Proverbs 6

So..I have definetly gotten a tad behind. But it is what is...lifes not always condusive to a deadline. Behind or not, were going keep moving forward. Heres 6... :)

In a word:

lamp

In a picture:

                             "...there commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light..."

What I highlighted:

Proverbs 6:20-23

"My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching. Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life..."

What I journaled:

I don't follow the news very regularly. Sometimes it's probably a good thing, but I probably should try to be a little more aware of what's going on in the world around me...if for no other reason than to know how to pray. However, it doesn't take my tv constantly tuned into Fox News to know that things are changing. The world is being positioned for the coming of the last days. I know that I know that I will see a drastic change in our culture over the next few years. The atmosphere is changing. Persecution is coming. We don't need to fear this change, in fact we should rejoice, even ask for it. It all means one thing, Jesus is coming, and he's coming soon. I don't pretend to know the time frame of His return, but I want to live like its in my lifetime. If its not in mine, I feel pretty confident it will be in my children's. I write all this to say, God's really been convicting me about the amount of scripture that I have hidden in my heart. I've been saved for a long time, so I can reference a lot of scripture but I can't just rattle off chapters of God's word much less remember references. God's very practically been reminding me that there will be a day when I might not enjoy the privilege of accessing my burgundy, leather New King James, or my biblegateway app on my IPad. How important will it be in the last days to cling to the words of God...To dwell on the promises of His coming, His provision,and our salvation. There will be a day where were going to have to depend on the scripture we've committed to memory. There will be dark days in the future, but God emphasis over and over in scripture how His word is a light, a lamp to our feet. The word will need our light. How bright is the lamp in your heart? I know this isn't super insightful but I just felt like I needed to remind myself as well as others to be hiding the word of God in our hearts...because the hour is near.

My challenge:

to commit to the memorization of the word of God.

My prayer:

That God would help me to memorize. I struggle with retaining information sometimes...in one ear and out the other. But..I can do all thing through Christ. It's obvious this is important to His heart so I do not doubt he will equip me with some memorization skills. :)

Proverbs 5

In a picture:

In a word:

trust

What I hilighted:

Proverbs 5:1-6
" 1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom,
   turn your ear to my words of insight,
2 that you may maintain discretion
   and your lips may preserve knowledge.
3 For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey,
   and her speech is smoother than oil;
4 but in the end she is bitter as gall,
   sharp as a double-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death;
   her steps lead straight to the grave.
6 She gives no thought to the way of life;
   her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it."

Proverbs 5:21
" For your ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all your paths."

What I journaled:

We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Sometimes the sins are more obvious, or blatant than others (stealing, lust, gossip, etc.) We must keep in mind that sin is anything that keeps us from growing in relationship with Jesus. So I'm going to skip over discussing the more "obvious" sins, and instead talk about the seducing sin of the comfort zone. We've all been in this zone. We've all bought into the lie of it's safety and comfort. We've thought if we stayed there we could avoid the hurt, rejection, failure, etc that lurked outside the zone. Unfortunately just like any other sin, you may be able to avoid the consequences for awhile, thinking it will worth it. In the end you we will always pay a price. For those who spend their life in their in the sin of the comfort zone, they usually wake up one day realizing they never fulfilled God's purpose. I think that Proverbs five is not just literally a warning against the provocative woman and adultry, but is also a warning against the seductiveness of sin in general. If we give an ear to sin it will try to seduce us into a lifestyle of bondage. Throughout my life I can think of several "comfort zones" that I tried to camp out in. But out of my God's loving kindness he has pulled me out several times. Sometimes I came more willingly than others. Everythime I have chosen to TRUST him and step out past my expectations of myself...God has overwhelmed me with a new level of himself and I have felt such growth in Him. The key really is trust, because in relying solely on the safety of your comfort zone your putting no trust in God. He has a unique adventure and purpose for your life all for His glory, and until were willing to trust him with everything, we will gain nothing.

Galatians 5:24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

My challenge:

To trust God fully with all my insecurities and comfort zones so I can grow in the fullness of everything He has for me.

My prayer:

That He would expose all areas that I have not surrendered.

In a picture:

In a word:

heart

What I hilighted:

Proverbs 4:20-27

"My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil."

What I journaled:

I love this portion of scripture. I can never be reminded enough of the importance of constantly evaluating the state of my heart. The more you look at and know your heart the more sensative you will be to what is in it. I think as a human its so easy to buy into the lie of a " bad day" or a "bad mood." The more I examine my heart the more my response to a bad mood should be an awareness of a heart issue. It says here that your heart is the wellspring of life, scripture also says that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speak. God is after our heart, and he want a pure one.

My challenge:

To be in constant dialogue with God about the state of my heart.

My prayer:

That there would be nothing between me and more of God...and that he would make me so sensitive to what's in my heart. I don't want anything to keep me from Him.

Proverbs 3

In a picture:

In a word:

conviction

What I hilighted:

Proverbs 3:11-12
"My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

What I journaled:

I love love Proverbs 3...so it was tough to just pick a couple verses to discuss. I opted to go with verses 11 and 12 since they enforce a theme Jesus has been talking to me about lately. Conviction versus condemnation. The battle with condemnation is something I have had to be aware of in my life. I'm sure it stems from being somewhat of a perfectionist...but regardless condemnation is satan's counterfeit to God's conviction. Condemnation will only keep you from the Presence of God while conviction pushes you closer in relationship with the Father. I think sometimes we struggle with discerning what is condemnation and what is conviction...Take it to the word. It says in verse 12 that he disciplines because he loves. Conviction comes with a desire to be closer to the heart of Jesus, to live a righteous and holy life in His presence. Condemnation will always do the opposite of the word of God. Satan hates us and wants to remove us out of relationship wth God. Condemnation stirs up feelings of self hatred, pity, depression, yuckiness, etc. we must learn to reject condemnation and embrace cinviction. Its all about relationship and love. Jesus is a passionate lover and he desires our hearts and will convict us so that nothing will stand in the way of him and His Bride.

My challenge:

To know the difference, attack condemnation and ask for conviction...

My prayer:

That God would reveal in me anything that needs to go. Nothing is worth not growing closer to Jesus. I just want more of Him whatever the cost.

Philippians 3:8
" What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ"

Proverbs 2

In a picture:

In a word:

search

What I highlighted:

Proverbs 2:1-8
  "My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protecrts the way of his faithful ones."

What I journaled:

As I read this passage, I am reminded that we obtain as much of God as we want, we find as much as we search for. His word promises right here that if we search as if we were after hidden treasure, we will find the Lord and the knowledge of God. We must fight diligiently to resist the evil one, and persevere for the glory and presence of God. James 1: 2-4 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Then following that in verses 5-6 it says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all you without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." I find it interesting aswell as significant that James challenges them to perseverance and in the next sentence is telling them to ask for wisdom. This fits right along with Proverbs 2, we must persevere in our seeking of wisdom. He says in verse 6, if we ask one minute and doubt the next we are like a wave tossed in the wind. We must persevere through doubt and trial and press in and seek the Lord. How much do we desire Him and His presence in our lives? We get what we persevere for....

per-se-vere
     1. to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly.

My challenge: to peresevere so that I may pursue and search out the heart of God...

My prayer: That God would grant His bride, the church, the heart to persevere through all trial and tribulation of the last days so that they may have the wisdom of God and be filled with the knowledge of Him. Come Jesus come. We miss you...

Proverbs 1

Proverbs 1

In a picture:

In a word:

Listen

What I highlighted:

Proverbs 1:7
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."

Proverbs 1:20-23
"Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: 'How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.'"

What I journaled:

Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. So to seek wisdom, we need to first begin with seeking the fear of the Lord. My first thought regarding how to fear the Lord is reverencing holiness. I fear how holy my God is. Not in the sense that I want to get away from it but that it calls me to holiness. I reverence it, i don't take it lightly. My heart must be holy and purified if I am to stand in the holies of holies before the holiest one.
I think that we often confuse wisdom with knowledge. 1 Kings 10:24 says, "The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart." The wisdom of God was not in his head but in his heart. In order to live in true wisdom we must operate out of the fear of the Lord and by LISTENING to the voice of the Spirit. It's not a head thing, it's a heart thing.

My Challenge:

To understand more what it means to live a life fearing the Lord.

My prayer:

That the He would shake my heart with the fear of the Lord and make me more desperate for holiness and purity...and that I would grow to be able to hear his beautiful voice more clearly. I never want to be found too busy with life and my own ambition that I miss the call of the Lord.

Proverbs Journal

I have decided to start a project...This will be a daily blog journey thrugh Proverbs. A chapter a day, for the next 31 days. I am doing this for several reasons. 1) I thought it would be a fun and different way to study the word. 2) it will hopefully keep me accountable to write daily. Feel free to join me.

So here it goes...