A Jewel in His Crown Journal: Rediscovering Your Value as a Woman of Excellence
128A Jewel in His Crown Journal: Rediscovering Your Value as a Woman of Excellence
128eBookNew Edition (New Edition)
Related collections and offers
Overview
Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9781575675831 |
---|---|
Publisher: | Moody Publishers |
Publication date: | 02/01/2004 |
Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
Format: | eBook |
Pages: | 128 |
Sales rank: | 941,126 |
File size: | 342 KB |
About the Author
PRISCILLA SHIRER (Dallas Theological Seminary) is an internationally-recognized Bible teacher who focuses her ministry on the expository teaching of the Word of God to women. She desires to see women both understand the uncompromising truths of Scripture intellectually and experience them practically. Priscilla is the author of A Jewel in His Crown, And We Are Changed, He Speaks to Me, and Discerning the Voice of God. She is also an accomplished vocalist. Priscilla and her husband, Jerry, are the founders of Going Beyond Ministries and live in Dallas, Texas with their three sons.
Read an Excerpt
A Jewel in His Crown Journal
Rediscovering Your Value as a Woman of Excellence
By Priscilla Shirer
Moody Publishers
Copyright © 2004 Priscilla ShirerAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-57567-583-1
CHAPTER 1
Part 1
* * *
A Jewel in His Crown
Refer to chapter 1 in A Jewel in His Crown.
Gem of the Day
"She is a woman of excellence whose life's goal is to adorn the crown of her Master" ( p. 13).
1. Consider what you spend most of your time and energy focused on. Careful inspection of this reveals where your true interests lie. Based on how you spend your time, what is your primary life goal? Circle one or write in your own idea.
Beauty
Marriage
Educational
achievement
Successful career
Family
Glorifying God
Financial security Other________________
For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:13–14
Understanding God's Word
2. The psalmist says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Read the following passage and reflect on what you learn about your worth in God's eyes. "Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:29–31).
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
3. Consider one of the brightest jewels in the King's crown—Mary, the mother of Jesus. (Mary's story is recorded in Luke 1:26–38.) What trait or characteristic can you uncover about Mary from her response to the angel in Luke 1:38 that would explain why she may have been the one chosen to bear the Messiah? Do you have that same characteristic?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
"God looked down on the earth and saw many women who were potential mothers for Jesus, but after the search was complete, He chose Mary. She was a virtuous woman who loved and cherished both herself and her Lord enough to go through what was undoubtedly the most agonizing experience of her life" (p. 15).
4. Mary understood how precious she was to God; therefore she accepted His plans for her with great joy. Why is it easier to trust God and obey Him when we are confident that He loves and favors us?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God." Luke 1:30
5. God's favor = God's protection, God's sovereignty, God's blessings, God's anointing, and much more! Take some time to think about what God's Word says about your incredible worth. Start by meditating on Psalm 139:1–18. Write out a few of your favorite verses—either from Psalm 139 or elsewhere—in the space below. What do these Scriptures tell you about God's perception of your value?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Applying God's Truth
6. Think for a minute about a modern, real-life example of a woman of excellence (preferably someone you know personally). Describe her below. Then compare your own characteristics with those that make you admire this woman.
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
7. How would you want others (friends, family, coworkers) to describe you as an example of a woman of excellence?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
8. How comfortable are you with thinking of yourself as a precious, priceless jewel in the King's crown? Check one. Why?
[] very comfortable [] somewhat comfortable [] uncomfortable
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
9. Thinking of ourselves as royalty may take some getting used to! This is especially true when our background, past relationships, family, etc., may have given us conflicting messages. Make a list of people or situations that have influenced your perception of yourself. Compare those influences with what Scripture says about your worth to God.
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Recording Key Insights
10. What verses or INSIGHTS from today's study were particularly significant to you? Write them below and journal about what they mean to you.
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Taking Action
11. What will you do differently as a result of today's study?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Setting The Stone
Allow these verses to inspire your prayerful response to God today:
[] Psalm 103:11—That I will know his measureless love for me.
[] Jeremiah 1:5–10—That I will do what God has appointed me to do with confidence, knowing He loves me.
[] Luke 1:28—That I will recognize myself as God's favored one.
Journal notes
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
CHAPTER 2Part 2
* * *
Beauty from the Inside Out
Refer to chapter 1 in A Jewel in His Crown.
Gem of the Day
"We can't shine on the outside unless God's power is at work on the inside. No matter how much work we put into the outside, it will be worthless unless we are plugged into the true power source of our beauty. All the makeup in the world will not matter when the inside is a mess" ( p. 26).
1. Approximately how many minutes or hours per day do you spend beautifying or taking care of yourself physically? __________ Approximately how many minutes or hours per day do you spend beautifying or taking care of yourself spirit ually? __________ What does this simple comparison reveal about your priorities?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. 1 Peter 3:3–4
Understanding God's Word
"If you are royalty, you don't have to flaunt it—people will just know. They will know because of the air that you carry, not because of the stuff that you carry.... A diamond doesn't have to be flashy or flamboyant to be breathtakingly beautiful" ( p. 22).
2. Read 1 Peter 3:3–4. With what must you adorn your inner self in order to be precious in the sight of God? What are some practical ways you can do this?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
3. Read 1 Samuel 16:7 and Proverbs 31:30. In what ways do you depend on your ex -ternal appearance to find favor with others or with God?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
4. Let's look at the example of another virtuous woman, Hannah, in 1 Samuel 1:1–28. We have no record of Hannah's outward appearance. What insight can you glean from this passage about her heart?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Proverbs 31:30
"If Hannah had been outside of the will of God, she would not have experienced all the joy and blessing that God intended for her. If she had given birth to Samuel any earlier than at the intended time, it would have been the wrong time. God had a plan that exceeded Hannah's deepest desire. He was interested in what her son would do for the entire nation of Israel" (p. 17).
5. Reflect on how Hannah expressed her devotion to God's desires in 1 Samuel 1:10–11. What is the deepest desire of your heart right now? Try putting it into words below.
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
6. Have you shared this with the Lord? If so, how do you believe He has responded?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Applying God's Truth
7. We often worry about our circumstances, what's going on outside of us. God is more concerned with our character, what's happening inside us. As He did with Hannah, God uses our external circumstances to mold our character. How is God working on the person you are becoming as you wait for the fulfillment of your heart's deepest desires? How does this bring Him glory?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
8. What may be holding you back from letting Him have His way in your life? Prayerfully journal your confession and desire to repent regarding what God reveals to you.
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Recording Key Insights
9. What verses or INSIGHTS from today's study were particularly significant to you? Write them below and journal about what they mean to you.
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Taking Action
10. What will you do differently as a result of today's study?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Setting the Stone
Allow these verses to inspire your prayerful response to God today:
[] Psalm 19:14—That my heart's deepest desires will please God in all respects.
[] Matthew 23:26—That I will prioritize spiritual beauty above physical beauty.
[] Ephesians 3:20—That I will remember He is able to do more with me than I can imagine.
Journal notes
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
CHAPTER 3Part 3
* * *
Diamonds in the Rough
Refer to chapter 1 in A Jewel in His Crown.
Gem of the Day
"It is time for us to see ourselves as God Almighty sees us. Time to stop allowing others to dictate our value and worth. Time for us to take off the masks that disguise the truth about ourselves and to get real with God" (p. 27).
1. What masks do you wear that hide the real you from other people? From God?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
2. What one thing would you most like to change about yourself? Try to be realistic and choose something nonphysical and within your control (your temperament, your attitude, etc.). Why?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
3. At times you may try to hide the real you behind a mask, but God sees through that and desires to change you—and in other ways than you might choose. His desire is to conform you to the image of His Son. What do you think God would most like to change about you?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Understanding God's Word
4. Meditate on 1 Corinthians 13:4–8 by substituting "Jesus" for the word "love" (JESUS is patient, JESUS is kind and is not jealous, etc.). Write down what this tells you about Jesus' character.
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
5. In which of these areas do you most need to conform to Jesus' likeness? Mark the two or three that you struggle with most.
Impatience Rudeness
Meanness
Self-centeredness
Envy
Short-temperedness
Pride
Unforgiveness
6. Read Philippians 2:5–8 for more evidence of Jesus' character. Record examples of His specific actions and attitudes.
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
7. Realizing that the goal of our spiritual growth is to be more like Jesus, complete the following statements.
Conforming to the likeness of Jesus means I will ...
________________________________________________________________
Conforming to the likeness of Jesus means I will not ...
________________________________________________________________
8. Take some time to reflect on what God's Word says about how and why God wants to change us into the image of His Son, Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 3:18). Review Scriptures we've studied as well as any others you wish to include here.
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Applying God's Truth
9. If we want to be sparkling jewels in His crown, we must be willing to allow God to polish us. We need Him to constantly change our current disposition. This change means growth. Where would you put yourself on the following scale of spiritual growth?
________________________________________________________________
No desire to grow Some desire to grow Strong desire to grow
10. Describe how you have been growing spiritually in the following areas in the last six months.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18
Finances
________________________________________________________________
Relationships
________________________________________________________________
Studying God's Word
________________________________________________________________
Prayer
________________________________________________________________
Seeking Christian fellowship
________________________________________________________________
Serving others
________________________________________________________________
Other
11. Which of these areas would you like to target for spiritual growth in the next six months?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Recording Key Insights
12. What verses or INSIGHTS from today's study were particularly significant to you? Write them below and journal about what they mean to you.
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Taking Action
13. What will you do differently as a result of today's study?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
(Continues...)
Excerpted from A Jewel in His Crown Journal by Priscilla Shirer. Copyright © 2004 Priscilla Shirer. Excerpted by permission of Moody Publishers.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Note to You
Part 1: A Jewel in His Crown
Part 2: Beauty from the Inside Out
Part 3: Diamonds in the Rough
Part 4: Identifying Influences
Part 5: The Making of a Pearl
Part 6: Advancing to Royalty
Part 7: Potiential in Christ
Part 8: Just Another Pretty Face
Part 9: Mind over Matter
Part 10: First Love
Part 11: Lies We Believe
Part 12: Choose to Be Content
Part 13: Distractions, Distractions!
Part 14: Jewels in the Mud
Part 15: Get Moving
Part 16: Fighting to Win
Part 17: Healing from Heartbreak
Part 18: Learning to Wait
Part 19: Ah, Men!
Part 20: The Royal Treatment
Part 21: Nickels and Dimes
Part 22: A Perfect Match
Part 23: Supreme Sacrifice
Part 24: Faithful to the Finish
Part 25: Resetting the Stone
Part 26: Better than Before
Part 27: An Emerald Called Grace
Part 28: God Made a Way
Part 29: And So Much More
Part 30: Jewels for His Glory
What People are Saying About This
Priscilla Shirer herself is a crown jewel, mined from a family of precious gems. Reading her book is like a walk through Tiffany's as she uses her insights to draw the reader's attention to the various facets of a godly woman's character. My prayer is that God will use A Jewel in His Crown to help women embrace their primary aim of bringing glory to God through the uniqueness of who they are in Christ.-Anne Graham Lotz, Author and Speaker