charlotte_richardson's Revelife

It's been hard

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:13:00 GMT

Today has been a good one, but tiring. Jack and I went to bed late last night. I have been trying to get some rest. It has been hard to do so. I promise I will write another Bible Study tomorrow morning. I apologize to anyone that is following the Bible Studies with me.

God Bless,

Charlotte

Bible Study will continue.......

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:51:39 GMT

The Bible Study that I have been writing about will continue later this morning, or this afternoon!

God Bless

Charlotte

P.S. I will be posting some pictures in a few...

Taking the day off from Bible Study

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:47:48 GMT

I am taking today to clean and concentrate on my wifely duties. I will be writing about Bible Study Day 5 tomorrow. Probably in the afternoon after Church. After Church we are going to spend sometime with family. Two of Jack's cousins are coming in and we are going to have dinner with them! So, I hope you have a good day today, and a good day in the Lord tomorrow. I know I will!

God Bless you,

Charlotte

I will be reading about The Good Samaritan later this afternoon.. Join me? Luke 10:25-37. I will write what God is saying to me about this scripture tomorrow.

Bible Study Day 4

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:22:05 GMT

Learning Obedience

Today’s Bible study really hit home, because I am dealing with learning obedience. It is hard accepting others judgement because of my obedience, but that is not what God wants me to concentrate on. Only my walk with him as his child.

The author of this Bible study Avery T. Willis Jr. writes……

Once when I was a pastor, a couple in the church disagreed with me and vocally expressed their dislike for me. I unsuccessfully tried to seek reconciliation with them. I finally had to say: “I really want to be your pastor. I value my relationship with God more that anything in the world. To stay in a right relationship with Him, I cannot afford to hold anything against you. I am going to love you regardless of what you think of me.”

List other responses he could have chosen that would not have honored or obeyed Christ.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When you have a life in Christ, having completely turned over your life to Him, a lifelong, obedient relationship with Him is a natural result. And when you obey Christ, you want to stay connected to Him and to follow His teachings. As a result of obeying His commands, you bear fruit.

Find the following verses and match the benefits of obeying Christ’s commands.

1. John 15:10 a. You show that you are a disciple

2. John 14:21 b. You are blessed

3. John 13:34-35 c. The Father loves you and reveals Himself to you

4. John 13:17 d. You remain in His love.

Read the following scripture’s and write in your own words what Christ wants you to emphasize.

1. Matthew 5:19-20________________________________________

2. Matthew 7:21, 24-27_____________________________________

3. Matthew 28:19-20_______________________________________

4. James 1:22_____________________________________________

Describe one step you can take to know and do His commands so that you can be obedient.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

God Bless you on you journey!

Not much going on today..

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:38:20 GMT

Just chillin out for a few...

Just some things on my mind.

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:05:16 GMT

This morning I have been thinking about my life. My thoughts are somewhat jumbled in my head, and so I thought I would write them on here, and get them out of my head.

I have a wonderful life with people in my life that I am very close to. Jesus would be the first one. Then my husband. Then my family and last but certainly not least my friends. That is the way it should be. Over the last few days I have been realizing through the Bible study that I am doing, that it isn't that way in my life at all. I do believe that I put Jesus first. Yes I do.. I have sins in my life that aren't of God, in which I am getting rid of as I write. My sins include ( this is not intended to be a confession, because the only one that I am confessing to is Jesus, but I do want to share with you as much as I can.) 1. profanity- No I do not go around cussing all day long, but if I do get upset I will let one slip. 2. I tend to worry about what my family thinks, before God and my husband. I know that it is a wrong way to be. 3. Sometimes I don't respect my husband like I should. I don't treat him like the friend that he is.

My husand is looked at kind of weird. He is a gentle soul that wants everyone to be happy. Unfortunately it comes off like he is weak. But, what is weak? Isn't it more manly to be humble and quiet. Other than go around cussing, and being hateful? Isn't it more Godly to be quiet and reverant? I know it is. He listens to God and prepares his words before speaking them. I enjoy that, and it is rubbing off on me. Last night we turned the phone down, and just talked about how we could make our individual relationships with God better, and our marriage better. We don't fight when we leave our families out of our relationship. We get along so much better when we don't talk to our families about an arguement, or other personal stuff. I am thankful for my family and our ability to communicate with eachother, but from now on, I will be depending more on God and my husband, because that is what God calls us to do.

Have a blessed day, I know that my day will be even better when my husband gets home this evening. As for now, I am reading, and cleaning-doing laundry and all of the household stuff..

I will write more later.

God Bless.

Day Three Connected to the Vine

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:36:19 GMT

So far, so good, you may think. I want to have Jesus at the center of my life. I want to adjust my relationship with anyone, anything, or any purpose that takes priority over Him. But I get distracted. I get busy. I forget about Him. I sometimes wait to call on Him until I'm at the end of my rope. How can I allow Him to be the first priority in my life so that I turn to Him first? How can I have a personal, lifelong, obedient relationship with Him?

John 15:5 says: "'I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing'"

Without Jesus' living in you and your living in Him, you can do ________________to bear fruit.

You may try to make it on your own. You may try your own remedies and the world's remedies. You may do good deeds to satisfy you ego or please others. But ultimately, the victory is His. You can do nothing to bear fruit without Him.

Jesus said that three things will characterize your life when He lives in you and you live in Him.

"'Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord," and do not do what I say?' " Luke 6:46

" ' This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples' " John 15:8

" ' A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so must you love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another' " John 13:34-35

Match these three things with the appropriate verses.

_____1. Luke 6:46 a.obedience

_____2. John 15:8 b. love

_____3. John 13:34-35 c. fruit

Remember these three things by putting them in sequence: love produces obedience, and obedience produces fruit.

Two things that will help you grow most as a Christian are a quiet time with God and Scripture memory. Part of discipleship is setting aside from 15 to 20 minutes everyday to spend with Jesus Christ, who is at the center of your life.

God Bless you on your journey!

Just to let you know.

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:04:34 GMT

I am currently studying The Disciple's Bible Study. By: Avery T. Willis, JR. I will be writing everyday from this Bible Study. I will be putting in highlights from the study, and what God has said to me through the study. I will be putting in quotes, and scriptures. So, join me? You can print and fill in the answers to the questions, or use a piece of paper to copy the questions. I am hoping to reach out to others through my blogs. I feel I need to share my faith with others. I am enjoying it so far.

God Bless you on your journey to becoming a disciple.

Charlotte

Day 2 Under Christ's Control

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:13:53 GMT

"'If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-yes, even his own life-he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.'" Luke 14:26-33

In this scripture, what parts teach that Christ must have priority over the following areas of your life?

Person___________________________

Possession________________________

Purpose__________________________

These areas were concerns in Jesus' day just as they are in ours.

Christ's disciples had to learn gradually, just as we do. His followers sometimes put their own selfish needs and concerns above Him. Two of them chose sleep over honoring His request to stay awake and pray with Him in the garden of Gethsemane. They argued about who would be chief in His kingdom. When Jesus was arrested, His followers fled, and one of the closest to Him denied Him. Who was the disciples' first priority on such occasions?

Read Acts 4:18-37- shows that his disciples loved Him more than any other person, possession, or purpose in their lives. Jesus never stopped working with them to transform them into His own character.

The passage you just read indicated that the disciples loved Christ more than any other person, possession or purpose. Can you say this about your relationship with Christ? Apply this passage to your life. List anyone or anything that presently takes priority over Christ in you life.

Person____________________________________

Possession________________________________

Purpose___________________________________

This is a story that is in this Bible Study.

Randy prided himself on the work he did at church. Each Saturday he set up chairs for the Sunday worship service. He served as the chairman of a church committee, taught a weekly Bible study, and helped at all youth events. At least four nights a week he was involved in a project at church. Randy thought that if he did enough at church, people would appreciate and compliment him. When people told Randy that they admired him for his diligent church efforts, he beamed with pride. Soon Randy depended so much on others' praise of him that he forgot the real reason for his service. Randy thought that he was being obedient to Christ by his faithful church service, but his priorities had become misplaced, making his relationship with Christ secondary.

If Randy drew a circle representing his life, whose name would likely be in the center of the circle?

_________________________________________________________

What seems to be the motivation behind Randy's acts of service?

_________________________________________________________

It could be said that Randy, instead of Christ, was at the center of his circle. Realizing that the focus of our lives is on self instead of on Christ can be a startling revelation, but it is very important to be honest with yourself and with God about this matter.

Stop and pray, asking God to show you ways other persons, possessions, or purposes motivate you instead of your love for Him.

Who or what motivates you?

__________________________________________________________

If you listed anything or anyone besides your love for Jesus Christ, confess in prayer that your life is controlled by impure desires. Then list the steps you will take to give Christ control of your life.

___________________________________________________________

To be Christ's disciple, you need to surrender control to Him in every area of your life.

Bible Study

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:44:43 GMT

From the Bible Study: The Disciple’s Cross

By: Avery T. Willis, JR.

In my walk with Christ, it is always a blessing to learn more about my relationship with Christ. I enjoy learning more about God. The Lord has led me to a Bible Study that I will be using to learn more. I will be sharing with you every day the things that I have learned from this study. Please feel free to study with me. You can leave comments to me about what a certain scripture says to you. This is an old study, but God is always the same, never changing. So, it proves true today as it did yesterday. God Bless you on your journey.. I will be taking quotes from this book, quotes that I feel will be of use to you.

Day One

The First Priority

Am I going to be a disciple who gives everything to Christ?

The Bible says that a disciple of Christ is someone who makes Christ the Lord of his or her life. If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23

Have you every made excuses? Excuses to why you can’t go to church, why you can’t read your Bible, why you can’t pray? I know that I have. It is time for me to either be a real disciple of Christ or a mediocre Christian for the rest of my life.

The Bible says: The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9

WHAT IS A DISCIPLE?

We begin this study by looking at who a disciple is and what a disciple does. The New Testament uses the term disciple three ways. First, it is a general term used to describe a committed follower of a teacher or a group.

Read Mark 2:18. “John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, ‘How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?’ “

The verse mentions three groups of individuals who have disciples. Who are they?

1. ____________________________

2._____________________________

3._____________________________

The New Testament uses the term disciple to refer to the twelve apostles Jesus called. Mark 3:14 is very specific about why Jesus called these apostles.

“He appointed twelve-designating them apostles-that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.”

Underline the phrases that show two reasons Jesus chose the twelve.

Jesus also used disciples to describe a follower who meets His requirements. For example, He said that His disciples must forsake families, possessions, or anything else that might keep them from following Him.

Read these verses:” Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-yes, even his own life-he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple’ “ Luke 14:26-27.

Write in your own words what Jesus did when people began to follow Him.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Get the answer from Luke 9:23

Write Luke 9:23 three times.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Begin learning the Disciple’s Cross by drawing a circle, representing you. Write Christ in the center of the circle. This circle will help you focus on ways of Christ is to bet he center of your life.

The empty circle you drew represents your life. It pictures denying all self for Christ. This means tht you lose not your identity, but your self-centerdness.

No one can become a disciple who is not willing to deny himself or herself. Christ must be the number one priority in your life.

Putting Christ First

Do you have a priority above Christ? Read

Matthew 6:25-34 after you have read this scripture, fill out the communication guide.

Communication
Guide
Matthew 6:25-34
What God said to me:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What I said to God:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________