90 DAY CHALLENGE - PART I: GOD'S WORD

I recently started a 90 Day Challenge. Not because I have "spare time" but because I need to make the most of the time I have. I'm desiring to be more intentional about growing in my faith, becoming debt-free and improving my health. I also desire to encourage others in such endeavors. So here goes!

I have a goal to improve my spiritual and financial health in these next 90 days. I'd love to know yours. If you are like many people I know, you have dreams but no deadline or action plan to reach them. I have been there myself. I'd love to have partners in this "challenge" for accountability and encouragement. Are you in???  Let's Go!

First things, first. God's Word. The most important relationship you can have is with the One who created you, who knows you better than you know yourself, and desires to have you know Him. I'm referring to God. One infinite being in three persons. The Father, The Son (Jesus), The Holy Spirit.

How can you know Him more? Through the Bible. God's Holy Word. Written for all people, to know of Him, of HIS story. Each of us makes a personal choice...whether or not we will choose to believe and follow. No matter where you are currently, this can either be a starting point for or a walk further down the road of your personal spiritual journey.

I'm starting a study...mainly through the book of John, but encompassing other portions of Scripture...so that whether you know a little or a lot of the Bible, you will get to read quite a bit. I hope you'll join me on this journey in discovering more about God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

Invest your time into being still in God's presence and on mediating on His Word. Ask Him questions (you can ask me too!). Ask Him to give you understanding. Remember, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7

For Bible translations, I recommend the New King James Version (NKJV), New American Standard Version (NASB) or New International Version (NIV). Be sure to have a copy of the whole Bible, including both the Old and New Testament. Additionally, grab a journal (or any notebook) and a great writing instrument. Now, you're ready to study.   

Each day, read the passage(s) a few times through, prayerfully. Then make notes on your reading in your journal (questions, verses that speak to you, themes that stand out, etc.). Let's get started:

Day 1:  Read Genesis 1:1 - 2:3 (might as well begin at the beginning)...then Read John 1:1-5
Day 2: Read John 1:6-13 
Day 3: Read Luke 1:26-38 & John 1:14-18 
Day 4: Read Mark 1:1-8 & John 1:19-28 
Day 5: Read Mark 1:9-11 & John 1:29-34 
Days 6-7: Re-read the above passages. Do you have answers to any of your initial questions? Any new questions? Additional thoughts from what you wrote when you read these the first time? Jot those down.

I welcome your comments, questions, and look forward to hearing your thoughts/insights ("A-ha moments" if you will). Please share by commenting below.  I hope you'll "follow" me during this journey on this blog. Simply click the follow link or enter your email to the right.

LOVE in Romans 12

In reading Romans 12 recently I was impressed by some powerful verses within this chapter. Go pull out your copy of God's Word (or open it online) and read it, then read this:

Recently I was praying for a friend with martial struggles. Being single, I can only imagine how tough marriage is...I've been in relationships, and even in non-romantic relationships, loving one another can be challenging. Choosing to love, choosing to submit, IS tough! However, we are called to submit to one another in love: Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." (1 Peter 5:1b)

As I prayed and read Romans 12, I was reminded that in seeking to submit to God, a husband, boss, etc. We must first start with God's reality check of our sinful, selfish nature: For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.  ( v.3)...OUCH! A painful reminder that too often I DO think of myself more highly than I should.

Reading on, Paul shares in vs. 9-10 how sincerity in loving ("without hypocrisy") enables us, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to give one another preference over ourselves. Agape love, that which is perfect and self-sacrificing (as Jesus loved), allows us to be of the same mind [see v.16 with cross reference to v.2]. It also commands that we keep our self in the role of a servant with all humility. This can NOT be done effectively in our own strength! If you've tried to do so in the past, as I have, you failed. Sadly, our nature is not one of agape love (truly Christ-like). Yet we are blessed because as believers, we have the Holy Spirit indwelling us to empower us to be able to love as Christ did, perhaps not perfectly as we are still imperfect, but beyond what we could ever do in our own strength.

I then found a final challenge in v. 18,  If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.  I don't know about you, but if you are a sinner like me (as we all are accordingly to Rom. 3:23), then this can be challenging. With whom do you find "living peaceably" to be a challenge for you? Pray for them, pray for a super natural understanding, and if they are unsaved, PRAY FOR THEIR SALVATION. Daily pray for faithfulness in obedience to show Christ to them.

I am thankful for the concession that God fully understands our weaknesses and that we struggle in our sin. He knows we find it hard to practice humility and self-sacrifice. He knows that other people in our circle may not be believers, or if they are believers, perhaps they are young in their faith. He knows those around us also struggle as we do to LOVE as Christ would have us love, whether by ignorance or choice. Take heart, friends, in knowing you and I are only responsible for our individual actions. Be mindful of those actions. I pray that we will remember to extend grace, love without hypocrisy and shine brightly for Christ this year ahead. To God be the Glory!

Timothy Class: Jesus, our Mediator

Recently I was asked to post about the Women's Class I'm teaching on 1 & 2 Timothy at my church.  Since there are so many things to share, I'm going to try to focus on something specific each week to post here. In class on Sunday, Sept. 16th, we covered 1 Tim. 1:12-2:7. One thing that I LOVE from this passage is the reference of Jesus, as our mediator, in Ch. 2 v. 5-6.

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ; who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." 1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NKJV)

What does a mediator do? He makes intercession and serves as a 'go-between' with two or more parties. That's pretty clear and evident in the Scripture above. Maybe the bigger question is WHY do we need a mediator? One word. SIN.

Sadly, none of us is perfect. The Bible tells us all have fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23) and that there is none righteous, NONE (Rom. 3:10...check out the cross references, esp. Ps. 14:1-3).

We, in our own efforts, cannot bridge the gap between sinful self and a Holy God. However, we have a beautiful savior in Jesus Christ, who was provided as a sacrifice by a loving God (Rom. 5:8). Jesus died a cruel death on a cross and arose again, conquering death, so that we could have a right relationship with our Creator and also have eternal life in Heaven.

It is clear in Timothy, and also echoed elsewhere in Scripture, that Jesus is our mediator. I particularly love the descriptions the book of Hebrews provides for Jesus as our Mediator. Here are a couple of verses:

"Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him (Jesus) seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." Heb. 7:25 (KJV)

"And for this cause He (Jesus) is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament (Old Testament Law, pre-Christ), they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance." Heb. 9:15 (KJV)

As born again believers in Christ Jesus, we have direct communion with God because of Jesus' work on the cross. Barriers are removed, veils are torn in two (Matt. 27:51). We no longer need a priest or human mediator. God, in the flesh as Jesus, opened that way for us. Our challenge is to fully utilize our direct connection to God, His strength and power, for His glory in our daily lives. May you find great joy in these truths and the diligence to live daily for the Lord!

Proverbs 18-21 Notes: Guest Teacher, Daphne Taylor

Proverbs 18, “Power of Words” & “Living in Harmony”

These proverbs somewhat fell under two main categories for me and I found interesting comparisons to the book of James.

Power of our Words (18:4, 6-8, 13, 21) listed here in Proverbs echoes the power of the tongue mentioned in James 3:2-10:

·                   Note how “powerful” our tongue can be – it can be used to bless or curse; to encourage or discourage; to bring life or death to our hearers.  See also Proverbs 15:1.

Living in Harmony (various Proverbs)

·                   With God (18:12, 14, 15)

·                   With Family (18:22)

·                   With Fellow Man (18:5, 17-19)

·                   With Authority (18:9)

Other Categories:

·                   Family – 18:22

·                   Practical / Social – 18:17-19

·                   Financial –

·                   Marital – 18:22

·                   Moral – 18:5

·                   Vocation – 18:9

·                   Living Righteously – 18:12, 14, 15

·                   Encouraging Promises – 18:10, 14, 24

Proverbs 19, “Inward & Outward”

Various components within this chapter as it deals with our personal hearts and motives which then spill over in our relationships with those around us (family, friends, society, etc.).  Note that when we find ourselves “walking” with the Lord and obeying His word, when we chose to allow the fruits of the spirit to shine through, it is much easier to love others and to weather the storms of life.

Note the importance of the inward focus of God’s wisdom and righteousness:  19:1-3, 8, 16, 23, 30

How are we supposed to treat others … esp. the poor as noted here in Proverbs? See 19:4, 7, 17

Paul’s commands to “walk by the Spirit”

Jesus’ command to love God and then neighbor – Matthew 6:36-40

Other Categories:

·                   Family – 19:13-14, 18, 26-27

·                   Practical / Social – 19:25, 28-29

·                   Financial – 19:10, 19:19

·                   Marital – same as family

·                   Moral – 19:5, 9, 28-29

·                   Vocation – 19:15, 24

·                   Living Righteously – 19:11, 16, 23

Proverbs 20, “Divine Counsel”

Faithfulness, integrity, and righteousness resonate through this chapter:

·                   20:5, “counsel in heart of man deep water, but man of understanding will draw it out”

·                   20:6 “who can find a faithful man” when we’re so apt to toot our own horn?

·                   20:7, “righteous walks in integrity and his legacy continues”

·                   20:9, Gospel … Who is clean?  Who is holy?  NO ONE except thru the blood of Jesus Christ.  We cannot stand on our own righteousness – we stand only because of His work on the cross!

·                   20:24, “God orders our steps”

·                   20:27, “God knows our hearts” – our deepest joys, fears, worries, doubts, etc.

Other Categories:

·                   Family – 20:11, 20

·                   Practical / Social – 20:3

·                   Financial – 20:10, 23 (dishonest weights & scales)

·                   Moral – 20:22

·                   Vocation – 20:4, 13

·                   Living Righteously – verse above & 20:29

What about 20:21 – any thoughts?

What about 20:2, 8, 26, 28 about the King/Authority?

Proverbs 21, “Lessons Learned”

Highlight the following verses:

·                   Proverbs 21: 2, 3, 21 as it relates to our “acceptable sacrifices to the Lord”

·                   Read also Micah 6:6-8 & 1 Samuel 15:22

Note the difference in how the scoffer & wise receive their “lessons” in verse 11

Scoffer’s (one who mocks God) punishment actually reaches the simple by an example and provides a lesson of someone not to follow; however, when the wise is instructed, knowledge is received which provides profit and instruction. 

Other Categories:

·                   Social / Practical – 21:5, 13, 16

·                   Marital – 21:9, 19

·                   Moral – 21:6, 7, 8

·                   Vocation – 21:25

·                   Living Righteously – 21:2, 3, 21, 31

In closing, read 21:31. Where is our deliverance? Our victory is of the Lord.  Remember Israelites before Crossing the Red Sea?  We often mirror the Israelites at times – review /read Exodus 14:10-14 & also Romans 8:31-38.

Week 5 Recap (by Claudine Snyder, guest teacher on 7/25)

Greetings ladies! Here is the recap from Week 5. It's the handout that our guest teacher, Claudine Snyder, shared with the class. Read on and I pray it speaks to your heart and influences your life. Blessings, Stacy

Proverbs 14 – 17   has 129 pithy thoughts on how to live your life not only to please God but also to limit the amount of grief you bring on yourself.  Let’s face it……a lot of bad choices we make result in bad consequences.  This book speaks too much of the day-to-day circumstances we deal with IN ourselves as well as with others and the world we live in. 

WHY is Solomon repeatedly talking about some of these topics – and just in these 4 chapters he speaks to these topics A LOT!!!!!!!!!!

Proverbs related to the Tongue –  Gossip, lies, prideful/harsh/foolish speech.  Check your heart……with God!!!!!!!!

Proverbs 14: 3,5,25

Proverbs 15: 2,4,23,28 

Proverbs 16: 10,13,23,24,27,28,30                                                 

Proverbs 17:  4,7, 20, 27, 28

The tongue is following the heart.   What’s the heart following????

Proverbs related to Pride -  Talks about fools rejecting correction.  Wise are humble and therefore receive correction.  Pride rejects correction and can precipitate a fall/mistake/disaster.  “Ya ain’t all that……no one is – except Jesus.”

Proverbs 14: 3

Proverbs 15: 5, 10, 12, 25, 31,32,33  

Proverbs 16: 5,18,19           

Proverbs 17:10

Do we think a lot of ourselves because we are comparing ourselves to someone else?

What if we compared ourselves to God…..would we still be prideful.

Proverbs related to Emotions – Some anger is justified BUT you are still held accountable for your actions.  You should control them not vice versa

Proverbs 14:  16, 17,29

Proverbs 15:  1,13,17,18

Proverbs 16:  29,32

Proverbs 17:  1,14,27,28

*These proverbs always seem to center of 1 emotion – “anger”

**Anger is not always sin. There is a type of anger of which the Bible approves, often called “righteous indignation.” 

**Anger turns to sin when it is selfishly motivated

**Anger is to be controlled by us, not it controlling us.  When we give into anger we are probably focusing on “us”

Proverbs related to Planning Your Ways/Life/Day – Seek God’s plans for your life with Him and seasoned Christian men/women.  Check your motives for what you plan and dedicate you plans to Him.  Remember God’s ways are SOOOO different from what we would do.

***Please note -God will back you into a corner JUST to get glorified and show you how BIG He is. It’s that important to Him. Exodus 14 – Read it!!!!!!!!

Proverbs 14: 12,14,15

Proverbs 15: 22

Proverbs  16:1,2, 3, 9, 25                       

Mans ways seem right to him, but God’s ways are not man’s ways.  The Lord seems to have His own way of doing things that many times has a purpose of glorifying Him.  It may seem long, complicated, arduous, and even foolish but if God is glorified through it……mission accomplished. 

Read Exodus 14:10

God is not interested in our comfort or happiness……..He is most concerned with our character development and His glory through our lives.

                       

Proverbs related to Envy -  Breeds discontent.  Invades your heart like a virus in a host cell. 

Proverbs 14:30

Envy crawls into your spirit and births discontent or resentment very much like a virus invades it’s host and replicates itself.  What is going on in your heart??????

Proverbs related to Compare/Contrast Foolish and Wise/Prudent Person – “What Not to Do/Be” vs. “What To Do/Be”

Proverbs 14: 1,2,3,5,6,7,8,9,11,14,15.16,18,22,24,29.33

Proverbs 15: 2, 5,6,7,8,9,14.20,21, 28

Proverbs 16:17

Proverbs 17:24

Perhaps that’s why the proverbs compare and contrast each other so much - To instruct you NOT to blend in.  TO STAND IN CONTRAST TO THE WORLD!!!!!!!

Proverbs related to deceit  - talks of lies, bribes, dishonest gains or knowledge thereof.

Proverbs 15:3 states:  “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.”

Proverbs 14: 5,25

Proverbs 15: 27                                           

Proverbs 16: 8,11,19

Proverbs 17: 4,20,23

Just for the record……Proverbs 15:3 states:  “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.”

It’s not good enough that you don’t ACTUALLY lie, cheat or steal.  You can’t even be associated with it. 

Focus on Scripture Resource (Week 4 recap)

Sunday night we changed up the teaching style a bit and welcomed four new ladies to our class! We missed a number of regulars and hope to see you next week.

If you've been reading along, you'll notice that from Chapter 10 forward (through Chapter 29) the layout of Proverbs changes considerably. From longer passages of Scripture that have a particular theme or focus (as seen in Ch. 1-9), we now get blips of wisdom on various topics. Many of these are repetitive subjects, which is great for utilizing in our Scripture resource (aka Scripture reference). Keep in mind we're now in the section of Proverbs called "The Wise Sayings of Solomon", hence the multi-subject blips. Not all of these sayings are specific promises, some are simply factual statements. As you are reading be sure to read each passage and pause to meditate on that one and it's theme or focus before moving to the next verse. I find that doing so helps me when I read these chapters. I can easily grasp the focus of that verse and jot down where I feel it best applies in my Scripture resource section of my journal. This comes in handy not just when I need it but also when I encounter someone going through a struggle. Knowing I can reference this resource to quickly find an applicable Scripture is wonderful. I hope you'll find someone this week you can minister to by referencing God's Word in this way.

For the next few weeks we will be sharing our topical references in class so as to encourage and admonish each other. This means your participation in class will be crucial. Your journal notes and Scripture reference entries will easily enable your participation and foster discussion during our large group class time. Please be sure to "be prepared" each week with something to share from your journal or reference.

This week we reviewed how the Scripture reference is laid out, various topics of wisdom and verses from our reading that related to those topics. As the group discussion was more in-depth, I'm going to simply record samples of the topics and a few verses so you can get a feel for how to lay out your reference if you have not started one already. For example, in the back of my journal I have designated a section for my reference (so it's all in one place, that's easier for me...you may wish to have a separate notebook for this and that's fine too). I have designated at least one front and back page of my journal to each of the various topics of wisdom. In class we shared our various topics and reviewed and discussed some of the verses we put in each topic. 

Some of the reference topics we came up with and corresponding verses were:

Righteous/Believers (Promises/Facts)
10:28, "hope vs perish"

Mouth (Practical)
10:19, "shut up"
10:31-32, "righteous"
11:13, "gossip
12:17, "speak truth"

Vocation
11:1, "integrity in sales"
12:11, "worker vs slacker"
12:14, "worker vs slacker"
13:4,  "worker vs slacker"

Family/Parenting
13:24, "discipline your kids"

Marital
12:4, "excellent wife"
12:16, "slow to anger"

Moral
11:17, "kindness"
13:14, "wisdom=life"

Financial
11:24, "generosity"
11:26, "don't withhold"
11:28, "don't trust wealth"

As we discussed in class, there are no "right and wrongs" per se...your topics may have different titles, which is fine. You may have chosen to put some verses under a different topic, which is also fine. So many verses are applicable to more than one topic. These are just some ideas to get you started. The descriptions beside the verses above are the ones I jotted down to jog my memory of the verse's point so I can easily reference it later. Your descriptions may be different...what ever makes sense to you as you'll be the one referencing your own resource in the future. I want to be sure this is something that will be of benefit to YOU so just lay it out as best suits you.  

Be sure to come Sunday for the review and discussion. Claudine Snyder will be leading the class in my absence. Be praying for her as she prepares and pray for me this week. Thank you ladies! 

**Remember to contact your accountability/small group members to encourage them this week too.** 

Wisdom in Our Integrity (Week 3 recap)

This past Sunday we covered quite a few chapters as we had no class on July 4th. I hope everyone had a great holiday! Thank you Lord for the freedoms in our country and for having your hand on it's inception!

Since we had a break, here are a few "class reminders":  1) Remember to be in touch with your accountability group every week by email, phone or snail mail. 2) Remember to journal...this will be wonderful for getting your thoughts down on paper NOW as you are reading. Jot down any verses that speak to you (many will!) and also jot down your thoughts, prayers, petitions to God about those passages in your journal. When you go back and read them later, it will be interesting to see what you said then and what you think presently when you re-read Proverbs, which I hope you will do time and time again! 3) Remember to pick out a verse or passage that is particularly special to you and MEMORIZE IT. We will recite these to each other in accountability groups each week, so the verse(s) you memorize will change weekly and should come from the current reading for the week. This way you can have 9 passages memorized over the course of our class. 4) Remember to designate a section of your journal or create a new book to serve as your Scripture Resource. Determine the titles that are accurate to the various passages you're reading, then jot down passages that relate to that title on that page in your journal. For example, this week I highlighted that Prv. 6:1-5 speaks to NOT becoming a co-signer for anyone on a loan. This clearly speaks to "financial wisdom", so on your journal page titled "Financial Wisdom", list this passage and a brief synopsis or description: "don't co-sign on a loan". Continue to do this with as many passages as you can, especially with those passages that speak to you, and you will develop a great reference of Scripture when issues arise. For more detail see paragraph 5 of the blog "Class 1 Recap" posting.

Sunday night we reviewed Proverbs 5-9 and discussed "Wisdom in Sexual Integrity" and "Wisdom in Relational Integrity." Chapters 5-7 have Solomon discussing the dangers of adultery and the lure of the harlot. He pleads to the reader to "drink water from your own cistern...let your fountain be blessed and rejoice in the wife of your youth" in 5:15a, 18. In other words keep sex within your marriage and do not stray from it. Stay sexually pure before and during marriage so as to bring glory to God with how He designed marriage to be. We can all succumb to wandering eyes and impure thoughts. That's part of our sin-nature from birth. Work on keeping those eyes straight ahead (4:25) and guard your thoughts, what you see, what you say, what you do. Remember the little kids song "Be careful little eyes what you see"? Each verse of that song speaks about those body parts we mentioned last week that can bring sin into our hearts, minds, and lives. Yes we're all grown up now, but do not forsake the teachings of your youth. Those childhood lessons, songs, etc. still have application today for us as adults. We want to be sure to have integrity with our sexuality, whether married or single, and not end up like the harlot described in Chapter 7. Once we start sliding on the slippery slope of sex before marriage or entertain thoughts of another other than our own husband...we are in trouble! Pray, pray, then PRAY some more, seek counseling and accountability, and most importantly get into God's Word so as to flee from the temptation before you. If you have fallen into this sin of adultery or pre-martial sex, you can be redeemed! Amen, thank you Jesus! Repent, seek reconciliation, and move forward. A great book I highly recommended on Sunday, especially for married couples but also great for singles,  is "His Needs, Her Needs" by Williard F. Harley. Check it out! (FYI--Details on the sexual needs of men and women are given.)

Chapter 6:16-19 speaks of the 7 things the Lord hates and finds an abomination. These are strong words and should be taken as such! This key passage shows us what to avoid in order to have relational integrity.  Use the armor of God and the fruit of the Spirit (see Week 2 Recap) to prevent yourself from having 1) a proud/haughty look, 2) a lying tongue, 3) hands that shed innocent blood, 4) a heart that devises wicked plans, 5) feet swift in running to evil, 6) a false witness who speaks lies, and 7) a person who sow discord among brethren (i.e. fellow Christians male and female). Avoid these abominations by praying on the armor of God DAILY so as to protect yourself. In addition, remember the fruit of the Spirit? We all have each of the 9 descriptors of the "fruit" in us, if we are Christians, thanks to the Holy Spirit. We must practice the "fruit" in our lives and in the areas we are weak, we must work on them in order to have the self-control (#9) to remain pure and to maintain our integrity. We also should practice Godly holiness by watching our speech, attire, even our body language. Seek to be above reproach in your daily walk and life. In doing so, you won't be perfect every day but you will become more and more like Jesus and THAT is the goal of our Christian journey!

Chapters 8-9 focus again on wisdom with a comparison of wisdom vs. folly in Chapter 9. In 9:10 we see a correlation to our key verse in the book of Proverbs (1:7):  "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." I don't know about you but this consistency is really driving home for me the importance of a personal relationship with Christ and how that is the bull's eye on the "wisdom target" sort of speak. Wisdom is critical in enabling us as Christian women to gain sexual and relational integrity.

Commands and Blessings (Recap of Week 2)

Well this post has been a long time coming! It's been a busy two weeks for me...how about you? I know it seems every time I sat down to do this something came up so now I have a quiet moment at home to get this done. Ahhh.

The last week of June the class read Proverbs 1-4 and we had discussion after the various sections found within these Proverbs. The main theme I noticed in these four chapters is that of commands and blessings (the use of "if" and "then" statements were frequent). As you hear the parent or teacher urging the child/student in these chapters to "do this, not that" and "reap a blessing when you follow this command", we can begin to see the pictures of God the Father as well as Jesus the Shepherd.

There is Wisdom (in the person of a woman, interestingly enough) who calls out to anyone and everyone to hear her voice and heed her words so that we may find knowledge and thus gain understanding. As God alone is the one who gives wisdom (He is the author of wisdom) the "fear of the Lord" becomes the beginning of wisdom, which then grants knowledge. This isn't just head knowledge about Scripture. In James we read that the demons know of God and tremble (2:19). No! Wisdom is the knowledge AND understanding as a result of the fear of the Lord with regard to a reverent personal relationship (see prior post). Wisdom provides protection of the upright through spiritual discernment that no one can gain without their heart in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and a spirit that is now indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Wisdom offers many blessings for those who listen; however, for those who refuse, they will remain in their foolishness and ignorance. In turn, the naive ones, scorners and fools will not find wisdom and will have consequences to endure for the evil they seek and/or fall into due to their rejection of Wisdom's pleas.

In addition to responding to Wisdom, we are to learn to rely on and trust God. We are to go to Him with big AND small concerns. I know as women, we tend to be self-reliant. We need to be God-reliant. That's something as Christians we must work on and learn. Some of my favorite verses from these four chapters are Proverbs 3:5-7. It speaks of learning that God-trust and not relying on your own strength. Apart from Christ, we can do nothing (John 15:5b). This passage also highlights the reward that comes from trusting the Lord and not leaning on our own understanding in v.8.

God desires to bless His children! He not only shows His love by blessing but also by disciplining. That's the uncomfortable part! We want the love and blessings but not the correction that's often needed to keep us on the right path and out of danger that we may not see. One of the examples I shared was that of the shepherd. In the New Testament, the Bible often uses the analogy of the Shepherd (Jesus) and the sheep (believers). Even in the Old Testament this is especially evident in Psalm 23. Think about sheep...they are not the brightest creature created. They tend to be a little dumb. They'll wander into rushing water not thinking twice about how they will lose their footing and how their wool will absorb that water, quickly take them under to be drowned. They don't think about moving around a hole or not stepping on a rock, thus hurting themselves. They're just a bit dense in the noggin. That's why the Shepherd is needed!

The Shepherd is the one who walks the path and fields BEFORE the sheep to ensure they is nothing they will stumble upon or fall into. That is called "making the path straight" and He in turn "directs the path" (Prv. 3:6b) of the sheep. He seeks to lead the sheep to and beside "still waters" (Ps. 23:2b) so they don't lose their footing or fall into rivers of rushing water. He uses his shepherd's staff for defense as well as offense. The crook being used to pull a sheep from a ravine or water, the rod being used to beat off wolves or bears. This is what the psalmist (known to be David, who was a shepherd) meant by "thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me" (Ps. 23: 4c). When necessary the rod was also used for correction on the sheep. If a young sheep were to wander too frequently, the shepherd would break the leg of the lamb, place the injured creature on his shoulders for the days/weeks it would take the leg to heal. This was done so that the lamb would learn to trust the shepherd by feeling/hearing his heartbeat and learning his scent while upon his shoulders. The sheep know their shepherd by sound and smell more than sight. They learn to trust based on the work the shepherd does. We too can see Jesus' work evidenced on Calvary and in turn should trust Him implicitly! Sometimes we must be disciplined to get there. In fact, most of us have probably experienced God's discipline multiple times. I know I have! We can be dense, like sheep, hence the analogy. God knows what He's doing...LET HIM!

Finally, we learned of the security we have in Wisdom. There are warnings of temptations in v.14-17 that we should heed. We are even given the instructions on HOW to resist/avoid temptations in v. 24-27. To me that clearly parallels Eph. 6:10-18. Since sin easily enters our heart and mind via our body (eyes, ears, hands, feet--what we say/do, where we go, etc.), we need to carefully guard those areas! When you reflect upon what the "armor of God" protects, it is exactly those same areas of our body! The helmet of salvation (mind and head, eyes, ears), the breastplate of righteousness (heart), the sword of the Spirit (God's Word--the only defensive weapon by the way), the shield of faith (hands), the belt of truth (loins/lust) and the shoes of the gospel of peace (feet). Of course, as v.18 says, we need to cover this all (ourselves) in prayer so that we can stand in our evil world. So remember to pray God's armor upon yourself daily! Stay in His Word, seek His will and seek Wisdom. It is the most important thing! (Prv. 4:7)

Introduction to Proverbs (Class 1 Recap)

I am so glad for such a great turn out our first night of class! We had 26 ladies (including myself). I am also excited about those who will be taking our class "online" via the blog. We can have interaction online by posting "comments" below (available at the end of each blog post). I'm thankful for this tool because friends, family and sisters in Christ from out of state and all over the world can join this class. For those who miss a class, this is a great way to stay in the loop and jump in with us at the next class meeting. So now...here's the recap:

First and most importantly we have to begin any study of Scripture with a baseline understanding: The Bible is GOD'S WORD. It is TRUE and WITHOUT ERROR. If we do not agree with those statements fully and completely then we can pick and choose what we believe the Bible says and what is true and/or applicable to our lives. This would be wrong and would lead us astray as Satan would love to see happen. NO...We MUST start HERE with faith and trust in the Bible being GOD'S WORD and that it is COMPLETE and ABSOLUTE TRUTH...and IS applicable to our lives everyday and in every way! (2 Tim. 3:16)

As we begin our study in the book of Proverbs, notice that this book is written in a different form than most of the other books of the Bible. These are a collection of "wise sayings" (primary written and collected by Solomon, but also has contributions from other "wise men": Prv.22:17, 24:23, including Agur: Prv. 30 and King Lemuel: Prv. 31; and additional compilation by Hezekiah's men: Prv. 25). These "wise sayings", known as Proverbs, are to be read individually, meaning in the sections or segments the publisher has broken the Scriptures out into visually, sometimes with headings. For example, my Bible has Chapter 1 separated like this: 'The beginning of knowledge' v. 1-7, 'Shun evil counsel' v. 8-19, then 'The call of Wisdom' v.20-33. Some Bibles do not have that type-facing, but most do. Try to use one that does and a translation that is easy for you to read and comprehend. I personally enjoy the New King James Version, New American Standard Bible and the New International Version. A study Bible is an excellent resource and/or one with cross-references of Scripture in the margins is great too. These tools will enhance your study but are not required.

As we move through our study of Proverbs, our goal is to read the proverb (be it one verse or a grouping of verses that are related), then to meditate upon that section (meditate = ponder, pray over, reflect on), then journal any thoughts, prayers, insights, or questions you have of this section of text. Then read the next proverb and follow the same steps. You may get through a whole chapter in one study time or it may take 2-3 study times to cover one chapter. Try to allot a minimum of 15 minutes at a time to allow for the reading, meditation and journaling of a proverb or two. You may have several times a day you can do this...GREAT! You may have a bigger block of time, an hour or more, that you can do this in...WONDERFUL! The goal is to take your time, take time with God during the course of this study and to do something daily. Remember the more YOU put into this study the more you will get out of it!

In addition to reading and journaling with this study, we are also focusing on Scripture memory and developing a Scripture resource for future reference. Scripture memory: Each person will recite their chosen proverb they memorized to their accountability group weekly. Each week this will change. Be sure to pick a proverb (one verse or a few verses) that has impacted you. Some helpful hints for memorizing Scripture is to use a dry erase marker and write it on your bathroom mirror so you see and recite it multiple times a day. Write it and post it on note cards, in your car, at your desk, wherever you will see it. Practice saying it out loud with your eyes closed, have your family or friends help you with memorizing your chosen proverb. Scripture reference resource: As you are journaling, consider categories of wisdom each proverb you read may fall under. In the back of your journal or in another notebook, write at the top of each page the category title (for example: Godly wisdom, Marital wisdom, Financial wisdom, Parenting wisdom, Practical or Social wisdom, etc. the possibilities can be whatever you want them to be). Then as you read a proverb that speaks to that category, jot that chapter and verse down, maybe your own thoughts on that category page. This way when you, or a friend, encounter a trial in one of these areas you can quickly find what God's Word says about that area. When we encounter hard times, sometimes Scripture recall is a challenge. My goal by incorporating Scripture memory and this Scripture resource, plus God's Word (of course), in this class is that you will be more empowered to defend yourself against the attacks of the devil and be encouraged by God's Holy Word!

This past Sunday in class we memorized, as a class, Proverbs 1:7: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (NKJV) This verse encompasses the theme and purpose of the book of Proverbs. The author here, Solomon, feared God AND asked for wisdom (1 Kings 3:3-14). As fallen creation we cannot possibly know God, much less His wisdom, without His help. James 1:5a reminds us: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God..." (read through v.6 for full effect!). We too need to ask God to open our eyes, ears, hearts and minds to the truths of His Word as we study. 'Fear of the Lord' is seen not only as 'reverence' but also as 'trust in' the Lord. HE will guide and direct us (Prv. 3:5-6) IF we trust in Him, and allow Him, to do so. We can have all the head smarts and even "know" what Scripture says, but without a personal relationship with Christ and the Holy Spirit's dwelling within us that guides and directs our study, it will be in vain. If you have more questions about having or developing your personal relationship with Jesus Christ, please see me, call me, email me and I will be glad to share more with you!

The next part of v.7 speaks of wisdom and instruction. These two attributes go hand in hand. One commentary mirrors wisdom to skill and instruction to discipline. Wisdom is the ability to live life skillfully and that skill is perfected with discipline (instruction). Wisdom and instruction impart moral discernment and develop mental perception. As we learn as grow in the fear of the Lord, and in turn in knowledge, wisdom and instruction will display themselves as 'practical righteousness' in all areas of our lives.

That's it for the recap. On Sunday we will delve into Chapers 1-4. I hope to see you then! Remember, if you haven't already, be sure to contact your accountability partners to see how their week is going and to hold each other accountable with your study and Scripture memory.

Walking Daily in Proverbs (Women's Bible Study)

I am so excited for the opportunity to be teaching a class on the book of Proverbs for the ladies at Richland Creek Community Church. We will meet weekly in Room 123 from 6-7:30 p.m. each Sunday night starting TONIGHT! I will be utilizing my blog to provide weekly recaps of the study of our previous class. So if anyone misses, or for my out of state friends, you can check here to see what we covered. I hope you will become a regular "follower" of my blog (just click "follow" way down at the bottom of the screen). Thanks!

In each class we will study the previous week’s reading (see list below). We will take time for prayer and fellowship, as well as spend time in small accountability groups. In our small group time we will review the Scriptures each person has chosen to memorize each week. Please make every effort to attend class weekly and feel free to bring a friend!

A word about our Accountability Small Groups: These are designed for you to have a deeper, more intimate relationship with a few people in our class. Each week please encourage each other outside of class with a phone call, email or card. Just to say ‘HI’ or see how the study or Scripture memory is going for your group members. If there are specific prayer requests shared by members of your group, pray for them weekly (if not daily) and ask how they are doing when you make your weekly contact. By each of us contacting just the other two members of our group, we will all be contacted by at least two people each week. That, in turn, will keep our attendance up and our group growing in our spiritual walk. Thank you for participating in the accountability of your fellow sisters in Christ!

I look forward to us enjoying this journey in God’s Word together!

WEEKLY BIBLE READINGS:
Week of 6/21: Proverbs 1-4
Week of 6/28: Proverbs 5-7
**NO CLASS ON SUN. JULY 4TH**
Week of 7/5: Proverbs 8-9
Week of 7/12: Proverbs 10-13
Week of 7/19: Proverbs 14-17
Week of 7/26: Proverbs 18-21
Week of 8/2: Proverbs 22-24
Week of 8/9: Proverbs 25-29
Week of 8/16: Proverbs 30-31
**Last class: Sunday, Aug. 22nd**Be sure to attend!