Captivated: Cultivating an Intimate Relationship with God

By Nonda Houston

Captivated is a six-week women's study rooted in Proverbs 3:5–6 (NKJV):

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Acknowledging God is more than asking Him to sign off on your decisions. In the original Hebrew, the word yada means to acknowledge, perceive, recognize, and to know—but that's not the casual form of knowing! It's the deeply intimate and personal way that we get to know someone. This definition is important because it helps us recognize how God is present in our everyday life.

Each week the study will focus on knowing God in different aspects of our life:

• Knowing Him in your emotional life
• Knowing Him in your physical life
• Knowing Him in your relational life
• Knowing Him in your spiritual life
• Knowing Him in your intellectual life

Through trials and tests, questions and confusion, God gives us the opportunity to know Him more. We will learn about some of the many names of God—which serve as windows into His abilities, nature, and character—and how He reveals himself to us according to our circumstances.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gospel Publishing House
• Release date: Jan 29, 2024
• ISBN: 9781607316886

Book preview

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

© 2024 by Gospel Publishing House, 1445 N. Boonville Ave., Springfield, Missouri 65802. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.

02-4255

ISBN 978-1-60731-685-5

Printed in United States of America

Contents

Week 1

MEMORY VERSE

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

GROUP DISCUSSION

Week 2

MEMORY VERSE

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

GROUP DISCUSSION

Week 3

MEMORY VERSE

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

GROUP DISCUSSION

Week 4

MEMORY VERSE

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

GROUP DISCUSSION

Week 5

MEMORY VERSE

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

GROUP DISCUSSION

Week 6

MEMORY VERSE

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

GROUP DISCUSSION

Bible Memorization

LET THE MESSAGE ABOUT CHRIST, IN ALL ITS RICHNESS, FULLFILL YOUR LIVES. TEACH AND COUNSEL EASH OTHER WITH ALL THE WISDOM HE GIVES. SING PSALMS AND HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS TO GOD WITH THANKFUL HEARTS.

COLOSSIANS 3:16

Each week throughout this study, a memory verse is provided.

Here are a few facts to know:

- Bible memorization holds great importance and can have a tremendous impact on your discipleship journey. By hiding God’s Word in your heart, it enables you to internalize Scripture and deepen your connection with the Lord.

- It’s also important to realize that you are in a spiritual battle that is not fought or won in the natural, physical realm.

FOR WE ARE NOT FIGHTING AGAINST FLESH-AND-BLOOD ENEMIES, BUT AGAINST EVIL RULERS AND AUTHORITIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD, AGAINST MIGHTY POWERS IN THE DARK WORLD, AND AGAINST EVIL SPIRITS IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES.

EPHESIANS 6:12

- Since it is a spiritual battle, you have been given a spiritual weapon. The Bible refers to the Word of God as your sword (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12). As you pray the Scriptures, you are aligning your thoughts with God’s, dismantling strongholds, and declaring the promises in your life and in your world.

- When your Bible isn’t with you, the Word can be hidden in your heart. It is a valuable resource to draw from in times of need providing guidance, comfort, and strength in the face of life’s challenges.

- Scripture memorization is a source of wisdom and a reminder of God’s promises. It’s a powerful source of encouragement and a way of passing along your values to the next generation.

I HAVE HIDDEN YOUR WORD IN MY HEART, THAT I MIGHT NOT SIN AGAINST YOU.

PSALM 119:11

Study Tips

Introduction

Years ago, I heard the story of a well-known worship leader who had the most profound dream. He saw a picture of angels around the throne of glory, each one bowing down and saying, Holy, holy, holy. They were in complete and continuous awe of God. Their reverence never ceased, he explained, as each time they looked at God, they saw a new aspect of His character and nature. Truly, His greatness knows no end. While this was only a dream, it has inspired me to realize the vastness of our God and to know Him more. His love is truly captivating.

My friend, God created you and knows you intimately. You have been His idea since before time began. He chose everything about you and then set you in this time and space. You are the apple of your Father’s eye, created in the image of God for the purpose of having an intimate relationship with Him.

Over the next six weeks, we will explore our relationship with God and how to know Him more though our emotional, physical, spiritual, relational, and intellectual experiences. The foremost way to learn about God is through the Bible. It is God’s love letter to us, revealing His plan of redemption and heart for humanity. This study will dig deep into Scripture as you meet face-to-face with the reflection of your heart. There will be questions, contemplation, and prayer. This is the road to discipleship and the way to know Jesus more.

Like the angels in the dream, we too can live a life in awe of