Bible Study; Week # 8 Conclusion

 

This Week's Prayer:

 

Father, we just thank you so much that you are that kind of a God. We frankly cannot understand it, but boy, do we like it. Father, we like it that you are the kind of God that we can both love and like, that you are just like us in the sense that you identified yourself with us. You know what we go through. You have been there yourself but you have been victorious. You have never sinned. You know how to handle temptation. You know how to be victorious every time, and yet you also know the pull upon us and the weaknesses we have and our desire to rationalize and our foolishness and the stupidity of our hearts and you accept us anyway. You identify with us whether we are walking in obedience and having mountain top experiences and you identify with us when we are having our Bathsheba trips. You are some God. Thank you, Father, in Jesus' name. Amen.

 

Conclusion

 

I believe strongly that one thing the devil seeks to do is to sneak in and subtly distract our attention from the purity and simplicity of loving God. He doesn't mind if we exalt revival, healing, or anything else, as long as we lose our focus on the simplicity of heart-level lavish devotion to the Son of God."   By Mike Bickle

Glory to God!

 

Dear intercessors,

One of the battlegrounds of this present age is activity. The outward is most immediate for our attention. It demands our time and energy. We can feel trapped by the tyranny of the urgent. It's Satan's great strategy. If he can keep us constantly active, he has trapped us. We no longer are the captain of our soul, and we so easily sink into dullness in our Christian life. An impulsive desire of mankind is to avoid concentration on God. It's so easy to work for Him any day than to let Him work in us. 
 
David is a great biblical example of one whose primary ambition was to love God even in the midst of all the ups and downs of life. 

 

What was the secret to David's success? Throughout his obscure life alone out in the fields as a shepherd boy, He continued to praise, worship, and thank God. He cultivated his heart and allowed God to root out self. All of this seemed so contrary to human wisdom, but God used David mightily in His perfect timing. He had a shepherd's heart of trust and devotion. He was the giant killer, the composer of Psalms, Saul's personal musician, Jonathan's closest friend, a hunted fugitive and, finally, the King of Israel. 

 

Glory Hallelujah!
 
The Bible says that he was a man after God's own heart. For the Bible to say this about a man is quite astounding. David used all his energies in pursuing God. He spent time with God. His inward life was more important than his outward activity. It was his highest priority, and he learned to work effectively from the inward to the outward. Out of our heart flow our energy, insight, and influence for God. David let God penetrate his heart deeply. God was his one dominant passion. The cost was high to feel God's burden, to feel His anguish, to understand His heartache, and to stand in His truth day in and day out, but he was willing. 

 

Glory to God!

Are you tempted not to make prayer and devotion to Christ your first ambition in life? Does the devil tempt you with focusing on the externals of life rather than what is most important? Keeping Jesus as Lord of our life is the best way you and I can live. The following prayer will help you to keep Jesus in the center and cultivate a devoted heart.
 
Let's Pray!

 

A Prayer For a Heart After God

Dear Lord, help me to cultivate the simplicity of devotion to You. I want You to be my primary ambition in life. I desire to behold Your beauty, and dwell in Your house all the days of my life (Psalm 27:4). Let seeking Your heart be the goal of my life even in busy and stressful times. Help me to be one who seeks after Your beauty. Help me to discover Your emotions and the purposes of Your heart. I want to be a lover of God and thirst after You daily (Psalm 42:1-2a). "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings" (Psalm 17:8). 

Teach me how to align my heart with Yours. I recommit myself as a man/woman after Your heart. I choose to seek Your face (Psalm 27:8). In difficult times, open my heart to receive Your revelation. Hide me in the shelter of your tabernacle (Psalm 27:5). Reveal deeply to my heart Your love for me. Rescue me in the midst of difficult circumstances, and bring me into a spacious place (Psalm 18:19). Teach me to enjoy life the way you desire. I choose to be confident in Your love. I am Your Bride. "I love you, O LORD, my strength" (Psalm 18:1). 

"One thing I ask from the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock... I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD" (Psalm 27:4-5, 13-14). In  Jesus' name.   Amen. 


"Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. You are my God" (Psalm 86:2a).

 

Weekly Reading Assignment: Proverbs 29-31

 

I have finished reading the reading assignment for this study;

 

Hallelujah to God!

Ending Prayer

Lord God, grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the different as we pray to You in Jesus' name. Help us to desire to pray more in these last days. Bless us to always pray as Jesus instructed us in the Word.  Help the Word to fall on good ground, open the eyes of our hearts, Lord, so we can see You as we pray, and enjoy You as we come into Your presence with thanksgiving and praises. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. Help us to always praise You and give You glory, honor, and praise which You always deserve. We love You, Lord God Almighty. In Jesus' name,  AMEN.

Self-Examination Time:

What can you do today to stay The Course?

 

I will stay consistent in my walk when life tries me, I will stay constructive in my relationships when love fails me, and stay challenging to grow when complacency tempts me; and I will pray without ceasing as the Word instruct me to do.

 

Weekly Reading Assignment:      Proverbs 25-28

 

I have finished my reading assignment for this week; I am almost finished with the book of Proverbs.

Weekly Prayer of David: Psalm 55

 

Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.

² Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;

³ Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.

⁴ My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. ⁵ Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. ⁶ And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. ⁷ Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah. ⁸ I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest. ⁹ Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

¹⁰ Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. ¹¹ Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets. ¹² For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:

¹³ But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.

¹⁴ We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company. ¹⁵ Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

¹⁶ As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me.

¹⁷ Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. ¹⁸ He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.

¹⁹ God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.

²⁰ He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant. ²¹ The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. ²² Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

²³ But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.

Weekly Psalm of King David: Psalm 136

 

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

² O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.

³ O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.

⁴ To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.

⁵ To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.

⁶ To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.

⁷ To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:

⁸ The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:

⁹ The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

¹⁰ To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:

¹¹ And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:

¹² With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever. ¹³ To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever: ¹⁴ And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever: ¹⁵ But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever. ¹⁶ To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth forever.

¹⁷ To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:

¹⁸ And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:

¹⁹ Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:

²⁰ And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:

²¹ And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:

²² Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.

²³ Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:

²⁴ And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.

²⁵ Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.

²⁶ O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Answers to Questions

 

1).     Incense is often associated with what in the Bible?

A fragrant composition prepared by the "art of the apothecary." It consisted of four ingredients "beaten small" (Exodus 30:34-36). "That which was not thus prepared was called "strange incense" (30:9). It was offered along with every meat-offering; and besides was daily offered on the golden altar in the holy place, and on the great day of atonement was burnt by the high priest in the holy of holies ( Exodus 30:7 Exodus 30:8). It was the symbol of prayer (Psalms 141:1 Psalms 141:2 ; Revelation 5:8 ; Revelation 8:3 Revelation 8:4).

2).     What do this verse means to you? (Psalm 5:3)

"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." I believe it mean I will seek You, Lord, early in the morning

3).     How often should we approach God's presence?

As often as we can and desire; Daniel prayed three times a day, and he might as did some of it while he was working; praying to God is talking to Him daily, but coming into His presence is when we give up everything and just dwell in His presence.

4).     Describe the word "order" in the Bible.

It is a means by which God initiates and establishes His purposes in the earth.  Most notably we see it in His creation of day and night, seed time and harvest, and His institution through the Sinai covenant of the tabernacle, system of sacrifices and prescribed approach of the High Priest into the Holy of Holies.

5).     Given the thoughtful and logical way in which things can be ordered, what then does it mean to order one's prayer life? 

According to what I have studied, I also believe that we must order our

prayers to God in a way that keeps our focus on His, so we can come into   

His presence with thanksgiving and praises in our hearts.

6).     Name the five things David did when he prayed that illustrated his prayer life.

Praise and thanksgiving , Acknowledgement of Dependence, Confession of

God's Promises, Responsiveness to the Leading of the Holy Spirit , and

variety ,  which means petitions, complaints, laments, spiritual warfare,

prophetic  declarations, litanies of God's faithfulness and hymns of praise.

7).     What do praise and thanksgiving means to you?

To me praise and thanksgiving mean honoring, it means paying homage as to
respect, honor, reverence, worship, obeisance, admiration, esteem, adulation, acclaim. Worship God in the highest matter possible.

8).     Do you acknowledge your dependence upon God?

Yes, I do! I have learned down through the years I cannot do anything without the help of God, not even breath. God has revealed to me that He is the very essence of my being.

9).     Do you confess God's promises when you pray?

Yes, I do! I always pray the Word now, which is God's promises to His people.

10).   Do you respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit in your prayer life?

I try to, but I am sure I am not perfect in that area. That is my daily prayer. I call it my daily goal. I want to be led by the Holy Spirit daily!!

11).   Name some of the types and foci of prayers in the Psalms.

I believe the center of interest of prayer is honoring God and giving Him praise of Who He is.

12).   What does (Ephesians 6:18) says about prayer?

"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; I believe it means to set aside some time to seek God through the Holy Spirit, so the Holy Spirit can pray through you; prayer, supplication, watching and steadfastness in my time with God is needed. We must pray for all Christians.

QUIZ WEEK # 7

1.) What was David's occupation before he faced Goliath?
shepherd

2.) Why did the Israelite army fear Goliath so much?
He was a giant

3.) Who challenged Goliath?
David

4.) Why did David want to kill Goliath?
to free Israel and stand up for God

5.) Why was David so confident that he could kill Goliath?
he had God on his side

6.) How did David kill Goliath?
with a sling and stone