Week 8

Hi Ladies!

I hope you enjoy this week's lesson. I'm at a WIC conference this weekend and haven't been able to listen to it yet, but I'm looking forward to it...that's the beauty of M&M'ing online, because you can be flexible! Here's the short story:

Click here to download the lesson.

Next week's verse:

PSALM 63:1-4 (ESV) WE THIRST HERE IN THIS DRY LAND

O God, you are my God; Earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.

Here is Barb's summary:

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Hi Ladies!

This past week we memorized and meditated on Isaiah 43:1-3. We looked at Luke 21:12-19 and the amazing two sentences: "...and they will put some of you to death...But not a hair of your head will perish" and considered how they could both be true. We considered in Revelation 6:9-11 the absolute sovereignty of the Lord, even to having a certain number of believers ordained for martyrdom. Then I read two true stories: one about a family killed for their faith, the other one about a sister of ours who experienced a horrendous attack and how God took her through that and worked it for great good.

Hard stuff. But look through the awful blackness to see your Awesome God.

This week we are M&M-ing part 1 of Psalm 63. We'll follow next week with a second card on Psalm 63. I pray that we will examine our hearts: Do I thirst, groan, long for my God? Or am I full because I've been nibbling at the table of the world all day? Oh, my heart is such an idol factory! Let's ask Him to search us and show us and grow us in this.

Week 7

Hi Ladies!

I hope you've had a great week this week. I really enjoyed Barb's message on our verse this week as we think about the reality of how all else will be shaken, except for the steadfast love and peace of our Father. Here's the quick list of links and Barb's summary below- enjoy!

This Week's Lesson

YouTube Video of Buildings Swaying in Japanese Earthquake

Piper's Sermon ("A Kingdom that Cannot be Shaken")

I am the Lord (Do Not Fear) - iTunes

I am the Lord (Do Not Fear) - Amazon... for those of you who don't do iTunes :)

Next Week's Verse:

#7 ISAIAH 43:1-3 FEAR NOT; YOU ARE MINE

But now, this is what the LORD says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior...”

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Hi M&M ladies!

#6 ISAIAH 54:10 THOUGH ALL ELSE BE SHAKEN

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Hebrews 12:28,29 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

This week's lesson on Isaiah 54:10 was a hard-to-hear one because we meditated together on the Lord's shaking the earth, end times, scary things. I shared some of my family's experiences with earthquakes and how it was the occasion of running to the Lord to see what He has said about those frightening shakings. I encourage you to search the Scriptures and see all the times that the subject of earthquakes is mentioned. As you can imagine, our planning to return to Japan this summer makes this topic very personal for me and a real temptation for fear to rule in my heart. Would you please pray for me in this?

Oh, how I wish that this verse said: Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed; though there are car crashes and plane crashes and deadly diseases and violent crime and terrible accidents, abuse and broken homes, yet none of these things will touch you, My children. You will live a wonderful, comfortable life and you will die peacefully in your sleep and wake up in Heaven." But I don't think God promises that in the Bible. It's just not there. But He does promise that whatever He allows in our lives that shake us deeply, we can be assured that He is there, He loves us, and nothing can separate us from His love and His presence and His goodness. God has made a covenant with us, and He NEVER breaks His covenant. What He has promised He WILL do!

We'll be talking more about this next week as we talk about Isaiah 43.

If you would like to see some videos of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan on 3/11 last year there are many on YouTube. Here's one that I mentioned of the buildings swaying in downtown Tokyo, miles away from the earthquake epicenter: Click Here

If you want to hear or read the sermon called A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken by John Piper which I referred to in class click here.

The song we will be singing next week is some of the Isaiah 43 verses put to music. If you would like to listen to it or buy it click here for iTunes or here for Amazon.

We're halfway through our time together! Press on with me!

Love,

Barb

Week 6!

Good afternoon ladies-

I hope you've had a wonderful week. I was really convicted by our verse this week and by Barb's lesson as well. I find that I often enjoy snacking on raw egg whites (listen to Barb's message for that to make sense!) and I need to seek out a better kingdom, a heavenly one. I hope that it was meaningful for you as well.

Download this week's lesson by clicking here!

Next week's verse is:

#6 ISAIAH 54:10

THOUGH ALL ELSE BE SHAKEN

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Enjoy Barb's summary! Have a blessed weekend!

Leslie

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Hi fellow M&M-ers,

I was so thrilled this week to get a text from a lady who is doing M&M online, in another state. She has a good friend here in Columbia who is also doing it online. Here's the text I received from her on my way to M&M this Tuesday:

"Bet you never imagine that M&M partners would be connecting via texts! Last week my partner was in Disney World and I was in the French quarter of New Orleans. We quoted our verses via texts until her ride started! I am certain that made Jesus smile! Love you! First thing I did before getting out of bed this am was to praise God with the Chronicles verse! My husband praised God with me!"

WOW. What a blessing you ladies are! Online ladies, we thank God for you and your participation with us in M&M. Keep up the good work!

This week we talked about Hebrews 11:13-16 and our being ALIENS... STRANGERS... EXILES... FOREIGNERS... TRANSIENTS... PILGRIMS...TEMPORARY RESIDENTS...on earth. The part of my meditating on these verses that most impacted me was rewording the verse this way:

...They didn't admit, wouldn't acknowledge that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are NOT looking for a country of their own...they were NOT longing for a better country - a heavenly one. Therefore GodIS ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them!

May the Lord help us to not LOVE and CONFORM to this world, but rather obey Colossians 3:1-3:"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."

"...so heavenly minded she's no earthly good"??? NO WAY.

I pray you have enjoy the pages I read from Epic by John Eldredge.

Love you all,

Barb

Week 5!

Good evening, ladies!

This week Barb talked about the importance of worship, praise, and thankfulness and it was so encouraging. Download the lesson by clicking here. You can also get a copy the verses and quotes Barb referenced this week (as well as next week's verse) by clicking here.

#5 HEBREWS 11:1316

CITIZENS OF THE KINGDOM AND ALIENS IN THE WORLD

...They admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own...they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Here is Barb's Summary- Enjoy!

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Hello my friends,

This week we recited the 5 verse cards we've been M&M-ing. Our meditation was on the greatness of God and worship. Our newest card, 1 Chronicles 29:10-11, gives us beautiful words from King David's prayer to use in our own worship of God. I love memorizing passages like this one and being able to say them from my own heart to God anywhere, anytime.

We considered an earlier M&M verse from Hosea 14:1,2 "Take words with you...". We must come to God in prayer with words (preferably outloud for our sakes), whether we are praising Him, worshipping Him, making requests of Him, or repenting of our sins. I read from Elisabeth Elliot's Be Still My Soul as well as Radical Gratitude by Ellen Vaughn. In this recording of the Tuesday class you can also hear a wonderful portion from C.S. Lewis' Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It's probably my favorite part of that book.

I also shared a few quotes that have meant a lot to me:

“If God were small enough to be understood, He wouldn’t be big enough to be worshipped.” Evelyn Underhill

We should never forget that the purpose of theology is doxology: we study in order to praise. The truest expression of trust in God will always be worship, and it will always be proper worship to praise God for being greater than we know. – ESV Study Bible

“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, ‘Mine!’” Abraham Kuyper

Please email me or write on facebook if you have anything you want to share with us from your time of meditating on God's Word! Aren't you encouraged when you hear how God used the same words in your sister's life?

May you not grow weary in this good work; keep at it, chew well, and taste the greatness of our Lord!

To the King! To the Kingdom!

Love,

Barb

Week 4

Happy Friday!

Did any of you notice that something was off with last week's recording posted on the website? Well, as you all know by now, NO ONE on this earth is more "human" than me, and it seems as though the January 18th lesson wasn't the right one. Please please don't hesitate to let me know if you see where I goof in the future! Click Here for the REAL January 18th Lesson

Click here for week 4's lesson from January 25th. Please listen to how God provided for Barb during a tough time in her life- it will make you teary eyed, I promise!

Did all of you get a chance to download the recorded verses (here)? Let me know if you had any issues with that!

OK, enough pesky business- here is Barb's summary. I hope you have a wonderful week!

Leslie

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Hi M&M Sisters,

This week was one of my favorite topics - "Our God Who Still Works Wonders". I got it from my meditation on "who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light" from our memory verse in 1 Peter this week. I shared my very favorite story of all the times when I have seen God work wonders in my life. I hope it encourages you in your walk with Him. Please listen to the class; I LOVED it, if I do say so myself! I loved remembering and retelling the story.

Lots of love,

Barb

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Next Week's Verse:

#4 I CHRON. 29:10-12 PRAISE THE KING!

“Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. 
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. 
Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.”

Making Disciples

Making Disciples - Sue Jakes - 1/22/2012 - LPC

I don't know how many of you were at LPC this past Sunday and had the privilege of hearing Sue Jakes' talk on making disciples, but it gripped me (and Barb) and it is well worth a listen! She was talking about children's ministry and emphasized how important it is. Whether you are a mother ministering to your children, a grandmother, or even if you do not have children of your own, all of our covenant children are the key to passing our faith to the next generation.

Jesus called us to make disciples - that was his final mandate to us before ascending into heaven. How are we doing with that? Are we showing our children that we love Jesus? Are we teaching them to love Jesus, too? Are we raising them to be servants? Are we raising them to love His word?

She also speaks specifically to the importance of scripture, and scripture memory. She even talks about having a little card of a memory verse placed where you can see it during the day- Sound familiar anyone? :)

Please take a moment to listen to this wonderful message about passing on the baton of faith to the next generation.

Download here!

Week 3!

Hey Ladies!

I'm sorry for the delay in posting to the blog, but I was out of town for a couple of days. We have a few exciting things for you. First- Barb so graciously recorded our verses and quotes again, and I have uploaded them to the website for your convenience. You can get them from the LPC Website (http://www.lexpreschurch.com/Verses) or I put the download links on our blog (see below) if that's easier for you. Another exciting thing- I know that something funny happened with the recorder last week, but Barb was sweet enough to re-record the stories we missed last time. hey are also on the website (click here to download the stories)

Last but not least- this week's lesson! (Click Here for Week 3) So many wonderful ways to chew on God's word this week.

Enjoy Barb's summary below and have a wonderful week!

Leslie

Next Week's Verse:

#3 1 PETER 2:9,10
A PEOPLE BELONGING TO GOD

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

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Hi M&M ladies! During this third class we recited and meditated together on our #2 verse: Colossians 1:13-17. We thought about the word "darkness" and heard other verses that included the word. I also shared some tips on prayer and meditation from Elisabeth Elliot:
1. Don't wait for the spiritual feelings to come!
2. Prime the pump. Using others' written prayers can be helpful. (Valley of Vision, Everyday Prayers, by Scotty Smith are two of my favorites.) Use hymns.
3. Our prayers are like incense and God loves the smell!

I also shared a mental picture that inspired me this week as I struggled to set aside some time to pray and meditate: I imagined that Jesus had set a table before me, and asked me to come sit down and eat with Him. He handed me a big piece of homemade bread, (or piece of steak) and watched me eagerly as I bit into it: As He watched intently He said, "Isn't that good?...How do you like it?...Isn't it rich?...Slow down; chew slowly; savor it...Oh, it delights me to see you delight in My Word!" So every time I take the index cards in my hand to review and chew on the verses, I am thinking of them as those small pieces of God's inspired Word that He eagerly hands me and watches to see my reaction to it.

My friends, fight the good fight with me to set apart some time to be quiet with God and to meditate on what He has said to us. Let's pray for each other as we go through M&M this time.

To the King! To the Kingdom!
Barb