Sunday, November 6, 2011

What is your 'Egypt'?

I am the LORD, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy. Leviticus 11:45

Over and over again in the Old Testament, God is pointing the Isrealites back to the Exodus out of Egypt. He is continually calling them to remember what He has done for them. As we approach Thanksgiving here in the United States, many people are pausing to reflect on what they are Thaknkful for in their lives. So, I am wondering --

What is it that God has done for you in your past?

What is your 'Egypt'?

What has He redeemed and rescued you from?

Addiction? Stress? Pride? Bitterness? Anger? Depression? Self-centeredness? Feelings of worthlessness? Shame? Guilt? Fear?

God has rescured you from those things to give you FREEDOM and a life of ABUNDANCE! Are you claiming that? Are you living fully in that? In Leviticus 11:45 God tells the Israelites that He brought them out of a life of bondage in order to be their God. He saves us because He desires a relationship with us!! Not because we deserve it but because He loves us! Are you Thankful for that this November? Thankful that you don't have to live in bondage but rather that we can live in His GRACE and His LOVE? YOU are someone of great worth and significance to God!! Please take a few minutes to pause today and reflect on what He has done for you. Please let go of your junk and embrace Him!



Monday, September 26, 2011

Journey Through Scripture - Day 4


The Journey Through Scripture  posts are written for the ladies in the small group that I am leading. We are spending the next year together reading through the entire Bible.
Day 4: Genesis 10-12, Matthew 4

I would encourage you to complete the reading before you read the blog posts :)
 
Genesis 12, Verse 1 -- God told Abram to leave and to go. God said that He would show Abram his destination but first Abram would have to begin on his journey. In verse 4 we see Abram's obedience. And I wonder, how many times has God called me to begin something, to set out on a journey with Him and I ignored Him? Are we listening for, are we heeding God's call to us?
 
Verse 2 -- God promises to bless Abram and that as a result, Abram would be a blessing to others. Do we recognize God's blessings on us? Am I only looking at or focused on the things that God has not given me?? Am I using the blessings that I have received to turn around and bless someone else?

Verse 13 -- Here we see Abram's humanity -- he tells his wife to lie for him. I am both saddened and relieved when I read this; saddened because he lied and so relieved to realized that God has never been about calling perfect people. He calls people who are willing (verse 4). Am I willing? Are you willing to be called?

Matthew 4 -- When Satan comes to tempt Jesus, Jesus does NOT argue with him. He doesn't even get into a discussion with him. Jesus simply quotes Scripture. Notice that Satan also quotes Scripture. Yes, he has studied it and knows it very well. That is why it is so important that we know it too!!

Verses 210 & 22 -- the disciples immediately left their lives behind and went to follow Jesus -- like Abram in Genesis 12.

Continue on in your reading ladies!! I am so proud of you all for coming on this adventure with me!
God Bless ~ Shannon

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Journey Through Scripture - Day 2


The Journey Through Scripture posts are written for the ladies in the small group that I am leading. We are spending the next year together reading through the entire Bible.
Day 2: Genesis 4-6, Matthew 2

I would encourage you to complete the reading before you read the blog posts :)
Genesis 4:3 -- Cain brought some of his fruit as an offering. He didn't choose the first or the best.
Verse 4 -- Abel brought an offering from the firstborn of his flock.

God looked with favor on Abel and his offering. This made Cain upset, perhaps even jealous. Verse 7 says 'If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?' They were each given the same choice, the same opportunity to bring an offering that would be acceptable. They each knew what an acceptable offer was and Cain chose not to offer it. So what was really the difference in their offerings?? Does God just require robot-like obedience? I believe that their offerings reflect the condition of their hearts and show us the state of each of their relationships with God. Abel's heart was in a state of worship as he came before his creator with his offering. I am not sure where Cain's heart was when he came before the Lord, but he was not *Worship* focused.

I want to challenge you to think about this:

Do you more closely identify with Cain or with Abel?

Are we like Abel? Giving God the best of ourselves? The best of our talents and what we have to offer? 
Or are we like Cain? Do we hold back the best of ourselves from God and then get bitter and upset when He doesn't bless our 'efforts'?? 
I think if we are honest with ourselves, we are alot more like Cain than we care to admit. 
I pray ladies that you are keeping up with the reading and that God is blessing you through His Word!


Saturday, September 24, 2011

Journey Through Scripture - Day 1





The Journey Through Scripture posts are written for the ladies in the small group that I am leading. We are spending the next year together reading through the entire Bible.
Day 1: Genesis 1-3, Matthew 1

I would encourage you to complete the reading before you read the blog posts :)

Genesis ch.3, verse 1 -- By asking Eve 'Did God really say ...?' Satan is trying to cause her to doubt God. He still does this to us today. Any area of our life where we doubt God, is an area where our faith is weakened. This doubt even caused Eve to mis-quote what God had said by adding that they were told not even to touch the tree (verse 3). She was shaken by this attack on her trust in God. In verse 6 we see Satan's bag of tricks: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. This is the very same technique that he used on Jesus when we tempted Him in the wilderness (Matthew 4). Jesus combated this attack by quoting Scripture to Satan. It is so important that we KNOW what the Bible says so that we have it as a tool against these attacks on our faith. It is so important that we don't make the mistake that Eve made by not knowing EXACTLY what God has said. And by being aware of the tricks that Satan is trying to use against us, we can ready ourselves to stand against it!

Matthew 1 -- Men and women, Jews and Gentiles are listed in the genealogy of Christ. God's plan was always to include everyone! I always used to wish I was Jewish so that I could be one of God's chosen people. If only I would've read the Bible sooner, I would've realized that I have been one of His chosen since before my birth! And so are YOU! I am so thankful for that!!

*****************
On a life note: after I had written in my notebook this morning about Satan trying to cause us to doubt our faith, I was given the opportunity to put that into practice. Colin's father asked this morning if Colin could spend the night tonight. (He is supposed to come back home at 5). I said no but now I am wondering if he will bring him back at 5 or not. I know that this is just the devil trying to play a mind game on me. I also know, that he doesn't want anyone reading their Bible and that I will be under some Spiritual attack for leading you through reading it. But I still choose to lead the group. I still choose to trust that God loves Colin and has some wonderful and amazing plans for his life. I am choosing to hand my concerns over to God in prayer and to spend the day NOT WORRYING!

I pray that you all have a Blessed Day today!!
I love you ~ Shannon

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Journey Through Scripture



We have small groups at our church, which we call Community Groups. This year I am very blessed and humbled to have the privilege of leading one of these groups! The focus of these groups is to build community - become Family with each other, and to study the Bible. It is about so much more than just Bible study -- it is about the relationships we have and how we glorify God through those and help each other in our Faith Walks.

My group - I call it my CG, short for Community Group -- has two verses as our sort-of purpose statements. The first one is 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up. If we miss the mark on this one, we have totally missed the mark. Our study of Scripture will mean NOTHING if we cannot fulfill this verse. Our second verse is Job 34:4b Let us learn together what is good. The focus of the 'study' part of our group will be to read through the Bible together in a year. We have a reading plan that we will follow which consists of 365 daily readings from both the Old and New Testaments. Tonight will be our first get-together and tomorrow we will begin with Day 1. I am super excited!

So, what does all this  have to do with the blog?? Well, I am afraid that I will have far too many words on my heart for sharing in our time together. (Believe it or not, I am a talker! LOL) I want to hear what the other ladies are getting out of their reading. So, I am going to use the blog as a place for sharing my thoughts as I read through - a place where the ladies in the CG can come, read and be encouraged. Each time that the post is designed for our CG, the title of the post will say Journey Through Scripture. I will list what 'Day' reading we are on and I will also list the verses so that you can follow along with us.

May you each be blessed as you seek to know Him better! And let me encourage you in this: if you have not read your Bible yet today -- GO DO IT :)

God Bless ~ Shannon

Friday, September 16, 2011

I am almost ready to start writing on the blog again. I know this because this morning, I wrote a post in my mind :)

I feel like I've been gone for a  really long time but it's only been just over two weeks. I have had a lot of things change in life since I was last here so I am interested to update you all. Also, I think maybe my approach to the blog will change some too. That's still just an idea though.

I pray you are all doing well and I will leave you with this photo that I took recently:


God Bless ~ Shannon

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Taking A Break

I really enjoy the blog and I really enjoy the process of writing. I have a notebook of blog post notes that I write in when something comes to mind. Sometimes, the ideas just flow and I will write, or partially write several posts at a time.

I have alot of things that I want to share with you all, such as -- some great pics from Hurricane Irene and a lesson in them too, school is starting this week and I wanted to share with you all that I found my Sabbath!! But I have to be honest with you ... I just do not have the desire to sit at the computer. Life is flowing along very happily for us in the real world but I am feeling like I am neglecting the blog, like I need to be here writing, because there are things on my heart to share, but lately, I just can't bring myself to sit here and write them.

So, I have decided to take a break for a while. I have no idea how long it will last. I was gong to leave you with a picture but I think instead I will share a short video of part of my Sabbath -- it is Zoe and Colin playing in the Atlantic Ocean. When I stand on the shore of the ocean, I am always in awe of how Big God is and how powerful. And He chose me and loves me. On purpose! There just aren't feelings to describe that ...


May the Lord bless you all as you seek to know Him better ~ Shannon

Monday, August 29, 2011

Musical Monday: Give Me Jesus

Today's song is Give Me Jesus as sung by Fernando Ortega.

The picture of this video is not so good but I couldn't find the one that I wanted. The picture doesn't matter anyway because the lyrics are so beautiful! Have a wonderful Monday everyone!




Sunday, August 28, 2011

Thankful

it's about 8:30 AM here in Maine and we are awaiting the arrival of Hurricane Irene. It's raining right now but not alot and the wind is light and sporadic. I am not concerned about it really except for the one 100-foot tree next door. If it goes down, it will take the telephone pole with it and probably rip the power lines off of our house and our street will be without power -- without power and with power lines and a tree in the middle of our dead-end street! (It just started to downpour!)

Here is something that I am thankful for this morning: The God of the Universe, the God who controls the wind and the waves, is the same God who hold my fragile heart in His hands! How incredible is that??

And here is something else that I am thankful for this morning: I am thankful for our Military and also that I am not this man guarding the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier today. Say a prayer today for all who are in Irene's path and also for all those who are serving our country -- Matt's brother is in Afghanistan right now.
God Bless and Be Safe ~ Shannon
According to the 3rd U.S. INF Regiment The Old Guard Facebook page, "A lone Tomb Sentinel, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), walks his tour in humble reverence during Hurricane Irene in Arlington National Cemetery, Va., Aug 27. Members of The Old Guard have guarded the Tomb every second, of every day regardless of weather or holidays since April 6, 1948." 
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