Conclusion of Proverbs and Psalm Study

Again, I want to thank you so much for participating in the study with me. It was such a honor to be a part of it. I just want to encourage you to continue on with your reading, prayer, and journaling. If you are not sure where to go from here, I'd encourage you to read through the gospels. You can take it as fast or slow as you'd like. Behind seeking wisdom in Proverbs, learning about our Master, Jesus, in the gospels is my favorite reading.

I also wanted to let you know that I'd encourage you to read through Proverbs and Psalms again on your own time. I've been studying them for 6 months now, and just yesterday I read in Proverbs 27 and God gave me a very new and fresh revelation. Just shows that you can learn something new every time!

I will be keeping these blogs on my site indefinitely, so please feel free to share this with anyone you think might be interested. You can just refer them to my website and the entire study will be located in September of 2012.

Also, if you are interested in using this as a study for your small group please contact me as I have been working on small group questions to go along with the daily readings. (It would be a 4 week study.)

Thank you so much. Please let me know if you have any feed back regarding the study, this was a first for me and if there is anything I can do to improve it, please feel free to let me know. And thank you to all of you who have encouraged me and given me feedback already.

I love you all very much and am honored to have been a small part of your September 2012! :)

Much Love,
Steen

Day 31: The Last Day.

Congratulations! After today, you will have read all of Psalm and Proverbs in one month! This is a big accomplishment and I hope it fuels you to continue on.

On your final day together, I want to pray for you and then leave you to commune with your heavenly father. I want to thank you so much for participating in this study with me. I hope that it impacted you as much as it did me.

Today, on your last day, you will be reading Proverbs chapter 31 and Psalm chapters 146-150.

Abba,

I thank you for this month. I thank you for Psalm and Proverbs and everything you taught us through them. Thank you for fresh revelations, you always use your word to communicate to us what we need in your timing. I thank you for our future and the hope of the future. I pray that we stay diligent in seeking you. I pray that you give us undivided hearts, 100% focused on you and your will for our lives. I ask for clear minds, that we can retain and remember all we have learned and heard over the past month, and discernment to know when it's applicable. I pray for peaceful attitudes, that we look for ways to mend, not tear apart. I pray for compassionate eyes, that we are quick to embrace those around us, not judge. I ask for us all selfless mouths, quick to listen, slow to speak and only speaking your truth. I pray for us productive hands, that we complete the tasks you have for us and the jobs you've laid out for us. And finally, I ask for steady feet, that we remain on your path for our lives, never to stumble or wander.

Thank you for giving us all the tools we need, I pray we make the most of them all. That we understand the importance of communing with you everyday. That we experience all the joy and blessings you have in store for us. We love love love you.

Amen.

Day 30: Can't go back.

Continuing to give the Holy Spirit room, I'm only going to tell you your chapters and pray for you today.

-Read Proverbs chapter 30 and Psalm chapters 141-145-

Abba,

Everyday in writing this study, you have overwhelmed me. It overwhelms me that you don't hide from us or keep us in the dark. You reveal yourself to us, you let us in on your plans. You include us and use us even when you don't have to. Thank you for including me. Thank you for including those you have 'chosen' to do this study. Thank you for divine timing. If nothing else, I trust your timing. We are honored and privileged that you invite us into a relationship with you. And I'm very sorry that for 29 years, I neglected you. I took your offer of relationship for granted. Never again. Because once I saw what I was missing out on, once I saw what it could be like, living in true community with you, I could never go back. I may have accepted your gift of salvation as a child, but it was 24 years later that I accepted your gift of experiencing heaven on earth.

I pray for each person reading this, that you gently touch them on the shoulder. I pray that you impress upon their hearts the magnitude of your love for them. That you grow them in you, so intertwined that it is impossible to separate one from the other.  Impossible to separate them from you or you from them.

Thank you for loving us. We love you, and desire to honor you in all that we say and do today.

Amen

Day 29: Giving room.

In preparing for today's study, I felt a nudge from my friend, the Holy Spirit.

GIVE ME SOME ROOM.

I've said a lot during this month. But if my heart is truly to help facilitate the learning/execution of this discipline (reading the word and prayer time everyday), then it is definitely time I hand the reigns over to you and Him. So I am taking a back seat over the last few days. Because of course, when the Holy Spirit asks for room, you give it! :)

Here is all I suggest, that you continue with the format we've used over the last month. That before you read the scripture, pray and ask God to speak to you and continue to allow yourself to be open. After reading, write down what spoke to you and journal some prayers. As before, feel free to leave some comments if God moves you to do so. That will be where I'll leave any of my thoughts on the day's study.

But before you begin today, I'd like to pray for you.

Abba, I pray that today, you reveal yourself in an incredibly tangible way to your followers. I pray you open their ears and eyes to your voice and your truth. Honor their commitment to learn more about you and your heart by changing their lives the way you have changed mine. Fill in their gaps, give them what they need to complete the mission you have for them. Energize and revive them. Continue to pursue them and give them an insatiable desire to pursue you. We honor you in all we say and do. I LOVE you Abba.

Amen.

Today we are reading Proverbs chapter 29 and Psalm chapters 136-140. Now go ahead, and do your thing!

Day 25: Reader becoming the writer!

Abba, before I read and write today, I pray that you visit with me. Be with me as I read your word and reveal yourself to me. Give me confirmation and affirmation that seeking you and understanding your words is the only way for me to live. Confirm my path and when necessary, redirect me. Allow me to experience your presence today.

Amen

-Read Proverbs 25 and Psalm 119-

This is a very hard day for me to write, because Psalm 119 is SO very important and personal to me. I'm finding it impossible to separate myself (and my past feelings and notes) from this passage in order to write something that everyone could receive something from. 

But isn't that the beauty of scripture and our own personal experiences with it! That we can learn from each other and see things we might of missed in the past. So today, here is what we are going to do. I want to learn from you.  I want to read this scripture through new eyes, and I can't seem to on my own. So I'm going to ask that you write a little something on Psalm 119 and what you hear and feel when you read it. This is not required, but if the point of this study is to stretch ourselves, then I'd go for it! I'm going to write something personal myself and include it as a comment in the section below. Feel free to do the same, or if you'd prefer it stay private, you can email me at steenjones@gmail.com. But I'd encourage everyone to stay public, because you NEVER know who might receive truth and something new from your perspective. God could use you to reveal truths to someone else. 

P.S. I've read this chapter in the TNIV, The Message, and The Voice. I highly recommend it in The Message version if you have access to one. 

I can't wait to hear what y'all get from this wonderful chapter :)

Day 15: To Revive & Refresh.

Today we are reading Proverbs chapter 15 and Psalm chapters 71-75. Take a moment and clear your mind and set your heart towards an attitude of praise.

-Read Scripture-

Today is a special day! We are halfway through this journey together. I wanted it to be a special day, one that encouraged and spurred you on to continue with this study. In trying to come up with something "special," God reminded me of the most "simple" way to be refreshed and revived. He took me back to the beginning. Day 1. :)

"Let us begin. The worship of the Eternal One, the one true God, is the first step..." in ANYTHING! (Proverbs 1:7 The Voice).

So today, there is no lesson to learn or concept to apply. We are going to re-energize and refresh our spirits by worshipping our heavenly father. I'm going to share my 3 favorite verses from the reading today in Psalm and then pray for you. Then, I want us to assume our prayer/declaration position from day 12 and simply spend time worshipping.

Read your favorite Psalms to him, journal, pray, or put on your favorite praise album and sing to him. Whatever you choose to do, do it with your whole heart. Take your time and let him fill your cup, encourage and revive you for the rest of the month!

"Your righteousness, God, reaches to the skies, you who have done great things. Who is like you God?" Psalm 71:19 TNIV

"You're all I want in heaven! You're all I want on Earth! When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, God is rock firm and faithful." Psalm 73:25 The Message (I can't help but smile when I read this verse!)

"There is no one on earth who can raise up another to grant honor, not from the east or the west, not from the desert. There is no one. God is the only one. God is the only judge. He is the only one who can ruin or redeem a man." Psalm 75:6-7 The Voice

(Please feel free to share with me what Psalms you might of used to worship with today!)

Abba, there is truly no one like you. No one can compare. No one on this Earth can give me what I need. I rely solely on you and your love and grace. I am honored that you chose me, that you choose me everyday. Lord, I choose you! I choose to follow you today. I choose to love you today. I choose to live for you today! Refresh us, revive us, refill us so we may pour you into others. Help us finish this month strong and victorious, all the while knowing YOU completed a great work in us. We love you. We love you. We love you!

Amen

Day 7: Asking for directions...

Today we are reading Proverbs 7 and Psalm chapters 31-35. Ask God to prepare your heart to receive his truth today; because today, he definitely has a truth he wants to share with you. :)

-Read Scriptures-

Before I even opened the bibles and notebooks this morning to begin writing, God gave me a word during my personal journaling time. I pray a ton for my business. I pray for God's favor, wisdom, direction, and guidance.  I want my decisions with COLORS to glorify God and his will, so he gave me some encouragement. It wasn't until I opened my notebooks to write today's study, that I realized it was for you as well!

I love in Proverbs 7 how Solomon gives us a clear picture of how temptation works. Seducing and deceiving. The young man, "had no clue his life was at stake; everything was about to change." Proverbs 7:23 The Voice.  He had no clue. Isn't that the way it usually works. Temptation never announces itself, and that it's intention is to destroy us. There is no warning is there? But there is, and we just got it.

I tend to look at life as a journey, and through this journey we have opportunities to take different roads or paths. When I pray or read the bible, this principle is constantly used. "...and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:6 "...narrow the road that leads to life." Matthew 7:14 I could go on and on and translation after translation uses these words to describe life and our decision making.
Therefore when I pray, I tend to use this vernacular: lead, guide, and direct me.

So here is the encouragement that I received this particular morning, and I believe that it's extremely relevant to our study.

"IF YOU KEEP SEEKING AFTER ME, WHOLE-HEARTILY, YOU WILL STAY ON MY COURSE. YOU CAN'T STRAY TOO FAR OFF A PATH IF YOU'RE CHECKING YOUR LOCATION EVERYDAY.  EVERY TIME WE SPEND TIME TOGETHER, IT'S A HEART CHECK, IT'S A CHARACTER CHECK. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET LOST IF YOU STOP.  IT'S THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP GOING, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE UNSURE, WHO GET LOST. IF UNSURE, STOP AND ASK FOR GUIDANCE. YOU'LL NEVER REGRET THAT. I PROMISE. I AM HERE FOR YOU ALWAYS." ABBA

He is SO right. I have never regretted stopping and asking for directions. You either realize you are heading the wrong way, or you get confirmation that you were heading in the right direction! And in life, I have never regretted pausing and having a heart check.

What if the young man in Proverbs had stopped and asked someone? If he had more information, would he have made a different decision? Imagine how many less bad decisions we would make if we were checking the status of our heart and character every single day? THAT is why this is so important. God promises us, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you." Psalm 32:8 TNIV 

We have all we need to succeed in this life.  Let us not be clueless, like the young man in Proverbs.

Todays application: Simply stop and ask God for directions and see what he reveals to you.

Day 5: No matter the stormy sea.

Before we start reading today, ask God to reveal something new about himself to you. We will be reading Proverbs chapter 5 and Psalm chapters 21-25.

-Read Scripture-

A couple of days ago, we talked about why God rebukes, disciplines, and corrects us. Yesterday we looked at our innate desire to rebel against authority and that the only TRUE freedom is found under God's authority.  Today we are going to look at the collateral damage of rebellion, and that no matter what dark place you find yourself in, it's never too late to cry out to God for help.

It's very hard when you watch someone you love rebel. Being the oldest of 3 other siblings and having worked with my husband in student ministry for over 7 years, I have much experience with this. You see the path they are on and the danger ahead, but it is not until they are swimming in their consequences that they call out or want help. Of course, this is applicable for us and the people around us. People see us heading down a road, and we don't want help until the inevitable rock bottom. It's hard to watch. So imagine our heavenly father, having to watch us swim out too deep, knowing at any moment, we could be overcome with irrevocable consequences.

"Mark well that GOD doesn't miss a move you make; he's aware of every step you take. The shadow of your sin will overtake you; you'll find yourself stumbling all over yourself in the dark." Proverbs 5:22-23 The Message

This is why God steps in to course correct, he understands the consequences before we do. This is why we should be grateful when he steps in, because he is most likely saving us from certain drowning.  The biggest, most important thing to get out of today is that it is NEVER too late to call to God. You are never out of his reach, no matter how low you are.

I love King David. He was a shepherd, a King, an adulterer, a murderer, but he was a man after God's own heart. David had experienced almost every high and every low imaginable. In every peak, he praised God, and in every valley, he cried out to him for salvation & rescue. Even after his affair and murder cover-up, God restored David due to his genuine humility and cry of repentance.

Psalm chapter 23 is some of the most famous and recalled scripture of all time. "Yea, through I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me..." Psalm 23:4 NKJ But I want to share with you another version of that passage. Sometimes, when you've heard something your whole life said the same way, you don't really HEAR it anymore. It just bounces through your head and doesn't stick. (At least that is what happens to me.) And I truly want these verses to stick!

"Even in the unending shadows of death's darkness, I am not overcome by fear. Because you are with me in those dark moments, near with your protection and guidance, I am comforted." Psalm 23:4 The Voice.

Jesus forgave the thief on the cross dying next to him. We have already established David's rap sheet. It's never too late to ask God for help. He's never out of reach. The power of Christ can light any dark place, he can rescue you from any stormy sea or any dark valley you may find yourself.

Abba,
Thank you for caring about us enough to never leave us. Thank you for your patience with us. Thank you for your redemption. I pray that we accept your tough love in our lives as what it truly is: grace. That you see what we can't, you see the consequences that lay ahead. That we trust you to lead us. Thank you that no matter how far we wander, no matter how dark a place we may find ourselves, you are able and willing to rescue us and set us at your table. That is immeasurable love. Thank you for lifting us up so that we can stand tall and look you straight in the eye. We love you and desire to honor you with our lives today.
Amen

Day 4: The cost of Freedom

Today we are reading Proverbs chapter 4 and Psalm chapters 16-20. Before beginning, ask God to open your eyes and ears to the scriptures we are reading today, ask him to give you fresh perpective and application from his word.

-Read Scriptures-

On the heals of yesterday's study, we are continuing today with our nature to rebel and the importance of fighting that human urge. Our parents teach us everything from how to tie our shoes, to our moral foundation. They have the responsibility to put us on the right path, the path of wisdom. Why is it in our nature to rebel against them?

Proverbs chapter 4 approaches us as a parent would approach their hard-headed child, with wisdom and a warning. I personally feel that every teenager should be required to read and memorize chapter 4 when they turn 13! I think if kids (and adults alike), took these scriptures to heart, it would be instrumental in avoiding much regret and heartache.

Just like our parents do their best to, God actually gives us the opportunity for the most amazing life full of joy and contentment. an inheritance beyond anything we can fathom.

"Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. " Psalm 16:5-6  (TNIV)

The problem is that it requires submission to receive this inheritance, and submission is NOT popular in our society. Adolescents and adults alike rebel against God's authority under the banners of progressivism, liberalism, science, and freedom. (All of these things are good, but many use them as reasons NOT to submit to God's authority.) The truth is, the ONLY freedom that is actually FREE is that given by God. The world's freedom costs; it costs money, morals, and lives. True freedom, freedom from all confines of this world, comes from submitting and living under God's authority.

Freedom to live out our inheritance. Freedom to live free of worry and fear; pain and oppression, unattainable standards and measures of success. Freedom to know that when we fail, we are NOT a failure. Freedom from this world's definition of us.

I will do whatever it takes to obtain THAT freedom, THAT inheritance. Especially if all it takes is starting each an every day with my face on the floor in submission to my God and his desire for me.

What about you? Do you crave that freedom? Do you already have it and need to help others around you to find it? Ask God what he has in mind for you today...

Day 2: Learning to listen.

Before we start, ask God to open your ears and heart to hear and receive anything he may have for you today. Then go ahead and read Proverbs chapter 2 and Psalm chapters 6-10.

-Read Scripture-

Today we are going to talk about the biggest, life changing thing that has happened to me. (Regarding my relationship with God.) And that has been training myself to hear and respond to God's voice. Over the past 5 years or so, I would hear him speak to me, but it was sporadically. It wasn't until about a year and a half ago that I started hearing him regularly. 

And it wasn't because he wasn't speaking, it was just that I wasn't listening. 

"If you listen for Lady Wisdom, attune your ears to her, and engage your mind to understand what she is telling you, If you cry out to her for insight and beg for understanding, If you sift through the clamor of everything around you to seek her like some precious prize, to search for her like buried treasure; Then you will grasp what it means to truly respect the Eternal, and you will have discovered the knowledge of the one True God." Proverbs 2:2-5 The Voice

Attune your ears, sift through the clamor. I love these verses, they gave me the instruction I needed.  Like much of the world today, I suffer from some form of ADD. I would pray, say in the car, then I would find myself mentally preparing my grocery list...or I would be reading the bible, then out of nowhere be thinking about the movie I watched the night before. 

It wasn't until I started journaling where everything changed for me. I started journaling on my trip to Thailand in January of 2011 and never stopped. I journal and read every single morning. It has gotten to where my whole day feels out of sorts if I don't! Each morning, I start out journaling about what is going on in my life, family, friends, upcoming events or vacations. I tell him the funny story that happened the day before (this has also done wonders for my memory!) I ask him for help with problems I can't solve, etc.

Then I read some scripture, then I close by praying. I journal ALL of my prayers. It allowed me to focus and an amazing thing happened. As I'd journal, I would hear God answer or respond to me! So I started writing his responses down in capitol letters so I wouldn't confuse myself. Now, I'm able to go back and reread what he has said to me.

It's incredible to be able to go back a year and read the things God prepared me for and how they all came true. I get to see how God saw the whole picture way before I could!  Now I do hear God other times, but when I "attune my ears, engage my mind, cry out to him, and beg for understanding...when I sift through the clamor," THAT is when I hear him best.

People have asked me how I know it's him, or what does it sound like. Now this is just my personal experience and I'm wanting to share it with you so that you will not be afraid to share your story with others. It's not a booming voice of God, he speaks through the Holy Spirit inside me. So it kind of sounds like me talking to myself, but I always know when it is him. There are two ways I know. 

1. It's always something that I would NEVER say to myself. 

2. It almost always moves me emotionally. 

Whenever the Holy Spirit speaks to me or prods me, it is very overwhelming. It is almost as though I feel warm inside and on the verge of tears. It is, my absolute favorite feeling. 

My challenge for you today, and the rest of this month, is to journal some of your prayers. Put your phone in another room, (mine has buzzed 3 times in preparing this study, talk about clamor!), sit it in a quiet place, and ask God to show up. Then wait. Don't think about anything else. (I've found the easiest way for my ADD mind to do this, is to visualize a picture of God I have in my mind and rest there.) Praise him, thank him.

And if he speaks, write down what he says. It may not make any sense to you at that moment, but I'm willing to bet that if you go back and read it later this month, it will. There is NO confirmation of faith like going back and reading God's personal words to you, especially when you've seen them play out! I promise. 

Abba, may we open ourselves up to you. Let us forget about the world around us and ignore the clamor for just a moment. Let us be open to hear what you have for us and the truth about how you feel about us. We rely on you. Let us simply rest in your presence today.

Amen

Day 1: The beginning.

We are beginning this study by reading Proverbs chapter 1, then Psalm chapters 1-5. Before you read, pray that God will reveal his truths and heart to you. Sincerely enter this reading with an open heart and mind, being ready for God to start changing you!

 -Read Proverbs & Psalms-

What is the point of reading the bible? What is the point of this study for you? Is it to obtain wisdom? Discipline? Or is it simply to learn more about our creator? No matter your answer, “Let us begin. The worship of the Eternal One, the one true God, is the first step towards knowledge.” (Proverbs 1:7, the Voice). Honestly, I believe that is the first step towards anything; knowledge, peace, joy, or discipline. The question is, what are you searching for? Try starting with worshiping your heavenly father, your Abba. Worship has an incredible way of setting up our hearts and minds to receive truths God has for us. Take a minute and WORSHIP him! Take a moment and write down some praise towards heaven.

Which brings us to step 2. “Instead you thrill to God’s word, you chew on Scripture day and night. You’re a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month, never dropping a leaf, always in blossom.” (Psalms 1:2-3, the MSG). I love the visual picture of “chewing”. It matters what we eat, what we ingest. It is important to “chew” on good things! Focusing on ingesting God’s word is one of the most essential things we can do. You know the saying, “Good things in…” Think about it this way, for every minute we spend in the scriptures, that is one more minute we have invested in eternity. Good news, you’ve already spent almost an hour investing in eternity today! Think about ways you can chew/meditate on what you’ve read later today.

God uses his word to teach us, correct us, and sometimes rebuke our behavior or attitude. The great news is, if you “Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.” (Proverbs 1:23, NKJ). This is my personal favorite. If you humble yourself and bow before your Father, study the scriptures with an open heart and learn from your Master, Jesus, then the Holy Spirit will make his will known to you. Now, if you are a follower of Christ, the Holy Spirit (I like to call him “Friend”, re: John 14:16-17 MSG version) resides in you and works in and through you. BUT, if you want to experience God in a tangible, real way, and want to be able to recognize his voice, you have to be willing to make him priority. Not just a part of our lives, but THE priority. He speaks to us, gives us words when we need them, stops us from dangerous situations, and sends us encouragement through friends and family. He will make His words known to us, and make no mistake, he has words for you! And it is my prayer that over the next month, together we will learn to recognize his voice through the Holy Spirit, because it WILL change our lives! I know, it has already begun to change mine.

My personal prayer for us today:

Abba, give us an attitude of praise today. Let us see you and worship you in everything we encounter. Help us "chew" and meditate on the scriptures we read today. Make them fill every crevice in our minds and hearts. Help us recognize the Holy Spirit and respond to his prodding. Reveal yourself to us today and show up tangibly. You are always there, just open our eyes to recognize you. We love and honor you.
Amen

31 days: A Psalm and Proverbs Study

In April of this year, I decided that I wanted to intimately study Proverbs and the Psalms. I took it one step further and decided to write a study where the participant will read both books in one month. I always tell people, that if you want to get good or familiar with something, the best thing to do is teach someone else. The accountability is unmatched! :)

So for the past 5 months, I have read and re-read the Psalms and Proverbs in multiple (4) versions. I've taken a TON of notes, and formulated them together to form this Study. It's not so much a study as it is a facilitator for the daily discipline of reading the bible.

Each day, starting September 1, I will post a blog for that day's study. The last post will be on October 1, 31 days later. The format is simple. Read the scripture, then read my blog about what I pulled from the reading that day or what I felt God wanted me to share. Then at the end I simply pose a question for you to ponder or meditate on.  Feel free to share this blog with anyone you think will be interested in reading it. 

One of my greatest passions, (as you will see in the study) is the importance of spending time with God everyday. Even if you don't read the scriptures, prayer and meditation with our father, Abba, is essential. It has revolutionized my life and I will never be the same. It's been a year and a half since I have learned this incredible lesson, and I don't think I could ever go back. It was like God woke me up from sleeping and once I saw what it was like to be awake, I never want to go back to sleep!

If you decide to do this study, I do not want you to treat it like homework. There is no accountability or deadlines. This is not an obligation to me, God, or anyone. I want you to look at it as an opportunity to learn more about yourself, your Father, and your relationship with him. Look at it as an offering of love and of your time to your creator.  

I promise, if you go into this with an open heart, these 31 days just might change your life. I know that preparing for it and writing it changed mine.