We’ve just finished week five of When Godly People Do Ungodly Things by Beth Moore, and next week is our last week of this spiritual warfare bible study. I hope you are enjoying the online bible studies for women! Spiritual warfare is one of the hardest studies to lead and to complete, because Satan throws out every flaming arrow he can gather and strives to stop your spiritual growth in this area. I commend each of you for your perseverance and determination to claim victory and complete your study. If you were sitting in my living room I’d run over and give you BIG HUGS.

Week 5 of this study is about finding your way home to the God who loves you. This week’s lesson is critical to spiritual growth. If you haven’t turned a corner already, then now is the time. You need to leave the past on the cross, let go of your shame, and walk in grace and forgiveness. If you have already experienced this transformation, then you know what I am referring to. We can be in bondage to our past, and though we know Jesus forgives and cleans us, we often do not forgive ourselves. A turning point in your spiritual life is when you let go of the woman who made a mistake, and embrace the woman who God loves.  Jesus was not nailed to the cross so you would continue to feel bad about your past choices; Jesus was nailed to the cross to lift your burden, bring you grace and show you how deep God’s love is for His children. If Satan and his demons are weighing you down with past mistakes, today is the time to fling them away and claim your identity. You are God’s child and no enemy, no evil power, no shame, no past mistake can keep you from the arms of a loving father. God loves prodigal children. Saying that God could “never forgive me” is actually a form of pride. It’s thinking your sin is greater than Christ’s nail-pierced hands of the cross. “Live for the applause of nail-scared hands,” says Mark Batterson.

If you still struggle with your past, I invite you to try this visual exercise. Find a comfortable place where you will not be interrupted. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart to any sin you’ve been hiding under a sackcloth of shame. Imagine yourself removing this sackcloth….dusty and aged from years and years of bondage. See yourself folding the sackcloth and putting it into a museum where it is viewed as a thing of the past. Now, imagine you are crossing the Jordan River and you need 12 stones to get to the other side. As you visualize yourself walking across each stone, pray for 12 sins to reveal themselves. On the first stone you might say “Holy Spirit, walk with me and help me release my sins. On this first stone I confess (my sin) and I ask for forgiveness.” Do this 12 times and see where the visualization leads you. When you see yourself on the other side, imagine Jesus is waiting there to wash your feet. It’s a beautiful exercise of releasing the veils of shame and allowing Christ in you to restore your soul. (Psalm 23:3 NKJV)

Follow your heart to the path of hope and restoration, release your fears and let God heal. Find Christian counseling if you need it, and move forward on the path Jesus places before you. My steps have stayed on your path; I have not wavered from following you. Psalm 17:5 NLT

Prayer Requests

Please visit our Prayer Wall and post a prayer request or praise report. Take time this week to lift others up with your prayers.

Beth Moore Quotes

• God’s Word provides a road map for restoration if we are willing to follow it.
• True repentance swells grace.
• I had to learn to swim in grace in order to live.
• Humble and surrender yourself and all things concerning you into His loving hands and His wise plan.
• Release your pride entirely to the Lord.
• The sifting of our proud natures is one of God’s primary divine intentions.
• God has no use for pride. It’s one of the few things scripture points out that He absolutely hates.
• Failure may be the very thing God uses to sift us and make us true foot-washing servants.
• If God wants to open doors for you to serve Him, He is perfectly capable of doing it.

For Next Week

• Read Week Six in the workbook
• If you are using the CD’s please listen to audio Session Six
• Join our next study Loving Well by Beth Moore

Group Discussion- Answer one question or as many as you like

1. How do you feel about Had? (page 105 )
2. Imagine your sin nailed upon the cross. Picture this in your mind, then share your gratitude.
3. How does it feel to know God will never reject you and he calls you His daughter? (page 120 )
4. Share a favorite moment from this week’s study.

It’s the fourth week of When Godly People Do Ungodly Things by Beth Moore, and we spent time this week looking at they types of seduction used for evil. Our discussion examined relational seductions and how the enemy breaks or creates unhealthy ties. Beth gave a wonderful example of always keeping the cross between ourselves and anyone we engage with. Use the cross as a boundary for relationships; it is an extension and reflection of God’s heart. When the relationship does not align with the cross…FLEE… in Jesus name.

In our lesson, Beth writes “we have been sent into this world. To disconnect would be in direct disobedience of that purpose.” I lived out this week’s lesson as I confronted a Christian leader about a decision he was making. I am not mentioning his name so I will not fall into gossip, though he did mention me on his blog. He made a public statement that he intended to disconnect with his followers on Twitter because 1) they lowered his Klout score and 2) he was getting too much junk in his mail box and missing valuable relationships. My intent was to confront him in love, so I posted a comment suggesting he pray before making the decision to “mass unfollow” people he had connected with. He was disconnecting from Christians and it touched my heart. I gave him an example of how God uses me in social media: often I say something that touches the heart of another believer and they tell me those words or that scripture verse ministered to them. By “cutting out” a following of Believers, this leader was cutting out the opportunity for God to use him this way. It was taken out of context when I suggested he look at this from God’s view: what would happen if Jesus unfollowed his flock and then told us to earn our way back in? The leader lashed at me and said I was elevating Twitter to the status of Jesus, and I offended him. My words were mis-read and he missed my heart. Soon a group of other Christian leaders joined him and started mocking anyone who disagreed with their decision to mass-unfollow Christians.

I walked away from the confrontation and let it go, until a week later when a friend said she was inclined to follow his lead. She said many Christians were now “mass unfollowing” one another just like this leader did,  in order to have more quality relationships and better Klout scores. My heart jumped into the conversation again, as I saw the Christian leader was driving the flock to disconnect and again I confronted him. He was (and still is) getting a lot of attention for his actions. I asked for prayer from others before confronting him again, confided in close friends, and went where God led my heart. I explained to this leader that mass unfollowing is not based on scripture and again encouraged him to pray before encouraging Christians to disconnect.  I saw the enemy working in this situation, convincing leaders that fewer followers would make for better quality. Twice last week I was approached by my followers telling me they were giving up on God and walking away from Him. In each case, I was able to engage with her and redirect her back to Jesus. Often people send me prayer requests and say they have no Christian friends and do not know where to turn. God placed me in a position to do this and if I had “mass unfollowed” people to raise my Klout score or make my life more convenient, I would have been serving myself and not Him. My heart is with Jesus and I would never mass unfollow people He leads my way. “In terms of ministry, people are everything to us because they are everything to Christ,” writes Beth. It breaks my heart when Christian leaders encourage the flock to separate.

While I do not like conflict in relational situations, I have a deeper need to be led by Christ. I would not have peace in my heart if I ignored the discernment He placed on my heart. Would I want to look back at a mass unfollowing by Christians and say “I did nothing and I was in agreement to break up the flock” or do I want to look back and say “I listened to Christ and followed His heart?” Discernment showed me Christ would never encourage mass unfollowing for the sake of higher Klout scores or convenience, because this is pride. “If we are not motivated by the Spirit through love, God is not the one calling us to get involved,” writes Beth. I pray God will continue to place people before me so I can love on them, pray with them and lead them to Christ.

By the way…my discernment and confrontation happened prior to reading this week’s bible study. The study conformed what I had already experienced.

Prayer Requests

Please visit our Prayer Wall and post a prayer request or praise report. Take time this week to lift others up with your prayers.

Beth Moore Quotes

• Disconnection is not an option for followers of Christ.
• Christ didn’t give his life for church doctrine. He gave His life for people.
• Neither spirituality nor being deeply spiritual about Christian things equals godliness.
• The world is going to get increasingly wicked, yet we’ve been sent smack into the middle of it.
• Those who isolate themselves from the involvement of the body of Christ will be at great risk for potential disaster.
• Discernment sees trouble, senses a warning, and cites the need for caution.
• We can’t practice godly discernment if we don’t walk in the Spirit.
• Believers have never needed one another more than they will in the latter days.

For Next Week

• Read Week Five in the workbook
• If you are using the CD’s please listen to audio Session five
• Join our Womens Bible Cafe Chat on Facebook
• Register for Loving Well by Beth Moore 4-week video based bible study

Group Discussion- Answer one question or as many as you like

1. What evidence do you see of hearts growing cold in this world? (page 80 )
2. What happens when Christ stands between relationships? (page 93 )
3. Have you ever been in a situation such as mine, where your discernment sees trouble and you feel the need to speak up, even if it leads to conflict? (page 97 )
4. Share a favorite moment from this week’s study.

We’re half way through When Godly People Do Ungodly Things by Beth Moore, and really feeling the bite of Satan as we complete our study. The enemy is fighting hard and many of you have shared your personal stories of spiritual warfare these past few weeks. This week our lesson is about being seduce-proofed Christians and the intensity of the enemy attacks is to expose any weakness in our walls. Beth Moore gave us ten descriptions of a seduce-proofed Christian during our bible study this week. The seduced-proofed Christian

1. …..is happy in her faith
2. …..abstains from evil
3. …..is unceasing in prayer
4. …..is thankful and gives thanks
5. …..doesn’t quench the Spirit
6. …..does not despise instruction, exhortation or warning
7. …..tests and proves all things until she recognizes what is good
8. …..allows God Himself to sanctify her through and through
9. …..keeps her whole spirit, soul and body blameless
10. …..knows the One who called her is faithful and He will do it

Go back over this list and insert your name into the beginning of each description. Read it aloud and see if it fits you. If you need to strengthen one of these areas, print the list and read it each day until it sinks into your mind. Beth reminds us “Satan can’t get in from the outside without an invitation from the inside.” Whatever it takes, strengthen your walls. Some tools include daily bible study, scripture memorization, listening to Christian music, prayer, worship and time with Jesus. “God delights to bless our obedience,” writes Beth. Let Him bless you with peace and grace inside your heart and let His love flow from you into the lives of others.

Prayer Requests

Please visit our Prayer Wall and post a prayer request or praise report. Take time this week to lift others up with your prayers.

Beth Moore Quotes

• A pray-without ceasing relationship means seeing everything against the backdrop of God’s presence.
• Many times we don’t have a knowledge problem; we have an obedience problem.
• A huge chasm can separate goodwill from God’s will.
• Allow God to completely invade you through and through.
• We don’t often realize our fence is down until Satan devours something precious.
• I cooperated with the devil because I had not completely cooperated with God.

For Next Week

• Read Week Four in the workbook
• If you are using the CD’s please listen to audio Session Four
  
• Join our Womens Bible Cafe Chat on Facebook

Group Discussion- Answer one question or as many as you like

1. Imagine you are a watchman on the wall, looking for the enemy to attack. Where would your eyes look most, or in what direction would you be watching for him? Where are the weaknesses in your wall?
2. The bible encourages us to pray for others and intercede. Name one person that you are going to pray for this week, each day, in intercessory prayer.
3. Have you ever struggled with opposition from the enemy? If so, how? (page 67 )
4. Share a favorite moment from this week’s study.

Welcome back to womens online bible study, we’re on the second week of When Godly People Do Ungodly Things by Beth Moore. This week we studied how wholehearted, sincerely and fully devoted believers could be seduced by Satan. In scripture we saw how God allowed Job and Peter to be seduced through a season of sifting. In spite of falling prey to seduction, God then used these faithful men to serve His kingdom. As children of God, we’re all seduced and vulnerable to spiritual warfare. The purpose of this Beth Moore bible study is to inform believers of the enemy schemes and then teach you how to prepare for the inevitable battle. If you’ve already experienced the invisible war, then you’ll find healing from your battle wounds as our study progresses. Don’t let Satan convince you the study is too hard, or that you just don’t have time to learn about the enemy. Continue on and be informed of his evil ways.

One of the biggest areas Satan keeps us in bondage is through our past mistakes. Our seduction leads to shame, hiding and unhealthy fear of the Lord. Some of us were seduced as innocent children and carried the weight of abusive childhoods. Others were seduced as young adults, exploring sexual freedoms and terminating pregnancies by choice. More were seduced by addictions, affairs and unpure hearts. No matter the depth of the seduction, we were lead astray over ignorance and weakness, wearing veils of shame. Beth writes “When Christ takes authority over our pasts and we allow Him to confront them, treat them, and heal them, we exchange our shame for dignity.” God allows His children to fall at the hands of the enemy, and when we return to Him, we are refined as pure gold.

Prayer Requests

Please visit our Prayer Wall and post a prayer request or praise report. Take time this week to lift others up with your prayers.

Beth Moore Quotes

• If we are not given to godly passion, we will be tempted by counterfeits.
• Rebellion is not the only way to get into trouble.
• Anytime we are loaded down with sins, we are game for seduction.
• We’ve got to replace self-condemnation with self-discernment.
• Satan would be foolish not to try to exploit our past experiences.
• God keeps no record of believers’ wrongs, but you can be sure Satan does.
• Satan despises any teacher who dares to instruct believers how to use the Sword of the Spirit.
• Everyday temptation and intentional demonic seduction are as different as a snowball and an avalanche.

For Next Week

• Read Week Three in the workbook
• If you are using the CD’s please listen to audio Session Three
• Join our Womens Bible Cafe Chat on Facebook

Group Discussion- Answer one question or as many as you like

1. How do you think advertising, magazines, books, television and music makes us susceptible to seduction? (page 39 )
2. If a friend came to you after a season of seduction from Satan, how would you counsel her? (page 43 )
3. Have you ever experienced a time of sifting? If you feel comfortable, describe your experience. (page 52 )
4. Share a favorite moment from this week’s study.

We’ve just finished week one of When Godly People Do Ungodly Things by Beth Moore, and learned about the seduction of Satan and why we are enemy targets. We then looked at 16 common claims of the seduced. For some of you, this may be your first introduction to the concept of spiritual warfare and the seductions may have been a shock and a surprise to you.  For others, you may have looked at the 16 common methods used by the enemy and recognized the trap set before you. You probably had a mix of emotions from this week’s study- anger, shame, hurt, fear and disappointment- to name a few. While the feelings are uncomfortable, they are not without a hidden gift: God restores His children.

The purpose of this study is not to sink you into a well of despair, but rather to lift you up on your royal feet and remind you that you are His. God alone has the love and the willingness and the unyielding desire to redeem His children. He restores you from a season of spiritual warfare by removing your feelings of guilt and shame, and replacing them with a pure heart in love with Him. Once you’ve had a Holy Makeover in your heart and found the source of your clogged arteries, you are better able to defend yourself from future attacks. Beth assures us, “God forgives sin the moment we repent, but its ramifications can take longer to heal.”

Expect warfare this week as you continue in the study. It’s not uncommon, and you have no reason to fear. Beth Moore writes “many believers have a wrong conception of Satan’s power. They think he is something parallel to or as powerful as God.” In God’s Kingdom, Satan is a pest and an annoyance and will never claim victory.  “Satan is merely a created being,” writes Beth. Expect to be annoyed as he throws distractions, lies and deception into your path. Rebuke him the same way Jesus did. Be vigilant for those areas of your life where the enemy pierces your weakness- especially in the areas of relationships, finances, health and temptations. Pray when you sense the enemy is at work, recite scripture to the devil, and ask for intercessory prayer if his flaming arrows become too hot. No matter what, do not quit or give up on the bible study and allow the enemy to disarm you! The most valuable bible study you can complete is one on enemy warfare and this one is excellent, as you are about to see. The only reason we are in this war is because God loves us as His precious children. We are His.

Prayer Requests

Please visit our Prayer Wall and post a prayer request or praise report. Take time this week to lift others up with your prayers. Be on guard to personal attacks from the enemy and pray constantly over this during the week. The Lord is your shield and the Holy Spirit in you is your guide. With Jesus in your heart, victory is won.

Beth Moore Quotes

• Not everyone in a stronghold of sin is having a good time.
• Satan’s ultimate fury is at God.
• Anything God does, Satan attempts to counterfeit.
• One of Satan’s chief objectives is to make the clean feel unclean.
• Obsessive thinking is one of the clearest signs of a fierce demonic stronghold.
• Satan loves isolation. Be aware of anything that separates us from godly people.

For Next Week

• Read Week Two in the workbook
• If you are using the CD’s please listen to audio Session Two
• Join our Womens Bible Cafe Chat on Facebook

Group Discussion- Answer one question or as many as you like

1. How have your eyes been opened to see that you are a target of Satan? (page 15 )
2. Why are we vulnerable at spiritually high times, such as starting a new bible study or growing in faith? (page 24 )
3. Which of the 16 common claims of the seduced have you struggled with in the past or are struggling with now? (page 30 )
4. Share a favorite moment from this week’s study.

We begin our spiritual warfare online bible study today, a six-week study on enemy tactics and how to have victory over Satan. To participate in the study, you’ll need the workbook called When Godly People Do Ungodly Things by Beth Moore. If you are waiting for your workbook to arrive, you can start late and jump into the group discussions when you finish reading your chapter. Be sure to sign-up for this bible study so we know you are joining us.

I selected this Beth Moore study because it was my very first bible study and it gave me a craving for more of God’s word. By completing When Godly People Do Ungodly Things I realized how far the enemy had seduced me away from Jesus. I was no longer content with a superficial relationship with Jesus; this bible study planted a seed and I wanted to draw closer to Him. My prayer is that after completing this study you will have a stronger relationship with Jesus and a better understanding of the methods Satan uses to put a wedge between you and God.

There are fewer women participating in this bible studies than previous Bible Cafe studies. We have about 80 women in the study and a few will drop out before the study is complete. This is the result of spiritual warfare which is intended to cause you to drop out of the study, fall behind in the study, or never finish the study. It’s the work of Satan and a few good women will fall. If it happens to you, please contact us so we can pray for you and support you in your bible study journey.

This study begins with Session One in your workbook. Audio/video sessions are available from Lifeway.com and will enhance your study. Because of the cost, the audio/video sessions are not required to participate- though they are highly recommended.

Getting Started

1. Before you start your study, we recommend you write a letter to God on the inside cover of the workbook, and date it. Tell Him why you are this study and what you hope to learn from the study. Ask Him to keep you centered and focused on the Word.
2. There are five lessons each week. The lessons require about 30-45 minutes of time each day and we recommend you complete them first thing in the morning. When you read the Bible before your day begins, you are lighting the candle of His word inside you, carrying that candle throughout the day, and seeing examples of the Word as your day progresses.
3. If you have any questions about the online format, please read the FAQ’s for the Bible Cafe.
4. Please pray for the Spirit to guide you in study and to keep you on track with the lessons. Pray for the other women in this study and for the leaders. We have a prayer wall to post individual prayers.

For Next Week

• Monday is a US holiday so next week our study will be posted Tuesday Sept 6
• Read the Introduction and Week 1 in your workbook
• If you are using the audio CD’s listen to the Introduction and Session 1

Group Discussion

1. Please post a comment with your name, where you are from, and answer this question: If you wrote a memoir about your life, what would be the title of your book?

for example: Christine, California, “God Found Me and Gave Me Grace”

We’re leading three new online bible studies starting August 29, 2011 and one is called When Godly People Do Ungodly Things by Beth Moore. In order to participate in this 6-week bible study, you’ll need a copy of the workbook.  Christine Smith completed this as her very first bible study  several years ago, and is looking forward to leading the study here at the Womens Bible Cafe.

We’ll “meet”  once a week on Monday as we have an online discussion of When Godly People Do Ungodly Things. You’ll read your workbook at home five days a week, answer the workbook questions, and then join us on Monday’s to participate in a group discussion. There is no set time for the discussions, just show up and participate! We recommend you register for the Womens Bible Cafe by email so you’ll know when the discussion has started.

About the workbook When Godly People Do Ungodly Things (from Lifeway.com)

If you are new to online bible study, please Read the Bible Cafe Getting Started Page

Reading Schedule for When Godly People Do Ungodly Things

• August 29, 2011- Launch day, start reading week 1
• September 6, 2011- Discuss Week 1, start reading week 2
• September 12, 2011- Discuss Week 2, start reading week 3
• September 19, 2011- Discuss Week 3, start reading week 4
• September 26, 2011- Discuss Week 4, start reading week 5
• October 3, 2011- Discuss Week 5, start reading week 6
• October 10, 2011- Discuss Week 6

How to Participate in the When Godly People Do Ungodly Things Online Bible Study

• Get a WORKBOOK copy of When Godly People Do Ungodly Things by Beth Moore (do not get the book version)
• Get the Audio CD’s for the study When Godly People Do Ungodly Things (optional due to cost, highly recommended)
• Introduce yourself: Post a comment below with your name, where you are from, and answer to this question- What is your favorite memory from Summer 2011?