I have been so grateful this week for the fellowship of the saints and particularly for Frankie’s comments on our scripture reading this past week. Her thoughtful words reminded me again of these verses in Ephesians 3:17-19: “…that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God.” (NKJV) It really is together that we know Him in fulness. Isn’t it wonderful to know…

Frankie shares: “No words can adequately convey really what Jesus conveyed so perfectly in John 14-17.  John 15 says so much more to me than I could express here.  All I know is the Word is changing me, and it is His doing.”   ” Jesus so beautifully laid out in John 14-17 His plan for walking in His way, living in His truth, being transformed by His life, and pursuing true knowledge of Him as His true disciples through the power of His Word, His love, and His Holy Spirit toward true unity that makes Him known in this world.” “John 15—Abiding in Christ (Phil 3:9, Col. 2:10) the true Vine…

I have found a particular delight in the book of Colossians this week. The divine mystery that power is available to us through the Holy Spirit to grow in the true knowledge of God has captured my heart. I find I am mindful that “knowing” and “believing” are not the same thing. I can know with my mind a truth I don’t believe in my heart, and I can believe a truth in my heart that I do not know intellectually with my mind. The evidence is this: I believe God, whose thoughts are not mine, whose ways are inscrutable and whose heart is unfathomable. My choices reflect truth I…

From the scripture readings of week 4, Ellen shares: “This week in Philippians has been a gift of faith to me. Paul’s letter of encouragement and joy is just what I have needed. Every truth he explained and every prayer he prayed have been deeply personal. The glorious mystery of receiving the printed word that becomes the living word that transforms me is awesome. I think my daily prayer will always include Phil 1:9: that my love (for Him) will abound more and more with knowledge and all discernment so that I can approve (make the highest priority) all things that are for His glory. Thanks, Dani, for your prayerful…

Comments from the community this past week (posted just prior to this post for week five) were so encouraging to me, as I am sure they were to many of you. Isn’t it fascinating how God weaves a thread of the true knowledge of Himself throughout a group of people who are gathered together in His name. I sense the Holy Spirit speaking to us about receiving the benefit of peace, which is available to us through submission to His authority in our hearts as we “cast our cares” upon the One who is so very careful with us. My own journey this week has found me both touched by…

Grace shares: “The scriptures were so good this week! The Message (by Eugene H. Peterson) was so helpful to me. ‘Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.’ (Philippians 4:6-7 MSG). So good! Worry is a sin. I want that “Wonderful” thing to happen to me while I work toward Christ displacing the worry (fear, fighting for control) at the center of…

By now you’ve had 21 days to deepen your personal discipline of daily scripture reading. I trust, as well, this discipline of grace has been enhanced by your time of journaling and your weekly discussion and prayer with an accountability partner. During the last couple of decades, my sister (my dearest friend and pastor’s wife) and I have found weekly time together to be not only beneficial to our so-journeying in bible study but often crucial to the health of our sometimes weary souls. God puts us in communities for His purpose and for our good, and we are made rich in fellowship when we make room for the Holy…