My Word of the Year is Intentional. As I began looking for a verse that I might claim, I kept finding verses where messengers of God said, “But as for me…” I thought, “These people are intentional in their lives. I want that”. So we will start looking at these scriptures. I have some friends helping me out and they are already stepping on my toes.”
Today, we have a beautiful devotion by my sister. Kandy Chimento and her husband, Tony, live in Liberty Hill, Texas. They have spent many years in ministry together. Their greatest joys are their two amazing kids; Christa, and Tyler (and his lovely wife, Rebekah), and their two grandsons, Gideon & Jude. Kandy is the Director of Operations at a local Food Pantry & Resource Center, where she enjoys working with the hundreds of volunteers she manages, and the neighbors they assist.
But as for me, by Your abundant lovingkindness I will enter Your house,
At Your holy temple I will bow in reverence for You.
Psalm 5:7 NASB 1995
My Word of the Year is Intentional. As I began looking for a verse that I might claim, I kept finding verses where messengers of God said, “But as for me…” I thought, “These people are intentional in their lives. I want that”. So we will start looking at these scriptures. I have some friends helping me out and they are already stepping on my toes.”
David was intentional about his morning prayers. It’s a goal of mine as well… to open my eyes and first call on God and look to Him. If I start my day with HIm, I can invite Him to stay and walk with me through the entire day. If I don’t I find myself dredging through the day on my own.
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My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord;
In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.
Psalm 5:3 NKJV
Steps for David’s Morning Prayer
Calls to God and recognizes Him as His God and King and there is no other. God wants us to come before Him in reverence and to recognize His Holiness. It is then that we realize our sinfulness. In the shadow of His Righteousness, we see that we are but a worm and we are humbled. Noting that God will not lend an ear to those who enjoy wickedness, he humbles himself before the great God of the Universe. And in this, he makes a firm stand that he will come into God’s house in fear and reverence
He begs for guidance comparing the wicked to the righteous he sees that he needs God to direct his path. How can we face the day if not with His guidance? We are sure to go astray without Him by our side throughout the day. And friend, He will not come along uninvited. We must ask Him to lead us through our day. I believe if we try this pattern, we will be utterly blessed. We will find so many things going well rather than having to struggle at each turn of the day.
He states that there is joy for all those who trust in God. Stating these facts makes it all real. God doesn’t necessarily need to hear these things but when we say them aloud we confirm in our own hearts that it is so. That’s why the gratitude journal is so important. Along with this morning prayer, I like to list at least three things I am grateful for. It refocuses our hearts on the Lord instead of our problems.
Another declaration is that God will surround the righteous with His favor as if with a shield that covers their entire body. We can declare this because He has already promised to do it! It is David’s only request. You see, everything else will fall into place if we are guided by His Hand and surrounded as a shield by Heaven’s Armies.
In Conclusion
What a pattern for morning prayer! Declaring the righteousness of God and asking to be led on that very path. How could your day go awry when you have shielded yourself in His righteousness.
And, ah, now we see how to dress one’s self in the complete armor of God (Eph 6)
Don’t forget your Morning Prayers. Use Psalm 5 as a pattern for prayer until you find your own words of prayer.
Welcome back to Time in the Word! Last week we started our 2022 Healthy Spiritual Habits adventure talking about Bible Reading and Bible Study. You can catch part 1 here. Today we will take a deeper dive into reading and studying the Bible by discussing a few “helps” you can use to make your time enjoyable and enriching.
We are privileged to be blessed with multiple Bibles in our homes. At one time having your own Bible was unheard of. Being able to read was in itself, a luxury, afforded to the wealthy. Many European churches chained the Bible to the pulpit; if you wanted to read it, if you could read, it was to be read right there.
The Guinness Book of World Records lists the Bible as THE BEST SELLING NON-FICTION BOOK. The Bible has its own rich history that goes behind its age, authors, and development.
Welcome to 2022 Time in the Word! I’m glad that you’ve dropped in and I look forward to the adventure that awaits. Whether our lives in 2022 will be white water rafting or floating on the lazy river, we’ve got Jesus to see us through. I thought it was important to get 2022 off on the right foot and form some healthy spiritual habits.
This time of year we hear about “healthy eating” and “forming healthy eating habits”. I think emphasizing healthy spiritual habits needs to be done as well. Healthy spiritual habits are key to growing spiritually. Without spiritual growth, we become stagnant and lose our spiritual edge.
I’m finding treasure in Erin Davis’s study, 7 Feasts – Finding Christ in the Sacred Celebrations of the Old Testament. This book has truly been a blessing to me. The final day’s study was a brief look at Psalm 119. Yes, it’s the longest book in the Bible but it has become one of my favorites. I see a need to study it once a year. It’s an acrostic using the Hebrew alphabet, divided into sections, so very easy to take a month to concentrate on just
Read His Words First
ז Zayin
Remember your word to your servant; you have given me hope through it. This is my comfort in my affliction: Your promise has given me life. The arrogant constantly ridicule me, but I do not turn away from your instruction. Lord, I remember your judgments from long ago and find comfort. Fury seizes me because of the wicked who reject your instruction. Your statutes are the theme of my song during my earthly life. Lord, I remember your name in the night, and I obey your instruction. This is my practice: I obey your precepts.
What Challenges Did David Face? Can You Relate?
The arrogant mock him unmercifully
Idignation grips him because of the wicked who forsake God’s law.
Yikes! That sounds kind of familiar. Recently, I have been ready to quit watching the news and reading my Facebook feeds. It does make me indignant at how people can respond so nastily to an innocent post. Whatever happened to kindness and honor? Maybe we should be reading our Bibles more and the news less.
What Treasures did David Find? What does it do for us?
Sciprutre Reading tops my list of things to do every day. We just can’t get by without taking time to hear from God. A few facts about Psalm 119.
It’s the longest book of the Bible
It is all about how important the Word of God is for our lives.
It is placed right smack in the Bible of the Bible.
These facts tell me that scripture reading is highly important to God. Here are a few benefits David finds in the Word of God.
It gives us hope
It preserves our life.
Scripture is the theme of our song.
It comforts us.
It helps us obey God’s law.
That right there is enough to convince me that Scripture reading is of most importance. Erin stated in the book,
God’s Word is our tether. The Bible keeps our hearts closely tied to the Lord.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus Look full in His wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace
After a prompt from Five Minute Friday, my thoughts went directly to an old hymn favorite, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus. I haven’t written on a hymn in a while so…
Let’s do a quick hymn study.
O soul are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Savior And life more abundant and free
I know that I am weary and tired of the struggles we have been facing for the past several years. At times, you wonder, “When will it all stop?” But I know that my Jesus is working, even when I can’t see it, He is there through it all. He promises a life abundant and free. If we will just turn our eyes to Him. Get our focus away from the storm around us. Then the waves will calm and our hearts will relax.
Secondly, We are More Than Conquerors
Through death into life everlasting He passed, and we follow Him there Over us sin no more hath dominion For more than conquerors we are
Jesus said that we will have trouble in this life. And when you look at the lives of people in the Bible, you see that it is true. But don’t forget to keep reading that same verse in John 16. He also said that He has overcome the world.
Praise the Lord!
Third, His Word Shall Not Fail You!
His Word shall not fail you, He promised Believe Him and all will be well Then go to a world that is dying His perfect salvation to tell
Hymn,Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
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Are you into the Word every day? Are you telling others about Him?
His Word is dependable. It does not fail! Trust it! Memorize it. These words will come to you when trials arise and you will be able to resist and lean on Jesus!
