I am so thankful that we are reading and learning from Pursuing More of Jesus by Anne Graham Lotz. Welcome back to the Women’s Bible Cafe!Grab a cup of warm tea, Holiday coffee or a glass of water and sit for awhile as you dive into the words of John Chapter 10.
In the first two lessons, we learned that that the authentic voice is Biblical. Jesus tells us the truth and how to recognize the sound of God’s voice: through scriptures. He warns us to beware of religious leaders and other Christians who will drive us away from God and steal our faith.
Pray for more of His voice in your ear when you feel enclosed by static noise and confusing information. Pray for the ability to discern the authentic Biblical voice of truth. Pray that God will filter every voice in your ear through Scriptures as you read and KNOW the Bible. We’re Pursuing Jesus!
Today’s Scripture Verse
When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” John 10:4-5
Prayer Requests
Father, in your Glory you’ve given us eyes to see and ears to hear your voice. I ask that you peel away those people and things that blur our vision. Set our feel on a clear path of pursuing more of Jesus. Each woman in this study desires to know Jesus, understand your word and feel love in her heart. Bess the women who have given their time to study your word, walk beside them and teach them through authentic scriptures. Amen.
Individual Activity
Complete pages 22-23 in your workbook.
Group Activity
Have you ever followed a thief in your walk of faith, detoured and found yourself on the wrong path of destruction? Without using details or NAMES, describe a time where you listened to the thief and he stole your faith.
Post a comment to share your thoughts. Please go back and read comments already posted for Lesson One and Lesson Two and participate in the discussion.
Looking back, I remember the thief stole my faith when I was 12-years old. My favorite uncle was dying of cancer and my parents gave me a book to read about death and dying to help understand the process. Since the book was not in alignment with scripture, after I read it I became afraid of death and did not see Jesus the comforter.
Death, funerals and terminal illness became an ending for me, something to be feared and avoided. I wanted to avoid the pain and I listened to the thief when he whispered that death was final. I found myself on the wrong path, living life to the fullest as defined by earthly standards rather than living life as a child of God with Biblical standards. I followed the stranger and did not recognize the voice of the shepherd because I was not reading my Bible, I was reading a psychological opinion of the stages of death.
Thankfully my feet and my heart found Jesus and I am pursuing more of him!
When I was in college, probably 20 years old, I was confused as to what I academically was going to do with my life. Instead of trusting, praying and listening to the Lord, I allowed the thief Satan to get a stronghold in my heart for a few weeks. I was filled with worry and doubt.
Thanks to prayers and encouragement from my godly mother, I was able to change my focus and put my faith and trust back on the Lord. I once again followed MY shepherd and listened to HIS voice.
I accepted Jesus when I was 10 years old at a Good News Club in the backyard of one of my friends. I had always had a desire for Him in my life. My Grandmother was a Sunday School teacher and my parents who were totally against my Grandmother’s denomination would only allow us to go to church with her at Christmas and Easter to appease her. They did not realize what was planted in my spirit at that time. When I came to Nashville I got a job at the Methodist Publishing House in the curriculum department as an assistant to an editor of 1sr and 2nd grade Sunday School curriculum and I enjoyed proof reading, typing manuscripts etc. I still was not going to church at this point probably because of my parents influence. I then listened to the stranger’s voice and changed professions to the Country Music Industry to please my parents. My older sister was a country music singer and my parents were enamored with the music business unfortunately. Well, I wandered for many years after that. Life was all about fun but after awhile it wasn’t much fun and due to some tragic things happening in my life I began to seek the shepherd out once again.I started back through some things that I finally realized were new age (the stranger again). He came and found me 15 years ago and once again showed me the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I know it was my profession at in Jesus at 10 that always kept him with me but unfortunately in my background. The scripture says, “He will never leave you or forsake you.” That is a scripture that I can attest to. Praise God! It is for His glory.
I know His Voice…and I listen to His Voice.. But I get in “trouble” when other voices are around and I don’t run away from those voices until circumstances really get tough and I then have a lightbulb experience and start running away, back into the arms of Jesus.
When I was 14 the church I attended was stuck in a period of gossip, backstabbing, and judging others. This was key to me walking away from church. My church allowed the “Stranger’s Voice” to become the voice of the church.
As a teen I did things that I wasn’t proud of and participated in stuff I had no business to be involved in. I often wonder if my church family hadn’t fallen apart, if the stranger’s voice wouldn’t have encouraged and led me to wrong doing. Even as a teen I could hear Jesus asking me if I really wanted to do that. My answer was Yes I Want to do that. Jesus was still with me through it all.
What I got from today’s message is that “they will never follow a stranger”. In modern day times talk, to me this means….
I will NOT be KIDNAPPED by the Stranger (Satan).
I know my Savior’s (shepherd’s) Voice.
Thank you Lord for making the stranger’s voice unrecognizable! I thank you Lord for continuing to teach us about your LOVE for us. Please continue to keep us safe and open to learning from your Word. Amen
In my early 20s, I allowed the thief of lack and limitation to corrupt my life. This belief led me to do some pretty unsavory things that have led me down many different paths. I did not know God’s abundance because I did not know God or His word. This same thief caused me to stifle my dreams and see myself as unworthy and undeserving. I now know that God loves me and that He will always provide, as long as I listen to Him and live by His word.
I have a question about Step 3 in the workbook. It asks, “What does God’s word mean?” I am having a hard time with that step because I don’t know what God’s word means… that is why I am taking this Bible study. How am I supposed to know the answer? And when I answer Step 4, “What does God’s word mean to me?” how do I know that my answer is right? So far, my interpretations of the scriptures have been wrong… according to what I am reading here in the cafe.
Can anyone please help or clarify for me???? Thank you!!!
I had the exact same concerns when I started with the study. In fact, I started doing the study in pencil because I found I was changing my answers from my initial response. I have watched the Workshop One video where Anne Graham Lotz is leading a small group study and in it, each woman has a different understanding of what the word means to her. There is no one right answer. I prefer the Beth Moore “fill in the blanks” study format, yet I’m plowing into this one with an open mind. I can say the study makes me very uncomfortable at times, and sometimes I feel like I “missed it” yet other times I feel I understood the verse perfectly. The benefit of sharing the comments is that we can learn from another, and what I missed you may have found.
Step 3 Questions:
Is there an example to follow in this verse?
What are the people doing in the verse that I should be doing, or not doing?
Is there a promise to claim?
Is there a warning to heed?
A command to obey?
Step 4 Questions: (see page 13)
Am I…
When have I…
What is keeping me…
Do I…
Maybe I threw you off track today when I asked a different question, most questions have been about the verses and today’s question was about a personal experience. I’ll keep this in mind for the future posts.
If anyone else can contribute to Desiree’s question, it would be appreciated.
You said it,there is no right and wrong answer to these questions. Live in His Grace and Love yourself in Him. He made you beaautiful and He loves you more than anyone else in the world.
Thank you Christine,
At least now I know I am not alone. I feel like I am struggling a little bit, but I am not going to quit. Maybe it is the enemy trying to keep me down… But where can I get the download of session 1? Maybe that will help me too.
Thanks again!!
Here is the link for the Session One audio, the cost is $3.99 from Liveway:
http://www.lifeway.com/e7/shop/?id=005200725