SECRET
TREASURES
From
PSALMS
Using Psalms 1-24 as a map to the treasure of Gods heart
toward you and as a key to unlock insight and daily application
of concepts that affect your life and community
RACHEL RYAN
Copyright 2022 Rachel Ryan.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
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Scripture taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used with permission.
Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version NIV Copyright 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7091-6 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7092-3 (e)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022912074
WestBow Press rev. date: 9/27/2022
I am the wife of a hardworking and faithful man and mother of two wonderful children. I earned my bachelors in psychology, and I have been a high school teacher for over 15 years teaching reading, government, economics, and psychology. I was the overseer of Sunday school at my former church, which is a satellite campus from the church I was raised in and attended for over 15 years. I accepted Jesus into my heart when I was a young child in a chapel service at the Christian school I attended. I was baptized shortly after. I remember that I was so short the pastor had to lift me up for the congregation to see me. Though I have made plenty of mistakes in my lifetime, I have never strayed from my faith in God, and He has proven Himself faithful over and over again.
I am not a formally trained biblical scholar, so I had to do much research throughout this endeavor. I prayed throughout each step of the process and believe that the Holy Spirit has led me in writing this brief study of Psalms. My thoughts and the concepts highlighted are not revolutionary, nor are they the only interpretation of the verses discussed. However, I feel that they are extremely important and applicable to our daily lives and what we see going on in the world around us today.
I am so happy you have decided to join me on this journey through Psalms 1-24. There are so many jewels to be unearthed as we travel through joy and heartache, distress and victory with David. What he learns through his experience is what we are supposed to learn as well. He teaches us who God really is and how we are supposed to respond to Him. He shows us how to live and how not to live and the consequences of our choices. He teaches us how to have a closer, more genuine relationship with God, and how to rely on God as our source.
This study can be used in several ways: as a personal Bible study or daily devotion, as a foundation for Sunday school lessons and discussion, or as a weekly or monthly small group Bible study. One of the unique features of this study includes having the full text of scriptures being discussed right there on the page to make referencing and rereading it faster and easier. I rely on the Amplified version because of the built-in word studies and explanations. I love the depth these features bring to the Word, which is alive and multi-faceted like a diamond.
I encourage you to read through the Psalm being discussed first, and then re-read the verses as they are discussed. There is also an opportunity to read them again throughout the week in the daily topic based mini study. You will have read each of these Psalms three times by the end of your study if you follow this format. Some other features are the side notes, which give some interesting facts and websites to visit, and at the end of each chapter is a prayer based on verses from the Psalm being studied. Finally, there are additional verses and questions after the initial study of the chapter to explore concepts from that chapter and allow for your personal response or group discussion.
May God bless you and speak to you no matter how you choose to use this book. May you grow in your love and trust of God and be strengthened by His Word.
Week 1 Day 1: Psa lm 1
Blessed (happy, fortunate , prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] ga ther.
But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by n ight.
And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to matu rity].
Not so the wicked [those disobedient and living without God are not so]. But they are like the chaff [worthless, dead, without substance] which the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked [those disobedient and living without God] shall not stand [justified] in the judgment, nor [ b ] sinners in the congregation of the righteous [those who are upright and in right standing with God].
For the Lord knows and is fully acquainted with the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly [those living outside Gods will] shall perish (end in ruin and come to na ught).
Side Note: Drugabuse.gov and guttmacher.org
Nine percent of 8 th graders, 23.5 percent of 10 th graders, and 37.4 percent of 12 th graders reported use of alcohol.
Use of illicit drugs for all grades combined was 27.2 percent in 2014 and has risen to 47% in recent years.
The reported use of marijuana among 8 th graders was at 6.5 percent, among 10 th graders at 16.6 percent, and among 12 th graders at 21.2 percent.
16% of teens have had sex by age 15, compared with one-third of those aged 16, nearly half (48%) of those aged 17, 61% of 18-year-olds and 71% of 19-year-olds.
Prayer: Father, help me to truly know how blessed I am. I pray that I will dive into your Holy Word so that my roots will grow deep and strong. Be my living water, God, my source of life every moment of every day. I want to be in right standing with you, and I want my life to draw others to you. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
How have you been blessed? Count your blessings here as a reminder of Gods faithful ness:
List people you want to come to Christ and pray for them to be drawn to Him by the love and power of the Holy Spirit. Pray He will give you the right words at the right time to be a light to them:
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