Monthly Archives: November 2010

BS Reflections – Renew my heart O God

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It has been a very, VERY encouraging start to our thursday bible study. God is amazing and has met me especially during this step of faith. My wife and I thought about doing one for a while. Maybe it was fear, maybe it felt like no one wanted to be part of one, maybe because everyone left, or maybe because I felt inadequate, whatever the reason, we pushed it off and pushed it off.

But the first night of our gathering there was confirmation, even people admitting that they’ve been praying about having a bible study for a while as well. As we have entered our fifth week, I can only sense that there is so much potential, not only for the group, but also in my heart to have faith and believe God in all areas.

What I mean is this… I’ve always thought that I needed to provide material, needed to provide songs, support, encouragement, etc. Times I felt like I needed to be the one in charge because I was leading, but I’m slowly realizing that God is in charge. Though we provide a lesson, a message, a time, a place, it is God that works in people’s hearts. It isn’t going to be good food that changes people, it will be an act of the Holy Spirit. He will change us, he will guide us, he will lead us.

The first few meetings we had quick devotionals. I think it was good for me to share more because this is exactly what have been missing as a body. We needed the weak and vulnerable, we needed to remind ourselves that we are jars of clay (2 Cor 4). We hold in ourselves treasures that is so valuable… and then Hosea – God is our lover, the one who woos us and romances us and calls us back to him. He has called us to be his people and his lover. I am again and again drawn back to him because of his irresistible grace.

O God, may You continue to love us and draw us to you. Remind us again and again of who you are and who we are because of Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit work in us that we may be instruments for you to draw others to you. O God. Renew us, renew us as a church, renew us as a body to love you… to love you above all things, above all else.

God also refresh us in you. Help us to draw water and food from you. I think this has been a very helpful part of the bible study is the pre-bible study fellowship dinner. My wife has been working very hard in preparation and we have just been blessed by the food. But we need more than physical food, we need spiritual nourishment. Fill us O God. We are so weak and dry and hungry… we need you. We need you. We NEED YOU.

God, I want to worship you, I want to love you. Holy Spirit empower us. Thank you Jesus.

Bible Study

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We started a bible study in early October. This has been a great time to reconnect, to study the word and to worship our God.

As we started meeting with a dinner at 6:30 and then the actual study at 7:30. I know some people can’t come as early, so we’ve been holding out until 7:30, and I know some people can’t stay late, so we try to end by 9-9:30.

In any case, hymns have been the taste of late, my new favorite is My Jesus I love thee. A hauntingly sweet song to my savior.

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I love Thee because Thou has first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree.
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
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In our actual studying time, we’ve been sharing sunday sermons, quick devotionals and a study of the book of Proverbs.

Last night was about the heart. This is the DEEP matters, our DEEP desires. Last week was on fear, who do you fear? The LORD or man? This actually led to great discussion and a great drawing of deep waters from us.

Proverbs 20:5 The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.

And last week, Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

It takes a man that fears the Lord to draw out deep waters… because those deep waters are those desires that the Lord put there. It was a great connection and I prayed that we would be people of understanding to help draw those waters out from each other.

Thank you Jesus. I love you.