Sorry this is so late!
I have been out of town AND have had too many doctor's appointments and late nights to keep up with the posting.
I have not finished this week's lesson. I decided to go ahead and combine this week's and last weeks. Who's hanging on here? I know this is hard and it's been very hard for me as well. (I have to keep up with BSF, Homeschooling, dirty laundry and whiny kids). Pray for me and for those of us who have continued that we would persevere. Even if we're behind.
1. What BLESSED you most this lesson?
2. What CHALLENGED you most and how do you intend to apply it (with prayer and the help of the Holy Spirit)?
3. Prayer requests and other comments.
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1. What BLESSED you most this lesson?
-From week 8: It was a blessing to read about Jesus’ identification with humanity (day 1). What particularly struck me was this line: “One problem we face is that we find Jesus too grand or too lofty to imitate. Yet, Jesus went out of His way to identify with the most humble and insignificant persons in order to invite us to identify with Him.” To think that Christ, the Lord Himself, would go out of His way to take on extreme humility, and identify with the lowest of the low people is truly amazing! It is such a blessing to know that even with our lowliness, He stooped down low to model, encourage, and invite us to be like Him.
-From week 9: Knowing that we can live worry-free lives is such a blessing – but it requires that we trust completely in Christ with a true, full faith. It was encouraging to read about the author’s story about how God’s hand in printing the first copies of the study we are going through! It was a blessing to dwell on the fact that God is so faithful, and provides for each of us perfectly.
2. What CHALLENGED you most and how do you intend to apply it (with prayer and the help of the Holy Spirit)?
-From week 8: I can definitely relate to the fact that “the greatest danger for those of us who want the mind of Christ is acting from impulse” (p. 128), which indicates how much my emotions are not controlled by my will, or how my mind is far from the pure subjection to my will. I know that to fix this is not of any power that I can muster on my own, but only when my will is strengthened and bolstered by the Holy Spirit and guided by the light of Scripture. I need to memorize more Scripture, and have the Word readily available in my mind and my heart.
-From week 9: I was challenged and refined a lot this past week in learning and applying the fact that God is indeed in charge of everything; not only on a grand, worldly scale, but also on a deeply individual, personal level. God is teaching me that if there is anything at all that I hold dear on this world, I better not hold those things with more precedence or priority over Him. Even the things that we value that are not so “material”, such as our relationships with people, must take a backseat to the pleasure and lordship of Christ. I am learning again (or is it that I’m learning for the first time?) that the cost of discipleship is total, complete, single-minded surrender to His will, without being distracted and without having anything hold us back – neither possessions, nor people.
3. Prayer requests and other comments.
Please pray that God would provide perfectly for me as I make efforts to go to short-term missions to Taiwan this summer. I am sure I can provide for myself financially, but my parents have my passport, and as they aren’t believers and HEARTILY disapprove of my intention to go on missions, they will not give my passport to me (they’re holding it hostage!). To make a long story short, my parents have not been pleased at all with me being a Christian, especially now, as they see that I’m “getting seriously too involved in the church”, “wasting my life”, and “dishonoring the family”. It has been a hard week emotionally and spiritually, so please also pray that I would hold on to Christ, His promises, and His hope through the sufferings, and that even with the disapproval and scorn, I would make it my passion to please the Lord in all things, not men.
Hey Arthur,
What an excellent post! You've really nailed a lot of convicting things. I will and am praying for you concerning the Taiwan trip AND your family situation. I haven't experienced the grief that you are going thru due to it coming from your parents but Anthony and I have experienced persecution from his parents as well. The Lord is so faithful - I know that you will miraculousl see His hand in all of this. Praying for strength, wisdom, patience and commitment.
Jules
1. What BLESSED you most this lesson?
wk 8: I really enjoyed learning about emotions through a Christ like mind. What blessed me the most (my challenge is also here) though, was learning about hope. “In the New Testament…hope is the present enjoyment of a future blessing. Jesus knew how things would turn out. For Jesus, the supper was a happy time. He had looked forward to it.” It is so crazy to think that Christ looked forward to the Lord’s Supper because he knew he was going to enjoy spending time with his disciplines one last time before his death. How many of us would worry throughout the whole dinner if we knew we would be crucified in a few short hours? I think I do this a lot, I “borrow tomorrow’s hurt” not thinking about the Lord’s provision and not being thankful for the present moment of joy I am graciously receiving.
Wk 9: I was encouraged by day 4—Jesus’ Friendship. Not only would the Lord humble himself, but also he cares so much that he spent time building real relationships with people. I love how or God is such a personal one, how He seeks us out to be intimate with Him. Doesn’t it just amaze you that the creator of the universe values us enough that He wants to be our friend?
2. What CHALLENGED you most and how do you intend to apply it (with prayer and the help of the Holy Spirit)?
Wk 8—read above
Wk 9—the question of being single or double minded came up again in this lesson. I think that I really have to learn to not worry about things and just trust in God’s timing for the provisions in my life.
3. Prayer requests and other comments.
Sorry for not posting that last time, I don’t think my heart/mind was really into the study that wk. Actually, after starting out so strong, I think I’m starting to lose endurance. Please play that I faithfully continue in this study. Also, please pray for my health, as I’m getting sick even more than usual (which is a lot!)
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