

Pray the Eph. 1:17-23 prayer from week 5 and ask God to give
you a spirit of wisdom and revelation. I have prayed this prayer
for over four years. I can testify to how God has truly flooded the
eyes of my heart to understand and believe His word.

Now He (Jesus) was telling them a parable to show that at all
times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, saying, "There was
in a certain city a judge who did not fear God, and did not respect
man.” And there was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to
him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.' "And
for a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself,
'Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this
widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, lest by
continually coming she wear me out.' " And the Lord said, "Hear
what the unrighteous judge said; now shall not God bring about
justice for His elect, who cry to Him day and night, and will He
delay long over them? "I tell you that He will bring about justice
for them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He
find faith on the earth?"

And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in
themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with
contempt: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a
Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer.” The Pharisee stood and
was praying thus to himself, 'God, I thank Thee that I am not like
other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this taxgatherer.
'I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.' "But
the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even
unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast,
saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!' "I tell you, this man
went down to his house justified rather than the other; for
everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who
humbles himself shall be exalted." And they were bringing even
their babies to Him so that He might touch them, but when the
disciples saw it, they began rebuking them. But Jesus called for
them, saying, "Permit the children to come to Me, and do not
hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”
Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God
like a child shall not enter it at all." Luke 18:1-17 NASB

According to this passage, what should your attitude be like when
you prayer?

Week 7 Group it! Part 2

Now, break into prayer partnerships and let’s pray with one
another. Be real and transparent with God. Don’t feel intimated
sharing your heart with God in front of someone else. Don’t worry
about what you sound like or about what you say or don’t say.
Just allow yourself to be vulnerable with God.
What if you don’t know what to pray? The bible is packed full of
prayers. Jeremiah 1:12 says that God’s Word is active and alive
and He watches over it to perform it, so, you can never go wrong
praying Scriptures.

Here are some scripture prayers that you may want to keep with
you to pray when needed:
• For protection - Psalm 91
• To know God, your calling, identity and what is yours –
Eph. 1:17-23
• To deepen your understanding of God – Eph. 3:16-20
• God knows your thoughts – Ps. 139:1-4
• When your mountain (your problems or circumstances)
seems too big – Isaiah 41:15 and Mark 11:23

NOW “SHARE!”
Gather back together
• Discuss why you think prayer is important?

Week 7 Group it!

GROUP “SHARE!” TIME

Read this passage together.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on
the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the
devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and
blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the
powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil
in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of
God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand
your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,
with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your
feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which
you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take
the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the
word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all
kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and
always keep on praying for all the saints. Eph 6:10-18

What stands out to you in these verses? One thing that stands out
to me (Sheri) is that we are in a spiritual battle. Can you see the
“Spirit world”? I can’t. So many times, I try to fight the battle
that I can see with my eyes, but there are other things going on
with the spiritual side that I cannot see. Prayer is a weapon in this
battle!

Like we shared with you on video this week, share with one
another the journey of your personal prayer life and
relationship with God.

Week 7 Share it!

SHARE! - Week 7

SEEK GOD

Know God through Prayer

Week 6 Review Question: Did you write a note to God in your
prayer journal this week? If so, would you share it with us?

Objective: To seek to know God through intercessory prayer,
petitions, and faith.

Key Verse: And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds
of prayers and requests. Eph. 6:18

Today, we have the opportunity to pray together! For some, you
might be really comfortable with this. For others, this may be your
first time and you might have the desire to run for the door, but
don’t! I (Sheri) remember the first time I had to pray aloud with
others. I was scared! I have no idea what words came out of my
mouth, but I know it was short.

Don’t worry about what you sound like or about what you say or
don’t say. Remember what God wants most of all - is YOU! He
wants a relationship with you. You don’t have a relationship if
you don’t talk to or spend time with God.

Jesus’ last words in John 17 were that the body of Christ would be
ONE like He and the Father were One. Coming together in prayer
is a great way to exercise oneness and unity. It will build you up
and help you pray on the spot with others in the future.

Week 6 - Day 5

Day 5 - Ask God for insight as you read Exodus 14.

Describe in your own words what verse 14 means to you.
We serve a mighty God! Did verse 14 stand out to you? “The
LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." Our LORD
can fight all of our battles! Our job is to pray (ask), wait on Him
(be still), and walk in trust and faith (total reliance upon Him).

Have you ever fought your own battle or defended yourself with
others? I don’t know about you, but when I (Sheri) have done this,
I always end up feeling bad and it never results in changing
someone else’s opinion of me. My way can seem right and it feels
like the most immediate path to resolution, but what’s right in my
mind, is not necessarily God’s way.

Remember, God is our defender! If he is for us, who can be
against us?

Today, ask God to help you learn to stand firm and rest in God to
take care of your battles!

You might consider writing your own prayer to your Father God.
Listen. Respond. Rejoice. He is Faithful!

CRAVE! THE EXTRA MILE

• Read Proverbs 8. This chapter in Proverbs is about
Wisdom (which is Christ, according to some
commentators).

• Read 2 Cor. 12:7-10, Hebrews 3 (this one is about Israel’s
stubborn unbelief and unwillingness to listen)

Week 6 - Day 4

Day 4 - Read Psalms chapters 5 and 131

As you sit and meditate on this, turn your whole heart and mind
to God and be still before Him and let Him quiet your soul and
give you rest, peace and comfort.

Write in your notebook how, today, you will apply or use one or
more of these verses to your life.

Week 6 - Day 3

Day 3 - Read James 1:19-25.

Be quick to listen and slow to speak. Listening isn’t thinking,
processing information, or preparing a response. It is just
receiving. Remember school days when your teacher would give
instruction? What were the results if you didn’t listen well? I
(Sheri) remember one of our teachers gave us a pop quiz. She
said, “Read the entire test before starting to complete it.” Guess
what? Most of the class did not read the test. When they arrived
at the last question, it said, “Do not answer any of the questions.”
Only a few students listened well and completed the quiz properly.
If we don’t listen well, how can we get our instructions from God?
Listening intentionally allows us to receive all that God has for us.
(Amy this did say “do or obey” but I thought that we should just
stick with seeking, resting, listening and later in truth or abide
deal with obedience)

We are called to be totally surrendered to God! Jim Elliot, in his
book Shadow of the Almighty, said, “One does not surrender a
life in an instant; that which is lifelong can only be
surrendered in a lifetime.”

Do you trust God? I didn’t for a long time and there are still areas
(today) in which I probably depend on myself more than putting
my trust in God. Read these verses and strive to surrender and put
all your trust in Him!

Why is trust important?

But these are written (recorded) in order that you may believe that
Jesus is the Christ (the Anointed One), the Son of God, and that
through believing and cleaving to and trusting and relying upon
Him you may have life through (in) His name [ through Who He
is]. John 20:31 AMP

He who believes in Him (who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him) is
not judged (he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment;
for him there is no rejection, no condemnation – he incurs no
damnation); but he who does not believe (cleave to, rely on, trust
in Him) is judged already (he has already been convicted and has
already received his sentence) because he has not believed in and
trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (He is
condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ’s name.)
John 3:18 AMP

Trust in the LORD with ALL your heart and do not lean on your
own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He
will make your paths straight. Prov 3:5-6

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known
to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all
comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus. Phil 4:6-7

Some of you are probably asking yourself, how do you just start
trusting God if you don’t already? As you seek Him, get to know
Him through the word, prayer and spending time with Him, you
will begin to fall in awe and love with God. As you are in awe
and love with Him, you will begin to trust Him.

Week 6 - Day 2

Day 2 – Read John 10 today.

It was at this time that He (Jesus) went off to the mountain to
pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. Luke 6:12

Ask God to speak to you. Ask God to unclog your spiritual ears!
Take time to LISTEN for the Holy Spirit’s voice. God wants us to
live “as Christ”, so ALWAYS be alert and spiritually sensitive to
His guiding and gentle voice. It would be a great blessing for you
to take your SOAR notebook and write out the most memorable
verses to you found in John 10.

Week 6 - Day 1

EAT! - Week 6
SEEK GOD

Know God through Prayer

Objective: To seek to know God through prayer while resting,
listening, and delighting in His presence.

Key Verse: "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted
among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Ps. 46:10

Is your life anything like mine? My (Amy) life is really busy! I
have SEVEN people (spouse included!) to spiritually pour into,
provide nutritious meals for, engage in meaningful conversations,
and nurse when they are injured or sick. I manage a home that
requires repairs and cleaning. Can anyone say laundry? I also
have the privilege to home educate my six kids. Whether you’re a
busy bee like me or not, we all need recharging!

What you and I need is NOT a chill time in front of the “tube”.
More than anything else, we need a quiet place to be still and
reflect on the God who made us and gave us life.

Prayer is VERY important!!! Many find it hard to spend time in
extended prayer. Is it because we are too busy or because we do
not think it important enough to fit into our plans?

Do you WANT to know God more intimately? Do you WANT
God to speak to you and show His path for you?

WHO’S GOING WITH US?

This week we’re going to learn and practice the skill of resting and
listening.

Give your whole self (spirit, soul and body) to knowing and
loving your Wonderful Savior.

Day 1 - Read Psalm 37

Pull out your notebook and ask yourself these questions from
your reading:

1. What is your favorite verse? Why? Consider committing it
to memory.

2. What verse was confusing? We all get confused
sometime. Just be real with God and ask him to help you
understand.

3. Does any verse challenge you or bring a deeper
understanding of God? How has this changed you this
week?

There’s a lot to chew on in this chapter. “Delighting” and “being
still” are in there! What does it say about the Righteous? That’s
you! It’s hard to believe isn’t it? It is only Christ in you that
makes you righteous!

A Woman Inspired

From Cindy Beall's blog (thanks Cindy!):


See that little, blue button with the gal raising her arms? → → → →

Well, it just happens to be a women’s conference that is totally online.

I know!

No need to get a sitter. Or do your hair. Or get out of your pajamas, for that matter!

You can hear one speaker share her message or stick around and hear all 16! This gal and this gal and this gal are all speaking.

I know!

It’s a pretty cool idea, if you ask me.

So, hop on over to the site by clicking that pretty, little, blue button.

I think you’ll like it :)

Week 6 - Group it!

GROUP “SHARE!” TIME

Consider sharing methods that you use to slow down. Today in
our groups, we will stop the distractions, be still and spend time
with the Father.

INDIVIDUAL SEEK TIME

Find a private place to dwell on God, His presence, His names
(from week 3), a scripture (some are listed below), pray, or just
rest in Him. Decide how you would like to spend your time.

Scriptures

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me
lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he
restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his
name's sake. Ps. 23:1-3

If you are not having periods of rest, maybe you should ask,
“God, am I missing it?”

My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes,
in undisturbed places of rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn
from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find
rest for your souls. Mt. 11:28-29

Are you at rest? I am not talking about the sleeping kind of rest,
but a peacefulness that is unexplainable in your soul? I (Sheri)
lost my mom to cancer in 2006. I grieved and missed her so much,
but with all the pain, I had a peacefulness in my soul that could not
be explained in words.

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane,
and he said to them, "SIT HERE while I go over there and pray."
He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he
began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My
soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. STAY
HERE and KEEP WATCH with me." Going a little farther, he fell
with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is
possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as
you will." Then he returned to his disciples and FOUND THEM
SLEEPING. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one
hour?" he asked Peter. "WATCH AND PRAY so that you will not
fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." He
went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not
possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your
will be done." When he came back, he AGAIN FOUND THEM
SLEEPING, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and
went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same
thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, "ARE
YOU STILL SLEEPING AND RESTING? Look, the hour is near,
and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. RISE,
LET US GO! Here comes my betrayer!" Matthew 26:36-46
If you are listening, Jesus will tell you through the Holy Spirit
what to pray, when to rest, when to keep watch, when to pray,
when to be still, and when and where to go.
NOW “SHARE!”

Gather back together. Share how this quiet time ministered to
you.

How is God transforming you in your relationship with Him?

Celebrate and pray for each another.

Week 6 - Share it!

SHARE! - Week 6
SEEK GOD

Know God through Prayer

Week 5 Review Question: Share how, since last week, your
prayer time has changed?

Objective: To seek to know God through prayer while resting,
listening, and delighting in His presence.

Key Verse: "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted
among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Ps. 46:10

There is a video to go with this week. I will be getting it from church tomorrow and uploading (hopefully!).

It is so hard for me (Sheri) to be quiet! There are so many
distractions that divide my attention: work, children, television,
other people, sports, etc. Maybe you are a person who is the great
listener, or like me, maybe you are the one that never stops talking
long enough to listen.

When I am busy, distracted, talking or formulating a response, I
cannot possibly listen and truly hear others. The same is true
when we are trying to hear from the Lord. He is gentle and kind.

To hear Him, we need to learn the art of listening. We need to
intentionally be still and wait on the Lord.

1. Can you tell the difference between your head and God’s
voice?

2. Have you heard from the Lord before? If so, when do you
typically hear from God? I hear many people say, “The
shower”. Why? Because we are still and there is nothing else
to distract us in there.

I (Sheri) remember a time when I had no idea how to discern my
ideas from God’s. I would say things like, “Is this God or is this
me?” I was such a busy person that I didn’t know God’s voice
because I was never still.

If you haven’t ever known how to hear from the Lord, do not be
discouraged, this is the right study for you!

Week 5 - Day 5

DAY 5 – Read 1 Thes. 5:16

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all
circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and
self-controlled so that you can pray. 1 Peter 4:7

TODAY, DO GOD’S WILL AND PRAY!!!

CRAVE IT! THE EXTRA MILE
Check out these scriptures. Read them. Pray or meditate on
these this week.
• Psalm 86:1-13
• 2 Chronicles 7:13-16
• John 17

Week 5 - Day 4

DAY 4 - Read Gen 32:24-32
Jacob wrestled in prayer! Isaiah 64:7 states, “There is no one
who calls on Your name, who arouses himself to take hold of
You;” May this statement never be true of us! I desperately
desire to “take hold of God” in prayer!

“We are told by the prophet Hosea (Hos 12:4) how Jacob
wrestled: he wept, and made supplication; prayers and tears
were his weapons. It was not only a corporal, but a spiritual
wrestling, by the vigorous acting of faith and holy desire; and
thus all the spiritual seed of Jacob (all believers) that pray, in
praying, still wrestle with God.”(Matthew Henry's
Commentary)

Jacob’s name was changed to Israel that night in battle. Israel
means “he who strives with God”, “he who perseveres”, also,
the name Israel suggests royalty and power! This is not
surprising. Believers are a royal priesthood and we are called
to preserve in faith!

Just look at this verse in 1 Peter 2:9!
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the
praises of him who called you out of darkness into his
wonderful light.”

Let’s realize today and forever that we can and should strive
to “take hold” of God in prayer. Give God your all in prayer.

Week 5 - Day 3

DAY 3 - Read Nehemiah Chapter 1
This is a great passage of repentance. Be very sensitive to the
Spirit. Allow God to reveal to you areas of sin in your heart.
This may go on all day. Write them down if you want to.
Repent and ask Him to refine you as silver and gold. Keep
practicing going to your quiet place of prayer!

Nehemiah 1

1 These are the memoirs of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah.

Nehemiah's Concern for Jerusalem

In late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes' reign,* I was at the fortress of Susa. 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came to visit me with some other men who had just arrived from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had returned there from captivity and about how things were going in Jerusalem.
3 They said to me, "Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire."
4 When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven. 5 Then I said,

"O Lord , God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, 6 listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! 7 We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses.
8 "Please remember what you told your servant Moses: `If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. 9 But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.'
10 "The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants. 11 O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me.* Put it into his heart to be kind to me."

In those days I was the king's cup-bearer.

Week 5 - Day 2

DAY 2 - Read Matt. 6:5-24
After reading the Scriptures, write down (make a list) in your
SOAR notebook everything these verses taught you about
prayer. Lifechurch campus pastors taught the 5 P’s of Prayer
from the Lord’s Prayer. You may want to write them down,
too.
They are: His Presence, His Priorities, His Provision, His
Pardon, and His Power! Spend as much time as you can in
prayer (as described on day 1) today! Enjoy the Father.

Week 5 - Day 1

Seeking to know God through Prayer
Week 5 – EAT It!

Objective: Seeking to know God through Prayer – What is
prayer?

Key Verse: For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer. 1 Peter 3:12

---------------------------

Seeking God through prayer is how we become more intimate
with our Heavenly Father. I used to not pray very much. I
looked at prayer as something you do when you have an
important request or a plea for help when tragedy strikes.
Years ago I became aware of my prayer-lessness when I
realized how much my husband was praying throughout the
day.

So began my prayer journey. I wanted to have an authentic
and dynamic relationship with my God through PRAYER.
Now prayer is a vital part of my entire life. Is this what you
want too? You can experience God in such a close way that
sometimes it will seem that you’ve sat down for tea (or
coffee) with your best friend. Whether you’re a beginner or a
prayer warrior, I pray that this next three weeks will move
you into a deeper fellowship with the God, the Lover of your
soul.

DAY 1 – Read Acts 16:13, Rom. 12:11-12, Col. 4:2, 1 Peter
3:12
On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river,
where we expected to find a place of prayer. Acts 16:13
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,
serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in
affliction, faithful in prayer. Rom 12:11-12

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Col 4:2

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears
are attentive to their prayer Wow! God hears our prayers
and He wants us to pray! Why do we pray if God already
know what we need before we ask? I’ve thought this so
many times! It’s time to get a new “mind-set” about prayer.

DON’T MISS THIS! First and foremost, look at prayer as
a way to connect in fellowship with your Holy Father.
Seeking His Presence and delighting yourself in HIM is the
best part of prayer!

Take some time today (maybe several times today) and go to
a quiet place and be still before Him. Don’t worry about
words until you’ve quieted your mind and turned your heart
fully to Him. This (quieting) might take a while at first. It
takes some practice because we go at such a busy pace. You
might try kneeling down or any position that will bring more
focus. When you’re ready, begin and end with your authentic
words. Also, it’s always good to express to God your desire
to know and love Him more. 1 Peter 3:12

Week 5 Group it

GROUP SHARE TIME
Why do you fail to pray?

Be honest with yourself, How real/transparent are you with
God? On a scale of 1-10 (10 being most real.) He knows every
thought before it comes from your lips.

Who in your life are you most real/transparent with?
What do you want your prayer life to be 1 year from now?
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

Look up Ephesians 1:17-22 and 3:16-20
Pray the following SCRIPTURE prayers together. Pray them
at home. Post them all over your home, car, and desk. Pray
them like breathing - God will change you from the inside
out!!

EPHESIANS 1:17-22
Father God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that You
may grant me a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the deep and
intimate knowledge of You, By having the eyes of my heart flooded
with light, so that I can know and understand the hope to which
You have called me, and how rich is Your glorious inheritance in
the saints.

And so that I can know and understand what is the immeasurable
and unlimited and surpassing greatness of Your power in and for
me and all those who believe, as demonstrated in the working of
Your mighty strength, Which You exerted in Christ when You
raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at Your [own] right
hand in the heavenlys, Far above all rule and authority and power
and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age
and in this world, but also in the age and the world which are to
come.

And You have put all things under Your feet and has appointed
Christ the universal and supreme Head of the church Which is His
body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all [for in that body lives
the full measure of Him Who makes everything complete, and
Who fills everything everywhere with Himself].
I pray this awaiting expectantly on You Father, my God who
watches over His word to perform it! In Jesus Name, Amen.

EPHESIANS 3:16-20
Father, may You grant me out of the rich treasury of Your glory
to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner
man by the [Holy] Spirit. May Christ through my faith [actually]
dwell (make His permanent home) in my heart! May I be rooted
deep in love and founded securely on love, That I may have the
power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints
what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; That I
may really come to know the love of Christ, which far surpasses
mere knowledge; that you may be filled unto all the fullness of
God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and
become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!
Now to You, Lord Who, by the power that is at work within me, is
able to do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare]
ask or think or imagine.

To You be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all
generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).

I pray this awaiting expectantly on You Father, my God who
watches over His word to perform it! In Jesus Name, Amen.

Week 5 Share it

Seeking to know God through Prayer
Week 5 – SHARE It!

---------------------------

Objective: Seeking to know God through Prayer – What is
prayer?

Key Verse: For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer. 1 Peter 3:12

---------------------------

WATCH THE VIDEO FROM THE PRAYER SERIES – WEEK 1.

What is prayer? It is communication with God. It is like
picking up the phone to call a parent or a friend to share exciting
news, or a really painful day. But...with God, you never get a busy
signal, voicemail, you don't have to wait for Him to call you back.

What are some of the reasons people fail to pray?
Here are some reasons Sheri fails to pray: Since no one talks back to
me, I get bored. I am not really sure how to pray sometimes. I get
really distracted easily and sometimes I actually forget that I am
praying. I might think that God has more important things to
spend His time on. Why pray if my prayers don’t even make a
difference?

WHY DO YOU FAIL TO PRAY?
______________________________________________

LEVELS OF PRAYER
There are levels of prayer based on your relationship with the
Father. You can relate it to a friendship. When you first meet a
friend, you might just talk with them or see them occasionally -
or talk on the phone, but as your friendship grows, you
increase your time together.
As we grow in knowing God as our Father and as our
intimacy with Him increases, our prayer life should follow.
___________

Everyone has a different relationship with God because we
are unique individuals. Isn’t it cool that God loves us and
our individuality?

Various Kinds of Prayers
Just talk! to God
Get real - be transparent
Kneel prayers – Get on your knees
Arrow prayers – short prayers while driving, thinking, talking
with others. These are just short prayers that lift up what is on
your heart at THAT moment. I am the queen of these!
Eat Carpet prayers – Get to the lowest possible place to pray to
the Most High God. I ate a lot of carpet when my mom died.
Pray always – When you finish, start again.
Fasting prayers – Withholding food and using that time and
hunger pains to remind you to pray for something you are really
seeking God on.
Scripture prayers – God’s word never returns void. If you don’t
know what to pray, pray the Word.
Speaking prayers (Mark 11) Speaking to something in Jesus
name because God has already given you authority over it and
you just need to exercise that authority!
Spirit prayers – When you don’t know what to pray.

Most of the time I fail to pray because I get so busy and wrapped up in life that I just run out of time. I try to just talk to God and I do well for a while, then something distracts me. I know He knows what is in my heart, but I don't think its enough to make a difference. What kind of problems do you run into or do you have suggestions to help us out?

Week 4 - Day 3

Romans 9
God's Selection of Israel

1 With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it. 2 My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief 3 for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters.* I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them. 4 They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God's adopted children.* God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshiping him and receiving his wonderful promises. 5 Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors, and Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.*
6 Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God's people! 7 Being descendants of Abraham doesn't make them truly Abraham's children. For the Scriptures say, "Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,"* though Abraham had other children, too. 8 This means that Abraham's physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham's children. 9 For God had promised, "I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son."*

God's word in the form of beautiful covenant promises came to Abraham. Covenant people, the true children of Abraham, are not just his biological descendants. They are all those who trust in God and in what Jesus Christ has done for them.

Week 4 - Day 2

Psalm 104

1 Let all that I am praise the Lord .

O Lord my God, how great you are!
You are robed with honor and majesty.
2 You are dressed in a robe of light.
You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens;
3 you lay out the rafters of your home in the rain clouds.
You make the clouds your chariot;
you ride upon the wings of the wind.
4 The winds are your messengers;
flames of fire are your servants.*

5 You placed the world on its foundation
so it would never be moved.
6 You clothed the earth with floods of water,
water that covered even the mountains.
7 At your command, the water fled;
at the sound of your thunder, it hurried away.
8 Mountains rose and valleys sank
to the levels you decreed.
9 Then you set a firm boundary for the seas,
so they would never again cover the earth.

10 You make springs pour water into the ravines,
so streams gush down from the mountains.
11 They provide water for all the animals,
and the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 The birds nest beside the streams
and sing among the branches of the trees.
13 You send rain on the mountains from your heavenly home,
and you fill the earth with the fruit of your labor.
14 You cause grass to grow for the livestock
and plants for people to use.
You allow them to produce food from the earth—
15 wine to make them glad,
olive oil to soothe their skin,
and bread to give them strength.
16 The trees of the Lord are well cared for—
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 There the birds make their nests,
and the storks make their homes in the cypresses.
18 High in the mountains live the wild goats,
and the rocks form a refuge for the hyraxes.*

19 You made the moon to mark the seasons,
and the sun knows when to set.
20 You send the darkness, and it becomes night,
when all the forest animals prowl about.
21 Then the young lions roar for their prey,
stalking the food provided by God.
22 At dawn they slink back
into their dens to rest.
23 Then people go off to their work,
where they labor until evening.

24 O Lord , what a variety of things you have made!
In wisdom you have made them all.
The earth is full of your creatures.
25 Here is the ocean, vast and wide,
teeming with life of every kind,
both large and small.
26 See the ships sailing along,
and Leviathan,* which you made to play in the sea.

27 They all depend on you
to give them food as they need it.
28 When you supply it, they gather it.
You open your hand to feed them,
and they are richly satisfied.
29 But if you turn away from them, they panic.
When you take away their breath,
they die and turn again to dust.
30 When you give them your breath,* life is created,
and you renew the face of the earth.

31 May the glory of the Lord continue forever!
The Lord takes pleasure in all he has made!
32 The earth trembles at his glance;
the mountains smoke at his touch.

33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live.
I will praise my God to my last breath!
34 May all my thoughts be pleasing to him,
for I rejoice in the Lord .
35 Let all sinners vanish from the face of the earth;
let the wicked disappear forever.

Let all that I am praise the Lord .

Week 4 - Day 1

Seeking to know God the Creator
Week 4 – EAT It!

Objective: In seeking to know God the Creator through all our
surroundings, we will take a fresh look at God’s creation.

Key Verse: The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies
proclaim the work of his hands. Ps. 19:1

Our time with the Lord this week will be a real adventure, if you take on
the assignments with your whole heart. We want to take a fresh look at
our Creator. God wants to reveal His glory to you. Look around.
You’re going to see glimpses of His majesty!

Suggested Daily Scripture Readings
Genesis 1 & 2, Psalms 8, Psalms 19, Psalms 104, Romans 1:18-32 with
Romans 8:18-25, Romans 9:1-8, and Isaiah 44 & 45

Begin each day asking God to reveal Himself through His Word.
Read a suggested Bible passage slowly and take in every detail, even
though you may have read it numerous times before. You may want to
stop from time to time and reflect on the significance of what you’re
reading. As you go, realize and enjoy the Presence of God with you
and in you!

Try not to worry or get “hung up” on parts of the Bible that you don’t
fully understand. By faith, the Holy Spirit, and persistence in studying
the entire Word you will grow more and more. All Scripture is Godbreathed
and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training
in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped
for every good work! 2 Tim. 3:16

After selecting and reading the Bible verses, choose an activity from
the following suggestions or make up your own.

* Take some time to write down some thoughts in your SOAR journal.
Express these thoughts to God in a prayer of praise.

* Friends and/or family might want to join you for the following:

* Watch the weather and choose the best day to take a walk outside. A
nearby park might provide the right atmosphere.

* Watch a nature show on television or video. Your local library or the
Internet will have some good selections, too.

* Stargazing is great for an awe-inspiring time. If it’s cold, gather
blankets and make a hot cocoa!

* Read your Scripture passage aloud. Write a favorite verse or two and
place it in a prominent place in your home.

* If you like to dabble in arts and crafts, then create your own nature
scene.

* If there is a good “cloud day”, then go outside and lie down to watch
the clouds. Just don’t look directly at the sun!

* Express your love to God the way that best suits your personality.
Sing, shout, dance, play an instrument, write poetry or sit in quiet
stillness and acknowledge His Presence.

* Here’s a good exercise to get you thinking: Try to describe the
attributes of God without using any of your previous knowledge of
Him through the Word of God or His people. Try to understand Him
from what has been made by Him. (not through circumstances that
have been brought about through sin or the curse of sin.) An example
would be, “God must be Creative” because of the pallet of colors He
provided! Keep a growing list of your discoveries. (This may take a
while, but it’s fascinating!) You may want to share this list with your
SOAR group!

Week 4 Group it

GROUP SHARE TIME

Select and read 1 or more of the following passages. These passages, we
pray will spur you on to seeing God in ALL of creation – every seed,
every season, every weed, every leaf, every person – God made
everything beautiful in its time. ☺

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the
wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he
meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of
water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not
wither. Whatever he does prospers. Psalm 1:1-3

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in
the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from
beginning to end. Ecc. 3:11

As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat,
summer and winter, day and night will never cease." Genesis 8:22
Keep these passages in mind for the following activities as we search to
see God in a new way today.

GOD MADE THAT! GAME

Look around the room, in 2 minutes, have each individual make a list
of all the things you can see in your surroundings that were created by
God.

Share your answers. If more than one person has the same answer,
everyone crosses that answer off their list. If the answer is unique,
circle it. Score all circled items at the end. Consider a prize at the end
of the game for the most unique answers.
NATURE HIKE

Weather permitting, take a nature hike outside (if not, imagine you are
taking a hike outside).

On this hike, what do you smell? What do you hear? What do you
see? Describe colors and details of any sort. What do you feel?
Talk about these things with your group.

What names or Character traits God did you find? List, discuss or
journal the names or attributes of God.

THANK MY CREATOR

God created you too! If feasible, stand in front of or pass around a
mirror and have each person look into the mirror and thank God from
head to toe for creating them.

Pray, praise, and thank God together for all that He has made!

Week 4 - Share it

Seeking to know God the Creator
Week 4 – SHARE It!
---------------------------
Objective: In seeking to know God the Creator through all our
surroundings, we will take a fresh look at God’s creation.

Key Verse: The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies
proclaim the work of his hands. Ps. 19:1

IN THE BEGINNING
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1
God created the world and all of its contents! He created you!

God created all the resources for everything our eyes can see today.
Have you taken a fresh look around your home to see God’s handiwork?

NIV Study Bible Psalm 19:1 "We are surrounded by fantastic displays of God's craftsmanship - the heavens give dramatic evidence of his existence, his power, his love, his care. To say that the universe happened by chance is absurd. Its design, intricacy, and orderliness point to a personally involved Creator. As you look at God's handiwork in nature and the heavens, thank him for such magnificent beauty and the truth it reveals about the Creator."

Genesis 1:1 "The creation story teaches us much about God and ourselves. First we learn about God: (1) He is creative, (2) as the Creator, he is distinct from his creation, (3) heis eternal and in control of the world. We also learn about ourselves: (1) Since Gd chose to create us, we are valuable in his eyes, (2) we are more imporatnt than the animals."

"God did not need to creat the iniverse; he chose to create it. Why? God is love and love is best expressed toward something or someone else - so God created the world and people as an expression of his love. We should avoud reducing God's creation to merely scientific terms. Remember that God created the universe because he loves each of us"

Week 3 - Day 5

DAY 5 - Rest
Take time to rest, be still (even if for just 5 min) and listen.
Meditate on the names of God on the following page – thank
Him! When finances are short, thank God that He is the Provider.
When a loved one is lost, thank God that He is our Comfort.
When we feel rejected, remember God is your Father!

CRAVE IT! THE EXTRA MILE
Pick any chapter of the Bible. Search for and underline God’s Names
and character.


NAMES AND CHARACTER OF GOD:

MOST HIGH GOD ~ DELIVERER ~ FORTRESS
CREATOR I AM! ~ ABBA ~ FATHER
THE LORD MY BANNER ~ ALL-KNOWING ~ ABUNDANT
PROVIDER~ ABOVE ALL ~ BEGINNING
RESTORER ~ BRIDEGROOM ~ BREAD OF LIFE
THE LORD OF LORDS ~ JUST ~ IMMANUEL
KING OF KINGS ~ JESUS! ~ LAMB OF GOD
EVERLASTING GOD ~ LOVE ~ LIVING WATER
SHEPHERD ~ COMFORTER ~ PROTECTED
HEALER ~ DWELLING PLACE ~ FRIEND
MASTER ~ REDEEMER ~ TEACHER
ALL-SUFFICIENT ONE ~ SHEPHERD ~ WAY
SAVIOR ~ PROTECTOR ~ OMNISCIENT
TRUTH ~ NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES ~ NEAR
EQUIPPER ~ HOLY ~ GOOD
PRINCE OF PEACE ~ RIGHTEOUS ~ MERCIFUL
FAITHFUL ~ UNCHANGING ~ OMNIPOTENT
OMNIPRESENT ~ SOVEREIGN ~ PURSUER

Dwell on Him. Where does God meet you today?

Challenge: Can you list more names or character of God from
the reading this week?

Week 3 - Day 4

DAY 4 - Select and read a passage from above.
What attribute of God is especially in your mind this week?
Thank God for it in prayer today.

John 15:1-17

The Vine and the Branches
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
17 This is my command: Love each other.

Jesus is my friend, and loves me. He wants me to love everyone as he loves me. This has been on my mind quite a bit this week. As I deal with people that are unloveable or that are just plain irritating me at that moment, or when I want to strangle the person in front of me, I have to remind myself of these verses. It usually calms me down, and I ask for forgiveness for being so hot-headed.

What attribute of God is on your mind a lot this week?

Week 3 - Day 3

DAY 3 - Select and read a passage from above.
From the readings this week, what has been your favorite
passage? Consider committing it to memory. ☺

John 14:6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."

My study Bible says "Jesus says he is the only way to God the Father. Some people may argue that this way is too narrow. In reality, is it wide enough for the whole world, if the world chooses to accept it. Instead of worrying about how limited it sounds to have only one way, we should be saying, "Thank you God for providing a sure way to get to you!" As the way, Jesus is our path to the Father. As the truth, he is reality of all God's promises. As the life, he joins his divine life to ours, both now and eternally."

What is your favorite passage?

Week 3 - Day 2

DAY 2 - Select and read a passage from above.
Journal your thoughts and prayers.

I picked 2 Samuel 12:1-24

http://www.youversion.com/reader.php?startverse=2Sam.12.1

My study Bible says "As a prophet, Nathan was required to confront sin, even the sin of a king. It took great courage, skill, and tact to speak to David in a way that would make him aware of his wrong actions. When you have to confront someone with unpleasant news, pray for courage, skill, and tact. If you want that person to respond constructively, think through what you are going to say. How you present your message may be as important as what you say. Season your words with wisdom."

Verse 12:14 "David confessed and repented of his sin (12:13), but God's judgment was that his child would die. The consequences of David's sin were irreversible. Sometimes an apology isn't enough. When God forgives us and restores our relationship with him, he doesn't eliminate all the consequences of our wrong-doing. We may be tempted to say, "If this is wrong, I can always apologize to God," but we must remember that we may set into motion events with irreversible consequences."

"Why did this child have to die? This was not a judgment on the child for being conceived out of wedlock, but a judgment on David for his sin. David and Bathsheba deserved to die, but God spared their lives and took the child instead. God still had work for David t do in building the kingdom. Perhaps the child's death was a greater punishment for David than his own death would have been."

"It is also possible that had the child lived, God's name would have been dishonored among Israel's pagan neighbors. What would they have thought of a God who rewards murder and adultery by giving the king a new heir? A baby's death is tragic, but despising God brings death to entire nations. While God readily forgave David's sin, he did not negate all its consequences."

12:24 "David did not continue to dwell on his sin. He returned to God, and God forgave him, opening the way to begin life anew. Even the name God gave Solomon, Jedidiah ("beloved of the Lord"; 12:25) was a reminder of God's grace when we return to God, accept his forgiveness, and change our ways, he gives is a fresh start. To feel forgiven as David did, admit your sins to God and turn to him. Then move ahead with a new and fresh approach to life."

Apologizing to God isn't always enough. You must ask for forgiveness, accept it, and then change your ways. And sometimes, just asking for forgiveness, does not always get rid of the consequences of your sin. So before succumbing to the pleasure of the moment, think of what the consequences might be of your actions, and ask God to help you do the right thing.

Week 3 - Day 1

Seeking to know God's Names and Character
Week 3 – EAT It!

Objective: Week 3 - Seeking to know God's Names and
Character through a Word Search in the bible.

Key Verse: God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps
reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one
of us. Acts 17:27

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Seeking God on our own is a wonderful opportunity to know God.
Seeking Him to know Him through the Word is a privilege. About 500
years ago, we didn’t even have access to the Word. People died so that
we could have a bible today! Don’t take for-granted what others gave
their lives up so we could have it.

These suggested assignments are to help you grow and seek God. They
are not required, nor should you feel guilty if you don’t complete them.
If you have 5 minutes to spend, spend 5. If you have 30 mins. spend 30
– you decide. Ask God to lead you and give you wisdom to understand.

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WORD SEARCH! I love word searches!
Pick one or more of the following scripture passages to read every
day this week. As you read the scriptures, look for the names of
God. Use the Names of God chart (below) as a tool. You may want
to underline God’s attributes in your Bible &/or keep a growing list
in your SOAR journal.

Suggested Passages
Matthew 26:36-56; John 15:1-17; 1 Samuel 16:1-13; 2 Samuel 12:1-24;
Ephesians 1; Matthew 10:1-16; Matthew 11:20-29; John 14; John 10:1-
42; John 8:1-11; Jeremiah 1

DAY 1 - Select and read a passage from above.
What attributes of God did you find? Did you know this about
God? If not, renew your mind with this passage by: writing them
out, read them out loud, meditate on them throughout the day.

I picked John 15:1-17. It's pretty poignant for Valentine's Day.

My study Bible says "God is the Gardener who cares for the branches to make them fruitful. The branches are those who claim to be followers of Christ. The fruitful branches are true believers who by their living union with Christ produce much fruit. "
God is love and wants us to love each other. We obey Jesus because we love him, and by his choice, Jesus is our friend.

Did you pick a different passage? What attributes did you find?