Welcome to Kendra Graham’s online Bible study. Our prayer is that you grow deeper in the knowledge and understanding of God’s Word and His promises for you. Below is the handout for the fourth week of the Bible study with a few homework questions at the end.
I AM
#ENOUGH
to Quench Your Thirst…
STEP ONE: Pray
STEP TWO: Read the Text.
Exodus 17:1-3 (NASB)
Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel journeyed by stages from the wilderness of Sin, according to the command of the LORD, and camped at Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink.
Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water that we may drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?”
But the people thirsted there for water; and they grumbled against Moses and said, “Why now, have you brought us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”
STEP THREE: WHAT DOES IT SAY?
THE FACTS ONLY PLEASE
In this step you need to list the outstanding facts of the passage. DON’T get caught up in the details, just list the facts. Do not paraphrase. Use the actual words of the passage. This is God’s Word; a lot of times this step seems tedious to some, but I urge you, as we read and say and write God’s Word, it begins to sink deep into our hearts. If you just pick one fact out of the verse, write it down and meditate on it.
1: All the sons of Israel journeyed according to the command of the LORD and camped at Rephidim. There was no water to drink
2: The people quarreled with Moses “Give us water” Moses: “Why do you test the LORD?”
3: The people thirsted for water, they grumbled “Why now have you brought us from Egypt to kill us, our children and livestock with thirst?”
STEP FOUR: WHAT DOES IT MEAN? THE LESSONS
Look for a lesson to learn from each fact. What are the people doing that they should be doing? What are the people doing that they shouldn’t be doing?
Is there a command to follow? A promise to claim? A warning to heed? An example to follow? Meditate on these. Ask God what lesson it is that He wants you to hear or learn.
1: It is easy sometimes to get into a performance trap. We have done everything God requires, like go to church, follow His commands, memorize the Word, help people, do what is right even when it’s easier not to…. and where has following God gotten us? To a place of urgent desperate need. I don’t like that. God leads us to places that require a dependent faith on Him.
2: God has let me down, so I am not moving until He shows up and fixes this. The people “tested” God. We often get tired of God being the One to give the tests, well, it’s my turn. Prove who You are, and I will believe. God says, believe who I AM and see how my name is proven. We don’t like that. We demand God lead us to a place of excess… it looks empty. The thing is… this is a place where God provides in excess… to overflow! We just need to know where to look.
3: It is here, when we are hurting, thirsty, and full of more questions than answers that we literally cannot remember a single blessing the freedom God gives us. It is at times like this, when Sinai is literally in view, that we quit. Slavery was easier. It is here, when we can’t go another step, that we throw our faith away. Our hearts are tired and we hurt…. so we will leave God before He leaves us. He may be faithful to you, but He will not be faithful to me. God is not #enough. If we leave now… we will miss the miracle.
STEP FIVE: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME? NOW APPLY IT…. TODAY.
Take the lessons you learned and put them into the form of a personal question that you would ask your spouse, or a friend or your son or daughter.
As you write the questions, listen for God to communicate to you through His Word.
Do not rush. Do not write things down just to have something on paper, this step takes more time that you may think. This is where Scripture meditation becomes real, this is where you begin to hear that still small voice speak to you, and place His finger in your life and begin to direct your paths…. this day, and the next, and the next. Do you trust Him enough to put into place that which He is moving you to?
1: When have you tried to control God with your good works, church attendance, Bible study teaching, and amazing ability to follow…? When was a time where you know God led you to a certain place, only to find that when you got there, or were in the process of getting there, you found lack rather than abundance? Did you question whether you heard God correctly or not? (Honesty is REALLY hard here….)
2: When was a time where you got tired of all of God’s tests and you felt like it was your turn to refuse to move until you received an explanation? How hard is it to live on promises and not explanations? What promise of God are you currently trusting God to come through on?
3: If you were to make a list of your blessings from God vs your grievances, which list would be easier to compile? Do you really believe I AM that I AM is more than #ENOUGH? Why or why not? What part of your desert journey caused you to question everything about God? Did you quit or press in? If you quit, what obstacles were in the way of turning back and pressing to Sinai? What promises do you need God to come through on? If you pressed in, then in what way did you see God that you would have missed otherwise?
STEP SIX: LIVE IT OUT.
Look over all your facts, lessons and applications for a given passage.
Is there a main theme to them? Does one verse stand out over the rest for some reason?
Hold yourself accountable to live out in your daily life that which God impresses upon your heart. Write it out, sign it, date it and claim the transforming power of God’s Word and His presence in your life.
Write down the name of God, who He promises to be to me…
Call on His name, hold to His name…
Look for His name to be evident today… even if it is not evident in the way I demand.
I AM THAT I AM IS MORE THAN #ENOUGH.
Shout that out throughout today… then tomorrow.
Help my unbelief.
Watch this weeks Bible Study: Click here.
HOMEWORK:
Do the Three Questions on:
Exodus 17:9-16
Get stuck? www.annegrahamlotz.com
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