A Heart for Spiritual Growth

Connection Group - 07.22.11

This past Friday we studied A Heart for Spiritual Growth “The power of maturing in  every area of life”. Elizabeth George shared five principles with us:

1.The foundation of spiritual growth is knowing and following Jesus Christ. 

  Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

     “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:21-27

2.-True wisdom comes from regularly spending time studying God’s Word. 

The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,
   for the ears of the wise seek it out. Proverbs 18:15

3.-Our physical condition either enhances or limits our availability to serve God. We have studied the need to get up early for Bible study and prayer and the need to work fitness and exercise into your busy schedule. Do you think all this is too much or a needed message? 

4.-Daily attention to spiritual growth increases our effectiveness in serving God.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22

5.-Spiritual growth enhances our relationships inside and outside the church. 

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.  Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. 

1 Thessalonians 5:12-15

This Friday at 10:30 am we would be studying “A Heart for Service”. I hope to see you all there.

A Heart For Your Home

Connection Group- 07.15.11

 These weeks are flying by! I am so thankful with God for what we've been learning. 

 We have a new mom-to-be, Rachel, in our connection group. I also found out that Casey is pregnant. I am very happy to know them and to be praying for them as they go through this beautiful time in their lives. 

 A couple weeks ago I went to visit Carly and her new baby. She is recovering quickly and the baby is a cutie pie. 

Carly, Baby Ryder and Carla

This past Friday in our discussion time we all agreed that the "mom-wife" is the heart of the home-family.

Elizabeth George shared: A women can build her home with godly wisdom or tear it down with foolishness. 

The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. Proverbs 14:1

God expects women to watch over and guard their homes.

She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. Proverbs 31:27 (New Living Translation)

By learning and applying biblical truth, women can manage themselves and their home to the glory of God. 

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15 

Women are to keep their homes as places of rest, joy, and provision.

Better a dry crust eaten in peace than a house filled with feasting--and conflict. Proverbs 17:1 

How can we do it? Understanding our roles in the home and developing a plan that help us carry out our roles effectively. It is a blessing to be a wife and mom and we have the capability of making  our home our little haven. 

I hope to see you on Friday at 10:30 am.

Love,
Carla

A Heart For Your Children

Connection Group 07.08.11

I am really excited for the things we have learned this past six weeks. We have four weeks left and we are done with this Bible study. So many valuable lessons we have learned. Something we got to know is the Bible is convicting, convincing, converting to all who accept its message and believe in Jesus Christ. 

All the different topics we have seen this past six weeks are biblical and applicable to our lives. Last Friday we saw “A Heart for Your Children”. Our ministry as godly women do not start at church but at home teaching our kids His Word and nurturing their faith. 

 “So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

The second principle that Elizabeth George shared with us is a mother is to teach her children practical wisdom. God expects mothers to teach their children how to live to please Him.

“She opens her mouth in skillful and godly Wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness [giving counsel and instruction].” Proverbs 31:26

A mother is to dedicate her children to the Lord for His purpose and to love her children even when parenting is difficult.

God provides encouragement through His Word and grace through His Spirit to mothers who nurture a heart for their children. 

Next week we are going to see “A Heart for Your Home”. I hope to see you all. At the end of this Bible Study I was thinking we could do a picnic in the park. Let me know if you like the idea. 

Love, 

Carla

A Heart for Your Husband

Connection Group 07.01.11

I love the lesson we saw this past Friday. There are blessings when we are obedient to God's Word. Of course we should not be obedient to God for His blessings but because we love Him.  

We learned that God created men and women in His own image with the same capabilities as Genesis 1:27 said:  "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."

In the marriage God has called to very uniques roles to husband and wife. 

 For the wife one of the most significant roles is that of helper to her husband.  God created the woman to complement the men. We complete them. 

"So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found." Genesis 2:20 

The next one we learned is God expects wives to submit to their husbands. Submission is not humiliation. We submit to our husbands because we love them. Nobody force us to do it. "What does it mean to submit? It means to bend, to fit him, to suit him, to fit with his life or plans, to adapt to his way, to subordinate yourself to him and his leadership. It means "no resistance"" Humbleness is part of the Christian character and submission is a decision we make. 

"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything."Ephesians 5:21-22

God expects wife to respect their husbands understanding that their husbands are not perfect but human. If we see something that he needs to change we should pray about it.  But remember God may change them or God may change us. 

"However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." Ephesians 5:33

A wife is to love her husband. To be her husband's closest and most loyal friend. God refers also to the older women are to teach the young women to love their husbands. 

"Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children,  to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God." Titus 2:3-5

Nurturing her heart for her husband is possible when a wife knows and applies God's Word in daily living. Girls there is something I have experience when I seek God and apply His Word everyday and that is peace and confidence in my marriage and in all the areas of my life.

Sure I am praying for all of you and this Friday we are going to see "A Heart for Your Children"

Love, 

Carla