Would you like to approach Easter this year with a heart that is prepared for the Resurrection?

Too often it seems, Lent flies by and before we know it, Holy Week is upon us and we’re rushing to prepare home and heart for Easter. At Only By Prayer, we’re ready to help you more mindfully prepare with our 7-Week Guide, Lent: A Season of Empty to Full and accompanying Facebook page.

Ready to sign up now?

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What Is Empty to Full?

Each week  of  Lent we will identify a theme for that week and email you a multi-media bundle of posts, videos, podcasts, illustrations, and Bible studies that you can use to help prepare your heart. We’ll include a simple guide, just in case you want one, but feel free to do them in any order you choose and at your leisure. If the Spirit leads you to slow down and spend the entire week diving deep into one resource, by all means do that. We will also set up a private Facebook page for just this group to share insights, ask questions, and pray for each other. There is no cost. We simply ask that you sign up in the opt-in form below so that we may email you the resources each week.

Weekly  Topics

• Week 1: Simplicity
• Week 2: Examen
• Week 3: Prayer
• Week 4: Fasting
• Week 5: Study
• Week 6: Service
• Week 7: Celebration

Ready to get started? Simply sign up below. Be sure to reply to the email you should immediately receive  (check your spam or trash if you don’t see it within a few minutes) so that you are added to our list. Your first bundle will arrive on Ash Wednesday, February 10, the first day of Lent. Thereafter, you’ll receive a bundle every Monday. We will also add you to our private Empty to Full Facebook page so that you can participate in the forum with us if you would like to. 

We look forward to the next seven weeks! Thank you for journeying with us.

Sign up here:

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Day 5

To Do-ers List: Word in Me

16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

Colossians 3:16

I love to eat. I am an organic, farm-to-fork foodie kind of girl. Three meals a day, with snacks in between and don’t forget about dessert! Our sense of taste is a gift from God, given to us for our enjoyment. Sweet, sour, bitter, and salty flavorings spice up the eating experiences. Eating is necessary to maintain life, but there is something more important to life than consuming food; consuming the Word of God.

I need His Word in me.

Jesus said, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Every Word. I need every Word for life.

The more Word I have, the more life I have.

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Today’s verse instructs us to let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly. The Greek word for richly is plousis, which means abundantly, wealthy, plentiful, and full.  When we are filled to overflowing with God’s Word, it will splash on those around us, soaking them with God’s Holy Word.  Dry and thirsty souls doused in Living Water. God’s Word in me benefits everyone.

Benefits of God’s Word in Me

What does scripture do for us? Read the partial list of benefits below. God’s Word …

• Defeats our enemies. Ephesians 6:17
• Transforms us into the image of Christ. Romans 12:2
• Makes us strong. Joel 2:11
• Heals us. Psalm 107:20
• Imparts peace. Psalm 119:165
• Guides us. Psalm 119:105
• Makes us wise. Psalm 19:7

Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly …

It is important to note the word dwell. God’s Word needs to dwell in us, not touch upon, visit, or set up temporary residence. The word for dwell refers to a marriage relationship. A life-long, do or die, for better for worse, for richer or richer, till death do we join Him for all eternity. I need God’s Word in me everyday and beyond.

How can I get God’s Word in me?

Here are a few ideas.

• Write verses on note cards and carry them with you everywhere you go today. Look at them at stoplights (instead of checking your phone), waiting in lines, while you’re doing chores, etc.
• Subscribe and download a podcast to your device and listen while you’re jogging, doing chores, or walking to class today.
• Download an audible version of the Bible to your favorite device. Listen tonight while going to sleep.
• Set a goal to memorize a BOOK, yes, a BOOK of the Bible.
• Tune in to hear your favorite speakers on Christian TV.
• Turn off your TV today and spend a little extra time reading your Bible or doing a Bible study.
• Look up your favorite verse at Blue Letter Bible and research key words in the original Greek or Hebrew. Follow the link for a quick tutorial: Blue Letter Bible

For Today:

Make your plan for how you will add more of God’s Word to your day. Make your verse cards, download a podcast, or get a new Bible study. Block out your time and do it! Ask God to bless you for the time you will spend in His Word. Pray and ask Him to open your heart to the wisdom hidden within His Word.

Use the To-Doers List Study Guide or a journaling app to plan and journal your day.

• To Do-ers List Study Guide PDF
• Days Lite: My Wonderful Life App free app from App Store.

Extra Resources:

• Joyce Meyer Podcasts
• Francis Chan Sermons

If you missed a session, catch up here!

To Do-ers List: Day 4: Walk by Faith

Don’t forget to leave a comment in the comment section below!

God’s Word in me. God’s Word in you. Let it dwell in us richly.

All rights reserved.

Copyright 2015

Day 2

Since we started our series with God’s Greatest Commandment: Love God, it is fitting that we move on to His second greatest commandment: to love others as we love ourselves. Ouch! That is a tall order. In my opinion, it is easier to love God than to love other people. Other people can be annoying. They can let us down. And quite often they don’t love us back. How can we love somebody who does not love us? How can we love others?

Fortunately, loving others is a choice we make, which does not depend on their attitude towards us.

Loving is a choice, not a feeling.

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Identifying others.

Today’s verse uses the word neighbors. Love my neighbors … I don’t even know some of my neighbors. In the Greek, others/neighbors transliterates as plesion, which means “neighbor, friend, any member of the Hebrew nation and commonwealth; according to Christ, any other man irrespective of nation or religion with whom we live or whom we chance to meet.” Did you notice the spatial/geographical progression of the definition? Neighbor … friends … Americans … any person in the world. So others refers to everybody in the whole world. Wow! While it is impossible for me to tangibly love everyone, I can love others whom I chance to meet.

Loving others as you love yourself.

How do I love me, let me count the ways. Start by thinking about how you treat yourself. You take the best piece of cake for yourself (the one with the frosting flower). You sit in the chair, which affords the best view of the TV screen. You order first (always) at Panera. You ride in the front seat of the car. When with your friends, everyone eats at your favorite restaurant and shops at your preferred stores. Loving others calls for a 180 attitude adjustment.

Do you want others to pray for you? Pray for them. Do you desire mercy? Show mercy. Do you like encouragement? Encourage others. Do you want others to love you? Love others.

Love others as you love yourself.

For Today:

Before you start your planning for today, take a moment to pray for God’s guidance and power as you seek to love others. Today, as situations arise which involve others, think of how you’d wish to be treated and treat them accordingly. Be especially aware of people who:

• cut you off in traffic (you and I have NEVER done this).
• are slow in the checkout lane.
• bring you food you did not order (or forgot to leave off the onions-again).
• are late for an appointment, meeting, or dinner.

Use the To-Doers List Study Guide or a journaling app to plan and journal your day.

• To Do-ers List Study Guide PDF The study guide is very essential to your learning!
  
• Days Lite: My Wonderful Life App free app from App Store.

For ideas on how to love others, please check the resources below.

• Love Like Jesus
• Love By Faith

Don’t forget to leave a comment in the comment section below. Have a blessed day. Remember to love others!

In case you missed day 1, click on the link below:

To Do-ers List, Day 1: Love God

By Mary Kane

all rights reserved.

copyright 2015

To Do-ers List

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:22-25

Welcome to To Do-ers List Bible study series. I pray you find this short series beneficial and life changing.

I am a list maker. Most days I start my morning by making my to-do list. My to-do list keeps me focused and helps me make valuable use of my time. God is a doer as well; creating is one of His specialties. We can be listeners, hearers, watchers, thinkers, and gatherers of His word, but there must be a point in time when we become doers.

It is important to note while other Greek words for hearing translate as  “understanding, perceiving, and obeying,” the word used for hearer in the verse above means simply one who passively hears. No action. No engagement. Classic in one ear and out the other. But, God calls us to be doers of His word.

The Bible lists many benefits of being do-ers of the Word.

1. Correction, instruction, and training (2 Timothy 3:16)
2. Wisdom (Psalm 19:7)
3. Freedom (John 8:32)
4. Life (John 6:68)
5. Strength (Joel 2:11)
6. Greater faith (Romans 10:17)
7. Comfort, revival, and peace (Psalm 119:7-16)
8. Plus many, many other benefits.

God has not given us His Word for information, but for transformation. Therefore, the mission of this Bible study series is to change hearers into doers. Each day we will focus on one command from Scripture and apply it to our lives. Every nook and cranny, every chore, errand, and encounter of our lives will be covered in the Word of God.

Starting July 27^th, check our website every morning at 5:00 a.m. to get your To Do-ers List for the day.

From hearers to doers. Are you up for the challenge?

Study Guides:

To help you organize your daily study and record your experiences, please download and print the following PDF, or download the journal app to your favorite Apple device.

• To Do-ers List Study Guide PDF
• Days Lite: My Wonderful Life App free app from App Store.

Please add your name to the comment section below if you are up for the challenge. Don’t forget to comment on your experience in the comment section below!

**If you are starting late, please access the first six days of the study on the links below!**

To Do-ers List Day 1: Love God

To Do-ers List, Day 2: Love Others

To Do-ers List, Day 3: Pray ’bout Everything

To Do-ers List, Day 4: Walk by Faith

To Do-ers List, Day 5: Word in Me

To Do-ers List: Day 6: Always Do Good

Be a doer of the word.

by Mary Kane

All rights reserved. Copyright 2015.

 Take 5!

Fear and Faith

Please Take 5! minutes and go before God in prayer. Confess to Him any sin and ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit. Please read John 20:18-22.

18 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message. 19 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. 20 As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! 21 Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Prior to this portion of Scripture, Jesus had just risen from the dead. Early resurrection morning, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb to be with her Lord. Finding the tomb empty, Mary stood outside the tomb and wept. Suddenly, Jesus appeared to Mary and spoke to her.

What did Jesus tell Mary to do?

He sent her on her first missionary journey—to tell the disciples He had risen! Jesus gives us the same instructions—tell others we have seen the Lord and He has spoken great things to us.

Name something God has spoken to your heart.

Later that day, the disciples gathered together (because of fear and because of faith), perhaps to pray and to discuss the earthshaking, stone-rolling events that had recently occurred.

Read verse 19 and record the word used to describe the doors.

Why were the doors locked?

They were locked because of fear. All the disciples were gathered in one small room. Locked in. Locked down.

That’s what fear does; it entraps us and keeps us small.

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Faith frees.

What does Jesus tell the disciples (verse 21)?

Draw close to Jesus and receive a fresh breathe of the Spirit and go. He is sending you.

Antidote for fear …

1. Remember Jesus is with you in your fear, amid the flames, and among the waters; bringing down walls and  giants.
2. Meet with Jesus. It will turn your fear to joy.
3. Receive the spirit. God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, sound mind and love.
4. Continue to do God’s work. Do it afraid.

Remember, 

fear traps, faith frees.

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Have a blessed day.

Mary Kane

copyright 2015

all rights reserved.

Short and Sweet Nourishment for the Soul

2  … all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. 3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”  …  9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst … “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

She sinned.

“Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”

Action Points:

1. Take your sin to Jesus. Tell Him what you have done and accept His grace. Tell Him now.
2. Talk to Jesus. Like the woman caught in adultery, leave your accusers to Jesus. Notice the only person the woman talked to was Jesus. She did not fight, argue, or defend herself to the crowds. What do you need to do to spend more time with Jesus?
3. Turn and sin no more. Whatever it takes … new friends … new job … new habits … sin no more.  Change requires change. What will you change today to change your life?

Life is sweet.