I believe the Lord has 4 words for me for 2015. Challenge,
consistency, commitment and courage! I am joining a local in person weight loss
challenge, an online imperfect progress fitness, health and weigh loss
challenge and Joyce Meyers 3030 challenge! January will have all 3 of these.
One will go 90.days, one I'm not sure the length and one is 30 days but I'll
probably do it over and over I hope! And thinking about 2015 I've been thinking
about what word the Lord would have for me for the year and I came up with
these four that I feel strongly are for me for 2015. Failure has been the word
every year since I began the journey to a better me where my focus was on
losing 200 pounds. Yes I still pray to someday lose 200 pounds. But for now I
think my focus needs to be my four words for the year and different challenges
each month so that I make imperfect progress but progress toward my ultimate
goals. And that I learn challenge, consistency, commitment and courage. See
below if u are interested in 3030 challenge and in comments about imperfect
progress. Local one I am not sure if she is taking more but I can ask!
Take the Challenge!
by Joyce Meyer
How Studying God’s Word Will Literally Change Your Life
For more than 35 years now I have been studying the Word and it has drastically
changed my life. It’s been the key to radical transformation in my perspectives
and attitudes, and God has healed and restored my spirit, soul and body through
the power in His Word. Even now, I’m still continually amazed by all of the
benefits we have access to in God’s Word.
In many parts of the world, we are blessed in this day and age
to have easy access to God’s Word and lots of opportunity to attend church. But
at times I wonder why there are so many in church, yet we aren’t seeing the
influence of God’s love and power in the world like we should. Think about it:
12 disciples turned the world upside down as a result of following Jesus. Is
the Church at large today turning the world to Christ?
As I’ve prayed about this, I’ve come to a simple conclusion:
If we don’t study God’s Word consistently and apply this truth to our lives, we
will lack the power we need to mature in Christ and glorify God in the world.
Many people are intimidated by the word “study,” but studying
God’s Word is actually simple to do and it’s extremely valuable for us. It’s
not something we have to do to stay on God’s good side, and we aren’t doing God
any favors when we study Scripture. The truth is, we’re doing ourselves a favor
because we need this spiritual food to make our spirit strong.
There is life in the Word! Hebrews 4:12 says, “The Word that
God speaks is alive and full of power.”This verse goes on to list some amazing
benefits we can get from the Word:
It reveals God’s thoughts and renews our mind so we have the
mind of Christ.
It teaches us wisdom we can practically apply to our lives so we know how to
handle every situation we face.
It’s a book of comfort that brings healing to our lives.
The 30 30 Challenge
I really want to encourage people and help them establish a daily habit of
spending time with God and studying His Word. That’s why I want to invite you
to take the 30/30 Challenge. The goal is this: study the Word 30 minutes a day
for 30 days.
When you sign up, you’ll find a powerful way to get the
encouragement you need individually to dig deep in God’s Word and grow
spiritually through the resources we’re offering on our website. It also gives
you opportunities to share your progress and support others who are on this
journey through interaction you can have on our Facebook page and other social
media options.
To get started, you need a Bible translation you can
understand; I like the Amplified Bible, but you should pick whatever works best
for you. Also, some good study tools include the Vine’s Dictionary, the
Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary, a concordance and a commentary.
Now, there are no “rules” you have to follow. You have freedom
to be led by the Holy Spirit in finding the best approach that works for you.
Here are just a few tips that will help prepare you to enjoy your study time
and get the most you can out of it.
Tips to Help You Rise to the Challenge
Begin with Prayer—ask the Holy Spirit to be your Teacher and
help you understand what you’re reading.
Slow down—Remember, more isn’t necessarily better; it’s about quality, not
quantity.
Predetermine to obey what you learn—God will give you the grace to do it as you
lean on Him.
Keep a notepad handy to jot down your thoughts and things that stand out to
you.
Meditate on Scripture—mull it over in your mind throughout the day.
Approach the Word with reverence and make it a priority. The important thing is
to work your schedule around God, rather than working God into your schedule.
You have the freedom to be flexible—first thing in the morning, lunchtime,
during your commute to work, evening, before bedtime, etc. God will show you
when to schedule your time if you’re struggling to figure it out.
Consider how you will apply what you learn to your life and the steps you will
take to do it.
If you are struggling with something in your life, study scriptures that
address the issue.
If something in particular struck a chord while you were studying, take time
the next day to dig in to the topic more; a concordance is helpful for this.
Determine to be focused—if you are easily distracted, silence your phone and
wait until you are finished to respond to emails and texts; jot down things on
your to-do list if they come to mind so you can keep your focus.
Be serious about your commitment and stick with it. Consistency is key. Mark
4:24 says: The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear]
will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you.
Begin your journey in faith, trusting that God wants you to come to Him. He
will give you His grace—His undeserved favor, power and blessing—to enable you
to learn His Word and become all He created you to be.
You can do it—take the challenge!
Thank you to all who read all this!! :) I can use all the support and help I can get!
Blessings,
Tami
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