Numbers - Women's Bible Study Participant Workbook: Learning Contentment in a Culture of More

by Melissa Spoelstra

Something in us aches for more—more hope, more joy, more freedom. All around us people are dancing to the steps of bigger, better, and faster, and we can easily join in without even realizing it. Before long complaining and comparing accompany our desire for more, yet we’re not any closer to filling the ache inside. God offers us another way.

In this study of the Book of Numbers, we’ll find a group of people that wandered in the desert for forty years, unable to enter the Promised Land because of their complaining, grumbling, and lack of faith. The New Testament tells us that their story was written to warn us (1 Corinthians 10:6) so that we would not make the same mistakes and suffer the same consequences. God sent his only Son to die to buy our freedom from the sin that leads to discontentment, and we find our own promised land of peace and contentment in the life he gives us.

By exploring Numbers we can come to identify the reasons for our complaining, learn contentment while being authentic about the difficulties of life, accept short-term hardship in light of the greater good of God’s ultimate deliverance, recognize the relationship between complaining and worry, and discover how to realign with God’s character and promises.

Together we will learn contentment as we discover more of our incredible God who truly is more than enough. Only God can fill that ache inside and help us focus on his provision and purpose in the midst of life’s joys and pains.

The participant workbook includes five days of lessons for each week, combining study of Scripture with personal reflection, application, and prayer.

Other components for the Bible study, available separately, include a Leader Guide, DVD with six 20-25 minute sessions, and boxed Leader Kit (an all-inclusive box containing one copy of each of the Bible study’s components).

Genres: Faith

208 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2017

About the author

Melissa Spoelstra is a popular women’s conference speaker, Bible teacher, and writer who is madly in love with Jesus and passionate about helping women of all ages to seek Christ and know Him more intimately through serious Bible study. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Bible Theology and enjoys teaching God's Word to diverse groups and churches within the body of Christ. She is the author of Joseph: The Journey to Forgiveness, Jeremiah: Daring to Hope in an Unstable World, and the forthcoming Total Family Makeover: 8 Steps to Making Disciples at Home. She lives in Dublin, Ohio, with her pastor husband and four kids.

Reviews

[Marah McKissick · Rating 4 out of 5]

God placed this study in my life at the perfect time. I would have never thought I could read the book and Numbers and learn about contentment! So needed. My only negative was the last week-it felt forced.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Numbers is a lesser known, more obscure book of the Old Testament, often suffering neglect in favor of New Testament books with more positive, inspirational quips and mottos. Ours is a generation on the grace side of the pendulum, shifting away from anything that hints of judgment. But in the words of author Walter Wangerin, "Accurate arithmetic is an aspect of becoming a people of God." Early church father Origen asserted that Numbers is "filled with insight, wisdom, and spiritual sustenance for anyone with a hunger for God's guidance through the wilderness journey of life." Author Melissa Spoelstra approaches this ancient but relevant book from a lens of contentment: contentment in deliverance, contentment in preparation, contentment in obedience, contentment in opposition, and contentment in blessings. She grapples with the balance between contentment and contending for justice and wrestles with the opposition between contentment and complaining, complacency, and counterproductive concern. Many of her stories and examples are admittedly first world problems and some of the questions superficial and repetitive but studying the Word of God is never a waste of time and Melissa's study promotes consistency and facilitates fellowship with other women.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Numbers=Women's Bible Study Participant Workbook - wow - how awesome this workbook is - I cannot tell you how good this book accompanies the book - you know what hooked me? When she wrote, "all around us people are dancing to the steps of bigger, better, faster, and more. We can easily join in the dance without even realizing it." Well, tell me more, and how does this relate to Numbers. Does it even relate to Numbers? Well my friends - it does, but I won't ruin it and tell you how, but this workbook helps you work things through, and through Numbers. I received a copy of this book from the Publisher and Netgalley; all the opinions expressed in this review are all my own.

[Alisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Spoelstra has done a remarkable job at writing a study that had me dive into text in Numbers that I often drift through without much in-depth thought. I really liked how she focused on sections or chapters at a time, which forced me to re-read them and really think about how it applied to my life. Some questions or prayers applied to me more than others, but overall, I found a lot of personal meaning in it. Prior to this study, I felt like a relatively content person, but this brought so much more to to the surface on underlying elements of contentment that I hadn't considered. I haven't done any of Ms. Spoelstra's other studies, but would highly recommend this to my friends and family!

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really great study of the Book of Numbers! I went through much of it with a group of ladies, and we all gleaned so much out of it. The overarching message of the study is learning contentment and joy in God and His provision. The book also has an accompanying video series that features the author, Melissa Spoelstra, teaching on what was covered in each week of the guide. Melissa's teaching style might not be my favorite when compared to someone like Jen Wilkin, but I still appreciated much of her insight and perspective.

[Vnunez-Ms_luv2read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book. Although I did not have the accompanying book, I still took a lot away from this bible study. Numbers was always difficult for me but this bible study really helped me understand some things better. I would recommend this book to any one that wants a good study piece on the Book of Number. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic Melissa Spoelstra book!!! I have loved every book/study that I have done by Melissa. My favorite thing about her books is all the history and cultural information she provides for you to understand the passage in its full context. Her Numbers study has been such a great daily reminder on contentment. I love how she pushes you to think about passages differently no matter how many times you may have read them in the past. Great study!

[Watermarked Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Melissa Spoelstra’s studies. They’re a good mix of digging into the passages and application. My only complaint is that the homework is a heavy load. We split each week into two weeks and it was still hard to get it done sometimes.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy doing Bible study breakdowns of books of the Bible. This was a decent one. I was slightly wishing there was MORE of the contentment angle, but it was decently done otherwise…hence the five stars.

[Linda Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best Bible study she has written. Lots of good ways to teach her points. She keeps getting better.

[Jannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wouldn't have thought a study on the book of Numbers would be that interesting, but it was. Melissa did a great job of bringing out principles and lessons that are relevant to today.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read - get the video as well!

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good guide to follow through the book of Numbers.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful study of the book of Numbers. Contentment is learned & can be achieved with God's help.

[Teresa cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

well do this one again!

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good Bible study on contentment