Welcome back to bible study, as we discuss week one from Breaking Free by Beth Moore. We now have 350+ women participating in this study, and it’s exciting to know that so many of us are breaking strongholds. This week we focused on untying the cords of the yolk. If you missed the audio/video sessions, Beth introduced two key concepts. She defines a stronghold as “anytime you are preoccupied by a destructive thought process” and “anything which exalts itself over the truth and scripture of God.” Bondage, in Beth’s description, is “anything that hinders us from the fullness God has called us to be.” Our ten-week bible study will focus on these two concepts and how to break free from the bondage of our strongholds. Beth reminds us on page 26 of the workbook that “acknowledging the slavery is a crucial starting place toward authentic freedom.” Let us pray for one another as we journey from bondage to freedom, using the bible as our GPS navigation system. God’s Planning System.

How We Seek Shelter (from last week’s online discussion)

• I tend to seek shelter in food, eating until I feel totally satisfied. I also distancing myself from family and friends. I close in and watch tv and just let life pass me by.
• I seek shelter by not showing up. When things are troubling me I tend to lie and make excuses for why I can’t come to church or show up with friends.
• I seek shelter in my home. I go to work, church when I can ( I work a lot of Sundays), and I recently realized that is about the extent of it. I used to be a lot more involved in church activities but over time I have faded out. I find myself curling back up into my little protective shell and don’t reach out for fellowship.
• I seek shelter by saying I will begin tomorrow and thinking/letting myself believe I will. This is an endless vicious circle that I am so tired of. Very worn from it all.
• I seek shelter in my home or like Scarlett O’ hara is credited to saying ” I will not think about this today I will think about this tomorrow.”
• I like many other of the women here seek shelter by hiding, burying the pain and not dealing with it till it becomes a problem.
• I seek shelter by shying away from the problem and from almost everything. I tend to “shut down” and keep to myself.
• I seek shelter by running away. I believe that if I was in the right place in my walk with HIM I wouldn’t be in situations that called for me to run away.
• Shelter to me is being safe in life. Safe in my job. Safe in my family. Don’t get me wrong, I think security is a good thing, but I think I tend to not attempt a task because it can prove to be risky of failure.
• Sometimes I seek shelter by ignoring the elephant in the room.
• I seek shelter by whining and adding more to my schedule. You know, because then I have a good reason for being disorganized and not having enough time, I am over committed! Only recently have I realized this is what I do.
• I seek shelter by not allowing anyone to be close to me, I feel that people will find a way to somehow hurt me and so I usually don’t want to be around people.
• By procrastinating I seek shelter. Putting it off another day because I am intimidated or overwhelmed.

A common thread in how we seek shelter as women…we’re not seeking Jesus. During our Breaking Free bible study, we will seek freedom as we discover our strongholds and give them over to Jesus.

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
² to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
³ and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.  Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV

Thanks to Sunny Girl for sharing this comment “I just wanted to point some thing out.. At the beginning of the study we are instructed to read Isaiah 61:1-3, I just wanted to point out that this is Jesus talking. You will notice as you read, Jesus is referred to as “Lord” and God is “God” Keep an eye out for the capital letters… Isaiah 61:1 He (God) has sent Me (Jesus) to heal the brokenhearted ect…. When I first started reading this I thought it was God talking to us, then I noticed the capital “Me” and realized it was Jesus’ talking to us about His mission when He comes to earth. Hope your day is filled with sun shine smiles

Prayer Requests

Our Prayer Wall has many requests, so please visit the page during the week and pray for these women who are asking for your help. If you have a prayer request for our prayer wall, post a comment on the wall.

Beth Moore Quotes

• God hates pride because it dethrones Him and puts ourselves at the center of our universe.
• Pride, in itself, can lead to captivity.
• God often calls the unworthy.
• God is the glorious initiator of reconciliation.
• We can be faithful to God and still be attacked by the enemy.
• Faith is tested by what we do with fear.

For Next Week

• Read Week Two in your book.
• Listen to Audio Session Three or Video Session Three (optional due to cost)
• Check in with your Small Group Leader for prayer requests and fellowship

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

1. Find one scripture verse that would help you resist pride. Use www.BibleGateway.com type in a keyword, such as “pride” or “success” and post your verse below as a comment. Let’s see how many verses we can find!
2. Instead of looking to God, we often look to humans to guide our choices. Why do you think we make this choice at times? (bottom of page 17 )
3. Can you think of a few potential disasters from which Christ saved you? (page 25)
4. Share a favorite moment from this week’s study.

Please post your comments below…we all learn when we share together.

God is good, always!

PS- if you want to add a photo beside your email name, use Gravatar.com its free.

Welcome to our first week of Breaking Free Updated Edition at the Women’s Bible Study Cafe. We are repeating this study because so many women missed it when we hosted it before! This is a ten-week Bible study and one of the most powerful you’ll ever read. In this 10-year anniversary edition of Breaking Free, author Beth Moore shares her personal journey of breaking free from captivity. As you read the workbook, you’ll discover Beth is a woman who is transparent, honest, Godly, spirit-filled and passionate about helping other women break free. Beth does not use words of gentleness, she uses words of truth and experience. She does not allow insignificance or unimportance in our life experiences. As we participate in the study, we begin to understand that Beth Moore has been in our shoes. She is an ordinary woman like us, and she knows how to capture the spirit of the Bible. Beth Moore will not baby talk us to earn our trust, she will kick us in our stagnant thoughts and pull us out from a pit. As Beth will remind you, she’s not a hero; she’s a simple woman after the heart of God. And she wants you to know His heart too!

As I write this tonight, my heart is breaking and the image above brings tears to my eyes. The image reminds me that we can break free from depression, spiritual bondage, overwhelming addictions and anything else that has held us captive…and we can do so only through knowing God. We can’t break free by allowing others to tug on the ropes or push us into freedom…we can only break free of our own free will. We can choose to live in bondage and suffer years and years with strongholds, or we can choose freedom. Through our our desire we can break the ropes that bind our hearts, minds and souls. When we break these ropes…we find freedom in releasing the strongholds and covering ourselves in the Truth of God’s Word.

Breaking the ropes will not be easy and you will experience resistance. I’ve completed the Breaking Free study three times now and I can say with certainty there is freedom for those who finish the study, not for those who start the study and put the book away after a few weeks. Decide now to live in bondage with the strongholds you are permitting in your life…or decide now to break free and reclaim your identity in Christ. I’m on a journey to discover my strongholds and break free…and I hope you’ll join me in this life-changing bible study by Beth Moore.

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15 NKJV

Prayer Requests

Our Prayer Wall is the place to reach out with your prayer needs and praise reports. Please visit the page and pray for those people who are asking for you to lift them up in prayer.

If This Is Your First Bible Study- How to Participate

Here is what you can expect from your participation in the Breaking Free the Journey Bible study

• Pray before you begin reading. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart to wisdom.
• This online Bible study provides flexibility and convenience for you. Just read your daily lessons, five total, lasting about 30-45 minutes each day. A good plan is to read each morning Monday through Friday, allowing the weekend to make up any lesson you missed during the week.
• Visit the Bible Cafe anytime on Tuesday and join in the group discussion by posting a comment.
• Optional audio or video lessons are available online from Lifeway at a minimal cost. If this is your first Beth Moore study, I encourage you to listen to at least ONE audio or video lesson to connect with the energy and personality that Beth Moore fans learn to love.
• Seek truth. God uses the most ordinary people for his extraordinary purpose. Listen to each other and be willing to share, just remember to allow judgment and healing for God.
• If this is your first bible study, you may enjoy using highlighter markers. I start with a blue highlighter and mark the scripture verses, such as John 3:16, in my workbook. I’ll mark all the verses for week one, before I start my reading. This way, when my eyes leave the pages of my workbook to find a reference in my bible, I can quickly go back and locate my place in the workbook. The blue highlighter is a “place marker” when I study. I then use a yellow highlighter to mark my favorite words. If I like what the author is saying, I will mark the letter “Q” next to the sentence, and this reminds me I’ll want to quote the author and post it on Facebook or Twitter.

For Next Week

• Write a letter to God on the inside cover of your workbook. Put today’s date inside your book and tell Him where you are in your life right now, and where you hope He leads you during your 10-week study of Breaking Free.
• Read Week One in your workbook.
• Download the answers to the viewer guide (look in Leader Kit under “support materials”)
• Listen to Audio Session One or Video Session One (optional due to cost)*
• Listen to Audio Session Two or Video Session Two (optional due to cost)*
• Check in with your Small Group Leader. Contact us if you have not heard from your leader.

*As a reminder, the Bible Cafe is not affiliated with Lifeway, Beth Moore or its companies and we do not profit or benefit from these materials. Like you, we purchase our own books and materials for the study.

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

1. What area(s) of bondage do you want to break free from during this 10-week bible study?
2. Beth says “If we do not seek freedom we will seek shelter.” How do you seek shelter?
3. If you were sitting in a room with the other women participating in this study, what words of encouragement would you say to them?