Simply Scripture: Knowing Our God of Hope

This recording contains scripture focusing on knowing God as our God of Hope. 

You can read along as you listen here.

You can also listen to the recording (without video) here or on a podcast app like Apple podcasts. You can listen to the verses WITH or WITHOUT the piano background music. 

Visit https://anchor.fm/melimayens for more info. 

Click here for a printable copy of the verses.

Romans 15:13 CSB Psalm 146:5-6 NIV Psalm 33:18, 20-22 NLT Psalm 130:7 NET Jeremiah 29:11 NIV Isaiah 40:31 NIV Lamentations 3:21-26 NET Micah 7:7 NIV Hebrews 11:1, 6 NIV Romans 5:2-5 NLT 1 Corinthians 13:7 NLT 1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV Colossians 1:5 NET 1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV 1 Thessalonians 5:8 CSB Romans 12:12 NET Hebrews 10:22-23 CSB 2 Thess 2:16-17 NET Ephesians 1:17-19a NET Psalm 31:24 CSB

DIVINE: Transformed by Knowing God (More!) (Fall 2021 Intro)

 Hello, everyone! I don't know about the rest of you, but it always takes me MUCH longer to settle into new routines than I want it to and this year has been no exception. Getting into the flow of new school routines isn't easy for me -- especially after over a year of distance learning! Well, it turns out that getting back into the flow of creating and sharing these studies is also taking a bit more time than I wanted it to. Oh well! I'll just keep going, trusting in God's grace upon grace and your understanding and patience as we get into the swing of things for this fall. We'll get up to speed eventually!

We have already kicked off our first two Sister Circles meetings where we discussed the video and notes below. Like I mentioned in the last email, you can now also LISTEN to this reflection on being transformed by knowing God on the Sister Studies Podcast if you prefer the audio only. Look for Episode 05 ~ Transformed by Knowing God (Fall 2021 Intro).

CLICK HERE (or below) to watch the video where I reintroduce our theme of Knowing God.

VIDEO NOTES:

Why are we still studying what it means to know God?

 

1. Our growth brings glory to God. 2 Peter 3:18 (NLT) "Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen." When we grow in the knowledge of Jesus, our growth and lives will bring more glory to God and we will know His glory! Growth might come more slowly than we want it to, but it will come!

2. We want to be more like Jesus. Colossians 3:10 (NLT) "Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him." Being like Jesus is something we grow into as we know God, not as we force ourselves to be better or different.

3. As we know God more, we will trust Him more. Proverbs 3:5-6 (CSB) "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight." As we know God more, we'll experience His faithfulness and know more peace because we'll know He is trustworthy. We will make better and wiser choices in every area of life as we trust and listen to God.

4. We experience God's grace, peace, power, provision AND MORE as we KNOW HIM.  2 Peter 1:2-3 (CSB) "May grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." God has provided so much and blessed us in so many ways, but if we don't know God, we won't experience all He has for us.

The more we SEEK GOD, the more we will KNOW God. 

Let's ask God to help us know Him and His...

Presence, Pleasure, Purity,

Promises, Peace, Perfection,

Perspective, Plan, Purpose,

Power, Provision, Protection,

Perseverance, and Patience.

I truly believe God longs to comfort and guide us when we are hurting or lost. When we PAUSE and PRAY, asking God to help us know Him exactly where we are, the Holy Spirit will remind us of God's PRESENCE with us always, His PLEASURE because we are calling on Him and seeking Him, and the PURITY of His love for us. God will remind us of His PROMISES, fill us with His PEACE, and lead us into His PERFECTION (rather than a perfection of our own imagination). Jesus will open our eyes to see His PERSPECTIVE of us, others, and our circumstances, remind us of His PLAN to work everything for our good and His glory, and help us see an eternal PURPOSE beyond what we can imagine. The Holy Spirit will fill us with POWER as we believe, PROVIDE for our every real need, and PROTECT us from attacks and harm from the enemy. God will teach us to PERSEVERE and be PATIENT as we walk by faith. And we will PRAISE God for His goodness to us.

I'm not saying that every time we stop to pray we will be conscious of experiencing God in all of these ways. I do believe, however, that in time, if we take the time to seek God, we will experience more and more of God in this way. So no matter what kind of Problems, Pain, or Persecution we might be facing, let's remember OFTEN to  PAUSE, PRAY, and PRAISE.

Let's also remember that one of the best ways to know and experience God is by spending time with the Body of Christ. You are still invited to join one of our Sister Circles! They will be meeting again later this month. We have one group meeting once a month on a Wednesday morning and another group meeting once a month on a Sunday morning, and we'd love to have you join us. (Other groups may be added if schedules allow and enough others are interested, so let us know!)

May God bless you as you continue to grow in Him. He loves you so very much.

Love,

Melissa

DIVINE: Growing and Knowing God (Week 14)

 Hello, everyone! (No, in case you're wondering, I haven't sent anything out for the last few weeks. )

We're getting ready to conclude this first part of our DIVINE: Transformed by Knowing God series. My hope is to pick up the study again in the fall with more lessons that will continue to help us know God more deeply. Like I shared in the first study, there will never be an end to our journey of knowing God. We will never know everything or experience every aspect of God. There will always be more to know and there will always be more ways for us to grow. In this last email, I'm taking some time to reflect on this journey so far of growing in the knowledge of God.

Reflection on Knowing God - Why this study?

1. We want to grow. 2 Peter 3:18 (NLT) says, "Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen." Sometimes we grow quickly, but most of the time lasting growth is slow. Do you feel like you're growing slowly or quickly these days? Do you feel encouraged or discouraged by how you're growing?  

2. We will grow to be more like Jesus as we know Him more, not just as we try harder. Colossians 3:10 (NLT) "Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him." Are you trying to be more like Christ or more like other people you admire or the "perfect you" that lives in your imagination?

3. We experience God's grace, peace, power, and provision as we KNOW HIM. 2 Peter 1:2-3 (CSB) "May grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." Why do you think knowing God is supposed to make such a big difference in our lives?

4. We know God more as we depend on Him. Proverbs 3:5-6 (CSB) "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight." Our job is to TRUST and seek to KNOW GOD, God's job is to straighten out our paths. Where do you have the hardest time trusting the Lord instead of relying on your own thoughts and ability to figure things out?

Knowing God will help us experience God's Presence, Pleasure, Promises, Plan, Perspective, Provision, Purpose, Peace, Protection, Power, Perfection, and Purity.  And Patience.

Lord, God Almighty, please help us know You more. Help us know your presence, peace, and provision as our faithful, loving Shepherd. Let us know your pleasure as our Creator who made us with a plan and a purpose that we would know You and help others know You. God, our Deliverer, as we wait for you to answer our prayers, help us cling to your promises as we trust in your power, your protection and your perspective. Creator God, transform us more and more into the image of your purity and perfection as we KNOW YOU and YOUR LOVE and GOODNESS. And give us patience as we wait for the growth to come. In Jesus' name, amen.

SISTER CIRCLES THIS MONTH:

Want to join a group of sisters to talk about what we're learning and grow together? Join us...

TOMORROW Sunday 6/13, 9:30am at church

Wednesday 6/23, 10:00am at church

We'll be taking a break from the weekly studies for the summer. Stay tuned for further announcements about gatherings and other ways to connect with each other!

In His Love,

Melissa

If you've missed any posts from the DIVINE: Transformed by Knowing God series, you can find them all here.