"It’s about modeling what we know is true in the craziness of life."

This past Tuesday night I attended the weekly Bible study at Fellowship Bible Church. The summer series is different than in fall and spring because we don’t have weekly text to “study.” We also have a different teacher teaching each week. This week, author and speaker Mary Grace Birkhead (www.marygraceb.com) taught, and a lot of what she had to say really rocked my world. It isn’t that the content was “new” to me, but the way in which it was presented combined with where I am in my life caused the Lord to really use her teaching.

Here are some of the highlights:

• “It’s about modeling what we know is true in the craziness of life.” – I LOVED this. So often I get caught up in everything that has to get done on my to do list, I don’t model the truth about Christ/Christianity. I want this quote to be my battlecry – when I am stressed, when I am on a deadline, when I am overwhelmed – that does not mean I can push aside the truth of who Christ is and what he has done and is doing in my life. People need to see this – heck, so do I. As it says in in Scripture, the peace of the Lord surpasses all understanding.
• God is never surprised by our sin, he is just sad when we don’t respond in faith
• We often get tired of waiting on God, so we try to handle things on our own. This usually results in a sinful way of handling things (anger, fear, worry, anxiety). Instead, why aren’t we praying?!

Psalm 40 was one of the Scriptures Mary Grace talked about during her lesson. I want to include it here because it is so powerful. You have probably heard/read it before, but read it again. It’s an awesome reminder that God is loving, faithful, and is always with us.

Psalm 40: 1-11
1 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.
4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.
5 Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.
6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.
7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll.
8 I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD.
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.
11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me.

So that’s what I have been thinking, learning and praying about this week. Thanks for reading. Much love.