Sister Studies

Sister Studies: Discerning the Voice of God Session 2 (November 2022)

November Sister Circles are meeting this Sunday 11/13 at 9:15 in the youth room, and Wednesday 11/16 at 10:30. (The Friday pm meeting date this month is to be determined.) (Join us! Click here to sign up!)

I hope you've had a chance to watch last month's videos and to read last month's study lessons in the book. They were so rich and such great preparation for this month's study. (Find all of the study posts here.)

If you have a copy of the Discerning the Voice of God Bible study book, you can follow along with the Session 2 viewer guide on page 39 of the book. If you don't have the book, you can print a copy of the viewer guide for this session using one of these links:
Session 2 Viewer Guide with "Fill in the Blanks"
Session 2 Viewer Guide with Answers

Before you watch the video:

Read Genesis 22:2-3. What comes to your mind when you think of the word "obedience"? In what areas of your life are you sensing God asking you to make changes in order to follow Him in obedience?
Read John 16:5-15. Think about the Holy Spirit's role in your life and about your thoughts in general about the Holy Spirit.

After you've watched the video, here are some other questions to consider.

What, if anything, in the video teaching challenged the way you currently view the Holy Spirit and His work in your life? How have you seen the Holy Spirit work in your life up to this point? Are you willing to adjust your preferences and decisions as the Holy Spirit leads?
Remember the "Red Light, Yellow Light, Green Light" illustration. What times can you think of when the Holy Spirit has led you in a similar way and you've experienced good results when you obeyed?

Holy Spirit, we need You. We need your guidance and strength. We need your power and wisdom. Please help us to grow in hearing and responding to your voice. In Jesus's name, Amen!

Keep an eye on your email (or here) for a mid-month bonus post in a couple of weeks. If you have the book, we'll be reading through pages 40-69 in the next few weeks.

May God bless you as you seek His face, His heart, and His voice.

Much Love,

Melissa

Obedience is a Seatbelt and a Seed (Fall Sister Studies Session 1 Bonus Recording)

Hey, Sisters!

I have a question for you. When you hear the word "OBEDIENCE" do you cringe, either because you don't like to obey or because your kids or students don't obey you? Hang on… don't click away just yet. Yes, God calls each of us to obedience but it's a BLESSING, sometimes like a seatbelt that protects us and sometimes like a seed that grows in surprising ways.

I hope you have watched the first teaching session for Discerning the Voice of God, where Priscilla Shirer teaches on the importance of deciding IN ADVANCE that we will obey whatever God asks of us. (If not, you can look for it here!)

In this BONUS recording you'll find...

an overview of what Priscilla discusses in the study book that goes with the first video.
stories from Shelly Spencer about getting obedience right... and wrong!
a few extra thoughts to encourage you on the way.

Listen to the audio only in your favorite podcast app or here...

Watch the video here or click here to open it in a new window.

For more information about joining a Sister Circle monthly group, visit https://www.butlerchurch.org/sister-circles

May you experience God's richest blessings as you walk by faith in obedience in the days and weeks to come.

~Melissa

Sister Studies: Session 1 (October 2022)

Hello, Sisters! Here is Session 1 of our study for this year, Discerning the Voice of God with Priscilla Shirer.

If you are joining with a Sister Circle, you may want to watch this video ahead of time. (Some groups will watch the video together and others will just discuss the questions.)

October Sister Circles meet October 9, 12, & 14. (Join us! Click here to sign up!)

If you have a copy of the Discerning the Voice of God Bible study book, you can follow along with the viewer guide on page 7 of the book. If you don't have the book, you can print a copy of the viewer guide for this session using one of these links:
Session 1 Viewer Guide with "Fill in the Blanks"
Session 1 Viewer Guide with Answers

Before you watch the video, take a moment to think about these questions:

What first comes to mind when you think of hearing from God?
Does hearing from God come easily or has it been a struggle?

In John 5:30, Jesus says, "I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will."

Considering Jesus as a model, what might it look like for us to submit to God's will in our everyday lives?
Does this come easily to most of us? Why or why not?

After you've watched the video, here are some other questions to consider.

What resonated most with you from the video?
How do you struggle with stillness and prayer? What can you do to intentionally practice stillness?
Have you ever been reluctant to obey something you felt God was telling you to do because you didn't think God would "work" that way?

Father God, please soften our hearts and purify our wills so that we would desire to obey You more than anything. Help us to say, "YES, LORD." May we mean it with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. In the Name of Jesus, Amen

Keep an eye on your email (or here) for follow up posts throughout the month. If you have the book, go through the first "week" of the book (Days 1-5) and we'll look at Session 2 together in November!

(November Sister Circles will meet November 13, 16, & 18.)

May God bless you as you seek His face, His heart, and His voice.

Much Love,

Melissa