Am I Trusting God?

Hello friends!

Today was to start of the study of book James for me. I began the study in  Knit the Gospel into Your Heart Group this morning. This is a group just for those who want to grow in God's Word and study together. I would love for you to join too!
Take a look at the video if interested in the group this month? Of course there is incentives because I am a knitter who creates Custom Bracelets





I am amazed at the work God is doing. He has "knit" almost 50 women together from all over the United States and Jamaica to study the Word of God together.  It is certainly not me it is All God's work.  I am just excited that I am walking beside Him and following His lead in this study of James this month.


As I have been studying James the word of God has stirred up in me a desire to better understand this question, "Do I trust God?" I have been tested and recently we as a family have been hit with some sad news about a family members diagnosis of cancer. It was unexpected but really when are you expecting a test from God?

The verse that I have been praying this week is and drawing comfort from is ...

"Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God." Philippians 4:6-7

I hope that through the testing and trials you may face right now or in the next few weeks you claim the promise of God's grace and love during the time.  He is always asking us "Do you trust me?" Will we lean into Him or run away from God.  (HERE is a post about running if interested)

I will leave you with this my friends!

"Man doesn't not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God"
  Matthew 4:4


In Christ,
trAcy

How and Why we Study the Bible?

Everyday with Jesus Bible 

Hello friends!

I did a VIDEO HERE talking about this topic but I want to share here on the blog too.
Have you ever asked yourself these questions, as a new believer or maybe you aren't a new believer just someone who hasn't ever read consistently read the bible to dig deeper in your relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ. 
How do I read the bible? Where do I start? What am I doing?

Well, these are questions I had too. When I began trusting God, I wanted to know Him more and the Bible is where we can do that.  My best advise is to just start kinda like just do it!  The bible has alot in there so starting one bite at a time is how I like to do it. You learn while you go and it will bless your life in the doing.

So here are a few truths to start with-

1.  The first truth is that the Holy Bible is God breathed and spoken through the writers who penned it so it is true and without error.  It is God breathed.

 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV

We should read it as a lens of who God is. Gospel glasses is fun way to remember how we should read the bible.  We want to know God more and it will teach us how we should be in life.  Christ changes everything!

2. "Eat the Word of God until you are full" or read until you are finished. Meditate on the scriptures you read or journal things that stick out such as promises of God, teaching moments, or words that spoke to you. God's Word should never be a chore but a time of refreshment for our soul.

3.  Learn the context of what your reading. As you start reading and taking notes. Ask questions. Who wrote this book of the bible? Why? all these questions will start to reveal layers of God's Word you might not have known and tell you more about it.  Just start little by little it will amaze you.

4.  Interpretation is finding out what scripture is saying when you might not get it at first. We never want to make scripture mean something it never meant. Scripture is the best interpreter of scripture. We can use cross references in a good study bible (HERE) to help us.

These tips are all to get you started and I hope you find them helpful.  Remember God blesses the time spent with him. We will start to see the Big picture of the Bible and who God is for us. Our time should never be about us but about Jesus and how he changes us.

Storing up God's Word in our hearts will be something we can bank on because there will be times when we will need to draw from His truths to get through life's ups and downs my friend.

Let me know if this helps you and I pray it encourages you to get started studying God's Word.

Bless you friend

tracy