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 :)