Prayer and Bible Journaling

Prayer and Bible Journaling

2014-10-02 08:02:59, Thursday

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If you are reading this blog post as a daily devotional Bible study for prayer journaling, then please prayer journal after you read each verse and answer all of the questions. 

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2 Corinthians 12:9-10 Expanded Bible (EXB)

9 But he said to me, “My grace is ·enough for you [sufficient for you; all you need]. ·When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you [L For (my) power is perfected in weakness].” So I am very happy to ·brag [boast] about my weaknesses. Then Christ’s power can ·live [reside; or rest] in me. 10 For this reason I am ·happy [pleased; content] when I have weaknesses, insults, ·hard times [times of need], ·sufferings[persecutions], and ·all kinds of troubles [distress] ·for [for the sake of] Christ. Because when I am weak, then I am truly strong.

Expanded Bible (EXB)

The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.

Is this true for me? Is His grace enough for me?

If His grace is enough, why is it? Is this true at all times? 

If His grace is not enough, why not and how can I change my thinking so it is? 

Read Psalm 10 and 11.

Reading Ephesians 4 and 5.

Passage I want to meditate on, contemplate, and prayer journal at least three times today:

Ephesians 4:17-27 New Living Translation (NLT)

17 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Lord, help me to know what to do and what not to do, according to the Ephesians 4 verses. Help me know what to apply to my life and how. Guide me and teach me, God. I want to live for You alone and want to bring You glory. And, I thank you in advance for showing me Your Way through these verses. 

Ephesians 4:17 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

17 Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their thoughts.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.

What thoughts do I have, Lord, that are not of You? 

Lord, I know the answer to that one. Most of my thoughts are futile. Help me to live Philippians 4:8; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 10:5-7. I want to focus on your and Your Word alone. I want to live Your Way. I want to live according to Your purpose, not mine, for my life. I want to live a life that's intentionally focused on You and Your Word alone. Thank You for giving me the want, Lord. I also realize it is what I need. Thank You for helping me to see this as well. And, thank You, in advance, for showing me how to live like this. 

How can I focus my thoughts on You alone? 

What beliefs do I have that are futile? 

I want to believe, and have opinions, based off of You and your Word, not off of man. I am thinking of my Christianity, politics, current events, war, terrorism, all of it. I want to take a stand on what You want me to, not on what I think I should, what others say I should, or anything based off of what others say. I want to stand on you and the foundation of Your Word alone. I don't want any of my thoughts or beliefs to be futile, but to be eternally based. 

Abba, show me how. 

Show me how to make Your grace enough for me, today, every moment, for the rest of my life.  

To You, alone, be the glory!

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2014.) 

Day 3 of 40 Daily Bible Reading

04 January 2014, Saturday

Genesis 8

This is the chapter about Noah and the Ark with all the animals, where God stops the rain in Genesis 8:1-5.

When does God stop the torrential downpour of the rain? After 150 days, verse 3.

Where? The boat stops on the mountains of Ararat in Genesis 8:4. (For more information about the Mountains of Ararat, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountains_of_Ararat.) It’s in what we call Turkey today, according to some sources. Others say Armenia, Iran, and Azerbaijan. Mount Ararat today is located in Turkey.

It took 150 days for the boat to come to a stop on the Mountains of Ararat, verses 3-4.

Why? Why did it take 2.5 months + 40 days before Noah released the raven to see if they could leave the ark? (See Genesis 8:6-9.) Answer: Think about it. Think of all of the people, animals, and plants that were swept away and killed from this storm. Think about the stench of the decay. That’s why it took so long. The smell needed to die down.

How long did it really take before Noah and family and animals could leave the ark? See Genesis 8:3-14.

Verses 21-22 are God’s never again list. RE-read them. They are interesting.

Other resources:

1 The Noah’s Ark Searches: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Searches_for_Noah%27s_Ark

2 Mount Ararat in Turkey: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Ararat

How does Genesis 8 apply to my life?

God took special care of Noah, the family, and the animals. Hence, He does the same for me. He does not change, so that’s how I can be confident He cares about me and even the smallest of details.

Matthew 8

Key verses in my opinion today: 2, 8, 13, 18, 24-27,

Jesus calmed the storm and rebuked it in Matthew 8:23-27.

How does Matthew 8 apply to my life?

Trust Jesus in the days of calm and in the days of storm. Don’t doubt or question. Just trust.

Ezra 8

Key verses in my opinion: 21-23, 34, 36.

How does Ezra 8 apply to my life?

Pray for all of life’s journeys, whether traveling or walking the path of the life in general.

Acts 8

Key verses are: 1, 3, 4

How does Acts 8 apply to my life today?

Verse 4 made me stop in my tracks. This is one of those verses I could spend days to weeks to months to even years on—where I think on it all day and night.

So, I am going to stop and allow this verse to sink in for a while and what it means to me and my life. I think it’s critical for us to stop and rest, Selah, in a verse whenever it gets our attention—and allow God to help us glean everything we can from it. Acts 8:4 is one of those verses for me.

If this pause means I take longer than 365 days to read the Bible, or more than 30 days to get through Psalms and Proverbs, so be it. I think it’s far more important for me to get the most out of Acts 8:4 as possible. 

Day 2 of 40:

02 January 2014, Thursday, 1140 a.m.

An Opening Prayer

Lord, guide me. Today is your day. You have a purpose for me this day. After all, today is Your day, not mine. Help me to live it as such. I want to live Your will and not mine. God Almighty, help me not to get too far ahead of You or too far behind. Guide my steps and help me stay on Your path alone.

Also, help me not to get distracted and focus on You and on You alone.

Psalm 90:12 NOG

Today’s http://BibleGateway.com Verse of the Day is: Psalm 90:12 NOG

12 Teach us to number each of our days

so that we may grow in wisdom.

-- NOG: Scripture is taken from NAMES OF GOD BIBLE (WITHOUT NOTES) ®, © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group.

Wow. What a wonderful verse for the start of a new year, a new prayer journal, and a new Devotional Bible Study series.

Lord, teach me to number my days and each of my moments. Show me how to do this. I do not want to take one moment for granted. I know I do, but I really do not want to do so. I want to live for You and Your will alone, so I can bring You glory. Help me to think of this often and throughout the day and night.

My M’Cheyne One Year Reading Plan for the Day:

Genesis 7, Matthew 7, Ezra 7, Acts 7

Genesis 7:

Verse 1 talks about how when everything was prepared and ready, then God spoke. Verse 1 in some versions starts with the word, “THEN.”

When does God speak? When we do everything He says, and when everything is ready. Then, He speaks. He speaks when the time is right and best. He does not speak until then.

How many times do I expect God to speak to me now—and not wait? How many times do I want my timing, after all, I know the best timing, right? Hah! Wrong. But, I catch myself trying to get God to move along to my pace. Then, it hits me what I am doing, eventually, and I realize, how wrong I am. God’s timing is always best. Always. Without fail.

More on Genesis 7:1: God tells Noah how He has observed how only Noah is righteous on earth and in this generation. Noah was in right standing with God. He was upright.

Lord, how many times have I said to my husband, “Is there one, besides the very few we know, who are Christ-followers?” I wondered this regarding Christians and unbelievers both. Too many times. The presidential elections of 2012 really hit me in the stomach like a fist. I’m still reeling from it and it’s been over a year. It let me know how few of Christians are truly informed and are in the Bible. I firmly believe this nation would be radically different if we did (I’m looking in the mirror).

How many Christ-followers are really here on earth?

And, then, I remember… WHO AM I to judge? It’s, frankly, none of my business. Their spiritual lives are their choice, not mine.

But, then, I remember how not everyone has had the same advantages as me. Not everyone realizes they have the time to be in the Word and in prayer all day long, for they weren’t taught how to do so. Moreover, not everyone has read the Bible all the way through as many times as I have. Nor has everyone studied the Word like I have. So, what does this mean?

God’s given me the spiritual gift to teach. Hence, that’s what I will do, rather than judge or question. I will love people instead. I will walk with them instead as well.

Moreover, most importantly, I will look in the mirror first and foremost. Period. I have a lot to learn. A lot, a lot, a lot.

Lord, am I acting like Noah in Genesis 7:1? Am I following the Bible? Am I living in the middle of Your will God, and not mine? And, am I doing so 24/7/365?

Answer: Hardly.

How many times do I get distracted and sidetracked and jump, not just step, off Your path, Lord? This is truly my thorn.

Break

My hubby came home early, so we went out to eat and then ran to Target. Now, I’m back home and will continue with my Bible reading of Genesis 7.

Genesis 7, Part 2

How many each of the animals did Noah take on the ark? Hah. That’s a trick question. Most people answer this one incorrectly., after all. The answer is found in Genesis 7:2-3. Seven pairs of every clean animal.

Verse 5 is another verse I want to live by:

Genesis 7:5 NLT

5 So Noah did everything as the Lord commanded him.

-- NLT: Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Lord, I want to do everything You command me to do—without hesitation and without questioning. Teach me how to do so and help me to be mindful thereof.

Matthew 7

The entire chapter is a good one. I could stop and spend several days contemplating and focusing on those verses. All of it is applicable to life.

Ezra 7

Ezra 7:6 talks about how Ezra knew the Law of Moses well. He was well-versed, skilled, and an expert in it. For a Christian, the Law of Moses refers to the entire Bible, as well as Genesis through Deuteronomy.

Lord, may that be said of me one day. I hope to be well-verses, skilled, and an expert in Your Word—and will spend my lifetime trying to achieve this goal. Verse 10 is another one I want to apply as well and goes right along with Ezra 7:6, along with Ezra 7:11.

Acts 7

Acts 7:1-50 is a nice summary of the Old Testament.

In Acts 7:51-60, Stephen is stoned for speaking truth.

Reading Through Psalms and Proverbs in a Month

Psalm 7, 37, 67, 127. Proverbs 7. 

My Daily Bible Reading Plan for 2014

This year, I am using YouVersion.com for my Bible reading and I started my three plans two days ago. I doing:

1 The M'Cheyne Plan in a year.
2 The New Testament in a Year.
3 Psalms and Proverbs in a month and am doing it every month all year.

So, what about you? What's your plan?

I will keep you updated about my progress and will also include daily devotionals on this blog, which will be notes from my readings.

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images 2011-2013.)

Problem with Daily Bible Reading (Tell me I am not the only one!), But Reading Anyway

PROBLEM WITH DAILY BIBLE READING AND DAILY BIBLE STUDY

I have a major problem with Daily Bible Reading. I rarely can finish my daily reading so on day 7, I have to read ten chapters or so.

The problem I have is the same problem I have with personal Bible study. The reason is not what you might think. 

It's rather funny because both my Bible reading and my studying suffered yesterday, and today so far, for the same reason. It's because I get stuck. But, again, it's probably not why would might think. 

I get stuck because I get so blown away and awestruck by the verse that I have to stop and allow it to settle in my mind. It sweeps me away and I can ponder the verse, or a few words from the verse, for a week. So, if I want to do Daily Bible reading and finish reading the Bible in a year, it gets tricky. I need to be realistic here. I can be swept away by most of what I read in the Bible and can pray that Word, meditate, and ponder it for days, weeks, months, and in a few cases...years. 

CHECKLIST FAITH IS WRONG

Boy am I glad a checklist faith is actually wrong. It has the wrong motives at heart and actually turns faith into a requirement rather than into a relationship. 

HOW?

That being said... I really want to finish reading the Bible in less than a year for 2012. So... How do I go about doing it?

TIP

I make sure to read some Old Testament AND some New Testament readings each week. It's typically the New Testament I could ponder the longest. It's hard to ponder all the family lineages and numbers of tribes and thou shall not's of the Old Testament.

(Photo is Microsoft Clipart)

Stacy Duplease
Prayer Warrior and Faithful Writer
USAGC 2026

Email: usagc2026@gmail.com
Blog for USAGC 2026: http://usagc2026.blogspot.com
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