James 2:12-13

Scripture: James 2:12-13
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,
13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has  not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

Observations:
“The law that gives freedom” is a really cool concept. It goes against the world’s view of a law.
When I think of a law, I think of something I can’t break.  Speeding is a great example. We don’t see the speed limit as a safety measure, that the freedom you have getting in the car and reaching your destination safely is because the law restricts the speed and sets up rules. If it was madness, you wouldn’t have the freedom to go to the store in your car. There would be no roads, there would be no stop signs. The law gives freedom. God’s law gives us lasting freedom.

Application:
When was the last time you showed mercy over judgment? God calls us to show mercy. Synonyms of mercy: compassion, pity, kindness, forgiveness, sympathy, clemency, understanding, leniency. Let’s look for ways to show mercy in our day-to-day lives. God gives us plenty of opportunity, because He wants us to be merciful.

Prayer:
Lord help us to be merciful people. We want to show grace and mercy to those around us, especially those in need and those who wrong us. Convict our hearts. In Jesus’ name I ask, amen.

James 2:8-11

Scripture: James 2:8-11
8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.
9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
 

Observations: 
I love love love love that we are free and righteous in Christ. We are all lawbreakers. That’s why He chose the cross. How horrible and hopeless would we be if we were just “lawbreakers” and had no hope or freedom? But we are forgiven, not just for the sins we confess, but for all sins! Out of LOVE and out of a grateful spirit, we live as though we are still under the law. We strive to abide by the law. Praise God, that when we fail, He sees our hearts and intentions. He knows that we are imperfect, and Christ’s righteousness is ours. God looks at us and sees Jesus, because we love Him and He dwells in us. We are redeemed lawbreakers. This should fuel us to be loving to all, because we are SO loved.
 

Application: 
We love to love ourselves. We like special treats, we like nice clothing, we like to be warm and comfortable at night. Extending this to others? Well that’s a little difficult. That would mean surrendering a lot of possessions and getting out of our comfort zones. Can we live this out? It’s easy to do it with our family and “loved ones” but we’re called to extend the term “loved ones” to those around us. 
 

Prayer: 
God, let us not hoard our blessings. Let us give to the poor. We love you and we are so loved. Let this overflow into our actions. I pray for a generation that acts out your love. I am blessed by this group of women, who act it out. They long to feed the poor and minister to the homeless. They care for the sick. God, open doors that we may be effective. In Christ’s name I ask, amen.

James 2:5-7

Scripture: James 2:5-7
5 Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?
6 But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?
7 Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

Observations:
Good point!!! Why are we so against the poor when the rich are the ones who are truly exploiting? I love the phrase “those who are poor in the eyes of the world” because I can only imagine how God sees them. I can only imagine how He envisions them with their reward in mind and the glory to come.

Application:
Why is it so easy to target the poor and lose compassion? I think the media focuses in on the crimes of the poor, the violence and the addictions and the people going to jail. We begin to feel unsafe when people are poor because we assume they will display criminal behavior.  The media turns our eyes away from the evils of the rich, but let’s not forget the way God views the situation.

Prayer:
Father open our eyes. Give us a glimpse of how You see the world. Help us to be humble and rich in faith. Break hearts to share and give. Let it be on earth as it is in heaven. We love You not just in words, but in action. In Christ’s name, amen.

James 2:2-4

Scripture: James 2:2-4
2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 
4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Observations: 
I remember in school feeling like I was judged by my clothing. I didn’t have the brand name stuff, and I did feel like the “popular kids” got special attention. I think this is true also in restaurants and in retail in general. We assume the rich person will purchase something and tip, and treat them with special attention. On the flipside, we get suspicious if someone comes in looking like they can’t afford the products or won’t tip.

Application: 
It honors God when we help the poor, and treat them as they are: people! They were made in the image of God, just the same way. I heard someone talking about how the library in another city becomes a sketchy place when the weather is bad, because the homeless people go into it for shelter. I wanted to ask why the homes aren’t open for these people. Why is the community not heartbroken for their poor? Do you have to have a house to be considered a neighbor, or are we not called to love others?

Prayer: 
Lord I pray for broken hearts. I pray for compassion in communities. I pray that people are able to understand and reach out to the poor. I pray for the kids in school who are treated differently because of their clothing, that they grow up in humility and understand they are worthy. Father, comfort them. In Jesus’ name I ask, amen.

James 2:1

Scripture: James 2:1  

1 My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.

Observations: 

 Favoritism, partiality, special treatment, bias... when we do this, we are saying we love one person more than another simply because of what they have/look like. God loves us all the same, whether we are dirty, broken, young, old, rich, poor, righteous, unrighteous. He LOVES us regardless, and we should love others because of our GLORIOUS Lord Jesus Christ!

 

Application: 

 I think a humbling experience is to visit with the poor, or visit a jail, or a nursing home (trust me, people view the elderly as useless... it's so sad) and let that equality sink through. God loves us all the same, no matter what. When Christ would eat, He would sit with the outcasts of society. He didn't care how it made Him look. It might be good practice for us to do the same when the opportunities arise.

 

Prayer: 

Lord forgive us for picking favorites. God, it's so much easier to be around people that are like us. Help us to broaden our hearts and see people the way You do, and reach out to them and love them unconditionally. In Christ's name I pray, amen!

James 1:26-27

Scripture: James 1:26-27 

26 If anyone considers himself religious yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

 

Observations: 

Our actions and words can really ruin others' perception of our beliefs. We talked about what it's like at restaurants on Sunday mornings, and how it seems that a lot of Christians are horribly rude, impatient, and bad tippers. It's a noticeable difference from the other shifts. Sunday morning... you just don't make the same tips. What's the point of dressing up and going to church if people just turn around and act that way right afterwards? That's worthless religion to me.

 

Application: 

Verse 27 is our application! Look after orphans and widows, and keep from being polluted! Are we doing that? Are we going out of our way to serve others that are in distress, and also going out of our way to keep from getting polluted? It looks different for different people. We all have different gifts, which we are called to use in ministry. We all have our own "butter heads" that we need to keep away from the fire ;)

 

Prayer: 

Lord, help us to not have a worthless religion. Help us to show through our relationship with You, and that our outward acts are in accordance with our beliefs. God I pray we are good witnesses with our actions. We love You so much and do not want to be bad representations of life with You. Help us to plug into good ministries that use our own particular gifts, and also have the humility and strength to stay away from or fight our specific battles against sin. In Jesus' name I ask, amen!

James 1:25

Scripture: James 1:25 

25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

 

Observations: 

The law that gives freedom! I think of laws and I automatically think of restrictions, and rules, and things I CAN'T do. I love that this law is perfect and it gives freedom. When we are obedient to the Lord and abide by the law, we actually experience a freedom that is much better than the false sense of freedom when we disobey.

 

Application: 

 I babysat and it was such a joy to me to see that both boys minded me. I'd tell them something, and more often than not, they just did it. No questions asked. It is logical, since I'm in charge and I know best, that they would mind me. It's frustrating to me, and parents, and anybody who has ever had to watch a child who refuses to listen, and refuses to do as they are told. It's a struggle, when you know it would be so much easier if they would just obey. It's the same with the Lord, and I think it's why we are told to have faith like a child. When they mind and they submit, it's a joy. I want to be a joy to the Lord, and fully experience freedom.

Prayer: 

Lord thank You for giving us freedom and a perfect law to follow. You gave us salvation through Christ, and spared us from being held to this law. Help us to obey You out of love, and seek out Your statutes. Teach us to apply what we hear, so we may be blessed for our obedience. In Christ's name I pray, amen.

James 1:22-24

Scripture: James 1:22-24 

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror
24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

Observations:

To be a hearer but not a doer of the Word, and thinking that this is okay is deceiving oneself. This is not okay. It makes no sense to do that, just like it makes no sense to look in a mirror and then quickly forget what you just saw. I think of how often I look in the mirror or see myself reflected on something. I know my face. I see it a lot. I feel like this is also the case with Bible-belt Christians, who hear a lot of the Word and are raised up in church. If these principles aren't applied to real life, then they are deceiving themselves into thinking they are in a good place with the Lord. They know better and the Lord will hold them accountable for knowing better.

 

Application: 

Right now I'm in wonderful and humbling season. I am preparing to launch on a mission trip, and I'm trying my best to submit my life completely to the Lord. For  years, and I mean YEARS, I've been wanting to serve more, and to find a place where I could be a doer of the Word. The Lord calls us to action. Whether we are local missionaries or going overseas, or supporting missions (very important!!!) the Lord calls us to love in actions and truth.

 

Prayer: 

Father, thank You so much for the Word. That we are able to read it, and learn from it. God I praise You for convicting my heart when You needed me out of my comfortable place. I pray You guide each woman in this group to the action You need us to do, and give us courage and strength while we submit to You.  In Christ's name I ask, Amen.

James 1:21

Scripture: James 1:21
21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
 
Observations:
Evil is so prevalent! We'd like to think that we are getting worse and worse as the generations go by, but evil has always been SO prevalent. We are called as Christians to recognize moral filth and have nothing to do with it. I wish we could literally put our moral filth in a box and throw it away. I wish it was that simple. It's a continuous process for me to go through and pray about various aspects of my life, and ask God what He needs me to get rid of.  It does take humility and our submission of our lives to God to accept the word. It's so easy to let our pride say "well that's not really any harm! it's just a little bit, and I can manage it" and ignore God's calling to get rid of it.
 
Application:
Looking into my heart and into my daily habits, searching for what it is that God is calling me to get rid of. Are my eyes open to the evil around me and actively rejecting it, or am I accepting of it? Is evil normal to me? Am I humbly accepting the word, or am I dragging my feet and dreading the word?
 
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for planting the word in us and giving us salvation. Speak to us and let us know how to better rid ourselves of moral filth and be protected from evil. Help us to recognize those areas so we can better serve you. In Christ's name I pray, amen.

James 1:19-20

Scripture: James 1:19-20

19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

20 for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

  

Observations:

This passage makes me think of how talkative I am.  I don't always feel like a good listener (I've been told I am but sometimes I dont see it from here). I need to make sure I'm slower to speak (without stifling my personality! The Lord loves my personality, He crafted it) but rather more CAREFUL with what I say. Also working on being a better listener and not letting distractions get in the way of my paying attention, or my own responsive thoughts stop me from listening. With anger it's funny how sometimes I'm so slow to be angry, yet there are some tiny things that get me fired up. Prime example is my phone when it goes crazy. It's gonna be great for me to be away from a cell phone for 11 months haha!

 

Application:

Just looking into our own lives and seeing those 3 areas... what comes out of our mouths, how good we are at listening, and how quickly and what causes us to be angry. We need to not just "acknowledge" those issues, but also make intentional moves to correct them. If we need to make amends to somebody we've hurt because of those 3 things, that may be another good way to apply this verse.

 

Prayer:

Father, we are so thankful that You are slow to anger with us! We sometimes are the very opposite of verse 19. I praise You for bearing with the works-in-progress that we are, and allowing trials to reveal those areas and refine us. Help us to take the extra moment to think before we speak or become angry, and to be careful listeners. We love You and we want to live the righteous lives You desire. In Christ's name I pray, amen!

James 1:18

Scripture: James 1:18
18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of all he created.
 
Observations:
We are a kind of first-fruits of all the Lord has created. We are the first portion or the first harvest, set aside and offered to the Lord. I love it that the Lord chose to make us His children, and to give us a way to Him through Christ.

 

Application:

First-fruits are offered to God. Our time, resources, and especially how we seek Him out, read His Word. We are set apart.

Prayer:

God, I praise You for creating us, making us new, and setting us apart. Help us to honor You with our lives and boldly pursue You. In Jesus' name I pray, amen!

James 1:16-17

Scripture: James 1:16-17
16 Don't be deceived, my dear brothers.
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
 
Observations:
The world and our evil desires are so deceiving. Satan tells us that certain things are pleasant and good, when in reality they are death to us. Sin slowly creeps in and we find ourselves deceived by materialism, pop culture, and even music. Verse 17 reminds me that all that is good and perfect is from God. If it's not from Him, then it's not good or perfect.

Application:

I thought about my hobbies and my free time, and asked myself if certain things were "good and perfect." Is this something God wants me to be doing? Also praising the Father for being so faithful and unchanging.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for giving us so many blessings. I pray You forgive us when we are deceived by the empty lifestyle of the world. Remind us to pursue and delight in what is good. We love You and praise You. In Christ's name, amen!

James 1:15

Scripture: James 1:15
15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
 
Observations:
Desire eventually leads to death. I jokingly concluded that desire is death's grandmother. What I got from this verse was that there are levels of falling away from the Lord, where sin grows and worsens. We should be careful to stop desire before it yields to more and more sin.
 
Application:
Small compromises lead to big failures. What kind of compromises have you made today or this week? What can you do to prevent these compromises from becoming big failures? Where I am, I have to fight laziness. There is so much to do lately! I know my desire is to put things off or just relax. There's nothing wrong per se with relaxing, but at the right place, at the right time!
 
Prayer:
Lord, open our eyes to those evil desires within us. Help us to recognize them so we don't get dragged away! Bless us with wisdom, discernment, and strength. In Christ's name I pray, amen.

James 1:13-14

Scripture: James 1:13-14
13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
 
Observations:
Reading this verse, it almost seems so obvious: God doesn't tempt anybody. Well of course not! But people tend to push the blame for their evil desires on others and even God. I also thought back to Genesis, how the conversation went after Eve ate the apple. It was such a blame-game! Adam blamed Eve for giving the apple to him, and Eve blamed the snake. Nobody said "My fault! I knew better and shouldn't have done that!" which is the whole point. It's easier to pretend we're ignorant sheep than to admit we have our own evil desires.
 
Application:
What are your current temptations? What are we tempted to do that we know is evil but are playing dumb about? During the busy times for me, I am tempted to be lazy. Laying down horizontally while I could be organizing/cleaning/running/being productive. I think "enticed" is a perfect word haha it's like my bed is saying "Heleeeenaaaaaa you're sooo tiiiired!" haha when I know I had good rest, and there's more I should be doing. God isn't tempting me. My bed isn't tempting me. My own evil desire to be lazy and squander time is what's enticing. I have to turn on upbeat music, not put on pjs, and be intentional with my time.
 
Prayer:
Lord forgive us for caving into our evil desires, whatever they are, and knowing better. Help us to have the discernment between a temptation and a trial. Give us wisdom to walk away from temptation, and courage to walk through trials in Your strength. Forgive us also for blaming others and You when we stumble on our own sin. We love You and we long to obey You wholeheartedly. In Christ's name I pray, amen.

James 1:12

Scripture: James 1:12
12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Observations:
Not only will we be mature and complete, but we're going to be rewarded as well! It's so easy to forget that there's a reward. I know I do! There's a crown of life promised to us who love the Lord. Trials are to be viewed as blessings, since there is a reward! Another thing I thought was that this promise is to those who love God... we are to keep a loving attitude toward God through trials. Sometimes we pull away from Him, or question His authority, or even become angry at Him, only to regret our behavior later.

Application:
As I go through trials that test me (especially my patience, oh my goodness), I'm going to try to be more loving toward God. Praise Him more, and thank Him more, as opposed to what I fall into which is questioning His plan. I find myself asking "What is this going to accomplish? Why is it taking so long? Why is this so difficult?" and I need to make sure those questions take on a loving, prayerful, pleading tone.
 
Prayer:
Father, thank You so much for growing our group of women this fall. I pray for all the trials we are going through, all the worries, fears, and struggles that weigh on us. God I ask that You help us and give us strength. I pray for pure joy in these trials, and that we can be loving to others and in our attitude toward You. Let us be comforted with the hope of your promise! In Jesus' name I pray, amen!

James 1:9-11

Scripture: James 1:9-11
9 The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position.
10 But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower.
11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.
 
Observations:
Completely against what the world says! Ranking is usually based on money and power, yet the Lord redefines what it is to have a high position. You can't really buy humility. You can't really learn it unless you go through it. On the flipside, getting caught up with money... we think we are invincible. This root of evil gets down deep and we forget how in need we are. We "go about our business" and busy ourselves with worldly riches.
 
Application:
Right now I'm that rich person, being awakened to how selfish I'd been. I spent my money the way I wanted to. I look back and regret how much I splurged on unnecessary stuff. Now with all my preparations for the mission trip, I find myself selling everything and it's so weird. IT IS SO WEIRD to be in a room full of stuff that won't be mine anymore after a week. It's also a great blessing to know the Lord is gonna take care of me like He has been this whole time. My application to these verses is to be humble no matter what, and try to go about God's business.  
 
Prayer:
Father I come to You tonight asking for humble hearts for me and my sisters in Christ. Make us fully focused so we can pursue Your plans. Don't let us get busy with anything else, especially money! Don't let our beauty be destroyed or fade away because of money. Convict us of these things, and anything else that gets in the way of us desperately seeking You. We love you more than anything. In Christ's name I pray, amen.

James 1:7-8

Scripture: James 1:7-8
7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
 
Observations: 
These verses are so reassuring when I'm not doubting, and so convicting when there are areas in my life where doubt creeps in. Especially praying about  healing! If it is the will of God, He will heal. Whether He can heal or not is not the issue. There's nothing He can't do. I just need to continue praying to see situations with HIS eyes, not with the statistical, scientific, "what the world says" viewpoint. If we only saw science and statistics, we wouldn't pray much about healing when somebody is really sick. You'd just pray for comfort. I want to be the stubborn girl that prays for healing because I know God will do it if it's His will.

 
Application:
My life application to these verses is to self-reflect on what areas of my life feel "unstable" and why. Is it because of doubt? Am I praying strong, confident prayers?

 
Prayer:
Lord, this morning I pray that You forgive our doubting, and help us in whatever areas in our lives that we've ever doubted You could fix. Let us see beyond what the world says is possible. You are all powerful, God! No plan of Yours can be thwarted, and nothing is impossible for You! God I pray you give us strength in the difficult trials we face. Help us to be voices of hope, confident, encouraging, fully focused, single-minded ambassadors of Christ. In Jesus' name, amen!

James 1:5-6

Scripture: James 1:5-6
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Observations:
I love these verses! I lack wisdom all the time!! It's funny that the older I get, the more I realize how much I DON'T know! Either that or I'm forgetting all I knew back when I was a teenager, because I'm pretty sure I knew everything back then ;) But God is so faithful to lead me and give wisdom! Even during the times when I didn't really know what He wanted me to do, I was assured that He was in control and would tell me what to do at the right time. This makes me think of proverbs, and how important and pleasing to God it is when we desire and seek HIS wisdom.

Application:
I've been praying a lot of "really out there" kinds of prayers, especially for the mission trip. And these I have to pray with conviction and faith that God will answer, however "unlikely" they may seem. God loves to make me eat my words haha as soon as I say "no way, not me" He says "my way, yes you!" so I'm learning to be careful of what I pray for and what I say the Lord won't do. He's sovereign, no doubt about it! What kinds of things do you ask the Lord, but doubt He will answer?

Prayer:
Lord, I ask that You give me and these ladies the wisdom we need today for whatever trials and choices we are facing. Thank You for being such a faithful and generous Father to us. Thank You for leading us. I pray You make us into patient, wise, strong, bold, confident, courageous women. Let our perseverance be a testimony to others, to lead them to You. In Jesus' name I ask, Amen!

James 1:3-4

Scripture: James 1:3-4
3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
4 Perseverance must  finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Observations:
I was having a conversation a couple of days ago about exactly this: that only through hardships can we develop perseverance. The Lord grows us and refines us through trials, and this is why we should consider them pure joy. It means we are growing. I've had a friend ask me "Helena, does God always make something go wrong? It feels like things aren't ever all right? There's always a kid sick, or a problem at work, or money running short, or the job I can't get, or my car breaks down, or a stressful situation... Is that how God works?" and a little part of me winced because well... we are living in a very broken world. Heaven isn't here. And until we get there, Jesus did warn us that we will have trouble in this world! But He also told us to take heart, because He's overcome the world. We are called to persevere through trials with hope and joy, and these trials will mature us and make us more faithful and Christ-like in the end. We are works in progress!

Application:
I always think to look back at trials I've gone through, and see how much God taught me through it. It always gives me perspective to remember how the Lord used my trials to make me trust Him more. For a whole semester in college, my financial aid didn't come in. There was a clerical error, and it didn't come in until November 28th! I remember trusting in the Lord to provide, and He did. It's hard to doubt Him with money after that! I know He is so faithful to provide for my needs! He tested my faith while I persevered that semester. It gives me hope through the fundraising madness I'm facing now, that He's called me to missions and He will provide. Just in the last 4 days, I've had 5 people (very unlikely, random people I haven't seen in years, or ever expected to help me!) say "Helena, I want to support your mission trip!" and I fought back tears. I didn't even ask those people, God laid it on their hearts. When He tests your faith, however He does it, expect Him to deliver you and provide :) He always does. That's what the next verses are about, which I love!

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I thank You this morning and praise You for your provision in our lives. You created us, and blessed us with the people we have in our lives. You continue to sustain us and give us hope. God, I pray You keep growing us. Lord, I pray we don't stray from You and always realize how desperately we need You, even in the moments when the trials are small. I ask that You give us strength, comfort, patience, and JOY in the trials we are facing today. Let us see Your hand at work in our lives. In Christ's name, Amen.

James 1:1-2

Scripture: James 1:1-2 
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

Observations:
The words pure joy always stand out to me when I read verse 2. PURE JOY?

Joy, per Merriam-Webster, means the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires : delight. We are supposed to feel delight, and be as happy as if we desired the trials we face?

When it segways into verse 3 (tomorrow) it makes more sense, and explains why we should feel this joy, and what trials accomplish for us! Rather, what God accomplishes in us through trials.

Application:
Think of the trials you are facing today. Can you see God at work in you through those trials?
My current trial is preparing for the mission trip. It's so easy to be overwhelmed while I'm planning what vaccines to take, how to do missionary medical insurance, obtaining camping gear, all the while fundraising, moving, marathon training, and keeping in touch with everybody. Just typing that was stressful haha! I have to keep submitting everything to God, and remember that He's gonna workout all the details! It's HIS plan for me that I go, so He will get me there :)

Prayer:
Father, I pray that You help us to be joyful through our many trials. I ask that You give us comfort and peace while we face hardships. We know You're sovereign, and You will take care of us and refine us. Help us to trust and praise You no matter the circumstances. In Christ's Holy name I pray, Amen!

Ephesians 6:21-24

Scripture: Ephesians 6:21-24
21 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing.

22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.

23 Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

Observations:

Much like Tychicus, God sent you ladies into my life to encourage me! So thank you, dear sisters in the Lord!

Application:

I can think of several people today that need my encouragement. I hope to make it my "very purpose" to do so. 

Prayer:
Father, use each woman in this group to be a voice of encouragement. Help us to portray your grace. With undying love, we praise You! In Christ's name, amen.

Ephesians 6:16-20

Scripture: Ephesians 6:16-20 

16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

19 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given to me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,

20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Observations:
Whenever I open my mouth, I want to be fearless and efficient. Not just saying what is hard to say, but saying it in a way that reveals the truth and grace of Christ! Yes, please!

Application:
What flaming arrows is the evil one attacking me with? How can my faith shield me from them? Is it my past? Guilt? Worry? Is he telling me that I'm unhappy or lacking? Is he saying that I'm unloved? All those are untrue and void because of Jesus. Our faith shield needs to be held up. When we set it down we get hit.  All the armor we've put on is defensive except for the sword. The word of God is our weapon, our way of fighting back. When we know it, share it, speak it, sing it, read it, pursue it, and live it, we are taking a swing and a stab at Satan.

Prayer:
Jesus, help us to be fearless warriors for You. Women of prayer and strength. Women who don't fall for Satan's lies. Women who use our words not to hurt others, but to make Your grace evident. Help us to hold up our shields of faith. Encourage our hearts to pursue You with renewed vigor. Unfold the hearts of our loved ones and friends, and help us to be bold and talk about You. All these things we ask in Your holy name, amen.

Ephesians 6:10-15

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-15
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the power of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

Observations:
Verse 10 is my verse today! I'm at work all alone and I'm gonna be strong in the Lord! He's gonna get me through it :) I really love that verse 12 defines our struggle. We aren't struggling against our own flesh and blood, or other people. We are struggling against the devil! He's the enemy! Not our fellow sinners, and not our body. It makes it easier to be loving toward others when we realize people aren't our enemy. It's the dark forces that influence them. There's a lot of darkness, and we do need to be strong and empowered people of light.

Application:

We are called to be ready and armed to stand. The way to do so is to know the TRUTH that's in the Word, to know that Christ not only died for us, but also LIVED for us, so CHRIST'S righteousness is ours! Also we need to be sprinting peace-makers: patient servants, quick to forgive, slow to anger, careful with our words, selfless with our actions, submitting to others in love. That's a strong soldier for Christ.

Prayer:
Father, help us to be strong today. Strengthen us with Your power, so we can be brave against everything the devil throws our way.  We praise You for Your power and grace, that You forgive us and equip us to stand for You. Grow us in truth, encourage our walks, and help us to be ready to make peace. In Christ's name I pray, amen.

Ephesians 6:5-9

Scripture: Ephesians 6:5-9
5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.
6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.
7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men,
8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
 
Observations:
I love this passage so much. Work consumes so much of my time and effort, and it's so easy to develop a negative, lazy attitude about it! How exciting that there's more to it than a paycheck!!!! GOD in heaven is watching me and He takes note of my work ethic. That makes me that much more motivated to be a light in my workplace, and strive to be a great employee :)
  
Application:
God calls us to be honest, hard-working people! He demands us to be fair. Whether we have a boss or we are the boss, we are supposed to treat people with respect and sincerity. We should be known for how hard we work! And we should take joy in our labor because we're being rewarded so far beyond what this world can offer!!
  
Prayer:
God, let everything we do be for Your glory! Let us have a boost of confidence and energy today as we strive to represent You well! Help us to serve wholeheartedly at whatever tasks we do today! Thank You for your constant presence. We long to do Your will from our hearts, so we ask You to provide the means. In Christ's name I pray, amen!

Ephesians 6:1-4

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-4
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
2 "Honor your father and mother"-- which is the first commandment with a promise--
3 "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."
4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Observations:
It's funny because when I read this (since I don't have kids) I put myself in the children category and think of how I can honor my parents. I'd like to think I've been a good daughter, but I've said some terrible things to my mom before. And with my dad, I've struggled with unforgiveness. I thank God that He makes me new, and gives me hope that even when I feel like I've botched relationships, He reassures me that I can mend them. My mom and I are really close now. I have gotten to the point where I really truly enjoy her and my stepdad's company. She has a talent of saying things that rub me the wrong way,  but I eventually realized everybody's mom does that haha! It's my choice to receive her words knowing she means well and loves me. It's my choice to not be defensive or lash out. I get to practice the fruit of gentleness. With my dad it's another story. He wasn't around to raise me, and it took him a really long time to apologize. It took me even longer to forgive. And when I did forgive, I forgave with conditions of him. "I'll forgive, but now you have to follow through! You have to pursue me! You have to stay in touch!" and that backfired to hurt me more, because he didn't. He's come to visit this year and I struggled with all those mixed emotions. I wrote about it back then here if you want to see what was going through my mind. We email somewhat regularly. I get to see him again next month. It's a work in progress :) Good thing God is in charge, otherwise it'd never get done.

Application:
We are called to honor imperfect people whom we know well. We know their flaws, and they raised us, so they really know our flaws. God's design for family is beautiful! He carefully places us in families to shape us into who we are. We care for each other and struggle together. It's impossible to be part of a family without learning what it feels like to be wrong and be wronged. Whether we're the parents or the children, the closeness of a family puts a magnifying glass on the ways we fall short. It highlights how much we need Christ in order to be a good parent and child.

Prayer:
Father, You knew exactly what You were doing when You placed me in my family. I'm so thankful that they brought me up knowing You exist. I praise You for each woman in this group, and how You've purposefully placed them in the families they're in. Give them the strength and the wisdom to bring up their children as loving disciples of Christ. Bless their children with every good thing. Help us also to be gentle and graceful daughters, with loving hearts. God we need You to step in and give us patience, courage, and encouragement.  All these things I ask in Christ's name, amen.

Ephesians 5:28-33

Scripture: Ephesians 5:28-33
28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church--
30 for we are members of his body.
31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."
32 This is a a profound mystery-- but I am talking about Christ and the church.
33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Observations:

Husbands are to love and care for wives as their own bodies. They become one flesh, one body to care for. I like the analogy of feeding and caring for the body, since that's something not only necessary but also continuous. It's not something that stops for a time then picks back up. No one stops eating for a month, or bathing for 2 weeks (I hope) and in the same sense, wives shouldn't be ignored. It shows a constant regard, much in the same way that Christ is constantly caring for the church.

Application:

I think it is so applicable to my life TODAY that I'm going through these verses. Tonight I went to the "Discover the Vista" class and became a member of the Vista family. Yay! I've been in THE church, but I'm so blessed by the Vista. God definitely led me here.
God gave us a small-scale example of the union between Christ and the church through marriage. We still need "power to grasp" the concept of being loved so much by Christ, belonging to His body. Oh what love :)

Prayer:
Father, thank You so much for the structure of marriage. Help us to grasp how much You love us and how Jesus sustains the church. God I praise You for bringing me to this community and plugging me into this group. Bless and strengthen these ladies and their families. In Christ's name I pray, amen.

Ephesians 5:21-27

Scripture: Ephesians 5: 21-27

21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.

24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,

27 and present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Observations:
Oh to be a radiant bride! Not like the WE TV shows with the platinum weddings or say yes to the dress, but a holy bride. Radiant because of holiness. A wife of noble character like Proverbs 31. A verse I love is "she brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life" Prov 31:12... I think that defines submission in a different way. Not just "I'll let you lead" but to strive to bring someone only good, regardless of the situation. What I've learned about myself is that my words can be just like sticks and stones. God is refining me and teaching patience as I wait.
        

Application:
The more we submit to God, the better we'll be at submitting to others. How are we submitting to God? That will reflect exactly how we are submitting to husbands and to others. Are we taking control? Are we worrying ourselves sick? Are we despairing? Are we cold? Are we harsh? Are we impatient? Are we angry? The root cause and core of those problems is usually how much we're seeking God, how much we're praying, how much we're surrendering to Him, and how much we acknowledge who is in control. I usually sit somewhere between anxious and impatient. What I need, I have in Him. I know it, but it needs to sink in deeper.

Prayer:
Father, we submit our lives to You. You know best! You loved us first. You've never failed us, yet we hold on so tightly to all these fears and worries. We let the world convince us we are inadequate. We let Satan whisper that we aren't happy, that we're lacking so much. God, You always provide. You always comfort. Encouraged by Your power, help us submit our lives to You. Show us how to be better wives, mothers, friends, daughters, and disciples. I pray we are able to bring good, not harm, to all the people You've put in our lives. Help us to workout those deep-rooted issues that rot away at the core of our relationships. You are sovereign. In Christ's name I pray, amen!

Ephesians 5:15-20

Scripture: Ephesians 5:15-20
15 Be very careful, then, how you live-- not as unwise but as wise,

16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,

20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Observations:

This is a great warning for me, followed by great encouragement. To be very careful how I represent Christ to others, and not to waste my time here acting a fool. I've been plenty foolish before, and to my shame. But He calls me to let God fill into every single aspect of my life and to seek out His will. My speech, what I sing, my everyday moments should all be dedicated to the Lord.

Application:
Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord. It's so amazing how worshiping God can drastically affect our outlook. It takes our eyes away from our problems and focuses them on Christ.  Whether it's a mountain or a molehill, when we choose to sing through it, God gets the glory. He's listening riiiight now! What song is your heart singing to Him? :) mine is "Beautiful Things" by Gungor. My prayer is the link to this song.
 

Prayer:
 

Ephesians 5:8-14

Scripture: Eph 5:8-14
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)
10 and find out what pleases the Lord.
11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
12 For it is shameful to even mention what the disobedient do in secret.
13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible,
14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
   "Wake up, O sleeper,
   rise from the dead,
  and Christ will shine on you."

Observations:
I was definitely once in darkness! It makes me so sad to think back at the words I've said in anger. How many times has my life not pleased the Lord, yet He still considers me His child. I think one of God's biggest blessings to us as believers is that He does make everything visible. He opens our eyes to these deeds of darkness and encourages us to rise from the dead.

Application:
AND FIND OUT WHAT PLEASES THE LORD!! By reading, praying, and earnestly seeking Him, we can find out what pleases the Lord. He reveals to me new things that do and don't please Him. For example, I was going to see "Bad Teacher" with a friend, and I just got a sinking feeling about it since it's R rated. I texted my friend and said "hey can we please watch Zookeeper instead?" and it's PG. She said okay and we went. The movie was cute and we laughed SO much. It was innocent. I left the theater feeling light, not guilty. I found out yesterday that my choice pleased the Lord :) it's a really good feeling, pleasing the King.
 
Prayer:
Father, we love you so much, and out of love we seek to please You.  I pray you help us to find out what pleases You! With our attitudes, our choices, our words, and how we relate to others. Help us to live as children of light. In Christ's name I pray, Amen!

Ephesians 5:1-7

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-7
1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.
4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
 
Observations:
Not even a HINT! I feel like when I go to the movies, I am covering my eyes and some parts of movies just straight-up shock me. Ahh! It scares me how much we tolerate, and we accept a hint here and there. It's sad that even some kids movies now have innuendos thrown in "for the parents"...
 
Application:
How am I allowing hints of immorality to seep through? In high school, I had to throw out all my cds and start over when I became a follower of Christ. I let music be that thing I turned to and ALL of it at the time was just UNGODLY. Angry, coarse, foolish, immoral. I told everyone, even all my friends, that from then on I only listened to christian music. It was a big change. My favorite band prior to this was Disturbed (no need to google it, just trust me, it's disturbing!).

Over college, I was able to branch out a little bit and not be so strict and legalistic with myself (she's gone country), but still, with music that I purchased, I made sure the content was fitting. For a while, also in high school, I wouldn't watch even pg13 movies. I guarded myself a lot back then, and it makes me think that I was really onto something. We develop a thick filter as mature believers and we stop having that "ooooh I'm telling!" reaction to wrong/immoral/impure things. We just take it. Garbage in, garbage out.
 
Wouldn't it be amazing if we could all say "if I'm listening to music, I'm listening to music for the glory of God" and "if I'm watching this movie, I'm watching this movie for the glory of God" and "if I'm having this conversation, I'm having this conversation for the glory of God" and "if I'm spending/storing up this money, I'm spending/storing up this money for the glory of God" .... oh to be in the world but not be of the world.
 
Prayer:
Lord, help us to keep our eyes on You as we make decisions. Help us to recognize when something is out of place for us as believers. Build us up to be holy people, ambassadors of Your grace, discerning and wise, loving to unbelievers but not influenced by them, giving and truly caring for those in need, in full control of our words, submitting our actions to Your approval. We love You and praise You with thankful hearts. In Christ's name, amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21

Scripture: Ephesians 3:20-21
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Observations
Immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.... wow. This always brings me back to healing. I have a very dear friend who is sick. I pray and pray for healing, and I have to have the strength and faith to believe God will heal. It's hard because as Christians we say "if it is Your will, God" and that's very true... but do we doubt that He would heal? He surely surely has the power to do so. I can't question that.

Application
Again, pushing my faith to beyond "reasonable"... I can't limit God. He can do IMMEASURABLY more than I can even imagine.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me despite my limited mind. Help me to have more faith, to push aside my "human understanding" and ask boldly and without wavering. Give the women of this group the encouragement they need to seek You fervently. To You, God, be all the glory, forever and ever. In Christ's name I pray, amen.

Ephesians 3:14-19

Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-19
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father,
15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Observations
Just typing those words gave me chills! He prays that we have the POWER to GRASP how much Jesus loves us. This love is beyond understanding! I kept thinking of the song "How He Loves" by David Crowder Band :)

Application
It's easy to dwell on negative things and I have a problem with worry. I worry! This verse reiterates that Jesus loves us SO much. God will lovingly take care of each one of us. Having this kind of assurance that I am so loved gives me such a boost of confidence in whatever I'm doing or encountering. Paul is praying for us to be so empowered. That we are truly filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Prayer
Jesus, I love You! Thank You for loving us so much. Help us to keep in mind HOW much You love us. Strengthen my sisters in Christ and their families with Your power. Dwell in us. In Your wonderful name I pray, amen.

Ephesians 3:10-13

Scripture: Ephesians 3:10-13
10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

Observations
Verse 12 is one of my favorites of all time. I mean it, I have it framed in my bedroom. I can't ever get over the fact that I can approach God :) I can freely and confidently approach God! The holy, mighty God, Creator of all things. We have an all-access pass!! Even at my worst, when I come "tail-between-legs" and ashamed, God still receives me because Christ covers me.  I think of the prodigal son, how he was still welcomed by his father when he came back. In the same way, even when our sin is disappointing, God has mercy, through Christ. He doesn't turn us away when we approach Him with contrite hearts.

Application
Why do we struggle with approaching God? Are we hiding in the bushes like Adam and Eve due to shame? Are we running away from God like Jonah due to disobedience? Are we listening to Satan's lies, that we need to "have it together" prior to approaching God?

Prayer
Lord, encourage our hearts this morning to pursue you and approach you. We rejoice that you have a purpose for each of us. Help us to make time to seek you and have the confidence to do so even when our lives seem messy. Thank you for allowing us to come to you, and being such a loving, comforting Father. I pray for your presence with each one of us today. In Christ's name, amen.

Ephesians 3:7-9

Scripture: Ephesians 3:7-9
7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power.
8 Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

Observations
I really like how Paul humbles himself. Here's this powerful preacher, hand-picked by God, still reaching so many people (even me!) and yet he considers himself "less than the least of all God's people" and even calling himself the worst of sinners (1 Tim 1:15-16).

Application
I can take a humility lesson here, for sure. It also makes me think of how I'm serving and how I can better serve to spread the gospel. I often don't feel qualified, but Paul shows his calling is by grace, through God's power. This is available to all of us, so we have no excuse :) granted we're not all called to be preachers, but as a body we are called to further God's kingdom and to live as witnesses of Christ's love.

Prayer
Father, thank You for grace and the power You give us. I praise You for the unsearchable riches of Christ. Help us to be humble, loving, and bold servants for Your Kingdom today.  In Jesus's name I pray, amen!

Ephesians 3:1-6

Scripture: Ephesians 3:1-6
1 For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles --
2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you,
3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.
4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
5 which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit of God's holy apostles and prophets.
6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

Observation
When I read verse 5, I thought about how fortunate I am to be living in this age, after Christ. All these "mysteries" that Christ's coming revealed, and the law He came to abolish would still apply to me otherwise. I also thought about the great division between Jews and Gentiles back then. How amazing that God granted us a spirit of unity, and such a wonderful feeling of communion as a body! Christ came and didn't leave anybody out of His promise, or outside of His grace.

Application
The concept of grace is often still mysterious to me. Something so undeserved, freely given. It goes opposite to the world's teaching of having to earn things, then the constant boasting when we do earn them, then our constant comparison of what we have earned to what other people have earned, then an overall feeling of dissatisfaction with the whole process. And repeat. The more we pursue God, the further we get from that vicious cycle. With grace, we can see others as co-heirs of a beautiful promise, in a loving and unselfish way.  Instead of bitter, we can be encouraging. Instead of feeling dissatisfied, we can focus on all that God's faithfully providing and His eternal promise. I struggle personally with my current single state. BUT God's been so faithful in providing accountability and opportunities for me to grow and serve. I know He will provide the rest in His time. Meanwhile, I can enjoy fellowship with all you awesome moms and wives, and not feel out of place, as we are all members together of one body :)

Prayer
Thank You God for easing the anxiety in my heart. Thank You for providing this group of Godly women to give me a better understanding of unity. God, forgive us when we discount Your grace and take for granted Your provision. Help us to grow together in love, and encourage each other as co-heirs of Your promise. In Jesus's name, amen.