My Word: Debt
Verse: Romans 13:8 "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law."
Study: The words "continuing debt (of love) hit me the most--continuing meaning goes on and on, like a bill on "auto pay" for the rest of our life. However, the word "love" used here is the agape type of love-deep, unselfish love. This meant to me that this is the type of debt that isn't necessarily easy to repay. After all, it's easy to continually love someone we feel brotherly love towards--but this kind will take some tapping into other resources.
Application: To choose to pay this continuing debt (of love), we must draw on our "saving" for this kind of love--saving by Christ & the resource of the Holy Spirit.
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my word was source which was not in the concordance, so i switched to beginning which is part of its definition. Prov 17:14 the beginning of strife is like letting out water; so abandon the quarrel before it breaks out. well lets just say, i have some "studying" to do!
ReplyDeleteI thought bills/checkbook was very appropriate for our economic times we are all going thru... I had many words to choose from, but I went with the word was hardship. Acts 14:22 "strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said.
ReplyDeleteI think the story of Paul & Barnabas was an eye opener. These men new the challenges they faced, yet that still believed they had a responsibility to get the word out of Christ to new believers. We all have our share of hardships in life, I believe its how we deal with them that gets us through. If we realize they are placed in our paths for Gods reasons we should be content. But this is not always easy to do I admit that myself. To apply this to my life I continue to pray for Gods grace & guidance in my finances and everyday life issues that God brings my way. We need to be committed to Christ in all our hardships we endure. As Christians we no longer belong to ourselves but to our Lord, for whom we are called to suffer.
Study: my picture word turned out to be 'account' as in 1 Corinthians 13:5, NAS ..."(Love) does not take into ACCOUNT a wrong suffered"...account in Greek meaning "to reckon inward, count up or weigh the reasons".
ReplyDeleteApplied: Just as it implies. To keep short accounts with our fellow believers.
Alicia Said:
ReplyDeleteWord: Balance (your checkbook)
Verse: Proverbs: 11:1 “The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight. “
Study: The immediate and most common interpretation would be to pay your debts or do not steal. After pondering the verse for a couple of days, I came up with a deeper meaning. When you think of balance you picture scales or even a yoke. God wants us to lead a balanced life so I envisioned myself on one side of the scale (or yoke) and God on the other. Without Him in your life, don’t you feel awkward and out of sync? When balancing your checkbook you see debits/credits and reflect how your money was spent. With God, you see the trials (debits) and blessings (credits) but reflect on how your life was spent knowing He was with you every step of the way. He is the Provider-financially, physically, spiritually and emotionally.
Application: To have “dishonest scales” is cheating your soul. By having “accurate weights” means your relationship with the Lord is in sync which delights Him. Start each day making sure your soul is in “Check” by spending time in the “Book” = checkbook. (I hope this is not too corny)
Mindi Ewell said:
ReplyDeleteWord: Worry
I had a flurry words come to mind when I initially saw the picture in our study. I prayed for some time, asking God for for guidance and wisdom to see what was truely affecting me. It was worry, that God has been revealed to me. When it comes to our finances, I tend to be a worry wort! The economic times have really affected my family and I. I see the stack of bills every day, growing, knowing that most of them will go unpaid or only a partially payed. I do my best to stay faithful, but I find at times it becomes overbearing. I get upset, start to freak out, and then I remember; I just have to let go and let Him. The verses that I chose are Matthew 6:25-33- "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, "what shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" for pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. It has described my worries perfectly. The verse I chose to recite when I see the bills or my checkbook is Mathew 6:33- Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. This week, when it comes to our finances, I trust that God will provide.
Dana S. said:
ReplyDeleteWord: Pay
Scripture: 2 Kings 4: 1-7
Study: In this passage, a widow came to Elisha. She had no money to pay her creditor, and he was coming to take her 2 sons as slaves to repay the debt. She only had 1 jar of oil. Elisha told her to borrow vessels from everywhere, as many as possible. Then go into her house with her sons, shut the door, and pour out the oil. The oil filled all the vessels until there were no more, then the oil ceased. She told Elisha, who said "Go, sell the oil and PAY your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest."
Meaning: Bring all your cares to God. He will provide for you, to the extent of your faith [number of vessels gathered]. He can provide not only for the immediate need, but even more than you asked for [they lived on the rest].
Janice said:
ReplyDeleteMy word was Balance.
Scripture was Job 31:6 Let me be wighed in a even balance, that God may know mine integrity.
I think Job was pleading his case that although his friends may accuse him, that he always walked with integrity and asking to be judged with an even balance.
my application: That no matter what people may say, we need to know that God is our ultimate Judge and not to stray to the left or right but stay on course with our eyes fixed on the Lord at all times, looking towards the finish line. Where am I at? Am I in balance, or straying off course?
Help me Lord to keep my eyes focused on You, Although I may get off balance at times, Help me to know your mercies our new every morning.