-
From the Community-Week 5
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…
-
Week Five
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…
-
From the Community-Week 4
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…
-
Week Four
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…
-
Week Three
I’m so grateful for all of you who are on this bible reading journey being encouraged and strengthened by Paul’s letters. We are, indeed, being fitted together as living stones in the living body of Christ, the glorious church, made by God for His dwelling. I don’t know about you, but I have not lived with any consistency fully aware that I am God’s dwelling place. It is possible that belonging to Him and “being” are only and always matters of faith, and faith is God’s. He gives it to us as a gift to enable us to “see” the substance and veracity of His love for us. (Hebrews 11:1…
-
Week Two
Welcome to our second week together. I trust your time in the book of Galatians has been life-giving, the Spirit of God has convinced you of truth, and you are experiencing the freedom He desires for you. As I was reading along with you this week, I found myself challenged regarding what I am sowing and why I am sowing (Gal 6:6-10). How I spend my time, on what I focus my energy, and why I do what I do. These reflect my true priorities. Upon reflection, I see a great deal of self interest hidden within my daily activities, even those I think I’m doing for others. God knows…
-
From the Community-Week 1
Courtney shares: “I am constantly afraid of disappointing my family members….I realized that I had been trying to control the situation and problems instead of letting God do it for me. It is so much harder to do things or life itself without Him. When you try to do it yourself everything blows up in your face. Thank God I don’t have to do it myself, and He is always there to bring us back to Him and into the light out of the darkness.”
-
Week One
I’m so glad you are joining us! This is our first week’s assignment of daily reading, and I trust that as you prayerfully engage in reading the Word each day you will find a storehouse of seed available to you as the Holy Spirit reveals truth to your heart. You should plan to connect with your accountability partners at least once during the week. An accountability group should be one or two others who are willing to come along with you on this journey and with whom you can share your victories and challenges. You may find that it works best to email, text or talk on the phone toward…
-
Welcome
Welcome to Cultivating Faithfulness. This community is for those who want to pay attention to, attend to, and nurture gratitude for the faithfulness of God as we journey together in the light of His word. We are ones who are hungry for the Bread of Heaven, searching together for the daily bread of His Word that leads us into His presence. His nearness does us good, and the good news is that He draws near. Jesus came to dwell with us and to make a way for us to dwell with Him. I am so grateful for His faithful initiation and kind intention toward me. I may not always understand…