In Psalm 101 David writes, "I will be careful to lead a blameless life- when will you come to me? I will walk in my house with blameless heart. I will set before my eyes no vile thing."
Blameless: free from or not deserving blame; guiltless: a blameless child.
Sometimes it is hard when the enemy is tempting us with so much: pride, lust, arrogance, gossip, anger, fear; Yet we are called to live a blameless life- one that is free from guilt and blame which comes from standing up and choosing not to pursue those things by not setting before our eyes or hearts no vile thing.
So what?
What do you need to remove from your eyes or your heart?
Today you can have freedom from those things and walk away with boldness
Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Our eyes look to the Lord our God,
Until He has mercy on us.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! (Psalm 123:2-3).
Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.
Now pause to pray this affirmation to the Lord:
But as for me, I will come into Your house
in the multitude of Your mercy;
In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple (Psalm 5:7).
As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
a greater love for the God Man - Christ Jesus,
the needs of your extended family,
your activities for the day,
whatever else is on your heart.
Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! (Psalm 4:1).
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
BIBLE STUDY ACTION PLAN
Hey all I decided to change it up a bit and help you with a bible study action plan for your day! It has helped me a ton and thought you would enjoy it as well!
I. GOALS RELATED TO KNOWING THE BIBLE
A. To study books of the Bible – with commentaries (see instructions below)
B. To pray-read books of the Bible – 10 chapters a day (covers the NT each month:
235 chapters of NT = 10 chapters a day x 6 days/week = 240 chapters a month).
Journal as you pray-read through each book. File your journals in the same place.
II. THE ACTION PLAN FOR BIBLE STUDY
A. Pick your top 10 “most wanted to study” books. Study one book at a time.
B. Select the specific times in the week that you will dedicate for study.
C. How to study a book of the Bible – 5 simple steps
1. Highlight – select two commentaries, read each one, highlighting the key
sentences. Do this for one biblical paragraph at a time. Go slow.
2. Title – in your own words each paragraph in the Bible book that you study.
3. Study Notes – write insights from the commentary for the key verses from
each paragraph (sometimes write word for word, other times paraphrase).
4. Journal – write your personal meditations and observations.
5. Prayer – write a brief prayer from the passage when applicable.
NOTE – if you first write your notes on paper, then seek to type it into your
computer. Store a hard copy of your final notes in your Bible Study Notebook.
III. MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES
A. Computer, Bible Study Notebook, two commentaries for each Bible book you
study. Bible Study Briefcase – pen, paper, highlighters, notebook, commentaries.
B. Internet resources, i.e., download commentaries – www.soniclight.com (click on
study aids), www.ccel.org (old commentaries), www.otgateway.com,
www.tyndale.cam.ac.uk/tyndale/links_biblical.htm#anchortools
www.crosswalk.com, www.christiansunite.com (click on bible study aids).
I. GOALS RELATED TO KNOWING THE BIBLE
A. To study books of the Bible – with commentaries (see instructions below)
B. To pray-read books of the Bible – 10 chapters a day (covers the NT each month:
235 chapters of NT = 10 chapters a day x 6 days/week = 240 chapters a month).
Journal as you pray-read through each book. File your journals in the same place.
II. THE ACTION PLAN FOR BIBLE STUDY
A. Pick your top 10 “most wanted to study” books. Study one book at a time.
B. Select the specific times in the week that you will dedicate for study.
C. How to study a book of the Bible – 5 simple steps
1. Highlight – select two commentaries, read each one, highlighting the key
sentences. Do this for one biblical paragraph at a time. Go slow.
2. Title – in your own words each paragraph in the Bible book that you study.
3. Study Notes – write insights from the commentary for the key verses from
each paragraph (sometimes write word for word, other times paraphrase).
4. Journal – write your personal meditations and observations.
5. Prayer – write a brief prayer from the passage when applicable.
NOTE – if you first write your notes on paper, then seek to type it into your
computer. Store a hard copy of your final notes in your Bible Study Notebook.
III. MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES
A. Computer, Bible Study Notebook, two commentaries for each Bible book you
study. Bible Study Briefcase – pen, paper, highlighters, notebook, commentaries.
B. Internet resources, i.e., download commentaries – www.soniclight.com (click on
study aids), www.ccel.org (old commentaries), www.otgateway.com,
www.tyndale.cam.ac.uk/tyndale/links_biblical.htm#anchortools
www.crosswalk.com, www.christiansunite.com (click on bible study aids).
Monday, April 13, 2009
Time of Heroes
Read Luke 23-Pilate sentences Jesus to be crucified on the hill called Golgotha, "The Skull."
INSIGHT
Without conflict, there are no heroes. The hero and coward look alike until the battle begins. Then and only then, in the face of the challenge, is each one's true character manifested. In Jesus' time, you do not expect heroes of the Christian faith to emerge from the ranks of the Pharisees. But Joseph of Arimathea defies the expectations. This godly man risks wealth, reputation, and perhaps personal safety, when he asks for and receives the permission to take down Jesus' body from the cross and lay it in his own tomb.
PRAYER
Give God praise that He enables His children to do heroic deeds on His behalf:
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. By faith Enoch was translated so that he did not see death . . . for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased You, O God (based on Hebrews 11:1-5).
Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
You were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience (based on Ephesians 2:1-2).
Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pause to pray this affirmation to the Lord:
We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:20-21).
As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
greater courage in evangelism,
the work of missions in Europe,
your activities for the day.
Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Since I am surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, . . . let me run with endurance the race that is set before me (based on Hebrews 12:1).
INSIGHT
Without conflict, there are no heroes. The hero and coward look alike until the battle begins. Then and only then, in the face of the challenge, is each one's true character manifested. In Jesus' time, you do not expect heroes of the Christian faith to emerge from the ranks of the Pharisees. But Joseph of Arimathea defies the expectations. This godly man risks wealth, reputation, and perhaps personal safety, when he asks for and receives the permission to take down Jesus' body from the cross and lay it in his own tomb.
PRAYER
Give God praise that He enables His children to do heroic deeds on His behalf:
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. By faith Enoch was translated so that he did not see death . . . for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased You, O God (based on Hebrews 11:1-5).
Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
You were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience (based on Ephesians 2:1-2).
Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pause to pray this affirmation to the Lord:
We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:20-21).
As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
greater courage in evangelism,
the work of missions in Europe,
your activities for the day.
Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Since I am surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, . . . let me run with endurance the race that is set before me (based on Hebrews 12:1).
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