RESOURCES:

Let the Walls Fall Down Fall Webinar Series
 

Lay Down Your Weapons
a reflection on Psalm 46
  
Thursday, October 20, 2022
9:00 PM EDT/6:00 PM PDT
 

What a blessing it is to know that God is the God of the universe. The Creator and Sustainer of life. The Psalmist declares in Psalm 46 that it is this God who is a present help in times of trouble, our defender, and our hope. But what happens when we are not on God’s side so much as our own side? When we go to the Lord for our own self-interest over that of another? What happens in communities and relationships when Christians have very different perspectives and desires for a situation and ask God to be that “very present help”? What does it mean for believers, in the midst of our own sanctification and Christian journey, to be still and know that God is God? In this reflection, we will gain a deeper understanding of all these questions and more as we join together to listen to the voice of God.


Webinar Hightlights: 

1. Interacting with Scripture in different ways can bring to light new and interesting revelations! It can be helpful to encounter Scripture in ways other than reading (performance, art, poetry, etc.) This can help us gain a deeper understanding of the original text and lead us to be surprised and challenged by well-known scripture.
2. God walks with us through seasons of difficulty and distress. 
3. The joy of God is experienced in the community and encompasses our lived realities.  
4. God's peace is extended to all creation, not just our communities of faith. 
5. Christians - in the midst of our own sanctification - can choose to rebel against God; these rebellions affect our relationships with ourselves and others
6. When we are confronted with ways we have worked against God’s goodness or inhibited others’ experience of it, we must repent.
7. Through difficult and tumultuous seasons, God remains faithful to God’s people and indeed helps God's people repent. In our weakness and failure, God shows Godself to be strong and forgiving. Trust in this nature of our Creator as you move through your journey of sanctification!

 

Guest Presenter: Jackie Murphy
Jackie Murphy is a New Mexico native and a Baylor University graduate. She is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Princeton Theological Seminary with an emphasis on Practical Theology and has an interest in connecting local congregations to each other and their contextual communities. Jackie recently worked in a large Christian nonprofit theatre creating shows for the community and teaching acting classes for children and youth. She also has experience in a church-based ministry for college-aged individuals, which focused on building a community of discipleship and support. This past summer, Ms. Murphy had the honor of serving as an intern with the national staff of American Baptist Women's Ministries and has a deep love for the ABWM sisterhood shared far and wide.