Welcome to Kendra Graham’s Summer Bible Study! This is a place where we can come together and share in our journey towards Scriptural truths and spiritual maturity. We pray this will be a safe, respectful, resourceful place to come and discuss God’s Word…to discover What it says…What it means…and What it means to you!
Kendra Graham notes from I Corinthians 10:31
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.
FACT:
Whether you eat or drink, whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
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?
LESSONS:
There is a saying that my dad instilled in my heart from a young age, “If you are going to do something, do it right.” So what does that mean? What does it look like to “Do something right”? Is it cleaning that toilet until it sparkles? Is it about being a nurse in the limelight and getting credit for being a 21st century version of Florence Nightingale? What does it look like to do things for the glory of God as stated here in this verse? I am, in the middle of my crazy work summer schedule, showing up at the hospital day after day delivering those babies. I am cleaning up vomit, charting in a crazy computer program that often defeats me, and listening to the lives of patients as they struggle and soar through life. It’s easy for me to think that being hidden away on one hall of a big hospital means there is less purpose, less importance, and what I do or don’t do doesn’t really matter. This is completely untrue.
It’s not about the what. It’s not about what I do, whether it is cleaning up the trash in my patients room, listening to my middle schooler tell me about her day, or if it’s leading a Bible study at the Cove; it’s about the why; it’s all about my heart behind why I do what I do. To do things “for the glory of God,” means that even in the smallest most unnoticeable things, people don’t see me, they see the compelling compassion of God. John 3:30 says it best, “He must increase but I must decrease.” It’s about Who I reflect when I do a task. What we do is noticed, and God has placed us where He has–not to climb the ladder, or get ahead, or put others down so we can go up–it’s about reflecting the character of Jesus in the big things with big people, and the small things with small people. God has entrusted me to represent Him here today. Lord, give me the strength to reflect Your character and Your glory where You have placed me!
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?
Where have you been placed today? Today, can we worry more about what God thinks of our work than others? How can we bring glory to God in the menial tasks we have day after day? Are we more worried about personal glory, or God’s glory?
LIVE IT OUT!
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.
Today… Lord, help me to focus on You and do all things to the glory of God.
HOMEWORK: Romans 12:1-2
Get stuck? www.annegrahamlotz.com and Anne will walk through the Three Questions with you and help you along!