Can you imagine a farmer that gets up and runs 5k each day, works out at the gym, then watches videos of previous races in order to tweak how he can run faster for another competition? Can he really expect to look out at his corn field and see it thriving and producing? He’d be crazy to expect to reap a harvest from the land while he’s off focused on a completely different set of goals.

… Or an athlete who gets up to bacon and eggs every morning before heading out to check cattle and mend fences expecting to nail the 100m dash at the olympics the next time they roll around.

… A carpenter who spends his days fixing cars… you get the idea.

Paul reminds us to remember who’s and what we are. 👉🏻We are Christ’s soldiers – ‘Remember Jesus Christ…for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!’ (2Tim.2:8,9) Though things weren’t playing out comfortably for Paul he could look at his job description and being in jail didn’t change the fact that he was fulfilling his duty. The Word of God was being obeyed and displayed through him. He was obeying his Master, Jesus Christ.

If Christ saved you, remember you are HIS and playing by HIS rules and following HIS orders and you aren’t to be getting sidetracked by orders or plans from outside the camp. Stick with your purpose no matter how bossy or alluring rules are from other professions or commanding officers… they aren’t yours; you are Christ’s.

~Shannon

Girl, are you vulnerable?

Can you stand your ground spiritually? Or are the voices and influences around you able to shake you up and convince you of their way of thinking and distract you from your rightful course?

Is the culture, christian or secular, leading you around like a puppet on a string without you even realizing it?
This is why the Bible Challenge is so important. The independent confidence through learning hard and fast Truth from the Word of God grounds us women who can quickly be swayed by emotion, difficult relationships, material enjoyment, and selfishness. We are so easily bogged down and blinded by our sinful circumstances…the same sinful circumstances hailed as powerful and life giving and ‘your right’ by those around us.

The clarity that Scripture study brings will give you STRENGTH, LIGHTEN your sin burden, and FREEDOM from your self. You’ll start GAINING ground in your knowledge of the TRUTH and stop being tossed about by every wind of philosophy & doctrine that crosses your path.

After being in your Bible with us day after day I hope you’re seeing a stark contrast in your life compared to these verses in 2 Timothy. The Bible Challenge ladies are growing in their strength and the Spirit is using Scripture to save us from being lovers of self. (Shout out to the guys reading along, too! But these verses are💥 for us ladies. Amen?!😅)

~Shannon

🥖 🍷 Christ came in flesh to break bread WITH His people, and to break His body FOR them. He poured the wine at the table WITH them as one last object lesson of His blood He’d be pouring out FOR them in a matter of hours.

🥖 🍷 With & For. Two extremely important words. Jesus modelled life for us. He got down on His knees with a basin and washed filthy feet to show us what life should look like. Life is meant to be up close and personal… dirty and smelly and raw. He broke His body for us from day one and we have Scripture to pour over each day to learn how to pour ourselves out into the lives of others, striving to be like Christ.

🥖 🍷 One thing that is becoming louder and clearer these days is that you can’t break your body for people aren’t with. You can’t commune with a group of people and meet them in their hurt, despair, and confusion at 6 feet apart. You can’t rejoice with them and come alongside in fellowship at 6 feet either. You can’t distance yourself from people and wash their feet and pass them some nourishment. Jesus commanded full contact and immersion into our local fellowships. Anything less is not what Jesus modelled.

And so, in a day when the lesser authorities in our lives demand allegiance, we don’t ask first and foremost what our government says is ‘legal’. We first ask Christ what He requires of His body. We first ask God how to care for, feed, wash, and clothe His possession… all else is secondary.

When we see this ultimate object lesson of a cup and piece of bread we have to understand that God wasn’t making sure we wouldn’t forget to sit together and drink and chew… He was reminding us to go out and break ourselves and pour ourselves out for His body the way He showed throughout His earthly ministry. We aren’t supposed to just remember, we’re supposed to follow in His steps. We are supposed to go out and be WITH and live FOR others. Don’t settle for less. Strive to be like Christ, legal or not.

“Gather to me my faithful ones,
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!” The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge! Selah ~ Psalm 50:5

~Shannon