Bible Study Girl Gang | Growing In Grace | @skinnyminimama23
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@skinnyminimama23
Study materials used:
> Growing In Grace | The Daily Grace Co. Bible Study
> Sticky Notes
> Highlighters
Today’s Instagram LIVE video
What are spiritual disciplines?
Read 1 Timothy 4:8-16 ( notes are exerts from the Daily Grace Co study)
“8. for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life to come. 9. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
11. Command and teach these things. 12. Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. 15. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. 16. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearts.”
> 1 Timothy 4:14 - “ Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.”
> What does it mean to neglect your gift? (Q&A study Bible reference)
Having a God given gift ( whether a talent or spiritual gift) is not enough. We need to use them in service in order to develop them and make them effective. To sidestep opportunities to serve the Lord is to neglect our gifts. They can waste away to nothing if left dormant.
Just like a farmer works hard to sow his crop with a goal of reaping a harvest. Or an athlete conditioning their body to successfully run a race. We must exercise our gifts.
It takes DISCIPLINE, OBEDIENCE & TRUSTING in the Lord.
> Spritiual disciplines should characterize the life of every believer.
> What are spiritual disciplines?
Activities that believers do. Ex. Hearings, reading studying, meditating on, and memorizing scripture, prayer, fasting, worship, service, fellowship, solitude & celebration.
> Why have spiritual discipline?
The goal of each spiritual discipline is growth in intimacy with God & growth in personal godliness, which lead to exponential growth in joy & delight.
> inner transformation is the work of God.
> Spiritual disciplines are the outworking of a redeemed heart.
Engaging in prayer, Bible intake, Christian fellowship & the other disciplines are responses to the work of God’s grace in our lives.
God works in our hearts & lives of His people, and His people respond to Him by engaging in spiritual disciplines, obeying His word & submitting to His leadership, These are not passive behaviors.
> The believer does not live an idle life leaving all the work up to god.
Engaging in spiritual disciplines enables us to posture ourselves in a way to receive more of Him day after day.
Though these disciplines require effort from the individual, they are the means to abundant joy because they are the means to foster intimacy with Christ whose presence is the fullness of joy. (Psalm 16:11)
The will to discipline ourselves is rooted in our hearts having been changed by the gospel.
> We do not have to rely on our willpower to grow in godliness.
The gospel and spiritual disciplines
read romans 5:1-11 ( notes are exerts from the Daily Grace Co study)
“1.Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2.Through him we have also obtained access by faith in to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3.Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4.and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5. and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
6.For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7.For one will scarcely die for a righteous person- though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die- 8.but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9.Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10.For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11.More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
> justification is the moment of conversion, an individual is declared positionally holy before god because of christ and his atoning work on the cross.
> The process of growing in godliness is called sanctification. it is a progressive nature. it is a lifelong process where a believer conforms to the image of christ by the power of the holy spirit.
Spiritual disciplines position us in such a way to be transformed by God and are the means of grace to make us like Christ.
Yet, believers play a part in that they read, study, memorize, and meditate on Scripture, allowing the Word to do what only it can do. Sanctification involves our will as we act on our longing for God by engaging in the spiritual disciplines.
> People cannot earn their righteousness.
We can only engage in the disciplines in a God- honoring way by being fully dependent on the Holy Spirit because it is the Spirit who engages the will of every believer to strive toward the things of God and away from the things of this world.
> The gospel is central to our spiritual maturity, so every single one of us needs to preach the gospel to ourselves daily.
The more we grow in spiritual maturity, the more we enjoy God and glorify Him in and through our lives. Strive for spiritual growth.
> As the gospel keeps all things God-centered instead of centered on ourselves, we experience freedom, even in our pursuit of godliness.
A little about why I got started in this bible study blogging….
Hey guys! I have recently started to dive DEEP into studying my bible during Covid-19. In all honestly, I should have been doing this a long long time ago. But regardless, I’m so glad I’ve been led to become more familiar with God and creating a relationship with him that he so loves to have with all of us. My form of “Bible Study” is jotting down notes in my bible, highlighting words or scripture that speaks to me in that time, and writing down any information that I feel helps me understand the word more on sticky notes and putting it in my bible. I use my NIV Quest Study Bible a lot to help me understand parts of the word that I may have questions about. It has been A WONDERFUL tool in explaining.
Another church I LOVE and wish we lived close to also is Elevation Church. Steven Furtick is a great pastor and I love how he delivers the message. I constantly listen to the Elevation Church Podcast as well as watch the sermons on their YouTube channel. I gather lots of notes during his messages.
But as I waited from Sunday to Sunday for a new message on the online broadcasts, I just found myself craving the Lord’s word more and more. I was afraid to venture into studying the Bible on my own because 1) I didn’t really know where to start. and 2) I was afraid I would interpret it wrong. So I started to look into how I could study my bible and I came across Carrie on Instagram @trueandlovelyco . I loved her note takings and found that she also had a YouTube channel! She had 3 videos that helped get me started. 1) The Bible for Beginners | Bible Basics Series 2) The Old Testament for Beginners | Bible Basics Series 3) The New Testament for Beginners | Bible Basics Series . I suggest watching these 3 videos in helping you if you are beginning to dive deeper into your Bible. I decided to start with The Book of Matthew as she talks about in her 2nd video.
I don’t know everything there is to know about the Bible or God. But I am learning right along with you.
SO LET’S DIVE IN T O G E T H E R!
B l o g p o s t s
Have you wondered how to study the Bible? Where do I even begin? What resources should I use? What do you take notes on? I’ve compiled a list of my favorite Bible Study & journaling resources and I’m going to share with you how I study the Bible!