Welcome to our new study!!  I am so excited that we are beginning this journey together.  Please comment so there can be conversation. At the end of today’s reading, Kay Arthur (K.A.) asks us to “Write down the words that come to your mind when you think of God”. Here’s what I wrote in my journal:

Wonderful, loving, powerful, sovereign, Father, comforter, just, and righteous.

When I was much younger, I dwelt on the loving side of God. Then I became more aware of my own sin and unrighteousness and I got caught in a cycle of constant repentance, discouragement and feelings of unworthiness – nothing but judgement. When I really understood His sovereignty and power, I began to fear and dread Him.

Finally, like dawn breaking, the Lord revealed to me His love once more. If any man be in Christ, He is a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17)…I am covered in the righteousness of Christ. I am not just a “sinner” anymore – because I have been given a new name: I am “redeemed”, I am “His child”, I am “adopted”, I belong to Him. I am my Beloved’s and He is mine. Dear Lord, I do love you so – thank you for making right the things that were wrong, including me.

Here are some points that K.A. introduced…these would be great to discuss:

Where do you run in time of need?
What comes to your mind when you think of God?

Please email if you have any trouble commenting: justagirl4god@me.com. Have a blessed day!  I will be checking in periodically but my next post (for Day Two) will be Friday – talk to you soon!

Just a Girl…just like you

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe (Prov. 18:10).

This is our memory verse for the first chapter – I hope you have had a chance to look at the May Calendar on the website and see that we should be adding scripture to our hearts during our journey together.  Write down the memory verse and post it on our bathroom mirror, by the kitchen sink, on your car dashboard (only for stop lights!), on your computer screen or on the refrigerator. Plant God’s word within you – it is an imperishable seed sown in your heart, it endures forever (1Peter 1:23-25).

Today we were asked to consider on Psalm 20, paying special attention to how God provides for us in times of trouble. According to this scripture, there are so many ways He can provide for us: answering us in the day of trouble, setting us securely on high, sending us help, supporting us, granting us our heart’s desire, saving us and answering us with saving strength.   I love the image of Him saving me with His mighty right hand (vs. 6).  This phrase is also featured in other scriptures but my favorite is Isaiah 41:

So do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10)

The key point of Psalm 20 is that we can trust in Him and His Name…and the key point of our study is that the better we know Him and His Character, the better we are able to trust Him to save us and care for us.

Please post a comment and share your favorite promise listed in Psalm 20 or anything else that strikes a chord from this passage.  On Thursday we will be reviewing this chapter by focusing on the Small Group Discussion Questions on page 7.

By the way I posted this on Monday afternoon so that our web designer could finish the website tonight…please pray that things will go smoothly over the next week, or so, as she installs (and I learn about) our new website.  We both hope that it will be a wonderful encouragement to you as we Grow with God together.

Just a Girl…just like you!

There is something important I want to be sure to mention. In Genesis, Adam (the first man/human) was named by God and he, in turn, named Eve (the second human) and also all the animals. After that, children were named by their parents. Sometimes people were re-named by God (Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel, Saul to Paul). But did you know that when asked His name, God gave no “name” for men to call Him? Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD [According to Biblegateway.com, the Hebrew word for LORD sounds like and may be related to the Hebrew word for I AM], the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ “This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation. Ex 3:13-15. Did you catch a name in there?  Neither did the Hebrews.  They considered the actual name of God to be sacred and unknown to man.  I love that, rather than calling Him a name, calling Him “I AM” is a description of constant action, a positive state of being; it is a present tense verb and is constantly current. Paul said, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8.

But since I AM was so active, there arose the need to discuss Him and tell His story, and to refer specifically to Him and to describe Him. So God was given many descriptions, which we would consider His “names”.  Remember that Kay Arthur also mentioned that names had a special significance in Hebrew culture because they described the character of a person.  So here is another thing I love: God is not defined by one name or description. In this study we will learn about the descriptions of God that occur through both the Old and New Testaments. Another thing to interject here, and this may be something you already know, but in case you never thought of it, or are apt to forget about it – when we read the bible we are reading a translation from either Hebrew in the Old testament or Greek in the New Testament to English.  Whenever another language is translated to English, the English word that most closely matches the word in the original language is used.  Sometimes English is pretty limited in the choices and this is the case with God.  We basically use “God” or LORD” for all the names of God which are translated from Hebrew or Greek.  In this study we will uncover the richness of these other languages and learn that, though we have settled on pretty much one name for Him, God cannot be contained in that one word.  He is too amazing and wonderful to have just one or two names.  We will learn the meaning of who HE IS – I AM.

So for Day Four we begin to study the Creator, Elohim. Kay Arthur packs a lot into a short lesson.  Here are some of the highlights for me: El means strong or mighty; Elohim means Creator God; the him part is plural, and shows the trinity was present at the beginning of creation (as we see in Genesis 1 where God refers to Himself as Us and John 1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. ).  And Kay says that since the all-powerful triune God created the earth and all that is in it – that means He created us too, for His glory and pleasure, just as we are. She reminds us of a difficult concept: God is God and He is flawless and He is in charge over all.  He makes no “mistakes”…nothing happens out of His control. All that happens is according to his plan and is designed to bring glory to Him (to reflect who He is).  So often when hard times come or life “isn’t fair”, people feel like God has lost sight of them or the devil has gotten the better of them.  We will explore this issue in much more depth later, but for now think on this: God Elohim, the Creator, designed you and your life. You are not a mistake, and for good or bad, you are not where you are by accident. This is a hard thing to accept, especially during trying times…today please share with us about the difficulty of accepting God’s plan for you or someone you love OR please share about how you have  seen God’s goodness in your own adversity OR share something else.  It would just be good to hear from you!

Just a Girl…just like you!

Elohim is God the Creator.  KA reminded us of a very important thing in this chapter…God created everything, He is the Author of Life.  Too easily we are able to separate, in our minds, the Creator from the creation.  We love God and want to honor HIm and serve Him yet we do not honor His creation – we murmur against our circumstances and when we do, we are  murmuring against Him.  All the while He is saying, “Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent,children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the Word of life.” (Phil 2: 14-6).  Still we criticize ourselves and others; we complain about the way our lives are going; we strain and pull against His yoke. But He says, “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; for my yoke is easy and my burden is light and you will find rest for your souls.( Matt 11:28-30). Sadly, we have an innate inability to accept that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28). Here are two verses to keep in mind (and a larger passage down below that I love):

But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.” Jeremiah 17:7

“It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.” Lamentations 3:26

Please watch this video about someone who knows Elohim as good in every circumstance, Lt. Scotty Smiley, and reflect on these questions from the Small Group Discussion Questions on p. 14 (or anything else you would like to discuss!)…

#1 Elohim identifies God as Creator. From your study, why do you think it is important to know Him as Creator?

#7 What is currently happening in your life or circumstances that is easier to deal with now that you know God as your Elohim?

Just a Girl…just like you!

Isaiah 55    The Compassion of the LORD

¹“Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
²Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
³Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love forDavid.
⁴Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander for the peoples.
⁵ Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,
anda nation that did not know you shall run to you,
because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel,
for he has glorified you.

⁶ “Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;
⁷let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
⁸For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
⁹For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

¹⁰“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
¹¹so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
butit shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

¹²“For you shall go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
shall break forth into singing,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
¹³ Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the LORD,
an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

Today KA continues the discussion of the awesome power of God, His supremacy over all, His Sovereignty.  Here is part  of what I wrote in my journal, para-phrasing the passage from 1 Samuel 2 (from page 20): 

He has power over life and death. He sets people in the place of His choosing.  He has power over all circumstances. He  does exalt and protect the needy – not by might shall a man prevail – but only because the Lord decides. DO NOT contend  with the Lord…those who contend with the Lord will be shattered. (1Sam 2:6-10).

 I was going to look up the definition of “sovereign” to share at the beginning of this post but I see I did not need to – that passage pretty well covers it! Is there one verse that sums it up for you?  Share with us the words that resonate with you.                              

JustaGirl…just like you

On page 26, this chapter discusses one of the big things the Lord has revealed to me in a personal way this year.  I have heard these things before, and felt like I could say I understood.  But God has given me a greater understanding and peace about what I have read in this book and in another wonderful book called Hind’s Feet in High Places (which is a life-changing book, not to be missed, BTW).  Here is the part about God’s Sovereignty that I am discussing, from page 26:

“Isn’t it easier to give thanks when you realize that your Father, El Elyon, God Most High is in control and that nothing can happen in His universe without His permission? Even when we are wronged by others, we can still give thanks.  Although we have been given a free will, still God so rules and overrules that no person, angel, demon, or devil, nor any circumstance of life, can thwart His plan. El Elyon rules supremely over all.  And because He does, you can understand how all things “work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).  In everything you can “give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1Thes. 5:18).

These verses I have heard my whole life.  This concept is not new to me.   The stunner for me has been putting this into my daily thinking, and truly applying this to my life.  No one is ever “getting over on me”.  No one gains an “unfair advantage” or manipulates a situation to my detriment. I may be at peace with others. Also, in the past, I have been almost paralyzed when a decision had to be made, for fear of making the wrong choice. But I know now that God is really with me in everything.  I am called according to His purpose and I am seeking His will for me.  So He will make good of both the good and bad choices I make.  It is not to say that because of God’s presence, I cannot make mistakes; rather that, if mistakes are made, they will be redeemed as part of God’s plan.  Nothing is wasted.  I believe that though we do not always see the good, it is there.  I believe that sometimes the good in a situation may work toward someone else’s benefit more than ours.  But God’s greater plan is for all of our good…and so God’s plan is better than our own and I can accept when things go “against me”.  The Bible says “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).  Peace comes from knowing that God is good and that He is wise and that His way is best.  When I remember that, I am at peace and can truly give thanks in everything – what a blessing and a paradox.  Who knew that in giving up what felt like so much (the struggle to have my own way over God’s), I could gain so much more ( the freedom of allowing Him to bear the weight and burden of all the details I thought I needed to control to be happy)…maybe you knew?  How did you learn this life lesson?  Are you still wrestling with it? Is God’s Sovereignty a comfort or conflict for you?

Just a Girl…just like you!

Ohhhh!  This is one of my favorite names.  El Roi – the God Who Sees…His eyes are not shut, He has not left His post, He is not unaware.  Have you ever wandered in the desert and felt like a throw-away, like Hagar did in Genesis 16?  Whether you really have been cast aside or not is another matter, but feeling that way…feeling so unimportant, or overlooked, or even despised, unloved…this is truly the place where you feel you must have fallen off God’s radar completely.  That was the way I felt at one point.  I cried out for help and there was no help…there was just emptiness.  No people to rescue me.  No oasis in sight.  Just barren wasteland.  Had God forgotten me too?  I thought He did.  But little by little I realized that I had just stopped listening for His voice.  Later, I read this passage (one I had read so many other times without taking notice), and Girls let me tell you, I wept.  I was overwhelmed.  I realized that He is El Roi.  He had seen me in my wilderness.  He never took His eyes off me.  He never left me.  I remember thinking, “He SEES me.  He sees ME!“.  With “seeing” me, came knowing me – I realized that He sees who we really are, what we really need, where we have been and where we are going.  What a mighty God we serve!

So how does the story of Hagar relate to your life? Have you had any desert moments where you felt like you were wandering, lost in the wilderness?  Have you come to know God as El Roi – the One who sees?

Please chat with me about this wonderful name of God…

JustaGirl…just like you!

Our memory verse this week is: The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good. Prov. 15:3 So, if you don’t know it already, we are all accountable to El Roi – The God Who Sees.  Quite a realization.  This is something that we all need to keep in mind as Christians.  But if you are a parent, this is an especially important thing to teach your children – God…sees…everything. For the Lord sees not as a man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart (1 Sam 16:7). This can be good or bad for you – depending on your heart!

Good, if He sees goodness in your heart: And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in twosmall copper coins, which make a penny.And he called his disciples to him and said to them, ”Truly, I say to you,this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, allshe had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44

Bad, if He sees disobedience and selfishness reflected n your heart: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?  ”I the LORD search the heart and test the mind,to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” Jer 17:9-10

It seems more fair than the worldly way, the fact that God knows what is true about each of us.  How many times have we felt overlooked or misunderstood? But not by Him. You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts,God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you. (Psalm 139:1-18)

Keeping all of this in mind, how does it help us to know that God is El Roi? Ask yourself, are there things that you would rather He not see? Or can you relate to Hagar – are you relieved to think that He has seen you, seen your need?

JustaGirl…just like you!