October 12, 2015
A Message from GO! Women's Small Group Bible Study:
Good Morning and Welcome Back Ladies to Week 5!
The season or Autumn is upon us. As I write this email, there is so much to say, that I don’t know exactly where to begin. I have typed several versions of this email because I have so many thoughts floating around and I pray that even as I type this note now to all of you that God will quiet my mind so that I can represent Him well.
Peace be with you.
Yes, that’s where we will begin. I pondered over this phrase after our last session and found that these four words sure do make an impact. While only four words, they hold so much meaning and the statement is more than meets the eye. It was relevant in John 20 as Jesus stated it not once, but twice to the disciples and it is still impactful today.
In John 20:21, “Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” In thinking about the phrase, “peace be with you”, I conducted a little research to look further into the phrase that was eloquently penned by John. Peace in the biblical concept and Hebrew root means "to be complete" or "to be sound." The verb conveys both a dynamic and a static meaning "to be complete or whole" or "to live well." Jesus in verse 23 of John 20 after stating “peace be with you” a second time “breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit”.
Wow! When we first started our study a few weeks ago, one of the first things we learned about the Holy Spirit was that it…“moves”. Jesus breathed on the disciples, they received the Holy Spirit and because of God's “rivers of living water” they were complete. (John 7:39) As for those dry bones, well, those dry bones came to life indeed through Christ Jesus.
As we approach our Week 5 session just a few questions for you to ponder before we meet again:
Have you ever found yourself in the valley of dry bones? Have you ever placed limits on what God can do?
I would imagine we could all say “yes” to both questions. However, just because our answers may be “yes”, that’s not the rest of our story. We started this journey together ladies five weeks ago each of us seeking something; each of us asking God to show Himself to us. What I’ve come to realize is that all of us at one time or another have found ourselves in the valley of dry bones. Walking around thinking we are alive, but, oh so the contrary! While we may have thought that we could get out of the valley all on our own, at some point (probably after several unsuccessful attempts) we came to the realization that we couldn't do it alone. It’s only at this fork in the road that we can meet Jesus. At this crossroad we can take the limits off God, we become dead to our trespasses and run to our inheritance.
As Beth stated in a previous lesson, "do you got anything else going for ya?" If so, go with it..." While many of us chuckled when we first heard this statement, over the last few weeks it has become abundantly clear to me the following:
It’s time to move; it’s time to rise up mighty women of God; it’s time to start really living. God’s breath of life, the Holy Spirit, is ever present and is living within us. Embrace your deposit from God!
In closing, read aloud the last few verses from our session four and if you have a moment listen to :
"No Limits No Boundaries" by Isreal & New Breed. These powerful words found in Ezekiel speak peace to us all and it gives us a glimpse of the power of God, the breath of God (the Holy Spirit) and what we are filled with through the power of the Holy Spirit: PEACE.
May your life be filled with health, prosperity, and victory.-- Shalom
3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” (Ezekiel 37:3)
11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.” (Ezekiel 37:11-14)
Housekeeping for the week:
NEW ROOM for this week:
We will be meeting in the McKinley Room this week at 6:00 pm;
We'll start off reviewing our homework from Session 4;
Remember to bring your GO! theme from Session four or a prior session; and
Spread the word!
Remember, each day is an opportunity for us to...
Lead, Serve, GO!
Have a great day and see you on Tuesday!
Krista
Each day we have an opportunity to be the light and salt God has called us to be to others. Matthew 5:13-16 (NIV)