Oh, oh, oh…I am sooooooo excited about the book our Proverbs 31 Gather & Grow group will be studying this year: the Bible study “trilogy” by Nancy Leigh DeMoss – “Brokenness, Surrender, Holiness”! As one of the girls in our group said, “We are a strange group of women indeed who would get excited about ‘brokenness’.” Well, the Bible does say we are a peculiar people. 1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light…”
Just the words “Brokenness, Surrender, Holiness” leave me breathless (they are some serious, fruit-flowing postures of the heart!) and excited at the work the Lord will do in our lives as we yield our hearts to Him. May our hearts always be postured in humility and teachability toward Him. “… yield your hearts to the LORD…” Joshua 24:23
This study by Nancy Leigh DeMoss is rich and deep. I am so excited about it that I would like to give a gift to one of you of this Bible study trilogy. If you are desiring a rich and deep Bible study, please leave a comment (with contact information if you don’t have a Blogger Profile). The recipient of the gift will announced on Wednesday 9/9.
My heart’s passion is to encourage women to daily soak in His Word. Not because I have arrived in any way, but because I know my own need for Him and His Word every moment. I know His Word brings life. He arrived. He came. He has taken up residence and lavishes His grace, mercy and love on us. My motivation and heart’s joy in giving the gift of “Brokenness, Surrender, Holiness” by Nancy Leigh DeMoss is that a precious soul would grow closer to the Lord through this Bible study trilogy. Have I mentioned that I am so excited?
Here is a small excerpt of Chapter 2 of “Brokenness”:
“Our idea of brokenness and God’s idea of brokenness are usually quite different. Some people think of brokenness as always being sad or gloomy. They assume it means having a downcast countenance. They imagine people who never smile or laugh. How could a broken person possibly be happy or at peace? In reality, brokenness brings a release, which produces a deep sense of joy and peace.
So, what is true brokenness? Someone has said that brokenness, like a fragrance, is easier to detect than to define. How is brokenness to be recognized in our lives?
Brokenness is not a feeling or an emotion. Rather, it requires a choice, an act of the will. True brokenness is an on-going, constant way of life. True brokenness is a lifestyle — a moment by moment lifestyle of agreeing with God about the true condition of my heart and life — not as everyone else thinks it is but as He knows it to be.
Brokenness is a shattering of my self-will–the absolute surrender of my will to the will of God. It is saying ‘Yes, Lord!’–no resistance, no chafing, no stubbornness–simply submitting myself to His direction and will in my life.
True brokenness is the breaking of my self-will, so that the life and spirit of the Lord Jesus may be released through me. It is my humble and obedient response to the conviction of God’s Word and His Holy Spirit.
Brokenness is the stripping of my self-reliance…the softening of the soil of my heart. Believers with broken, contrite hearts are receptive and responsive to the Word. The broken, contrite heart is easily molded by the hand of God.”
Wow! Isn’t that beautiful? This small excerpt whets the appetite for more. This book by Nancy Leigh DeMoss puts you into God’s Word, the best place to be. Whoooeeee!
Visit Nancy Leigh DeMoss at: Revive Our Hearts
Learn more about Proverbs 31 “Forever 31 Gather & Grow” Groups by contacting Wendy Pope at: Proverbs 31 Gather & Grow
“I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect Your word.”
Psalm 119:16
How cool is our God!!! I was getting on facebook to post a scripture this morning and first saw your post. He always leads us to what we need the most in His timing. The scripture I was posting is: Teach me to do your will, for you are God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground" God Bless You and Thank You,
BettyJo
This looks like something that was sent straight from the Throne to me! I need this and I will have to purchase this.
THanks for sharing this word with us.
Sounds like a great study.
I am getting ready to start the Beth Moore Esther study, so don't enter me in the drawing. I'm not one to do a study alone, so I will stick with my (new) group.
I hope your group goes excellently! I love Bible study!
This sounds awesome!
Hmmmmm…got me thinking about my teen girls for the year – they all might be ready to go this deep too!
Love you!
Jill
Broken, the best place to be, because then His light can shine from my cracks.
Blessings from the rain,
Sarah Dawn
Ooh, how blessed! To be doing that bible study! I have had that book sitting in my [shopping cart] on Christianbooks.com for months now. Just haven't had the means to get. I know it's going to be good and that God will bring it at the right time… so maybe this is the time. Enter me please. And if it is not the time, it's alright. God knows what He's doing!
Oh! I so need a study like that right now!
Thank you for sharing this with everyone today.
Josey
jbozzoblog.blogspot.com
thebozzos@comcast.net
P.S.How do you get your blog to play music?
Sharon,
thank you so very much for allowing me to read and learn from you. I would love some of the christian music that plays on your blog. How can I get it?
marscraft1@gmail.com
Thanks
God Bless……..Emma
Wow, Sharon, this is powerful. After reading your post and some words from my husband (shared kindly and with love yet so hard to hear), I received a truer undertanding of brokenness than I have ever had before. That brokenness is on-going…a "state of the heart" is a new truth to me.
I sat with the Lord this morning with where I am and it was a precious time. Yes, a hard time but precious and good.
He gave me this verse, "Why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not do what I say?" Luke 6:46. That is me. In so many areas He is Lord of my life but I have held onto certain attitudes and habits that reveal to me He is not LORD over them.
Thank you, Sharon, for always taking me deeper still with my God. I am so thankful for you in my life.
Blessings on your day,
Wendy
Wow! That was awesome. It reminded me of Watchman Nee's book "The Release of the Spirit" He talks a lot about the only way for us to truly live is allowing the Holy Spirit within us to be released from within our own spirits. And, the only way that happens is for us to surrender the hardness of our outer shell, the flesh, to the work of the Spirit within us, to be broken. He explains it like we are an alabaster bottle filled with the sweetest fragrance but until we are broken, no one can smell the beauty of what is within us.
This study sounds awesome!
Oh Sharon, how I wish I could attend this study. Our entire church did Nancy Leigh DeMoss's study, "Seeking Him". WOW! We would do the work each week and our Pastor would speak on each chapter on Sunday, bringing personal application and further insight.
Know you'll have a wonderful time in His Word.
God bless,
Joy
Sharon,
I am seriously considering leading our group with this study in Sept. We only have 6 weeks to meet. Do you have any recommendations? Should we just tackle Brokenness first and the other 2 later? Let me know your thoughts. And hindsight, did your group LOVE it?
God Bless,
Shara
sharalana@nc.rr.com