Sorry, it seems I'm posting a little late. *hehe*
First off, I'm so thankful we're all together having this Bible study. Let's pray that God's Spirit will move in our hearts and open our minds to hear what he wants to tell us and feel His presence during this time.(please, really do pray here)
This study was a little "iffy" for me at the start. I'll explain later.
For this first week I'd like all who are interested in a chat to pm me with their AIM name so that I can invite them to a chat room. And, what I would suggest for us to do is meet at the end of the week and discuss what we've learned from God. Sharing, of course, only what you feel led to share. It should be a good time of encouragement. At the end of this I'll list three possible times and you also let me know either pm or on this thread the best times for you.
These studies, to go over the more perfunctory issue, are like any workbook. The lessons are set up so that you can do one study per day, at the top of the study you will see, Day 1, Day 2, etc... and then meet and discuss the five lessons you covered for that week.
You'll also notice the Video Response Sheets for the Group Sessions. If you like I'll give you the answers to those, but what those are is this study is designed to have a weekly Bible study with Beth Moore via her video recording. Well, I have the audio versions for this lesson, but I don't know how I can share those with you. I really wish I could since she is such an inspirational speaker.
However, we're going to do the first Video Response Sheet on page 7 today and through this week, rather than the first lessons. We'll start those next week. I think that would be best since some of you still do not have your workbook.
Before you do that let me share a story with you, please bare with me and this will possibly speak to you:
Something happened a few weeks back. I was face-to-face with my sinful nature. It made me almost cancel this Bible study. I hurt a sister in Christ - horribly - with my words. You ever do that? You say something and no amount of editing is going to erase what just went flying out of your mouth. It's like this missile, you pushed the red button, and it is not coming back. You just took out an entire city.
Words, they hurt - they damage - they destroy. But, what we'll be covering in this study is how what is in our heart guides those words. In James 3:8,9 "But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God."
Now, the poison I spewed was in my writing. I believe for us who are online it is every bit the tongue that shoots out the poison, what we write here, or through pm, or via email. It stems from what is in our heart. And my words hurt that which was made in the likeness of God - and worse, one who is a daughter of the Father like myself.
Love motivates the tongue and the words. I was very evil in my words. And suddenly I was confronted with, am I worthy to lead/guide this study? There was no love coming out of me when I wrote what I wrote. How can I do a study on love?
However, God wasn't through with me. I wanted to cancel this study and wallow in my sin. My eyes had been taken off the Lord and focused on my sin - my mistake - my evil heart. Satan loves that. He wants us to focus on our sin, staying crippled, unhealthy, and unable to do that which God has called us to do. What I did was meant for evil, but what God wanted was to turn this into something good. Why? Again, because of His love for us.
So, in the course of these three weeks until today God has been doing some major rebuilding on my heart. He was getting me ready to guide you through this wonderful study written by Beth Moore.
Let me tell you, on Thursday, of this last week, not four days ago, I was driving in my car, praying, alone with God and just sobbing. I was sobbing in my sinfulness. I must have confessed every sin I ever committed. [Insert laughter] I mean, have you ever done that? Just sobbed so hard it's like you're going to run out of water? My husband called me an hour into my drive, "Val, are you all right?" I was at the end of the drive and suddenly feeling better, "oh yeah, hon, be home soon." He knows me - its so weird. He knows when I need to be alone, and in that I have to tell you, I am so grateful for my husband. He told me, "just be careful." He knew I needed to be alone.
So, on Friday I write out another apology to the girl I hurt, my sister in the Lord, and I am very candid. I told her I didn't feel right doing the Bible study even. The weight of my sin was overwhelming - to me. But then, something happened. and you know those times when you're just sitting still and
whoosh the Spirit tells you
"I am here!" "I am present!" "I am your God and I love you more than anything." Whoosh, a God moment.
That happened to me all day Saturday. One after another posts or comments via email, out of nowhere people are encouraging me. Kisa's comment that she thought I was a woman of God made me bawl. I saw it on my email because it was this subscribed thread, and
whoosh the God moment. And then a beautiful letter I got back from that wonderful sister in the Lord, encouragine me with total forgiveness.
"As far as the East is from the West, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:12 That entire chapter spoke to me, actually, but I'll just type out this verse because in the letter she sent me she quoted this verse and I had happened to write the verse out to her as well. We were thinking the same. God is awesome, no?
Whoosh, a God moment. (I'm going to be saying this a lot, so I hope you all don't get too irritated.
)
Then, to top it off, and this is a beautiful metaphor, because God is so good to us, I was swimming, exercising, just lounging in my pool Sunday morning. It was beautiful out and I like to swim early and I get a chance to meditate, pray and be alone surrounded by our beautiful backyard. The sky was especially blue and we happen to live on a birding highway. So, I can see some wonderful wildlife while I look up and to the skies.
I'm praying and feeling very content in the Lord. He had healed my heart, but to top it off, this was the creme de' la creme, I looked up and saw this giant Eagle flying overheard. I mean, it had a wingspan bigger than our local Peregrine Falcons or Red-Tailed Hawks. A giant EAGLE!
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, it shut me up. Do you see the metaphor? I had been looking at myself, and I looked up and there was the eagle. It was God telling me to look up - LOOK UP.
Whoosh, the God moment.
"Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; They will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:31.
I saw that verse in an entirely new light. I had been pretty weary. He never left my side. And now, I'm ready for this study. And as you can see, I'm ready to just rant and rant on this study.
Don't worry, I won't write this much later on. I just had to share that with you all right now. This version was severely cut down from what I did have. If you ask some of my friends here, like EireWolf and Mave, whom I regularly email, they can vouche for the fact I do go on and on and on with my stories.
I will write another post with your assignment for the week. *hehe* Thought this was it, didn't you?
that you all will be joining us in this indepth study of the life and ministry of John - John, who was known as the beloved disciple.
Thank you so much for doing whatever you did. *hugs*
And, thank you so much for the kind words, Kisa. 
