Wednesday Mornings

Today I started a new Bible study for this year. Fall is such a time of new beginnings and I loooove getting my new study workbook each year anticipating the fresh surprises that lay between the pages. For many years, I went to Bible studies on Thursdays, with my toddlers in tow, and then they started school and I graduated from going to McDonalds with the other women to an actual sit down restaurant for lunch afterwards! This is my second year with a new group of women, and I'm so thankful that God (and Nancy!) led my path to them. I've done so many Beth Moore Bible studies and they are my favorite. I've heard women say that they are intimidated about the work involved and getting the answers "right", and they've shyed away from them. But if you have the opportunity, jump at it, because what I love is digging through scripture and seeing the threads that weave through the Old Testament into the New Testament. This one is about living beyond yourself through the fruit of the Spirit. After working through the first week of it, I am always in awe at God's "living" word. For those who have not done her studies, each week is broken into five days. The five days this week are titled "Hardships; Pleasing God (doesn't look like what we think); Crucified; Credited Righteousness; and Abba Father". Wow. And that's just the first week. As I was working through Day 3 of this week, Beth lays out Ten Characteristics of the Crucified Life and I wanted to share them. There is a thinking and culture today that is very popular among the religious called "prosperity gospel". That if we are doing everything right, praying the right way, serving God the right way, thinking the right way, that we will "prosper" in every way. Actually, it's not such new thinking - the Pharisees did it too. When the season of prosperity comes, we think (usually subconsciously) that we figured it out and God must be very pleased with us (of course, in a "humble" attitude...). But what about when the rainy season comes. And it will. None are immune. Does it mean that we missed something?

I couldn't believe it when I opened up this study because these were the exact things that were on my heart over this last week (hence, "living" word). And God kept whispering to me "read the beatitudes" and I did. Our pastor has done an incredible study of the beatitudes and several years ago, it gave me a whole new understanding of them. In this life on earth, we want, desperately, for God to make the road smooth, take away the pain, protect our children, fill our accounts, give us many friends, and on and on and on. Who doesn't want those things? We even have famous authors and pastors even telling us this is what it should like if we are blessed! But that's not the outcome or guarantee or "sign" that we are following Him well. We may be living a life with some or all of those things, but so is the guy next door who never even contemplates about God. The "sign" lies in the beatitudes; and in our response when the rain comes. I also like Beth's examples of a life crucified to self and truly alive in Christ:

1. Few Will Understand

2. You Must Abandon Your Own Will and Your Own Agenda

3. Your Intimate Spiritual Companions Will Be Few

4. Intense Times of Aloneness with God Are Required

5. You Will Be Constantly On the Witness Stand

6. You Must Go "Outside the Camp". (I give that a big Amen)

7. There Will Be Times When Your Dignity is Forfeited

8. You Must Forego Your Rights

9. You Must Accept that Death is Painful

10. Because He was Forsaken, YOU NEVER WILL BE

This week, I've heard many hard things; a dear friend who is losing her home due to the demise of a family owned business; several parents of young children who passed away or near the very end of their lives; children of faithful families struggling with social issues. The list goes on, and these are people who seek God every day, who trust in His plan for their lives, even as the storm rages. Now I'm not preachin' doom and gloom. Neither is Beth Moore. I absolutely believe and have seen the power of prayer for our children, families and jobs. God desires for us to walk with peace and joy, but that only comes by the Spirit, not through our attempts at controlling our circumstances (been in the "classroom" a lot on this one!). Life is not simple and the trials come, as well as the mountaintop times. In the times of quiet, we are to replenish and absorb His Word. We have the energy to extend our hand and heart to the lost and hungry and hurting. We shouldn't live in fear of what's around the corner. But the rain does come, sometimes a sprinkle, sometimes a storm and sometimes a tsunami.

I was talking with a friend yesterday and she reminded me of something so powerful. It was about Job, and his life. God allowed Satan to test Job because Satan accused God that the only reason Job was faithful was because his life was "prosperous". God knew otherwise. Well, we all know the story and it gets yucky. But in the very last chapter, Job says to his Lord, "I had heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes".

That's what the trials bring. We can think we know God, we've heard about Him, we've memorized a lot of scripture, we pray to Him. But have we truly seen Him?