Part 5 ~ Chapter 35

In the secret

In the quiet place

In the stillness

You are there

In the secret

In the quiet hour I wait only for You

Cause, I want to know You more

I want to know You

I want to hear Your voice

I want to know You more

I want to touch You

I want to see Your face

I want to know You more

I am reaching for the highest goal

That I might receive the prize

Pressing onward

Pushing every hindrance aside

Out of my way

Cause, I want to know You more.

Lyrics from I Want To Know You by Sonicflood

While I love this entire song, there is a key part that sticks out to me - "pushing every hindrance aside, out of my way."

Often times, we don't allow God complete and total access to our hearts because of our "hang ups." We read this at the end of Chapter 35, we've heard it before and I've even said it in front of an audience of 30+ women.

This is a big hindrance to experiencing the fullness of God's love - not allowing Him to fill the empty places that we've stuffed with stuff... only hoping to find satisfaction.

You have to allow God to have access to the deepest, dirtiest rooms of your heart. He stands at the door and knocks, but we often only let Him into the foyer... if at all.

No room is too messy for God.

To realize and experience the magnitude of His love, you have to be open to receiving it and that means coming apart before God and confessing even the most embarrassing stuff... letting Him into the messiest places.

I tell you all this today because I am realizing that there are a couple of rooms I've unknowingly kept padlocked. I only thought I had let Him have access to my entire being.

It's time to dig up the key, unlock the door, let go, and let God.

How is Part 5 of our study affecting you? I'd love to hear from ya.

Stop, Drop and Pray

Part 5 ~ Chapter 34 Part 3

I am beginning to understand that I don't see myself how God sees me. Perhaps this is all about an identity crisis?

Can you relate? Please share.

I do now realize another component to this chapter that is causing me to dig deeper: Psalm 107 and rebellion against God.

Just as Beth points out, verse 12 is startling. God "subjected them to bitter labor... and there was no one to help."

I believe that God wants only the best for us. I have to really pray about how He handles us when we are rebellious.

Perhaps I'm hung up on this chapter because it touches a very deep place in my being. I grew up with the "fear of God," but it was in the way that I feared His wrath. While I knew "Jesus loves the little children," I didn't always focus on that. I focused on "obeying God or else."

Please let me say that I wasn't abused and I don't remember anybody cramming this idea down my throat. I do remember being afraid of God, though. I'm not sure how this way of thinking became a true concept for me.

As an adult (over the past 2 years), I have come to know a very loving God. God is love. While I've known this for a very long time, I don't think it was a true reality... just a concept. Does that make sense?

Maybe I need to spend a lot of time meditating on God's unfailing love and the freedom that comes with it, ie., Chapter 34. That would make sense considering how much I've thought about all I've done wrong and why couldn't possibly love me as much as He says He does.

Now, is this teetering on unbelief?

Whew! I'm exhausted! I'm at that point where there's a lot to process, but I do believe the truth is coming to the surface.

Thank you for listening.

I realize that I need to spend a lot more time with this chapter, but I am going to move on... coming back often to meditate on Chapter 34 until I realize the full scope of what God is trying to teach me here.

I feel like I might find the answers as I move on...

LOL... I just peeked at the next chapters to see if anything popped out at me. After reading the titles to Chapters 35-37, I am feeling like Chapter 36 (Failure to Believe God's Unfailing Love) could help. ; )

God is good!

Stop, Drop, and Pray. Then, let's move on... revisiting when we need to... but moving forward in the quest for knowledge! : )

Part 5 ~ Chapter 34 Part 2

After re-reading the chapter 4 times, I am still trying to discern the message God wants me to take away from this part and/or what I'm specifically supposed to learn.

Do you ever get the feeling that there is something you're missing? If you can relate, then you know how I feel about this chapter.

As a whole, the actual words make sense and there are obvious lessons to be learned. I cannot, however, get past the feeling that there is a nugget of truth or even a pot of gold for me to discover here, and I'm just not getting it.

Please forgive me for being disjointed with these posts on Chapter 34. I'm going to try and pick it all apart.

On page 197, Beth Moore says she used to struggle with the truth of the depths of God's love. She says, "We readily accept God's love for others but struggle with the belief that He loves us equally, radically, completely and unfailingly."

Beth goes on to say that she struggled with this because of her "own sins and weaknesses," and she focused on all the reasons He shouldn't love her.

Maybe this is my problem, too. I have often meditated (not purposely, mind you) on the reasons God shouldn't love me... why I'm "not good enough" to be God's child and how He must look at me because of my sin.

Looking at this now, I see the unhealthy thought patterns that have skewed my mind and emotions.

Maybe I should start with learning how to love myself and forgive myself? If I can look at myself the way God looks at me (based on truths, not what I think b/c of my sins), then perhaps I'll be able to accept the full scope of God's love for me.

Stop, Drop and Pray

Part 5 ~ Chapter 34

Wow, what a message! Did this chapter open your eyes and ears like it did mine? This is one of those that I'm going to have to park on.

While I read the whole chapter and then went back to focus on individual parts, I'm having a hard time completely wrapping my brain around everything that was written.

I'll come back and add to this post (in "parts") as I discern the message God is giving me, but in the meantime... this chapter is deep and I need some more time with it.

Can you help me work through this? Please share your thoughts on this chapter. Perhaps your own comments will open up the understanding for me. How did you answer the study questions?

Is it safe to say that this chapter speaks to the phrase, "That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger" (philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche)?

Stop, Drop and Pray. I know I need your prayers today!

Part 5 ~ Chapter 33

Love, Love, Love

It's the Greatest Commandment, all we need, what we long for. Right?

As we turn the page to another chapter, we also begin Part 5 of our journey today!

Do you find it ironic that our earthly parents and caretakers are constantly, lovingly pushing us away from our temporal home while our Heavenly Parent constantly, lovingly pulls us towards our eternal home?

This irony struck me as I read the words of the child psychologist Beth quotes on page 194 of our study: "If the bond we had with them as infants did not change, we would never be able to let them go" (referring to a parent/caretaker's relationship with their teenagers).

Switching gears completely now...

I am reading a fiction book right now from the Yada Yada Prayer Group series. Now, if you know me well, then you probably know that I rarely read fiction. I'm actually a non-fiction kinda girl. Fiction has to be really good to draw me in and keep me reading. So, long story short... this is a REALLY good series of stories. Very inspirational.

Just last night, the fictional prayer group in the series gathered for a meeting and they quoted, from Psalms, the "His love endures forever" passage. They went on to shout woes and trials, praise and glory, requests and answers... but they followed them all with the same line...

His love endures forever!

No matter what happens in life... know that He is faithful and His love endures forever. There is nothing, no one like God! He is our Rock, Salvation, Every Present Hope, Mighty Warrior, Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Holy One, Emmanuel - God With Us!

This passage means so much to me because it was "played out" another time in my life. I was chaperoning a youth group last summer when about 30 African children showed up to sing to us. What a blessing! It would take quite a bit of writing, then reading on your part, to describe the amazing event. Just please know it was real special.

At one point in their presentation, the microphone was passed from child to child as they spoke words of praise to God... then followed it with...

"His love endures forever!"

No matter what's going on in your life, no matter who has betrayed you, no matter the circumstance...

His love endures forever!

Sweet Mercy! AGAPE!!! ; )

Stop, Drop and Pray

Part 4 ~ Chapter 32

I could list so many quotes from this chapter... takeaways that are great reminders... but I might end up infringing on some copyright laws. : )

With all due respect to the publisher and writer of Breaking Free, I will refrain from quoting half the chapter here and just refer to several things that might encourage you to review your own copy... or go out and buy one to support Beth Moore's ministry.

In this chapter, we are reminded that we are not perfect (neither are we expected to be, thank God), but in God, we are being perfected into the image and likeness of Christ. I will hold onto the five "daily treasures" on pages 188-189. These are things to remember as you walk with God: He provides new mercies every morning.

I'm like Beth lighting her own fire: I tend to depend on my own flint to start my own fire, which provides flames for my own torch and attempt to blaze my own path (in reference to her story on the bottom of page 190).

I have to remember to look to/for God DAILY and depend on Him ALWAYS.

I do pretty good on a lot of days, but there are so many others on which you'll find me furiously searching to create my own spark.

On the journey, please remind me to look for the Divine Spark within and also point to this post and this chapter! ; )

When my torch goes out and I'm exhausted, PRAISE GOD "no matter how long the detour has been, the return is only a shortcut away" (Beth Moore).

Stop, Drop and Pray... put out your own torch and carry The Eternal Flame in your heart. It's the only thing you need today.

Part 4 ~ Chapter 31

In this chapter, I became refreshed when I read one of the dear passages of Scripture that captures the very essence of our journey. I have often thought of it during our time together.

Isaiah 43:18-19

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."

Sweet words to a parched soul and desperate spirit!

By this point in our journey, I hope you have gotten to a point where you can put the past behind you and find hope that God is going to do a new thing in your life. Your part is letting Him; allowing Him to take over and make you over! This "new thing" is gonna spring up like Old Faithful and amaze you! You'll find a way in the desert and drink refreshing Living Water where you thought there was no water at all... no refreshment.

God longs to satisfy your every need, and He even wants to give you the desires of your heart (your very spirit). Will you allow Him to provide for you in this way?

God created you with a soul (your very own mind, will and emotions). With this soul, you have the ability to make decisions.

Who or what will be Master of your life?

You choose. You'll be the one who has to live eternity with the consequences.

Stop, Drop and Pray

Part 4 ~ Chapter 30

"Your will, not mine, O God."

Do you purposely stay away from that prayer because you're scared of where God would take you and you're perfectly fine being just where you are?

Do you forget about walking in obedience to Christ while staying locked into your own path?

Do you purposely pray that prayer yet you don't really, honestly mean it?

Do you say the words but don't mean the action unless it fits in to what you've planned?

Do you pray that prayer, mean it, and live the abundant life?

Which option do you most resemble?

Which option would you like to resemble?

Which option will you resemble?

Stop, Drop, and Pray...

and mean it!

Experience freedom in Christ by yielding to the Holy Spirit.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is... there is freedom... free for all!

Part 4 ~ Chapter 29

Today, I was bathed in truth as I read Chapter 29 which completes the list of 6 characteristics of rebellion.

While I think we can all identify with every aspect at one time or another, which one do you most identify with now (at this time in your life)?

For me it's #6. I have been running from the real answers (truth) to several big questions in the recent past. Now, you can chalk this up to a need for control (anybody?) or just plain ole disobedience (you, too?). Perhaps even fear? (Um... hmm!). I'm sure there are other reasons I didn't want to look at the truth that's been staring me in the face.

Regardless, there comes a time when you have to face the truth... even if it hurts.

The why/reason is what I had to give to God.

I am finding that actually bringing myself to face and accept the truth is the hard part. But, if I trust in God to handle the rest, there is peace instead of pain. Now, don't get me wrong... facing tough/scary/real situations is rarely completely peaceful and painless. Nobody said it would be easy; however, when I'm walking in truth and facing reality... God's presence flies over me like a dove and leaves me with the peace that passes understanding.

If I do my part (the letting go), God ALWAYS does His part (taking care of the rest)!

When I let go and let God, there is peace. The circumstances may still exist, but I am free from the bondage in which they once kept me. God carried the load and lifts it off my shoulders.

Sweet Mercy!!! Praise God for Liberty!!!

I would love to hear your answers to the study questions. Primarily, why do you think we run from the real answers?

Stop, Drop and Pray