Friday, December 2, 2011

Day 14: Part 2 of 3:

Wow. I am still pretty shaken after Part 1 of today's lesson on A MONTH OF PRAYING THE WORD. I do not know about you. Talk about an in-your-face blog post and lesson. 

I do not know about you... But, I do not want to let my Daddy down. I do not want to disappoint him. 

I also do not want to miss moments to be with him. 

It breaks my heart to think of all the opportunities I have missed. But...

Just a reminder to you and me.

It's what we do with it now that counts. 

Let's Pray the Word in response. Let's develop the habit as we see the absolute need and desire for total intimacy and trust in our Lord. 

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith

A MONTH OF PRAYING THE WORD: DAY 14 and Good Enough, Halfhearted Living: Part 1 of 2

Greetings. I need to start today with a couple of warnings. First of all, today's lesson might take you a week to get through. Next, you will feel very uncomfortable with this lesson. You might even wonder why I am including this in this book. But, wait. You will see. It will come together. Now, brace yourself. This is one big "ouch" day. 

Please grab your journal at this time. 

I need to ask you. No. Not ask. Beg. I usually do not like to do that. But, I implore you today. Please be honest with yourself. If it makes you feel uncomfortable--good. We ALL need to feel very uncomfortable about this. We need to analyze ourselves and see where we might be erring so we can confess, repent, and fix it. 

Now, open your journal and answer the following questions:

~*~ Do you ever do a task and then say, "Good enough."?
~*~ Is it okay to fail?
~*~ Is it acceptable to give a halfhearted attempt at... (You fill in the blank...)?
~*~ Do you think perfectionism is bad?
~*~ Is it okay or acceptable not to give someone or something your best? 

I am serious. Please take your time and really delve into those questions. Answer fully and completely. Do not read ahead until you do. 

Now, let's get even more real. Please answer all of these questions. I am serious and am not being sarcastic. 
~*~ Is it okay to go to church on Sunday (if we go at all) and hear a sermon--and never refer back to it over the next week, let alone over the next year?
~*~ Is it okay to only open your Bible on Sunday (and how many do that? How many of us just look at the screen upfront--when it could be the wrong verse or they could have typed the verse all wrong)?
~*~ Is it okay not to remember everything God has done in your life? (The monuments. The blessings. The answered prayer.)
~*~ Is it okay to pray 10 minutes a day?
~*~ Is it okay to not apply the Word to your life?
~*~ Is it okay to give God your leftovers? Where you devote yourself to everything and everyone else first and then see what time you have left for him? 
~*~ Is it okay to have a good enough faith--where you say, 'Good enough. He will forgive me.'?
~*~ Is it okay not to give God your absolute best 24/7/365?
~*~ Is it okay not to meditate on the Word morning, noon, and night?
~*~ Is it okay not to pray continually? 

Again... Be very real here. Go back and spend even more time with those questions. Take your time. 

WHAT IF?
So, what if Jesus said, "I know, Father, you want me to bring thousands to you while I am alive on earth. But, is it okay if I only bring a couple?"
Or, what if Jesus said, "Take this cup from me because I really do not want to go through all of this. It's really inconvenient for me. I have plans?"
Or, what if God ever said about forgiving you, "I will forgive you yesterday. That's good enough. Today? Nah. I rather like doing just enough." 

~*~ Journal your thoughts. 

MORE TOUGH QUESTIONS
Journal your thoughts:
~*~ What if you died this second? What if you had to face the Father and the throne? What if he asked you about your faith? Would he classify it as a good-enough or complacent or lukewarm faith? 
~*~ Will you be able to stand before him and know he could trust you with the small, medium, and large things? Will you know he will say to you emphatically, "Well done my good and faithful servant and child?"

~*~ Journal your thoughts.

MORE TOUGH QUESTIONS
~*~ When you die, how many times do you want to say to God you read the Word from cover to cover? 
~*~ When you die, how many missed opportunities to be with God (in prayer) will you want to have missed?

~*~ Journal your thoughts

Please do not skip any of this today. These are tough questions that must be addressed. I think in today's society, if we feel convicted, uneasy, or uncomfortable, we are too quick to run, deny it, excuse it, or flat-dab refuse to do anything about it because it might take work. 

We need to feel uncomfortable every now and then. 

Now, here's the catch.

What do we do with it? 

That is what separates the followers of Christ and those who do not. 

Journal your response:
~*~ What has God said to you today?
~*~ What have you said to God?
~*~ So, what will you do with this knowledge?

CONCLUSION
God demands our excellence. He is a jealous God and demands our all. Not our partial. Not our good-enough. Not our, I will get to it later. He demands us now. Today. This second. All of you. All of me. He will never settle for our less than best. 

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that giving him, or anything or anyone in our lives, good-enough is good enough. He abhors it.

We are people of value. We are people of excellence. Good enough is never good enough.

We are to work for others as though we work for God. Remember that as you go to work. You serve God--not your boss. What you do at work, you do for and to God. 

Give your all to your life in prayer and in the Bible. Pray the Word. 

~*~ Journal whatever comes to mind.

Do not kick yourself. Confess. Repent. Turn around and stop doing whatever you are doing. And do whatever you haven't been doing.

*** SIDENOTE: This is all just as much for me as it is for you. I am guilty of all of these things at times. I am looking in the mirror-not at you. ***

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal FaithFind my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

Disturbed again: Charging money for prayer

Okay... I am disturbed again. 

While I was doing research online for other resources to give you for Praying the Word (for extra information for you and to show you I am credible), I was disturbed--again. It seems as though every time I go online and do research for my books I am disturbed the last 6 weeks or so. It's righteous indignation, by the way.

Do you know how many websites there are out there that will charge you a fee for them to pray for you?

Also, the one that disturbed me the most was one that will charge you a monthly fee, or yearly members fee, to get on their website and learn their method for Praying the Word of God. Granted, I am an author and will charge $5.00 for this book in time... But, I won't charge you a monthly fee or a yearly fee. Also, I am giving you all of my material for free now. I will keep it online forever so you can get it for free as well. 

But, charging to learn how to Pray the Word--monthly and yearly fees. That's what disturbs me. Terribly. 

Do you want to know the absolute number one, top of the line, biggest and best secret for Praying the Word? Ready yourself. Hang on.

The big tip for Praying the Word is this:

OPEN THE BIBLE AND READ IT TO GOD. THEN, LISTEN TO HEAR WHAT HE HAS TO TELL YOU. 

Ta-da! That's it. Nothing fancy... But, it's everything. It will bless you and will help you grow a more loyal faith to God and his Word. It will transform you. 

Oh! You now owe me a monthly and yearly fee. (No. Not really. Sarcasm.)

Ha! Sheesh! 

Charging for prayer and to learn how to pray--monthly and yearly fees. That's disturbing. 

I believe in making money and capitalism. Firmly. We have to eat and have shelter. (Need I mention my other favorite book of all time, "ATLAS SHRUGGED" by Ayn Rand? )

But, to charge for prayer. Where have we gone wrong? Why would this even be an option in society? Where is the outrage? 

Father, forgive us. 

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith

Praying the Word Resources

I have found a couple of resources you might like now, or after you finish the A MONTH OF PRAYING THE WORD. Check these out:





Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith

A MONTH OF PRAYING THE WORD (Vol. 2): Day 13, Distractions, and Joshua 1:8

Hello, my friends and fellow sojourners on this journey with Praying the Word of God. I hope this journey has been a beautiful and exciting journey for you--full of adventure, wonder, awe, and moments that make you pause. I also hope you have not been too distracted. 

But, if you have been distracted, as I have been, what do you do?

HANDLING DISTRACTIONS
So, how do you deal with distractions? 

First of all, repeat after me (You really don't have to, but you get the idea.):

"I will handle or deal the distractions. they will not handle or deal with me."

In other words, we deal with them and refuse to allow them to deal with us. We refuse to allow them to control us--even though they try to do precisely that. Once we get this mentality, we are ready to know what to do with the distractions as they happen. Here is what you do when you get distracted:
A Acknowledge it. 
B Do not kick yourself or come down on yourself. You are human. 
C Ask God to forgive you and to help you eliminate the distractions.
D Start to pray again with the first verse that comes to mind.
E Then pray the verses you had in mind to pray over the next 24 hours. 
F If you can, journal. Take a couple of minutes to write down all of your distractions so you can remember whatever you need and not have them on your mind now. They are written, so if you need to do something, you won't forget it. Then, try again.
F If it's really bad, stop doing whatever you are doing and open the Bible. Do your Daily Bible Reading--and tomorrow's as well if necessary. Find the time to do this. Distract your mind from your distractions with the Word of God and with prayer. (By the way, I've had to do several weeks of my Daily Bible readings at times in one day, mind you, to quiet the distractions which nagged me.)
H If you get distracted again, repeat steps A-H as many times as necessary.
*** WARNING: This is a lifelong project. *** 

BIBLE AND JOURNAL: JOSHUA 1:8
So, it's that time again. We are going to continue with our topical study of meditating on God's Word. Would you please grab your Bible(s) and journal at this time and turn to Joshua 1:8. Then, go ahead and read the verse.
~*~ What did you learn as to how you should handle the Word of God? 
~*~ How should you not handle the Scripture?
~*~ What has god said to you through this verse?
~*~ What have you said to God? 
~*~ How can you apply this verse to your life?

Here is my version of this verse:

Joshua 1:8 PPP: I should meditate on the Scripture morning, noon, and night. I must not allow the Word of God to depart from my lips and be careful to obey and do all that it says. I will be successful with all I do and my way will be prosperous. 

(NOTE: PPP = paraphrased, personalized, and prayer version of this verse.)


THE NEXT 24-HOURS: PRAYING THE WORD VERSES

Pray Joshua 1:8 and then one of the following below:

A 5 verses from the past you want to repeat.

B 5 new verses you choose. (Like a topical one if you, or someone close to you, are dealing with an issue or have questions.)

C 5 verses from Appendix A in this book.

D 5 verses from 365 Days of Praying the Word: Scripture List #1

E A combination of A-D. 


Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith

Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 


Thursday, December 1, 2011

Planning

ANNOUNCING



I've done some planning today and now know what I am going to do for Volume 3 of the: A LOYAL FAITH BIBLE STUDY SERIES.

It is going to be:

A MONTH OF PSALM 119

That does not sound very interesting--if you don't know off the top of your head what Psalm 119 is. It might even become less appealing when you learn it's the longest Psalm. But, the kicker that might sound even less appealing is that this might turn into a two part series because there is so much to cover in Psalm 119. We shall see. 

However, why is this in the works? It's because Psalm 119 talks about the importance of the Word of God in our lives. Tehre is nothing mroe important or life-changing than the Bible in our lives. It's our counsel. It's the answer to all of life's questions and problems.

So, now that I've teased you. I hope you are as excited as I am about the prospect. But, first, we need to enjoy A MONTH OF PRAYING THE WORD, VOL. 2 to its fullest and get as much out of it as we are able.

Volume 3: A MONTH OF PSALM 119: BLOG VERSION will be written after we finish Volume 2--so in the next week to two. 

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

A MONTH OF PRAYING THE WORD: Day 12: Part 3 of 3

Now, we will continue our topical study of Praying the Word, which is meditating on the Bible.

Please grab your Bibles and journals at this time. 

GENESIS 24:63
The verse we will study is Genesis 24:63. However, we need to get the context of what is happening here. Let's read all of Genesis 24 and see if we can figure out what Genesis 24:63 means. 

~*~ However, let's first read the verse, Genesis 24:63 and write a summary of the verse. 
~*~ Now, let's see if we can answer who, what, where, when, why, and how regarding Genesis 24:63 when we get the context of Genesis 24. Read Genesis 24 now.
~*~ Why was Issac meditating? 

I hate it when the author of a book asks a question and then answers it, but I need to right now in order to make a point. Isaac was about to marry. He was waiting for her to walk into his life. What a time to meditate! It was absolutely necessary. How could he be the best mate he could be for her unless he was with the Lord in every way possible? 

~*~ What can we, and do we, learn from this? 

Any time we are dealing with a struggle, a question, doubt, grief... and I mean anything... Praying the Word is the answer. Getting in the Bible is the answer. After all, HE is the ANSWER. 

~*~ So, why will you Pray the Word in the future?

When you Pray the Word regarding something you, or someone close to you, is dealing with, look up verses in a concordance regarding that issue/struggle/question. Then, Pray the Word. Pray those verses. Journal what God says to you, what you say to God, and what you are going to do, think, or say in return. 

24-HOUR HOMEWORK
What are you dealing with right now? Struggling with? Have questions about? 
~*~ Journal what they are.
~*~ Look up at least 5 verses about that--preferably as many as you can find. Write them in your journal. Start to pray them back to God over the next 24 hours. 

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith

A MONTH OF PRAYING THE WORD: Day 12: Part 2 of 3

READ THE WORD BECAUSE YOU WANT TO AND NOT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO DO SO
I cannot stress that enough. Read the Bible because you have a desire to know God, to hear what he has to say, to develop an intimate relationship with him, and to receive his counsel. We read the Word of God to talk to him and to hear him. We read the Word to draw forever nearer to him and be close with him. We read the Word because we desire him. 

Never, ever, ever pick up the Bible because you want to check off today's reading in your little To Do List. That is sacrilegious and misses the entire point. We are to read the Word because we desire him and not because we want to be recognized for our good deeds.

I hope that wasn't too harsh or pointed. But, sometimes truth hurts. It's not always pretty or kind. Sometimes, it's in your face. And I hope you know the only reason why I can say all of these things is because I've struggled with this. It's the same about what I am about to say as well. So, here's some truth. Do you know why I write what I write? Because I have experience with these things. I never write what I do not know. I do not want to lead anyone astray. I write because this is what I need and struggle with. So know if any of this hits you square between the eyes, it's done the same for me--repeatedly. 

FEELING LIKE IT
Now, that's not to say only to read the Bible when we 'feel like it.' Feelings are fickle and will lead you astray most of the time. Feelings lie and are not based in truth. Feelings are not fact. Feelings make us act out of passion, or dispassion for that matter, and then we do things we regret. 

I never feel like getting on the treadmill. I never feel like getting sweaty and stinky from it. I never feel like eating vegetables over cheesecake. I never feel like doing laundry or dishes. 

I do not know about you, but there are times I really do not want to read the Word, go to Bible study, or go to church. Nope. Not at all. I can think of a million things, if not a trillion, I would rather feel like doing. However, that is when I know I need to do it the most. If I force myself to do it, then I realize how desperately I really needed it. Those are the times I get the most out of the lessons. Those are the times I ended up knowing God more and drawing closer to him. Those are the times I hear him more clearly than usual. So, when I do not feel like it, I make note. I realize that is when I must. My spirit and intimacy with God is at stake. 

If I fail to do it this one time, the next will be easier to justify not doing. Then, it becomes a slippery slope. But, more to the point, if I allow my feelings to dictate where I go and what I do, they will most likely lead me to do the wrong thing and consequently I will sin. The feelings lead me to temptation. My actions follow through and then I sin. 

Read the Bible becuase it helps you to Pray the Word because you will know the Word and the Lord. 

So, ignore your feelings if they are telling you you don't feel like it or not to do it. Do it anyway. But, make sure your heart and mind are in the right place. Make sure you desire God--to know him and draw close to him. But, don't do it because you have to check it off the list. 

Does this make sense?

OBSTACLES
There will also be obstacles and life challenges which will try to get in the way of you Praying the word, reading the bible, doing Bible study, going to church, etc. (Never mind that feelings are obstacles as well.) This is inevitable.

Do you know the four sources of these obstacles?
A Self/pride
B The enemy
C Fellow man
D Circumstances
E God will test you.

Three of those will tempt you and have the potential lead you to sin. One of those (E) will allow the other four.

One of those can be caused by the other three or the last one (D).

So... Pray against the obstacles. Be watchful and aware of these pitfalls. Do not allow yourself to fall prey to them. 

Our next lesson will be Part 3 for today and will be on the next verse of our study of Praying the Word.

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal FaithFind my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

A MONTH OF PRAYING THE WORD: Day 12: Part 1

BIBLE READING COMMITMENT
So, what did you and God decide you would commit to as far as daily Bible reading? 

HOW MANY CHAPTERS TO READ IN A DAY?
Check out this resource:

But, here's a hint. There are 1,189 chapters in the Bible. Now, you can do the math--or check out the resource I just listed before this paragraph. 

NOW, WHAT PLAN SHOULD YOU USE?
There are several Bible reading plans you can use. 
You can read the Bible cover to cover--Genesis to Revelation. 
You can also read Old Testament and New Testament readings.
You also can read Old Testament, New Testament, and a Psalm.
But, wait! There's a million more. Check out the resources below.

A COUPLE OF BIBLE READING PLAN RESOURCES:


OR, KEEP IT SIMPLE
Go to a Christian Bookstore and buy a Bible in a Year. They are in the bIble section and there are mroe choices than you could imagine. This year, I'm doing this one: 


I am starting it tonight. 

YOUR TURN
Please journal your responses:
~*~ A How fast are you going to read the Bible through cover to cover?
~*~ Which plan or which Yearly Bible?
~*~ What do you hope to get out of your reading?
~*~ What do you think it will do for your Praying the Word?

Whew! Enough of that! There will be a Part 2 for today.

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

A MONTH OF PRAYING THE WORD: Day 11: Part 3

PRAYING THE WORD EFFECTIVELY

In Part 2 today, I stressed that reading the Bible daily gives you yet another opportunity to Pray the Word. It helps you to get to the point that you pray without ceasing and to meditate on the Word of God morning, noon, and night. However, with Bible reading comes a couple of issues...

Let's be real. None of us read the Bible or know it like we could or should. Yes. even Bible scholars would agree with what I just said. The Bible is the Living Word. Every single time we read it, we go to the text with a new and different perspective. Therefore, every time we read it, we see it differently and learn new things about the Word of God. (Yes. Every time--even if you read the bible every 90 days.) 

Now, I hope you see why it is even more critical for you to be in the Word of God. Not only does that give you the opportunity to pray as you read it, but it will help you know the story of each verse, its context, and how to pray more effectively because of that knowledge. If you read a verse, but haven't read the Bible recently (if at all) from cover to cover, you could take it out of context and you could be disobeying God in the process. Let me drive this point home. 

WARNING! DANGER! DO NOT PULL FORWARD! HALT!
Read Matthew 5:30 at this time. 

Matthew 5:30 says to cut off your right hand and throw it away if it causes you to stumble. 

If you never read anything else from the Bible, you might take that literally! When it isn't literal. It's a figure of speech being used to make a point. You might think that this is an extreme example. But, it really isn't. If you haven't been in the Bible from cover to cover recently, you could be taking each and every verse you read out of context. Do you here the danger here? I wish I could flash neon signs in front of you and scream, "WARNING! WARNING! You are about to get hurt!" But, alas, I cannot. So, you need to do the same for yourself... as I am being with myself as I type this. 

BIBLE IN A YEAR 
So, this is where reading the Bible in a year comes in to the equation. 

Will you commit with me to read the Bible through this year? Please pray on it. See where God leads you with this endeavor. Keep in mind, you will NOT get as much out of Praying the Word unless you do--sometime. 

Commit to something at least. Whether it's the Bible in 90 days, 6 months, a year, 2 years, or 3 years... Commit. That will help your prayer life in ways I cannot even begin to express. 

PRAYING THE WORD
~*~ Read Psalm 119:9-32. Linger on 5 verses from there which speak to you the most. Pray these verses the next 24 hours. Make sure to journal everything you think, pray, and talk with God about. Also, journal what he says to you.

As you do that, make sure to ask God what HE wants you to commit to. Do not choose what you want. Also, do not commit to what you feel comfortable with. Make it a challenge, but a doable one. Go a little beyond your comfort zone. But, again  Commit. It will help you continue praying the Word and will bless your socks off! I promise. 

~*~ Journal what happens as you pray about what Bible reading plan you want to commit to and what happens between you and God the next 24 hours as you pray about that and pray the 5 verses from Psalm 119:9-32. 

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 
a

A MONTH OF PRAYING THE WORD: DAY 11 PART 2: Other tips for Praying the Word

SERIOUSLY?
At this point, you might wonder how to pray without stopping and how exactly to meditate on the Bible morning, noon, and night--while you carry on with life as normal. You have demands in your life. You either are going to school, have a job, raising children, fill in the blank, or doing a variety of all of the above. So, how is this really feasible? Is it? Seriously.

IT'S POSSIBLE
It is realistic. It's actually quite realistic. God would not give us those commands in Psalm 1:2,1 Thessalonians 5:17, 2 Corinthians 10:5, Philippians 2:5, and Ephesians 4:6-8 if it wasn't possible. That's not how God works. 

SO, HOW EXACTLY? (TIPS):
So, how else can you get to the point of praying and being in the word 24/7/365 (16+ hours a day)?

Here are a few tips:
A Be in Adult Sunday School.
B Be in a small group Bible study.
C Do individual Bible study.
D Go to church Sundays and Wednesday nights (even if it's two different churches).
E But most importantly, read the Bible EVERY day. As a matter of fact, I recommend ideally reading the Bible cover to cover (in whatever order you choose) every year. Every two years might be more feasible for you. Or, worst case scenario, every three years. After all, our minds are easily distracted and our memories are not what they could be or should be. Therefore, we will forget the in's and out's of everything we read. Journaling as we read helps diminish this, but we still forget. Therefore, in order to be able to keep the bible in context, and not pray the Word incorrectly because we do, it's important to have the Bible fresh in and on your mind. Reading the Bible all the way through helps with that endeavor. There will be more to follow in Part 3 of Day 11.

JOURNAL:
~*~ Lord, reveal to me new ways, even with the things I do already, to help me to pray 24/7/365. Journal what he tells you. 
~*~ How else can you steal time for God?

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

A MONTH OF PRAYING THE WORD: Day 11

Today, we are going to start to do a daily topical study about meditating on the Word of God... which is Praying the Word. That reminds me. I want to give you all sorts of synonyms of 'Praying the Word' so you can find other resources if you ever want them. Other words for Praying the Word are:
A Meditating on the Word
B Pondering the Word
C Contemplative Prayer (or the Prayer of Contemplation)
D The Prayer of the Heart
E Praying the Word back to God (is a phrase you might here)
F Lectio Divina

TOPICAL STUDY
There are 18 verses with 'meditate' in them and I have this additional verse for today. So, that's 19 verses and we have 19 days left in this study. That's perfect. It's also God's plan. I added a lesson to this book (Day 10) I hadn't anticipated--without even realizing I had 19 verses for us to study. I love how God works. 

PSALM 63:6
Look up this verse in your favorite translation of the Bible and read it. 

~*~ Journal your summary of Psalm 63:6 at this time.

Here is my paraphrased, personalized prayer of this verse: 
When on my couch or in my bed and think of or remember you, Lord, I will meditate on you throughout the night.

This verse describes the importance of nighttime prayer. However, we also know we are to do this morning, noon, and night. 

You have got to love the Psalms and David. The Book of Psalms is one big book o use for Praying the Word--and so is Proverbs. But, Psalms is David's prayer book. We learn how he rpayed through the Psalms. What a special book.

Did you know your journal is your Book of Psalms? It's your prayer book you are writing. 

So, here are a couple of questions for your journal:
~*~ How can you write more of your own Psalms? 
~*~ What are you doing to remember and think of God and his Word? 
~*~ What do you need to do in order to increase your time of Praying the Word to 16+ hours a day (continually)?
~*~ What is working for you already?
~*~ What verses have spoken to you most since day 1 of this study?
~*~ What verses do you want to repeat?
~*~ What has God said to you?
~*~ What have you said to God?
~*~ How has your life been changed through Praying the Word?

THE NEXT 24-HOURS
As usual, your Praying the Word goal is a 3-fold choice for the next 24-hours:
A Pick your own verses.
B Use Appendix A.
C Use 365 Days book. 


Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith

A MONTH OF PRAYING IN THE WORD: Day 10 and being hit with obstacles and distractions

We are moving right along. It's Day 10 already. Where does the time go? I am excited, nonetheless, to keep going and see where God takes us. (Trust me. I am on this ride just as much as you. I do my best to allow God to reveal to me what to write, after all. I want my words to be HIS words.)

BEING HIT
I do not know about you, but I've always noticed that the more I get into God's Word, and the more loyal my faith becomes, the more I am hit with obstacles, distractions, and life challenges. Or, the people around me start to go through them more. 

I also think that my awareness increases as God reveals things for me to take to him. 

My heart is breaking for a friend right now who has been hit with some of those challenges. I just found out and I wish I could give her a hug, but there's physical distance there. Sigh. (I know what I am going to be praying today--and beyond.)

~*~ But, how about you? Have you been hit with any of these things? Or has your awareness increased because God's softening your heart so you can find more opportunities to pray? How about both? Please write your response in your journal. Whatever God puts on your heart to take to him... Do so at this time. Then, we will move forward. 

PLAN CHANGE
I had this lesson set for tomorrow. But, I have the impression it's needed more today. So, here we go. I cannot help but wonder if you need the lesson today just as badly as I do. 

A CHRISTMAS VERSE
It's now the Christmas season and I cannot help but think of one of my all-time favorite verses. After all, we learn a great deal about the character of our Lord in the verse. Of course, I turn to it all year long. But, it's associated with Christmas and with the birth of Jesus Christ, nonetheless. 

Please turn in your Bibles to Isaiah 9:6 at this time and read it. Then journal the following:

~*~ What did you learn about Jesus from these verses?
~*~ Why do you think this is included here by me in verses about the importance of praying the Word?
~*~ Which name and characteristic jumps out at you today and why?
~*~ Go through the rest of the characteristics and names of Jesus and describe how they can be useful to you today (this week, month, etc.)

ISAIAH 9:6
Here is my paraphrased, personalized, prayer version of the verse:

Jesus is: Everlasting Father, Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, and Mighty God. 

He will always be a Father to me.
He is a counselor to turn to for wisdom and advice. 
He offers me peace when my spirit knows none.
He has great strength to offer me when needed and will protect me and those I love. 

WHY WAS ISAIAH 9:6 INCLUDED HERE?
Just those four qualities of Jesus can be pondered daily for the rest of our lives. That's why. 

He is the Word made flesh (John 1:1), and given that, the Word offers us those qualities as well. Do you want the Father? Turn to the Word. Do you want a counselor of wisdom? Turn to the Word. Do you need a sense of peace? Turn to the Word. Do you need strength and protection--or those you love? Turn to the Word. 

The Word... Jesus Christ... really is the answer to every problem and every want and need. 

JOURNAL
~*~ What has God said to you today?
~*~ What have you said to God?
~*~ Make a plan to meditate on this verse once a month to every couple of months. 

ISAIAH 9:6 FOR TODAY
Meditate and pray this verse for the next 24 hours. Spend lots of time journaling and talking and listening to the Lord about this verse and his names. 

JUST IN CASE: THREE PRAYING THE WORD OPTIONS
If Isaiah 9:6 isn't speaking to you today, you have three choices. This is true for the rest of this book as well. You have three options:
A You can do the next day in the month of verses provided in Appendix A. 
B You can look at five verses of your own... 
C You can take a look at the 365 DAYS OF PRAYING THE WORD: SCRIPTURE LIST #1 book and start to work on those.

Again, 5 verses a day is just a suggestion. Sometimes, I meditate and pray continually one verse for a couple of weeks. Other times, I have to go through 15 verses. It all depends. The point is to be flexible and see where God leads you. 


Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 


Tuesday, November 29, 2011

A MONTH OF PRAYER: Day 9 Review

PRAYING THE WORD REVIEW TEMPLATE:
RECAP, REVIEW, AND ANALYZING

Every week, I recommend going back through your journal and reviewing what you and God have experienced this week in your life together. 

We are a couple of days late in doing this. However, that's okay. It's appropriate that we waited. We needed to go through what we've gone through so that we can build on what we walked into this study already knowing (or thinking we knew). 

I cannot recommend enough doing this template often. The more you do it, the more you will get out of it. You can do it daily, weekly, every 2-weeks, every month, every 3 months, every year, every 5 years, every decade. I recommend doing this at least monthly. Ideally, weekly. Do the daily whenever you felt lead to do so.

HOW TO USE THE TEMPLATE
A Remember: Praying the Word is a lifelong practice. Even after you finish with this study and book, you will continue to Pray the Word for the rest of your life. Hence, this template is part of that journey. 
B Journals: Make sure to grab your journals and this book. When appropriate, you'll grab all of the books associated with Praying the Word and A Loyal Faith Series (i.e. 365 Days of Praying the Word: Scripture List #1) as well. 
C When you do a template, start from the period of time from your last template. This time, we haven't done one before, so we will start from Day 1 of our journals and A MONTH OF PRAYING THE WORD. 
D Every 6 months, do this template of just the templates from the last 6 months--as well as from your journaling. So, that would be two separate templates. In other words, one would be of the journaling from your last template to now. The other template would be done using the last 6 months of templates. 

~*~ PRAYING THE WORD TEMPLATE
Re-read all book material since your last template. 
Read your journaling since your last template. 
Journal your answers to the following:
1 What verses jumped out to you the most? List them and explain how and why they jumped out to you. Also, make note if you want to pray them more over the next week. 
2 Have you increased your SPT and OPT time?
3 How much time did you spend SPT and OPT on average over the last week? Month? Quarter (3-months)?
4 Has your faith grown? Have you become more loyal in faith to the Lord and his Word? 
5 What has God said to you?
6 What have you said to God?
7 What are you applying to your life that God has said to you and that you have said to God? 
8 Write a summary since your last template. 
9 Pray 5 of these verses for the next 24 hours. List which ones. 

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

It's rough, and rather non-existent at this point but...: 365 DAYS OF PRAYING THE WORD: SCRIPTURE LIST #1 Blog Version

I just downloaded the first of many of:

365 Days of Praying the Word: Scripture List #1 on Smashwords. 

I only have one verse mentioned so far. But, I have the name reserved and it is now a registered book. So, here we go... 

You can find it at:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/109328

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith




Is it just me?

Is it just me--or are you sometimes swept away by God's glory?

It rather blows me away that God would choose to use little 'ol flawed me so mightily. Who am I? 

To HIM be all glory. May every single word I write be HIS and bring him maximum glory. 

I'm so excited. The 365 project

I have started to compile the list for the 365-day of Praying the Word scriptures. This is an exciting project. I will share them with you as I go. Consequently, I will put them for free on Smashwords so you can start to enjoy the fruit of them right away.

As I work on my A MONTH OF... Books, I will work on this project. I think I will probably download a new version once a week or so. So, it's safe to say every Friday after 5:00 p.m. Eastern time, you can download the latest copy.

I want us to have every opportunity and advantage to pray continually and without stopping--as we meditate on the Word of God morning, noon, and night. 

Thanks to this project, I am far more passionate about Praying the Word and I've been pretty passionate about it for years. My faith is being transformed. I pray the same is happening with yours.

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith

A MONTH OF PRAYING THE WORD: Day 8

Good day, friends. We have been at this journey a week now. Can you believe it? I do not know about you, but time is flying and I am starting to wish we had a lot more time than what we have. Therefore, it's important for us to maximize what we get out of "A MONTH OF PRAYING IN THE WORD" study. After all, what we learn here we can apply no matter what. We can do other Bible studies and still be doing this for the rest of our lives. In fact, we can repeat this book every month for the rest of our lives.

Consequently, we need to get to some of the deeper stuff now. We want to make sure we get the most out of this and do not get bored. We also need to see the relevance and learn what the Bible has to say about this.

Let's take a look at Romans 12:2. 

ROMANS 12:2 AND THE PULLING AND ENTRAPMENT OF THE WORLD
~*~ Please take a look at it in your Bible and write a summary in your own words of what it says. 

The world tends to grab hold of us and influence our lives, doesn't it? What gets me is how it does so when we do not even realize it has a hold of us. It fights dirty and gets our eyes off of what is really important and what really matters. The world, and everything in it, steals our attention and affections. 

~*~ Write your thoughts in your journal about the world and how it tends to snag you. (Need I mention distractions, busyness, doubt, depression, finances, shopping, people, ideas, customs, etc.?)

This is why we are told in Romans 12:2 not to allow the world to shape or conform us. We are to overcome it. But, how? What does that look like? Romans 12:2 provides us with the answer. 

We are to think differently and have our minds and thoughts renewed. What does renewed mean? It means an entire change of mind. It means changing the way we think. 

~*~ Write your thoughts about the changing of your thought patterns.

HOW DO WE CHANGE OUR THOUGHTS?
I do not know about you, but some thoughts pop into my mind and consume me. I get obsessed about something--rather silly and pointless. Or, doubt starts to creep in about something or someone. And, of course the doubt is not founded at all. The enemy knows which buttons to push. I get reminded of tough times in the past and they can play with my mind. Or, I worry. I fret. I stress about deadlines. 

Ugh. So, you see, my mind can be very undisciplined at times. I lose my self-control and need to regroup. 

What we are learning from this book is the answer for overcoming the effects of this world. We replace our thoughts with Scripture. In other words, we pray the Word. If we pray the Word, and do so 16+ hours a day, we do not have time for the worldly stuff to consume us. And, if it threatens to get in our minds again, we can combat it with--you guessed it--with praying the Word.

Can you think of anything better for us to think than the Word of God, the Holy Bible? 

~*~ Please write your thoughts now.
~*~ What has God said to you? What is he saying to you?
~*~ What are you saying to God?

It's that easy.

Now, do you see why we worked on planning yesterday? Do you see why I've given you in APPENDIX A a month of Scripture and Praying the Word Outline? 

~*~ How can you change your thoughts and renew your mind with Praying the Word? Make an action plan to overcome the impact of this world on your life and in your mind. 

DAY 4 FROM THE OUTLINE
Do Day 4 from the outline of Praying the Word in APPENDIX A for the next 24 hours, please. Add Romans 12:2 to it as well. Also, make sure to journal and listen to the Lord and his promptings. 

*** By the way, I will most likely write at least one additional (if not more) book each year on Praying the Word, along with the 365-Day book.

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

Monday, November 28, 2011

Question for you: Future "A Month of..." Studies

Do you have a topic you want to work on or study more?

If you let me know, I can add it to my list! The fact that it is something on your heart will help me make it more of a priority. 

I would love to hear from you.

Let me know by adding a comment at the end of this blog post or send me an email to: aloyalfaith@gmail.com 

You can send me as many requests as you want as often as you like. I've made a lifelong commitment to this and would find it an honor to join you on your journey.

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith

Download the latest version of Vol. 2

If I were you, I would download the latest version of Vol. 2: A MONTH OF PRAYING THE WORD. 

I just wanted to let you know. 

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith

Amazon Kindle Fire and A Loyal Faith

After having my Amazon Kindle Fire for a couple of weeks now, I have to admit... I am not sure how I got through life without it. 

It's made it where I can be in the Word of God and praying without ceasing (Praying the Word) more and more. 

It's helped me give more and more time to the Lord. 

Do I have any complaints about the Fire? NONE. Literally. I read carefully what it has and does not ahve (the product description) so I knew what I bought. I can't complain if it doesn't have a feature because of buyer beware. However, having said that, it has everything I want. I've made it where I can work if I have WiFi or not. I can be just as effective and get just as much done either way. 

I love the thing.

So, if any of you are wondering about Christmas gifts. I would say I give it a rating of 10 out of 10. I would get it again in a heartbeat and without hesitation. (I love my husband--who gave it to me!)

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith

Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

A MONTH OF PRAYING THE WORD: Day 7

DAY 7

Over the next couple of days, we will dive into more why it is important to pray the Word of God and how to start to move from praying 15 to 30 minutes a day to without ceasing. But first, let's talk about the sacrifice of time. You might want to grab your planner/schedule before we get started. 

I realize you might wonder why I'm doing this explanation now and not earlier. Before now, I wanted you to get a feel for things and see where you were regarding how much time you had (or didn't have) to commit to praying without ceasing. I also wanted you to step into this slowly and do what you felt most comfortable with. 

PRAYING WITHOUT STOPPING (CEASING)
To pray without ceasing is to pray continually.
Take a look at 1 Thessalonians 5:17 in your Bible. 
~*~ Write in your journal a summary of that verse.

Now that we have that covered, and know we are to pray all the time, how do we do that? Is it feasible?

It is. But, before we delve too much into this, I hope you might humor me for a moment.

THE SACRIFICE OF TIME
~*~ Please grab your journal at this time. Can you average the amount of time you put into each day: the homework and praying without ceasing?
Day 1
Homework time (SPT--see what this is below)
Praying without ceasing time (OPT--see what this is below)
Day 2
Homework time
Praying without ceasing time
Day 3
Homework time
Praying without ceasing time
Day 4
Homework time
Praying without ceasing time
Day 5
Homework time
Praying without ceasing time
Day 6
Homework time
Praying without ceasing time

~*~ Now, figure the average amount of time for all 6 days:
Homework time (SPT)
Praying without ceasing time (OPT)

GOAL
Our goal is to move from praying ??? hours a day (you fill in your average time daily of praying without ceasing where the question marks are) to praying 24/7/365.

Well, there are two types of time we will need to make sure to mark on our planners every day at the end of the day:
A Sit-Down Prayer Time (SPT)
B Praying while doing other things or (OPT)

The goal is to get the total of SPT + OPT to = 16+ hours 

Why is it 16+ hours? We are to sleep 8 hours a day. 24 - 8 =16. Now, part of that time includes falling asleep, waking up, rolling over, and being restless. During those times, we can be praying the Word without ceasing. 

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO PRAY 16+ HOURS A DAY?
How is this possible? And, is it possible?

The last time I checked, God didn't give us commands that we could not meet. He would not ask it of us--knowing it was impossible. He would help us to do so. However, we also have to work intentionally in that direction. So, how do we go about doing precisely that? 

Take your average time of SPT and mark that on your planner for the rest of the week. 

Then, for next week, add 10 or 15 minutes a day. (For instance, week 1, you might average 15 minutes a day. Add 15 minutes and your new average will be 30 minutes. And so on...) Do the same week after week until you have 1 to 2 hours a day (ideal = 2 hours; absolute least is 30 minutes) on your schedule alone for SPT. 

Next, it's time to start to add praying without stopping (OPT), and Praying the Word, to every activity you do. We can Pray the Word while we talk with others, while we are on hold, as we drive, etc. 

How do you add Praying the Word while you do other things:
A Come up with cues to remind yourself to pray. For instance: red lights, every time you drink or eat, shower, restroom, breaks, while on hold, standing in a line, while cleaning house, doing laundry, doing the dishes, while cooking, etc. Whenever I see my wedding band, I pray. Whenever I see a glass or mug, I pray. When I see a book, I pray. Walking through doorways, I pray. Start with the every time you drink and take a bite of food cue. That will add more time than you might realize. Just make sure to keep an idea of the amount of time you pray.
B Play a game with yourself and try to top your previous day's amount of time for OPT and SPT. 
C While exercising... We are supposed to get 30 minutes a day of exercise. Hence, what a perfect time to pray the Word and without stopping at the same time. 
D Add 10 or 15 minutes per day every week until you get up to 16+ hours. (For instance, week 1, you might average 15 minutes a day. Add 15 minutes and your new average will be 30 minutes. And so on until you are up to 16+ hours.) 
E Keep doing it until it becomes a habit. Practice will help. 

PLANNER
Make sure to mark everything on your planner now. Put it on there. Put your SPT and OPT goals every day for the next 14 months or so. Then, in six months, take it out another 14 months. Keep putting it on your schedule for the rest of your life. Literally. I love the Google Calendar. I put this in for indefinitely and am now set. 

ISN'T THIS ANAL?
Yes. It is. How else do you think you will actually obey the Word of God and pray continually? If you don't track it and plan it, you won't do it. It should be more important than everything else on your schedule anyway. Wouldn't you agree? 

How do you expect to pray without stopping unless you make an action plan and get it on your calendar? 

DAY 3 FROM THE OUTLINE
Do Day 3 from the outline of Praying the Word for the next 24 hours, please. Make sure to journal and lsiten to the Lord and his promptings. 

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal Faith
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

Month 1 Praying the Word Outline

MONTH 1

Day 1
Acknowledge and Humble
John 3:16-17

Petition and Intercession
John 3:18 Pray for the believers and unbelievers in your life.

Praise
Isaiah 12:1

Confession
John 3:19-21

Thanksgiving
Colossians 4:2

Day 2
Acknowledge and Humble
Psalm 28:7

Petition and Intercession
2 Samuel 22:4

Praise
Hebrews 12:28

Confession
Ezekiel 14:4-5

Thanksgiving
Psalm 106:1

Day 3
Acknowledge and Humble
Psalm 59:17

Petition and Intercession
1 Kings 8:33

Praise
Proverbs 27:21

Confession
Lev 5:5

Thanksgiving
1 Chronicles 16:34-35

Day 4
Acknowledge and Humble
Psalm 106:12

Petition and Intercession
Hebrews 13:5

Praise
Psalm 150:6

Confession
1 Sam 7:6

Thanksgiving
Ps 107:31

Day 5
Acknowledge and Humble
Deut 32:3

Petition and Intercession
2 Chronicles 6:24-27

Praise
Deut 10:21

Confession
Acts 8:22

Thanksgiving
Daniel 6:10

Day 6
Acknowledge and Humble
2 sam 22:33

Petition and Intercession
Psalm 42:5

Praise
2 Samuel 22:47

Confession
Psalm 32:5

Thanksgiving
Psalm 9:1

Day 7
Acknowledge and Humble
Rev 4:8

Petition and Intercession
Psalm 105:45

Praise
Exodus 15:2

Confession
1 John 1:9

Thanksgiving
Romans 6:17

Day 8
Acknowledge and Humble
1 Chronicles 16:25

Petition and Intercession
Phil 4:6

Praise
1 Chronicles 16:7-9

Confession
Psalm 19:12

Thanksgiving
2 Cor 2:14

Day 9
Acknowledge and Humble
Ps 23:1

Petition and Intercession
1 Sam 12:23

Praise
Ps 149:3

Confession
Jeremiah 33:8

Thanksgiving
Ephesians 1:16

Day 10
Acknowledge and Humble
1 chron 16:11

Petition and Intercession
Col 1:9

Praise
Nehemiah 8:6

Confession
Rom 1:29-30

Thanksgiving
Col 3:17

Day 11
Acknowledge and Humble
Jere 3:15

Petition and Intercession
1 Thess 5:16-18

Praise
Psalm 13:6

Confession
Acts 5:31

Thanksgiving
Rev 4:9

Day 12
Acknowledge and Humble
Isaiah 9:6

Petition and Intercession
Psalm 109:1

Praise
Psalm 16:7

Confession
Matthew 6:12

Thanksgiving
Psalm 100

Day 13
Acknowledge and Humble
John 6:35

Petition and Intercession
Col 1:3

Praise
1 Chronicles 23:30

Confession
Romans 6:13

Thanksgiving
Psalm 119:62

Day 14
Acknowledge and Humble
Hebrews 10:16

Petition and Intercession
Ps 91

Praise
Psalm 22:2-26

Confession
Acts 2:38

Thanksgiving
2 Cor 4:15

Day 15
Acknowledge and Humble
2 sam 22:31

Petition and Intercession
Prov 2

Praise
Psalm 54:6

Confession
Nehemiah 1:6

Thanksgiving
Col 1:11-12

Day 16
Acknowledge and Humble
Deut 33:12

Petition and Intercession
Matthew 7:7-8

Praise
Psalm 86:12

Confession
rom 6:19

Thanksgiving
Rev 7:12

Day 17
Acknowledge and Humble
Rev 15:4

Petition and Intercession
Eph 3:14-21

Praise
Psalm 103:1

Confession
Psalm 38:18

Thanksgiving
Col 3:16

Day 18
Acknowledge and Humble
Ps 31:3

Petition and Intercession
Psalm 119:12

Praise
Psalm 52:9

Confession
2 Tim 2:19

Thanksgiving
1 Thess 5:16-18

Day 19
Acknowledge and Humble
Ps 3:3

Petition and Intercession
Gal 5:1

Praise
Psalm 71:14

Confession
Pslam 25:11

Thanksgiving
Eph 5:4

Day 20
Acknowledge and Humble
1 Chron 16:27-28

Petition and Intercession
Phil 1:9-11

Praise
Psalm 119:175

Confession
Ps 25:11

Thanksgiving
2 cor 9:11-12

Day 21
Acknowledge and Humble
1 Peter 2:9

Petition and Intercession
Phil 1:3

Praise
Jeremiah 17:14

Confession
Heb 8:12

Thanksgiving
Rev 11:17

Day 22
Acknowledge and Humble
John 10:11

Petition and Intercession
2 Thess 1

Praise
Psalm 96:2

Confession
Matthew 12:31-32

Thanksgiving
2 Chronicles 6:24-27


Day 23
Acknowledge and Humble
Isaiah 6:3

Petition and Intercession
Matthew 18:21

Praise
Genesis 9:26

Confession
Proverbs 28:13

Thanksgiving
Philemon 1:4

Day 24
Acknowledge and Humble
Ps 18:12

Petition and Intercession
1 Tim 2:1-6

Praise
Luke 1:68

Confession
Daniel 9:20-21

Thanksgiving
Phil 4:6

Day 25
Acknowledge and Humble
John 14:6

Petition and Intercession
Ps 33:20

Praise
2 Cor 1:3

Confession
Titus 2:13-14

Thanksgiving
Eph 5:19-20

Day 26
Acknowledge and Humble
John 6:51

Petition and Intercession
Prov 4:23

Praise
Phil 4:8

Confession
James 5:16

Thanksgiving
Ps 95:2

Day 27
Acknowledge and Humble
Psalm 139:14

Petition and Intercession
Eph 6:18

Praise
Hebrews 13:15

Confession
Matthew 6:14-15

Thanksgiving
2 Cor 4:15

Day 28
Acknowledge and Humble
Isaiah 42:8

Petition and Intercession
Neh 1:6

Praise
Luke 5:26

Confession
Psalm 79:9

Thanksgiving
2 Cor 9:11

Day 29
Acknowledge and Humble
Psalm 111:10

Petition and Intercession
Luke 11:1

Praise
James 5:13

Confession
Acts 26:17-18

Thanksgiving
Phil 4:6

Day 30
Acknowledge and Humble
Psalm 91:4

Petition and Intercession
Ps 43

Praise
Revelation 7:12

Confession
Matthew 23:28

Thanksgiving
1 Tim 2:1

Day 31
Acknowledge and Humble
Hebrews 11:6

Petition and Intercession
Psalm 77:1-9

Praise
Isaiah 26:1

Confession
1 John 1:9

Thanksgiving
Jere 51:3

Stacy Duplease
Bible Study Writer & Blogger
A Loyal FaithFind my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction