Searching the Scriptures

If you're trying to gain not only a better relationship with God but to also learn His Word, this is a book to have:  Searching the Scriptures by Charles R. Swindoll. A little background on the author: Swindoll is a teacher of the Word, and has been in the pastorate since 1963 and is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS).

I enjoy that the book reads well BUT it also has "homework" which makes you use what you read and makes you practice what Charles Swindoll is teaching in this book. I will say it isn't a book to complete in a day. This is a book to savor, take a chapter a day or a chapter every two days so that you can really digest what Swindoll is teaching. I have been reading and completing the "homework" everyday in the evenings when my littles are in the bed and it has been a total eye opening blessing. Teaching and convicting my spirit on much of my personal actions, or rather lack thereof.

This is an well written and added book to my arsenal of study aids.

I received this book from Tyndale in exchange for an HONEST review.

I am found

So I am so excited about this bible study it is in a series of bible studies by Moody Publishers just for women. The first one, An Unexplainable Life, I also reviewed here. 

This bible study is about me, about you. Women are trying to be seen and known by God but when we sin and are ashamed we tend to hide. For me when I am ashamed I literally hide out in my bedroom. 

I love this study for that very reason it is challenging me to stop hiding from God, from my husband. It is also teaching me to stop "not being bothered" with other people. It is nothing personal against them, I just often prefer my own company to that of others. 

The blurb is: 

I Am Found summons us from the shadows and into the light. This 6-week Bible study on shame and freedom explores: why we hide from God and others, why God’s love frees us to come out of hiding, what it looks like to live like we’ve been found, and how to cultivate relationships that encourage vulnerability

And that is exactly what this study does. It has encouraged me to turn to GOD when I feel ashamed, when I have sinned. It is encouraging me to stop hiding from my husband when we have disagreements. It is encouraging me to not hide from people outside of my home when they may offend or insult me.

Here are some fun things I found on the Moody Publisher's Women page to go with this study. Also if you go on the page, you will find a study tool (Download Excerpts) from Moody Commentary which allows you to read the commentary to go with the the Scripture found in the study. (AWESOME.)

Moody Publishers also allow ministry leaders the ability to receive a FREE copy of this study to use with their study groups, which I think is pretty awesome. 

Redeemed

So this is literally a bible study and that is its full intended purpose. The tag line is "Grace to live every day better than before." The study is meant to be completed over a course of six weeks. There are also corresponding video sessions to go with each week (I do not have access to those to view). 

Week 1: When Love makes a promise. 

Week 2: When Love never fails. 

Week 3: When Love makes a way.

Week 4: When Love changes you.

Week 5: When Love breaks your chains.

Week 6: When Love leads you home.

Even though the word love is used, I can comfortable interject God in place of the it. 

The weeks are 7 days long, I point this out because many studies usually do a 5 day a week schedule. It is quite funny that Angela tries to immediately attack any reason why we would say we cannot do the study. And combat that with the reason we need to do the study.

This is the first page of week 1, of the study. 

 I haven't gotten through the entire study yet. However I think it is worth taking a look at and going through especially if you are even almost near an identity crisis. And to be honest, I have been in that place. Sometimes I revisit that place. And this is the reminder to walk away from that place that I am redeemed. That it only matters what GOD says about me and who GOD says I am.

{FYI: I got this book from B&H Publishers in exchange for my HONEST review.}

Woman of Influence

As a Woman of Influence, we want to be a godly influence on the people around us. 

Even if you aren't married or have children, you have some influence over the people around you. Influence them in such a manner that it brings God glory. We do that by always pointing past ourselves to Jesus. 

We do that by the way that we carry ourselves, the way we act. 

It all speaks for us. 

And how we carry ourselves is a reflection of the ONE who sent us, who we claim to follow. 

The Woman of Influence Tank Top available at www.thejesuscollection.storenvy.com

The Woman of Influence T-Shirt available at www.thejesuscollection.storenvy.com

Scripture Memory Bible

The cover of the bible and as can be seen in the upper left hand corner, it DOES come with a free download of 100 scripture memory songs. I downloaded mine to use with my kids.

As a member of Tyndale Rewards, we are often presented with surveys about covers of books. One of the surveys I completed a while ago was for this book: Hidden In My Heart Scripture Memory Bible.

Honestly it is MUCH better than what I expected. The main translation used in the one I have is NLT. Then for the core verses they are presented in three different translations, so that the reader can see the difference in word choice which can aid in understanding the verses. There are book introductions for every book of the bible. It is not very heavy or big, which is good for smaller hands that may want to take it to church (i.e. my nine year old). This is one of those bibles that are a good buy. It is meant to be used with kids but it is made in such a way that it can literally last them straight on through college. Or an adult can use it who is trying to memorize scripture.

I think this bible is good because through Moses, God tells us to: Imprint these words of mine on your hearts and minds, bind them as a sign on your hands, and let them be a symbol on your foreheads. Deuteronomy 11:18 HCSB.

This is the inside of the bible showing: (1) how the core scripture memory verses look and (2) how the book introductions look.

{FYI: I received this book from Tyndale in exchange for my HONEST review.}

Discipling As Jesus Discipled

The goal of every Christian is to be a disciple and to be fruitful, that is to make other disciples.

And that is the whole point of this book. It is a clear bible study and is very thought provoking.

The author Dann Spader encourages the reader/studier to look at the life of Jesus and His earthly ministry to understand how we are to BE disciples and MAKE disciples who can MAKE disciples.
He also explains the difference between discipleship and disciple-making.

Prior to reading this book I'd always thought the two were the same. However Dann Spader, helped me to see the difference between the two. Discipleship is to help some along the path of becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ.

A disciple of Jesus is a follower of Jesus. And we all know Jesus said "Follow Me."
So to be a disciple-maker is to be a person who produces disciples.

We actively produce disciples when we actively point people to Jesus and aid them in learning the Word of God, in applying the Word of God to their lives, and LIVING it ourselves so that our teaching is seen in action.
As Jesus taught the Word of God, spoke the Word of God, and gave right application of the Word of God, He LIVED the Word of God. So the disciples were not only taught but had a living example.

And THAT is the root message of this bible study. I am a few weeks into it and I am learning SO much. This is more in-depth than anything I've ever learned or be taught on disciple-making.

I recommend this to the seasoned follower of Jesus, the mature follower. Our jobs is to be a disciple, live as a disciple, THEN grow the Kingdom by producing disciples who will produce more disciples.



{FYI, I received this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for my HONEST opinion.}

Miracle In Music City

So this is a children or rather tween book.

So I allowed my daughter to read the book and tell me what she thinks of it.

Her initial reaction is that she loves it!

She loves the adventure and the fairies. 

The book is about three sisters which she can relate to as she has two sisters of her own. 

She loves that they go on an adventure (she's also read a Dolphin Wish by Natalie Grant and about the same sisters). The story starts out with them helping their mom and delves into them going on an adventure, with adult supervision in the form of their nanny. It is a mystery.

I love that its good wholesome entertainment. I don't have to worry about if its going to have a poor message or profane language.

I love that it teaches teamwork among siblings. Something that I see taking root in my children at home.

{I received this book in exchange for my HONEST review from the publisher through the BookLook Blogger program.}

An Unexplainable Life

So I received a new bible study in the mail. An Unexplainable Life by Erica Wiggenhorn. 

The author describes the purpose of the study as: 

"The purpose of this study isn’t simply to reiterate a message. (You can find many studies on Acts.) Our purpose is to reignite a movement of the power of the Holy Spirit in each of us individually and in our churches collectively." 

My impression of the study is that it is fairly in depth. It only covers the first 12 chapters of Acts, which is about 28 chapters long. Yet the study is 10 weeks long. There is quite a bit of author commentary in this bible study, including short stories from the author's life and background pieces relating to the reading. Each day's worth of the study is about 4 pages long. 

I haven't had the chance to finish the entire study. I won't be done until about mid-October however I did want to comply with getting the review of the study done. 

From what I have done, I believe this study has the ability to spark a move of the Holy Spirit. However I think that depends on the engagement of the person doing the study and prayer prior to sitting down with the study each week.

I personally notice that I feel that spark of the Holy Spirit when I spend time just praising Him for who He is and pray asking the Holy Spirit to show up in my study time. I also think that bible study is a necessary in life, it helps us to understand who God is and learn His character.

Front of the book.

This is the table of contents, so you can get an idea of the topic for each week of the study.