This is a small group that was following the plan to read through the Bible one chapter at a time with Good Morning Girls. Good Morning Girls is on an indefinite break. But will we continue reading through the Bible.
Each Monday go to the Weekly Reading Plan or the Bible Study Thread for our current book to see the introductory post for the week and the weekly reading passages, discussion questions, and memory verse.
Be sure to come here each day to see what the members of the group are sharing. Try to participate in the discussion with a post at least once each week to share with us what God is teaching you. Posting on the forum helps motivate all of us to keep reading by seeing the others persevering and it provides additional insight and learning.
Each Friday we will attempt to share a Friday Devotional that addresses some of the topics we have read that week.
Please also take time to read the Group Overview post that provides some ideas on how to get the most out of your study here! You can find this post in the the "Bible Study" section of the board.
- TBG
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Re: Proverbs
Passionflower wrote:
Hi all! I'm glad to have had a break over the weekend and thankyou for your prayers. What struck me about Proverbs six was the list of traits and behaviours that God despises, the seven in the list plus indebtedness (verse 1), laziness (verse 6) and obviously the adultery. Laziness is different from rest, right? In that rest leads to restoration and increased productivity - like my weekend break, whereas with laziness there is an element of avoidance? The other thing I am wondering about is the bit about pride - a friend came to visit and said she used to feel a lot of self-pity but now she thinks that's just as bad as self-pride. I'm not sure what I think about that. I can see that if God values us all equally then putting oneself on any other level of importance than anyone else in either a negative or positive way would mean we thought we knew better than He. What does anyone else think?
I think the whole point is that our identity should be in Christ and not ourselves. So, we should not be prideful because every skill and ability we have is a gift from God to be used for His purposes, it is not because we are so great. Also, no matter how great our gifts and abilities, we still fall far short of God's standards and this should keep us humble as well.
But we should not have self-pity or feel we are worthless or have low self-esteem either. Because we are God's special creation that He created in His image and He sent His Son to die for us because of His great love for us. God highly values us and specially crafted us for His works (Ep 2) and for His pleasure and for a special relationship with Him. And He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing (Ep 1).
So that is how I see the balance between pride and self abasement. That I have died and my real life is hidden in Christ and I will actualize who I really am when Christ returns. (Col 3)
- TBG
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Re: Proverbs
Proverbs 7
Scripture 7:21-23
With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him. All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.
I think this does not just relate to sexual temptation, but to all types of temptation to sin. We can allow people to compel us to entice us to engage with them in sin, or to make those “small” sacrifices in obedience and holiness. Yet, when we allow ourselves to be enticed it is a path to destruction. Each “small” compromise leads us to larger compromises and further away from God’s paths.
7:25-27
Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths; For she has cast down many wounded, And all who were slain by her were strong men. Her house is the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death.
It starts in the heart. We cannot let our hearts turn away from God’s wisdom and towards the ways of the world.
James 1:14-15 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
We need to desire God’s truth and God’s ways.
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Thread Starter- Passionflower
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Re: Proverbs
I tried looking at myself and my identity as 'hidden in Christ' and it made me feel all warm inside! How lovely!
- Michelle
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Re: Proverbs
Laziness is different from rest, right? In that rest leads to restoration and increased productivity - like my weekend break, whereas with laziness there is an element of avoidance?
You are quite right. There is a big difference between rest and laziness. Even the Lord rested.
- Michelle
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Re: Proverbs
Proverbs 7
Scripture
My son, keep my words
and treasure up my commandments with you (7:1)
Observation
The Jews had physical reminders of God's commandments as part of their clothing. We don't wear long tassels or have phylacteries on our foreheads. But we can have the Word of God in our hearts
Application
Bible memoriziation is an important discipline for the beliver, and it is one that I need to get better at. I work on it for a while and then I get busy and it goes on the back burner. I need to get better about making it a priority.
P.S. I really like the word phylactery and was tickled that I could use it today 
- TBG
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Re: Proverbs
Proverbs 8
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.
If we truly reverence God, we will hate evil.
34 Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD,
36 but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death."
This illustrates how we should be seeking out God’s wisdom and placing a priority on it, to daily be listening for and searching out God’s wisdom.
The last line is chilling, to not love God’s wisdom is to love death. Wow. That reminds me of what God said to Israel “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;” (Deut 30:19).
We can seek wisdom and choose to have a happy life and walk with God’s favor or I can not have the time or energy or priority to seek wisdom and reap death and be bound by my own folly. (5:23)
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Thread Starter- Theresnoplacelike Home
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Re: Proverbs
Proverbs 6:16-19
“There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community”
Peace. You can’t find it in a store but you can obtain it by avoiding “lying gossip, hatred, and strife,”
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)
This verse helps to put things in perspective for me in regard to the battle that I am constantly in with my flesh. We all feel anger and hatred at times. We also may be tempted to lie to bring down another to build ourselves up. The problem with this is that we are playing right into the devils hand. We are not the enemy… Satan is… We must always look towards God’s ways and not ours. He tells us when our enemy is hunger to feed them. He tells us to love our enemies. This may be a challenge, but it is the way to the peace and security that we all want and need.
As I read Proverbs 6, I am reminded of the importance of unity with one another friends, family, and our enemies.
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
(Romans 12:18)
Theresnoplacelike Home
Last edited by Theresnoplacelike Home (6/24/2015 12:48 pm)
- Michelle
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Re: Proverbs
Proverbs 8
Scripture
Blessed is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors
For whoever finds me finds life
and obtains favor from the Lord,
but he who fails to find me injures himselfp;
all who hate me love death (8:34-36)
Observation
Since wisdom is from the Lord, and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, seeking wisdom causes us to seek the lord. At least if we are seeking true wisdom and not the world’s wisdom. And by seeking the Lord, we find life for it is through the wisdom that the Lord gives that we realize our need for a Savior.
Application
Seeking wisdom doesn’t stop at salvation. We seek wisdom to learn how to live a life that is pleasing to God.
- Passionflower
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Re: Proverbs
Proverbs 8 verses 22-31, which starts: 'The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old'
What does anyone think this means?
Apart from that, I get that this proverb is about the value of wisdom. Grateful for anyone's thoughts on my question
- TBG
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Re: Proverbs
Proverbs 9
Verses 1-6, 17-18
Wisdom is calling out to us. When will we listen and turn from our foolishness – especially in this world today? But instead, we believe the lie of Satan that sinful things we do in secret will bring us pleasure. When the reality is that they bring us to our own destruction.
Verse 8-9
If we are wise, we will receive rebuke. It is easy to get defensive, but we need to receive correction and criticism with humility and reflection. Even if we feel the comments are not true, we should still be humble and just think about it and see if there is not something we can still learn from it. But we need to be willing to accept it and honestly and humbly evaluate the legitimacy of it.
9:10 - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
The Message says, insight into life comes from knowing a Holy God. I like how that is worded.
We don’t understand the world, why things happen, what God’s will is, what paths we should take. Or, we just don’t understand the Bible. Well, as we study the Word, we will increase in our knowledge of God, His truths, and His character. As we increase our knowledge of God so will we increase our understanding.
PS: Theresnoplacelike Home I just clicked through to your blog. You are such a great writter. Really enjoyed your last post. I will keep reading and add it to my bookmark!
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