Women in the Word Wednesday: The Armor of God Prayer

I have just about finished my Good Morning Girls study in the book of Ephesians.  I always love the last chapter that describes the armor of God.  Today as I was doing my study, I realized that I want to pray this for myself everyday and I could very well read it or memorize it, but I was prompted to write a prayer.

So here is the Armor of God Prayer based on Ephesians 6:14-17:

Dear Lord,

I put on the belt of truth to fend off lies from the devil.
I put on the breastplate of righteousness to keep my heart focused on living in God's Spirit.
I put on the Good News shoes of peace to maintain peace and connection with God.
I hold up the shield of faith to be strong against the temptations of the devil.
I put on the helmet of salvation because I am secure in my Savior.
And I take the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God so I can use it to respond to any attack.
Protect me, Lord, from the evil one and in this armor I will stand firm.
Amen.

Women in the Word Wednesday: James 5

Oh, this was the last week of studying the book of James using the SOAP method.  I loved it and love looking back over my notes and seeing what God has spoken to me.

Thoughts from James 5:
*Live for God's riches, not the world's
*Use my time wisely for God's glory
*May my words be truthful and real
*I need to praise God as well as pray for things I need
*Pray with earnest expectation like Elijah

That's all for now!  I'm looking forward to the next Good Morning Girls session and what surprises God has in store to teach me.  If you have not joined, do so.  I'm in a group and there are groups all over the world that come together and encourage each other with God's Word.

Women in the Word Wednesday: James 4

I can't believe that I only have one more chapter in James.  Doing a few verses everyday has really strengthened my understanding of what God wants me to learn.  I love going back through my notes and I intend to do this often even when I finish this study.

Here are my rich nuggets from chapter 4:
*Ask God for things with the right motives.
*Be humble before God- submit, resist (evil), come near, wash and purify.
*Confess and repent of my sins.
*Choose love over judgment.
*Focus on God's plans for my life.

How about you?  What are you learning in God's Word?

Women in the Word Wednesday: James 3

I can't believe I'm in my 8th week of this James study!  I love the Good Morning Girls program.  It keeps me so focused on God's word everyday!

Here are some of the main points that I want to transform my life:
*I need to be very aware of how my small tongue controls me.
*I need to tame my tongue BEFORE I get out of bed in the morning.
*Praise should always be coming from my tongue.
*My actions need to come from a humble heart.
*I need to evaluate what kind of wisdom I am seeking in my life.
*Memorize James 3:17
*I need to cultivate peace in my life.

Women in the Word Wednesday- James 2

I'm still catching up, so here's my revelations from James 2: (So many rich nuggets!)
*Since I'm a believer, I must NOT show favoritism.
*I need to treat people with love and acceptance no matter what.  All are equal in God's eyes.
*All of my actions toward others should be merciful for God has given that to me.
*Action and FAITH go together.
*What can I do today to demonstrate faith in action?  (This is a question to ask everyday.)
*I know that works do not save me, but strengthen my faith.
*God is not only interested in my faith, but how I live it out.

This study of James is so REAL and applicable to my everyday life.  I love how the S.O.A.P. method is bringing out some solid truths.

Blessings, Shonda

Women in the Word Wednesday- James 1:12-27

I'm so thrilled with this James Bible study that I'm doing with my Good Morning Girls!  I know I'm a bit behind in posting, so I'm trying to catch up here.

So here is what I learned in the last half of James 1:
*I am responsible for my actions when tempted.
*I must be on my guard to not let desire for sin to be conceived.
*Keep my eyes focused on God so I will not be deceived.
*QUICK to listen, SLOW to speak and anger.
*What evil do I need to get rid of?
*Listen and DO God's word.

What has God been teaching you?  I would love to hear!

Women in the Word Wednesday: James

I have really been enjoying my SOAP Bible study from the Book of James through Good Morning Girls.  I kept seeing posts on Courtney's blog last winter about Good Morning Girls and I finally was able to to be a part of a group that started in January.  I also was introduced to the SOAP Bible study method which has been so beneficial for me to really see what God's Word says and how to apply it to my everyday life.  I also get a chance to be accountable with my GMG group on Facebook each day as we discuss what we learn, challenge each other and share prayer requests.

I'm going to backtrack a little bit since I haven't posted about my James study yet.
Here is what I learned in Week #1- James 1:1-11 (Key words in capitals)
*I am God's servant.
*Approach trials with PURE JOY
*I need to PERSEVERE in daily tasks
*When asking for wisdom- BELIEVE
*God does not promise anything to a doubter
*We find true wealth by developing spiritually (found in NLT Bible notes)

Whew!  God expects a lot from his children and I'm so glad He's there every step of the way.  I love writing in my SOAP journal because I can look back and review the wonderful lessons God is teaching me.  I am going through some trials, but I know I need to believe and not doubt and approach these with pure joy.  My whole perspective has changed as I navigate in this life.