STEADFAST AND UNMOVABLE – Week 9

Position Yourself: Psalm 107:43

Pore Over and Paraphrase the Material: If there is any wisdom within you, thoughtfully consider the words of the LORD. Learn from what has been shared by Him. Accept the profound lessons of His holy Word. Appreciate the fathomless love and mercy of God. Do not forget. Reflect and remember.

Pull Out the Spiritual Points:

– Any wisdom that you possess should point back to acknowledgement of the LORD.

– The words of the LORD matter.

– God has been clear about what He wants and about what He has always wanted of His children.

– There are very meaningful and extremely precise lessons that have been made readily available to those who are seeking Truth. Read your Bible and learn.

– The love God has for us is without end. Likewise, His mercy is infinite.

– That which you have come to know about the LORD must be remembered and reflected upon.

– Never let the Living Word out of your sight. Hold Him close. Allow Him to draw you in. Spend time with Him, and allow Him to speak to you by way of the holy and inspired scriptures.

Pose Your Questions:

– How do I live wisely?

– How did the life of Christ manifest wise living, and how does my life compare?

– Are wisdom and understanding synonymous?

– What are the most important words that Jesus said?

– How do I engage in a meaningful bible study?

– Do I seek God’s truth, or do I try to make my own version of “truth” line up with God?

– Have I truly accepted God’s love for me? Do I allow myself to be loved by Him completely?

– What does the mercy of God tell me about His heart toward me?

– How often do I allow myself time to mediate and reflect on who the LORD is to me and what He has done for me?

– If spending time with the LORD is so important, why do I not connect with Him more often?

Plan Obedience and Pin a Date:

* Study the Word of God. How often? Daily

* Grow in grace and knowledge. How often? Daily

* Be transformed by the love of the LORD. How often? Daily

Steadfast Love: A Study of Psalm 107 by Lauren Chandler

Week 7 Memorable Quotes:

“…remember that prayer is essential.”

“Root everything in Scripture…”

“…celebrate what God has done…”

#awaken

STEADFAST AND UNMOVABLE – Week 8

A Phone Tree Bible Study – Assignment 8

Photo Courtesy of Glimpses of Jesus

Position Yourself: Psalm 107:39-42

Pore Over and Paraphrase the Material: Those who practice or take part in evil machinations and acts against God’s own will be dealt with by God Himself. He, in all His righteousness, will render to each man that which he is due. He will raise up those who are poor and lowly, those who are humble and reverent, and those who are broken and suffering. Those who are the LORD’s can rejoice and delight in God for He is a refuge, a rescuer, and a safe haven.

Pull Out the Spiritual Points:

– Clearly understand that you can either be for God, or you can be against God; you cannot be both.

– Know that there is a consequence to your poor choices. Should you choose to go against God or against those who belong to the LORD, you will be dealt with by the LORD.

– Draw comfort in knowing that God is aware of you and your every struggle, hardship, and challenge. He knows what causes your distress, He knows what contributes your anxiety, and He knows who or what harasses you. He will deal with it all.

– Remain humble before the LORD. Trust Him and find your joy in Him. Rest assured that He will be your perfect shelter and your dependable protector.

Pose Your Questions:

– How do I know that I am 100% for God? What does my fruit show?

– What is it that lures me away from the LORD?

– Are the poor choices I make or the things that I know are not godly worth jeopardizing my relationship with God?

– Can the LORD save anyone who continuously or consistently rejects Him?

– Why should I worry or fear, if I walk with the LORD?

– What hinders me from delighting in God?

– Do I focus more on glorifying God, or do I focus more on the things that oppress and persecute me?

– How can I humble myself before God? What does a life of humility even look like?

– Do I depend on God to be my protector? Do I see Him as my perfect sheltering shield? (Spiritual Reflection Challenge: Delve deeper into the why or why not associated with these questions. This week, spend some time looking into self. Examine your relationship with God. Take this challenge as far as you can go.)

Plan Obedience and Pin a Date:

1) Reread Psalm 107. Dissect the final verse, verse 43. Then, go back and look at all of your 5P notes. Write a summary on what you have learned.

2) Regarding Psalm 107:43, write out the verse, record and replay the verse, and memorize the verse.

3) Complete Week 7: Goodbyes Are Hard in your copy of Steadfast Love.

4) Share your thoughts and comments.

Steadfast Love: A Study of Psalm 107 by Lauren Chandler

Week 6 Memorable Quotes:

“Psalm 107 is a recounting of the Lord’s faithfulness to those in distress and their living to tell it.”

“Rejoicing isn’t only feeling delight but also taking an action toward delight.”

“Perhaps the most difficult place to rejoice is in the middle of our distress…”

“Rejoicing and faith go hand in hand.”

“We can give thanks for the hard things because we can see His grace even there. And when He delivers us from the season of distress, our thanks is amplified because we’ve seen the depths in the desert, chains, folly, and storm, and He came through for us. Gratitude grows when we know how much we don’t deserve it.”

“Each season is an opportunity to reveal the anchor of our souls.”

#awaken

Let us study the Word of God. Let us grow in grace and knowledge. Let us be transformed by the love of the LORD.

STEADFAST AND UNMOVABLE – Week 7

A Phone Tree Bible Study – Assignment 7

Photo Credit: Pinterest – In Due Time

Position Yourself: Psalm 107:33-38

Pore Over and Paraphrase the Material: The LORD has the power to make what is into an is not and vice versa. All power is in His hands! According to the workings of man and his ill or righteous choices, God will render what is to be. In all of this, however, there is hope. Hope exists where God dwells. In Him, we can find all that we need. Abundance, fruitfulness, and nourishment are found in the God of heaven.

Pull Out the Spiritual Points:

– Understand that all authority and all power belong to God. He determines what shall be, according to His will.

– Yes, appreciate the fact that you have the freedom of choice, but if the choices you make are out of alignment with the LORD, then failure and likely destruction will loom on the horizon.

– There is a way that seems right to a man. (Scripture Study Challenge: See Proverbs 14:12)

– The only way to walk, live, move, and have your very being is on the path that leads to God.

– Grab onto and hold firmly in hand the hope that is ever present, always available, and freely extended to you by the God of heaven. It is yours, if only you would consistently and committedly reach for it with everything you have got.

– Trust God to provide for your every need. He will give you His wants for your needs. (Hard Truth: He may not give you all of your wants, but it will be what is best for you, without question.)

Pose Your Questions:

– Do I live in such a way that God has the first and the final say in what I do?

– Is my will in alignment with God’s will? If not, why is it not?

– When my will is against God’s will, what good can come from it? Is this, perhaps, why I struggle with certain things?

– What are righteous choices exactly? What does that even mean in real time?

– Am I standing at a crossroad, regarding my spirituality? Am I being called to finally make a choice between what I want for my life and what God wants for my life?

– Am I walking in my purpose? Is that purpose grounded in the LORD?

– Do I place my hope in the hands of others, in self, or in God?

– Do I trust God to provide for my every care and my every need?

– What is holding me back from being wholly connected to the LORD? Do I even appreciate our holy covenant relationship?

– Do I cherish the LORD as the One and Only who saves?

Plan Obedience and Pin a Date:

1) Read Psalm 107:39-42 this week. Use the 5P method, and uncover vital truths.

2) Memorize verses 41 and 42. Do additional research on each verse. Share your findings.

3) Complete Week 6: GRATITUDE in your copy of Steadfast Love.

4) Pen a letter to God expressing your gratitude and praise to Him. Pour out your heart, speaking the truth of what He has revealed to you through this study.

5) Share your thoughts and comments.

Steadfast Love: A Study of Psalm 107 by Lauren Chandler

Week 5 Memorable Quotes:

“We weren’t meant for the storm. We were meant for dwelling, dominion, and dynasty without the curse of separation, toil, and pain.”

“We can be encouraged that peace will be found in Him who has overcome the world, who is Lord over the storm.”

“The storm is God’s severe mercy to show us where our hope is placed. Ge uses it to bring to light the condition of our hearts…”

“The Lord will use the storm to bring us to our senses.”

“There is no evil that can overcome me because the Lord is with me.”

#awaken

Let us study the Word of God. Let us grow in grace and knowledge. Let us be transformed by the love of the LORD.

STEADFAST AND UNMOVABLE – Week 6

A Phone Tree Bible Study – Assignment 6

Photo from Pinterest

Position Yourself: Psalm 107:20-32

Pore Over and Paraphrase the Material: With the LORD’s powerful Word, we are both healed and rescued from the seemingly inescapable. Our praise of Him for doing so should be boisterous and consistent. He is faithful to save! Every word that proceeds from our mouths should be expressive of our gratitude. That which can be said to honor Him should be said. The fruit of our lips and the offerings of our hearts should proclaim His glory. There should never be silence concerning our LORD; instead there should be an abundance of and an outpouring of the richest praise. Through the storms and the tumultuous challenges of life, no matter how loud or overwhelming, God will always be our safe haven. He will be the place of all comfort. When there is a lack of courage or unwanted fear present, we can simply call and He will hear. He will respond. He will bring order to the chaos. He will bring peace to the distressed. He will give direction to the lost. Praise the LORD!

Pull Out the Spiritual Points: 

– Know that the Word of the LORD is sure and true. He [the WORD, Jesus Christ] brings wellness, wholeness, healing, deliverance, and salvation.

– Understand that there is nothing that can hold you back from the LORD, if you choose to accept Him, obey Him, and follow in His steps.

– Get it into your head and your heart that the LORD can deliver you from the stormiest of storms. He can save you from the “storm of self” and from the storms of the world.

– With everything that you have, offer up your best, your brightest, and your purest praise to God! He is so worthy to be lifted up. Let nothing hinder your acknowledgement of Him.

– Appreciate that God is your safe haven, your harbor, your safety, your protection, your refuge, the place of your calm. Live there in the knowing. Be in that space. Do not forget.

– Grasp the fact that the LORD is your trusted way. He is your steady path. Be confident in this.

Pose Your Questions: 

– Do I live in such a way that I believe Jesus is the WORD of God in the flesh? (Scripture Study Challenge: John 1; 1 John 1)

– Do I fully understand what Jesus came to do? If so, what? If not, why not?

– How do I live knowing that I am well? Whole? Healed? Delivered? Saved?

– In knowing that I have been cared for by the LORD, how do I go forth sharing that knowledge?

– Do I wake up choosing God every day I am given? (Translation: Do I choose to accept Him as my personal LORD and Savior every day of my life? Why or why not?

– What “storms” have I allowed to hijack my faith?

– Do I give God some praise or do I give Him my best praise?

– In what ways have I viewed God as my safe haven and secure harbor?

– Am I confident that God is my trusted way and my steady path? What gets in the way of my confident response?

Plan Obedience and Pin a Date: 

1) This week, spend some time reading Psalm 107:33-38. Use the 5P approach to go deeper into your personal Bible study.

2) Meditate on the scripture memory verse for the week. Center your attention on verse 35.

3) Proceed to Week 5, if you have a copy of Steadfast Love. Week 5 is entitled STORM.

4) Send an encouraging text about the LORD to one of the contacts in your phone.

5) Share your thoughts and comments.

Steadfast Love: A Study of Psalm 107 by Lauren Chandler

Week 4 Memorable Quotes:

“The truth is, folly knows nothing. It is earthly wisdom – wisdom that is driven by what makes sense to us without regard to what God says is right…It cares nothing of consequences.”

“God’s Word is the real food. But when we’re stuck in a season of folly, we have no appetite for it.”

“Earthly wisdom would have had Jesus coming to teach us how to be good enough…But that’s not what happened. Jesus came to die..”

“We get to be weak and foolish in the eyes of the world – according to earthly wisdom. We get to cry out to God in His holiness and majesty and be met with mercy and grace that purifies us.”

“Our healing is only found in Jesus…”

“Repenting of folly and turning to wisdom from above brings peace with God and peace with others.”

May God bless you on your spiritual journey. 

#awaken

Let us study the Word of God. Let us grow in grace and knowledge. Let us be transformed by the love of the LORD. 

STEADFAST AND UNMOVABLE – Week 5

A Phone Tree Bible Study – Assignment 5

Position Yourself: Psalm 107:14-19

Pore Over and Paraphrase the Material: The LORD will always show up when we earnestly and honestly call out to Him. He is faithful. When He is present in our lives and in our circumstances, things change for the better. That which is dark, that which is bound, and that which is burdensome will be dealt with, without question. Our praise for Him should erupt and explode forth from the very depths of our souls. We should consider who He is and acknowledge all the mighty works of His hands…in our lives and in the lives of all humankind. We should neither be foolish or rebellious where the LORD is concerned, nor should we be carried away by our sinful natures. We must call out to the LORD and make Him aware of our great need for Him. He will save those who want to be saved. He is the Savior who saves.

Pull Out the Spiritual Points:

– Grasp the fact that God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. Understand what that means, and understand how that omni nature can and does impact your life.

– Be as faithful to God and He is to you.

– Believe that God will bring His light into every ounce of darkness that exists in your life. Do not waver in your thinking.

– Praise God in every possible way! Look around you and appreciate what He has done for you and for everyone you care about.

– Do not go back into the pit that God has lifted you out of. Do not venture back into the prison that He freed you from. Do not bind yourself with chains that the LORD has already demolished. Be free. Live free. Fully and completely know the holy salvation and deliverance that God wants you to experience.

Pose Your Questions:

– Have I wholly known God’s omni nature? What can I do to better understand what that means?

– How does God show His faithfulness to me? How do I show my faithfulness to Him?

– Have I tried to “hide in the dark,” all while saying I live in the Light of the LORD? (Translation: Do I talk the talk and walk the walk of a true Christian disciple, or am I just making noise?)

– Do I shift between believing God and not believing God? In other words, do I change gears when it comes to trusting the LORD? If so, why, and what does that say about my heart toward Him?

– Do I live a life of complete surrender before the LORD? Do I allow myself to be free?

– What are the things that presently bind me, and what is keeping me from trusting the LORD with them?

Plan Obedience and Pin a Date:

1) This week, spend some time reading Psalm 107:20-32. In fact, read these verses daily. On each day, write down how the words in this section speak to your heart. Do not try to do the 5P approach necessarily. Allow the purity of your heart response to guide you, as you engage in a holy unveiling of your true feelings.

2) Pray without ceasing.

3) Write down the scripture memory verses at least once during the week. They are verses 28-30.

4) Proceed to Week 4, if you have a copy of Steadfast Love. Week 4 is entitled FOLLY.

5) Phone a couple of friends or family members, and remind them of who God is and who He can be in their lives.

6) Study the following lyrics by Lexi from her song In the Room:

“Completely
I’m unmistakably broken
Little bit here, little bit there
Pieces scattered everywhere
Hopeless, sick in the heart
Battered, bruised, scared to move, afraid of the dark
Out of nowhere You, You come into view
Darkness has to back up. What else could it do?

You are the, You are the light
And You’re never going out
Never never going out
Everything changes, when You’re in the room
Heart gets better, pieces come together
I can see forever
When You’re in the room

As I recall, chains fall
Praise comes breaking through
When You’re in the room my hands go up
And I think about where I’ve been
Cause every time I let You in, Lord it’s a win
So when You’re in the room, don’t leave
Cause I love Your company
Feels like heaven here with You
When You’re in the room…”

7) Share your thoughts and comments.

Steadfast Love: A Study of Psalm 107 by Lauren Chandler

Week 3 Memorable Quotes:

“Apart from Jesus, we are the walking dead. We look alive [,] but we are trudging through life, driven by primitive appetites. We want what we want when we want it…We are chained to the desire for false anchors and broken wells.”

“Just because some of us have accepted Jesus’ rescue doesn’t mean we don’t try to put those chains right back on.”

He [God] delights to shine light on our chains so that we may break free.”

When we are hurt, hooked, or hung up and trying our hardest to exert control, we are essentially believing that we are higher than God. Our hearts are exalting ourselves above Him.”

It is loving and merciful of God to put us in our place because we wreck it all.”

“Sometimes it takes rock bottom for us to finally look up for rescue.”

“For those who have not trusted Christ as their Savior, there is only darkness.

May God bless you on your spiritual journey.

#awaken

Let us study the Word of God. Let us grow in grace and knowledge. Let us be transformed by the love of the LORD.

STEADFAST AND UNMOVABLE – WEEK 4

A Phone Tree Bible Study – Assignment 4

POSITION YOURSELF: Psalm 107:7-13

PORE OVER AND PARAPHRASE THE MATERIAL: There is a way that seems right to a man, but the only true and righteous way is the path that leads to the LORD. The LORD will guide those who are willing to accept His instruction. Praise the LORD for His steadfast, unconditional love! Thank Him for His heart toward you. Appreciate Him for the many blessings He extends to you. Know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He alone satisfies and fills those who are longing. He alone brings His beautiful Light into the lives of His children. He is the God who saves. To those who rebel against His instruction and who reject His counsel, He will humble you. Even then, however, there is hope; He will answer when He is called.

PULL OUT THE SPIRITUAL POINTS: 

– The direction you should be traveling in should lead you to God. Any other path that is not headed toward Him is not the one you want to be on.

– A holy roadmap has been put into place to lead you to the LORD. Jesus is the way.

– Let no step be taken without praise for the LORD on your lips. As an act of worship, offer Him your pure praise.

– Understand that if there is a need or a longing inside of you, only God can address it in the way that it needs to be. He alone fills that void.

– Know that there is no place or condition that the LORD cannot handle. Grasp the fact that you are not unreachable. He sees you. He hears you. He can save you.

Be humble before the LORD.

POSE YOUR QUESTIONS:

– Where is my life headed?

– What do I presently do that let’s me know that I am moving toward God? What am I doing that let’s me know that I am headed away from God?

– Do I know how to “read” the holy roadmap? What am I doing to get a better understanding? Also, what are the “signposts” in the Bible saying, and where does Jesus fit into it?

– How has my worship and praise to God changed?

– Is something missing from my life? If so, what is it?

– Do I trust God to be my Deliverer?

– Am I willing to fall for God or to fall for the substitutes?

– Do I esteem God higher than I esteem myself?

– At what level is my faith? Is it low, high or completely gone?

PLAN OBEDIENCE AND PIN A DATE: 

1) Proceed to Psalm 107:14-19. Make your 5P notations on day 1 or 2, then reflect on those notations each day this week. (Spiritual Fitness Challenge: Consider referring to the following Bible translations, as you read and study your assigned Scriptures: The Message, The Passion Translation, and The Voice. Definitely, read your favorite translation, just as you normally would.)

2) Pray. Try to be even more specific and detailed, as you communicate with the LORD.

3) Write down your daily reflections. Consider how these particular verses relate to your life.

4) Continue the scripture memorization process. Spend some time digesting verses 14, 15, and 19.

5) If you have a copy of Steadfast Love, please continue on with Week Three, which is entitled CHAINS.

6) Share the Gospel. Let the people in your sphere of influence know about who the LORD is and how He offers salvation and deliverance to all.

7) Share your thoughts and comments.

– 

Steadfast Love: A Study of Psalm 107 by Lauren Chandler 

Week 2 Memorable Quotes:

“We all have our share of seasons in the desert.”

“Although David felt forgotten, nearly rejected, stricken, and oppressed, he remembered what would anchor him despite the desert.”

“There is a difference between complaining and lamenting…The complainer seeks comfort while the lamenter seeks the Comforter.”

“Seasons in the desert reveal our wells and anchors – the things in which we find sustenance and stability.”

“Our broken wells will become our prisons…Our false anchors will fail.”

“In His steadfast love, the Lord leads us into the desert, the wilderness, to free us from our faulty wells and anchors.”

“Seasons in the desert are often used by God to prepare us to bear fruit. He humbles us before the harvest so that we know it’s His power and glory, not ours.”

May God bless you on your spiritual journey. 

#awaken

Let us study the Word of God. Let us grow in grace and knowledge. Let us be transformed by the love of the LORD. 

STEADFAST AND UNMOVABLE – Week 3

A Phone Tree Bible Study – Assignment 3

Photo Credit: lacedwithgrace.com

POSITION YOURSELF: Psalm 107:1-6

PORE OVER AND PARAPHRASE THE MATERIAL: Let those who have breath praise the LORD! Shout out and proclaim all that the LORD has done. Passionately erupt with your praise for Him. Celebrate Him, and remember what He has brought you through and delivered you from. Believe that the LORD will rescue you every time. Know, without question, that He will save you. Call to Him. Express your gratitude and give thanks to the Savior for His deliverance.

PULL OUT THE SPIRITUAL POINTS:

– Not a day should go by without you connecting with God by way of your praise.

– Never forget how much the LORD loves you.

– Appreciate that God’s unending mercy, His ever present loving-kindness, and His unwavering faithfulness are bigger and greater than you can imagine. Know that He extends that and more to you.

– Understand that you do not have to be a spiritual nomad, wandering and lost. You don’t have to exist in a state of brokenness or hopelessness. Grasp the fact that the LORD is a Savior and a Deliverer.

– Don’t hold back your applause of praise. Tell everyone about the God who saves and about the God who saved you.

POSE YOUR QUESTIONS:

– Do I make attempts to connect with God on a daily basis?

– Are the praise and prayer renderings that I make to God the same day in and day out? If so, why?

– Has my relationship with the LORD become stale or comfortable?

– Has my approach to God become dry and irreverent?

– Do I go to the LORD with more I wants or with more thanksgiving?

– Do I feel worthy of receiving God’s love…and forgiveness?

– Do I try to apply earthly logic or worldly wisdom to God’s mercy and grace?

– Do I have a lack of understanding when it comes to God’s faithfulness? (Spiritual Fitness Challenge: Study the Scriptures to see examples of God’s faithfulness. Start with a review of Genesis in the Old Testament and proceed toward Acts in the New Testament.)

– Do I focus more so on the areas of my life that are going “wrong,” or do I focus more so on the God who does all things well?

– Do I dwell on past issues that God has previously delivered me from? If so, why do I revisit those things?

– Do I truly believe that God has saved me or that I can be saved?

– Is there anything or anyone that holds me back from praising God?

– When was the last time I publicly praised God or shared His message of salvation?

PLAN OBEDIENCE AND PIN A DATE:

1) Proceed to Psalm 107:7-13 and make your 5P notations.

2) Remember to pray before, during and after your study time.

3) Reflect on what you learn along the way.

4) Continue the scripture memorization process. Read, rehearse, and regurgitate verses 8, 9, and 13.

5) If you have a copy of Steadfast Love, please continue on with Week Two. It is entitled THE DESERT.

6) Spread the Good News of the Gospel with someone.

7) Feel free to share your thoughts on what you have learned from Psalm 107:1-6. The comment section of this post is open.

Steadfast Love: A Study of Psalm 107 by Lauren Chandler

Week 1 Memorable Quotes:

“God is here, ready and waiting for us.”

“… if we’re breathing, we’re worshiping.”

“In our broken worship, we tie our hope to false anchors…”

“… see, cling to, and confide in the true Anchor – the God of steadfast love.”

“Do not be dismayed…he [Satan] has been defeated, and no matter the schemes he designs for you, the Lord can turn it for your good.”

May God bless you on your spiritual journey.

#awaken

Let us study the Word of God. Let us grow in grace and knowledge. Let us be transformed by the love of the LORD.

Find this Bible study and others at Lifeway.com.