Down Right Dirty.....
July Reading: Psalm 1-31 {Read a Psalm a day}
July Memory Chunk: Psalm 1:1-3
Prayer Requests go here.
New to SHINE? Go here.
"Blessed is the [woman] who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But [her]delight is in the law of the Lord, and on [her] law [she]meditates day and night." Psalm 1:1-2
The verse above is the beginning of our July Memory Chunk. I have inserted the feminine nouns and pronouns to give it a punch for us women.
When I break this verse down, I begin to clearly see the directive as it pertains to everyday life as a woman.
*Blessed is she who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.
Who am I seeking counsel from? Who am I sharing my inner thoughts and struggles with? Are they a safe place for me to share? Will they lead me down the right path? Will they lead me to the Word of the Lord, or will they lead me to the world's ways?
*Blessed is she who does not stand in the way of sinners.
Who am I hanging out with? Are these people positive role models and influences? Are the people that I hang out with doing things that I know to be sinful?
*Blessed is she who does not sit in the seat of mockers.
Do I confess to believe one thing, yet my actions and words prove otherwise? Would the world know that I am in love with Jesus if they just observed my actions and not my Sunday morning church attendance? If I didn't have the opportunity to ever open my mouth, would people know I was a Christian?
*But her delight is in the law of the Lord, and on her law she meditates day and night.
What am I spending my time doing? What kinds of things am I meditating on? What kinds of things am I showing the world means the most to me?
When we break it down, it seems a lot more applicable, doesn't it?
I don't know one soul who doesn't long to be blessed! Remember the verse starts out with, "Blessed is the woman..."
Much of who we are becoming has to do with who we are hanging out with.
If we truly want to be sharpened, encouraged, and spurred on, we must surround ourselves with sharp people. Life will wear you down if you try to do this life on your own.
"As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend." Proverbs 27:17
"He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." Proverbs 13:20
God created us for fellowship.
God created us for community.
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another -- and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:25)
We must make sure the people we are in fellowship with are encouraging us. We must make sure they are cheering us on to be our best and not dragging us down in the mud and slime.
We must make sure that WE are not the ones dragging others down in the mud and slime.
"Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone." Colossians 4:6
I have left conversations feeling stained. Y'all know what I mean? Kind of like a ketchup packet that exploded on your gorgeous new blouse.
My stomach will be in knots, and I leave the conversation feeling....dirty.
I had no intentions of the conversation going South, but somehow, in some way, it did.
When we talk about others in a bad way...
When we dish about the latest gossip in town....
When we share another's secrets that we swore would not leave our lips...
When we talk about things that we KNOW are none of our business...
When we speak accusations about someone or "stretch" the truth for "effect" when repeating a story...
We suddenly get dirty. Down right dirty.
Are you tired of getting dirty?
Me too.
How about we choose to be a blessing today with our words and actions?
Let's strive to be the kind of woman who:
Let's read the rest of that verse from above...
"[She] is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever [she] does prospers." Psalms 1:3
I want some of THAT.
How about you?
out of the mud,
jill
July Memory Chunk: Psalm 1:1-3
Prayer Requests go here.
New to SHINE? Go here.
"Blessed is the [woman] who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But [her]delight is in the law of the Lord, and on [her] law [she]meditates day and night." Psalm 1:1-2
The verse above is the beginning of our July Memory Chunk. I have inserted the feminine nouns and pronouns to give it a punch for us women.
When I break this verse down, I begin to clearly see the directive as it pertains to everyday life as a woman.
*Blessed is she who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.
Who am I seeking counsel from? Who am I sharing my inner thoughts and struggles with? Are they a safe place for me to share? Will they lead me down the right path? Will they lead me to the Word of the Lord, or will they lead me to the world's ways?
*Blessed is she who does not stand in the way of sinners.
Who am I hanging out with? Are these people positive role models and influences? Are the people that I hang out with doing things that I know to be sinful?
*Blessed is she who does not sit in the seat of mockers.
Do I confess to believe one thing, yet my actions and words prove otherwise? Would the world know that I am in love with Jesus if they just observed my actions and not my Sunday morning church attendance? If I didn't have the opportunity to ever open my mouth, would people know I was a Christian?
*But her delight is in the law of the Lord, and on her law she meditates day and night.
What am I spending my time doing? What kinds of things am I meditating on? What kinds of things am I showing the world means the most to me?
When we break it down, it seems a lot more applicable, doesn't it?
I don't know one soul who doesn't long to be blessed! Remember the verse starts out with, "Blessed is the woman..."
Much of who we are becoming has to do with who we are hanging out with.
If we truly want to be sharpened, encouraged, and spurred on, we must surround ourselves with sharp people. Life will wear you down if you try to do this life on your own.
"As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend." Proverbs 27:17
"He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." Proverbs 13:20
God created us for fellowship.
God created us for community.
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another -- and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:25)
We must make sure the people we are in fellowship with are encouraging us. We must make sure they are cheering us on to be our best and not dragging us down in the mud and slime.
We must make sure that WE are not the ones dragging others down in the mud and slime.
"Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone." Colossians 4:6
I have left conversations feeling stained. Y'all know what I mean? Kind of like a ketchup packet that exploded on your gorgeous new blouse.
My stomach will be in knots, and I leave the conversation feeling....dirty.
I had no intentions of the conversation going South, but somehow, in some way, it did.
When we talk about others in a bad way...
When we dish about the latest gossip in town....
When we share another's secrets that we swore would not leave our lips...
When we talk about things that we KNOW are none of our business...
When we speak accusations about someone or "stretch" the truth for "effect" when repeating a story...
We suddenly get dirty. Down right dirty.
Are you tired of getting dirty?
Me too.
How about we choose to be a blessing today with our words and actions?
Let's strive to be the kind of woman who:
- believes the best.
- forgives.
- doesn't gossip or slander.
- minds her own business.
- doesn't slander her man, or anyone else's man for that matter.
- tends to her own family business.
- sees the good.
- believes the good.
- turns the other cheek.
- is humble.
- looks to bless those around her.
- extends grace.
- strives for purity instead of perfection.
- surrounds herself with other women who desire the same.
Let's read the rest of that verse from above...
"[She] is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever [she] does prospers." Psalms 1:3
I want some of THAT.
How about you?
out of the mud,
jill
