Life Off Line Challenge: God's Word

There's no easy way to live Life Off Line for God. To experience God's blessing, we have to walk in His way, spend time in His Word, and listen to Him. We can't substitute for it or leave it out and still expect to be blessed. Psalm 1 takes away any doubt about that. Today we're engaging in God's Word Off and On line through Bible studies, prayer resources, worship music, and even serving. Some of us are being distracted from the truth by our tech, starting out reading a passage, only to end up posting a status or checking an email. We need to rediscover real truth, without distraction. God's Spirit still moves in real hearts, in real people, to change real lives, to bring the real God glory.

Real growth in godliness shows Off Line. It may be tweeted or posted, but it grows and shows first in Life Off Line. 

How are you engaging in God's Word? There's no excuse to say we don't have money for a guide, access to a bookstore, or a study Bible. "On line" has made God's Word accessible to countless more people, globally. Awesome! I want to share an on line opportunity that will change you off line. It's an invitation to study Ephesians with my friend Kathy Howard; it will be time well spent.

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Why don’t you just grow up? – Your invite to study Ephesians

Many of us take a hard look in the mirror this time of year. Often, what we see makes us cringe – or at least sigh. After that critical evaluation many of us commit to new diets and exercise habits. (Another course of action of course, would be to simply throw away the mirror!)


But when was the last time you evaluated your spiritual condition? Do you feel strong in the Lord and in His mighty power or is your faith flabby? Are you experiencing every spiritual blessing in Christ or is your soul undernourished?


Every Christian needs regular encouragement and strengthening from the community of faith to continue to grow. So, I invite you to join me for some spiritual encouragement through a study of Ephesians. This letter, written by Paul, is one of the most encouraging, faith-building books of the Bible. Here are a few key ways this study of Ephesians will get your faith in shape:

• · You will contemplate all the spiritual blessings God has given you through Christ.
• · You will soak in the truth of who you are in Christ.
• · You will discover how to live out your faith and grow up spiritually within the context of the church.

Won’t you join me? The introductory lesson for “Growing Up Together: A Study of Ephesians” will be posted Wednesday, January 18th with six more lessons to follow. It won’t be incredibly time intense but you will dig deep into the treasure of God’s Word.


Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV).


Are you in? Tell me how you’d like to see your faith grow in 2012.

~ Kathy

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Today's Life Off Line Challenge: 
- Read on an app, on a blog, or in a leather bound copy, but read the first chapter of Ephesians.
- Write a one sentence expression of gratitude to God for giving us His word and for allowing on line resources to spread His truth around the world. Don't have any old fashioned paper? ;) You can even leave your gratitude to the Lord as a comment!