Governing Self - Bible Study Together

Jan 21
5 min read

black lady holding a white burning wood wick candle with a white shirt

Week 3

Hello, gorgeous! Did you see the sun today? It reminded me of your smile. Make sure you show it to someone before bed tonight. Sister I have been praying that wisdom flooded your week. Comment and tell us some wisdom you learned this week. We want to know. Let's pray.

Lord,

Thank you for the wisdom you provide. Sometimes we want to run from instruction not knowing that instruction is actually what protects us. God I'm so glad you care about us enough to add these boundaries for our protection. We love you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Read Proverbs 3 below.

v. 1-12 Trust God

My son, do not forget my teaching,

but let your heart keep my commandments,

² for length of days and years of life

and peace they will add to you.

³ Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;

bind them around your neck;

write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴ So you will find favor and good success¹

in the sight of God and man.

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding.

⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make straight your paths.

⁷ Be not wise in your own eyes;

fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

⁸ It will be healing to your flesh²

and refreshment³ to your bones.

⁹ Honor the Lord with your wealth

and with the firstfruits of all your produce;

¹⁰ then your barns will be filled with plenty,

and your vats will be bursting with wine.

¹¹ My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline

or be weary of his reproof,

¹² for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,

as a father the son in whom he delights.

How do we trust God?

We remember His truths
- Read God's Word
- Study God's Word
- Meditate on God's Word
Daily worship & honor
- Pause throughout your day to pray
- Participate in personal (alone) & corporate (with others) worship (via music, sermons, etc.)
- Honor God in your decisions
  Is God asking a lot of us in the scheme of how long we are here on earth, in light of eternity?
Avoid evil
- The only way to know the tactics of evil is to study it
- In order to study evil, you must be doused in light and truth, separated from evil
- Evil deceives spiritually, mentally, and physically it is difficult to see if you are still participating

v. 13-35 Finding Wisdom

¹³ Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,

and the one who gets understanding,

¹⁴ for the gain from her is better than gain from silver

and her profit better than gold.

¹⁵ She is more precious than jewels,

and nothing you desire can compare with her.

¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand;

in her left hand are riches and honor.

¹⁷ Her ways are ways of pleasantness,

and all her paths are peace.

¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;

those who hold her fast are called blessed.

¹⁹ The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;

by understanding he established the heavens;

²⁰ by his knowledge the deeps broke open,

and the clouds drop down the dew.

²¹ My son, do not lose sight of these—

keep sound wisdom and discretion,

²² and they will be life for your soul

and adornment for your neck.

²³ Then you will walk on your way securely,

and your foot will not stumble.

²⁴ If you lie down, you will not be afraid;

when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

²⁵ Do not be afraid of sudden terror

or of the ruin⁴ of the wicked, when it comes,

²⁶ for the Lord will be your confidence

and will keep your foot from being caught.

²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,⁵

when it is in your power to do it.

End Game of Wisdom

Peace in this valley we call life. You knowing the wisdom God shares for instructions on earth gives you peace that He has control of all in the best of times and the worst of times. That knowledge reaching down into your heart not just your head knowledge can tackle the harshest of anxiety you carry day today.
- Some people think the valley of the shadow of death mentioned in Psalm 23 is a season of life.
- After my time studying, I'm convinced our whole lives are the valley of the shadow of death. Death is only active here on earth. Christ defeated it even on earth for us for our coming resurrection. Until he returns all still must die. Death surrounds us but we look towards the horizon as the sun rises to be remembered God created this earth and he can destroy it. He loved you enough to give you life after death through his son Jesus Christ.
Priorities in order allows us to love each other better and be faithful to what we actually care about. In this Good News book where the rest of the world leaves us confused. God gives us insruction on how to interact in every type of circumstance. Use chatGPT now to show you an ESV/NIV/KJV selection of scripture pertaining to your struggle today. Now do it for a week and tell us below what you have discovered.

²⁸ ^sDo not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,

tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.

²⁹ Do not plan evil against your neighbor,

who dwells trustingly beside you.

³⁰ Do not contend with a man for no reason,

when he has done you no harm.

³¹ Do not envy a man of violence

and do not choose any of his ways,

³² for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord,

but the upright are in his confidence.

³³ The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,

but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.

³⁴ Toward the scorners he is scornful,

but to the humble he gives favor.⁶

³⁵ The wise will inherit honor,

but fools get⁷ disgrace.

Governing Self

We often forget we can tell ourselves what to do. We are not a slave to our emotions. I thought I was for years. I was always called overly emotional. God though give us emotions to help communicate things to ourselves. That does no mean we are to act on these emotions. The logic presented by the brain causes us to weigh our options and choose the best course of action. We are in charge of our final decision because He gave us that autonomy.
autonomy- the quality or state of being independent, free, and self-directing