Comments on: 10 Week Challenge — The First Approach — Tuesday, Sept. 11 http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/ Discovering God's Purposes Together Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:07:18 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Psalm 119 « Level Paths http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/#comment-27 Psalm 119 « Level Paths Fri, 14 Sep 2007 00:27:42 +0000 http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/#comment-27 [...] Psalm 119 Day One: The First Thing [...] [...] Psalm 119 Day One: The First Thing [...]

]]> By: Joan Bandy http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/#comment-25 Joan Bandy Thu, 13 Sep 2007 20:27:43 +0000 http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/#comment-25 Josh's signature so far is "first and foremost"! :D And that's a good phrase to keep in mind...what iIS "first and foremost"? Josh’s signature so far is “first and foremost”! :D

And that’s a good phrase to keep in mind…what iIS “first and foremost”?

]]> By: Josh Smith http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/#comment-24 Josh Smith Thu, 13 Sep 2007 20:07:44 +0000 http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/#comment-24 I am a day late, but did fulfill the commitment in the right time. With church and TeamKid, I apologize for the delayed response. I am new to the whole "blog" thing. Verse 57-64 was the group of verses that echoed to my heart the most. The reason being is probably because they are the set of verses that I am most convicted by. Coming from the English Standard Version, from the very beginning (57-58), it says, "The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep your words. I entreat your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise." These verses here smack me in the face because so many times, I do not make the Lord my portion, even though it should be. I pray for this, I pray for that, I need this, I need that, when I should simply just be satisfied in Him. As I continue to read verse 58, I realize that I do not entreat His favor with all my heart. So many times, I seek people's favor concerning the work I do for the Lord, when I should be seeking simply the Lord's favor!! I make a commitment, not only as a minister, but as a child of The One True God to simply seek His favor first and foremost, and then the other favor's will fall into place. These two verses truly penetrate my heart, but most importantly, I pray that they teach me something that does two things...Glorify our Father and expand His Kingdom!! Blessings to all!! Bro. Josh I am a day late, but did fulfill the commitment in the right time. With church and TeamKid, I apologize for the delayed response. I am new to the whole “blog” thing. Verse 57-64 was the group of verses that echoed to my heart the most. The reason being is probably because they are the set of verses that I am most convicted by. Coming from the English Standard Version, from the very beginning (57-58), it says, “The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep your words. I entreat your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.” These verses here smack me in the face because so many times, I do not make the Lord my portion, even though it should be. I pray for this, I pray for that, I need this, I need that, when I should simply just be satisfied in Him. As I continue to read verse 58, I realize that I do not entreat His favor with all my heart. So many times, I seek people’s favor concerning the work I do for the Lord, when I should be seeking simply the Lord’s favor!! I make a commitment, not only as a minister, but as a child of The One True God to simply seek His favor first and foremost, and then the other favor’s will fall into place. These two verses truly penetrate my heart, but most importantly, I pray that they teach me something that does two things…Glorify our Father and expand His Kingdom!! Blessings to all!! Bro. Josh

]]> By: Stacey http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/#comment-16 Stacey Wed, 12 Sep 2007 18:40:52 +0000 http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/#comment-16 Last night I enjoyed reading Psalm 119 and also comparing the NIV text to the Amplified version. One thing that stood out to me after reading the Amplified version was verse 44: I will keep Your law continually, forever and ever {hearing, receiving, loving and obeying it.} I just love that... hearing, receiving, loving and obeying it. That totally breaks it down into what we should be doing every day. "Keep" just doesn't have the same effect as hearing the different actions that keeping actually is. I had a difficult time deciding on what to memorize and have a lot of verses underlined, but the one I settled on is: 114: You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. Something about that spoke to me. The other major thing that spoke to me, is the emphasis on meditating on the Word. I think that is something that I personally need a lot more of... peaceful meditation on a word until it is truly inscribed in my heart. Last night I enjoyed reading Psalm 119 and also comparing the NIV text to the Amplified version.

One thing that stood out to me after reading the Amplified version was verse 44:

I will keep Your law continually, forever and ever {hearing, receiving, loving and obeying it.}

I just love that… hearing, receiving, loving and obeying it. That totally breaks it down into what we should be doing every day. “Keep” just doesn’t have the same effect as hearing the different actions that keeping actually is.

I had a difficult time deciding on what to memorize and have a lot of verses underlined, but the one I settled on is:

114: You are my refuge and my shield;
I have put my hope in your word.

Something about that spoke to me. The other major thing that spoke to me, is the emphasis on meditating on the Word. I think that is something that I personally need a lot more of… peaceful meditation on a word until it is truly inscribed in my heart.

]]> By: Chris Dennis http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/#comment-14 Chris Dennis Wed, 12 Sep 2007 18:00:51 +0000 http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/#comment-14 As I read this chapter, the action statements stood out to me... I will praise.. I will obey.. I have hidden your word in my heart.. I meditate.. I delight.. I recounted my ways and you answered me.. I have chosen.. I trust.. I will walk about in freedom.. I lift up my hands.. I remember.. I have promised.. I have sought.. At midnight, I rise to give you thanks.. I believe.. I stand in awe. I call with all my heart.. I rejoice.. I praise you ( 7 times a day).. I wait.. Verse 30 says "I have chosen the way of truth." This life is all about choices. We have the free will to choose. We can choose to take a stand. We can choose to take action. Verse 176 is a very interesting ending to this passage. Even though we are taking action, one action that can not be overlooked is "straying." Admitting to God that we have strayed, asking forgiveness and clinging to the awesome forgiveness of God restores our soul. We can walk about in freedom (vs45), lift up our hands to Him (vs 48) and simply stand in awe (vs120) of the awesom mercey, grace and love of Christ!!! As I read this chapter, the action statements stood out to me…

I will praise..
I will obey..
I have hidden your word in my heart..
I meditate..
I delight..
I recounted my ways and you answered me..
I have chosen..
I trust..
I will walk about in freedom..
I lift up my hands..
I remember..
I have promised..
I have sought..
At midnight, I rise to give you thanks..
I believe..
I stand in awe.
I call with all my heart..
I rejoice..
I praise you ( 7 times a day)..
I wait..

Verse 30 says “I have chosen the way of truth.” This life is all about choices. We have the free will to choose. We can choose to take a stand. We can choose to take action.

Verse 176 is a very interesting ending to this passage. Even though we are taking action, one action that can not be overlooked is “straying.”

Admitting to God that we have strayed, asking forgiveness and clinging to the awesome forgiveness of God restores our soul.

We can walk about in freedom (vs45), lift up our hands to Him (vs 48) and simply stand in awe (vs120) of the awesom mercey, grace and love of Christ!!!

]]> By: Psalm 119 « Joan Bandy http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/#comment-13 Psalm 119 « Joan Bandy Wed, 12 Sep 2007 13:53:40 +0000 http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/#comment-13 [...] Psalm 119 Day One:  The First Thing [...] [...] Psalm 119 Day One:  The First Thing [...]

]]> By: Joan Bandy http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/#comment-12 Joan Bandy Wed, 12 Sep 2007 13:50:54 +0000 http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/#comment-12 I posted Psalm 119 for those of you on break at work who need to read. Just click my name. (I started a separate blog for 10 weeks to keep me disciplined and focused, bloggy friends!) Joan I posted Psalm 119 for those of you on break at work who need to read. Just click my name.

(I started a separate blog for 10 weeks to keep me disciplined and focused, bloggy friends!)

Joan

]]> By: Kim Vincent http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/#comment-7 Kim Vincent Wed, 12 Sep 2007 02:22:14 +0000 http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/#comment-7 Ok...I have completed task #1 and finished Psalm 119. I have lots of underlining and will be memorizing v. 103 and 133 ( I couldn't decide which one so I will just do both). Verse 103 says, "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth." I want to memorize this verse to always remind me how sweet and precious the Word of God is. Verse 133 says, "Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me." If that's not a life verse, I don't know what is. We would all be better off if we truly lived our lives by this one little verse. As I was reading through this looooong chapter in the Bible, I was immediately taken by the fact that almost every verse referenced the Word of God...Statutes, Precepts, Commands, Laws, Decrees, Ways, Word, Path. This chapter also repeatedly reminded us to meditate on the decrees and delight in the law and never forget the commands even when under attack by the enemy. I am looking forward to the next 10 weeks and doing some serious meditating on the statutes, precepts, commands, laws, decrees...THE WORD!!! Ok…I have completed task #1 and finished Psalm 119. I have lots of underlining and will be memorizing v. 103 and 133 ( I couldn’t decide which one so I will just do both). Verse 103 says, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.” I want to memorize this verse to always remind me how sweet and precious the Word of God is. Verse 133 says, “Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.” If that’s not a life verse, I don’t know what is. We would all be better off if we truly lived our lives by this one little verse. As I was reading through this looooong chapter in the Bible, I was immediately taken by the fact that almost every verse referenced the Word of God…Statutes, Precepts, Commands, Laws, Decrees, Ways, Word, Path. This chapter also repeatedly reminded us to meditate on the decrees and delight in the law and never forget the commands even when under attack by the enemy.

I am looking forward to the next 10 weeks and doing some serious meditating on the statutes, precepts, commands, laws, decrees…THE WORD!!!

]]> By: Cheryl Gibson http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/#comment-6 Cheryl Gibson Tue, 11 Sep 2007 22:59:52 +0000 http://rayengland.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-week-challenge-the-first-thing/#comment-6 The verse that stand out the most to me in Psalm119 is verse 10. It says "With my whole heart I seek you; do not let me stray from your commandments." This is the season I am in right now I am seeking God`s face in everything: So that I may live my life according to his plan. The verse that stand out the most to me in Psalm119 is verse 10. It says “With my whole heart I seek you; do not let me stray from your commandments.” This is the season I am in right now I am seeking God`s face in everything: So that I may live my life according to his plan.

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