The Secret Weapon of Bible Study

From Psalm 119 there are many examples to emulate where the psalmist asked the Lord to teach him - We can follow his lead in this when we study the Bible - As Christ followers we have this "secret weapon" that we should employ - Here are 17 verses that we can use in prayer prior to Bible Study.

12 Lord, may You be praised; 

teach me Your statutes. 

18 Open my eyes so that I may contemplate 

wonderful things from Your instruction. 

26 I told You about my life, 

and You listened to me; 

teach me Your statutes. 

27 Help me understand 

the meaning of Your precepts 

so that I can meditate on Your wonders. 

32 I pursue the way of Your commands, 

for You broaden my understanding.

33 Teach me, Lord, the meaning  of Your statutes, 

and I will always keep them.

34 Help me understand Your instruction, 

and I will obey it 

and follow it with all my heart.

64 Lord, the earth is filled with Your faithful love; 

teach me Your statutes.

68 You are good,  and You do what is good; 

teach me Your statutes. 

73 Your hands made me and formed me; 

give me understanding 

so that I can learn Your commands.

108 Lord, please accept my willing offerings of praise, 

and teach me Your judgments.

124 Deal with Your servant based on Your faithful love; 

teach me Your statutes.

125 I am Your servant;  give me understanding 

so that I may know Your decrees. 

135 Show favor to Your servant, 

and teach me Your statutes.

144 Your decrees are righteous forever. 

Give me understanding, and I will live.

169 Let my cry reach You, Lord; 

give me understanding according to Your word.

171 My lips pour out praise, 

for You teach me Your statutes.

I Woke Up While Praying Out Loud This Morning

This morning I woke up while I was praying out loud.

I had never done that before and it seems strange as I think about it later this morning; but I finished the prayer as though it was normal.  I guess I was half asleep.

I was dreaming and was in a room with several pastors, including my pastor.  We were all sitting around a table and meeting to pray for revival in our nation.  Ken told me to start the prayer and I did. 

My prayer was this:  

"Lord please heal our broken lives, our broken towns, our cities, and our broken nation.  Please do this Lord in the name of Jesus Christ."

I woke up as I finished the prayer - speaking it out loud.  My wife was surprised and even more so as I explained what was happening.  

As I reflect on this, I am reminded that I am a sinner and that revival begins with me.  So I repent of my sins and ask God to forgive me disobedience and life of sin so that I can be revived and lead others to do the same.  

Will you repent of your sin too?  Will you also pray for God to heal our nation?  

A Towering Name

Who is your source of strength?
Generally, there are 2 choices - yourself or God.

The proverb writer points this out in Proverbs Chapter 18, verses 10 and 11:

¹⁰  The name of the Lord is a strong tower; 

the righteous man runs into it and is safe. 

¹¹  A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, 

and like a high wall in his imagination.  

Study this proverb to learn more here

Proverbs Chapter 1, Verses . . .

A Daily Devotional from the Book of Proverbs

Beginning today I will post a daily devotional from the Book of Proverbs.

Each devotional will feature a proverb or proverb from the Book of Proverbs.  The devotional will be based on a proverb from one of the 31chapters of the Book of Proverbs that corresponds to that day of the month.

For example, on the 15th day of the month the devotional will feature a proverb from the 15th chapter of the Book of Proverbs.  Every devotional will be different - for example you won't see the same proverb every month on the 15th etc. until the whole book is covered, which will take some time.

We trust this will bless you and helps you to become a better disciple of Jesus Christ.

Don’t miss your opportunity

Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

Over the past several Sundays we have studied Mark 4. In the parable the sower starts his day with a single, very intentional focus. The sower goes out to sow! I can visualize the sower tying an apron around his waist and filling the pouches until they could not hold another seed! ( a morning with God in prayer and reading the word). At first light he heads out and at the first opportunity he plunges his hand deep into the bulging pockets of his apron only to discover that his hands will no longer grasp the seed! For the first time in his life he is not able to do what he is called to do. Try as he may he can only gasp one or two seeds at a time.

The sower begins to think of all the places where he was waiting to sow until his sowing technique was better, or waiting on the climate to be perfect and rain eminent. Now he could only regret not going while he was able.

If this were the last day that you were able to share the good news of Jesus where would you go? Would you save anything back or would you sow every last seed given to you. “and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and1 how shall they hear without a preacher (sower)?”

PUT TO DEATH EVERY DAY

and He said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:24

What Jesus was saying must be clearly understood to fully appreciate our calling as Christians.  We cannot follow Him as His disciples unless we do what He tells us to do and in this case the command is clear.  This is conditional statement that defines three requirements for those that wish to follow after Jesus - IF we would "come after" Him, THEN we must:

1. First - Deny ourselves.
2. Secondly - Take up our cross daily.
3. And Finally - Follow Him.

Perhaps the first step is the hardest but Jesus modeled that step perfectly for us didn't He?  It's been the problem of mankind since the Garden of Eden and will always be our problem because our imperfect sin nature is contrary to the perfect will of God for our lives that we were made to worship Him forever and ever.

The second step cannot be taken before and unless we deny ourselves. What can we do to deny ourselves? I'm glad you asked -- here are ten ideas:

1. Pray for God to be glorified in our lives and don't continually ask God for something we need - He knows we needed it before we asked him for it.
2. Find a way to spend more time in God's Word - Give Him the time He deserves.
3. Frequently find ways to bless our spouses instead of doing things that we want to do.
4. Routinely volunteer our time at our local church in it's ministry efforts. 
5. Serve others in our neighborhood and community - Be a blessing for God's glory.
6. Sacrifice some of our spending so as to give to others in need (anonymously of we can)
7. Schedule time to routinely honor our fathers and mothers.
8. Instead of watching a TV show we enjoy, read the Bible or Christian books instead.
9. Recognize and limit those actions we take that can be denied because they simply are only self-serving.
10. Tithe to our church to promote the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We cannot think that doing things on this list or a similar list is by itself is a denial of self - Our denial of self is not just actions taken or avoided.  It is essentially an issue of our hearts.  We must assess why we do what we do and seek to limit those things we think, say, and do that are self serving.  We must deny ourselves so we can serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

We should think about this and meditate on Luke 9:24 so God can reveal to us our self-serving ways so we can limit them and live to fulfill the purpose of our lives - to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.