Tonight my girlfriends and I are meeting for the first installation of our book club endeavor, The Lies Women Believe and the Truth that Sets Them Free.
Many of us struggle with the age old lies: I am not pretty enough, I am not skinny enough, I am not successful enough, etc; we are realizing that these lies will become stronger and the tendency to compare ourselves to our friends will come faster. We recognize that when we compare ourselves to others instead of to God and what He has called each of us to, covetousness will ruin our relationships; therefore, we are trying to stand firm and fight the good fight together.
The first chapter is entitled "Truth or Consequences." I spent a good 2+ hours yesterday going through this 12 page chapter. The author, Nancy Leigh Demoss, asserts that we first listen to the lie, then believe the lie and finally act on the lie. She then has the reader identify areas of bondage and sinful behavior, the lie at the root of these behaviors, and then calls the reader to replace the lie with the Truth.
Granted, I have so many sinful behaviors or areas of bondage that I can pinpoint, but the three that I focused on, all stem back to the lie that it doesn't just matter what God thinks, but that it matters what everyone else thinks of me, too. I spent well over an hour pouring over the Scriptures to find the Truth that states that it ONLY matters what God thinks of me--and I actually had FUN doing this! For the first time in a long time, studying Scripture in my personal time was enjoyable, because I was actually applying it to my life- as God intends it for!
The Scriptures, the Truths, that counteract the lie that I believe are:
Ecc. 12:13-14 and 8:12
Psalm 139:23-24
Psalm 73:25
Colossians 3:1-17
1 Timothy 6:6-16
I was really struck by the verses in 1 Timothy 6:15-16. I feel like I have never noticed them before (isn't it funny how God does that?). These verses seem so poetic and prayerful in the midst of a very practical, instructional letter:
"...God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen."
These verses give such a glimpse into the spiritual realm, which we so often ignore, but which is the REAL. For example, the other day I read in Daniel 10:12-13. Daniel had been fasting and praying for 21 days and it seemed like there was no break through....then Gabriel arrives and tells him that God certainly did hear his prayer on the first day, but that Gabriel was held up because he was fighting an evil angel, the prince of Persia, for 21 days, and finally the angel Michael came to help out so that Gabriel was free to visit Daniel and give encouragement.
These spiritual battles are very real. Daniel might have believed the lie that God did not hear his prayers or did not care, when it reality, there is just this huge battle going on that we are unable to see. Satan wants us to believe His lies instead of God's truth and we so often succumb to him and believe him...this is why I am so excited for this book club. I hope that through it, we young women are able to strengthen, encourage and exhort one another. Sometimes we are so deceived and God has to use the church to remind us of His truth.
It is my prayer that many of us in this group are set free from the bondage we have allowed ourselves to be enslaved in, and the we are able live the abundant, free life that Christ offers!
"I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10
On a whole other topic, last night we celebrated our friend's graduation from the University of Pennsylvania on the Moshulu. It was a gorgeous affair and a very fun dinner. We had such a wonderful time and we are so excited to see how God will continue to mold and shape our dear friend. (After we left our private party room, Kanye West took over the room for his after party!)
Lastly, on Friday night I made amazing strawberry bread. The recipe was so easy and we loved it! Yum. (I can't seem to find it again on Allrecipes.com; though there are other recipes for the same kind of bread!)
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