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| Source: modernekklesia.com |
For
those of you who can't join us in person, we offer the next best thing
-- a blog version of our lesson, so that you can do it at home. This
series is called: Scripture & Writing.
This week's lesson prepared by Brianna Renshaw
Scripture
Reading: 1 John 1:4 – We write this
to make our joy complete (NIV).
Devotion: Complete
Joy by Brianna Renshaw
Motherhood is full of ups and downs. There are days when
I just feel like screaming and then there are days I just feel like dancing.
For instance, some evenings on our walks my daughter whines constantly – “I’m
too tired. I’m thirsty. I’m hungry. My legs are too short.” And on other
evenings, she giggles whimsically as she kicks up the fallen leaves and
delights in the simple beauty of God’s creation.
The trick to dealing with the ups and downs is to write
about both. Sharing our experiences as mothers through writing reveals to
others that the joy of motherhood is not dependent upon one bad day; instead, it
is made up of a combination of experiences – both the good and the bad. At the
end of the day, no matter what happened, being a mom is a reason to be joyful.
Likewise, at the end of the day, no matter what happened,
we can be joyful because we are saved in Christ. In 1 John chapter one, John urges
believers to write their testimonies of Christ –to share Christ with others so
that everyone can experience the joy and happiness of living in union with God.
Our written testimonies show others that true joy is found in God’s presence and
not found in circumstances or material possessions. Complete joy is God.
Prayer: Thank you God for
the opportunity to meet together and share witness of your power and goodness,
which brings us complete joy. Encourage each of us to share your work in our
lives through our writing so that we can reach others and bring them into
fellowship with you.
Meditation Questions:
1.
What
does ‘this’ refer to in the scripture?
2.
For
John, what is complete joy?
3.
Is
it more important to write proof of the facts of Jesus’s historical life or to
write about the meaning and significance of those events to us personally?
4.
What
is the goal of writing our testimony?
5.
Is
our belief in God less than John’s because we did not witness with our own eyes
the life and death of Jesus?
6.
Why
should we share our testimony?
11 Tips for
Writing Your Testimony:
1.
State
in one sentence the point of your encounter with Jesus (the main spiritual
truth of your story).
2.
Use
words that are understandable.
3.
Include
sensory details of the experience.
4.
Don’t
focus too much on yourself; instead focus on what Jesus did for you.
5.
Be
positive.
6.
Keep
it simple.
7.
Use
scriptures to back up your story but don’t overload your testimony with
scriptures.
8.
Don’t
preach.
9.
Let
the Holy Spirit lead you.
10. Trust God to give you the words.
11. Re-write.
Homework: Share a story
of how God has worked in your life.
