My Reflections

Seeking God With Our Whole Heart

Have you read the Bible study I posted this week? Over the next few weeks, we will take a close look at the Armor of God in Ephesians 6. Let me know if you would like to be added to the group so you can receive an email when a new study is available. The next one should be posted Monday, March 15th, 2021.

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Feasting On The Word of God   (E) This is for a Bible study group. #2245217 by Marvelous Friend

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Take Up Your Cross

Prompt:
Psalm 119:1-2
1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

How can we be undefiled in the way and seek God with our whole heart?

Answer:
What does it mean to be undefiled?
Free from stain, blemish, evil or corruption; immaculate; uncorrupted.

We can be undefiled by following and obeying the law of God. We keep God's Word close to us. We are made righteous (undefiled) through faith in the righteousness of Christ.

Romans 3:19-28
19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

There are several verses that tell us to seek God. Here are a couple of my favorite ones.

Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Deuteronomy 4:29
29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

Deuteronomy 6:5
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

With these other verses also in mind, seeking the Lord with all your heart is seeking him with your deepest passion and sincerity. We are to seek him first and foremost above anything else. We should pursue God with everything in us and all our being.

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Take up Your Cross  (E) This will be a daily blog forum. #2225667 by Chris Breva

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Scripture writing - Psalm 91:9-13

Scripture:
9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Observations:
Verse 9- Because you have made God your dwelling place, (He is a refuge. We make him our dwelling place by keeping our focus on him. We live according to his will and seek his presence always.)
Verse 10- We have God's protection from any evil thing. No plague or sickness will come upon us while we are in God's presence.
Verse 11- God commands his angels to protect us no matter what.
Verse 12- They will protect us even in small matters of stubbing our toes.
Verse 13- we can face and conquer larger enemies such as the dangers wild animals might present because his angels have been told to protect and to help us.

Application:
When we stay focused on God and continually seek his presence, we have God's protection. In God's will and presence is the safest place to be. He will command his angels (plural as in more than one) to protect and help us in all of our ways.

Prayer:
Dear God,
Help me to seek your presence and your will always. Give me confidence that I can face any obstacle life throws at me with your help and the help that you send through your angels. Thank you for your protection. Deliver me from evil.
In Jesus's most holy name,
Amen

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Gratitude List

1. Study Bible
2. Bible study
3. Time
4. Prayer
5. Food to eat
6. Dishes to wash
7. Washing Machine
8. Dryer
9. Soap
10. Deodorant

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Make-Up Scripture writing - James 1:13-18

Scripture:
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Observations:
Verse 13- No man is ever tempted with evil by God.
Verse 14- Man is tempted by the devil when he is enticed by his own fleshly lusts and desires.
Verse 15- Lust is conceived and brings forth sin when temptation is yielded to. When sin happens, it works death within us.
Verse 16- The note in my study Bible says that man is prone to error and must be constantly warned against it.
Verse 17- Every good gift comes from God. He does not discriminate.
Verse 18- God brings us into being by his will and word of truth. (We are born again by the truth of his word and his will.) He wants us to be the best and first of all his creatures.

Application:
God does not tempt man with evil. Every man is tempted by the devil and the lust and desires of his flesh. Lust causes us to yield to sin, and sin’s final result is death. We need to be constantly reminded not to yield to our fleshly lusts and sin. Every good gift we receive comes from God. He gets all the glory. We are born again through God's will and the truth of his Word. He wants us to be the best of all his creatures.

Prayer:
Dear God,
Help me to resist temptations. Reveal to me the lust that is in my flesh so I can deal with it appropriately. Thank you for all the good things that you have given me. Let me never give credit belonging to you to anyone else. Thank you for always wanting what is best for me.
In Jesus's name,
Amen

Jesus is my permanent anchor!