by Kimberly | Jan 21, 2014 | Bible, Books, mothering, Uncategorized, Women & Books Together, Worship
This is a little late in coming because we were trying to get our home back in order after being gone for two weeks. Its gets harder when you have more clothes to wash (2 little boys and 2 weeks of travel). I definitely thought this was the richest chapter yet and it met the rest of my life as I was reading it. Here are my top thoughts from reading chapter three.
1. Sometimes I wish I had said something. I would never think to refer to the Incarnation – and all the parts of the whole – as an “exquisite mystery”. Maybe this is why I like Elyse so much. She knows how to pen her thoughts in beautiful packages. I was telling my Mister tonight about how the Incarnation seems to be getting more mysterious to me the more I read this book and think upon that doctrine. What parts are more of a mystery to you? The fact that he was God? Or the fact that He was human. For me, its that He was human. But, for me, all I need to know is written in the Word so that I might know Him – and in eternity I will know Him more.
2. This is specifically for moms: do you ever feel like no one knows what your days are like? Like no one really knows you or your trials? Like no one knows what you go through loving on your kids each day (and pulling bubble gum out of hair and peeling spaghetti noodles from the wall and scrubbing marker off of the baseboards? This was very encouraging to me: Jesus lived his whole life in faithful obedience – all 33 years – not just the three in public ministry. “if our understanding of his work pauses after a brief celebration in Bethlehem to resume only at his baptism in the Jordan, we rob ourselves of the comfort that his whole life of isolation, obscurity, and obedience are meant to bring us. Generally ignored, he toiled without complaint, suffering humbly. He wasn’t merely treading water. Jesus’ life of ordinary (yet spectacular) obedience changed everything. He needed to live a full life of joyous obedience in order to save us. He grew from blissful innocence to tested holiness in the crucible of daily life.” How is God shaping you and perfecting you in the crucible of daily life. My mentor and I have been talking about this the past few days. Knowing there is great reward in the daily – seek faithfulness and the glory of God.
3. God’s Word is reliable. Elyse says that – we can believe it. We can believe in the Bible’s reliability not because Elyse says it – but because God says it. Jesus knows the Word. He spoke the Word while He was on earth. God-breathed was the Word that he was quoting in the wilderness – and in many other instances in his earthly life. God gave it to us as a means to know Him – let us love this reliable word.
4. “The Lord Jesus had a practiced habit of exclusive worship of his Father.” Another one of those quotes I wish I had penned. What do you in the ordinary? How do you live your life daily? Do you wait for a trial to come before you pray? Do you wait until you need an answer before you read the Word? Do you wait till you have a Bible study lesson to prepare before you dig into the Scriptures? When trials come – what do you have to cling to? If you are in the practiced habit, like Jesus was, of daily walking with God, His and our Father, then your life will demonstrate that as you face the trials that all of use are going to face in this life.
5. “Recall the perfect obedience of the Son in your place and go on your way in faith.” There is an age old discussion about faith and works. What the Bible clearly says is that salvation comes through Christ alone – by faith alone (and that faith is a gift not of ourselves) and then we are to walk in the good ways that God has for us. So often though as believers, when we are failing and struggling in sin, our minds battle with our assurance of salvation. If we constantly look inward and look to ourselves and our good works as a measure of our salvation – we will never be sure of it. Because we will always be failing. We must look to, rely upon, and rejoice in the perfected work of Christ.
Happy reading!
by Kimberly | Jan 14, 2014 | Books, Uncategorized, Women & Books Together
Since being married, I’ve learned to love reading aloud. Often, the Mister and I will read a book as we travel. He knows that I get more out of it (reading comprehension) if I read – and most of the time he is doing the driving as I read.
Here are my thoughts (and some of the Mister’s) on this week’s readings (chapter 2) in Found in Him:
1. Love it when you read books and they make you think of other books you need to read. “In His humiliation, God had to breathe, eat, drink, and sleep. When cut her blod. He longed for companionship and truly suffered when his friends deserted him.” Jesus was willing to come be in relationship with us – knowing full well that his friends would hurt him. Our response often to relationships is that if they hurt us – get out. This is very hard for me. Friendships are very special to me, and I take them very seriously – so when hurt comes along, which if often does, I am weary of the journey continuing. Thankful for Jesus’ example. Oh, and the book I need to read…Relationships: A Mess Worth Making.
2. What is your favorite Christmas song? One of mine is Passover Us by Andrew Peterson. It is a masterful weaving of the passage of the Israelites and a glimpse into the beautiful gospel of Jesus. How does your favorite jingles help you experience the Incarnation?
3. We talked in the car on the Sunday on the way to church about Psalm 1. There are many Psalms, including this one, that compare and contrast the life of the blessed vs the life of the wicked. One of the missing of the life of the wicked is the smile of God. Jesus dwelled under the smile of God. “He knew what it was to live with the light of God’s countenance upon him. He grew to sense God’s smile upon his life. He did know that pleasing The Lord was the most important activity he could pursue.” What do you pursue with that kind of determination? What needs to give in your life so you can know and live in the smile of God. And the good news – if you are in Christ – God does smile on you!
4. “Will you rejoice exceedingly with great joy and fall down before the child along with the magi?” My Mister is a worship pastor, so often we have conversations about corporate worship. And something I have learned is that every church has its corporate worship style. The only thing I have total control over is my own personal worship and how that will affect me in corporate worship. So, how do I answer the above question that Elyse asked? How would you answer it?
What did you learn from this week’s reading? I’m enjoying this book – and I hope you are too.
by Kimberly | Jan 6, 2014 | Books, Women & Books Together
Here we go again, ladies! I’m excited for those of you joining me in on a journey to read and discuss/study through Elyse Fitzpatrick’s new book, Found in Him, with me.
What I have found wonderful about this book is it takes the last season: Christmas, the Incarnation, and makes that doctrine come alive in our lives and our relationship with God the rest of the year.
So, let’s embark on this together. Each Monday I’ll post my thoughts on the chapter (this week is the introduction and chapter 1), and then comment, whether here, on fb, or anywhere else.
1. “Everyone struggles with feelings of alienation and isolation.” (pg 17) You always think that when you grow up and get out of high school, you’ll leave feelings of the “first day of school” behind. But…it doesn’t happen that way. You think that when you get married or have a family, that you’ll leave those feelings of isolation behind. But…you don’t.
Elyse has definitely written to people and counseled with ladies who need help handling feelings of loneliness. Lonely can happen at any stage of life and in whatever season of life you are in. Psalm 25.16 is an amazing verse. The Psalmist asks the Lord to turn to him and be gracious for he is lonely. The Lord is gracious in answering: friends, family, love. But most of all – He gives himself.
“Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.”
2. The mystery of the incarnation: we are not alone. We have the God of the Universe. Literally. God sent His Son – the One who was the agent of creation – to earth to become a man. He came so we would NOT be lonely. Do you recognize this? Do you recognize this as an important part of the incarnation. God with us. The Word Became Flesh. Did you take time over the Christmas holidays to experience this wonderful aspect of the Christmas season?
3. Would you say you are stubborn? My husband would probably say there are things that I am stubborn about. But, do we allow the softness and the penitration of the Holy Spirit to soften our hearts? Do you desire to be like the Israelites who wandered in the desert all those years because of their stubborness? Or do you want to be a woman of God who God uses because of your soft heart toward Him and His correction? I hope I know the answer for myself – and for you!
4. Do you often read the OT in light of the NT? Do you read the Creation account and the flood and the psalms and the laments and the history found in the Bible all in light of Jesus and the incarnation and the fact that He died on the cross? The whole Bible reveals Him. I am going through the OT this year learning more about God – and keeping my eyes and heart open to seeing salvation on every page. I challenge you to read through the Scriptures that Elyse has in this book – and read the OT in light of the knowledge of the Resurrection. Oh, how that will radically change your view of the OT.
What did you get out of the Introduction and the first chapter? I look forward to interacting with you and hearing your thoughts on this book.
by Kimberly | Jan 1, 2014 | Books, Women & Books Together
Now what? Christmas is over. New Years is passed. The Christmas CDs that we played throughout the month of December are back in their cases. So what do we do this Jesus – who came down from heaven in the form of a baby? What do we do with the doctrine of the Incarnation?
Well, I’m so glad you asked. My favorite author, Elyse Fitzpatrick, explores this very well in her new book Found in Him which came out in October. This is a heavier book (more theology study) then some of her other ones, but well worth the extra effort. She takes the meaning and truth of the incarnation and tells us how we need to know and love that doctrine so we can rest in Christ – because of what He has done on the cross.
Over the next almost 3 months, I’ll be doing a book study here on the blog with several ladies. Please join us. I’ll be posting on each chapter every Monday – starting with the Intro/Chapter 1 on Monday, January 6.
by Kimberly | Dec 6, 2013 | Books, Women & Books Together
Favorite author. Great gospel topic. 10 weeks. Women studying, growing, and learning together.
Starting January 6, we will begin the second installment of Women and Books Together. A weekly blog post where we discuss a chapter of a book together. Doesn’t matter where you live, how fast you read, or what church you go to. Thankful for blogs to do this – and the book!
Elyse Fitzpatrick’s latest book (came out in October) is Found in Him. All about learning and celebrating our belonging to Christ. This is a marvelous aspect of the Gospel. One that as women we should know and celebrate.
So, we will start on January 6 with discussing chapter 1. I will post my thoughts and some discussion or thought-provoking questions.
If you don’t have the book yet, put it on the Christmas list or buy it with gift card money!
by Kimberly | Aug 27, 2013 | Books, Uncategorized, Women & Books Together
We come to the final chapter of the Begg and Ferguson book on the names of Jesus. I hope if you have read this book along with us (or just read it in general) that it has been a great encouragement to you and given you new eyes with which to see your Savior. And if you haven’t read it – I pray that you will soon pick it up and renew or get a fresh glimpse of who Jesus is.
The authors have chosen to end this book with the last book of Bible: Revelation. Don’t let this book scare you – but allow it to show you the true and glorious look at Jesus as the Lamb on the Throne. Here are some thoughts I took away from this chapter:
1. Will we ever be like John the Revelator? As the authors talk about John – he is one who was faithful to the gospel as it had been revealed to him – and he was in trouble with the law for it. As we continue in a time of a governmental structure and world who don’t see the supremacy of Jesus – let us be bold in our sharing and believing of the gospel. We don’t have to go look for ways to be persecuted and imprisoned or exiled, but let us also be faithful to the gospel of Jesus.
2. Jesus’ whole life was in accordance with the Scripture. As Begg and Ferguson have pointed out many times before in this book – Jesus isn’t just a NT star. He is the agent of creation and continues His work all the way through the remainder of the Bible even to His supremacy in the book of Revelation and throughout eternity. I love how the Word is not contradictory or going in all different directions!
3. “Weep no longer, John!” (pg 165) The idea of no more tears or weeping in the presence of God is an overwhelming thought to me – especially right now as my hormones have me crying at least once a day! But, we usually think that there will be no more pain or sin, so that is the reason there will be no more weeping. And that is correct. But, another reason – maybe more of the central point to no more weeping – is that Jesus is doing what He was given power to do: reveal, open scrolls, defeat sin, and all in the presence of His Father and the saints who have been saved by His blood. There is no more searching!
4. “God is much simpler than all that!” (pg 171) The authors illumined something very important about the reading and understanding of Revelation and prophecy and the time to come. We don’t know for sure. We can think, scrutinize, be obstinate about our beliefs, or refuse to hear any other way of thinking. Books have been written throughout the modern era that all look at the end times and heaven and prophecies in a different way. We don’t know. What we do know: God will be there. He is good. Jesus and the Spirit will be there. Let us focus and hold to what we do know for sure. The authors have declared Jesus to be beautiful and worship-worthy – but sometimes we get so focused on the unimportant stuff that we will never figure out that we forget to look at the One for whom all is due: Jesus.
Let us focus on Jesus – the author and perfecter of our faith – as the writer of Hebrews says!
