"In(tension)ally Intentional" Theme
Having a Balanced Heart Directs Intentional Steps
Overview:
Do you ever find yourself longing to pursue God, but struggling to understand His plan or His purpose for your life? In this conference we look at some of the purposeful tensions in Scripture and discover how understanding the consistent nature of our multi-faceted God sheds light on having a balanced heart.
At the conclusion of each of the three messages Wendy will share a story from the life of Megan Boudreaux, who exemplifies living a life of intentional faith and obedience in God as a missionary in Haiti. Megan writes about the extraordinary ways God moved as she obeyed His leading in her book titled Miracle on Voodoo Mountain.
Message # 1: Close My Eyes – Intentional Faith
This message introduces the tensions found in Scripture and helps us begin to understand how we are to live within those tensions. The image of a disciple following along a path focused on God with ditches on each side of the path is established as a way to describe the tensions in all three messages. A disciple is balanced between those two tensions only when living in God’s truth with her face turned toward Him. The message is founded on Ecclesiastes 7:18 and Jeremiah 2:27 and 32:33 which help describe this balance between opposing tensions. Specifically this talk addresses the tension between fear and pride in our lives and how each is a misrepresentation of God’s truth for us. If God’s truth is a fulcrum point then fear causes the fulcrum to pivot too far to one side and pride causes the same on the opposite side. It teaches us that through faith and trust in Christ we can make intentional choices to keep our eyes only focused on Him, keeping the fulcrum balanced on His truth.
Scripture passages covered: Ecclesiastes 7:18; Jeremiah 2:27b, 21:8, 32:33; Numbers 11:14-16; 1 Kings 19:3-5; Psalm 19:14; Hosea 2:15a; Genesis 4:2-7; Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Psalm 119:105
Message # 2: Open My Hands – Covenant Obedience
In the second message we build upon the intentional faith from the first message and take a look at covenant obedience as a result of that faith. For this talk the middle of the fulcrum is represented by obedience with the law as one extreme and grace on the other as tensions, both having the potential to pull us away from obedience. The concept of a covenant is explained along with examples of the Old and New Covenant and how they relate to one another. Practical examples of listening to God, such as journaling, are shared along with advice on being obedient when being prompted to move by the Holy Spirit.
Scripture passages covered: Zephaniah 3:11-12; John 14:15,21; Joshua 1:7-8; Isaiah 50:4-5
Message # 3: Growing Up Exponentially – In The Power of His Spirit
Have an Intentional Faith and a Covenant Obedience to God lead to living life daily in the Power of His Spirit, which is the theme of the third message in this conference. Allowing God to direct our daily steps will grow us both internally and externally. In this message we look at our identity and ways we settle for our identity outside of Christ and what it really means to have our identity hidden in Christ. This message also examines some of the ways our sense of identity affects those around us through judgement and love. Our identity in Christ as individual disciples affects the community around us and our unity as the body of Christ – the Church. We are challenged to begin to see others as Jesus sees them and relate to them and allow Jesus to help us love others so that He can speak through us to the rest of the world and so that the way we love one another will be something the world sees as interesting.
Scripture passages covered: Galatians 5:22-23; John 17:20-23; John 13:34-35, Matthew 22:11-13; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 4:14-15
Message Activity: Bracelet
In this conference the women create a bracelet as the Message Activity Item. As with every message actity, the purpose of this time is to cement the learning of God's Biblical truths that have been shared through the theme. Each piece of the bracelet is chosen by the woman based on what God has spoken to her. After putting it together, she "binds God's truth around her wrist" as instructed in Deut. 6:6 and an in"tension"al truth is placed in the hidden pocket as a constant reminder of God's design for her life. Read the Bracelet Story.
Having a Balanced Heart Directs Intentional Steps
Overview:
Do you ever find yourself longing to pursue God, but struggling to understand His plan or His purpose for your life? In this conference we look at some of the purposeful tensions in Scripture and discover how understanding the consistent nature of our multi-faceted God sheds light on having a balanced heart.
At the conclusion of each of the three messages Wendy will share a story from the life of Megan Boudreaux, who exemplifies living a life of intentional faith and obedience in God as a missionary in Haiti. Megan writes about the extraordinary ways God moved as she obeyed His leading in her book titled Miracle on Voodoo Mountain.
Message # 1: Close My Eyes – Intentional Faith
This message introduces the tensions found in Scripture and helps us begin to understand how we are to live within those tensions. The image of a disciple following along a path focused on God with ditches on each side of the path is established as a way to describe the tensions in all three messages. A disciple is balanced between those two tensions only when living in God’s truth with her face turned toward Him. The message is founded on Ecclesiastes 7:18 and Jeremiah 2:27 and 32:33 which help describe this balance between opposing tensions. Specifically this talk addresses the tension between fear and pride in our lives and how each is a misrepresentation of God’s truth for us. If God’s truth is a fulcrum point then fear causes the fulcrum to pivot too far to one side and pride causes the same on the opposite side. It teaches us that through faith and trust in Christ we can make intentional choices to keep our eyes only focused on Him, keeping the fulcrum balanced on His truth.
Scripture passages covered: Ecclesiastes 7:18; Jeremiah 2:27b, 21:8, 32:33; Numbers 11:14-16; 1 Kings 19:3-5; Psalm 19:14; Hosea 2:15a; Genesis 4:2-7; Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Psalm 119:105
Message # 2: Open My Hands – Covenant Obedience
In the second message we build upon the intentional faith from the first message and take a look at covenant obedience as a result of that faith. For this talk the middle of the fulcrum is represented by obedience with the law as one extreme and grace on the other as tensions, both having the potential to pull us away from obedience. The concept of a covenant is explained along with examples of the Old and New Covenant and how they relate to one another. Practical examples of listening to God, such as journaling, are shared along with advice on being obedient when being prompted to move by the Holy Spirit.
Scripture passages covered: Zephaniah 3:11-12; John 14:15,21; Joshua 1:7-8; Isaiah 50:4-5
Message # 3: Growing Up Exponentially – In The Power of His Spirit
Have an Intentional Faith and a Covenant Obedience to God lead to living life daily in the Power of His Spirit, which is the theme of the third message in this conference. Allowing God to direct our daily steps will grow us both internally and externally. In this message we look at our identity and ways we settle for our identity outside of Christ and what it really means to have our identity hidden in Christ. This message also examines some of the ways our sense of identity affects those around us through judgement and love. Our identity in Christ as individual disciples affects the community around us and our unity as the body of Christ – the Church. We are challenged to begin to see others as Jesus sees them and relate to them and allow Jesus to help us love others so that He can speak through us to the rest of the world and so that the way we love one another will be something the world sees as interesting.
Scripture passages covered: Galatians 5:22-23; John 17:20-23; John 13:34-35, Matthew 22:11-13; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 4:14-15
Message Activity: Bracelet
In this conference the women create a bracelet as the Message Activity Item. As with every message activity, the purpose of this time is to cement the learning of God's Biblical truths that have been shared through the theme. Each piece of the bracelet is chosen by the woman based on what God has spoken to her. After putting it together, she "binds God's truth around her wrist" as instructed in Deut. 6:6 and an in"tension"al truth is placed in the hidden pocket as a constant reminder of God's design for her life. Read the Bracelet Story.