What God Really Wants from You

March 18, 2019 by jstults Leave a Comment

Have you ever gone out of your way to do something really nice for someone else only to find out it wasn’t really what they wanted? The thought of all that wasted effort is enough to make one heartsick!

As humans, we do this all of the time, though, don’t we?

I could slave away all day in the kitchen creating the most lavish culinary masterpiece for my husband, but at the same time, I could also be ignoring his need for a listening ear. Imagine it with me – busy with the gift I wish to give him and the work I deem most important, I brush off his questions with curt answers and make it clear that I’m too busy at the moment. I offer him my hard labor instead of the attention he so desires.

What if I told you we don’t just treat loved ones this way, but we also often treat God this way – offering up things He hasn’t even asked for, undesired sacrifices, in place of what He really wants from us?

Imagine waking up every morning, trudging out to your backyard, and building a fire to offer a burnt sacrifice on a stone altar.

You head back out again later in the day when you choose self over others, and again after that unkind thought, and again after snapping at a loved one. In and out of the house, offering sacrifices for sins committed throughout the day – it’s an exercise in futility.

Today we would call such behavior crazy, wouldn’t we? Of course we would because we no longer offer burnt sacrifices like the Israelites did in the Old Testament …or do we?

What We Think God Really Wants

In Hebrews, I read these words:

Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; Heb. 10:11

“Daily,” the priests stood at their posts; “time after time” they offered the “same” sacrifices for the same sins. Such repetition calls attention to the never-ending nature of their tasks.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary explains that at the time the letter to the Hebrews was written, the Jewish Christians continued to offer sacrifices at the temple.

For those who believed in Christ and His resurrection, such offerings should have been rendered meaningless by His atonement as the final sacrifice. So, why were they still trudging back and forth to the altar of sacrifice, so to speak?

The early Hebrew Christians continued to offer sacrifices in spite of their belief in Christ.

They knew of the gospel, the good news that abolished the old system and established a new covenant built on the cornerstone of Grace, but they struggled to let go of their old ways.

At first glance, I was tempted to think, how silly of them – they’re doing so much work and it’s all meaningless!

How We Get Pleasing God All Wrong

But lately the Lord has been opening my eyes to an alarming truth: I sometimes offer my own daily sacrifices, often without even realizing it. How often are we guilty of offering modern-day sacrifices instead of what God really wants most?

Just think about it for a moment.

This is what we like to do, friends. We wake up in the morning thinking we’ll do His work today. We’ll be the best mom, wife, aunt, sister, friend, child, Christian we can be.

We even have this list of good things to do in mind.

And we offer these things up to Him as our very own sacrifices, sometimes without even realizing what we’re doing.

Okay, Lord, I’ve accomplished all of those things on the list. Here ya go. Are we good now? I can go about the rest of my day as I please, right?

Or maybe, I’ve tried really hard today. You’re pleased with me now, right?

I pile the sacrifices of good behavior up in a nice neat pile on my “altar,” thinking I’m good to go, except I’m not because while I was busy checking off my good-Christian-girl-things-to-do list, I withheld the very thing He wanted most: myself.

What God Really Wants from You

Look at what Jesus says about such undesired sacrifices in Hebrews 10:5-7:

Sacrifice and offering You have not desired,
But a body You have prepared for Me;
In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have taken no pleasure.
“Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come…
To do Your will, O God.”

Here Jesus reveals that God the Father takes no pleasure in burnt offerings. Instead Jesus offers something else – His very being – so that He might do the will of the Lord.

The same is true of us, co-heirs with Christ. The Father doesn’t desire our sacrifices in the first place. He desires our hearts, our very beings.

What God really wants is so much less about doing than we like to make it, and so much more about being than we like to offer.

Don’t get me wrong, friends. We should be loving others, choosing joy, offering praise, living in the Spirit. But if any of those good things are done out of a sense of obligation, duty, or an attempt to earn His favor, then they are pointless.

Filthy rags.

You might as well build altars in your backyard and start burning animals.

We cannot offer doing on the sacrificial altar at the expense of being.

When we do, we get the horse before the cart, for no good thing can come from us on our own. Good works only come from the overflow of a heart that lingers in His presence! We must constantly choose “being” in Him, abiding moment by moment, day by day.

Doing never leads to being, but being always leads to doing.

It’s all about embracing that personal relationship with our Father God, abiding in Him.

Am I Offering What God Really Wants?

So, ask yourself: what am I offering up to the Lord today?

Is it what God really wants?

This section of scripture in Hebrews concludes with the following words:

And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. Hebrews 10:17-18

The truth is that we who are in Christ already have the Lord’s favor.

What God really wants most then is really very simple and has little to do with how we mother, how we serve at church, how clean our houses are or how happy we make our husbands.

What He desires is you.

Simply you.

What a sweet relief to realize that our falling down at His feet in surrender is enough!

Father, remind us that it’s meaningless to offer undesired sacrifices. Help us to let go of the doing and embrace instead the being. Remind us that if we abide in You, the doing naturally overflows. Help us to rest in the grip of Grace, for Your Son was and is enough. The debt is paid once and for all. Now we are set free.

Set free to just be.

Amen.

Jen 🙂

*This post is an excerpt from the devotional, Being Confident of This: 30 Days to Discovering Your Identity in Christ. Click here for more information. or click the image below to purchase (my affiliate link – to read more about our affiliate partnerships, please visit the About page).

Here’s another great read on what God really wants from Christians from Satisfaction Through Christ.

5 Reasons to Study the Bible Chronologically

February 18, 2019 by jstults 7 Comments

I sat across the table from my friend and nodded along as if I understood what she was talking about. In our conversation, she referenced a biblical character and that character’s unique story.

I knew who she meant. I was familiar with the name. However, I wasn’t as familiar with the story as I let on. I was too ashamed of my lack of knowledge to tell her that I didn’t know the full story…

Even after several decades of studying God’s Word (some years more faithfully than others), I still don’t know all there is to know about the Bible!

My guess is you don’t know all there is to know, either, friends.

In fact, the research paints an increasingly dire portrait of how “biblically illiterate” our nation has become, even those who claim Christ and who claim to value His Word!

Fewer than half of all adults can name the four gospels. Many Christians cannot identify more than two or three of the disciples. According to data from the Barna Research Group, 60 percent of Americans can’t name even five of the Ten Commandments. “No wonder people break the Ten Commandments all the time. They don’t know what they are,” said George Barna, president of the firm. The bottom line? “Increasingly, America is biblically illiterate.” (from an article by Al Mohler, President of The Southern Baptists Theological Seminary)

This is my heart for discipleship, friends – I want to join in the work of laying that firm foundation in the lives of women and children around me and here at Being Confident of This.

I firmly believe one of the main culprits of insecure faith and lukewarm living is a lack of understanding.

The best solution? Study the Bible chronologically!

Through our church-planting journey, we’ve witnessed first-hand the destruction that partial-knowledge and half-truths cause when it comes to the Bible.

We’ve seen women and men make poor choices in their own strength because they didn’t yet fully understand the concept of a helpless sinner, nor a Father God who places boundaries lovingly and for our benefit.

We’ve talked with women and men who faithfully attended church for decades and counted themselves as part of God’s family… well… hopefully, they said.

We’ve encountered our fair share of mis-conceptions and outright deceptions, and all of this has taken place in small-town, Midwest America – not all that far from the Bible belt itself!

Friends, as a nation we’ve become Christian slackers, too willing to accept what others claim to be true about God’s Word instead of searching the Scriptures for ourselves, and it shows.

It shows in broken marriages and families, in attempted suicides and other self-harming behaviors.

It shows in “church kids” who rebel dramatically when they reach adulthood (or even sooner). It shows in current controversies like abortion, gender confusion, race issues, and a general culture of sexual immorality that is prevalent even within the church.

With that in mind, we should be thinking about and discussing with our spouses, our families, our churches, how to best counteract this trend.

We’ve already discussed the many benefits of studying God’s Word, but HOW should we study the Word?

*This post contains affiliate links. For more information on the use of affiliate links by Being Confident of This, please visit the About page. Thank you for supporting the ministry of this site!

5 Reasons to Study the Bible Chronologically

The best way to study God’s Word is to begin at the very beginning.

It makes sense, right? Creation to Christ teaching, also called chronological teaching, lays a foundation of understanding that is clearly absent in the modern church.

Not that other methods of study aren’t relevant or even necessary, but if you’ve never studied the Bible chronologically, as a whole, then you’re missing out!

Here are 5 Reasons why you need to study the Word chronologically:

Study the Bible chronologically to build a firm foundation.

Building a firm foundation is kind of a no-brainer when you think about it.

You can’t teach a student Algebra overnight, right?! Even simpler concepts like multiplication require a foundation of understanding addition, which requires a foundation of understanding how numbers work on a number line, which requires understanding that numbers are symbolic of actual objects, and so forth.

A deep and confident understanding of God’s Word begins with similar building blocks that make up a foundation. There are key concepts in the Bible we simply must understand in order to grow in our faith!

Unfortunately, many modern Christians remain immature – spiritual babes, either for lack of sound biblical teaching or for lack of personal Bible study. What a shame that we take for granted the living and active Word of God (and yes, I find myself guilty on this count, too).

Not only does lacking a firm foundation hinder us in our Christian growth, it can also leave us easy targets for the Enemy’s snares! For example, if we don’t fully understand the gospel and our position in Christ, then we are likely to struggle in our Christian walk. Instead of living in victory (despite hardships), we’ll live in doubt.

When Christ-followers try to wrap their heads around difficult topics like predestination or the problem of suffering without first building on this firm foundation, then they are like the foolish man who built his house on the sand (Matthew 7:24-27).

Hosea 4:5-6 demonstrates how a lack of knowledge leads to destruction!

You stumble day and night,
and the prophets stumble with you.
So I will destroy your mother—
my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.
“Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also reject you as my priests;
because you have ignored the law of your God,
I also will ignore your children.” (NIV)

Let’s not be women who are easily shaken or destroyed. Instead, let’s be like the wise man who built upon the rock (Matthew 7:24-27).

If you want to stand firm in your faith, you first need a foundation to stand on!

2. Study the Bible chronologically to follow God’s timeline.

Any time you study history or a story, it makes sense to travel from beginning to end. If we jump in in the middle of the story, we’re likely to miss important information. We may even become confused about the point or the purpose of the story.

Students of history, literature, science, music, art, and so forth understand that information is more meaningful when it’s given correct context.

Therefore, when we approach the Bible, we should study it in the same manner. Jesus’ death and resurrection is much more meaningful when we take the time to understand the background leading up to it – starting at the very beginning of time.

3. Study the Bible chronologically to grasp key Gospel concepts.

To understand and accept the truth of the Gospel, we must first fully understand our sin problem. While many acknowledge the problem of sin in our world, many also still cling to wrong thinking in regard to the solution.

You cannot be saved if you don’t first understand your need for a Savior.

In addition, without understanding the Old Testament sacrificial system, we cannot fully understand the death of Jesus – which is the center of our entire faith!

Do you know what Jesus really meant when he uttered, “It is finished!” shortly before his death on the cross? In fact, there are three separate, significant truths attached to that three-word phrase. None of which I knew until I studied the Bible chronologically.

Without understanding key concepts (like those above) that relate to the Gospel, we run the risk of being deceived into accepting false teaching.

Take for example, the Galatian church. In Galatians 5, we read that an outsider came and convinced the Galatian believers that they needed to be circumcised in order to be saved. Paul repsonded:

You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. Galatians 5:7-8 (NIV)

In this age of information and mis-information, believers who aren’t fully grounded in the Word are easy prey for wolves in sheep’s clothing!

4. Study the Bible chronologically to understand the Big Picture.

Do you know why Abel’s sacrifice was described as “better than” Cain’s? Why did the Ark only have one door? Did God really ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac when He had explicitly forbidden His people from following this pagan ritual?

Did God really need to send ten plagues on Egypt instead of just freeing His people the first time? Why did God give ten commandments if He knew the Israelites wouldn’t be able to keep them? Why was Jesus born to a virgin? What’s significant about Jesus dying during Passover?

All too often, we learn Bible stories in isolation from one another rather than as pieces of a larger puzzle.

Many Christ-followers are familiar with the stories of Cain and Abel, Abraham and Isaac, the 10 Commandments, Jesus’ birth, and so forth (although current research shows this ability to be dwindling). However, not all believers understand the connections between these events and how they all point us to Christ!

(Below is my favorite tool for understanding the Big Picture!)

5. Study the Bible chronologically to follow the example of Jesus.

Remember that question from the 90s – WWJD? (What would Jesus do?)

If we apply that question to discipleship, we clearly see that Jesus often went back to early scripture to help others understand that He really was the Messiah!

Such is the case when He met up with the men traveling the Road to Emmaus. They were discussing recent events in Jerusalem (the crucifixion and resurrection) and trying to make sense of them. Instead of starting with His own identity, Jesus started by laying a foundation for the big picture.

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. Luke 24:25-27 (NIV)

We see this same method of study and teaching used by the apostles throughout the book of Acts, and today it’s used successfully by overseas mission organizations, as well.

In my experience, studying the Bible chronologically is the most effective method of both evangelism and Christian growth.

We don’t have time to waste.

Friends, as I type these words, I sense some urgency.

We do not know how much time we have left on this Earth. We need to be secure in our faith. We also need to lead others to be saved and secure in their faith, as well.

“The message we are given in the Bible to take to the world is not a list of doctrines or topical points about God. What we declare is that which actually happened in time and space. It is read. It is factual. It is history. When we bypass or ignore the historical content of the Scriptures in which God has revealed Himself and divorce the words of God from their historical context, we are overlooking God’s basic form of revelation.” (Firm Foundations: Creation to Christ Children’s Edition pg. 34)

There are many misconceptions out there about who God is and what His plans for mankind are.

Obviously, if we fail to correctly understand God’s character or who we are as His followers, then we fail to experience the biblical confidence befitting a daughter of the King!

Do you need a firm foundation, friends?

Jen

*Sources for the above information include, the TERM Seminar put on by Goodseed, Intl. and Firm Foundations: Creation to Christ as mentioned above.

For further reading: How to Study the Bible: 4 Exceptional Resources

If you’re not a Facebook fan or email subscriber, you may have missed this announcement. But I still have a few spots left in our first ever online Bible study – The Whole Story – a 12 week course covering the big picture message of the Bible. Yes, it will be a chronological teaching approach from Creation to Christ! If you’re interested, just click the picture below for more information.

**UPDATE** Our Spring 2019 group is currently full, but you can still sign up below to join the waiting list for the next time our group opens!

How to Study the Bible: 4 Resources

January 25, 2019 by jstults Leave a Comment

As a church-planter’s wife, I have the privilege of leading a weekly Women’s Bible Study group. Walking with these women through life has taught me a great deal about Christian women in general.

Most of us would agree that we need more time in God’s Word. Most of us would also agree that we face many obstacles – time, desire, the know-how, and so forth.

I believe Christian women desire to study the Bible, but many just don’t know where to start!

And let’s be honest, not all Bible study resources are worthwhile.

That’s why I want to wrap up the Benefits of Bible Study series with a list of Bible Study Resources that we have used and loved. These are trusted resources for everyone, from beginners to experienced believers. We have used these tools personally, as well as with our Bible study groups.

How to Study the Bible: 4 Exceptional Resources

The FOCUSed15 Series from Katie Orr

My first introduction to this series came from Katie Orr herself when she spoke at our state women’s conference a few years ago. Each of Katie’s sessions were rich with the Word, and I loved her idea of real, focused Bible study that only takes 15 minutes a day. It’s perfect for busy women!

This past year, I took a group of women through her study Everyday Obedience, and we all enjoyed the grace-filled approach. And as a woman who struggles with perfectionism, this study was a perfect follow-up after finishing my own book manuscript – Being Confident of This.

Reasons why I think the FOCUS15 series is the perfect starting place for any woman who wants to learn how to study the Bible:

lessons only take 15 minutes a day (yes, this born skeptic actually timed it), but she also includes additional verses for further study
there is a “cheat sheet” located at the end of each chapter, perfect for beginners
Katie’s easy Bible study method doesn’t equal fluff – you will learn the FOCUS method of study

You can also find a lot of free Bible study resources at her website!

2. Blue Letter Bible Website

If you have ever used the excuse that you don’t have the resources for “real” Bible study, then this is the site for you!

Blue Letter Bible is a website similar to Bible Gateway and Bible Hub that is useful for studying God’s Word when you don’t have tools like concordances, dictionaries, and parallel Bibles at home (and to be honest, even if you have those resources, using Blue Letter Bible is quick and easy).

If you want to know what the Bible says about a particular subject, just type it in the search bar. You can also look up a verse and, using the “tools” button, you get instant access to an Interlinear Bible (useful for keyword study), a Bibles tab that contains many different translations for parallel reading, a dictionary tab, etc.

Basically, this FREE website is a one-stop-shop for excellent Bible study, and is easy to learn to use by following online tutorials.

I use blueletterbible.org in my daily quiet time, to prepare Bible study lessons or talks for speaking engagements, and to teach our church members how to study the Bible, too! There’s also an app version available, but many of our ladies have found the app to be a bit finicky. So, I tend to stick with the desktop version (which you can still access on your phone)!

Reasons why I love Blue Letter Bible Website for everyone who wants to know how to study the Bible:

It’s absolutely free
I have nearly everything I need for in-depth Bible study in ONE spot
I can quickly switch back and forth between the tabbed resources it contains (and open as many windows as I need for my cross-references, too!)

3. Bible Study Methods by Arabah Joy

Friend, has your Bible time felt sluggish lately? Do you ever read the Word and walk away wondering if you got anything from it?

We use this course at our church plant because we realize that not every Christian enjoys studying the Bible in the same way. Arabah Joy’s course covers more intellectual, in-depth Bible Study Methods like root word/keyword study, topical Bible study, etc. However, she also explains how to do less time-consuming methods of study, like verse-mapping (my new favorite) and even methods of study that involve more worship, like her TASTE method.

If you are a Christian woman who has struggled with the desire to study the Bible for yourself, I highly recommend this course. Why? Because when you know several different Bible study methods, you can vary the ones that you use, which keeps Bible study fresh!

I, myself, am a creature of habit who loves drawing deeper connections, so I thrive on word and topical studies. Through the Bible Study Methods course, I realized I often neglect the aspect of worship during my Bible study time, as well. I find it difficult to be still before the Lord. I needed that push to learn new ways of connecting to God’s Word.

Reasons why I love Bible Study Methods for both beginners AND experienced believers who want to know more about how to study the Bible:

7 different methods allow for variety
the teaching videos teach new methods step-by-step – helpful for beginners!
it contains Bible study worksheets that you can print out over and over again

4. The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus by John Cross

Surprisingly, many Christians have never studied the Bible chronologically. I’ll save the reasons why for another time, but if you’ve never studied the Bible chronologically, you should! I grew up in a Christian home with parents who valued God’s Word. They were faithful to take me to church and provide opportunities for discipleship. Nevertheless, I failed to fully understand certain foundational truths until I read this book.

I’ll never forget how my eyes were opened to God’s plan from the very beginning. I’m still amazed at the symbolism of the tabernacle and events surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion!

Friend, do you know the tri-fold significance of Jesus’ dying words, “It is finished”? If not, you should.

If I could only recommend ONE book in my lifetime (aside from the Bible itself), The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus by John Cross would be it. It teaches us how to study the Bible by giving us the firm foundation we need in order to comprehend the rest of Scripture!

I’ve walked through this book with a variety of women – from the unsaved to mature believers.

Each time, I gain a new insight. Each time the women make new connections they had never made before. I really don’t have enough space here to tell you how much I love this book for Christian discipleship, so just go get one for yourself! 😉

Reasons why I love The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus and wish every believer would read it:

using Scripture, it walks readers from creation to Christ, providing an overview of God’s story of love
it provides the necessary foundation for real spiritual growth and roots new believers in a firm understanding of gospel truths
it helps readers understand the importance of the Old Testament and how it connects to the New Testament

Honestly, I could go on and on about this particular resource. I wish I could give one to every person I meet!

In fact, as a follow-up to the Benefits of Bible Study series, I will be hosting my first ever online Bible study group using The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus. If you’d like more details, be sure to sign-up for updates in the form below. You can also learn more by following along on the BCOT facebook page. We are limiting this group to the first 25 women to sign up, so don’t miss out!

Friend, the Word of God is so essential to our Christian growth. I pray you’ll take time this week to grow in the knowledge of the Word!

Do you have a favorite resource for learning how to study the Bible? Feel free to share with us in the comments below!

Jen

Would you like to stay connected so you can learn more about our upcoming online Bible study? Simply fill out the form below to join our subscriber list. As a bonus, you’ll receive a link to our library of FREE Bible resources! More information on the Bible study will be coming in the next couple of weeks! (BONUS: you’ll also get access to our library of FREE Bible printables!)

6 More Benefits of Studying God’s Word

January 14, 2019 by jstults Leave a Comment

Most Christian women have heard of the importance of regular Bible study, yet many fail to see the Bible as the powerful weapon and tool it is described as in Scripture. Some are simply unaware of the many benefits of studying God’s Word!

I see it all too often in my own life, and in the lives of others – we tend to rely on our own wisdom and the wisdom or advice of others more so than we do God’s Word.

Isn’t that sad?

But I’m frequently guilty of problem-solving on my own, and I’m sure you are, too, friend, because that’s human nature.

I can’t tell you how many times women have sat across from me, often in tears, relating a personal problem or issue they’re struggling with. Yet when asked, they can’t tell me what the Bible says about their problem, or even if they can tell me what the Bible says, they admit doubting it’s truth.

And I can relate because I’ve had that same struggle between knowing what is true and believing what is true myself!

If we want to experience confident faith and abundant life, then we must be more than just “familiar” with the Bible. The more time we spend in the Word, the more opportunity we have to grow in Christ, the easier it becomes to trust not only God’s character, but His very Word!

The Bible is clear that scripture is living and active, friend (Hebrews 4:12), a powerful tool in the life of Christ-followers, so why do we so easily lay it aside?

6 More Benefits of Studying God’s Word

**If you missed the original Benefits of Bible Study posts, you can read about why you need to study God’s Word for yourself here and then read first 5 promising benefits of personal study here.

6. One of the most important benefits of studying God’s Word is that it gives us life (both spiritual AND physical)!

Scripture teaches that man doesn’t live by bread alone, but by the word of God (Mt. 4:4). Studying the Word doesn’t just give us spiritual life, but also physical life! The same idea is confirmed in other places in the Bible, as well:

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30-31 (NIV)

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 1 Peter 1:23 (NIV)

I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word. Psalm 119:25 (NIV)

This is my comfort in my affliction, That Your word has revived me. Psalm 119:50 (NASB)

7. Studying God’s Word also helps us to grow in faith and in Christ-likeness.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation… 1 Peter 2:2 (NIV)

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Romans 10:17 (NASB)

If faith comes from hearing the Word of God, then it follows that the more we hear it, the more likely our faith is to grow (obviously there are exceptions to this – it all depends on our heart condition and how receptive we are to the Word). When we are new in Christ, we are like spiritual babies who need spiritual milk to grow and flourish, but as we grow, we need solid food – deeper spiritual truths (as mentioned in Heb. 5:12-13).

Whether mature or immature, our spiritual growth relies on us taking in the nourishment we need consistently!

8. Another benefit of studying God’s Word is that as we mature, we can lead others in truth, too!

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 1 Peter 3:15-16 (NIV)

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)

As Christ’s ambassadors here on this Earth, we have a responsibility to share the truth with others, but we must be careful to do so in a God-honoring way. We cannot correctly handle God’s Word or train others (including our own children) if we don’t rightly understand His Word for ourselves. This is one reason why personal Bible study is essential in the life of Christian women!

9. Studying the Word also helps us to fight spiritual battles and experience victory!

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:1-4 (NIV)

As Christian women, the Bible is clear that we will face both temptation to sin and accusations from the Enemy.

And don’t we know it, friend?

But the Word is equally clear that we have a weapon to use in our defense – God’s truth!

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17 (NIV)

As part of our spiritual armor, we’ve been given a weapon – the sword of the Spirit – which is used not only to defend ourselves, but also to fight back!

Let’s follow the example of Christ. Let’s study the Word so that we know the best verses to use to combat the Enemy’s lies and accusations.

10. The Bible gives us peace and hope.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Phil. 4:8-9 (NIV)

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans 15:4 (NIV)

One additional benefit of studying God’s Word is that we experience hope and peace that are beyond worldly explanation.

Is your life full of chaos? Spend time in the Word.

Does all hope seem lost? Run to the Word.

You will find in the Bible a special comfort that you cannot find in this world, friend!

11. Finally, spending time studying God’s Word helps us produce spiritual fruit.

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. Ps. 1:2-3

What Christian woman doesn’t want to yield more spiritual fruit?

We can all use more patience, more joy, more peace, more kindness, right?

When we delight in God’s law (Old Testament reference to Scripture), when we study it by meditating on it and memorizing it, we bear fruit that we cannot possibly bear on our own.

We prosper! And in doing so, we bring much glory to the Father.

Friend, please don’t neglect the potential power of God’s Word in your life. It’s immeasurable and indescribable.

Time spent in the Bible is time well-spent. Just consider the many benefits we’ve discussed in the Benefits of Bible Study series!

Next week we’ll be wrapping up this series with some of my favorite tools for excellent Bible study – resources that will help you make the most of your time spent in the Word!

Until then, take a few minutes to meditate on God’s Word today, won’t you?

Jen 🙂

P.S. If you can’t wait until next week, one of my new favorite Bible study tools is below (my affiliate link) The Love the Word Bible Study Binder by Arabah Joy contains a whole year’s worth of Bible study helps – reading plans, journaling sheets, and the PROSPER Bible study method. I worked on the design for this binder, and it’s one of my favorite projects ever!! Knowing the both the quality AND quantity of material this product contains lets me recommend it with confidence. 🙂

6 Ways to Set Goals with Confidence

December 31, 2018 by jstults 1 Comment

I’ve felt the familiar tension and resisted it all day long. I know what I should do, what a part of my being wants to do, yet I don’t do it. Setting new goals is easier to avoid.

It’s the tension between the old-in-sin me and the new-in-Christ me, the self-centered, lazy, fearful me and the Christ-focused, hard-working, confident me.

I know who I want to be, friends, but the distance between who I am today and the Christ-confident woman I want to be stretches out before me like a road in the desert that only ends when it meets the horizon.

The task seems impossible, yet I know I serve the God of the impossible.

And hasn’t He proven Himself faithful time and time again in my own life? Each fear-inducing challenge came with the grace to persevere: each one followed by unexpectedly beautiful rewards worth so much more than the sacrifice required for obedience.

So why this goal-setting angst?

I know the truth yet my feelings lead me astray. I’m a stubborn, helpless, rebel whose only hope is Christ!

Praise God He loves me enough to keep molding me.

He pursues me even when I run and hide in fear like Eve did so long ago. He creates a restlessness in my spirit that causes me to yearn for more – more Christ-likeness, more knowledge of Him, more surrender to His plans, more freedom to be who He created me to be!

Do you want it, too, friend?

Do you long to walk into the New Year with confidence in God’s direction, with focus, with purpose?

6 Ways to Set Goals with Confidence

1. Surrender to God’s plan for your life.

To be capable of discerning God’s direction and claiming the confidence that comes only from Him, you must first surrender your very life to His plan for you.

This begins with salvation, friend. You cannot follow God if you don’t have an authentic relationship with Him. You cannot claim His promises if you don’t first belong to Him.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NIV)

Do you know Jesus on a personal level? Are you confident in your salvation? If not, you can be today!

Don’t waste another year chasing dreams that aren’t meant for you. Instead, find your real purpose in Christ!

You can set goals with confidence when you learn to see yourself as a new creation in Christ!

2. Consider your unique spiritual gifts.

Scripture is clear that each of us Christ-followers have been gifted by the Spirit for the building up of God’s body, the Church. One practical way to understand who God created you to be is to take a spiritual gifts test or inventory. In fact, I recommend taking several so that you can gain a clear picture of your top few gifts. You may be surprised by what you learn!

Learning my own spiritual gifts has given me the confidence to use them for God’s glory rather than sitting back and waiting for someone else to tell me who I am supposed to be.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)

Whether you currently believe it or not, friend, you have your own spiritual gifts, and they are much needed in your local body of believers!

Set goals with confidence by understanding the spiritual gifts you have today.

3. Consider your past preparation.

When I look back over my life as whole, I see the ways in which God has prepared me for the tasks God has given me today. Like a beautiful tapestry, the threads of my unique experiences weave in and out of one another to create a beautiful work of art.

Years spent waiting prepared me for leading women’s ministry today. Missionary kid experiences gave me a heart for the lost essential to our current church-planting journey.

Even the pain-filled years become connecting threads in the hands of the Master Weaver.

God has a plan for you that is not new to Him. It’s been His plan from even before you formed in the womb. The experiences you’ve had, the challenges you’ve faced – these things helped mold you into the person you are today.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

Look back at the road you have traveled, friend, and see if that path, coupled with your spiritual gifts gives you insight into where God is leading you today.

Set goals with confidence by remembering the progress you’ve already made!

4. Pray for godly desire.

Our God amazes me. He isn’t content with second-best for me, neither is He content with second-best for you, friend. I remember the year that I didn’t want persevere to be my one word because it sounded like hardship to me. But what a year that turned out to be!

The more I learn about His character and grow in His likeness, the more I realize that His challenges are worth tackling. His rewards far outweigh the sacrifice and suffering often required.

Yes, following hard after Christ requires cost. (Matthew 16:24-24) I won’t lie to you about that.

I won’t tell you to ask God for health and prosperity and successful relationships in the New Year because I won’t presume to know that’s what is best for you.

Sometimes God’s best doesn’t look good at all to our human eyes. We’d rather avoid pain, suffering, and hard work, let’s be honest!

After all, how can losing a loved one possibly be good for us? How can illness benefit? How is loss of income or possessions in our favor?

I’m sure the disciples asked the same when their Greatest Hope hung dying on the cross. How could such a death be part of God’s eternal plan? Yet it was!

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5 (NIV)

Ask Father God to give you godly desires, friend, but also to give you a willing heart that accepts whatever path He deems best, even if that path requires hardship. When you pursue His desires for you, you can be confident that He WILL establish your steps.

Pray for a sensitivity to the Spirit before you sit down to set goals, then set goals with confidence by trusting God to answer that prayer!

5. Create a plan.

How often have you set a goal or made a New Year’s resolution that utterly failed? (both hands raised meekly over here, too!)

When the excitement of the New Year or new habit wears off and our fresh start begins to feel like a lot of hard work, we either persevere or we grow discouraged.

At this point in your journey, a solid plan makes all of the difference between success and defeat!

If you know that following steps a, b, and c will get you to the end zone, then it’s easier to push through those pesky plateaus. However, if you don’t have a solid plan in place, you’re likely to give up when the going gets tough.

*This site makes use of affiliate links. For more information, please visit the About page. Thank you for supporting the ministry of this Being Confident of This!

This is why I continue to use and recommend Grace Goals by Arabah Joy. Grace Goals begins with a biblical foundation (beginning with prayerful consideration of God’s direction) and builds on that using practical tools for success (like planning sheets, evaluations, etc.), all the while teaching you how grace motivates real and lasting change!

It has become my go-to tool for making concrete plans to successfully complete projects God lays on my heart (including the latest book, Being Confident of This), and this year I’m planning to use it to make some changes in my habits (like learning to prioritize my schedule/say yes and no to the right things and possibly working on some healthier habits, too).

I know from experience that going through the Grace Goals workbook process will help me to create a doable plan and protect me from becoming overwhelmed.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)

Set goals with confidence by creating a practical plan for success!

6. Take the first step.

There comes a time when Christian women need to quit praying and planning! Yes, you heard me right – quit praying and start obeying.

We often tend to use the “pray about it” excuse as a reason for delayed obedience, which is really dis-obedience. If you’ve prayed about your goals, spent time communing with the Lord in regard to His plans for you, and followed the Spirit’s leading in creating a plan, then at some point, you have to quit praying and planning and start doing.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:14-17 (NIV)
If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. James 4:17 (NIV)

It’s not enough to talk about the goals we are setting, to pray about the goals we are setting, or even to write down the goals we are setting if we don’t take that first step of action. In fact, according to scripture, failing to act on what we know God wants is sin, plain and simple.

This is the point in time when your confidence will really be tested!

Is this the right goal for me? Is the timing right? What if my own fleshly desires got in the way and I’m choosing the wrong path? Will the work be too hard?

What happens if I fail?

These questions and doubts will keep you stuck indefinitely if you allow them to, friend! Answer them with what you know to be true about God and who He created you to be.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

Review the process you have taken so far and rest in the knowledge that even if you happen to mis-step, He will correct your path! Your Father God hasn’t asked you to take on this new journey on your own. No, He promises to guide and direct you, to give you strength and courage!

Set goals with confidence by following through and taking that first step.

Friend, I firmly believe that Christian women like me (and you) should be more intentional about how we spend our time and the things we choose to pursue in life. When we embrace the work-in-progress in us, we recognize the need to continually partner with the Spirit so we can be molded into who God wants us to be.

We know our time here is limited, so let’s not waste it, amen?

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. Psalm 143:8 (NIV)

As much as fear pulls against you, let God have control over your life this New Year! Let Him determine the path you take. Let His desires become your own, believing that His way is what is best for you and for your family.

Set goals with confidence this year!

Jen 😊

P.S.

Before you go, I’d love to offer you this FREE printable to help you as you sit down to prayerfully consider your plans for the New Year! We like to give all of the best stuff to our faithful subscribers! Just click on the picture below to go to the sign-up form for our newsletter, and you’ll be on your way to your freebie.

If you’re serious about setting godly goals this year, please check out the recommended resource Grace Goals!

Harness the power of grace-filled, Spirit-dependent living in order to see real transformation in your life. If you join through our link by clicking the picture below, we’ll send you a free bonus – The Work In Progress Toolkit!

Just purchase Grace Goals, and send us a copy or screenshot of your receipt along with your best email address for keeping in touch, and we’ll send the first email of your BONUS Toolkit. (NOTE: limited offer valid through January 7th, only)!

7 Tips for a More Peaceful Christmas

December 17, 2018 by jstults Leave a Comment

Several Christmases ago, as I looked at the family calendar, my heart hardened with resentment. For a season said to bring joy and light and peace, it was only bringing me stress!

In addition to my overwhelmed schedule, the desire to provide gifts for our family led to financial stress. And then there was our marriage… Due to my husband’s PTSD and years of repeated struggle during the holiday season, we barely dared to hope for a completely peaceful Christmas.

Peace is what I desperately longed for, yet peace seemed distant and unreachable.

It shouldn’t be this way for a Christian woman, I thought.

I should be radiating peace now more than ever in anticipation of Jesus’ birthday! Christmas celebrations are supposed to be fun, not stressful, so why am I so discouraged and weary?

Friend, as much as Hallmark and Hollywood tell us otherwise, there’s nothing perfect about the Christmas season!

Problems don’t magically disappear, relationships often remain strained, and Christians, even strong Christians, still struggle with sin.

Because we live in a fallen world, sin and suffering taint our Christmas joy. Scripture speaks of how all of creation groans in anticipation of that day when Christ’s return ushers in the full completion of His love story and a restoration of peace on Earth, a perfection only possible when this world ends and eternity begins.

In the meantime, Christmas stirs up the longing for that completion, that elusive perfection we so desire. So as we observe the hard parts of our everyday lives side-by-side with our expectations of joy and light and love, we feel dissatisfied.

And praise God that we do, for this world is not our home! We’re meant for a glory this world can never provide, even at Christmas time.

7 Tips for a Peaceful Christmas

So how can we reconcile these feelings of longing and hope not yet realized with our ideals of a peaceful Christmas?

The answer is the same today as it was all those years ago – we look to Christ!

Adjust your expectations.

Part of our struggle for peace in the face of perfectionism is our tendency to set up unrealistic expectations for what Christmas looks like for our home, family, and even church! If you expect perfection this year, friend, you’re bound to be disappointed sooner rather than later. Perfection just isn’t possible!

Read about how overcoming expectations and finding peace in the longing is a good thing!

2. Rest in your work-in-progress status.

If you want a peaceful Christmas, friend, you must learn to approach the holidays with a confidence that is rooted in your position in Christ. If your confidence comes from how well-decorated your house is, how delicious your baked goods, how spiritual your advent plan, or how awe-inspiring your gifts, then your confidence rests on sinking sand rather than on the Solid Rock.

One broken decoration, one burnt cookie, one missed day of advent, or one failed gift – one less-than-perfect moment is enough to bring it all tumbling down.

Read about how embracing your work-in-progress status strengthens you for the fight for Christmas joy here!

3. Guard against strife in your marriage.

Did you know that January is the month when the most people file for divorce in America? Christmas places a burden of extra stress on marriage relationships if we let it! Even healthy marriages are at risk for extra bickering and disappointments that result when we realize our family is not Christmas-card perfect. Taking a family photo alone can be quite the ordeal, am I right?! 😉

The Enemy knows this to be true, and it seems he works overtime to create distance in families during the Christmas season. As Christians, we must be on guard, lest we allow him to rob us of our Christmas joy!

Read about how to protect your marriage as a necessary step toward a peaceful Christmas here!

You can also read about how to survive Christmas as a hurting wife in my friend and co-author Rebekah’s piece here.

4. Focus on what your family really needs most.

In the commercialism of Christmas, we parents tend to worry over Christmas gifts. After all, we want to bless our children and demonstrate our love for them in the same way our Father God did for us – through a gift.

While there’s nothing wrong with gift-giving, if finances are tight or if children have asked for one of those impossible gifts that parents have no control over, we can easily feel like we’re unable to give our kids what the world would call a “good” Christmas. Feeling inadequate hardly leads to a peaceful Christmas, does it?

Whether your world has been turned completely upside down or this year has just been more challenging than most, rest assured that you can give your children what they really need this Christmas, friend!

Read about the best way to give your kids a good Christmas here.

5. Let go of Holiday guilt!

If you’re a woman of faith who has children, then you know the emphasis of keeping Christ in Christmas, right?

Good Christian mamas are supposed to purchase or create thoughtful gifts, maintain an atmosphere of peace in our homes, and participate in all of the joyous programs and celebrations, and on top of that we’re also supposed to teach our children the real meaning of Christmas at the same time, too.

Sometimes all of that pressure to perform adds up to a burden of holiday guilt, doesn’t it? And with it, our desire for a peaceful Christmas slips quietly away…

Read about overcoming guilt by simplifying advent here!

And follow my friend Aimee’s tips for simplifying all of your Christmas plans here. I love how she says she doesn’t have to make pies anymore! 😉

6. Look for peace in the right places.

A peaceful Christmas doesn’t happen by accident, friend.

No, a peaceful Christmas requires intentional action to keep ourselves grounded in God’s truth. Only then can we ignore the holiday hype in favor of realistic expectations in this season of joy! The good news is that there are practical steps we can take toward peace this year.

Read these tips on how to savor the season and have a meaningful Christmas here! (and this one comes with a FREE printable – my Christmas gift to you)

You can also find more practical tips on how to keep first things first this Christmas season for a more peaceful Christmas here (and another FREE printable!). I appreciate this author’s take on Jesus’ example in this area of Christian self-care.

7. Be prepared.

I’ll be honest, some of my holiday stress often comes from feeling unprepared and overwhelmed.

As a woman who continually over-estimates her ability to get things done, Christmas tends to sneak up on me!

If you’re like me, then you might appreciate this advice to organize and prepare ahead of time so you can experience less stress – that sounds like a good step toward a more peaceful Christmas!

The truth is you can have a more peaceful Christmas this year, friend, if you so choose!

Don’t buy into the holiday hype and set yourself up for failure.

Say no to busy schedules and fancy gifts. Say no to unrealistic expectations and the Enemy’s attacks on your character and your marriage. Say no to stress and holiday guilt.

Instead, say yes to Christ. He came so that you might have everlasting peace.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27 (NIV)

Your hope and faith in Jesus is the best way to experience a peaceful Christmas!

Jen 🙂

For the Woman Who Feels Like a Failure This Christmas

December 11, 2018 by jstults 2 Comments

A few years ago, I set myself up for some epic Christmas failure. December had finally arrived. The hope and joy of the Christmas season lay spread before me as thoughts of maximizing holiday fun and education swirled through my head.

I envisioned handmade gifts and peaceful evenings at home near the brightly lit tree, my husband walking our children through the Christmas Adventure Box advent plan.

Yes, I fell prey to Pinterest Syndrome, quite deadly to a mama’s often already shaky confidence. It all began with a few deceptively simple ideas and grew into a nasty and surprisingly strong anticipation of all things good and no things ordinary…. or, heaven forbid, even bad.

My Christmas expectations soared to incredible heights, destined to plummet at the first sign of potential failure. And here I thought I was creating a “simple” Christmas this year (I’ll forgive you if you snicker a little at this point.)

In my defense, the holiday season was progressing suspiciously well for our family. Thanksgiving came and went with no major incidents, and everyone was healthy for the moment, a rare winter treat in a family of six.

My husband and I even managed to put up the Christmas tree and lights with no arguing and minimal frustration, despite the circus of craziness that four enthusiastic children create when forced to wait.
We had conquered a pattern of holiday frustration for the first time in years!

The Holiday Hypocrite

Then somewhere along the line, life began to get very real. Our youngest son, four years old at the time, decided the holiday season would be a good time to test our parental authority in various, publicly humiliating places.

Our budget grew tight.

I stressed about all of The Things on my list.

On top of all of that, we became suddenly busy with all of the typical holiday concerts and programs and gatherings. Not exactly the peace I had anticipated.

And it was all fun and good and mostly necessary, but it does make one a little weary…

For the most part, I was able to maintain the joy and hope of the season, after all there was a lot of sweet memory-making sprinkled into the mix. But I held onto a dark secret.

After all of the praise and promise of the Christmas Adventure Box that I shared with you previously, we didn’t even manage to do it this year! At all.

Nothing. Nada. Zip.

It just didn’t happen.

In fact, we only managed to hang onto a few of our typical holiday traditions. I didn’t even attempt to mail out Christmas cards or get a family portrait.

I felt like a failure, no worse – a holiday hypocrite!

My carefully planned and highly anticipated season of hope and joy crumbled before me. The disappointment that followed was slightly bitter and came with a side dose of viral illness, as well as over a foot of snow, that kept us cooped up at home for weeks.

I could have written about it, but to be honest, I felt unworthy. So like most hypocrites, I hid from you all. I quit writing. I quit taking pictures.

I made excuses and planned to resume in the new year. And when I finally succumbed to the viral plague making the rounds in our home, I wallowed in my misery.

For a few days, God and I were barely on speaking terms.

I wasn’t just disappointed about failing to do advent as a family – after all, sometimes as mamas we have to pare life down to the nitty gritty in order to survive with sanity (and with a family who still wants to be around us). My disappointment came more from my hiding away in blogger shame and silence.

The thing is that I believe in Grace, I really do.

I’m very aware that without Grace, I’d be a hopeless mess. Even with Grace I still have nothing to boast about except for a God who gives second chances, and third, and fourth, to infinity and eternity, a God who loves me deeply for who I am, not for who the world thinks I should be, a God who through the blood of Jesus, sees the best version of me even when I’m acting my worst.

But like many mamas, I have a hard time extending that grace to my own messy self.

So, I confess: I’ve been a Holiday Hypocrite.

In fact, I could be called an everyday hypocrite, too, because I’m far from perfect. I still lose my temper. I still forget important events and birthday cards.

I still argue with my husband and become impatient with my children. I’m still selfish with my time. I’m still prideful. I still say “no” to the Holy Spirit in so many ways.

I’m still learning who God made me to be.

But that’s the beauty of our journey in Christ, friends, that we get chance after chance to do things differently.

Those failures we feel so deeply are not the end of the story. We are given an abundance of opportunities to let our Father God change who we are, from the inside out. And that good work He began in saving us from a life of sin, He promises to continue to the very end (Phil. 1:6). We can have complete confidence in that!

So, keep up the good work, friends, even if your holidays fails to live up to your expectations.

Fight the good fight.

Run the good race.

And when you fail or fall, let Him pick your hypocritical self back up again and hold you for a while, heal your wounds if needed, and send you off on your way. Not alone, for He runs alongside you.

Don’t let those fiery darts from the Enemy bog you down, not now, but put on the full armor of God and stand firm in your faith.

No more hiding away, no more pretending to be something we are not, no more fearing what the world thinks.

Instead, let’s embrace our work-in-progress status and the indescribable hope that it affords.

Not to us, Lord, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness.
Psalm 115:1

Praise be to His Name!

Jen

For further reading: https://arabahjoy.com/uncommon-spiritual-discipline/

5 Promising Benefits of Personal Bible Study

November 22, 2018 by jstults Leave a Comment

We all know Bible study should be a priority – that’s kind of a given if you’re a Bible-believing Christ-follower, right? Unfortunately, as Christian women, we all too often see personal Bible study as merely an item on our to-do lists.

So, when life gets crazy busy and our to-do lists grow impossibly long, personal Bible study becomes an item we either neglect or remove from that ever-growing list.

If we really understand and believe in the promising benefits of personal Bible study and the impact they have on our daily faith walk, then time in the Word of God is no longer negotiable. Rather than a thing on the to-do list with many other things, Bible study would become a source of strength and life – a necessity for survival rather than simply something we should do.

You might find those words strong. Is Bible study really necessary for survival?

According to God’s Word, yes!

Let me ask you a silly question – do you eat every day? What happens when you don’t eat often enough?

You grow weak. Obviously, failing to feed your physical body affects your physical health in a negative way. In the same way, failing to feed your soul affects your spiritual well-being in a negative way!

But do we really see it that way? I fear not.Most of us wouldn’t go days or weeks, months or even years, without eating food, yet many of us willingly allow large amounts of time to pass without feasting on God’s Word.

And we wonder why so many of us Christian men and women are discouraged and lacking in transformative faith…

Far too often we downplay the power of God’s Word and treat it as something to use as-needed rather than something required for survival!

Let’s take a look at what Scripture says about personal Bible Study and the benefits we receive from it.

5 Promising Benefits of Personal Bible Study

God’s Word is a thing of beauty, friends. When we treat it like any ordinary advice book out there that we only consult when we have a problem, we miss out on so many blessings! Before you dig into the Bible for yourself, consider what this psalmist had to say about Scripture:

Open my eyes, that I may behold
Wonderful things from Your law. Psalm 119:18 (NASB)

Personal Bible Study is one of the most powerful tools and weapons in our faith arsenal, friend.

The Word connects us to the heart of God – it’s His love letter to His chosen people! If we really want to know Him and understand who we are IN Him, then we must spend a good amount of time studying God’s Word for ourselves. If we don’t, then we miss out on the benefits regular Bible study offers us, like the following:

To know the truth and recognize what is false.

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:11(NIV)

Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith. 1 Timothy 6:20-21 (NIV)

For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)

According to the Scriptures above, the best way to recognize false teaching is to be well-acquainted with what is true. That’s perhaps the most important benefit of personal Bible study!

We cannot afford to take other people’s word for what is true about the Bible. If we really want truth, then we must dig into the Bible for ourselves and measure what we’ve heard about God or been taught about God with what He actually says about Himself. His Word is the only infallible, trustworthy authority.

We should be more like the Bereans and examine the Scriptures so we don’t become like the world – hearing only what we want to hear, what feeds our desires.

To help us discern right from wrong by giving us knowledge and the guidance we desperately need in this fallen world!

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness… 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path. Psalm 119:105 (NIV)

God’s Word is alive! Another important benefit of studying God’s Word is that it acts within us. It trains us in righteousness, and helps us teach, rebuke, and correct that which is false. This is an essential benefit of personal Bible study for any Christian who wants to grow in Christ-likeness! The act of studying Scripture keeps us on the right path.

To avoid sin and the destruction that follows.

[M]y people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.
“Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also reject you as my priests;
because you have ignored the law of your God,
I also will ignore your children. Hosea 4:6 (NIV)

I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11 (NIV)

Hosea describes how a lack of biblical knowledge destroyed God’s people, resulting in the fall of the Northern Kingdom. If we wish to avoid sin and destruction, we must follow the exampleof the psalmist and hide His Word in our hearts. Notice that when we maintain a steady diet of God’s Word, it actually keeps us from sinning!

To help us obey!

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8

[S]o that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:17 (NIV)

Through personal Bible Study, we can meditate on God’s Word. The result? Obedience! Earlier we read in 2 Timothy 3:16 that the Word of God trains us for righteousness, but the following verse (17) explains that the purpose for this training by the Word is to equip God’s people for good works. Thus, studying the Word plays a vital role in helping us obey God and serve Him.

To give us freedom.

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (NIV)

Without knowing the truths of God’s Word, we are easy prey for the Enemy and false teachers. Right knowledge, attained through Bible study, is essential for our own freedom. We must know who God is, and we must know who we are in Christ so we can be freed to experience confident faith.

*This post makes use of affiliate links. To learn more about how these are used, please visit the About page. Thank you for supporting the ministry of Being Confident of This!

Friend, don’t miss out on these important benefits of personal Bible study, even when your schedule is full, even when you’re tempted to let this spiritual discipline slide for a few days. Remember to feed your soul with God’s Word so you can stand firm when the Enemy attacks and when life grows difficult!

If you’ve never made a habit of personal Bible study, and you aren’t sure where to start, I highly recommend going through Arabah Joy’s Bible Study Methods course.

Why her course? Because Bible Study Methods is both doctrinally sound and personally practical for believers of all ages.

While you can find a lot of information on the internet about various methods, this course not only tells you how to do each method, but the worksheets contained walk you through them step-by-step. In addition, the videos contained are perfect for more visual learners, especially when it comes to learning how to do a more in-depth study (like a Greek key-word study). Not only are the teaching videos helpful for visual learners, but they make it easy for users to go back and quickly review steps when they haven’t used a particular method in a while.

I truly appreciate that this course doesn’t focus on one “right” method because I know from experience that there are many ways to study God’s Word for yourself, and different methods appeal to different people! In fact, through the Bible Study Methods course, I discovered a new method that has quickly become one of my favorites! 🙂

Finally, Bible Study Methods incorporates something for everyone – from the beginner to the more experienced student of the Word, the seven methods explored in this course can take as little as 15 minutes, with little to no prep-work or special resources needed, or as long as hours, days, weeks, even months (if you want to do a more in-depth topical or word study).

We’ve used this tool in our church plant to teach new believers and even mature Christians how to really dig into the Word for themselves, giving them the confidence to cling to sound doctrine even when challenged. By practicing these methods, they are learning to rely more on the Holy Spirit to teach them truth rather than relying on others, an encouraging sign of maturity.

These are just a few benefits of Bible study, friend, but there are many more (keep an eye out for more in an upcoming post)! Whatever method you use, and whatever tools you use, the most important thing is simply to make time to open the Bible and let the Holy Spirit teach you, friend.

Make plans today to study God’s Word for yourself!

Jen 🙂

Why You Need to Study God’s Word for Yourself

November 5, 2018 by jstults Leave a Comment

My fun-loving pastor (who also happens to be my husband) really enjoys teasing others to the point that I’m convinced teasing is actually his primary love language. One of his favorite jokes in church settings is to use the eleventh commandment to his advantage.

When speaking to a church member recently, he said something along the lines of, “You know the eleventh commandment says ‘Thou shalt volunteer five hours a week until the work on the church building is completed.’”

The usual response to one of his eleventh commandment statements is surprise, often followed by confusion.

Those who know his teasing ways well are quick to catch on while others question whether or not there is an eleventh commandment, but many just accept what he says as fact. He IS a pastor after all, so he must know what he’s talking about, right?

Of course, my husband is quick to point out his own teasing, but in our current world, not all would-be deceivers are benevolent. In fact, most are quite the opposite – most set out to deceive us in order to lead us away from God’s ways and toward our own destruction.

From the story above, you can see how blind acceptance of what another person claims to be true about God’s Word can be a real problem for God’s people. Confusion over God’s truth has been a problem since the very beginning when the serpent in the garden used a portion of God’s very words to deceive Adam and Eve.

When Christians are unfamiliar with what the Bible actually says, when they haven’t dedicated time to learning biblical truth for themselves instead of just believing what they’ve been told, they become easy targets, sitting ducks. If you fail to study God’s Word for yourself, you set yourself up for a failure of faith.

How can you recognize or contradict false teaching if you don’t first have a foundation of truth?

How can you overcome spiritual warfare and answer Satan’s lies with truth without knowing where in the Bible to find it?

How can you lead others to walk in truth, too?

3 Vital Reasons to Study God’s Word for Yourself

As Christian women, we must choose to prioritize the practice of real Bible study so that we have what we need to stand firm when doubts come knocking, when trials threaten to overwhelm us, when Satan tempts us, and when the world attempts to manipulate us.

1. Stand firm in your beliefs.

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. Colossians 2:6-8 (NASB)

We want to be captivated by Christ and His truth, not taken captive by false teachers or worldly wisdom.

*This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please visit the About page. Thank you for supporting the ministry of this site!

We need to be more like the Bereans, who when they heard the gospel, examined Scripture daily to see if it was really true (Acts 17:11)! The only way to grow in your understanding of Christ and how to follow Him is to study God’s Word for yourself.

I’ll never forget the lesson I learned about this truth during my first biology class as a freshman at a Christian college. Since I spent much of my growing up years as a missionary kid, I lived a fairly sheltered life. So I was surprised to discover that my faith-professing biology professor at my Christian college believed in evolution. In fact, not only did he believe in evolution, he actively worked to convince us that real faith, strong faith was compatible with this belief, also.

He even insinuated that to believe otherwise was either to be ignorant or to have weak faith.

In the months that followed, I felt increasingly conflicted. I valued academics and knowledge, but I also valued my faith. I wondered if what I believed about God being the Creator of the Universe was really true or not.

It was a mini crisis of faith for me, and I was on my own. My parents were still serving overseas – literally halfway around the world.

At some point I realized that choosing what to believe was totally up to me now. I had to decide for myself what to believe about the beginnings of our world, and I could only do that by studying the Word. So that’s what I did. I studied the biblical account of Creation. I studied what critics said about a seven-day creation model, as well as what Christian scientists said about it.

Eventually I came to the conclusion that I either believed God’s Word or I didn’t, and if I didn’t, well then my entire salvation was a lie because a virgin birth is just as “scientifically impossible” as Creation.

I came out of that crisis with a firmer belief than before because instead of relying on what my parents and other Christians claimed to be true, I had studied it out for myself. I’ve never questioned that particular doctrinal belief since then. Instead of being susceptible to the persuasive words of my professor, I could stand firm in my belief because it really was MY belief, not just teaching passed on to me by someone else.

2. Grow into a mature believer.

Here’s the truth, friends: we most certainly can and should learn from other Christians and leaders in the faith. In fact, that’s likely how believers who are young in the faith gain much of their knowledge initially. But at some point, we have to grow up in the faith and quit relying on others to tell us what God’s Word says.

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Hebrews 5:12-14 (NASB)

At some point, we must choose to dig into the Scriptures and discover truth for ourselves, and we CAN do that with the help of the Holy Spirit! Don’t content yourself with mere milk, friends, when the banquet of the entire Bible is yours to feast on!

If you don’t study God’s Word for yourself, then your faith is only as strong as your trust in what others say. Living on second-hand knowledge is choosing stunted growth.

If you want to be a strong Christian women with confident faith, you must begin by studying the Bible.

3. Experience the abundant life He has planned for you.

For the next few weeks, we’ll be looking at the spiritual discipline of personal Bible study and the promising benefits that are ours for the taking!

The Benefits of Bible Study series will lead you to understand not only the importance of studying God’s Word but also the blessings of it, as well. What you may not realize is when you study God’s Word for yourself, you reap rewards beyond acquiring knowledge and understanding – bonus benefits, so to speak. Likewise, there are some not-so-pretty consequences for lacking an understanding of the Bible.

Failing to spend time in Scripture is like turning down a gift! Who does that, right? 😉

At the end of the series, I’ll be offering some practical tools and resources to help you learn how to make God’s Word a vital part of your everyday life – through Bible study and meditation, scripture memorization, and so forth. So plan to stick around, and invite your friends to join us, too!

For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4 (NASB)

Let’s be women of the Word!

Jen 🙂

What Every Christian Woman Needs to Know about Authentic Confidence

October 22, 2018 by jstults Leave a Comment

In 2011, my husband and I took a leap of faith, one that was ten years in the making, one that required a move for our whole family away from all that was familiar and comfortable. After taking an extended break from paid ministry positions to focus on our marriage and family, we were jumping back into full-time ministry with both feet.

And it was scary, and exciting, and…scary.

My husband worked mostly as a youth minister previously, so this position would be our first real pastorate. And for the first time in my life, I wouldn’t be the youth pastor’s wife, I would be The Pastor’s Wife. To some of you, this might not seem like a big deal, but if you’ve ever transitioned from one to the other, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. 😉

In my naivete, I failed to recognize what an adjustment this would be for me. Suddenly women twice my age were looking to me for leadership. Me!

Becoming a Woman of Authentic Confidence

To say I felt inadequate and ill-prepared would be an understatement. How could I, flawed and imperfect as I was, possibly lead women with so much more spiritual and life experience than me?

What if I misused or abused God’s Word? What if I failed to have the right answer to a question? What if they saw me as I really was, a messy, easily-offended, often-struggling Christian woman?

You might say that was the beginning, the start of my growth into the women’s ministry leader that I am today, by God’s grace. I learned much about God’s grace in the years that followed. There were successes and there were failures, lots of failures – both personal and in ministry, but He carried me through.

Those early years as a women’s leader caused me to seek an authentic confidence that I sorely needed, one I’d been searching for my whole life long. I was tired of the roller-coaster ride of victory followed by defeat followed by doubt, and then back up again. I was tired of being a slave to perfectionism. I was tired of feeling like an Israelite lost in the desert.

I wanted a more steadfast faith. I wanted that assurance that I was pursuing the path God planned for me.

It didn’t come all at once, friend, and sometimes I feel as if I grab hold of it for a brief moment only to lose it again, but I’m understanding that authentic confidence is not as elusive as many Christian women think!

The Mistake We All Make

The problem is that the world so often begins the idea of confidence with a lie, as in self-confidence.

As Christian women, we know confidence cannot possibly begin with self because self is sin-ridden and hopelessly flawed (Romans 3:23). Any confidence placed in self is doomed to fail eventually. We know this to be true yet somehow many of us have accepted this worldly idea that confidence is something we must manufacture on our own! Even many recent best-selling “Christian” books promote this anti-gospel.

So we tend to make one of two mistakes. Either we downplay our sin and our imperfections so that we can make ourselves acceptable to a holy and perfect God, or we waste our one life striving so hard for an acceptance that is already ours in Christ! We bounce back and forth between the two, trying to find our way to real confidence.

No wonder we are such weary Christian women!

What every Christian woman needs to know about authentic confidence is that it has nothing to do with our performance.

Nothing.

The Christ-confident Woman

*This post makes use of affiliate links. For more information, please visit the About page. Thanks for supporting the ministry of this site!

Friend, the answer you are looking for, the only way to real confidence, lies in understanding your God-given identity. The only truly confident woman is the Christ-confident woman, one who recognizes not only her sin but also her Savior!

And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12

That’s why I put together Being Confident of This: 30 Days to Discovering Your Identity in Christ. This devotional comes from my personal experience as a woman trying to understand who God created her to be, a woman who daily sees her own flaws and imperfections yet longs for love and acceptance, a woman who deeply desires to be used by God for His glory, a woman who seeks to be a good wife and mother, and a woman who wants other women to experience real freedom.

Authentic confidence is not a mask you put on and take off, neither is it something you can manufacture on your own. Authentic confidence isn’t the absence of fear or doubt, but a laying down of control and concern at the Father’s feet. Authentic confidence naturally flows from the woman who is Spirit-filled and grace-oriented.

It’s this kind of confident faith that enabled me to write out some of my deepest confessions here on this blog and in Hope for the Hurting Wife. It’s this kind of confident faith that upheld me when marriage became hard work and I grappled for hope. It’s this kind of confident faith that propelled us out of our comfortable and safe ministry position straight into the unsettling unknown of church-planting. It’s the confidence that continues to sustain me.

If you want to be this kind of Christian woman, I invite you to join me. In Being Confident of This you will learn about the benefits of:

Overcoming the superwoman myth
Having courage to face a giant
Avoiding the danger of greener grass
Embracing a work-in-progress mindset

Don’t waste another moment of your one life on fear, doubt, or insecurity, friend.

Choose today to ignite the confidence befitting a cherished daughter of the King!

Praying for you, my work-in-progress friends,

Jen 🙂

Launch Week fun & a GIVEAWAY for Being Confident of This

In celebration of the release of Being Confident of This, we’re having a giveaway! You can enter the one hosted here (see bottom of post!) at BCOT below, but you should also be on the lookout for other giveaways hosted by our launch team members. Keep an eye on our facebook page and Instagram feed for more information!

As an added BONUS, for readers who purchase through the links on this page during launch week only, I’m offering the Work in Progress Toolkit. This is a tool I created last year as an exclusive bonus for Grace Goals, but it fits so well with the themes of this new devotional that I want to give it to you for free. 🙂

The Word is clear that Scripture changes us (Psalm 119:11). When we meditate on truth, our minds and spirits are transformed, and transformed minds lead to transformed actions. It’s that work-in-progress in us, that sanctification that molds us into Christ-likeness.

But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” Luke 11:28

The Work in Progress Toolkit is designed to help you saturate your life with truth so that you can overcome the lies that so often hold Christian women back. It contains beautiful 8×10 scripture prints to hang on your walls, as well at a truth-journaling sheet that will help you identify lies you are believing so that you can fight back with God’s truth!

How to get your BONUS

The only way to get this bonus is to purchase Being Confident of This during launch week through the links on this page and email me your receipt along with a request for the toolkit. It’s that simple! I will then send you the link to download your FREE resource.

And if you really want to make my day, you can share the news about Being Confident of This with your friends, leave a review of the book after reading, or send me an email telling me how it’s impacting you. Hearing how the Lord is working in you makes my joy complete. 🙂

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What We Think God Really Wants

How We Get Pleasing God All Wrong

What God Really Wants from You

What God really wants is so much less about doing than we like to make it, and so much more about being than we like to offer.

Am I Offering What God Really Wants?

5 Reasons to Study the Bible Chronologically

Study the Bible chronologically to build a firm foundation.

2. Study the Bible chronologically to follow God’s timeline.

3. Study the Bible chronologically to grasp key Gospel concepts.

4. Study the Bible chronologically to understand the Big Picture.

5. Study the Bible chronologically to follow the example of Jesus.

We don’t have time to waste.

How to Study the Bible: 4 Exceptional Resources

The FOCUSed15 Series from Katie Orr

Reasons why I think the FOCUS15 series is the perfect starting place for any woman who wants to learn how to study the Bible:

2. Blue Letter Bible Website

Reasons why I love Blue Letter Bible Website for everyone who wants to know how to study the Bible:

3. Bible Study Methods by Arabah Joy

Reasons why I love Bible Study Methods for both beginners AND experienced believers who want to know more about how to study the Bible:

4. The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus by John Cross

Reasons why I love The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus and wish every believer would read it:

6 More Benefits of Studying God’s Word

6. One of the most important benefits of studying God’s Word is that it gives us life (both spiritual AND physical)!

7. Studying God’s Word also helps us to grow in faith and in Christ-likeness.

8. Another benefit of studying God’s Word is that as we mature, we can lead others in truth, too!

9. Studying the Word also helps us to fight spiritual battles and experience victory!

10. The Bible gives us peace and hope.

11. Finally, spending time studying God’s Word helps us produce spiritual fruit.

6 Ways to Set Goals with Confidence

1. Surrender to God’s plan for your life.

2. Consider your unique spiritual gifts.

3. Consider your past preparation.

4. Pray for godly desire.

5. Create a plan.

6. Take the first step.

7 Tips for a Peaceful Christmas

Adjust your expectations.

2. Rest in your work-in-progress status.

3. Guard against strife in your marriage.

4. Focus on what your family really needs most.

5. Let go of Holiday guilt!

6. Look for peace in the right places.

7. Be prepared.

The Holiday Hypocrite

For a few days, God and I were barely on speaking terms.

So, I confess: I’ve been a Holiday Hypocrite.

5 Promising Benefits of Personal Bible Study

To know the truth and recognize what is false.

To help us discern right from wrong by giving us knowledge and the guidance we desperately need in this fallen world!

To avoid sin and the destruction that follows.

To help us obey!

To give us freedom.

3 Vital Reasons to Study God’s Word for Yourself

1. Stand firm in your beliefs.

2. Grow into a mature believer.

3. Experience the abundant life He has planned for you.

Becoming a Woman of Authentic Confidence

The Mistake We All Make

The Christ-confident Woman

Launch Week fun & a GIVEAWAY for Being Confident of This

How to get your BONUS