Shelly Says ~ "Put On the Full Armor"

"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV)

Therefore...

"...Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV)

The things that create strongholds in your life and hold you captive don't always come from negative or painful experiences. Take a look at your everyday thoughts.

What do you think about? What thought(s) always causes you to become anxious or depressed? What do you find yourself thinking about the most? Does this person, place, thing or idea take up so much of your time that you don't have time left for God?

He should be your first priority. Even above your family, God should be 1st in your life. Don't let anything come between you and God.

While it may seem that I've gotten off on a little bit of a tangent today, I want you to keep these things in mind as you are "Surveying the Ancient Ruins" in your life.

I encourage you to put on the Full Armor of God every day, but be especially mindful of the importance as you are tackling the topic of ancient ruins.

Please also keep in mind that touring and surveying ancient ruins is often an on-going process in life. Just like the clutter in your home, the more often you tend to it... the easier it is to deal with.

Now, back to our book ; ) ... Breaking Free...

Chapter 16 reminds me of an archaeological dig. The preceding chapters have pointed us to the location/source: Now we must dig and survey the land.

I really like the step by step process Beth Moore describes on pages 101-103. I am excited to see a simple, easy to read/digest "system." It reminds me that God's way is simple and easy. No hard-to-understand messages. No tricks. Just truths.

I also like that she reminds us (on pg. 100) that "you may come from an unusually healthy family and relate very little from personal experience. Perhaps this lesson will help you understand a friend." I point this out to note that not everyone has ancient ruins to explore right now. They may already be dealt with and/or non-existent.

I pray that the message of this study meets you where you are.

I believe God has called you to this study for a reason.

Keep the conversation going. Without belittling or disrespecting anyone, please share what this part of the study has meant to you. Perhaps, you feel led to share some ancient ruins. Perhaps, you have uncovered items that shed light on your past. Perhaps, God is healing your heart and creating a river in the desert. Do share!

To share about my experience on our journey, I'm going to have to muster up a little courage and also figure out how to tell a really long story without taking up too much of your time. I also want to be careful not to tell the story in a way that would shed negativity on any dear soul in my life.

God has created a river in the desert, and I am drinking deeply from the Living Water. I promise to share sometime over the next 2 days... before we move on to the next phase of our journey. For now...

Stop, Drop and Pray

Shelly Says ~ "Take a Break"

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!

Due to the responses I've received via e-mail and comments, it is becoming more and more evident that many of us need some more time with Part 3 of our study.

It is usually a difficult thing to look back at your past and survey the places of deep frustration, hurt, and mistakes. It is very important, though, that we do this in a nonjudgmental way so that we may invite forgiveness and healing into our lives. It is also important to recognize the things that keep us in bondage so that we may be set free.

As scheduled, we will take a break from May 28 - May 31. On Tuesday June 1st, we will resume our study; and, June 1 - June 3 will be our final discussion of Chapters 13-22 before continuing on our journey.

Please take time between now and June 3rd to read or reread any portions from Chapters 13-22, answer the study questions, and take a good look at your life.

If you stumble upon a little resistance or frustration, try to push through the pain. If, however, you are meeting extreme resistance and frustration... you may want to seek the help of wise counsel and/or a spiritual director to help you work through the rough spot.

Sometimes, just writing about the problem will help you sort out the pain. Feel free to post anonymous comments to this blog and/or to contact me via e-mail if you just need to let off some steam.

I am praying for you as you continue to survey your past and learn from it. This is usually not an easy thing to, but the rewards are well worth it.

Stop, Drop and Pray for your fellow companions and for yourself. God makes this process so much easier if we depend on Him for help. I suggest prayer as your first line of help.

See you Tuesday!

Shelly Says ~ "Beware"

"Your enemy the devil prowls around

like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

1 Peter 5:8

When I first read that verse (sometime last year), I was scared.

While I know that the devil attacks us, I never thought about him prowling around just looking for an opportunity to attack me. This verse sent chills up my spine. I did not like the idea that my enemy was "waiting in the shadows" (that's how I pictured it) and ready to attack at any time.

The positive outcome of reading that verse is that I became more aware of the devil's schemes. Up until the point that I read that verse for the first time (that I remember), I was unaware that my enemy was THAT determined to get me. I did not realize how shady he really is (pun intended).

I had a realization that it was easy for satan to devour me because I never saw him coming and often times had no idea where some of the attacks I felt were coming from.

I strongly believe that we are more capable and ready to stand firm against the spiritual forces of evil (see Eph. 6:20) when we are aware of the attacks and schemes of the powers of the dark world.

As long as we remain uneducated, it's easier for satan to have a stronghold and much easier for us to place blame on something or someone else.

Take a look back at something you can identify as an attack. At the time, on whom or on what did you cast blame?

* From what I understand, satan is not happy at all that you are taking this Bible study or even simply reading this blog entry. Some of the things going on in your life that are distracting you from doing your reading and answering the questions honestly... or spending time in prayer... and in the Word... could be an attack. Don't get me wrong, I realize that sometimes it's just not the right time; however, do not discount the power of the enemy to persuade you.

Here's help with discernment on that:

If the message of Breaking Free is really resonating with you and you are finding it difficult to keep reading because of the "issues" this is trudging up from your past... it is probably an attack from satan. I imagine he would like nothing more than to see you stay in bondage, and I know that he will put every excuse in the book in front of you to make you believe that you don't have time for this, or you don't need it, or life is just too busy to be spending time reading and then visiting this girl's blog.

If the message really doesn't move you, you're not feeling much "resistance" plus you're reading just because you're a Beth Moore fan... then this may not be the right time for you. Hold onto the book! : ) You may need this message another time. You may be fully aware of the devil's schemes and your own obstacles... please stay! Converse with us so we can glean from you!!!

Here's help with winning the fight:

Call on Jesus

Demons flee when you call on Jesus... the very atmosphere changes.

In the light of God's glory and grace... a lion loses it's courage... and we all know what happens when a lion loses its courage...

it cowers in the shadows and the effectiveness of its roar fades!

HALLELUJAH!!!!

Stop, Drop and Pray

I know some sisters who need covering today

Shelly Says ~ "Fear God"

As a child growing up in the church, I viewed the 10 Commandments as things I better do if I didn't want to feel God's wrath. While fearing God is biblical, I had a very distorted view of the concept.

I don't remember any specific influential figure passing down these distorted views, but I obviously picked them up from somewhere. Children are sponges for knowledge, and I was no exception.

It wasn't until January 2008, 31 years into my earthly existence, that I started understanding the truth: God established His commandments as a guideline for living life to the fullest. God passed down the 10 Commandments so that I could live a life free of bondage. And, to fear God is to stand in awe of Him and to reverently view Him as being in control of everything.

Sweet liberty!

Those truths began to set me free!

I am praying that this Bible study will unlock the rest of the shackles. There has been progress already!

What about you? What is this Bible study doing for you? Does this message of fearing God in a reverent way and obeying the 10 Commandments for your good speak to you? Were you once like me - thinking the Commandments were for keeping you in bondage and from doing fun things? I'd love to hear from you.

The study questions for this week can be answered by reading Chapter 14, and, in my opinion, don't provoke much thought regarding your personal life. Was there anything in the reading that spoke to you and/or unlocked some shackles?

I encourage you to offer your broken life to God so He can rebuild your ancient ruins. If you would like more information on how to do this or have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me by clicking on "view my complete profile" (at the bottom of the green box on the right), then click "e-mail."

May God bless you today as you offer your body as a holy, pleasing, living sacrifice to God (paraphrased from Romans 12:1 NIV).

Stop, Drop and Pray

Shelly Says ~ "Clean out the Closet"

Have you ever been caught off guard by an unexpected visit? I'm talking about the kind that sent you running around the house, cleaning up all the little messes as fast as you could. Maybe you didn't have time to run the vacuum or wash all the dirty dishes, but somehow you were able to make the place look rather presentable and welcoming.

Has this ever happened to you?

Unless you're a Martha (either of the Stewart name or of Bethany fame), I am guessing you know what I'm talking about. Even if you are a Martha, I bet it has happened a time or two. ; )

My favorite tactic for speed cleaning is stuffing any extraneous items in the closet. What's yours?

In the same way our physical clutter gets stuffed into the closets of our homes, our spiritual clutter finds its way into the closets of our hearts.

When you run into a friend at Target, do you grab the bitterness that is showing on your face over a fight with your loved one and hide it in the depths of your spirit?

When you run into your pastor at the grocery store on aisle 9, do you automatically hide the discontent you were just showing your kids on aisle 4? Chances are, discontent found itself behind a closed door at the sight of your earthly Shepherd.

Now, don't get me wrong. I don't think there's anything wrong with setting your feelings aside for the sake of a pleasant conversation; however, the problem remains in the closet of your heart and needs to be dealt with at some point.

If you continue to stuff your feelings inside the closets of your heart, pretty soon there will be no room left and we all know what happens when the junk flows out of the closets and clutters up the place... there is an overflow that causes major congestion. We then tend to blow up and all the stored up, stuffed in emotions come bursting out of our closets (or chest).

Often times this leads to the "ugly cry." You know the one I'm talking about. You are so distraught and so disheveled that you can't even make coherent words between sobs because everything is just too overwhelming. Other times, the emotions come out in one big fight you later regret.

The emotions do come out... eventually.

What would happen if you dealt with your emotions on a daily basis? Better yet, what would happen if you tended to them the moment they surfaced?

In Chapter 13, you may have discovered some feelings you didn't even know existed. I hope you took the time to search the depths of your heart. I hope you found the ancient ruins of your past and drug them out of the closet... into the light... so you could put them in their place.

We all need to clean out our closets.

Isn't it always easier when we don't let them get out of hand?

Stop, Drop and Pray for the hearts of the people you care about. I hope you'll be happy to know that there is already an answered prayer on our list!

Shelly Says ~ "Welcome Back!"

After a week of being unplugged, I am eager to discuss our ancient ruins and broken hearts. I hope you are ready as well.

I believe this step is crucial to breaking free. Without knowing why we are the way we are, it is difficult to understand our lives and to conform into who we want to be.

As much as I'd like to jump right into the discussion, I feel the need to allow you a moment to catch up if you are a few paces behind the pack. ; )

Please take the time today to read any parts of Chapters 13-22 that you have not read. You may also use this time to review.

Tomorrow, we will begin our discussion with Chapter 13! I can hardly wait to hear from you!

Stop, Drop and Pray

Shelly Says ~ "Unplug"

Hello fellow companions and visitors,

This week (5/16-5/22) I encourage you to unplug (click on the bold word for more info) as much as possible and really open yourself up to allow God access to your spirit and soul.

Isaiah 35:5

Psalm 139

1 Thess 5:23

Allow Him to move in your life like you've never seen before.

Spend time in prayer, in His Word, and in His presence (pray, read the Bible and enjoy growing close to Him).

Spend as much time as you can this week totally unplugged from all the electronic devices that constantly demand your time.

Even 5 minutes is a blessing!

Stop, Drop and Pray

I'll connect with you again on the 23rd when we will begin discussing the benefits of being unplugged and letting God have access to our whole being!

Many prayers for a blessed week,

Shelly Says ~ "I Am Yours"

I believe legalism is a problem for many reasons and one that really stands out to me is ignorance.

Before I continue, please understand that there is a difference between stupidity and ignorance.

The ignorant legalist is unaware or has forgotten that nothing can save them but the blood of Christ. They think that good works are the key to salvation. Somehow, they have either misunderstood, forgotten or don't know that salvation is in Christ alone. They think or fall into the type of thinking that suggests the more committees they're on... the better their chances of getting into heaven one day. They think the ticket through the pearly gates comes when they are nice to other people or do good things for them.

I believe that we often get so wrapped up in life and in serving others that we lose sight of our true identity. It's a mistake that deeply affects our soul, body and spirit... our self as a whole.

You get to go to heaven because you accept Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour... period.

You will go to heaven because of who you are (a Child of God) not because of what you've done.

I hang on to the lyrics of one of my favorite Casting Crown songs, Who Am I?

Not because of who I am but because of what You've done.

Not because of what I've done but because of who You are.

Stop, Drop and Pray

* Remember that tomorrow starts our week of "unplugged" study. Check your e-mail for more details.

Shelly Says ~ "Something Happens"

I love it when this happens: I ask a question (to God) regarding something that is currently happening or relating to some Bible study or book I'm reading and... BAM... in His time He provides the answer in a surprising way!

This happened yesterday, and I got the answer very quickly.

In the middle of the day, I felt the urge to review some of our material from previous Breaking Free Chapters. I resisted at first - thinking I've spent enough time on that today. ; ) As I sat down to read, Chapter 6 (To Experience God's Peace) really jumped out at me. So, I began reading it again.

Several things spoke to me, but I was left with these questions: What is the key? What unlocks this peace that is inside of us? How do I activate it?

While the answers seem simple... Jesus... I felt that there was more.

Then, as I decided to step away from the book and let those questions linger, I got a strong urge to keep reading. But, instead of reviewing the next chapter, I felt that moving on ahead to today's reading would be the right thing to do.

Now, mind you, I have been keeping up right along with the rest of you... doing the assigned reading on the assigned day; however, I felt the urge to read ahead on Chapter 11 yesterday.

The 2nd line of Chapter 11 gave me the answer to the questions I'd asked: "The key to peace is authority - peace is the fruit of an obedient, righteous life," says Beth Moore.

Wow! Ask and ye shall receive! : ) Praise God!

While we relish in the power and glory of the Lord, let's move on and discuss Chapter 11.

Prayerlessness is an obstacle. So, it seems the key to overcoming this is to develop a life of prayer. Right?

One of my favorite lines from this Chapter is - "The Spirit of God is released through our prayers" (paraphrased from the bottom of pg. 73). That's really powerful! I've never thought of my prayers that way.

What spoke to you? What hit home? What sentence, phrase or idea evoked questions? Did you ask God about them? Are you keeping the eyes and ears of your heart open to receive the answers? How did you answer the study questions?

Today of all days ; ) don't forget to Stop, Drop and Pray.

"The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace." Psalm 29:11 (NASB)

*** That is the preprinted Scripture on the journal page on which I wrote my thoughts yesterday : )