Gracious Acceptance

This is from chapter 2 of the "Becoming a Woman Simplicity" bible study:
1. Are you saved by anything good you have done or will ever do? No I am saved by grace alone. My salvation leads me to want to do good works, not in order to earn or keep salvation, but to honor and serve God who saved me.

2. What does Ephesians 2:10 tell us about good works? We are created by God in Christ to do good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them. We were created to bo the goods work of God.

3. Are you certain of God's acceptance of you? Why or why not? This is a tough one. I know what the bible says; so yes I am accepted by God and saved by His Grace. However, I too often forget and rely on my own "feelings". When life gets hectic and I'm trying to do a million things at once (and failing at all of the them) my first reaction is to think...if only I was a better wife, mother, etc."

4. How can taking Christs yoke enable you to do the good things God has planned for you? (Matthew 11:28-30)I It teaches me to be gentle and humble in heart and I'm able to begin to see things the way He sees things.

5. f you respond to Christ's call and His yoke, how will your life be different? I think my life would be more peaceful. I"d be able to concentrate more on people and the important things in my life, I'd quiet and listen to God more.

6. Is there any "good thing" that you are doing that is taking your concentration OFF of Jesus? Is there some area where you are worshiping your work? This is an interest question. Of course there are always thing that I'm trying to do apart from God: clean my house, be a good wife and mama. etc. Even before I started this bible study I felt like God had started me on this journey of simplifying and redirecting my life. Everything from this study, to what I heard on the radio, to what we learn in Sunday School and in church, to what I experience in day to day living is telling me to slow down and rely more on God. I think my biggest problem with this is that I feel like I'm so far behind of what a "normal" wife and mother, that I have to spend all my time trying to catch up.

Take time this week after you have completed all the reading and answered the study questions for chapter 2, to get alone with God and allow Him to speak to you about how you serve Him and whether or not you have accepted His acceptance of you.