It’s the fourth week of Get a Life by Vicki Courtney, and we are moving right along with learning things about ourselves and how to make some changes in our way of thinking. This week we studied Myth #4: Material possessions will lead to peace and purpose. We should all know that money does not buy happiness, but sometimes we lose sight of the real picture and fall back into this lie. We also took a look some other areas that we believe can make us happier, like a new job, a bigger house, a new husband, a different body, a different savings account, ….the list could go on and on with what we “think” might make us happier. The truth is if we are not able to be happy with the things that God has given us, then getting more of anything or sizing up to the next level will not make us truly happy either.
Our reading assignments touched on how our perceptions about what will make us happier stems from discontentment in our lives. We need to ask God to satisfy our discontentment with His truths. Align your thoughts with scripture and RUN if they do not line up. For those that have experienced the desire to look at other men or to replace your husband, Beth Moore gives a wonderful example of always keeping the cross between ourselves and anyone we engage with. Use the cross as a boundary for relationships; it is an extension and reflection of God’s heart. When the relationship does not align with the cross…FLEE… in Jesus name. This thought process can be used in many different scenarios and can save us much guilt or misery.
Satan is wise, craft, and single-minded. He wants us to miss living the abundant life. P64. Do as Vicki says, tell him, “Enough!” Instead of craving what the world has to offer, pray that you will crave the pure milk of God’s Word.
Our reading assignments touched on how our perceptions about what will make us happier stems from discontentment in our lives. We need to ask God to satisfy our discontentment with His truths. Align your thoughts with scripture and RUN if they do not line up. For those that have experienced the desire to look at other men or to replace your husband, Beth Moore gives a wonderful example of always keeping the cross between ourselves and anyone we engage with. Use the cross as a boundary for relationships; it is an extension and reflection of God’s heart. When the relationship does not align with the cross…FLEE… in Jesus name. This thought process can be used in many different scenarios and can save us much guilt or misery.
Satan is wise, craft, and single-minded. He wants us to miss living the abundant life. P64. Do as Vicki says, tell him, “Enough!” Instead of craving what the world has to offer, pray that you will crave the pure milk of God’s Word.
I just had to share these two pictures with you because they really do give a very telling story about how we are.
Is the grass really greener on the other side?
For Next Week
• Read Week Five in the workbook
• Read Week Five in the workbook
Group Discussion- Answer one question or as many as you like
1. What areas in your life do you compare to others woman?
2. Share a time when you wanted to yell, “No fair God!”
3. Review page 59, did you find the actions of the landowner fair or unfair?
4. Have you ever wanted something, but hesitated to ask God because He might say no?
5. Review page 69, do you relate more to the lepers that returned to thanks Jesus, or more to the ones that failed to show gratitude?
6. What are you grateful for? Share a few; I know your lists will be long.
7. What should we be the most grateful for?
8. Share a favorite moment from this week’s study.
Brenda - I'm not proud to admit that I am one of those who look at other women and think their homelife is so much more "together" than mine is, that their husbands walk with God, pray with them, pray over their families together. That's what I want so much for our family. The movie, Courageous, said everything better than I can and if you didn't get to see it yet, you have to go see it.
ReplyDeleteWhat am I grateful for? That's easy! God loves me and He loves us all so much that He doesn't leave us down in the pit of our own making to drown in our own dirt. We have a Saviour that loves us so much that He gave His only son to die on a cross for our sins. There is not enough space provided for me to list what all I am grateful for! Jesus, I say thank you to you, for you know my heart.
Traci ~ I too compare my family to others. My heart hurt when I watched Courageous. Hurts when I hear that song. Selfishly my heart hurt when I saw all those husbands/dads get up and resolve to lead their families today. I am thrilled that they did publicly resolve to do what it is God has called them to do, and pray every resolution is real. I desparately want that in my home. No home is perfect and those who appear to have it 'together' struggle with other areas - but if God is the head of the household and the husband is leading - those struggles have got to be more bearable.
ReplyDeleteI'm grateful to have too much food to eat and the ability and desire to get off the couch. To have been able to have (thinking of Donna Vandelier) and be able to see my kids' amazing faces (thinking of Jennifer Rothschild). Gratefull for the roof over my head and the floor beneath my feet (thinking of Chad Africa).
Grateful to have the Word of God to help me fight temptation. I am grateful to have my God who will never leave me or forsake me. Even when I want to run, feel helpless and undone...I know I'm not alone. Grateful to know that at the end of this long but brief life, I will be forever with God and all my tears and heartache will be washed away and there will be only joy.
Obviously we should all be most grateful beyond words for salvation through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ...that God would CHOOSE us to be His daughters.
Amen to that!....Nat
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I am thankful that God created us. I am thankful that He chose to give us a way to eternal life. I have a hard time wrapping my brain around that. Why does He love us that much?
ReplyDeleteI am so thankful for my husband. He works hard, he's kind, thoughtful, and boy does he love God! He is a wonderful example to our family.
I am thankful for my children. How did I get blessed with such loving, sweet children? They are a joy to me. I am so proud of them. They are growing in their walk with the Lord every day.
I am thankful that my husband and I each have a job. A lot of people are not so blessed right now.
There are so many things I could list, but I will just say that I give all the thanks and glory to God for everything. Without Him, I would have nothing.