Loving Well - by Beth Moore - Week 4

In John 15:9 Jesus commands us to remain in His love. As we complete this time of study I want you to remember to remain in God's love.  All of the things we have learned through this study hinge on one thing;  remaining in God's love.  If we do not do this, we will not be able to love well.

Here are a few scriptures that spoke to me through this study:

• 1 John 4:18 - “There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear.”
• Romans 8:38-39 - “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!”
• Matthew 18:21-22 - “Then Peter came to Him and said, 'Lord, how many times could my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times?' 'I tell you, not as many as seven,' Jesus said to him, 'but 70 times seven.'”
• John 15:9 - “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Now remain in my love.”
• Philippians 1:9 - “This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth and insight.

What a joy it has been, to walk through this study with you, I pray that the perfect love of God has filled your heart and that great things are happening in your relationships as you draw from God's well.

"God is love." 

1 John 4:8

Loving Well - by Beth Moore - Week 3

One thing that stood out to me this week is how important it is to let go, forgive and move on. When we hold a grudge or refuse to forgive someone, we only hurt ourselves.  Forgiveness brings such freedom, it is like a heavy burden has been lifted off your shoulders.  Sometimes it is hard for us to forgive, because we think that the other person does not deserve to be forgiven.  But I am telling you that this is a lie that Satan wants us to believe.  And the truth is that we are not hurting that other person, we are only hurting ourselves.

"For if you forgive people their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

But if you do not forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses."

Matthew 6:14-15 AMP

My dear sister, please do not hold on to grudges and hatred any longer.  We are learning in this study how to love well, with God's perfect love, but holding on to your hurt and anger and refusing to forgive is going to stop you in your tracks.  God cannot love through you if you do not deal with these issues.  Beth Moore stated  "God cannot do through you what He has not done to you".  How do you expect to love these people as Jesus comanded if you are holding on to such negative feelings.  Let go and let God!  That is the only way.

"For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop.

But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings."

Mark 11:24-26 AMP

Loving Well - by Beth Moore - Week 2

Wow!  I can honestly tell you that this last week of study has started a new thing in my life.  I realized that I have so many downfalls and weaknesses, it is crazy.  But I also realized that God is standing right here next to me waiting for me to hand it all over to Him so He can take care of it.  Here are a few thoughts that show a little bit of what this week has meant to my life.

• God has known me since the day I was conceived.  He has had everyday of my life planned out and has walked with me through it all.  Even though I may not have been walking with Him, He never left my side.  He knows the future and if I trust Him, He will work everything out for good in my life.
  
• We strive to earn love from just about everyone in our lives, and if they don't love us, we either work harder; hoping that they will see our good qualities and love us for them.  Or we give up and say "Well, I don't need them anyway."  and we stop loving them.  We protect ourselves from being hurt.  We do the same thing with God.  We try our best to get Him to love us,  and we think in our hearts that we can earn His love.  Sometimes we work so hard that we wear ourselves out, and we finally give up and say "Well, I don't need God anyway."  But the truth is that He does, has, and always will love us.  Nothing we do or say can change His love for us.  We cannot make God love us more, and we cannot make Him love us less.  When we try to earn God's love we are just wearing ourselves out for nothing.  God's love is gift, and all we have to do is accept it. 
• One of the statements on day five really spoke to my heart.  "Quit trying to be so strong.  Let Me be strong for you."  I know that I am not as strong as I try to be, and this statement made me realize that I don't need to put on the facade of being the worlds strongest wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, etc.  It is okay to say, I'm sorry but I am not strong enough to handle this on my own.  When we hand things over to God, and let Him take our heavy burdens, life is so much easier.  We see freedom, peace, grace, and love come in and fill the spot where we were filled with brokenness, strife, grief, and anger.  If I could get this one truth worked out in my life, and lean fully on God instead of my own strength, what a joyous thing that would be.  I am learning and leaning on God a little more each day, thanks to the teaching, and healing power of God's perfect love.

I pray that as you go through this study that you will find yourself growing and leaning on the Lord more each day.  What a beautiful thing it is when we come to the Father and let His love fill us and heal us.

So shall you find favor, good understanding, and high esteem in the sight [or judgment] of God and man.

Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.

In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.

Proverbs 3:4-6 (AMP)

Loving Well - by Beth Moore - Week 1

For those of you who were not at the Loving Well Woman's Retreat, at Westgate AG, I encourage you to try to find a church that is going through the Loving Well Study, either as a retreat or as a bible study.  You will be so blessed and learn so much from this great teaching.  However, I believe that walking through the Loving Well Journal with us, will bless you, even if you have not gone through the study.

That said, let us get started on this amazing and powerful journey and let God's love work in our hearts and lives like never before.

Beth Moore starts out asking us some pretty pointed questions, and I must say that it was tough to make myself look deep within and face the truth.  As much as I would love to say that I am perfect, being the perfectionist that I am, I cannot say that about my relationships and the way I am loving others.  This first week of reflection and study has made me take a hard look and see that I really do need to let go of quite a few things in my life and let God take care of them.  I have learned over the past few years and especially the last few days that the only way I will be able to love like Jesus commanded us, is to ask God to fill me with his love and heal the wounded and broken parts of my heart, so that my heart becomes a well of love springing forth and flowing out to touch other peoples hearts and lives around me.

I had a thought come to me late last night as I lay in bed trying to sleep. It was as if the lord were showing me how there are different ways people handle his gift of love.

Picture a beautiful package being delivered to the front door, and the person inside looks at it and says “I don't know anyone who would send that to me, so either it is a horrible joke or you have the wrong address.” Then they slam the door closed and they refuse to open it again. No matter how desperately the delivery man tries to deliver his package they are not willing to allow it in. Then there are people who when they open the door and see the beautiful package, are so in awe of the wrapping and packaging that they bring it carefully into the house and set it in a spot of honor on the mantle or on a display case. But they never unwrap the gift to see what is inside or to allow the actual gift to bless them. They miss out on the gift because they don't want to disturb the beautiful packaging. The last set of people are the ones who willingly accept the gift, and before they even start to close the door they begin to to tear off the beautiful wrapping, cut all of the strings, bows and ties, and open the box wide. Then when they see the gift of His love, they can't help but to pour the gift out over their head and bask in it, letting it flow over their body and work it's way to the deepest parts of their heart and soul. 
Which person are you? God wants us to not only accept the gift but to allow the gift to work in our hearts and live so that we become a fountain of his love. 

Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.
Romans 5:4-6