DILIGENCE CH 5: STUDY THE BIBLE DILIGENTLY

I will never forget the first time I opened my Bible at the age of twenty-five.  I had just returned to God.  I had a difficult road of dealing with the sexual abuse I endured as a child and also my anger at my brother for committing suicide at the age of 21 when I was just 12.  When I opened the Bible, my eyes fell on Job 23:10: “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”  I found great comfort in this Scripture.  In the years to come, I clung to this verse as I faced the pain of my past.  I dug deeply into Scriptures which caused me to grow.  After several years, I did indeed come forth as gold as I was stronger in my faith and Christian walk as God was there for me every step of the way.  I thanked God for His Word which provided comfort and strength when I needed it the most.

MEMORY VERSE

“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17, NIV).

HIDDEN GEMS

Bible study is vital in a believer’s life.  We will grow in our Christian walk when we dig deeply into God’s Word each day.  God speaks to us through His Word.  A verse will come to us when we need it the most.  This will give us the strength and comfort to face whatever comes our way.

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2, NIV).

Read Psalm 1:1-2. Who should we not walk in step with?

What should we not stand in the way of?

Who should we not sit in the company of?

What should be our delight?

What should we do day and night?

When we meditate on Scriptures, we will be blessed.  We can roll a verse over and over in our mind to get the full meaning of the verse.  We can delight in God’s Word when we study His Word.

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11, NIV).

Read Psalm 119:11. What did the psalmist hide in his heart?

Why did he do so?

The Word of God guides and directs our steps.  We all desire to not sin against God.  When we spend time in His Word daily, we will know the right way to take.

“I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways” (Psalm 119:15, NIV).

Read Psalm 119:15. What did the psalmist meditate on?

What did he consider?

A precept is “a commandment or direction meant as a rule of action or conduct” (Webster’s New World College Dictionary).  When we study the Bible, we do indeed meditate on His precepts.  This will guide us in the way we should go each day.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15, NIV).

Read 2 Timothy 2:15. How should we present ourselves to God?

When we do so, what will we not be?

What do we correctly handle?

God illuminates the Scriptures to us through the Holy Spirit.  We can correctly handle the Word of God through prayer and asking for wisdom for His truths found in Scriptures.

YOUR HEART’S DESIRE

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts” (Deuteronomy 6:6, NIV).  God gave commandments to Israel in order to guide us.  We are blessed with the New Testament in addition to the Old Testament to guide and direct our paths.

Name a time when you felt confused about the way to go in a certain situation.

How did you cry out to God?

What Scripture spoke to you during this time?

How did this give you guidance and direction?

How can you thank God this day for His magnificent Word.

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105, NIV).  The Bible gives us guidance as a lamp for our feet and a light on our paths.  We can praise God in thanksgiving for His Word.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word.  I pray that You illuminate my mind to understand your precepts.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

NUGGETS OF WISDOM

One of my great regrets is that I have not studied enough.  I wish I had studied more and preached less.  Billy Graham

No one understands Scripture unless it is brought home to them, that is, unless they experience it.  Martin Luther

It be a certain truth, that none can understand the prophets’ and apostles’ writings aright, without the same Spirit by which they were written.  George Fox

I know the Bible is inspired because it finds me at a greater depth of my being than any other book.  Samuel Tayler Coleridge

We cannot rely on the doctrine of Scripture until we are absolutely convinced that God is its author.  John Calvin

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DILIGENCE CH 4: SEEK GOD DILIGENTLY

I had just been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer which had spread to my liver.  I had a myriad of tests – one right after another.  I felt overwhelmed with the diagnosis.  It was made even worse with the rush that the oncologist had when he moved up my appointment so that I could start chemotherapy.  I felt as if I didn’t have time to think.  I called cancer phone numbers but found no relief.  I cried out to God for help.  God helped me to see that His desire was that I not undergo chemotherapy.  I was relieved because I had heard about “chemo brain.”  Chemotherapy would have interfered with the writing of the blog which I had received such blessings from.  I will never forget being in the parking lot of the oncologist with a friend.  We prayed together and I was filled with peace as I sought God diligently.

MEMORY VERSE

“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1, NIV).

WHAT’S IN A WORD?

Seek…

To seek is “to get or find out by asking or searching” (Webster’s New World College Dictionary).  It is “to go in search of:  look for” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary).  It is to “strive after, endeavor, to desire” (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words). 

HIDDEN GEMS

We are to seek God with all that we have.  When we seek God for answers to our problems, He will answer.  He will never let us down.  God will fill us with peace and wisdom when we seek Him.

“The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing” (Psalm 34:10, NIV).

Read Psalm 34:10. What animal did David use in this psalm?

What two things will they become?

What is promised to those who seek the Lord?

We will indeed lack no good thing when we seek the Lord.  He will be there for us in the good times and bad times.  We often seek God more in the bad times and forget Him in the good times.  I know I have succumbed to this.  However, God desires for us to seek Him at all times.

“Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.  Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always” (Psalm 105:3-4, NIV).

Read Psalm 105:3-4. What are we to do in His holy name?

What are those who seek the Lord be?

What are we to look to the Lord for?

How often are we to seek the Lord?

We are to glory in God’s holy name.  We can rejoice because we have a God who cares about every little concern that we have.  We can bring all things that trouble us to God because He cares for us.

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near” (Isaiah 55:6, NIV).

Read Isaiah 55:6. When are we to seek the Lord?

When are we to call on Him?

We can call on God because He is indeed near.  The Holy Spirit lives within us and guides and directs our steps.  When we seek God, He will never let us down.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6, NIV).

Read Hebrews 11:6. What must we have to please God?

What do those who come to Him do?

What does God do for those who seek Him?

God desires to reward those who seek Him.  God rewards us with peace and guidance and wisdom among other things.  We can be confident that God is there for us in good times and in bad times.

YOUR HEART’S DESIRE

“I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands” (Psalm 119:10, NIV).  God’s Word is one way to seek God.  God desires to illuminate His Word through the Holy Spirit.  When we spend time daily in His Word, Scriptures will come to us in times of trouble.

Name a time when you felt alone.

When did you seek God?

How did you seek God?

Did you dig deeply into God’s Word?

What Scripture spoke to you during this time?

How did God reward you as you sought Him?

“I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me” (Proverbs 8:17, NIV).  We can find God and His wisdom when we seek Him.  We will have peace in knowing that God has the answers to all our problems.  God will supply the need of wisdom through prayer and His Word.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, I seek You this day for Your wisdom.  I surrender to You.  Thank You that You impart wisdom to me as I seek You.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

NUGGETS OF WISDOM

If we seek God for our own good and profit, we are not seeking God.  Johannes Eckhart

Desire only God, and your heart will be satisfied.  Augustine of Hippo

We pursue God because, and only because, He has first put an urge within us that spurs us to the pursuit.  A.W. Tozer

Seeking with faith, hope and love pleases our Lord and finding him pleases the soul, filling it full of joy.  Julian of Norwich

DILIGENCE CH 3: DILIGENT PERSEVERANCE

It was a tumultuous time in my life.  I had just been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.  It felt as if my world had been turned upside down.  I vowed that I would stay close to God.  This was unlike the distance I created when I was 12 when my brother committed suicide.  During the bipolar disorder, I indeed had to run the race with perseverance.  Although I did not think any good could come from the bipolar disorder, I never gave up on God.  I stayed close to Him in prayer.  It took years before I saw the fruit produced from the bipolar disorder.  In response, I praised God for always being there as I ran the race with perseverance.  I’ll never forget the song gave me during this time: “Never give up.  Never give in.  There is always light on the other side.  God gives us hope.  God gives us dreams.  To do as we may to honor His ways.”

MEMORY VERSE

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1, NIV).

WHAT’S IN A WORD?

Perseverance…

Perseverance is “to continue in some effort, course of action…in spite of difficulty, opposition…to be steadfast in purpose; persist” (Webster’s New World College Dictionary).  It is “to persist in …an undertaking in spite of…opposition or discouragement” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary). 

HIDDEN GEMS

We live in tumultuous times.  It can be very stressful if we focus on the bad news which fill the Internet.  However, we have the Good News.  When we focus on God’s Word, we can develop perseverance in times of trouble.

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4, NIV).

Read Romans 5:3-4. What are we to do in our sufferings?

What does suffering produce?

What does perseverance produce?

What does character produce?

Perseverance, character and hope – what astounding benefits of suffering.  We may not feel good during suffering but we can stick close to God in the midst of the suffering.  We can ask God what we can learn in the midst of the suffering.  God will teach us lessons through the suffering if we draw close to Him.

“And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good” (2 Thessalonians 3:13, NIV).

Read 2 Thessalonians 3:13. Who is Paul addressing?

What are we to never tire in doing?

When we do good for others, we will reap a harvest.  It may not be immediate but we will reap what we so.  When we continue persevering in doing good, we will be rewarded.

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised” (Hebrews 10:36, NIV).

Read Hebrews 10:36. What are we to persevere in doing?

What will we receive?

God has a will and plan for each of His children.  I learned the lesson of perseverance and never giving up through submitting the writing God had led me to do.  I praised God for the blessings which came as a result of never giving up.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4, NIV).

Read James 1:2-4.  What are we to consider pure joy?

What do trials test?

What does this produce?

Why are we to let perseverance finish its work?

What will we not be lacking?

I did not consider the bipolar disorder pure joy.  My faith was stretched to the limit.  However, with time, I praised God for the lessons I learned in the midst of the highs and lows of bipolar disorder.  In the same way, we can praise God for learning lessons in the midst of our trials.

YOUR HEART’S DESIRE

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12, NIV).  We will all face trials.  However, we can hold strong to our faith and ask God for His strength to never give up.  God will come through for us and we will be stronger after the trial is over.

Name a trial in your life when you felt like giving up.

How did you persevere in the trial?

How did you cry out to God?

What Scripture spoke to you during this time?

What blessings came as a result of you persevering in the midst of the trial?

Blessings will flow to a person who never gives up in the midst of a trial.  We can give God glory for always being there for us as we cry out to Him.  God will strengthen our faith as we persevere and never give up.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray for Your strength to help me persevere in the midst of my trials.  I surrender my life to You and I thank You for Your presence in my life.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

NUGGETS OF WISDOM

Trying times are no time to quit trying.  Author unknown

A quitter never wins, a winner never quits.  Author unknown

Perseverance is the sister of patience.  Bernard of Clairvaux

Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another.  Walter Elliott

The best way out is always through.  Robert Frost

DILIGENCE CH 2: BLESSED DILIGENCE

I will never forget the time when God asked me to step out in faith and begin submitting my articles and devotionals for publication.  I resisted at first because I didn’t think I could take the rejections.  However, I obeyed God and began diligently submitting the articles.  I began getting many rejections.  However, acceptances would also follow.  I will never forget one editor of a take-home paper I submitted to.  When she accepted an article or devotional, she would send me an edited version for me to make the corrections.  She also insisted that I tell her if I still had my voice in the work.  I learned a lot from her about writing and editing.  Although I had many rejections, she would explain why she was rejecting it, such as already accepting a similar work recently.  This relationship with the editor gave me strength and courage to continue submitting my writing diligently.

MEMORY VERSE

“A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied” (Proverbs 13:4, NIV).

WHAT’S IN A WORD?

Diligence…

Diligence is “persevering and careful in work; industrious…done with careful, steady effort” (Webster’s New World College Dictionary).  It is “characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort; painstaking” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary).  It is “earnest, zealous” (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words).

HIDDEN GEMS

Diligent people are committed servants of God.  They do His will with a steady effort.  They do it all for God’s glory.

“Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth” (Proverbs 10:4, NIV).

Read Proverbs 10:4. What do lazy hands make for?

What do diligent hands bring?

As we begin this study on diligence, laziness is mentioned once again as a contrast to diligence.  Society is filled with lazy people.  They want others to do the work for them.  As children of God, we can joyfully be committed to diligent work.  God will bless the diligent.

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom” (Ecclesiastes 9:10, NIV).

Read Ecclesiastes 9:10. How are we to do our work?

What is not there in the realm of the dead?

We are indeed to work with all our might.  Diligence is a godly reminder to go about our work each day.  God calls each of us to a unique calling.  When we find our calling, we can joyfully work for God’s glory.

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58, NIV).

Read 1 Corinthians 15:58. How are we to stand?

What are we to have nothing do to us?

How are we to give ourselves to the work of the Lord?

What is not in vain?

We can give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord.  In doing this, we can diligently put our hands to whatever God calls us to do.  Our labor is not in vain.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9, NIV).

Read Galatians 6:9. What are we not to become weary in?

When will we reap a harvest?

What should we not do to get this harvest?

When we have been doing good and praying diligently for a long time, it can be tempting to give up.  However, when we keep doing good, God will bless us at His appointed time.  It is then that we can see how God used that time to help us grow in our faith.

YOUR HEART’S DESIRE

Diligence is what God calls us to work with.  We can work as unto the Lord and not to men.  In doing so, we can give God the glory for the fruit of our labor.

Name a time when you worked diligently.

Were you tempted to give up?

If so, how did God convict you?

How did you continue to work for God’s glory?

What Scripture spoke to you on diligence during this time?

How did you praise God for the fruit of your labor?

Diligence is a key component of our walk with Christ.  God calls us to do different things.  We can draw near to God and ask Him for His will for our lives.  We can then work diligently for God’s glory and not our own.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, help me to work diligently to do what You call me to do each day.  Help me to never give up.  Help me to work for Your glory.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

NUGGETS OF WISDOM

He who labors diligently need never despair.  Menander of Athens

Follow the tasks of your calling carefully and diligently.  Richard Baxter

You will be in a way of obedience to God when the slothful are in constant sins of omission.  Richard Baxter

DILIGENCE CH 1: LAZINESS

I had just been placed on disability due to the bipolar disorder.  The bipolar disorder had paralyzed me with fear.  I was frozen in place.  I could not do anything productive.  I just sat around all day and did nothing due to the fear.  However, God intervened and led me to the parable of the talents.  I realized that I was being a lazy servant of God.  I began using my days to write for God’s glory.  This gave me a sense of purpose again.  I praised God for convicting me of my laziness and giving me a whole new life and purpose.

MEMORY VERSE

“Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth” (Proverbs 10:4, NIV).

WHAT’S IN A WORD?

Lazy…

Laziness is “not eager or willing to work or exert oneself; indolent; slothful” (Webster’s New World College Dictionary).  It is “disinclined to activity or exertion: not energetic or vigorous” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary).  It is being “sluggish…not flagging in zeal” (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words).

HIDDEN GEMS

Laziness is something we can all succumb to at times.  We may not feel like doing what needs to be done in our lives.  However, God desires for us to be productive with our lives.  When we seek God, He will fill us with purpose. 

“Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor” (Proverbs 12:24, NIV).

Read Proverbs 12:24. What will diligent hands to?

What will laziness end with?

Diligence and laziness are often described together in Proverbs.  We do not desire to be forced to do something like those who are lazy.  We can desire to please the Lord by being diligent.

“A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied” (Proverbs 13:4, NIV).

Read Proverbs 13:4. How are those who are lazy described in this Proverb?

What is the sluggard’s appetite never?

What is done for the desires of the diligent?

A sluggard is “a habitually lazy or idle person” (Webster’s New World College Dictionary).  A sluggard makes laziness a habit.  The good news is that habits can be changed.  We can come to the Lord for help to make our days productive and fruitful.

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11, NIV).

Read Romans 12:11. What should we never be lacking in?

What are we to keep?

What are we to do?

Zeal is “intense enthusiasm, as in working for a cause; ardent endeavor or devotion…fervor” (Webster’s New World College Dictionary).  When we keep our spiritual fervor, we are alive in Christ.  The opposite of this is laziness.  A lazy person may feel distant from God.  They lack purpose in their lives.

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says” (James 1:22, NIV).

Read James 1:22. What are we not to merely do?

What will this cause?

What are we to do instead?

When we study God’s Word, we will grow in our walk with Him.  However, knowledge of Scripture can be poured into us but lack no purpose if we do not put it into action.  We must do what it says.

YOUR HEART’S DESIRE

“We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised” (Hebrews 6:12, NIV).  We must be imitators of Christ.  This will build our faith and combat laziness. 

Name a time when you felt lazy.

How did God convict you?

How did you draw near to God in response?

What Scripture spoke to you during this time?

How did God then give you new purpose?

How did you put this new purpose into action?

There are times in all our lives when we do not feel like doing what needs to be done.  However, we must not rely upon our feelings.  We must repent and draw near to God.  He will then guide and direct our steps and put them into action.

PRAYER        

Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the times when I was lazy.  Help me to be fruitful in my life according to Your will.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

NUGGETS OF WISDOM

Perseverance in prayer is the annihilation of sloth.  John Climacus

The lazier a man is, the more he plans to do tomorrow.  Norwegian proverb

Sloth should not be confused with exhaustion or illness.  W.H. Griffith Thomas

I like the word “indolence.”  It makes my laziness seem classy.  Bern Williams

FEELING BUSTER CH 8: ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

I was in the hospital for depression.  I felt like I lost all hope in getting better.  I cried out to God for help.  In response, He prompted me to begin giving thanks for the blessings He had for me.  I thanked God for the counselor who listened to me pour out my sorrow.  I thanked God for the doctor who was giving me medication to help the depression.  I thanked God for the nurses who were taking care of me.  I thanked God for the people who were leading the groups as they taught me ways of dealing with the depression.  As I took on an attitude of gratitude, my spirits were lifted.  I praised God for providing the needed prescription for me at that time.

MEMORY VERSE

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV).

WHAT’S IN A WORD?

Gratitude…

Gratitude is “a feeling of thankful appreciation for favors or benefits received” (Webster’s New World College Dictionary).  It is “the state of being grateful; thankfulness” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary).  “Thanksgiving is the expression of joy God-ward, and is therefore the fruit of the Spirit…believers are encouraged to abound in it” (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words).

HIDDEN GEMS

In the world, there are many stressors that overwhelm us if we allow them to.  Our feelings can run rampant.  However, taking on an attitude of gratitude can change these feelings.  We can praise God for the many blessings in our life.  This will lead to peace and joy.

“Praise the Lord.  Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever” (Psalm 106:1, NIV).

Read Psalm 106:1. Who are we to praise?

What are we to give to the Lord?

How long does God’s love endure?

We can give thanks and praise to God.  His love does indeed endure forever.  He is a good God who desires to bless His children.  Feelings of fear and anxiety can overwhelm us.  However, when we come to God, He will replace those feelings with peace and rest.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NIV).

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.  What are we to always do?

What are we to continually do?

What are we to do in all circumstances?

What are these commands for us?

The commands in these verses are definite feeling busters.  When we rejoice and give thanks unto the Lord, we will be changed from the inside out.  The stressors of the world will no longer have a grasp on us.  We can then praise God for changing us.

“Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.  Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:19-20, NIV).

Read Ephesians 5:19-20.  How are we to speak to one another?

Where do the songs come from?

What are we to do from our heart?

How much are we to give thanks to God?

We are to always give thanks to God.  We can sing songs from the Spirit to praise His holy name.  When we praise and give thanks, we will draw closer to God.

YOUR HEART’S DESIRE

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe” (Hebrews 12:28, NIV).  When we are thankful, we rightly give praise to God.  We approach Him in reverence and awe.  When we do so, God will reward us.

Name a time when you were overwhelmed by the cares of the world.

How did you feel?

How did you turn to God for help?

How did gratitude play a factor in bringing you peace?

Gratitude brings us peace.  We can praise God for all of the things He has done in our lives.  We can thank God for the many blessings in our lives.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, I worship and adore You.  Thank You for the many blessings in my life.  Help me to always come to You with an attitude of gratitude.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

NUGGETS OF WISDOM

This day and your life are God’s gift to you:  so give thanks and be joyful always!  Jim Beggs

Gratitude is heaven itself.  William Blake

A single grateful thought raised to heaven is the most perfect prayer.  Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

Our favorite attitude should be gratitude.  Author unknown

He who can give thanks for little will always find he has enough.  Author unknown

FEELING BUSTER CH 7: PRAISE

Put a song in my heart, dear Lord.  This was my daily prayer to God as I started each new day.  This started after my colon cancer diagnosis.  The Lord heard my plea for a new song each day and delivered.  I would sing new praise songs each day.  The praise to God lifted my spirits and gave me the strength for each day.  I thanked God for lifting me up as I praised Him.

MEMORY VERSE

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.  Praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:6, NIV).

WHAT’S IN A WORD?

Praise…

Praise is “to laud the glory of God, as in song; glorify; extol” (Webster’s New World College Dictionary).  It is to “worship” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary).  “Praise is to be ascribed to God, in respect of His glory…the exhibition of His character” (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words). 

HIDDEN GEMS

Feelings and emotions can threaten to overwhelm us.  However, praise and worship is a definite feeling buster.  I learned this during my difficult years when I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder.  Whenever a mania or depression hit, I would lift up my voice in praise.  This drew me closer to God as I worshiped Him.

“I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever” (Psalm 86:12, NIV).

Read Psalm 86:12. Who did David praise?

How much did David praise God?

What did David glorify?

David learned to glorify God in all circumstances.  He praised God with all his heart.  We can also praise God with all your hearts.  The feelings will subside when worship and praise is on our lips.

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name” (Psalm 100:4, NIV).

Read Psalm 100:4. How are we to enter His gates?

How are we to enter His courts?

What are we to give to God?

What are we to do for His name?

Thanksgiving is a powerful feeling buster.  When we enter His courts with thanksgiving, we focus on the positive things in our lives instead of the negative.  In the process, we will have His peace and joy.

“When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen” (Luke 19:37, NIV).

Read Luke 19:37. Where was Jesus going?

How did the disciples praise God?

Why did they praise God?

It can be easy to praise God for miracles we experience.  However, when we have to go through a trial, it can be difficult to praise the Lord.  I learned that when I had to go through the bipolar disorder, God brought good out of it by a closer relationship with Him.  I obtained blessings that I never would have attained had I been healed immediately of the bipolar disorder.

YOUR HEART’S DESIRE

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3, NIV).  God comforts us in our times of distress.  God will be there for us as He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.

Name a trial in your life where you felt alone.

How did God show up in your trial?

What Scripture spoke to you during this time?

How did you turn your time of distress into a time of praise?

What was the result of this praise?

“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name” (Psalm 103:1, NIV).  We can praise God with all that we have.  Our inner being is blessed by God.  We can praise His holy name in the midst of trials.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, I worship and adore You.  I give You praise with all that I have.  Thank You for always being there for me.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

NUGGETS OF WISDOM

There is nothing that pleases the Lord so much as praise.  Author unknown

God can never receive too much praise.  Author unknown

Mans chief work is the praise of God.  Augustine of Hippo

I was not born to be free.  I was born to adore and to obey.  C.S. Lewis

The sweetest of all sounds is praise.  Xenophon

FEELING BUSTER CH 6: GOD’S WORD

I remember growing up with only hearing God’s Word during the church service.  It was never read at home.  I did not receive my first Bible until I graduated from high school.  A short time after I graduated from graduate school, I moved to Tucson, Arizona and joined a church.  I was humbled by the children knowing the order of the books of Scripture where I had no clue.  However, I was blessed with a pastor who had a passion for teaching God’s Word.  I soaked in his teaching.  During this time, I was also going through the pain of dealing with the abuse I experienced as a child.  God’s Word helped me fight the feelings of helplessness and depression.  I thanked God for His Word as a feeling buster in my life.

MEMORY VERSE

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105, NIV).

HIDDEN GEMS

What a blessing it is to have God’s Word at our fingertips each day.  We have many translations that we can read.  There are those in other countries that treasure having one page of His Word to read.  We can grow in our Christian walk by treasuring and reading God’s Word.

“Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them.  The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple” (Psalm 119:129-130, NIV).

Read Psalm 119:129-130.  How are God’s statutes described?

What does the psalmist do?

What gives light?

Who does God’s Word give understanding?

God’s Word is indeed wonderful.  We are called to obey the precepts found in His Word.  Reading the Bible gives light and understanding to us.  We can look up topics in a concordance to get a better understanding on how to deal with a problem such as out-of-control feelings.

“For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life” (Proverbs 6:23, NIV).

Read Proverbs 6:23. What are His commands?

What is His teaching?

What is the way to life?

God’s Word shines light on our everyday lives.  We are instructed in the way we should go.  When we sin, God will correct us through His Spirit and His Word.  This leads to life.

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26, NIV).

Read John 14:26. Who is the Advocate?

Who will send the Holy Spirit?

In Whose name will the Holy Spirit be sent?

What will the Holy Spirit do?

What a gift we have in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is indeed an Advocate on our behalf.  The Holy Spirit teaches and reminds us of the teaching of Jesus.  The Holy Spirit prompts us to gain a better understanding of God’s Word and obey His precepts.

YOUR HEART’S DESIRE

God’s Word is a blessing for us.  The Word of God illuminates our mind to understand the ways of God.  We are then prompted to obey what is found in the Bible.  We also may be convicted of sin.  It gives us hope and strength to live beyond our feelings.

Name a time when you struggled with a feeling.

How did you cry out to God?

What did God’s Word teach you?

What Scripture spoke to you during this time?

How did the Holy Spirit give you understanding?

How did God give you the strength to overcome the feelings?

Feelings can overwhelm us at times.  The good news is that His Word gives comfort and understanding when we read it.  The Bible helps us overcome the feelings that overwhelm us.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me Your Word to help fight the feelings which arise in my life.  Help me gain understanding through the Holy Spirit.  Help me to obey Your precepts.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

NUGGETS OF WISDOM

I believe the Bible is the best gift God has given to man.  Abraham Lincoln

If you want to understand Christianity, do not shut your Bible – open it, read it!  M. Lloyd-Jones

Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.  Jerome

Hold fast to the Bible as the sheet-anchor of your liberties; write its precepts in your hearts, and practice them in your lives.  Ulysses S. Grant

The Bible easily qualifies as the only Book in which is God’s revelation.  Billy Graham

FEELING BUSTER CH 5: PRAYER

It was almost midnight and I was in the middle of a severe manic episode.  I had run away from my friends and was in an unknown neighborhood.  I believed the rapture was coming and I had to save the lost.  In the midst of this, I came down from my frantic mania to realize that I was lost.  I cried out to God for help.  He diverted my attention to a couple who was getting into a car.  They took me back to the hospital where I called my friends to come and get me.  As I shared my frantic mania, my friend shared that she was praying fervently for me.  I realized that it was her prayers which caused me to come down from the mania and cry out to God for help.  I thanked God for praying friends who were there for me when I needed them the most.

MEMORY VERSE

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people” (Ephesians 6:18, NIV).

WHAT’S IN A WORD?

Prayer…

Prayer is “a humble and sincere request, as to God” (Webster’s New World College Dictionary).  It is “an address as a petition to God…in word or thought” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary).  It is “to ask…or beseech” God (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words).

HIDDEN GEMS

Feelings can wreak havoc on our lives.  If we live according to our feelings, we will be lost and anxious.  However, we can cry out to God for help.  God will strengthen us and replace our out-of-control feelings with His peace that passes all understanding.

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.  He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them” (Psalm 145:18-19, NIV).

Read Psalm 145:18-19. Who is the Lord near to?

How are we to call on Him?

Who does the Lord fulfill the desires of?

What does God do when He hears our cries?

The Lord is near so we have nothing to fear.  God hears our cries and desires to save us.  When feelings arise, we can quickly go to God and surrender them to Him.  Fearing God does not mean that we are afraid of God.  It means to hold Him up in awe and reverence.

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.  Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:6, NIV).

Read Matthew 6:6. How are we to pray?

What is the Father?

What will God see?

What will God do?

We need to pray in secret to an Audience of One.  This does not mean that we cannot pray publicly as in a church gathering.  It means to not be like the religious leaders of the day who prayed to be seen and admired for their long, babbling prayers of many words.

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24, NIV).

Read Mark 11:24-25 What are we to ask for?

How are we to believe?

What will be done?

This verse does not mean that we will have everything we desire.  God only says yes to the prayers that are according to His will.  When we have the answers to our prayers, whether yes or no, we can thank God that He knows what is best for us.

YOUR HEART’S DESIRE

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7, NIV).  We are to ask, seek and knock.  We must persist in prayer until we have an answer to God.  God uses time for us to have a closer relationship with Him.

Name a time when you felt overwhelmed by your feelings.

How did you feel?

How did you cry out to God in prayer?

How did God answer your pleas?

“The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous” (Proverbs 15:29, NIV).  God hears the prayers of those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  The righteous will live by faith.  We can believe that God hears and knows what is best for us.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for hearing my pleas for help.  Thank You for knowing what is best for me and answering my every prayer.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

NUGGETS OF WISDOM

Be much in secret prayer.  Converse less with man, and more with God.  George Whitefield

You may pray for an hour and still not pray.  You may meet God for a moment and then be in touch with Him all day.  Fredrik Wisloff

God never denied that soul anything that went as far as heaven to ask for it.  John Trapp

The finest of God’s blessings is to be found in secret prayer.  C.H. Spurgeon

Only that prayer which comes from our heart can get to God’s heart.  C.H. Spurgeon

FICKLE FEELINGS CH 4: TRUSTING GOD FOR WORRY

I’ll never forget the lesson God taught me on worry.  During my childhood, I was raised in a group of worriers.  I was led to believe that you worry about people you love.  As an adult, I grew anxious and full of worry.  I finally cried out to God.  God led me to write down my worries and surrender them to Him.  God then had me look at my worries a week or so later.  I learned that many of my worries never came to pass.  I learned to trust God instead of worry about my problems.  When I let go and let God, He always came through for me.

MEMORY VERSE

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34, NIV).

WHAT’S IN A WORD?

Worry…

Worry is “to feel distressed in the mind; be anxious, troubled, or uneasy” (Webster’s New World College Dictionary).  It is “mental distress or agitation resulting from concern…for something impending or anticipated” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary). 

Trust…

Trust is “to have…faith; place reliance; be confident” (Webster’s New World College Dictionary).  It is “assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary).  It is “to have confidence” in God (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words). 

HIDDEN GEMS

But God, I can’t trust myself!  I told God after my first manic episode.  I was filled with worry about another manic episode coming upon me.  My worry turned to anxiety.  I had to learn to trust God with everything that I was worried about.  Worry can fill our lives with unrest.  We may not feel like we can trust anyone.  However, we can trust God with everything.

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken” (Psalm 55:22, NIV).

Read Psalm 55:22. What are we to cast upon the Lord?

What will God do for us?

What will God never let happen?

What a comforting verse.  When we cast our cares upon the Lord, we will be free from worry.  We will feel immediate relief.  We can then praise God for removing our worries.

“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy” (Psalm 94:19, NIV).

Read Psalm 94:19. What was great within the author of this psalm?

What did God’s consolation bring him?

I can truly praise God now that He allowed the bipolar disorder to come into my life.  Although I was shaken to the core, I trusted in God and His providence like never before.  As the colon cancer came into my life, I was not shaken by it and held onto God as my rock.  We may have trials in our lives which can bring us worry.  The good news is that when we cling to God, He is right there for us and strengthens us in our faith.

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him” (Jeremiah 17:7, NIV).

Read Jeremiah 17:7. Who is blessed?

What do we have in God?

We are truly blessed when we trust in God.  We will not be shaken.  We can have confidence in approaching God and surrendering our worries and have His peace that passes all understanding in the process.

YOUR HEART’S DESIRE

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5, NIV).  We can indeed trust in the Lord with all we have.  However, when we rely on our own understanding, we will be filled with worry.  However, when we seek God for His wisdom, we will experience peace.

Name a time when you worried about something.

Did it come to pass?

How did you draw near to God?

What Scripture spoke to you during this time?

How did you experience God’s peace?

Do you have any worries right now?

Take the time to surrender them to God.

“And we know that God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, NIV).  What a comforting promise!  God does indeed work all things together for good.  We can approach God with all we have and experience His peace and strength to face whatever comes our way.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, I surrender my worries to you this day.  Thank You for replacing my worry into peace as I trust in You.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

NUGGETS OF WISDOM

He that fears not the future may enjoy the present.  Thomas Fuller

Don’t worry about anything.  Worrying never solved anything.  All it does is distort your mind.  Milton Garland

Oh, how great peace and quietness would he possess who should cut off all vain anxiety and place all his confidence in God.  Thomas a Kempis

Trust in God, and do something.  Mary Lyon

He who trusts in himself is lost.  He who trusts in God can do all things.  Alphonsus Liguori