EP 38 Fresh Perspective with God's Word - Nichole Wilkinson

After a decade of gathering women together for prayer, we are inspired to bring our words of encouragement to you. This is iRefresh. Welcome to iRefresh, where we're ordinary women who desire to do extraordinary things for the power of prayer and God's Word. Today I have a friend of mine named Nicolay Wilkinson that we go back decades, but we won't talk about that. We'll talk about, she is just an amazing woman of God that I had the opportunity to listen to her teach a Bible study and I was very inspired. Just her passion for the things of God and how she taught the Word of God. Today, that's really going to be part of our highlight, but I would love her just to introduce herself. Yeah, I'm Nicolay, and I'm so happy to be here. Thank you for inviting me. I have a background in clinical psychology. I was a marriage and family counselor for years. I've been married for 30 years, mother of two. I have two adult children who are thriving and doing well. And for the last 20 years I've been teaching Bible. So that is my great passion. That's awesome. Now, were you doing, you were teaching Bible while you were also doing, you said clinical counseling. So you kind of do both at the same time? Well, the counseling career came first. and then it's kind of story how I ended up as a Bible teacher but that's what I would like to find out okay you transition yes really because you're not doing counseling per se anymore you're doing more just full-time by well what I say is once a counselor always a counselor okay My clientele for a while was a husband and two small children who, you know, did their time on the couch from time to time. That's therapeutic. My husband likes to say we're all very well adjusted because we live with a counselor mom. When I was home with my children and they were little, I just began to seek the Lord. I was helping lead a Bible study and the lady that contacted me and asked me to be in leadership of that said it was very clear to her who she was supposed to call. So, got involved as a pretty young woman in Bible study leadership. And so, I was actually previewing the video that we had and watching a teacher talk about loving God and having passion for Him. And I had grown up, I grew up in the church. So I had always been familiar with the Word and we'll have to go back a little in time to answer where the passion for the word came from and the knowledge of the word. So we'll back up to that later. But at this particular time, as I began to ask the Lord about that passion, and I thought, I've known the Lord, I've known His word pretty much all of my life, walked with Him, but I thought, do I have that passion? When the door is closed and no one's looking, can I say that I have that kind of passionate love for him beyond doing the right things. And so that night I got down, my couch became an altar and I said, Lord, can you teach me that? And that simple prayer was life changing. Because he answered, I didn't expect him to answer right away, but he did. And he said, give me a year. And I didn't know what we were going to do for that year. But in following him, I began to pull myself out of several things that I had been involved in. Good things, really good things, but not the things he wanted at that time. So he had a shift for you because even though you felt before you were supposed to do those things, but you felt even though they were great things, they weren't right for the moment. They were good things. They just weren't his idea for the time. And so that took following him to be willing to step out of some things that... that that I was doing and and so I got on board and so that was the first step and after I took that first step and this is one of the things I've learned if you follow the Lord with the first step then he gives you the next one and then he gives you the next one he doesn't always give you the whole plan he doesn't it's always a surprise because you don't know when he's coming to tell you what's next it's just a it's a leap of faith right It is. Right. And so I did that and the next thing was study Peter. And I began to do that and I remember the day that my husband and I were actually on a trip out of town and we were sitting on a bench outside of an ice cream shop. And I said, I feel like I'm being called to write a Bible study. I don't have time to write a Bible study. I had a two-year-old and a five-year-old at the time. Okay. And my wife's husband said, Come on, Nicola, we all make time for whatever we want to make time for. And so I just followed the Lord in that. Didn't tell really anybody. It was just between the Lord and me. And I began to study the Apostle Peter. began to write down what I was learning, in-depth research, study of all the commentaries, just really digging in and just writing it as if I were writing it to an audience because that's the only way I knew. And before I finished it, I was called upon to, someone said, I told one other person outside of my family and she said, when are you going to have that ready? One thing led to another and I was teaching it at my church and then the phone started ringing asking for that study. So how did people find out that you had written up a Bible study? Because I taught it to a large group of women at my church and so women talk. Yeah they do. As we are today women talk and so word began to spread and so like I said the phone was ringing asking me for it and one thing led to another and I began, it's funny because I wanted the Lord to send the Bible study. I believe in the power of the word and of that the message of that book. I was not particularly looking for him to send me and yet he did. I kept going with it to different places and so I had the privilege of going and meeting. So you traveled with the Bible study, that particular Bible study, you went around from different towns and cities? States. Okay. So you took that just the same study and you just went and they invited you into the different churches and Bible study groups? Okay. And so usually I would make an appearance as they were doing the study, either at the beginning or the ending, and get to greet the ladies and get to know them, and it was quite an experience. So that's kind of where the start in teaching the Word came from. And so for the last nine years, I taught an ongoing weekly class. Right, and that's where I got to hear you. Yeah, it was great. And that's where, you know, I don't know how many different studies that you've had over the years too is, I think it's interesting though is that passion, from what I can hear, you've always been in the church, and there's been an ongoing, did you like study that even in school as well? So good question, that's where the beginning comes. Having been raised in the church, I knew, about the Bible, but as a kid, it's kind of hard to know what you're looking at, what it all means, how it applies. When I was going into ninth grade, the summer before ninth grade, I went with my church's youth group to camp, which was a great fun thing to do that we did every year. And at that particular camp, the cabins had competition for like cabin of the week, you know? And as a part of the cabin, you had to choose. You could either do choir, and I don't have a musical bone in my body or you could do drama and that was pretty much out. Okay. Or you could do Bible quiz. And so I got by default. I did Bible quiz. Did you? I did. Ended up doing Bible quiz. We won. I don't know about you but our team won. And so they would say study this chapter and we'll ask you questions and Turns out I was good at that. Who knew? And so they sent me, they kept sending me back to get points for the cabin. And someone there said, we have a program that runs through the whole year that's much bigger than this. That you learn large passages of scripture and quiz over them. And so they told me who at the church led that or had led it in the past. And I did not know her, but I found her. she played the piano and so she was sitting at the front of the church and I found her one day, a very tenacious teenager that I was and said, you need to start that back up because I want to quit. And she said, well, okay then. And so I got in and so 9th through 12th grade I was in a Bible quiz program, which was a national program, so all around the United States. kids like me were memorizing passages of large passage books of the Bible and quizzing over them. And I credit my coach is still a dear, dear friend of mine. And she taught us not only to know it, but to love it. And so I began to discover as a teenager, the power of the word. You know in those formative years when everyone is trying to figure out... Let me just pause you on that though. Okay. For people that are maybe not well versed in that word, when you say that I discovered the power of the word, for somebody who's maybe new in Christ, new to a church or whatever, what does that mean in layman's terms? the power of it like the benefit for you personally how in your daily life did it resonate with you well first of all it gave me profound perspective one of the things we have not talked about yet is something that makes me very unique i was born with cerebral palsy and so i had some challenges that i lived with And as a teenager, everyone's trying to figure themselves out and what it's all about. And in those years, he planted me in his word. And I'm so, so grateful for that. Because the first thing I would say is perspective. That I was learning passages of scripture that said, My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Right. And Paul went on to say, Most gladly, therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For when I am weak, then am I strong. I mean that's perspective. That's powerful, yeah. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen. For the things which are seen are temporary. The things which are unseen are eternal. And these are the things I was learning. And if you can see as God sees, It's life changing and I begin to see there's a different reality. Right. You know, and there's a different purpose. And that is the power of the word. Also, I would say. Besides perspective of looking at your life and your circumstances and seeing that God sees it differently than you do is I learned that you can know God through his word. How do you do that? Like for somebody who's never really experienced God or they feel hurt and maybe they blame God. How do you get them to quiet down and gain that? Well, I would say the first step is to realize, and I think this is why a lot of times we don't press in to know God, is we don't realize that we can. We can know God he wants to be known by us. He invites us to know him. He says come to me and So one of the best ways we do that I mean we have to interact with him and into a relationship with him We talked to him he talks to us and and get into his presence and we can experience him But one of the best ways is through his work because it is his autobiography and He has left it to us to reveal Himself because He wants to be known. Jesus said this is the work that God requires that we would know Him. And so that is really it for life is to know Him and to walk with Him. And so He has laid it out for us. I love the fact that in my lifetime, I have only have so many years and so many experiences to know Him and to experience Him. But through His Word, I have all these other people. and his history, you know, generations and generations of those who have gone before us and how they walked with the Lord and what their experience with him was and what he did and what he didn't do and what he said and how he interacts and what his purposes are. He has a personality, for lack of a better word. Okay, give me some of the things that you see as a personality of God. Like what would define somebody who doesn't know anything about God or even an atheist? What is it that would be intriguing to even an atheist of that who God is, personality wise? Well, He doesn't change. Okay. You can count on Him to be who He is all the time. That's something that gives me great comfort. I know who He is and He's not going to change. Yeah. He's faithful. He's completely dependable. You can trust Him. what he says he does. I believe he has a great sense of humor and you can find it in the Word if you dig in that. I agree. The statements on the miracles are kind of humorous. Yes. And his interactions with the disciples. I got a kick studying Peter some of the ways he interacted with Peter and things that he would say because he understands us. And he's patient, he is full of mercy and compassion. You give him an inch and he's going to squeeze mercy into it. At the same time he loves justice and that's an interesting aspect of him. But his ways are higher than ours. He just thinks differently, sees differently, responds differently. But you've gained that because you've been studying the Word for years. And what I think would be really great for us to see for people that they've kind of been, especially at the beginning of a year, maybe they'll start reading through the Bible. But what do you think would be some things that would help someone who maybe, like they tried to read the Bible, but they just didn't understand it, so they put it back down. What are things that you would try to really give encouragement to, like this is some steps I would suggest. If I had three steps or a couple steps, what would you have encouraged someone who has tried, but like, I just don't get it. I don't understand what this means. Well, you can get different versions. Okay. And so I would recommend. What would you recommend? Yeah, a couple of them that you would recommend for our listeners. I use the NIV a lot, New International Version. Growing up I liked the New American Standard. Okay. So those are a couple. But you can find one that you understand, can read more easily and know what it's saying. The other thing, another thing that's imperative is when you just start where you are. You know, it may be that you have to go to that front and look up what page the book of the Bible that you want starts on because you don't. That's fine. Start where you are. Dig in because God wants you to know him and he wants you to know his word. And so he will help you. So one thing that I think is imperative is that you pray before you read it. That's yeah, I agree. You open up and you say, Lord, show me yourself. Show me your ways. Help me to see what you would say to me today. That's another power of the word is that he can speak to us through his word. That's one of the things. profound ways that he does. I believe it is a guide to our life. One of the things that blows my mind is that this is the information age and we have all this information coming and going through the internet and even if you think back in Today I'm going to show my age here, but grew up with my parents big set of encyclopedias. Oh, I have them. For the book report, you know. I think my dad still has them. Yes. And so you even think of that and how much information, you know, how many books it took. And God put everything he gave us. In a book that we can carry in our hand. That's true. Isn't that amazing? That's a good point. And so he says there it is and he invites us to know it. So there to start it get it get the version of what? Okay, okay Where what book if someone wants to get back into what book you think would be an easy way to get into reading the Bible again? Well, we often recommend the Gospel of John in the New Testament as a good way to start because it is kind of every man's book. It's practical. Through it, you're going to read the story of Jesus here on the earth, who He is, what He came to do, and what the salvation and life that He offers. It's in John. 1010 that he says the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come that they might have life and life more abundantly. That's his purpose. Ephesians in the New Testament is a place that you can go to learn more about your identity in Christ, what it means to be in Christ, and who you become once you're in Christ and a believer in Him. Of course the Old Testament is very valuable. That's where you get a lot of those good action stories of how God interacts with his people. Psalms, a lot of people love the Psalms. My husband says, I can only commiserate with David for so long. But with the ups and downs that David went through and the other psalmist, then you also get, that they always turn to, but God. Now see, don't you think though, when you think about Psalms, like, you know, guys were a bit emotional too because you know it would be at the beginning like why have you forsaken me you know where are you oh god my enemies are after me but usually by the end of a you know a psalm there was he chose i do choose i will bless you lord no matter what but you're right though i mean david really went through the ups and downs but i mean obviously we know he was but I love the way that at the end there's always a hope and there's a choice at the end that David made. And we all always have that choice. And so we go through things. We still do. And so David sets a fabulous example of somebody, and I think that that was the key to his success and the key of the depth of his relationship with the Lord is that whatever it was, he poured it out. To God if it was good he celebrated like nobody else celebrated with the Lord if it was bad He poured it all out in it and asked the Lord to come and be part of it And so we can gain that from the Psalms event in in David's doing that he has identified for us Who God is and what he does and so a lot of just understanding the nature and the character of God you're gonna find in the book of Psalms and So those are those are some places to start but that's really helpful You know as well versus you are in the word Okay, I okay. Can I do a little quiz with you since you were like quiz champion? Okay, so what I'm thinking of though is let's say someone's out there and they're feeling Maybe very lonely because we've talked about this in a different episode about how some people go through a lot of loneliness. Where would you maybe direct someone to read through, whether it's a book or certain scriptures that come to mind that you think, well, this would really be a comfort to someone who's really going through a lonely season? Okay. Well, in Isaiah, there are passages in around the 40s in Isaiah that talk about, don't be afraid, I am with you. when you walk through the waters I will be there when you walk through the fire you will not be burned because I will be with you that's a favorite of mine yes and so that's powerful but you know Google is a very great instrument okay and if you if you Google passage of scripture verses on loneliness and and up it will come just type in scripture and then loneliness so like whatever your whatever you might be walking through Do write the word scripture in there and then put in whatever you're going through. Maybe you're dealing with anger, you know, or you're challenged by certain different emotions or what you're struggling through. And that's good because I have done that before because I'm like, we'll be praying for someone. And I'm like, OK, there's a scripture and I'll have maybe a part of a phrase. And I can't remember which version it is. And then I'll start to Google and I'm like, oh, that's it. It's in John. Yes, of course. Now let me, as a Bible teacher, I have to add one thing there. Okay, good. Because that's very effective. And you can pull those up and you can get them quickly. And there they are. And it is the word and it is powerful. But as a teacher, I would add, every text has a context. So as a teacher, I would encourage you then to take those verses and go read the passage and what was going on in that passage. And so we're not just plucking. I agree. That's a good point. But to know where that verse came into play and what the context, what was going on in that circumstance, in that situation. Because you may gain more knowledge. from reading the passage the whole passage that that's in and what why it was written and who it involved and what was going on you may That's a good point. The Lord may speak through that so back to the power of the word One of the things that I think is so crucial to the body of Christ is that the Word of God is the only offensive weapon in the armor of God everything else is for our protection and our defense that we have one of offensive weapon and that is the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. And so there is power. Sometimes you have to fight. Because as we already talked about, the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. And so he walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. But the Word also says greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world. And so we are not without weapons. The weapons of warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, the Word says. So we have to know what they are. And sometimes we have to be able to draw it, the Word of God, and use it as that sword that he intends it to be. And to do that, we have to know it. That's good. And he spoke to me years and years ago as I was starting into Bible study and said, my people cannot lay down their swords. That's true. And, you know, you haven't done that. And one of the things I want to really encourage us as we're wrapping up, though, too, is Nick Lee Wilkinson has done a Bible study. It was on Peter. And how would they, can you tell them how they could get access to getting a copy of that? Yeah. Well, the best way is to contact me. It's Soul Purpose Ministries. Okay. And we'll put that link. So if you will subscribe to our podcast or go online on iRefresh.net, we'll also be putting the information of how you can link up and get access. I mean, it is a... powerful, very thorough study and it really begins to help you enhance your understanding of God's Word. And the one thing I've enjoyed even in being part of iRefresh over the years and what I really love about what you're doing is is the emphasis of the Word of God because it's whatever we are needing and needing help with God's got an answer in the Word. And the more that we stay in tune with reading the Word of God and asking God for the understanding, like you said, then all of a sudden those scriptures start coming up. You know, I've learned that. While I'm praying, all of a sudden something comes up and I'm starting to quote something from the Word because that's what we do. We can meditate and it helps to center our mind to be thinking on those things that are above, that are pure, lovely. And you probably could finish the scripture. Have good report. If there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things. and that one is in verse, where is that? Philippians 4.8. Okay, see she is my walking Bible, which I, it's a gift. And actually it's not necessarily a gift, it's a discipline. She chose to be disciplined, and that's where, if you really want to know God, and you really are desperate and you need help, it is that God wants to help us he wants to walk into a place with you and help you realize he's present and he has an answer for you so one thing we do offer on our fresh.net is a whole list of different topics where we break it down and we actually list out the scripture and underneath there is we personalize that so you begin to learn how to pray the word of God in your life so you can pray it for yourself or for a loved one so go out to our fresh.net and take a look at that And also be sure to connect with us so you can get to meet and get to know people like Nicolay because they are such an amazing, gifted people that love to be able to connect with you. So subscribe on our YouTube channel or even on Facebook. You can also like, follow us. And until then, go change your world.