The First Meeting

I welcome you to the first study group! This will undoubtedly change and mold into something far greater than what we see now, so bear with the growing pains! In these first few 'meetings' we will simply examine the format, and start a quick bible study. The plan for each week is that you will receive a guide, consider it at your convenience, then reply with what you have found. These will be 'artfully' compiled into a single expression for the companion blog.

There is no requirement apart from considerate interaction. And no pressure to answer any question or do a bunch of research. Our goal is to find life, not distraction! I am sure that many questions will arise, and that is a good thing. We will be looking at those each week, so don't be worried about asking anything. I will plan on sending these out by Monday, and compiling the summary on Friday.

The general format of each guide is this:

Prayer and Thanksgiving:
Group prayer requests
Study topic prayer
Thanks and Praise for what God has done

Open questions:
From previous topics
New questions

Current topic:
Verses to read
Questions to consider
What the Spirit is teaching

Every member is encouraged to participate in any area. If you are quiet, and just want to follow along, please at least take the time to go before the Lord in prayer, both for life in you, and toward increased faith in the group.

Your responses are what will make this a source of life for all! Here are a few practical considerations. If you find a twenty page discourse before the Lord for this meeting, Praise God! But, it will be placed on the discussion group website most likely. So try to have a few main revelations and a few questions in the responses you want everyone to view.

In addition, if something does not get included in the meeting summary for the blog, and you feel it was life altering, please speak up! I will certainly offend in my draconian editing, and do not want any cause for division between us. Tell me, I have been known to prostrate in sackcloth and ashes...

Responses that will be edifying will probably look something like this:

"Wow! That verse 12 is amazing! That is exactly what Jesus did in my life this week. I found this reference (....) Did you know that (blah blah)? I was wondering about (....). Can we pray for X?

Agape, ...."

Brief, on topic, and in line with a short meeting together. If we start in this way, building more will be easy. Please sign with your first name or a screen name so I can attribute to each their contribution in the summary. Unless you want anonymity, which is fine.

The relevant website is:
grace-power.blogspot.com

On the right at this site you will find a link to the discussion group. To join requires a gmail account, which is easy to do. I expect that the discussion group will be very fruitful for topics that get lengthy. There are two other links that may benefit you in study of the word. Please try them, I have found much by using those two on-line bibles.

Please forgive the lengthy first letter! I expect this to grow and change according to the Spirit's leading, so bear with the first few weeks, we should find life soon! Now, lets get to the start:

July 5, 2008

Intersession:
My first prayer request would be simple. Ask the Lord who would benefit from this group, and consider inviting them. Praise Him for giving us the Grace to live in the Kingdom, and to bring forward eternal life! Simply have anyone send me a message requesting inclusion, I will gladly add. And I have not even listed everyone locally, so whoever you find that is not getting this, and you think would be edified by, please send me their address.

Questions:
Only one question this week. Any ideas on how to separate communication that is for the meeting summaries from discussions that can be ongoing at the group website? I have ideas, but each one leaves me feeling like the arbiter of what is worthy... To begin with I will simply cut and paste what I see. But in the future would request two other saints to do that part, so that I may facilitate, yet not discriminate, and that the Spirit can judge, independent of my limited organizational abilities.

Scripture:
The Lord instructed me to begin with the book of Jonah. There is a great significance in this short piece. Especially in light of the Messiah's declaration twice in Matthew and once in Luke about being the sign of Jonah. In Luke it is even extended in parallel with Jonah's ministry to the Ninevites. But that is jumping ahead! Let us this week simply read the whole book, then prayerfully consider the first three verses. Here is my list of questions, but do not consider them a requirement, and by all means come up with your own!

Why Ninevah? Do we think God will have us cry out against wickedness as we speak the word? What are Jonah's possible motivations for fleeing from the presence of the Lord? Why Tarshish? Do we think there is a place that we can flee from the Lord to...

The Spirit brought conviction to me personally, that I 'flee' to my mind, and excuse myself from speaking at times, hiding in weakness. Heal my mind Lord!

May all who receive this find the true source of life, and be refreshed by our King. Lord, bind our faith together, into a work displaying Your infinite Glory.

In peace