Hello my praying friends, I am doing super great. Yes, as you know already, I’ve been delivered from this and it feel great to be able to read God’s word, listen to a sermon, pray, and walk outside without having my mind preoccupied with the SIN. Unfortunately, many Christians are not alert and vigilant in protecting their heart and mind from oppression that have been cause by small-tiny sinful habits and then hidden with a lie. the oppressor love it when Christians stumbled into a pattern of numbness and are stuck in the muck.
It’s unbelievable how much I prayed fervently and unceasingly now. The battle isn’t over my dear friend and for my part, I WILL be alert and vigilant for my soul is precious to God. I am the servant in battle, sword in hand, I shall pray for the Holy Spirit protection, for Jesus Christ to sustain and strengthen me , and for the Father’s steadfast love to pour over me in times of doubts. Never doubts God isn’t big enough to go ahead of your trouble and fight for you. When you’re feeling alone, he is watching you and strengthening you for what is ahead. Freedom! Deliverance! Abundance of Love! Healing of your spirit!
Another matter at heart is, I’ve consider leaving this platform last year and now it does bring me again to questioning if it’s worth it for me to post here. Are my prayers uplifting, encouraging, and guiding a person to pray and read Scripture? Maybe it is time for me to move on to something different, like connecting deeper relationship with those closer to me.
This blog was a conviction of the heart to help Christians to pray a prayer and read God’s word; for it is our spiritual food. We cannot fight without God. We cannot repent of our sins if the Spirit doesn’t convinced us through Scripture. We must be alert and vigilant for the enemies is oppressing our mind with lies and temptation and sickness. There is a war going on! Awake Christians! Arm yourself with the armour of God.
If there is ONE person that needs me to continue posting on this blog, please let me know, otherwise there is not need for me to spend hours alone here while, I can pray and read God’s word.
My dear readers, we need to be honest with each other. Do you need me sharing my prayers and thoughts. Let me know in a comment. Thank you.
Hello Everyone, I haven’t forgot about praying with you. August and September are busy months for harvesting and canning. Also training Buddy, our six month old dog. Summer has been fantastically warm and dry, causing a drought in New Brunswick. Our well is good enough that I was able to water the garden. Praise the Lord for that.
We had visitors for three weeks at our house and the young people visited PEI, Nova Scotia, and part of New Brunswick, including alot of great beaches. We had wonderful fellowship and shared many life experiences that help us understood why people are who they are and do what they do.
I’ve to admit, that I’m still struggling with the SIN. I started saying ‘the SIN’ on a low-slow emphasis tone, instead of saying out loud, the you-know-what sin when I discussed it with those I love to keep me accountable. It’s a bit laughable and to the point. Sadly, I’ve not doing great in defeated the SIN. It’s a unceasing battle that left me shameful and exhausted.
Don’t we all face this type of battle? Don’t you dare think is an imaginable flux in the matrix or a coincidence. It’s a real spiritual battle that wont’ let you let breath, sleep, think, and even delight in God’s word. The SIN you’re fighting is merciless. It’s powerful. Unceasing. Irrelevant to your Christian life and spiritual growth. It has even lead you astray from God’s word to impurity of thought. I am there too!
The battle is mentally exhausting. Spiritually straining. At this point in my life, my prayer time with God is none existent. It simple as that. I haven’t pray faithfully for the last three-four year. It’s shameful and embarrassing. My prayer life is a mockery. It doesn’t exist. Does it bothered me? YES!!
How can I have a prayer blog to encourage others to learn how to pray to our Awesome God when I am barely able to do it myself? That is a question that has bothered me a lot. The oppression of evil is real, but I must not blame all things on Satan. Whatever difficulties I’m facing presently, I cannot quit the race, but must fight against that SIN. Yes, I’ve repented and confessed the SIN to God many times and endured its hold on my mind and body all day long. God sees my troubles and knows my heart, for He has died for that SIN. My SIN is forgiven, but I’m ashamed and He knows that too.
The battle against that SIN cannot be won on it own, but can be defeated if we believe with all our heart, mind, and soul that God will give us victory. His promise and word always gives me strength, comfort, and power to defeat my sinful habits. Including this one. How do I know this? By experienced, I could never defeat a sinful habit with my own will-power, but by using a verse from Scripture then recited aloud every times the SIN came to harassed me.
How I defeated once for all my anxieties over insecurity? I found a verse in the Bible that could work for for my cause then worked on memorizing, reciting, and posting that verse on my fridge. Because I went to that place a hundred time a day (smile). The verse I chosen was Matthew 6: 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
At first, it was hard, like cutting the sweats from your diet. It’s brutal and unceasingly mentally difficult. The SIN which was being anxious over something; meaning not trusting God, and as soon as it manifested, I recited Matthew 6:34. Yes, every single times, either aloud or in my mind. Again and again and again. It lasted an entire year. Beside battling over anxieties, there was other family issues that I dealt with. Problems never go by itself. Always a combination of threes.
My focus was to stay on defeating the ANXIOUS SINFUL HABIT, that has kept my heart since a child and decided to trust God amidst all this family difficulties. So, while I remembered this battle and how I proceeded to fight it back, gave me hope for this present SIN (sexual lust). You think at my old age it doesn’t happens. It does! God is using this SIN to draw me closer to Him and I’m refusing to battle it. That is why, it had become a sinful matter. Yes, I’ve repented and exposed this SIN, but I’m weak in the flesh like everyone else.
So here it goes. I’ve searched for a verse and find one that suit my needs, but I haven’t posted or recite aloud so far. I’m terrified to engage in the battle once more. I’m doubtful, tired, and do not really want to let go of that SIN. But I MOST if I want to pray for my lost son. For my two others children. For the future of our sons and daughters. For my church and friends, For you. Yes you!
So here, I am before you admitting my SIN and how am I going to fight it back. Oh it’s going to be real hard and painful in mind and body to let it god. But I must do this; otherwise my heart is bleeding with regrets and shame. My chosen verse is Galatians 5: 16 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
It a simple verse that will help me fight back the SIN. Oh boy, now I’m accountable to all of you. The battle has began and I must fight it. I’m scare. I’m alone in caring my cross. Pray for me please.
Oh God, help me. See my trouble heart. See I have share my Sin with those people I do not know. Help me to be strong and endure the race. Let that sinful lust be gone for once. I want to pray again. ‘With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O LORD! I will keep your statutes.’ (Psalm 119:145). Let my heart be free from this SIN that I’ve hidden in my heart since I was a young adult. Let it be gone from me that I may not sin against You. “I call to you; save me, that I may observe your testimonies.” (Psalm 119: 146).
Oh Lord, teach me how to resist and not doubt that SIN can overcome my mind, body, and soul. Free me from this bad lustful habit that has been dwelling to long in my heart. “Hear my voice according to your steadfast love; O LORD, according to your justice give me life.” (Psalm 119: 149). Let me never doubt that IF I resist this SIN with your Word, it can be defeated. Let me cry before You, and let my plea come before You and deliver me according to your Word. (Psalm 119:169).
In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.
Come and fight with me with Prayer and God’s word!
How is your prayer life? Personally, I’ve been struggling to keep my thoughts pure with much failures. Also my lack of discipline in my prayer life is affecting me greatly. It’s a spiritual and mental battle that started in 2022. How do I know this; simply because I’ve searched my heart to find the root of the started point which I led me to a bigger problem in my Christian walk with Christ.
This little bitsy weak sinful things that was planted, either unconsciously or consciously in my late teens, has grown into a monstrous problem. It may not affected others around me, but it’s shameful and burdensome. I’m fighting this giant Golatiah continually and it has exhausted me to a point, that I’ve no desired to fight back.
Therefore, my sin lingers in my mind for hours. Probes me during devotion time and bible studies. Distracts me during church services. While I watched T.V. While I speak with my spouse. While I speak with my adult-kids. It’s a continual mind-battle that left me wounded at the heart and questioned myself how did I get there in the first place.
My sin is bashful. Continuous. Draining. Unrestful. Keeps me up at night. The end of it cause me great shame at the core of my soul and heart.
Oh how much I love God! How much I love Jesus Christ, my Savior. So how can that be! What has changed in my life to end up here? What did I do wrong? How can I be a believer wondered off like this?
ENOUGH!
I cry to you, O LORD, of my salvation. Here my cry. Here us crying like children enslaved in Egypt. We need You to rescue us from the tyrant type Pharaoh. We need another Moses. Another Joshua. Another Elijah. Another Elisha. Another John the Baptist. We need you, Jesus! Come back to us. Save us from the burden of this fallen world. I want out of the land of slavery.
Forgive your servant for inclining her heart to worthless things. Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared(Psalm 119:38). Give me life through your word and let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD (Psalm 119: 41), then I shall have an answer for him who taunts me (Psalm 119: 42). This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life (Psalm 119: 50).
Renew my heart and mind and wear the Armor of God that I may be equipped better and stand the oppressing force of evil that are against my soul. Let me be a light to this domain of darkness. Strengthened my faith that I may not fear what I do not understand or see. Be my Captain as you were for Joshua. The comforter of my soul.
Praise be your name. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Let ‘s go Pray
I’m presently reading this book. A typology of exodus throughout the bible.
Short chapters. Easy read. Most of the typology, I knew but others I never thought connecting it the points together. It’s amazing how the story of redemption is repeated over and over. Yep, there is a saying about history repeat its. Well, it definitely clear from that book.
If you want to know about Echoes of Exodus, listen to Bible Nerd Ministries YouTube. Faith goes in details explaining a few of the typology book.
"Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and you be founds a liar." ~Proverb 30: 5-6
Hello my praying friends. Well, summer has definitely arrived. We decided earlier this year to not cramp our vegetable garden with to much plants so next Fall the harvest would be not so burdensome. We still have plenty of canning from the last two years. So we’re good.
Having a puppy that pees and pooed inside the house the first week was disgusting, but when he learned to go outside for his duties, it was wonderful. He has adjusted to the routine of the house and we’ve trained him with games outside helped Buddy to cope with is mistakes. It’s all good.
We thanks God for this insight for not wanting growing a large quantity of seedlings last spring. Unfortunately, the weather this spring has been colder and crappier then previous years. The seedlings haven’t grown much since. Added to that all the eggplants, cucumbers, and cantaloupes seedlings were eaten. And a mysterious thing happened with most of our raised-beds too. They are covered in grass seeds! No way I’m going to pulled at those out. The only difference we did last Fall was to add seaweeds to our raised- beds. Wow, things are growing great. Including grass!
Interesting how I went into a rabbits trail with this post. Instead of writing on Psalm 99, I’m sharing a few things. It’s all good:0 Maybe I’ve share this already that I’ve completed my study in Psalm 119 & Hebrews. Overwhelmed with the month of May with yardwork, gardening, puppy training and other things of life, I decided to slower the pace and to enjoy nature, train the puppy, love my husband, and spend a bit more time editing my first novel. So afterward, instead of diving into two new devotionals that I purchased last month for this coming summer, I decided to take a break from study and journaling altogether.
What did you said, “A break from God?” That sounds bad. A break from studying God’s word? Nope, that too sounds bad. Hum…I need to rest so I can mediate and appreciate what I’ve learn from God. Well, that’s truth and it’s still a break? Does it matter how I thought it through, because an awful feeling creeped into my mind, and I couldn’t sake it off. Wait for it.
Early morning while sipping on my coffee, sitting on my chair on our large deck that viewed into our wood, garden, and flower-bed, and enjoying God’s creation, I felt GUILTY for not doing anything. Seriously, in a snap the joy vanished, and the ugliness inclination to question my real reason why I desired a reasonable break from studying the Bible. Then GUIILT stick out his vile tongue at me, and I felt miserable and unworthy of God.
For not reading my bible (I read the entire bible in 90 days this year)
For not starting another Bible study right away I just completed two and I’ve done so many in the previous years).
For not memorizing His Word (I’m typing Psalm 119 in BibleMemory.com every single day).
For feeling Guilty for not doing anything with God (we’re having devotion every morning)
For putting God off while enjoying His Creation.
For neglecting whatever responsibility in service to God.
What’s wrong with me! Where is this GUILT coming from? Is not that I’m going on a trip, packed my suitcase, and leave God behind for a few weeks. Seriously, you cannot run away from the Almighty God! He is with us everywhere we go. On the contrary, my intention was to go through two wonderful devotional this summer. “With my whole Hear: study devotions and prayers on Psalm 119 and by Faith: in inductive Study on Hebrews 11, both books are by Sophron Studies. And believed it or not, my daughter just send me a gift for my birthday. A wonderful book: The Search for Significance by Robest S. McGee., which I ‘m presently reading. So why this feeling of guilt?
“God knows everything (1 John 3:20). He knows not only the minutest details of our lives but those of everything around us, for He mentions even knowing when a sparrow falls or when we lose a single hair (Matthew 10:29-30). Not only does God know everything that will occur until the end of history itself (Isaiah 46:9-10), but He also knows our very thoughts, even before we speak forth (Psalm 139:4). He knows our hearts from afar; He even saw us in the womb (Psalm 139:1-3, 15-16). Solomon expresses this truth perfectly when he says, “For you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind” (1 Kings 8:39).”~ Got a Question
Was I questioning my self-worth or fearing that I’m wasn’t doing enough for God? Was just enjoying nature and other things in my life was a sin? The timing for received this book was perfect! The book in a nutshell explains a few things about how we valued our self-worth through others affirmation instead of seeing our truth worth through God’s eyes. Always something to learn. By heavens, I didn’t know I was a perfectionist and how it has affected my life and my family. Also how much I held back because of the fear of failure. I highly recommend your read this book.
So when this awful GUILT hit into the face, I just said, “Get behind me, Satan! I LOVE Jesus Christ, and I’m NOT wandering away from His teachings. His ways or His word. I’m simply reflecting on what I’ve learned, and I need to rest and understand what I have LEARN and put it all into PRACTICE.
So if GUILT smashed into your mind, tell yourself. Get out! And assured of yourself of God’s promises.
God redeemed me and I am a new creation.
I am deeply loved and fully pleasing to Him.
I am totally accepted by God
I am completed in Christ.
He is my King and I’m his servant forever.
No one can separate me from my heavenly Father who loves me.
Seriously, I wasn’t going to write about this topic, but sometimes we need to share what bothered us and how it affected our life. You are not alone. As Christians we struggled with sin and we should draw near God for comfort, repentance, and healing.
As the title indicates a Christians, a genuine truth believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, would want to strive to become more like Christlike. We cannot achieved it on our own, but by reading, study, fasting, meditating, memorizing, and praying from God’s Word, can we gained a better understanding. Also we learned wisdom, discernment, and knowledge that is beneficial to our spiritual growth through the study of God’s word. “The Bible prescribes both personal and interpersonal Spiritual Disciplines~ Donald Whitney
“For example, Christians should read and study the Word of God on their own (personal spiritual disciplines), but they should also hear the Bible read and study it with the church (interpersonal spiritual disciplines). Christian should worship God privately, but they should also worship Him publicly wit His people. Some Spiritual Discipline are by nature practiced alone, such as journaling, solitude, and fasting (though individuals sometimes fast in conjunction with a congregational fast). Other Disciplines are by nature congregational, such as fellowship, hearing God’s Word preached, and participation in the Lord’s Supper-all of which require the presence of people”~ Donald Whitney
In 2014 our family drove ten hours from Prince George, BC. to Abbotsford, BC to hear a guest speaker, Donald. S Whitney on Spiritual Disciplines. It was worth the long drive. Whitney’s speech on Spiritual Disciplines convinced me to improve in an area of my weakness which were: memorization of scripture and simplifying my prayer. Those weakness are still there today, but I came to embrace my weakness to make me stronger in Christ.
Sheesh, that was 10 years ago! I’ve been a Christian since 1995 and never once thought my Christlikeness was perfect and completed. On the contrary, God has humbled me, sanctified me through trials and through my family and friends. I kept telling my three children, ‘we are in a battle! Arm for it!’.
God’s Word is my counselor, comfort, my hope, and I shall cling to His promises with a whole heart and love His commandments to the end. His law is good and He is good to me.
These are points I read in the first chapter:
Spiritual Disciplines are activities, not attitudes
Spiritual Disciplines that are biblical, that is, to practices taught or modeled in the Bible.
Spiritual Disciplines found in Scripture are sufficient for knowing and experiencing God, and for growing in Christlikeness.
Spiritual Disciplines are practices derived from the gospel, not divorced from the gospel.
Spiritual Disciplines ae means, not ends. The end-that is, the purpose of practicing the Disciplines-is godliness.
Spiritual Disciplines
“So the Spiritual Disciplines are those personal and interpersonal activities given by God in the Bible as the sufficient means believers in Jesus Christ are to use in the Spiritual-filled, gospel-driven pursuit of godliness, that is to Christ and conformity to Christ.” ~ Donald Whitney.
I highly recommend Spiritual Disciplines by Donald Whitney, who desire to know HOW to pray or HOW to be disciplined in his life. Whatever you’re a new believer or someone that has been a Christian all your life, if you desires to improve your Christlikeness, this book can help you build those fundamental Biblical basic. We must equipped ourselves for all seasons.
God will uses our friend or circumstances to sharpen us. We cannot become better at sometimes if we don’t spend a greater time in practicing it. I’ve not become a quilter by watching Youtuber on quilting tutorials, but by sewing for many years. And writing my first history novel in my second language, didn’t wrote itself on paper by simply reading tons of historical novel. This could only happened by spending hours of typing, creating characters, research and read about historical novels. Quilting and writing can only have improved by many hours, if not years of PRACTICE.
It is the same with our spiritual growth. Our growth won’t happened or improved by watching other believers or by listening to great sermons. Yes, they’re helpful to our understanding, but we must practice Christianity in all its biblical way, like Jesus taught us.
“I’m sure you’ve seen people who will devote time to learning to paly an instrument, knowing that it takes countless hours to acquire the skills; who will practice hard to improve their sports performance, knowing it takes work to become proficient; who will commit to a long curriculum of intense study to complete a degree; knowing it take sacrifice to succeed. Then many of these same people will give up quickly if they find that Spiritual Discipline don’t come easily, as though becoming like Jesus would not take much effort.” ~ Donald Whitney
Oh boy, I’ve done that!
Oh Lord, forgive your servant for wanting to be Christlike, but not motivated in practicing a spiritual disciplines. Teach me how to practice spiritual discipline and spend more hours into your Word and study it with my whole heart. Let Your Word strengthen my confidence that I can do all thing through You. Let your servant’s effort become ‘sustained and concentrated’. Let my maturity in Christ not become boastful, but encouraging to other believers who desire to become Christlike.
“But we must remember that the mature freedoms of discipline-nurtured godliness do not develop in a single reading through the Bible or in a few forays through some of the other Disciplines. Scripture reminds us that self-control, such as at that expressed through the Spiritual Disciplines, must persevere before it ripens into the mature fruit of godliness. Observe closely the sequence of development in 2 Peter 1:6-“to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness” (niv). The bridge between Spiritual empowered self-control and godliness is perseverance. Occasional self-control results in occasional godliness. But self-control with perseverance results in more consistent Christlikeness. True godliness requires not merely a ten-thousand-hour pursuit, but a life-time of perseverance. ” ~ Donald Whitney
Wow, that is why I’m reading this book for the third time. But this time around my husband and I, are reading together as our morning devotion.
What about you? Do you need Spiritual Disciplines in your life? Then get to it!
I purchased a binder at the Dollar Store and put all my printed information in it.
Hello, my praying friends,
I’m so pleased to share my progress on my Bible study on Psalm 119. Six of the twenty-two sections are completed, and I am presently studying the Zayin section (Psalm 119:49-56). Every morning, I spend about 30 minutes to one hour with God at my kitchen table, praying and memorizing one verse, then writing a few cross-reference and commentary notes in my journal.
My pace isn’t stressful or too slow; it’s perfect. Every two weeks, I begin a new section by writing the summary, keywords, verses, and central teachings on that section. Then, I study that section and give myself plenty of time to memorize the eight verses.
Each day, I study one verse with a few cross-references aligned with that verse and then read commentary on that specific verse. It has been a blessing to me in many ways that have combined study, prayer, memorizing, and journalling my notes from ONE book; this one is on Psalm 119:) I love that idea, too, and I may adopt it for my subsequent bible study.
My notebook (or journal) is divided by the Hebrew alphabet.
The journal or notebook is decorated with stickers and fine markers. Even if my penmanship is clumsy and my creativity is limited to simplicity, it doesn’t stop me from having fun with stickers and fine markers to make my journal not so dull.
I wrote a title for each new section and crafted a page—nothing fancy-pansy, as it’s not my savvy.
Ultimately, it’s not how beautiful your penmanship is or your craftiness but a zeal to study His word and understand it so that we may delight in what we’ve learned from Him. So this coming year, set yourself a better goal to achieve that. Study His Word!
You can find a bundle of vintage or theme paper stickers for an affordable price on Amazon.
Here is another page
In 2025, I will resume praying and studying Psalm 119. Meanwhile, I will continue sharing my old prayer in the Psalms. I don’t believe in new resolutions, for they don’t stick, but I think that our continual meditation, studying, reading, and sharing our love for Jesus Christ with others is more important. We must strive to live for Him, and what better way than to dedicate a few moments with Him in His Word.
Thank you so much for following my blog last year, and I hope you stay for another year. I pray and hope you will devote yourself to His steadfast love with renewed obedience toward God. Build confidence in Him that he hears your prayer. Delight in the truth of His Word, and honour Him who sees and hears all things.
This is a Bible I purchased in 2020 so I could write notes in the margin, color-code certain words, and circle verses that had meaning to me.
Hello, my praying friends,
Now that I’ve prayed over ALL the Psalms and completed an inductive Bible study on the book of Genesis (over nine months), you may ask, “What next?” Choosing any book to pray over or study does not occur overnight but through a desire to know Him and to understand His Word.
Last year, I prepped a old binder to store my printed pages. When a bible study is done, I stored them in a 3 ring duo tang.
Whether when I selected a historical or letter to study and pray over for the following months is never determined ahead of time. Many times, I coincidentally bumped into a blogger who offered a free in-depth study and followed along, or while I read a passage of Scripture, questions would flood my mind, piquing my interest.
A $4 Dollar store’s notebook converted into a Bible journal.
Then, I would linger in thoughts for many days and pray that the Spirit would stir my heart, desiring to please Him. It always amazed me how the Spirit plants a seed of interest in one particular book or letter while I read it. His word always has beneficial results in areas where I needed growth, encouragement, and accountability. I’ve learned not to question His will for me and trust the Spirit to teach me to develop a profound relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ and how to live a godly life that would benefit others, and this is how I choose my next book.
I wrote simple steps for my inductive bible that works for me, and I printed it on a cardboard paper for further reference.
While I prayed over Psalm 119, which was too long to do in one day, I prayed over one section at a time. After I read and prayed over the first ten sections, I felt a heartfelt desire to linger over Psalm 119. Knowing there are tons of free resources on Psalm 119 available on the internet, I prepared to spend time studying it, praying over each section, and memorizing the entire Psalm 119 (well, we’ll see how far I’ll go with that:)
I plan to spend two weeks on each section. Each section has 22 Hebrew alphabets and eight verses, for a total of 176 verses. I’ll be using two free inductive Bible study resources from the Internet. I purchased a cheap Dollar Store notebook and creatively decorated it. I used a coloring pencil for color-coding, fine markers for writing and for my weak creative artistic touch. Oh, stickers too!
How do you plan to draw nearer to God?
If you’re too busy with children or life, keep it simple. Read, pray, and meditate over ONE verse a day. You should seek His way and spend an entire day in the world. We cannot fight the fight that way. “Blessed are those whose way is blameless (v1); who seek Him with their whole heart” (v.2b)
Hello, my friends. I have been part of a group of women participating in an online inductive Bible study on the Pentateuch that started in January 2024, and we’ve completed Genesis chapters 1-36. Now we’re stopping for the summer and embarking on 12 weeks of journaling our prayers and praises as we go through all the Psalms.
We will read 12 Psalms every week, about 2 Psalms a day. As we read the Psalms, we’re to find God’s direct or indirect attributes, then pray and praise Him for what He has done for us. A wonderful break from the inductive study that requires a deeper understanding of the Scriptures. This is just what I needed!
Here is an example of my first entry of Psalm 1 & 2.
Come and join me for this wonderful time of praying, journaling, and meditating over the Psalms this summer. You can purchase the affordable PDF file by Crazy Simple Truth by Nicki Drake and download a copy of the Berean Bible Book, her beautiful stickers she incorporated, and alot of other goodies. Also, you’ve access to the tutorials that teaches how to keep it simple. Every week the group gets together to share their finding and it’s recording. Anyone can participate or you can wait for the prerecording that is posted a bit later. This class just started June 1, 2024.
For this, l will use my ESV Bible and a notebook I’ve purchased from Costco a while ago; those bundles of four notebooks are nice and affordable. I hope you begin your summer like me: in God’s Word!
If you don’t join me for this 12-week course, read through the Psalms this summer and continue praying over God’s Word.
O Lord, Savior of my soul, Provider of all wisdom, let my gratitude for what you’ve taught me so far not go to waste. Great Rabbi, in Your steadfast Love, guide my mind and heart to be set on things that are heavenly and not on things that are on the earth. (Colossians 3:1-4).
O Lord, admonish all sinful habits I’ve cultivated either by disobedience or unconsciously. Forgive Your servant if I’ve erred unfaithfully with idolatrous thoughts or acted in a way that wasn’t humble and good. Restrain my flesh, mind, and pride in life from desires not beneficial to my spiritual growth. O Jesus, you’ve set me free. Help me believe this truth without doubts (Col. 3:5-11).
Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:17
Seek Him
What steps are you taking in 2024 to dig deeper into studying God’s word? Will you learn with a group, online, or follow an author’s guidebook? What will you be using to get there: Bible, commentary, sermons, works of literature, and media resources? How do you plan to increase your prayer time with God? And what about journaling? Is it something you’re considering at all? Where do you see yourself next year or in five or ten? Your motivation or goals should align with God’s will and truth. It’s ALL about Him and our relationship with Him.
"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thrist for you as in a dry and weary land where ther eis not water. So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary (Word) beholding Your power and glory. Because Your steadfast love is betten than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless you as long as I live; in Your name I will lift up my hands"~ Psalm 63:1-4
Read, Reflect, Respond
Pondering what I learned in 2023 from God’s word through inductive study, praying, and journalling left me thirsty for more. As it said in Psalm 63, “My soul thirst for You.” It’s no longer enough to read the Bible in one year; I want to deeply understand His truth, promises, attributes, wisdom, knowledge, and historical background that will make all sense.
If I stand for the truth by faith, I must anchor myself in God’s word. We believers should study His word to understand its context, background, and doctrine. In doing so, we will not be deceived by false teachings and cultural indoctrination rampant in many churches. North America has embraced paganism( Col.2:4,8), satanism( Col. 2:18b), asceticism (col. 2:20-22), and self-religion (it is all about my feelings and emotions, not His will). Believers ought to pray, pray, and pray without ceasing. We are in a battle, people! Spiritual sleepiness is a dangerous place to be.
Word or Verses?
In the past, I wrote on a piece of paper Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” I posted one on my fridge upstairs and one downstairs on my fridge, highlighting the verse in my Bible, and Bible posted a few more places around the house. Every time I would emotionally -feel- anxious, I would recite it aloud without doubting. That was hard to put into practice, but in the end, it was worth it. Anxiety doesn’t hold into me as it did before. Praise the Lord.
Life will throw at you trials and situations you CANNOT control. How we respond will reflect the likeness of our Savior, and those godly changes will benefit us and others. Holding firm to that verse helped me ‘put off’ the old self and ‘put on’ the new self. Only through the power of prayer and willingness to change was it achievable. It was such a victorious moment in my life. In previous situations that stressed me beyond belief, it suddenly became manageable and clearer that trusting in God was more important than trying to fix or control a cause I had no control over. Did I get anxious again? Of course, it can if I let my ’emotion-feelings’ get the upper hand and let them fester by not trusting God.
Since then, I’ve chosen a verse or word that will significantly change my life. Fighting our inner weaknesses with the Word of God is satisfying and gratifying. In my humble victory, I always praised Him. Another thing I started recently is a Bible Prayer; using an older bible, I highlighted many verses regarding God’s attributes.
Embracing a word or a verse from God’s word is admitting to yourself and others your vulnerability and weaknesses that need to be changed. In 2019, I needed strength and courage to face uncertainty that year because I was mentally and spiritually exhausted by lies. I prayed and remembered what God said, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.”( Joshua 1:6). Those words of encouragement and hope set my mind free and peace settled over my entire body, mind, and Spirit. “O God, thank you for renewing my mind and remembering to trust in You.”
Last year, upon hearing a sermon on John 15, I was convicted to Abide in Him and a thirst for a deeper understanding of His word. “Abide in me, and I in You.” Like one of my favourite songs, I repeated that little phrase repeatedly and then backed myself, “How am I to abide in God? Am I not doing that already?”
After watching by coincidence on YouTube: How to Faith Life, Sisterita, and Crazy Simple Truth Ministry, within a few weeks, I started inductive study for the first time, praying over His attributes and memorizing one verse about “I am not of this world.” To make this official and productive, I set up an Ikea table (or a folded table) where I could leave all my supplies and commentaries nearby.
Now that I’ve shared this, you may ask, “What is your verse or word for this year?” Through prayer, reading the Bible, and Bible reading the book of Colossians, my heart was convinced I needed to bear the fruit of the Spirit.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23
My heart stalled and sank at the word Faithful. How can I seek and set my mind on the things above? How can I have a life hidden with Christ? How can I be more Faithful to Him? This will be my walk with Him this coming year, besides continuing to Abide in Him.
Confession
O God, Creator of all things above and on earth, let your kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and patience teach me to be more faithful to You. Let all idolatrous thoughts, fleshly desires, and impurity be put off and nailed to the cross. O Jesus, let your steadfast love rule over my heart. Teach and admonish sinful habits and renew a desire to pray and read Your Word even more.
What are your words or verses that will lead you to Him?
These are two great books we are ready in the morning as devotionals. Both books were given as a birthday gift to my husband in 1997, a year after he was saved by God’s grace in 1996, and I was saved in 1995. We have three wonderful young adult children who constantly need our prayers.
May this year bring you blessings as you draw nearer to God in Prayer and the truth of His word.
Wow, are we already at the end of another year! If you’re like me, making new resolutions or goals by January isn’t your thing, then don’t! I never project resolutions because they never lasted or were simply forgotten before the end of the month. Instead, my starting points are in two specific months in the year: September and December. I won’t go into all the details, but let’s say September is an excellent time to sum up all outdoor or indoor summer projects, and I was happy to jump into the fall-winter ones. So nope, I don’t get caught up in new resolutions, but I set goals where I want to be with my attitude toward life in general and how I will grow spiritually in a manner pleasing to Him.
“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Colossians 1:9-14
December is a month for reflection on what I have learned from Scripture. How did Christ’s wisdom help me to build up and be rooted in my relationship with Him and other believers? How has the word encouraged me? How does practicing the word affirm my faith? Has this blog reached at least one person who wanted to be more with Him in prayer and His Word?
As I flipped through the pages of my prayer journal, I was encouraged by all the wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of God’s word he so patiently taught me this year.
Praying Over Scripture: Romans
Praying over the Book of Romans taught me it was doable by simply reading and praying over a short section. If you’re wondering how to pray over one of Paul’s letters when there are many sound doctrines and teachings to be had. Then, study the letter first and then pray over it. That’s what I’ve done. I’m learning the book of 1 John and Colossians and may pray over it. God’s word will always be an excellent place to guide any believer. You cannot go wrong when seeking His promises, purpose, and rules for your life. It’s ALL good.
I was saved in 1995 and studied, read, and heard many sermons on the Book of Romans. But if you’re a new believer and unfamiliar with praying over a letter rich in sound doctrine and truth, keep praying over the Psalms. I used the acronym ACTS and underlined in green: God, Christ, Holy Spirit (any reference to God). His promises are highlighted in yellow and underlined in red.
The ESV Bible was purchased in 2020, and I’m using it primarily for bible studies, reading, and sermon note-taking.
Praying Over the Psalms
There is no going wrong if you pray over the Psalms. They are encouraging, comforting, and a pure joy to know that God is victorious and reigns in all situations. This past year, I read the psalm outline to understand the context of the Psalms.
Recently, I’ve used an older ESV bible to pray over His attributes. This idea originated from Sisterita Club by Jessica Jerris. I’ve kept my prayer book simple by adding only His attributes. (Eternal, Spirit, Just, omnipotence, love, immutability, self-existence, righteousness, transcendence, omniscience, immanence, mercy, holiness, goodness, grace, sovereignty). This is my time alone with God; my blog will not share those prayers.
Inductive Bible Studies
Besides wanting to be more in prayer with Him, I wanted to develop a good understanding and knowledge of how to study Scripture in an inductive way that was simple enough to comprehend the historical background and overall message of the book I wanted to learn. God heard my plea to Abide in Him (John 15:7). Amazingly, I found remarkable, reliable resources and even signed up for an online women’s group that teaches how to do it.
The workbooks are cheaper if you can purchase the download. I’ve done with many of them. But on occasion, I’ve purchased the paper workbooks through Amazon. To make it enjoyable, I added stickers or coloured with colouring markers. I’ve used affordable line notebooks, too.
The books I’ve studied in 2023 are Nehemiah, Ezra, Esther, Romans, 1,2,3 John (in progress), Colossians (in progress) and Not of this world (verse mapping). Memorization was a bit more pleasant as I kept it focused on a topic(not of this world).
I’ve kept all my present studies worksheets in an older binder decorated with crafty paper and stickers. You don’t have to be super talented in your craftiness (like me); don’t compare yourself to a super-talented crafty person. I desire to Abide in Him, not overkilling my time in drawing and crafting.
PrayingOverScripture 