Stephanie Shott

You know how sometimes a light bulb goes off in your spiritual eyes and you see that God has been directing your steps and you didn't even realize it? Well this post is one of those spiritual light bulb moments for me.

As I sit here praying over you all and realizing that this post will fall on the last day of the year - really the last day of the decade, I can't help but be excited about where we find ourselves in this study. It's nothing I planned. I'm not that organized or that smart. My little pea brain doesn't really function that way.

But today - on the last day of the decade - on the day before the dawning of a new decade - the Lord has us looking in the rearview mirror of our journey, taking stock of where we've been and what He has done so that we will take hold of the new things He wants to do in us, through us and for us with our confidence rooted in the Living God.

Isn't God awesome! Isn't He amazing! Sweet friend, I hope you see how He is so involved in the details of our lives!

We want God to do a new thing in our lives. We need God to do a new thing in our lives. But God may just want us to retrace our steps and begin to do some of the old things first.

That's what we studied Wednesday and I can't help but wonder if the Lord spoke to you about doing the old things before He begins to do a new thing in your life? I wander if this lesson finds you willing to go to the far side of the wilderness in order to position yourself to meet with God and hear Him call you into a new work that is beyond anything you could imagine.

Perhaps you've retraced the steps you have taken on your journey of faith and you realized that it was time to begin at the beginning again. To do the first works so that you can prepare your heart for the new things He will do in your life.

I'm not sure where you are, but I know I'm excited that God had me on this lesson, for this day, for this season - for such a time as this. It's not a coincidence, sweet friend - no, it's definitely not a coincidence.

Today we're going to spend some more time in the wilderness. It's where many of us have spent much of this past decade. Yet, we did not die there. God sustained us; He met our needs in new and fresh ways we may not even have been aware of.

Today - may we be made aware of His care for us - even in our wilderness journeys.

So, let's get into our lesson. Our main text for our study remains Isaiah 43:19. I will provide all the verses below just in case your Bible isn't available.:

"Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. (NKJV)

It's important to note that the roads He makes are in the midst of the wilderness. The rivers He creates are in the middle of your dessert. They are provided to sustain you in your circumstances - not to get you out of them. Your experience in the wilderness may be a difficult one, but let the way the Lord sustained you there prepare you for what He's about to do in your life. Look with me at the following verses and see how the Lord preserved His people in the wilderness of their lives.

"Then Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: Fill a two-quart container with manna to preserve it for your descendants. Then later generations will be able to see the food I gave you in the wilderness when I set you free from Egypt.” Exodus 16:32 (NLT)

This one verse is rich with the reality of God's provision in the wilderness, but as you read the Word of God, please remember it was written as an example to us of what He wants to and will do for us, as well.

1. What did the Lord command?

2. Why?

3. When did their wilderness journey begin?

Oftentimes our wilderness experiences come right on the heels of great victories in our lives. We see God move in a big way and somehow we end up in the wilderness when it's all said and done.

Yet God sustains us in our wilderness journeys. He does not abandon us. He does not leave us to starve - physically or spiritually. His presence is constant and His provision is proof that He is near - that He sees what we are going through.

Have you ever thought about the fact that your wilderness experience may have little to do with you and much to do with those who will come behind you? In Exodus 32:16, God commanded the children of Israel to set aside evidence of His presence and provision during their wilderness journey so the generations to follow would see His love for His children.

Today, you may be bitter about where you've been or are having a hard time giving God glory in the midst of your own wilderness journey. I want to encourage you to write out all the ways He has sustained you in your dry and barren land. It will not only encourage your heart, but it will also provide proof of God's abiding presence and steadfast provision for future generations.

The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.’ Exodus 1:30-31 (NKJV)

4. These two verses show three things the Lord does for His children. What are they?

5. Have you felt the Lord carry you lately?

I have to be honest with you, these last two months have been one big wilderness period for the Shott household. We have lost three family members in six weeks and it's been hard. But I also want to pack some manna of God's goodness into this post and tell you of His faithfulness to carry me through the wilderness of losing precious loved ones. He has carried me. I sense it as if I could feel His wonderful hands lift me from my grief and walk me through the dessert of my pain. HE HAS CARRIED ME like a man carries his son and I'm so thankful my Heavenly Father has not left me alone in my wilderness, but has carried me to this place.

His peace has become my road in the wilderness; His obvious presence has become my stream in the desert.

"And you shall [earnestly] remember all the way which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and to prove you, to know what was in your [mind and] heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not." Deut 8:2 (AMP)

God calls us to remember where we've been - the times of testing we've walked through - what we've learned from those wilderness lessons. He does not lead us into and through the wilderness without purpose. They are hard places with hard lessons that will make us see Him work in ways we would have never seen on the mountaintop.

He is the God of our wildernesses just as much as He is the God of our mountaintops.

6. What lessons have you learned on your wilderness journey?

7. Were some of your desert places places of chastening or places of testing?

8. What is in your heart? Will you keep His commandments or not?

9. Will you allow your reflections on your wilderness journeys of the past decades to ready you for what God wants to reveal to you? Are you really prepared for the new things He wants to do in your life?

Sweet friends, this has been such a good study for me. I've desperately needed it. I know the Lord wants to do a new thing in me, but He showed me that I had to retrace some steps and do so old things first. I thought I was ready, but I really wasn't. I had to deal with some stuff -some hard stuff. I had to let go of some junk - get busy doing the first works - to get some things right.

What has He shown you? I'd love to hear if the Lord has used this study to do a work in your life.

I can't wait to spend Monday with you! We're going to start looking forward to the new things we hope the Lord will do in our lives. I'd love for you to share the new things you are hoping He will do. If it's of a personal nature, you can email me at stephanieshott (@) me (dot) com.

Please grab a girlfriend and let's walk through the Word together. You can subscribe by clicking here for an email subscription - or click on the Google button on the top right hand side of the page.

Hi sweet friends! You have been the object of my thoughts and prayers and I'm really praying God would use this study to stir something new and fresh in your hearts and lives in this coming year. Praying that God would do a new work in, through and for you, dear one. I need it too - oh boy, do I need it too!

Where are you right now? Are you in a place where you feel like if God doesn't do a new thing pretty soon you're just gonna shrivel up and die? Have you been facing some difficult seasons in your life and you need the Lord to show up in a big way? Perhaps you're experiencing a dry spell and you need the Lord to bring new rain to your parched heart. Or maybe life has been so overwhelming you just feel like you need to catch your breath.

It may just be that you're sitting on go and ready to dive into a new area of ministry - to pursue a new dream or an old one the Lord placed in your heart long ago.

Wherever you are in your walk today, I believe this week's study may help you be one step closer to seeing God do a new thing in your life. So let's dive into the Word together.

Look at Isaiah 43:19 with me:

Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.(NKJV)

When you see the terms wilderness and dessert in Scripture, they often reference places of hardship. Some people immediately relegate the cause of our wilderness journeys and our desert experiences as being brought about because of sin in our lives. But while that may be true in some circumstances, it's not always the case.

Today, we are going to explore what the Bible says about these wilderness and desert places in our lives. While there may be purposes for the places we are in, the wilderness is never an easy place to be - the desert is still dry and barren.

In our study it's important to note that the word for wilderness is midbar and is often translated desert. In some versions your Bible will say wilderness, in others it will say desert.

Let's begin by examining what the wilderness/desert (midbar) is for:

"Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God." Exodus 3:1 (NIV)

Moses wasn't just in the wilderness - he was in the far side of the wilderness. But that was where he had to be in order to meet with God. It was there, in the far side of the wilderness, that He spotted the burning bush and made his way to the place where he met with God. Moses was alone in a barren place, yet it was on the far side of the wilderness that God did a new thing in Moses' life.

Maybe you haven't seen God do the new thing yet because you're reluctant to go all the way to the far side of the wilderness alone.

1. Ask yourself if you're willing to go to the far side of the wilderness alone in order to see God do a new thing.

"Then say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness." Exodus 7:16 (NIV)

God sometimes calls His people to a wilderness/desert place for the purpose of worshipping Him. You see, sometimes we get comfortable in our surroundings and busy with the dailies of our lives and we don't worship the Lord as we should. Life, as usual, makes worship a rare activity in our lives. But the Bible tells us we are to be worshippers of God - to worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Sometimes we have to be called away from the ordinary to experience the extra ordinary.

The call to worship in the wilderness was also a call to deliverance. God wanted to do a new thing in the lives of His people - to deliver them from their circumstances - but that "new thing" required a miraculous exodus and a call to worship in the wilderness. It's important to remember that the children of Israel told Moses they wanted to stay in Egypt because the preparation for wilderness worship was too hard. (Ex 6:9) The beginning of their journey into the wilderness of worship included hot pursuit by their enemy. It was just before the crossed the Red Sea and saw the salvation of the Lord that they wanted to turn back and give up.

Oh sweet friend, God may be wanting to do a new thing - to deliver you and to call you to the desert place so that you might worship Him there on your way to the Promised Land. The enemy of your soul may try to pursue you and hinder your journey. I want to encourage you to persevere. Don't look back. Set your face like a flint to go and do whatever you need to in order to worship the Living God in a new and fresh way. Even if it means He is calling you into the wilderness of worship.

2. Are you willing to see God do a new thing in your life if it means you first must go to the wilderness of worship?

The wilderness isn't always such a bad place - it's just a hard place. But then again, who ever said that being a Christian was supposed to be easy. Jesus certainly didn't.

Isn't this exciting! I absolutely LOVE studying God's Word - don't you!

I have so much to share about this whole wilderness concept. More than we can fit in this one Bible study. So please seriously contemplate what we studied today and then begin to pray the Lord will reveal to you what it is you need to do to position yourself that He might begin to do new things in your life - even if it means you must go through the wilderness first.

I want you to know that studying God's Word is not for the faint of heart. It's not for sissies. Living it out is even more difficult. But He calls us to be strong and courageous - to do what He commands us to do and live the lives He calls us to. But He also gives us the promise of His presence.

Friday we will learn that it was in the wilderness that His children were able to experience His presence like never before. Yes, there is great joy in mountain top experiences and for every Promised Land we enter, but sometimes we must discover what it is He wants to do in our lives in the wilderness first.

Stay tuned for Friday's lesson sweet friend! I'm praying for you! :-)

Please grab a girlfriend and let's walk through the Word together. You can subscribe by clicking here for an email subscription - or here as a Google follower.

By the way, I've got something funny to tell you girls. All the way through this post I misspelled desert. I spelled it dessert. I went through it and changed all of the desserts I could find, but you may find one or two that I missed.

Don't you wish a desert was more like a dessert. I know I do. A warm brownie topped with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge smothering the top of the whole thing!

Do you long for God to do a new thing in your life this year? Are you in need of a fresh work of the Divine kind?

Take heart, sweet friend, because the Living God specializes in making all things new - of breathing new life into the dry bones of old dreams. He sees where we are and He knows where we need to be. He is the author and perfecter of our faith. He knows the plans He has for us. He has created specific works for us to walk in - specific ministries for us to fulfill.

Sadly, we are often either too preoccupied with life or too overwhelmed by it to consider whether or not we are living out the dream He planted in our hearts long ago. Perhaps it's time to contemplate the new things God wants to do in our lives for such a time as this. Maybe our thoughts of a new year will be reflections of the vision He has given us long ago.

Think for a moment about our God. There is nothing impossible for Him; He is beyond our comprehension. There are no words grand enough to explain Him. There is no place that can contain Him. He owns everything yet He owes no one anything. He is immeasurable and indescribable. He is all that and more and yet He chooses to take up residence in the hearts of men. He chooses to use those who He makes new to make a difference on planet earth for such a time as this.

When God chose to create planet earth from the emptiness of nothing, He did a new thing. When His voice pierced the darkness and He spoke light and life into existence, He did a new thing. When the Lord pulled this wretched girl from the pit, forgiving her sins and giving her a heart after Him, He did a new thing. If you've been born again by the Living God, He has done a new thing in you, as well.

Our wonderful God is in the business of doing new things - of making all things new.

There's nothing too difficult for Him; He will withhold nothing good from those who walk uprightly. He specializes in creating something out of nothing - in doing the impossible and showing Himself strong on behalf of those who love Him.

He delights in doing a new work in and through us - He is glorified when we bear fresh fruit - when we sing a new song - when He gives us a new name. He longs for us to return to the place in our lives in which He can do a new thing - to a place where we embrace our God!

This week, in a three part series, we'll examine a few verses that remind us that God desires to do a new thing in, through and for us - no matter what our circumstances are.

Today we will look at how we may need to look back before we are able to see the Lord do a new thing in our future.

If you will, please look with me at Jeremiah 31:21-22 in the New Living Bible and then answer the questions below,

"Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Mark well the path by which you came. Come back again, my virgin Israel; return to your towns here. How long will you wander,my wayward daughter? For the Lord will cause something new to happen—Israel will embrace her God."

1. What commands does God give His daughter, Israel, before He says He will do a new thing?

2. What will the new thing be?

3. What question does the Lord ask?

Perhaps you are looking for the Lord to do a new thing in your life, but you haven't considered that He is looking for you to begin doing some new things first. Maybe the Lord is calling you to the place of embracing Him as you did before - to return to your First Love. Maybe, just maybe, He wants you to travel back down the path that led you to where you are now and get started on the right foot again. Perhaps He longs for you to do do the first works (Revelation 2:5).

Oh, how beautiful His voice is as He calls us back to Himself. You may be longing for Him to do a new thing in you life, but before He will, He might just be calling you to do the old things first.

4. What are the old things He is calling you to do before He will do a new thing for you?

5. What steps do you need to retrace in order to begin the new thing He has for you?

6. Do you hear Him saying, "Come back again"? Is He wondering how long you will wander from His loving arms and perfect will?

7. Will you begin this new year by emracing your God so He can do a new thing in, through and for you?



Sweet friends, I'm so excited and covicted at the same time. I know the Lord is calling me to a new place and wants to do some new things in my life - but I'm also aware that many of the new things He wants to do require that I retrace my steps and look for some of the signposts that marked my life not so long ago.

It's strange how those who are involved in ministry can often let the ministry become their focus instead of the God who they are ministering for. Returning to the place of embracing God means doing the first works.

What about you? Do you need God to do a new thing in your life? Is God calling you to retrace your steps to the place of embracing your God? Do you hear the Lord calling to your wandering heart, "Come back agian."?

I'd love to hear from you as we walk through the Word together. Grab a girlfriend and subscribe to this blog for your weekly Bible studies.CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE through Google and CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE by email.

Sweet friends, I wanted to let you know that I have been uber blessed to share my story on Jenni Catron's site today. If you are hurting, have ever suffered from the hands of abuse or feel like your life is a heap of ashes, PLEASE go to Jenni's site.

The Lord redeemed this broken soul from the pit, sweet one - and I know He wants to do the same for you. I'd love for you to leave a comment there if the Lord uses it in your life. Perhaps you know someone who needs a little reminder that the Lord specializes in making beauty out of ashes. If so, please send them to Jenni's site.

ALSO - if you need prayer, please click on my contact page, email me and let me know how I can pray for you. Please know this sister loves you and takes your prayer requests seriously.

And from me to you and yours - Have Yourself a very merry Christmas! The Savior loves you, sweet friend - don't you ever forget that!

A bit about Jenni:

Jenni Catron serves as the Executive Director of Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN, where she leads the staff and oversees the ministry at four campuses. She loves a fabulous cup of tea, great books, learning the game of tennis and hanging out with her husband and border collie.

Jenni’s passion is to lead well and to inspire, equip and encourage others to do the same. That passion drove Jenni to start the women’s leadership community, Cultivate Her.

Hi, sweet friends! I had such an awesome time in the Word today! How 'bout you? Our Jesus is real! He loves us with an everlasting love and longs for our fellowship.

During this wonderful Christmas season I hope you and I don't get so caught up in the chaos that we forget to give glory to the Christ. After all, it really is all about Jesus - isn't it!

Well, let's dig into the Word and see if we can learn something new or just be drawn more to the One who delights in drawing us to Himself.

I was thinking about all Jesus is and all He came to do and to be honest, I just can't wrap my little pea brain around it all. He is beyond words, beyond our comprehension and beyond explanation. He is everything we need - He is all we need!

So, today we're going to look at the "I AM" statements of Jesus. Who did Jesus say He was? Who is Jesus to you? I wish I had time to do an in depth study of each of Jesus' "I AM" statements, but as we look at them, please let your mind and heart wander to the grandness of our great God and glorious Savior.



Let's begin with first mentions. The first time God's name is mentioned as "I AM" is in Exodus 3:14

After God called Moses to set His people free, Moses found himself shaking in his sandals. Who would listen to him? Why would they listen to him? Who was he going to say gave him the authority to set God's people free? If he said it was God, they are going to want to know that he really knew God - that he really believed in the same God they did. After all, he was raised in Pharoah's household, he then killed a man and had become a fugitive. Why in the world would God call a fugitive to deliver His people? Moses must have thought of a million and one excuses.

And in Exodus 3:13 we find Moses asking God, "Behold, when I come to the Israelites and say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they say to me, What is His name? What shall I say to them?" (Amplified)

To which God replied, "I AM WHO I AM and WHAT I AM, and I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE; and He said, You shall say this to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you!" Exodus 3:14 (Amplified)

He continued to confirm His identity, "God said also to Moses, This shall you say to the Israelites: The Lord, the God of your fathers, of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has sent me to you! This is My name forever, and by this name I am to be remembered to all generations." Exodus 3:15 (Amplified)

1. Why do you think it was important that Moses knew who was sending him?

2. Has God ever called you to do something that made you want to confirm that the call was from God and that He was ordaining your steps?

So, the first time God uses the name "I AM" He is calling one of His children face danger and do the impossible. He is sending His child into the danger zone becuase He has a job for him to do that is bigger than himself. In the following verses God says to tell the children of Israel that He sees their circumstances and has heard their cries. Moses was to be the vessel the Great I AM would use to set His people free.

Jesus uses the name "I AM" to described Himself several times. It is a name that ascribed diety to the Son of God. The pharisees knew that Jesus was making Himself equal with God when He said, "Before Abraham was, I AM." (John 8:58)

Travel with me through John and enjoy examining the I AM statements along the way.

In John 6:51, Jesus says, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever;"

3. What do you think Jesus meant when He called Himself the Bread of Life?

4. Do you live as though Jesus is nourishment to your soul and that which you need to sustain you?

In John 8:23 the Bible says, "And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I AM from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world."

Jesus existed long before He became a babe in the manger. He is the eternal God.

5. Explain why it's important that Jesus is not of this world.

6. Since Jesus is from above yet chose to become a man, live a sinless life and die a sinner's death - what does that say about His love for us?

In John 8:12 we find these words, "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I AM the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

7. Is Jesus your Light? Do you walk in His ways, in His will, in His commands?

8. Are you walking through a dark circumstance today? Have you asked the Lord to be the Light of your world?

In John 10:9, Jesus says, "I AM the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."

9. Have you entered into salvation through the Door (jesus)?

10. Are you like a wandering sheep in search of green pastures? If so, are you willing to enter through the Door and find rest for your weary soul?

In John 10:11, Jesus said, "I AM the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

11. List some ways a shepherd cares for his sheep.

12. In general, shepherds correct, protect and provide for their sheep. What do you need the Good Shepherd to do in your life today? Have you asked Him to meet you in that place of need yet?

If Jesus is willing to give His life for His sheep, don't you think He cares about your deepest need?

In John 10:36, Jesus said, "do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?

13. Why could Jesus, the Son of God, be the only One who could pay for our sins?

In John 11:25 we find this precious promise, " Jesus said to her, "I AM the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live."

14. Have you ever let Jesus resurrect your lifeless soul?

15. Do you allowed a vision or dream God has given you to die? If so, are you willing to let the Resurrection and the Life speak life into the dry bones of your dead dream?

In John 14:6, "Jesus said to him, "I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Jesus is not a way, He is THE Way. He is not a truth, He is THE Truth.

16. Have you recently lost your way and aren't sure where to go or what to do? Please let Jesus be your Way and the Truth that will guide you during this trying time.

In John 15:1, Jesus said, "I AM the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser."

17. Have you felt like a disconnected branch lately?

18. What are you doing to assure that you are abiding in the Vine?

Sweet friend, Jesus is everything we need and He is all we need! He is the reason we celebrate Christmas - He is the reason we celebrate life! He really loves you with an everlasting, unchanging, unconditional love!

As we get ready for Christmas day, I want you to know you are on my heart and in my prayers. I realize this Christmas may be bitter sweet for some of you. I know it is for me. But I rest in God's love for me. I trust that He is all I need whether I'm in the midst of this madness or the center of a celebration. And so can you. I pray that for all of you who have hurting hearts during these next few days.

Let Jesus carry your burden. Let Him give you joy, even in your pain. He has done that for me and I know He can do that for you, as well!

Thank you so much for joining me in the grand adventure of studying His Word. Ain't it great! :-)

I've got some exiting news at the end of this post. But I really want to take a journey through John 15:1-8 with you first. My good news can wait - but the Word of the Living God is anxiously waiting to make a difference in our lives. So let's dig in!

"I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit." John 15:1-2 Amplified

Oh goodness girls, I so desperately want to share all the sweet nuggets of truth found in today's verses, but how in the world could I possibly do this power-packed segment of Scripture justice in one post? So, today, we're going to drive home some important truths, but sometime after the first of the year we'll dive in head first and do a verse by verse study of John 15?

But for now, could you take a few minutes and read today's text (John 15:1-8).

Have you ever heard of Blossom Drop? It's when a plant flowers as if it's going to produce fruit, but something happens and blossoms drop before the fruit comes forth.

Blossom Drop can be caused by several factors. It may be due to weather conditions. If it's too cold, too wet or too dry, the blossoms drop and no fruit is produced. It may be exposure to too much nitrogen or from a deficiency of magnesium. But when certain unfavorable conditions are present, Blosson Drop occurs.

It can happen in our lives when we expose ourselves to the harsh elements of this world. It can happen when we get too much of a good thing or not enough of the essential. But it always happens as a result of losing contact with the Living God.

Did you notice in John 15, the Lord describes Himself as the True Vine. Not a substitute - not a resemblance of the real thing - not imperfect or defective - but the real deal. Jesus is the True Vine, and the Heavenly Father is the Vinedresser - the One that cares for the crop, and we are the branches.

There is no life in a branch that has been severed from the vine. The union of the two is absolutely necessary if fruit is going to be produced. But it's interesting to note that Jesus put Himself in the position of the Vine indicating that if fruit is going to come forth on planet earth, it will do so primarily through us.

Look at Jeremiah 23:5. Who is the Branch and what will He do?

Now read John 15:1. Who is the Vine and who is the branch?

How exiting to find that when the Lord talks about reigning over the land, it is Jesus who is the Branch, but when He talks about producing fruit for the purpose of impacting the land, He becomes the True Vine and ascribes the role of the branches to us.

In John 15:2, explain what happens to the branches that bear no fruit.

What happens to the branches that produce fruit and why? (John 15:2)

In John 15:3, What makes His disciples clean?

Read John 15:4-5. What do you think it means to abide in Jesus?


Can you say that you are abiding in Christ today?

According to these verses, what can you accomplish if you don't abide in Christ?

Verse 6 has been a hotly debated verse for centuries, but I want you to walk with me through it a bit and I think you may come to the same conclusion as I have.

Read John 15:6. What happens to branches that do not abide in the True Vine?

Now read Matthew 5:13. What happens to flavorless salt?

Read Matthew 5:14-16. What is the purpose of the light?

Matthew 5:14-16 explains that it would be ridiculous to light a light and then stick it under a bushel. That wouldn't make sense. It would be worthless if you did that.

In the same way, the branches that don't abide in Christ would be worthless too. Branches who don't abide in Christ are just targets for the enemy. They are exposed to the harsh elements of this world without the benefit of drawing strength and vital nourishment from the Vine. They rob themselves of essential ingredients that make for a healthy and productive branch. They lack the ability to stand when the winds of this world begin to batter their lives. They look like they're trying to produce fruit, but they develop blossom drop and they lose the essence of their value.

Like flavorless salt and light hidden under a bushel - fruitless branches aren't accomplishing what they were created for and are open game for the world to walk all over them or disregard them. That's not to be the life of a branch who bears the name of Christ. He died to give us so much more than a barren life. He wants us to bear fruit.

Read John 15:7. Explain how you think the process of abiding in Christ should filter our prayer life.

Does John 15:7 give us reason to believe that because we are Christians we have a free ticket to ask for and expect anything we want? Explain your answer.

According to John 15:8, how is our Heavenly Father glorified?

It's not always easy to abide in Christ. Life often distracts us from that which matters most. Circumstances become barriers and our time is often filled with the frenzied and the frivolous. But abiding in Christ is necessary if we are going to produce fruit. It's not easy, but sticking close to Jesus when the world is pulling us in so many directions is the only way we will be what we were recreated to be - fruitful.

GETTING REAL

What are you doing to protect your time with the Lord?

What are you allowing to be more important than abiding with Christ?

What are some ways you can prevent blossom drop?

There are no shortcuts to abiding in Christ. It all comes down to spending time in the Word and in prayer. When we do that we can be like the tree planted by the river - producing fruit in every season. Whether we're facing the good, the bad or the ugly - we can produce fruit in every season.

"But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do." Psalm 1:2-3

MAY IT BE SO OF EACH OF US! OH LORD, MAY IT BE SO!

Thank you, sweet friend, for spending some time with me in the Word. Don't you just love how He loves us and makes Himself known to us! He delights in our love for Him and His Word...and I know you would agree with me when I say, I just want to live my life like one big, ginormous "Thank You" card to make the heart of my Savior smile!

Now, I can't wait to share with you that I just received the edited version of my book today and that means it's one step closer to being on the shelves. But my prayer is that God will use it to impact women who will begin to confidently and intentionally live this life on purpose and with purpose.

Girls, I never intended on writing a book, but for such a time as this, He has opened this door. I want to faithfully walk through it encouraging women to make this life count for more than a vapor - for much more than grasping at the wind. Would you join me in praying that the Lord will do exceedingly abundantly above all we could ask or think!

I love you all and and want you to know you are the object of my prayers!

You could own your own island, rule your own kingdom and be known worldwide - but if you don't have peace, none of that matters. Peace is an internal, unshakeable calm in the midst of an external, tumultuous storm. It's a sense of knowing everything will be o.k. when nothing really is. It is a state of harmony or blissful union.

It's impossible to cover the broad scope of peace in one short lesson, but today, my objective is to show from Scripture that Jesus not only is the only one who can give us peace, but He's also the only one who can be our Peace.

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

A LITTLE BACKGROUND:

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for peace is shalom. It is said to be one of the most important theological concepts in the Old Testament. It's associated with the idea of repaying or fulfilling a vow; of completing or repairing a relationship; of being safe, complete or at harmony with others; the absence of strife.

The New Testament equivalent is eirene. It is equally important in the New Testament and is used in every book of the NT except 1 John.

WHAT IT MEANS TO US:

In short, peace involves three areas of our lives - Peace with God, Peace of God and Peace with each other.

PEACE WITH GOD -

Jesus Gives Us Peace With God:
It is Jesus that restores our relationship with God that was lost in the fall. Because of sin, we were enemies with God.

"For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." Romans 5:10 (NKJV)

1. Based on the Romans 5:10, how was reconciliation with God made possible?

Colossians 1:19-22 echoes the same truth as Romans 5:10. Our peace with God is only made possible through the blood of Jesus Christ. Would you take a few minutes and praise the Prince of Peace for reconciling you to God through His death on the cross? Without it, you and I would have no hope, no joy and no peace.

Jesus Is Our Peace:

"For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father." Ephesians 2:14-18 (NKJV)

2. According to the verses above, who is our peace?

3. Based on Ephesians 2:14-18, list what Jesus accomplished for us because He is our Peace.

PEACE OF GOD -

Life isn't always easy. In fact, it's seldom easy. But Jesus came, not only to give us peace with God, but also to give us the peace of God. As a Christian, I don't have to do this life alone. I don't have to drown in the ocean of my circumstances. I don't have to be tossed to and fro as the waves of difficulties pelt my life. Because I have peace with God, I can also have the peace of God.

After recently losing my brother-in-law and my mom within a week, the Prince of Peace has taken on a new and vital meaning in my life. When my world seemed to be falling apart and I was losing ground, I felt my sweet Savior come in and carry me. The peace of God that passes all understanding is mine. It sustains me - even when my heart is hurting.

Having the peace of God does not mean you don't experience pain; it means you have His peace in the midst of the pain. Only God can do that.

Oh, please read Phil 4:6-7 in the Amplified with me, sweet sister! It's a beautiful explanation of what Christ has done for me during these difficult days of loss. He truly has given me His unexplainable peace and mounted guard over my heart and mind. And you can be assured that He wants to do that for you too!

"Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition ([a]definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God's peace [shall be yours, that [b]tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall [c]garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 (Amplified)

1. What is the command in Philippians 4:6?

2. What are we to do in the midst of every circumstance?

3. What will be ours when we cast our cares upon the Lord in prayer with thanksgiving?

My heart hurts for those who have hurting hearts. People are suffering at the hands of tumultuous times and life can be hard. This time of year can be especially painful for people who are experiencing a Christmas season of firsts. First Christmas without a loved one, with a loved one in a foreign land, with the news of a terminal illness, with yet another lonely Christmas.

But it's also a Christmas of "good" firsts for many. First Christmas with a new baby or grandchild. First Christmas as a married couple or in a new home or with an old friend.

Life is full of ups and downs. But God's peace is a constant for His children. When the waves are crashing in around you, please let Jesus speak peace to your heart in the midst of the storm. He is the Prince of Peace and He longs to walk with you through those times when you feel as though you can't take one more step.

PEACE WITH EACH OTHER:

Because we have peace with God and can walk in the peace of God, He also calls us to be at peace with each other. Peace is to be a defining characteristic of those who have been saved by the Prince of Peace.

Romans 12:18 says, "If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." and Hebrews 12:14 tells us to, "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:"

1. Are you at peace with those around you?

2. Do you have a relationship in need of restoration? If so, would you be willing to humble yourself and get that thing right today?

3. Do you sow seeds of peace of seeds of discord?

In Proverbs 6:15-22, the Lord gives us a list of things He hates. Last on the list is someone who sows seeds of discord among others in the community. We're to be a people of peace, marked by peace because we have been bought with the blood of the Prince of Peace.

Sweet friend, if you are at war with anyone - if you have caused someone else's heart to hurt - if you need to forgive someone who has hurt your heart - I pray that this lesson on peace will stir you to do jus that.

Life is short. We don't have time to squabble when the world stands in need of a Savior. They need to see the children who belong to the Prince of Peace living beyond ourselves and loving in spite of ourselves.

If you are struggling with any of these areas or if you have questions about how you can have peace with God, I pray you will email me at stephanieshott (@) me (dot) com. I also would count it an honor to pray for you. If you have any prayer requests, please list them in the comments section or email them to me if they are of a personal nature.

Please know that you are the object of my prayers and I hope you will get your girlfriends in on this Bible study and encourage one another in the Word and in the Lord.

Sweet friends, my heart is overflowing and I can't wait to share with you what the Lord is leading me to do in my blog. Maybe throughout its existence; perhaps only for a season; but definitely for such a time as this -definitely now.

You see, I've been praying for you and asking the Lord to show me exactly how He wants me to use this space in cyberspace. Like many of you sister bloggers, I've struggled with what I should be writing about that would encourage and impact peoples' lives for Christ. And a wonderful whisper spoke loudly to my heart, "Do what you always do -do what I've called you to do - teach the Word." Now the Lord doesn't speak audibly to me, but when He imparts His will to my heart it's just as if I heard it with my ears.

I want this to be an interactive Bible study. Share your answers in the comments section. Ask questions. Pop in and share a prayer request or pray for others in this journey.

So girls, I hope you'll join me as this site blossoms into so much more than just my thoughts on a page, but a Bible study intended to get us all in the Word. Each post will have questions designed to examine the heart and inspire application. Some of them may be difficult to answer, some of the questions may cause us to take a good look at our heart - but I pray they help us in our quest to know Him more. I can't wait to get started with you in the Word! During the Christmas season, I'll remain focused on Jesus and the various names and titles in which He has made Himself known to us in Scripture.

I'm SO EXCITED!

Today, we're going to look at Jesus - the Bread of Life.

"And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." John 6:35

When the children of Israel miraculously blazed a trail through the floor of the Red Sea, the hand of God was with them - delivering them from the enemy and making a way where there was no way.

When their mouths were parched for lack of water, the Lord sweetened the bitter waters of Marah and fed their thirsty souls. And when the children of Israel's hunger pagns turned their hearts to sin in the Wilderness of Sin, the Lord rained bread from heaven to feed their need in the form of manna.

Maybe you can relate. Perhaps you've been hungry, like that? Really hungry? You know the stomach-growling and aching, weak-at-the-knees, feeling like you're going to pass out kind of hungry. Maybe you'e been thirsty. But I doubt many of you have been three days without water, walking-in-the-wilderness-kind of thirsty.

Two thousand years ago, Jesus graced planet earth with His presence and secured salvation for all who would trust in Him. He was the true Bread sent from Heaven.

Just on the heals of feeding the 5,000 with two fish and five loaves, Jesus declares that He is the Bread of Life - the true Bread sent from Heaven. In John 6:26-58 Jesus reminds them that the bread that sustained their fathers in the Wilderness of Sin was not given as a gift by Moses, but was the daily provision from the Living God. It was a foreshadow of the Jesus - the Bread of Life - who would not only supply what they needed to fill their hungry bodies, but would ultimately BE what they needed to fill their hungry hearts.

Sometimes we look to the Lord to answer our questions in life - to respond to our circumstances and give us the solution we are desperate for. Jesus didn't come to answer our questions - He came to BE the Answer. In John 6, the disciples came to Jesus because they saw He how had fed the 5,000. Perhaps they remembered the story they had been told of their fathers' journey in the wilderness and how God had rained down manna from heaven. Could this Jesus be doing what only God could do - providing bread out of nowhere?

Jesus came to do so much more than provide a meal. He came to Be the Bread of Life. To be the essence of our existence. To BE our answer. To Be our daily provision, as well as to provide us with that which we need.

GROWING TOGETHER

Read John 6:26-58 and answer the following "growing together" questions:

1. In John 6:26 Jesus told His followers that they were seeking Him for what they could get out of Him. Do you know people who have done that? Have you ever allowed your prayer life to be all about what you could get out of Jesus?

2. What would you say is your primary purpose for seeking after Jesus?

3. In verse 27, Jesus said they were not to labor for the food which perishes. Explain that verse in your own words.

4. In verse 29, Jesus explains the works of God as believing in Him whom He sent. Have you truly done that? Have you been born again (John 3:3)?
If you're not sure, please email me at stephanieshott (@) me (dot) com. I'd love to help you clarify that most important question.

5. Jesus reminds them that it was God, not Moses, who gave their fathers their daily bread in the Wilderness of Sin. Is there anything in your life that you attribute to someone other than God? Perhaps your talents, your finances, your job, your children, ect...? If so, would you be willing to write it out as a testimony that you are acknowledging the Lord as the Giver of everything you are and everything you have?

6. Read verse 37. What assurance do you find there?

7. What do you think Jesus means in verses 53-58?

8. As a missionary to Costa Rica, I couldn't help but laugh when I read the Exodus account of the children of Israel's journey through the Wilderness of Sin. The word, sin means without in Spanish. They were walking in the wilderness without food and without faith. That happens to us in our own wilderness journeys. We suffer an area of lack and our faith often suffers, as well. Are you walking through a difficult season in your life right now? Do you need to Jesus to be the Bread of Life in your circumstances - to give life to your weary heart and sustain you in time of need?

Jesus really desires to do more than give you an answer for the circumstances you face; He desires to BE the Answer to your circumstances - to Be the One you desire to fill the longing in your heart.

Perhaps Jesus led you into a wilderness so that you would be heart-aching, empty-feeling, on-your-knees kind of hungry...all so He could be the One who fills your hurting heart and your longing soul. Jesus is the Bread of Life. Let Him be that for you today!

I hope you'll get some girlfriends together and join me as we continue our Bible study on Jesus! Remember - if you have any questions or comments, or if you want to share your answers, pop in and write them in the comment section.

BY THE WAY - YOU ARE FREE TO COPY AND PASTE THIS TO A WORD DOCUMENT AND BEGIN YOUR OWN BIBLE STUDY NOTEBOOK VIA YOUR COMPUTER OR THE OLD FASHIONED WAY (PRINT IT AND BIND IT)

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

When I was a little girl, I was afraid of the dark. Every time my parents had friends over and it got a little late, my mom would tuck me into bed and shut my door. I could barely see my hands in front of my face. I'd pull the covers up to my nose and peer out over blanket waiting for their friends to go home so my mom would come open my door and shine some light into the recesses of my dark little room.

A little over 2,000 years ago, our Heavenly Father cracked open the door of heaven and sent His Son to shine His glorious light into our world of darkness. He came not only to shine some light in our darkness, but to BE the Light.

Never again do we have to walk in the darkness and try to find our way through this thing called life. Never again do we have to peek our heads out of the cover of darkness and hope somehow we'll be alright. Jesus is the Light of the world. He is the Light of our circumstances. He is the Light of our deepest need. He is our Light for each step we take.

Today, you may be going through a dark time in your life - you may be facing difficult decisions and you aren't sure what to do. Jesus tells us that His Word is a lamp to our feet and light for our path. He sheds light for our journey one step at a time as we follow His Word and trust His ways. Let your Heavenly Father crack the door of your dark room and become Light for your heart and your circumstances.

If you don't know Jesus, I pray today, you will invite Him into your life and surrender all you are to all He is. Then you will become the light of the world as He shines His light through you.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden." Matthew 5:14

During this Christmas season, as we pass by lights twinkling from the housetops and shining brightly on the Christmas tree, I pray we will remember that Jesus is the Light of the world - the Light of our world!