by tascha
I am currently reading through Proverbs with the purpose of Journaling.
It is a book full of applicable sayings that are {mostly} simple to illustrate. Is that cheating? 🙂
I made this decision last Friday, thus, beginning on Proverbs 3.
Also, I do not do much studying on Sundays… perhaps that is slacking of me, but that’s the way it is for now.
On to some verses that stood out last Friday.
” [13] Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
[15] She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
[33] The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.”
Godly wisdom, as we learn throughout this entire book {and all of Scripture}, is something that comes only from God. There is no age limit and there are no experiences that can create true Godly wisdom.
So when we get the understanding and find the wisdom that only comes from ready, studying, meditating and truly learning and applying God’s Word, we will find happiness.
On Wednesday evenings at church, we are studying the book of Leviticus… and learning that HOLINESS is what brings HAPPINESS. This is basically what this means.
In our flesh, we all desire riches and all manner of wealth; but only when we seek God and study His Word and learn His Heart can we find actual peace and lasting happiness.
Surely, this world offers a fleeting fun, happy feeling, for a season [Hebrews 11:25]. But it is just that… for a season, fleeting, a feeling. It is not deep and abiding and everlasting.
Also, as a wife and mother, I desire a blessed habitation. As one who is home most of every day with my children, I desire a HAPPY habitation to. 🙂
And I have found, through days of striving to study and apply Scripture and then days of sorely lacking, that these principals HOLD TRUE
– every – single – time!
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I’m also on Instagram!
{starting back up just for sharing Bible Journaling!!!}
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by tascha
Last Friday I was struck by the thought that words can be violent. I mean, I know it… I’ve heard it, experienced it even [on both sides].
But still, often, people [myself included] do not really think through what is getting ready to come out of their mouth.
When I am allowing my Lord to speak through my mouth, my words will bring life… a LOT of life [as in, a WELL] to those to whom I am conversing.
Proverbs 10:11
I pray the Lord pours forth LIFE from my mouth today!
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I’m also on Instagram!
{starting back up just for sharing Bible Journaling!!!}
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by tascha
This verse from yesterday speaks a couple of different thoughts to my heart.
One is that righteousness and mercy co-exist.
Ok-that one is still on soak.
Proverbs 21:21
Another is that FOLLOWING righteousness leads us to FINDING righteousness. I think this lends to the idea that we will never attain “being righteous” -which reminds me of this passage:
10~As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11~There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12~They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Romans 3:10-12
And then… mercy, coupled with righteousness {which is still on soak} also leads to LIFE & HONOR. Who doesn’t want life? or to be honored?
And that leads me to some other passages:
4~But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5~Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6~Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7~That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according according to the hope of eternal life. 8~This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. Titus 3:4-8
Our works will never save us. God is the perfect example of this righteousness and mercy existing together, in harmony. His mercy is new each day… but He is also eternally righteous.
It is because of Jesus’ perfect righteousness & mercy
that I can even have a hope of entering heaven.
But, while our works will not get us to heaven, they WILL glorify God and be profitable.
I don’t know about you… but I want:
~to find more righteousness than I currently have
~to gain eternal life and have treasure [honor] to lay at Jesus’ feet {another thought I didn’t really explore here}
and ~I want my life to be profitable!
So I will continue to soak on “follow after righteousness and mercy”…
….what does this verse speak to you?
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by tascha |
I have thoroughly been enjoying my Bible Journaling through Proverbs. Even though I’ve not blogged about very many of the verses, I have shared most of them in Instagram .
Through Facebook and Instagram, and even a few in person, I have been asked if I have my drawings available to purchase for printing.
The first time, I thought-oh, how sweet and encouraging… If I have time, maybe I’ll try to upload 1 or 2 for downloading…
Then it happened again, and again. I received this as a comment or question from several people on various social media, including private message. But I was unsure of charging people for something that I was just… having so much joy in doing!
But after much prayer and consulting with my husband, I have decided to offer them in this way.
As an introductory price,
whatever I am able to get coded during the month of August 2015 will be available for $2.
In September [2015], the price will go to $5, and I will continue to add as I draw them and have time to go through the process of loading them for selling.
While I do still struggle a little with charging money for these things that I am doing for my own personal benefit, it does take time for me to even be able to offer them as a download.
They are formatted to print in a 5×7 inch format, for easy printing,
and I am adding a very small ©designing31.com to the side.
Working on the honor system:
I do ask that they are not altered without permission and that the files themselves are not shared…
but please feel free to share my page with anyone! 🙂
A minimum of fifteen percent [15%] of all monies that come from your purchases
will go towards Mission work in local & foreign fields.
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Let’s connect on FACEBOOK!
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I’m also on Instagram!
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by tascha
As I was contemplating my next study, James was one book I kept coming back to… or being recommended.
I saw it referenced many places; and when I turned to it in my Bible, I noticed a note I’d written… sometime in the past 15 years:
Maturing Spiritually
Yep, I think I need this- {over and over again!} 🙂
I have no idea how often I will post, but if you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, I will post any Journaling I do there first.
by tascha
I was searching online for any ideas on studying James and came across Bible Study that seemed to delve into it quite deeply.* And the group leader recommended referencing Psalm 15 as a “primer” to studying James.
This intrigued me, so I am beginning with an overview from my own personal thoughts… after reading the first chapter of James and then reading Psalm 15.
Keep in mind, my premise behind this study is learning about growing in Spiritual Maturity… as a believer.
v~1: LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle?
who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
In the Old Testament, the Tabernacle and God’s Holy Hill were very specific places that the Israelites held as His Dwelling and places for their worship.
Today, as a believer, my person is now the dwelling of God, in the form of His Spirit:
[What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:19]
Did you ever do something wrong and felt a twinge? Did it make you “uncomfortable in your own skin”-as the saying goes?
In contemplating these thoughts… I believe that in order to dwell peaceably with my own self {and His Spirit which dwells within}, I must take heed to the answer given in the following verses…
With prayer, I believe these thoughts will give us a launching point into studying about
Spiritual Maturity!
*I’ve not read through more than the introduction, so I am not comfortable linking straight to it. If I refer back to it during my study, I’ll give an update on it when I’m finished.
My next post will have a free download/printable.
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Let’s connect on FACEBOOK!
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by tascha |
And a free download at the end…
In my last post, I alluded to a relationship between Psalm 15 and the book of James…
Verse 1 of Psalm 15 asks a very interesting question: Lord, who shall abide in they tabernacle…?
We begin to see the answer with verse 2: He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
I like to break sentences apart and examine individual phrases (did I ever mention I was an English major in college?) as well as define words to their most basic meaning in order to understand.
So this verse tells me that if I am to dwell in God’s Holy Hill (His tabernacle, now ME)…
I must:
walk uprightly
to walk means to go the way of, a manner of life, traverse.
uprightly means whole & entire, sound or perfect, in accord {agreement} with truth and fact, with integrity, wholesome and innocent.
work righteousness
work means to make or commit or do.
righteousness is justness of law; what is right; proper weights & measures [balance]; ethically right.
speak truth in my heart
truth is the state of being true, something accurate based on reality {in this instance, I would suggest that Scripture is our only truth… feelings and emotions will lead us astray every time. We must line up with Scripture}
in my heart… my own heart. I must not try to deceive myself. I must be so in-tune with Scripture that I recognize a lie, whether I try to tell it to myself or another is trying to sway me.
Is my manner of life whole and full of integrity?
Do I walk in agreement with the Truth of Scripture?
Do my works commit justice of law? Are they ethical?
Are my deeds properly weighted or balanced?
Is my mind and heart so saturated with hearing and learning and mediating on truths from Scripture that I recognize a lie when the deceiver brings one to me?
These are all weighty questions I am asking myself… and I am trying not to deceive my own heart.
Because, as Jeremiah writes in chapter 17: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
…and when I do NOT do these things… my Spirit {God’s Spirit IN me} is troubled and there is no peace in God’s Tabernacle!
FREE DOWNLOAD BELOW
- Right Click the image and select Save Image As to download
This was my first attempt as using watercolor pencils.
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and I’m on Twitter!
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by tascha
The last post broke down verse 2… in answering the question from verse 1: LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
If you missed it, there were some weighty questions I asked myself at the end.
And the thoughts are continued in the next few verses….
3~He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
4~In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5~He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
I would like to just say up front, these are not easy or very comfortable points to talk about…
Becoming a mature Christian is not an easy path, but God does have a few promises that I would like to point out before I continue:
…lo, I [Jesus] am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Matthew 28:20
Paul often ended his letters with:
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. 1 Thessalonians 5:28
The Lord be with you all. 2 Thessalonians 3:16
The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. 2 Timothy 4:22
Grace be with you all. Amen. Titus 3:15
from Peter:
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 1 Peter 5:10
and a few promises from the OT that apply:
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. Psalm 31:24
My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word. Psalm 119:28
…the joy of the Lord is my strength. Nehemiah 8:10
Our God WILL be with us; He will strengthen us; and He will fill us with His grace… as we meditate on His Word and place our hope in HIM.
…and these are only a bare scratching of the surface of the promises of God’s help for us when we trust in Him and study and apply His Words.
So, my friend, let us be STRENGTHENED by our God
for this task of maturing spiritually 🙂
Psalm 139:9,10
We will delve into the actual verses in the next post…
I would love for you to share a favorite promise in the comments.
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Let’s connect on FACEBOOK!
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I’m also on Instagram!
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and I’m on Twitter!
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