tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49036222767221049042024-03-18T22:33:15.432-05:00Beer Lahai Roi(Well of the Living One who sees me)...
She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me." That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi... (Genesis 16:13-14a, NIV)
I believe the Bible is that well; this is a journey of exploration of that well and of living before the Living One who sees me.Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.comBlogger1179125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-47859143333937187562024-03-09T14:34:00.003-06:002024-03-09T14:50:41.951-06:00Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter - 1 Chronicles<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to<a href="Https://beerlhairoi.blogspot.com"> Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2xe8gVBc-8Ad8iwBEyfTieV2bW4hBSVSsidP083IzCwmf6rd-IGbQOV2XHVB0me79_31awY6Kz7XGnTnQ6ZssXiaFjMPCFkkf8Aj6jvyOdqrccgYaGe08UQQlSIlXh5kTiwrwIXHaV3ZylpitaMbaimEJPnJHoFnDtbB5B0Rhu0kGNY18LhcjCXF-IR1/s300/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="277" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2xe8gVBc-8Ad8iwBEyfTieV2bW4hBSVSsidP083IzCwmf6rd-IGbQOV2XHVB0me79_31awY6Kz7XGnTnQ6ZssXiaFjMPCFkkf8Aj6jvyOdqrccgYaGe08UQQlSIlXh5kTiwrwIXHaV3ZylpitaMbaimEJPnJHoFnDtbB5B0Rhu0kGNY18LhcjCXF-IR1/s1600/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><p>In any attempt to read the Bible straight through, it seems I sail right along until I hit 1 Chronicles.</p><p>I mean, basically the first 9 chapters are genealogies, which is pretty dry reading, but it also is a retelling of everything that was just read in the first 7 books of the Bible, albeit from a slightly different viewpoint. So suddenly, I bog down, lol. It takes some pushing to get through the Chronicles.</p><p>I suddenly remembered that repetition about halfway through 1 Kings as I was working my way along looking at 'Heart/Hearts', and I wondered if I should have been also looking at the parallel passages in 1st and 2nd Chronicles as I went through the history of the United and Divided kingdom instead of just doing the books in order. Well, too late then.</p><p>So, here we are at 1 Chronicles, looking at the verses containing 'heart/hearts' and there's going to be some overlap of what we have already talked about. There are not many verses so I think I can make a coherent post of them all. Gonna give it a go, anyway.</p><p>First up...we have Michal's reaction to David's raucous celebration as the Ark of the Covenant is brought into Jerusalem</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">As the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart. </i> -- 1 Chron. 15:29 ('Heart' - Strong's <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3820/nasb95/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">H 3820 </a>, <i>Leb, </i>which we have seen used repeatedly), which is an almost exact quote of 2 Sam. 6:17. Michal lost whatever respect she had for David that day. She didn't understand his zeal for the Lord, and I honestly don't think she cared to. But she had been through a lot herself, which I talked about in <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com/2024/01/blogging-bible-study-heart-of-matter-2.html" target="_blank">the post from 2 Samuel</a> that mentioned this event. Her trauma may have influenced her actions and opinions. Michal had had very little say in what happened to her throughout her life...but ultimately her own choice to scorn her husband cost her whatever chance she had to have a significant place in history.</p><p>David wrote a psalm to commemorate the occasion, snippy wife aside; it's recorded in 1 Chron. 16: 8 - 36 and we see a reference to 'hearts' pretty quickly there-in:</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">"Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice." </i> -- 1 Chron. 16:10 ('Hearts' - Strong's H 3820 again) The whole psalm is full of praise and I encourage you to give it a read.</p><p>The other verses have to do with the transfer of power from David to Solomon, and the preparation David did for the building that Solomon was to do.</p><p><i>Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel. </i><b style="font-style: italic;">David said to Solomon, "I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God."</b> -- 1 Chron. 22:6-7. ('Heart' - <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3824/niv/wlc/0-1/">Strong's H 3824</a>, <i>Lebab</i>, which we have also seen repeatedly). But, David is told through the prophets that he has too much violence in his history and that his son Solomon would be the one to build the house. So David assembled the resources and the craftsmen, and instructed the leaders of the people to support Solomon in his building.</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">"Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God , so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD." </i>-- 1 Chron. 22:19 ('Heart' - Strong's H 3824 again).</p><p>That just struck me as I was typing it...I had kinda read it as 'set your heart and soul to building the temple' but that's not what it says. It says to set the heart and soul to <i>seeking God.</i> Because, apparently, seeking God will result in the leaders having the wisdom to build, the favor of the people, the ability, etc. to actually do the work. Don't start by building...start by seeking. THEN start building.</p><p>We read virtually the same account later in the book; David calls an assembly of all the officials of Israel.</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">King David rose to his feet and said: "Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it.</i> <i>But God said to me, 'You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood." </i> - 1 Chron. 28:2-3 ('Heart is Strong's H 3824 again).</p><p>David went on to relate that God had chosen Solomon to be king after him, and that Solomon would build the house for the Ark. He charged the Israelites to be careful to follow all the commands the Lord had given them. Then he turned to Solomon</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">"And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever."</i> -- 1 Chron. 28:9. ('Heart' is Strong's H 3820)</p><p>Whoa. Lookit that right there. 'The LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.'.</p><p>Read that again. And maybe again. We can fool others...we can even fool ourselves...but there's no fooling God. He knows EXACTLY what our motives truly are. "God knows my heart" is frequently a justification that someone will give to excuse behavior that may not exactly match up to the standard Jesus set for us...but the truth is, God DOES know the heart and he knows, better than that individual might, what's really going on. It's time for the people of God to be honest with ourselves and own our actions and attitudes that are based in self-deception. <br /></p><p>David concluded his transfer of the kingship to Solomon with a prayer, and he reiterates that point again in that prayer:</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">"I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. O LORD, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you." </i> -- 1 Chron. 29: 17-18 ('Heart/ Hearts - Strong's H 3824)</p><p>God tests the heart; integrity (no deception of others or one's self) pleases him. So David's prayer is that the people would always have hearts loyal to God. Because a heart that's loyal will be a heart that does the right things.</p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-37387428807804682142024-03-01T15:37:00.006-06:002024-03-02T13:46:12.801-06:00Blogging Bible Study - The Heart of the Matter : 2 Kings<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixnirnSrKO7RA4mCr5fOMVH1GzB-DSNiqXDbwOP0X3oLM0S-l9vgrIUrce18RbrGOffCQjp7eEH8VtRarvaD3FqEcni67M3G5TVZMvhHivaJ8B0646zxOTilc1T8rkHb3HG7q8JZWIvRPvzoiBiDZ-cmPrZ0rjqY7M7ezR37lVU-s1HDqB9StFvb0OgclR/s300/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="277" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixnirnSrKO7RA4mCr5fOMVH1GzB-DSNiqXDbwOP0X3oLM0S-l9vgrIUrce18RbrGOffCQjp7eEH8VtRarvaD3FqEcni67M3G5TVZMvhHivaJ8B0646zxOTilc1T8rkHb3HG7q8JZWIvRPvzoiBiDZ-cmPrZ0rjqY7M7ezR37lVU-s1HDqB9StFvb0OgclR/s1600/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><p>2 Kings has really only a few mentions of heart/ hearts so we'll look at all of them today...</p><p>The first mention isn't until chapter 9, so there's a fair amount of action that happens before we get to it. But in chapter 9, Jehu was anointed to be king over the northern tribes, and he consequently took it upon himself to complete the prophesied destruction of the house of Ahab. Ahab had died, his son Ahaziah had died, so Ahaziah's brother Joram was now king over the northern kingdom. Jehu took a chariot to where Joram was, arriving at the same time as Jehoshaphat's grandson Ahaziah (yeah, I double checked. Same name), who had succeeded his father Jehoram as king over the southern tribes and was technically Joram's nephew, as his mother Athaliah was Joram's sister. Jehu rode right up to the other two; it just so happened that they met at the field of Naboth...which Jezebel had obtained for Ahab by having Naboth killed on false accusations several years earlier. </p><p><i>When Joram saw Jehu he asked, "Have you come in peace, Jehu?"</i></p><p><i>"How can there be peace," Jehu replied, "as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?" </i></p><p><i>Joram turned about and fled, calling out to Ahaziah, "Treachery, Ahaziah!" </i><b style="font-style: italic;">Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart, and he slumped down in his chariot.</b> - 2 Kings 9:22 -24 (Heart: <i>Leb</i> <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3820/kjv/wlc/0-1/">Strong's H 3820</a>, which we have seen often. In this case...the physical organ).<br /></p><p>Jehu had Joram thrown on the field of Naboth, fulfilling a prophecy that the blood debt of Naboth would be paid on that very plot of ground. Jehu also killed Ahaziah, Joram's kinsman and ally, which touched off a blood bath in Jerusalem instigated by Ahaziah's mother, but that story doesn't involve the word heart/hearts so...another time.</p><p>So Jehu obliterated the house of Ahab and became king over Israel. God was pleased with what he had done and promised him that his descendants would rule over Israel for 4 generations.</p><p><b style="font-style: italic;">Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the low of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart.</b><i> </i><b style="font-style: italic;">He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he caused Israel to commit. </b> -- 2 Kings 10:31 (Heart: <i>Lebab, </i><a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/2ki/10/1/t_conc_323031" target="_blank">Strong's H3824</a>, which we have also seen often.)</p><p>I believe that, if Jehu had torn down those altars that Jeroboam built, God would have kept his house in power in Israel. But...he didn't. So his dynasty was limited to 4 generations. Which, incidentally, was the longest time any one family line ruled in the Northern Kingdom. Treason, murder, and coups were the typical way of succession in Israel. It was a violent era. But Jehu's line ruled through his son Jehoahaz, grandson Jehoash, great-grandson Jeroboam II and great-great-grandson Zechariah...who was the 4th generation. None of the kings following Jehu served God, but God kept his promise to Jehu. Zechariah ruled for 6 months...and then was assassinated. Roughly 20 years later, after a series of coups and assassinations, the Assyrians attacked and defeated Israel, forcing the people into exile and bringing foreigners in to replace them.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the Southern Kingdom, the lineage of David continued unbroken, with a slight hiccup when Athalia seized power, but it was soon set to right and Joash was anointed king, returning rule to David's line, There were kings who served God, and kings who didn't, and kings who started well but got sideways. Hezekiah, who followed God, saw God deliver them from the same Assyrians who overran Israel. But neither Hezekiah's son nor his grandson were righteous, which led the people into deep error. Hezekiah's great-grandson, Josiah, however, had a heart for God and, in restoring the Temple, found the Book of the Law. He had the book read and was alarmed at what he heard, for the people had not kept that law. Huldah the prophetess, however, had a word from God; Josiah's heart had been seen.</p><p><i>"Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard. </i><b style="font-style: italic;">'Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people, that they would become accursed and laid waste, and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD.' " </b> 2 Kings 22:18-19 (Heart is H3824 again)</p><p>Huldah assured Josiah that the calamity spoken about would not happen in his lifetime. Josiah looked to inspire the people to forsake their false gods and had the Book of the Law read to them.</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD -- to follow the LORD and to keep his commandments, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.</i> -- 2 Kings 23:3 (Heart here is H 3820...the center of the will)</p><p>After that, revival swept through the land; Josiah and the people tore down all the altars in the high places; Josiah even destroyed and defiled the altars that Jeroboam had built at Bethel, which fulfilled a prophecy made at the time it was built. After the land was cleansed, they observed Passover.</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did -- with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.</i> -- 2 Kings 23:25 (Heart: H 3824)</p><p>However, for all that the people jumped on Josiah's bandwagon and followed him in tearing things down, it seems there was no genuine repentance happening; nowhere do we read of the people mourning as Josiah had done when the Law was read to them. It inspired them to get religious and zealous, but not repentant. God did not relent on the consequences of the idolatry, which they resumed immediately when Josiah died; perhaps even because Josiah died. Three of Josiah's sons and one of his grandsons ruled over a period of about 22-23 years, but none of them actually served God or even listened seriously to the prophets. Mattaniah, whom the Babylonians renamed Zedekiah, rebelled against Babylon and in the ensuing battle and siege the Babylonians defeated him and Judah utterly, and Judah went into captivity.</p><p>We will be revisiting this story again at least two more times, but what struck me today was the incredible religious zeal of the people in Josiah's revival. Things actually changed for a bit; which is a sign of a real move of God BUT...there was no repentance accompanying it, so the moment things didn't go as the people expected (IE, Josiah died in battle) they completely abandoned their law-following practices and went back to what they'd been doing all along.</p><p>Because while their actions matched the king's, their hearts...did not. </p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-86071158666766877262024-02-23T21:48:00.002-06:002024-02-23T22:25:33.001-06:00Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter - 1 Kings Part 3, Solomon's Error and the Kingdom Split<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPloB9JEQg0lTkiq5DUjfWkDo_HxKcZvqpPyajBHiaq1ghRqC1Fl8hXITp3PAlvaBa5B1izSgtn3mGs8or-vi1IKnSUFAEbCMNN32u1gWbN0zLd5whnXHFDnME3ZxzxA0kX2GmLfk_6fU_CLznXMemeWtxKRj7cossLhYcpP4cBQOgYUA1QXtDTq2bC5HS/s300/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="277" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPloB9JEQg0lTkiq5DUjfWkDo_HxKcZvqpPyajBHiaq1ghRqC1Fl8hXITp3PAlvaBa5B1izSgtn3mGs8or-vi1IKnSUFAEbCMNN32u1gWbN0zLd5whnXHFDnME3ZxzxA0kX2GmLfk_6fU_CLznXMemeWtxKRj7cossLhYcpP4cBQOgYUA1QXtDTq2bC5HS/s1600/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" width="277" /></a></div>After the glorious descriptions of life in Israel under King Solomon in 1 Kings 10...1 Kings 11 begins with a very ominous observation.<p></p><p><i>King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh's daughter -- Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. </i><b style="font-style: italic;">They were from nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, "You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods." Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love.</b><i> He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. </i><b style="font-style: italic;">As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. </b>- 1 Kings 11:1 - 4.</p><p>Now, the truth is that in that time and place it was not unusual for one king or ruler to give a daughter to another king to marry...read, add to his harem...as a sign of a treaty or alliance. However, Solomon allowed that to become extreme. I have always found it incredible that someone with so much wisdom could do something so...stupid...as to go so blatantly against the instructions God gave in more than one place and in more than one way. But...his <i>heart </i>was led astray. ('Heart' here, and everywhere else it appears today with two exceptions, is <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3824/kjv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">Strong's H 3584, Lebab</a>) He did not follow God, who had supernaturally spoken with him twice, who had given him wealth and riches and fame and wisdom for ruling, with his whole heart. </p><p>I have always thought that Solomon, after years of living with all those blessings and wisdom, kind of forgot where it came from. We will get to the book of Ecclesiastes down the road a bit and see how Solomon's mind was working in his later years, but he had asked for wisdom to govern the people and God gave it to him. And so, in my humble opinion, Solomon didn't really need God; he could run the country on his own.</p><p>So he did. And he, in his human wisdom, completely forgot the basic instructions God had given them regarding living in that land. David, in all his screw ups, never forgot that God was the one who gave victory and who guarded the land and led his people. Solomon started doing what made sense to him. And it cost him.</p><p><i><b>The LORD became very angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.</b> Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD's command. </i> -- 1 Kings 11: 9-10.</p><p>You can read the story in 1 Kings 11...God told Solomon he would take the bulk of the kingdom away from him, but, for the sake of David, would leave a remnant following the house of David. Jeroboam, son of Nebat, from the half tribe of Ephraim, was told by the prophet Abijah that God would give him ten of the tribes of Israel and make him king, since Solomon had turned after other gods:</p><p><i>"I will take the kingdom from his son's hands and give you ten tribes. I will give one tribe to his son so that David my servant may have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put my Name. </i><b style="font-style: italic;">However, as for you, I will take you, and you will rule over all that your heart desires; you will be king over Israel."</b> -- 1 Kings 11:35-37 (Heart: Strong's <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5315/kjv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">H5315, Nepes</a>...which, interestingly enough, is not translated as 'heart' in other translations. For instance, NASB skips it altogether, just rendering 'whatever you desire'; KJV translates it as 'that thy soul desireth'. Interestingly, this word also carries the connotation of appetite.)</p><p>Sure enough, after Solomon died, his son Rehoboam acted arrogantly towards the people and ten tribes rebelled. There was war and Jeroboam became king of the rebelling tribes. And he, despite the promises and warnings and even seeing the consequences playing out right in front of him with Solomon and Rehoboam, immediately built an alter in Bethel and shrines in high places so his people would NOT go down to Jerusalem to worship God, lest they get the idea that they needed to reunite with the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin. </p><p>Jeroboam was told, through the prophet Ahijah, </p><p><i>"<b>I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, but you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commands and followed me with all his heart, doing only what was right in my eyes. </b>You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made for yourself other gods, idols made of metal; you have provoked me to anger and thrust be behind your back." - 1 Kings 14:8 - 9</i></p><p>After Jeroboam died, he was succeeded by his son Nadab, who was assassinated after just 2 years by Baasha, of the tribe of Issachar. Baasha's first action was to slaughter the entire family belonging to Jeroboam (1 Kings 15:29) and the dynasty that could have been was completely annihilated. </p><p>Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, Rehoboam died and was succeeded by his son, Abijah.</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">He committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully committed to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been. </i> (1 Kings 15:3)</p><p>Abijah only reigned 3 years, and then he died, and he was succeeded by his son, Asa. Asa was king for 41 yeas, so he must have been pretty young when he took the throne. Asa, however, was different than his dad and granddad:</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">Although he did not remove the high places, Asa's heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life.</i> -- 1 Kings 15:14</p><p> In the Northern Kingdom of Israel, Baasha died and his son Elah succeeded him, and was assassinated after two years by Zimri, one of his captains. Zimri's tribe is not mentioned, but he reigned exactly long enough to slaughter the entire family of Baasha...one week. The army, led by Omri, laid seige to the city so Zimri set the palace on fire and died there. A brief power struggle ensued between Omri and Tibni, but Tibni died and Omri emerged as king, ultimately moving the capital to Samaria. After twelve years, Omri died and was succeeded by his son Ahab...who was married to Jezebel, and had a run-in with a prophet named Elijah, who said it would not rain again until he said so.</p><p>Ultimately, the drought lasted three years and culminated with a showdown between the priests of Baal and Elijah on Mount Carmel. The sacrifice to Baal drew nothing but flies all day, despite the frenzy of the priests, then Elijah stepped up, building the altar, arranging the butchered bull, and, unbelievably, pouring twelve large jars of precious water over the sacrifice and the altar and filling a trench he'd dug around it.</p><p><i>"At the time of the sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "Oh LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. </i><b style="font-style: italic;">Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again." </b>-- 1 Kings 18:37 ('Heart' is Strong's <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3820/kjv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">H 3820, Leb</a>, a form of H3824, above)</p><p>The fire fell, the people worshiped God and then slaughtered the pagan priests. Elijah prayed for rain, sent word to Ahab that a deluge was coming, and ran all the way back to Jezreel, beating Ahab, who presumably got bogged down in the mud.</p><p>We have more history recorded in 1 Kings, but that's the last mention of 'heart/ hearts'.</p><p>And it's interesting...the heart is the key. A committed heart...mostly does the right things. A heart that isn't fully committed...does the wrong things.</p><p>I imagine we will see this on repeat as we go through the rest of the History books...</p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-43274634501225068042024-02-14T10:19:00.003-06:002024-03-18T22:32:42.345-05:00Hodge Podge for Valentine's Day<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi.</a></i></p><p>It happens, from time to time, when I read the questions for the weekly Hodge-podge meme...one jumps out and grabs me and insists on being answered.</p><p>Can you guess which one it was this week? LOL</p><p>Click the box to find all the folks participating in this week's exploration of Love...we're all answering the same questions...</p><div class="from-this-side-of-the-pond-button" style="margin: 0px auto; width: 273px;"> <a href="http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com/2024/02/be-my-hodgepodge-valentine.html" rel="nofollow"> <img alt="From this Side of the Pond" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiXnHK9PPYen67DPK3sJwht0CB1vPJB1TMV5Dx08PvMCeLOvDjDhNrIu4bYXA_SQlL27nsAPG7wpjSE_Db8EAmM6rB2MmZkY-jCCTvgmnBrHVeBJQoL6wX0SGLGZsDCIQUExNUnUQyQ/s1600/hodgepodge-button.png" width="273" /> </a> </div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b><i>1. What does love mean to you? </i></b></p><p>Love is one of those weird ambiguous words. The Greeks have at least four different words for love...<i>eros, phileo, storge, agape...</i> each one with a different nuanced meaning. But English has one word - love - for the whole spectrum. We English speaking Americans love pizza, love chocolate, love our sports team, love our college, love the beach, love our cat (or dog), love our spouse, love our kids, love our parents, love our friends...the list goes on and on. But, since we're talking about the day honoring St. Valentine...who, according to one tradition, was put to death for breaking the law and performing marriage ceremonies in defiance of the ban intended to keep young men eligible for military service...I believe love is the binding that keeps people connected and working towards one another's good. It's not a feeling...it's an emotion beyond feeling that borders on compulsion. One <b>must</b> care for the beloved or break something in one's heart.</p><p><i><b>2. Is love blind?</b></i> </p><p>No. Infatuation is blind. Obsession is blind. Love sees all the flaws...and commits the heart anyway. Love recognizes the differences and finds ways to work with and around them. </p><p><b><i>3. How do you remember Valentine's Day as a kid? Do you have any special plans for the day this year? </i></b></p><p>I wrote a blog post <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com/2013/02/thoughts-on-day-of-chocolate-and-roses.html" target="_blank">years ago about my experiences with Valentine's day as a kid</a>...but Valentine's day falls on a Wednesday this year, and Wednesdays are Very Busy Days. Maybe a card and a bit of chocolate? Maybe? LOL<br /></p><p><b><i>4 Are you a fan of the movie genre known as 'rom-com'? What's your favorite (or one of your favorites)?</i></b></p><p>Generally speaking, I love a movie that makes me laugh. Some Rom Coms do...and some just seem kinda dumb. But you can't go wrong with a classic like <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069495/" target="_blank">What's Up, Doc?</a> I think that counts as a Rom-Com, lol, although I've seen it referred to as a 'Screwball Comedy'...</p><p><b><i>5. What's something you recently put your heart into? </i></b></p><p><a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com/2024/01/completed-challenge.html" target="_blank">The 30- Day Shred.</a> Which isn't what you think it is, lol. </p><p><b><i>6. Insert your own random thought here. </i></b></p><p>In general, I think Valentine's Day is WAYYYY over hyped. As a day to remind your beloved just how important s/he is to you...great. As a day to spend $$$$ on big-ticket gifts (a car? A big screen TV? Seriously???)...or as a rationalization for extorting diamonds or pearls or whatever from your sweetie...good grief no....<br /></p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-63611636074990698572024-02-12T22:06:00.005-06:002024-02-12T22:06:58.627-06:00Of Comfort and Sweet Memories<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><p>We've known it was coming for a long time. And yet...somehow, we had grace for still more years. </p><p> I remember their 50th anniversary; we didn't think we would gather like that again. But we did for the 60th. And the 70th. And even beyond that...most of the family was able to be on hand for the 75th wedding celebration last June. How amazing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0Vx1hJLsDE_I_Lw_nxWhKAbPCVdlP-AocGSjBTf4NygQED8yFop0KMKOVUdSkZZnNnMIexoeIViiWq3NTHhrmPTzwpwimOwe8rTHLsEkFUSN7Qa6pel4XnKG_gM3TRMKi8AqwNUV-LqOimcMD9EeXXAKY1uvoCOrQz572RkWwnX05yjbUi7Ha2fpQLsE/s1158/PXL_20230627_225110396.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1158" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0Vx1hJLsDE_I_Lw_nxWhKAbPCVdlP-AocGSjBTf4NygQED8yFop0KMKOVUdSkZZnNnMIexoeIViiWq3NTHhrmPTzwpwimOwe8rTHLsEkFUSN7Qa6pel4XnKG_gM3TRMKi8AqwNUV-LqOimcMD9EeXXAKY1uvoCOrQz572RkWwnX05yjbUi7Ha2fpQLsE/s320/PXL_20230627_225110396.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>But time marches on, and my Father-in-law fell back in October and couldn't get back up. He went in to rehab to try and rebuild his strength but he had problems with hemoglobin counts and other things and just couldn't get back on his feet. Christmas was a good day, but he began a serious decline right after. He spent about a week on hospice care and passed away on Jan. 21st at age 98; he would have been 99 in April.</p><p>With family coming in from Pennsylvania, California, Florida and Alabama, it took a minute to get everyone organized and travel plans made. My Sweet Babboo and I drove up to my folk's farm west of Indianapolis on Wednesday, picked up the Florida kids at the Indianapolis airport Thursday evening and drove up to Elkhart; The Artist and his wife arrived at the farm a couple of hours after we left and came to Elkhart on Friday, swinging by West Lafayette and picking up a cousin from Purdue on their way up. The Princess was on a work trip to Florida (She's a Disney travel agent, but was learning about Universal Studios), which she cut short, flying back home on Thursday and she and her hubby and the two wee boys made the entire drive up on Friday. By Friday evening, everyone was in town. Only one granddaughter, who was ill with the flu, was unable to attend; the memorial service was live-streamed so she could see it.</p><p>The memorial service was Saturday afternoon, in the 100 + year old Methodist church all the siblings grew up in.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0hWFhV-EjnpYCSmt8gE9-p6OUamWiHf3ECZwbKP9da6jJgLD9qPrsb5VGmOiqX2dU3fmRLDksTdj7cg9CBTo6LDXtmSaBM0HtzmGI7lWnapI_C1iLri5K0oGTwpur6f5y5yLwoIq05mBSpnBTO3uLGxQ9sLuvEKlf-La9j_fWXsfLSeawKgAeGMNsDfV/s2667/PXL_20240210_174514175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2667" data-original-width="2118" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0hWFhV-EjnpYCSmt8gE9-p6OUamWiHf3ECZwbKP9da6jJgLD9qPrsb5VGmOiqX2dU3fmRLDksTdj7cg9CBTo6LDXtmSaBM0HtzmGI7lWnapI_C1iLri5K0oGTwpur6f5y5yLwoIq05mBSpnBTO3uLGxQ9sLuvEKlf-La9j_fWXsfLSeawKgAeGMNsDfV/s320/PXL_20240210_174514175.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyyBz8ADIVs0gaOv5JzWDrv0MclVj5oLiiNxRBtcoPIGuylCAg1rTuUB_BLhJ_hBaJ6CYtuANyq_eTeGcxsSNsFCsJlBB8PbbxH8dy7feWrycA_0tFzuwrD7eCCfqliisrEefvCkUqGgafWLcMGnIlshhx7EdlvWkonsOpefNWzjTZ_DMdN-4xdtvei4TS/s2709/PXL_20240210_174505824.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2709" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyyBz8ADIVs0gaOv5JzWDrv0MclVj5oLiiNxRBtcoPIGuylCAg1rTuUB_BLhJ_hBaJ6CYtuANyq_eTeGcxsSNsFCsJlBB8PbbxH8dy7feWrycA_0tFzuwrD7eCCfqliisrEefvCkUqGgafWLcMGnIlshhx7EdlvWkonsOpefNWzjTZ_DMdN-4xdtvei4TS/s320/PXL_20240210_174505824.MP.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He was a member of the Greatest Generation...a Purple Heart/ Bronze Star WW 2 veteran. He taught chemistry for years at the local high school, and sang Barbershop, in both quartets and a chorus, and in the church choir, for decades; the memorial service was full of music. We sang his favorite hymns, and listened to recordings of his barbershop quartet and also of the family, including the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/lisarawlingswillis/posts/10214820445257698?notif_id=1530668502252075&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic"> special music we sang at church </a>for their 70th Anniversary (I confess to wiping a couple of tears at that point). But my Mother-in-law was insistent that this was not to be a 'sad affair'; she wanted us to sing and remember good things. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was surprised to see some folks I knew; it was good to see distant cousins and old friends we had not been able to contact for a while.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Memorial services are good for that.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My sister-in-law said it well, in a meal blessing on Friday: "We gather to comfort and encourage one another, and to honor the memory of our beloved Dad."</div><p></p><p>Yes.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7PzuyW7iTGBwxdb0wes4aFkZ3QX6Kz5XYLbk-khyNcxGlhLddcNCT5bBtJ5y7TGop1JvtwSI5ai_M66dasDorbBfK9OYqnTr8xvrDDLKub6UM7YioS-XunzUJcrVfZpBgrEe7BXzb5E403Nq1Xn-eqrDMg1nAYOZ2oBUypuB4epvdMXndOBVh_JpeaCfv/s4032/PXL_20240210_223341955.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7PzuyW7iTGBwxdb0wes4aFkZ3QX6Kz5XYLbk-khyNcxGlhLddcNCT5bBtJ5y7TGop1JvtwSI5ai_M66dasDorbBfK9OYqnTr8xvrDDLKub6UM7YioS-XunzUJcrVfZpBgrEe7BXzb5E403Nq1Xn-eqrDMg1nAYOZ2oBUypuB4epvdMXndOBVh_JpeaCfv/s320/PXL_20240210_223341955.MP.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><p></p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-39045575144192486152024-02-06T13:46:00.006-06:002024-02-06T14:57:24.833-06:00Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter - 1 Kings part 2; Solomon's Pinnacle<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-ZjvDTbueHYZGWasNx9DL-gDMWEZT4DsVXuZ0vmevHeICM3qHprimRtzKDQDevCpwajczebqb8FQMF_mgCZN9_QnWn7VbCzryCWSBmhyisHTgWJc4PV8CKyWvh4ajW7AE2TtTT_PXjDeRj9QpLIaeH7Yx6_F47Ru89LUuUlyhCywh90lge8sXVn2wPb9/s300/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="277" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-ZjvDTbueHYZGWasNx9DL-gDMWEZT4DsVXuZ0vmevHeICM3qHprimRtzKDQDevCpwajczebqb8FQMF_mgCZN9_QnWn7VbCzryCWSBmhyisHTgWJc4PV8CKyWvh4ajW7AE2TtTT_PXjDeRj9QpLIaeH7Yx6_F47Ru89LUuUlyhCywh90lge8sXVn2wPb9/s1600/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><p>Life is crazy, lol, and, well, likely over the next few weeks I'll be posting when I catch the chance. And I thought I'd go back to routine after Christmas ...hahahahaha.... Anyway, we're looking at the words 'Heart/ Hearts' through the Bible and we have reached 1 Kings.</p><p>The nation of Israel reached a peak of glory in the early years of Solomon that arguably has not been reached by any kingdom on earth since, allowing for the technology of the day. One of the first things he did was to build the temple for which his father had been collecting materials. It took seven years to complete, and chapter 8 records the consecration of the temple, in which Solomon stood before the people and made a short introductory speech, summarizing the events leading to that day, including David's heart for a house for God:</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">"My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. But the LORD said to my father David, 'Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart.' " </i>1 Kings 8:17-18; 'Heart' is<a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3824/niv/wlc/0-1/"> Strong's H 3824</a>, <i>lebab, </i> which we have seen repeatedly as we have gone along. </p><p>After Solomon's words to the people, he stood before the altar and prayed a prayer of praise, dedication, and supplication, in which he mentions 'heart/hearts' in his petition:</p><p><i>"When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, </i><b style="font-style: italic;">and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel -- each one aware of the afflictions of his own heart, and spreading out his hands towards this temple -- then hear from heaven, our dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of all men), so that they will fear you all the time they live in the land you gave our fathers." </b> -- 1 Kings 8:38-40; 'Heart/ hearts' is, again, Strong's H 3824.</p><p><i>"When they sin against you -- for there is no one who does not sin-- and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to his own land, far away or near; <b>and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their conquerors and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly'; and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name; </b>then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause." -- </i>1 Kings 8:46-49; 'Heart' in verse 47 is <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3820/niv/wlc/0-1/">Strong's H 3820,</a> <i>leb, </i>which we have also seen used repeatedly, but 'Heart' in verse 48 is H 3824 again. I think I have mentioned it before, but 3820 is actually a variant form of 3824, according to the Etymology listed in the link. The usage and definitions are very, very similar; I simply am not educated enough to see what must be a fine line of distinction between them.</p><p>After Solomon's prayer, there were sacrifices and celebrations for a full two weeks. Then</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">On the following day he </i>[Solomon]<i style="font-weight: bold;"> sent the people away. They blessed the king and then went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good things the LORD had done for his servant David and his people Israel. </i>-- 1 Kings 8:66; 'heart' is H 3820 again.</p><p>After the temple was completed and dedicated, God appeared to Solomon again, as he had at Gibeon (i.e., in a dream - see 1 Kings 3:5) and renewed the covenant. </p><p><i><b>The LORD said to him: "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and heart will always be there. As for you, if you walk before me integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, </b>I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, 'You shall never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.' " </i>-- 1 Kings 9:3-5 - God's heart, in verse 3, is H 3820; Solomon's heart, in verse 4, is H 3824. Again, same word, slightly different form.</p><p>The splendor of Solomon's court and the building program he initiated, the income he had, the reputation of his wisdom all spread to cause an African queen to undertake a visit to see for herself if what she had heard was true; she exclaimed that she hadn't heard even half of the truth. </p><p><i>King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. </i><b style="font-style: italic;">The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.</b> -- 1 Kings 10: 23-24; 'Heart' is H 3820.</p><p>Over and over again we see 'heart' referring to the seat of feeling, emotion, thought, understanding. It is the place of pure devotion...or twisted ambition. When the heart has been dedicated to following God, his deliverance and blessing follow. If it is turned away from God...to anything else...not so good things follow. But God sees the heart. He knows what's REALLY there. We might be able to fool other people, we may even deceive ourselves, but God <i>sees the truth. The REAL truth.</i> A heart that messes up and repents is always accepted. </p><p>A heart that is determined to serve oneself...well, that's the next installment.</p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-61224718801312116012024-01-31T23:58:00.001-06:002024-01-31T23:58:50.445-06:00Completed the challenge....<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beellahairoi.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFldIrwHdc56co2N3FzNim_r58YnNdPfaVmZ9reV5fRVKFnLIOfShtkU9T-7i8lhJnleHffIflFuEfwaRICbaLg7kPrj4CW_bmzPHw9mz6CV6-jpIm6IYx5uRyYaWtkb6zo1Z6qi15HXsr3PRD0ZjI24n5Tr8dfdkbzlRjocksK8bi3EAEM5j3KLsaf4WB/s2048/IMG_8497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFldIrwHdc56co2N3FzNim_r58YnNdPfaVmZ9reV5fRVKFnLIOfShtkU9T-7i8lhJnleHffIflFuEfwaRICbaLg7kPrj4CW_bmzPHw9mz6CV6-jpIm6IYx5uRyYaWtkb6zo1Z6qi15HXsr3PRD0ZjI24n5Tr8dfdkbzlRjocksK8bi3EAEM5j3KLsaf4WB/s320/IMG_8497.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>The last two years, our youth pastor has kind of low-key challenged the kids to start off the year by doing the <a href="https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/13745-30-day-shred">30-Day Shred</a>. No, it's not a diet plan...it's a plan to read the ENTIRE BIBLE in 30 days.</p><p>This year, I happened to remember that on January 1. So I decided I'd give it a go and downloaded the guide. And I also gave myself a slightly different goal...read the entire Bible in January, which gave me an extra day, lol.</p><p>We had a major conference at church in the middle of the month, too, so that kind of blocked out 3 whole days. And when you're reading 42 chapters a day, missing several days like that throws a real wrench in the works. </p><p>Fortunately, one of my talents is that I am a fast reader, so I had that going for me. And I started off by doing 50 chapters a day instead of 42, just to get a bit of a running start to carry me through the conference days.</p><p>Then I got involved in a sewing project and completely missed reading the day before the conference. Never even thought of it. So I was a bit behind, despite having read extra earlier, when the conference actually started.</p><p>I was reading mostly from my NIV 84 study Bible; it's very familiar, which made it easy to push my reading pace; I was mostly reading words I can almost quote.</p><p>But I did have some doctors appointments this month, so whilst I was waiting at the Dr I opened up the Blue Letter Bible app on my phone and read from the NLT, just to see how that translation went. I was in Ezekiel for part of that reading...and the NLT puts the measurements in feet and inches instead of cubits, which I really appreciated.</p><p>Finished Revelation 22 about an hour ago.</p><p>It was an interesting exercise. The idea is to just get the 50,000 foot view, not to do in-depth study. I kept wanting to stop and dig and...couldn't. Nope. Keep reading.</p><p>I was surprised at the relentless bombardment of judgement in the prophets as I read through. It has never really struck me that way before, studying through them at a slower pace. But pushing through 60 chapters or more a day (I was trying to catch up after the conference) it really hammered in. I would get mixed up...was the particular judgement against Israel or Judah? Or was it Egypt, Syria, Damascus, Edom, Babylon....? There was the occasional relief of 'I will preserve a remnant' and 'I will give you a heart of flesh instead of your heart of stone' type verses, but mostly what I saw is...God is serious about consequences. </p><p>Part of me thinks it would be easier for someone who is well acquainted with the scripture to finish, since that person would be covering familiar territory, but, on the other hand, speed reading through the Bible in a month does kinda take the intimidation factor out of it. </p><p>And I think I want to get a NLT to read and compare, lol. A new Bible to ponder and <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com/2008/04/mark-it-up.html">mark up</a> always peels back layers of assumptions, especially if it's a translation I haven't read much.</p><p>I don't know if I will do it again next year. Right now...I kinda think it's a one and done. I prefer a slower pace, as y'all know from the slow plodding study of 'heart/hearts', lol.</p><p>But it was a good challenge and I'm glad I did it.</p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-73599200403840434812024-01-26T20:15:00.007-06:002024-01-28T23:01:56.213-06:00Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of The Matter -- 1 Kings Part 1, Solomon comes to power<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="Https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0q8jPAAzil6Kc-UXsa8CxtNqK2vL7q495FkOvGRBMFPvp1QSAcQhyphenhyphen5jFsNlCxbvfpeWKq2pyLO3WOh8Nnj1SkKvdwmhlJHlyNxAnbo07v4z9gkXlYAipm_5wDkD6c2pnvgZn14MuQPwdJzuK9vvnALwvR8EcbjveYn8k79CMXqrZYazQfK3fMeSg3zJhe/s300/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="277" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0q8jPAAzil6Kc-UXsa8CxtNqK2vL7q495FkOvGRBMFPvp1QSAcQhyphenhyphen5jFsNlCxbvfpeWKq2pyLO3WOh8Nnj1SkKvdwmhlJHlyNxAnbo07v4z9gkXlYAipm_5wDkD6c2pnvgZn14MuQPwdJzuK9vvnALwvR8EcbjveYn8k79CMXqrZYazQfK3fMeSg3zJhe/s1600/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><p>Looks like we'll do 1 Kings in 4 chunks; the narrative is long and the pieces don't really mesh with each other. I could put the 1st two weeks together, but there are a lot of verses in part 2 so in the interest of tying to keep from writing all night, lol, I'll just keep this bit to the verses dealing with Solomon becoming king. </p><p>David had apparently made his intentions to pass the throne to Solomon known to at least a few folks (Nathan, Bathsheba), but his oldest living son, Adonijah, had his eye on the throne himself. Furthermore, he had the support of Joab and Abiathar, the priest. I suspect Joab figured he had a better chance of retaining his power with Adonijah...in any case, once again, he believed he knew better than David. I have no guess as to why Abiathar, whose support saved David when Absalom revolted, decided to ally with Adonijah. Anyway, there was a feast with sacrifices and dignitaries, all with the intention of proclaiming Adonijah king before David could abdicate in favor of Solomon. David, however, got word and beat them to the punch, publicly passing the crown to Solomon with a grand celebration before all the people. They raised such a sound that the would-be usurpers heard the celebration. THAT party came to a screeching halt when Abiathar's son, Jonathan (who had warned David to cross the Jordan before dawn when he was fleeing Absalom) told the people at Adonijah's event what had happened down in the city. Adonijah famously ran to the altar and grabbed the horns and begged for his life...which he was granted, so long as he behaved himself.</p><p>All of that is important as it plays into what Solomon did after David's death to consolidate his power. And all of it was according to David's directions.</p><p>But first, David instructs him to be strong and follow God:</p><p><i>"and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go, </i><b style="font-style: italic;">and that the LORD may keep his promise to me: 'If you descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.' " </b>-- 1 Kings 2:3-4 (Heart: one we have seen several times before, <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3824/niv/wlc/0-1/">Strong's H 3824</a>)</p><p>Then, David proceeded to give him instructions regarding folks who had supported him -- or not -- in his critical moments. Solomon was instructed to kill Joab, for his murderous past, and Shimei, for his attack on David when he was fleeing Absalom; and to be kind to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead, who stood with David in that same revolt. Solomon promised to do so; but he waited until Adonijah messed up by asking to marry the young woman who had been the companion of David in his final years (Remember, this is a whole power grab thing regarding wives/ concubines in that culture). Adonijah was executed for this backhanded attempt to legitimize his claim to the throne. Abiathar, being a priest, was removed from the priesthood and exiled to his land; and Joab was killed at the altar, to which he had run to try and obtain mercy. Shemei, who had agreed not to leave the city of Jerusalem on pain of death, lived there three years and then apparently forgot?...Or thought Solomon forgot?...and left town to go after some runaway slaves. Solomon had he brought before him:</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">The king also said to Shemei, "You know in you heart all the wrong you did to my father David. Now the LORD will repay you for your wrongdoing." </i>-- 1 Kings 2:44 (Heart: also H 3824)</p><p>Shemei was immediately executed, and we read in 1 Kings 2:46 that 'the kingdom was now fully established in Solomon's hands.'</p><p>And he went up to Gibeon, where the Tabernacle and the altar made in the wilderness during the Exodus had been set up. There, God appeared to him in a dream and said, basically, 'Ask me for whatever you want'. Solomon's reply is famous.</p><p><b style="font-style: italic;">Solomon answered, "You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.</b><i> Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. </i><b style="font-style: italic;">So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?" </b>-- 1 Kings 3:6-9 (Heart: 1st reference is H 3824 again, the second one is both <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3820/niv/wlc/0-1/">Strong's H 3820</a>, which we've seen even more than H 3824)</p><p>Whether or not Solomon picked the absolute best thing or not is kinda up for debate, but he did choose well and God was pleased. </p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">"I will do what you have asked I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be." </i>-- 1 Kings 3:12 (Strong's H 3820 again)</p><p>Of course, God also promised Solomon the things he DIDN'T ask for...like wealth, fame. power, etc., but the number one thing we ALL think of when we think of Solomon is his renowned wisdom...his discerning heart.</p><p>So, Solomon was exhorted by his dad to seek God with all his heart, he reminded an old antagonist of his father's of the ill intent of his heart long ago, and he asked for, and was given, a discerning heart to be able to govern the people.</p><p>Sounds like he was soundly prepared to lead his people. Might be a couple of good points there for any one of us who might be moving into a leadership position...</p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-38069552356949932492024-01-19T20:34:00.003-06:002024-01-20T16:08:40.226-06:00Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter - 2 Samuel Part 3, Absalom's Fate<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Jfp14Yc2jO5ai6121YkG6W_SNY4043uLAL1NyC0Va_tt2rjq-E87hbzYWLieptKaJEipzLHFBECtXuNI_vJAdeMi4UwCZnBgycD5mnL3gsO-jDLc0EaCoKlqtrbtpveSFS_VlWX0V__FAcbYk09XNPROoSr20wLFds3fPlxgeC9LmetX07D3f24X0thJ/s300/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="277" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Jfp14Yc2jO5ai6121YkG6W_SNY4043uLAL1NyC0Va_tt2rjq-E87hbzYWLieptKaJEipzLHFBECtXuNI_vJAdeMi4UwCZnBgycD5mnL3gsO-jDLc0EaCoKlqtrbtpveSFS_VlWX0V__FAcbYk09XNPROoSr20wLFds3fPlxgeC9LmetX07D3f24X0thJ/s1600/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><p>Our journey through the Bible looking at the word 'heart/ hearts' has brought us to Absalom's revolt; last week we saw that David had heard of the conspiracy and had fled Jerusalem just in the nick of time. There's a ton of narrative that happens between verses that mention 'heart/hearts', so I'm trying to do a synopsis of the events so that the verses have some context to make sense.</p><p>One of David's trusted advisors, Ahithophel, had joined Absalom's faction, and David knew he was a shrewd tactician, so when another friend, Hushai, met David and asked to go with him, David hatched a counterespionage plan. Hushai was sent back, to feign allegiance to Absalom, in order to send word to David about Absalom's plans and, if he could, thwart advice given by Ahithophel (2 Sam. 15:32-37). </p><p>So David, with some other small drama, headed to the ford to wait for news while Hushai headed into town to meet up with Absalom and Ahithophel. Hushai convinced Absalom that he was really and truly on his side, and in the first strategy meeting, Ahithophel advised Absalom to violate all ten of the concubines David left behind to care for the palace....publicly. Now, this is nonsense to us, but in that day it was a way of demonstrating dominance over a leader...to lay with his women (remember the accusations Ish-Bosheth made about Abner and one of his dad's concubines? Same logic. It also comes into play later between Solomon and one of his brothers). So Absalom did this thing in order to cement his place as his father's successor while his dad was still living.</p><p>Next, Ahithophel advises Absalom to take a quick tactical force and pursue David's entourage immediately and hit them while they were still tired, kill only David, and bring the rest back safe. The elders agreed to this, but Absalom wanted to hear Hushai's advice. Hushai reminded Absalom of his dad's incredible Mighty Men, and his experience of hiding from Saul, so the chances of the smaller band being successful in finding and killing David at all, let alone without suffering a great loss, were not good:</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">"Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt in fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave."</i> -- 2 Sam 17:10 (both instances of 'heart' is <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3820/niv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">Strong's H3820</a>). </p><p>Hushai advised Absalom to muster a large army and then go after David's troops with an invincible force. Absalom and the other leaders liked that idea better and put that plan into place. Meanwhile, Hushai sent word to David...again, with some drama...to cross over the river immediately and get to a defensible position. David's entire party crossed the river before dawn the next day. Ahithophel, when he saw that his advice was not taken, went back to his village, put his house in order, and hung himself....which I have always thought was a very sad end to the life of a king's advisor.</p><p>David was met by allies on the east side of the Jordan, at Mahanaim, and his party was given provisions. Once they had rested and eaten, David drew up his battle plans, dividing his force into three parts. He fully intended to ride to battle himself, but he was overruled by the men, who pointed out that the enemy was coming for him. David's last words to the men commanding the three companies was 'Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake" (2 Sam 18:5)</p><p>The battleground was the forest of Ephraim (2 Sam 18:6), and David's forces soundly defeated Absalom's army, It must have been very rough terrain, because we are told 'the forest claimed more lives that day than the sword.' (2 Sam 18:8).</p><p>In the course of the battle, Absalom came upon David's forces, but his luxurious, thick hair got caught up in the branches of an oak tree and his mule ran right out from under him, leaving him hanging helpless in the branches. I suppose it's possible that he might have started hacking at his hair with a knife or dagger, to free himself, but one of David's men saw what happened and quickly reported it to Joab, who chided him for not striking Absalom dead on the spot. The soldier protested, reminding Joab of David's specific instructions regarding Absalom.</p><p><i><b>Joab said, "I am not going to wait like this for you." So he took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom's heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree.</b> And ten of Joab's armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him and killed him. </i> -- 2 Sam18:14-15 ('Heart' - Strong's H3820 again; this time, clearly referring to the heart as an organ or physical center of the body).</p><p>Once more, Joab acts on his own authority, this time going directly against specific words of the king. And he has some very strong words for David, who, instead of rejoicing over the military victory, went into deep mourning over the death of his son. Joab chewed him out for mourning the death of an enemy and demanded that David to go out and encourage the men who had fought for him. </p><p>So David went out to the city gate and sat with the rulers of the city, and the men came to him. He went so far as to extend mercy to the troops who had fought for Absalom, even telling Amasa, his nephew, who had been Absalom's military commander, that he would replace Joab as David's captain.</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">He </i>[David]<i style="font-weight: bold;"> won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man. They sent word to the king, "Return, you and all your men." </i> (2 Sam 19:14)</p><p>There was more drama over bringing David back to Jerusalem, and another rebellion headed by Sheba, son of Bicri, because of the tensions between the tribes. Joab murdered Amasa, his cousin, much the same way he had killed Abner years before--bringing Joab's 'I know better than the king' death count to three. </p><p>The last mention of 'heart' in 2 Samuel is in David's song of deliverance, praising God for giving him victory over his enemies:</p><p><i>You have delivered me from the attacks of my people; you have preserved me as the head of nations. People I did not know are subject to me, and foreigners come cringing to me; as soon as they hear me, they obey me. </i><b style="font-style: italic;">They all lose heart; they come trembling from their strongholds. </b>-- 2 Sam. 22:44-46 ('lose heart' is actually translated from a verb, <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5034/niv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">Strong's H5034</a> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>nâbêl,</i> <i>a primitive root; to wilt; generally, to fall away, fail, faint)</i></span></p><p>That's just one point in a long list of things for which David praised God; that whole chapter is a psalm of thanksgiving and praise.</p><p>I think it is rather remarkable that David, having lost so much and been through so much grief, still praised God for the good God had done for him. It would have been so easy for him to have become bitter and angry and disillusioned...but he did not. He was still a man after God's heart.</p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-32315568595309994522024-01-15T15:17:00.008-06:002024-01-16T10:11:27.683-06:00Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter - 2 Samuel, Part 2, Absalom's Revolt<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to<a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com"> Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKps8CLNhOdmD1lnac_XSkMKOn3r1xo8e_6GEQSkzX66JOmJ3A5FHoaGoiBg7-YQUNayek40P629qY6MoDnD1QiqZpuEA4IoZ1C2RPc26PS3_uC-TF10LIE0zZz9f7lMgXhfi7N_Fsb3WXKKm17z6MVdWCStNBcGh6rv4iiD3y_PS8LKLZFC5VO5gO0p1N/s300/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="277" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKps8CLNhOdmD1lnac_XSkMKOn3r1xo8e_6GEQSkzX66JOmJ3A5FHoaGoiBg7-YQUNayek40P629qY6MoDnD1QiqZpuEA4IoZ1C2RPc26PS3_uC-TF10LIE0zZz9f7lMgXhfi7N_Fsb3WXKKm17z6MVdWCStNBcGh6rv4iiD3y_PS8LKLZFC5VO5gO0p1N/s1600/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><p>Just a little blurb for anyone who's late to the game...this is not intended to be a polished up Bible study. This is me, real time blogging a study I'm doing and sharing any insights I've gained. Currently, I'm cruising through the Bible looking at all the references to Heart/ Hearts as identified by my Exhaustive Concordance for the NIV 84, so all scripture references are from that text, unless specifically identified as being from a different one.</p><p>Normally I post on Fridays, but sometimes things come up and I miss one here and there. Today being a holiday, it's standing in for last Friday, which I missed.</p><p>And today we are looking at the tragedy of two of David's oldest sons...Amnon, who was the firstborn and son of David's wife Ahinoam, about whom we only know her name and that she was from Jezreel, and Absalom, David's third son, born to David's wife Maacah, who was the daughter of the king of Geshur and likely given to David as wife as part of a political alliance. David's second son, Kileab, was the son of Abigail, Nabal's widow, but as we have absolutely no record of him other than his name it's possible that he died while still a child. At some point Maacah bore David a daughter, Tamar, who is also part of the story.</p><p>It's interesting to me that there is no reference to heart/ hearts in the entire narrative pertaining to David's sin with Bathsheba. But David's sin and the following cover up led to the violence in his house. Did his sons...especially Amnon...believe that because their dad had behaved in such a way it was ok for them? Did David's guilt over what he had done prevent him from disciplining his sons as they grew up? The whole story smacks of a lack of real relationship between David and his older sons.</p><p>But Amnon became infatuated with his half-sister Tamar in a most unhealthy way, and, by way of deception and sheer physical strength, violated her (2 Sam. 13 1 - 14). Once he'd done so, however, he was repulsed by her...likely because she was going on about him marrying her and being responsible for what he'd done; I'm basing this on what she said in 2 Sam 13: 16 ("Sending me away would be a greater wrong than you have already done to me."). So long as she was out of reach, he wanted her. But when she threw herself at him, demanding he now fulfill his duty to her, he hated the sight of her and had her thrown out. </p><p>He treated her shamefully...but he did, perhaps, rationalize that his dad had done a similar thing so...why not?</p><p>Tamar went into mourning, and went to her full brother Absalom, who minimized her trauma:</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">Her brother Absalom said to her, "Has that Amnon, your brother, been with you? Be quiet now, my sister; he is your brother. Don't take this thing to heart." And Tamar lived in her brother Absalom's house, a desolate woman.</i> - 2 Sam. 13:20 'Heart' is Strong's<a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/niv/2sa/13/20/t_conc_280020" target="_blank"> H 3820</a>, which we have seen before.</p><p>He basically told her it was no big deal...can you imagine? He did, however, despise Amnon for what he'd done and he quit speaking to his half-brother. David was furious when he heard about what Amnon had done, but he did nothing about it. Two years later, Absalom finally managed to get Amnon isolated and had him killed, then hightailed it out of town. David mourned both his boys...the one who died and the one who went into hiding. I actually think he mourned for Absalom more, because Absalom had held his brother accountable for what he'd done. </p><p>We do not know if Tamar had peace after she was avenged or not. She's not mentioned again, but Absalom named his first daughter after her.</p><p>As time passed, David missed Absalom and wanted to go to him...but he did not. Was Absalom his favored son? I kinda suspect he was, which makes the rest of the story even more poignant.</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the king's heart longed for Absalom</i> -- 2 Sam. 14:1 (Strong's H 3820 again), so he set up a lady to come to David with a story that moved his heart, much like Nathan had done earlier, then called him a hypocrite for not allowing Absalom to return. </p><p>So, David called Joab to go get Absalom and bring him home, but...and this is a big but...Absalom was not permitted to come into David's presence. Now Absalom was frustrated, and grew even more frustrated as two more years passed and he still was not allowed to see his father. He tried twice to talk to Joab, but Joab ignored him until Absalom burned his fields. Absalom basically said, "Why was I allowed to return home if I can't see the king? If I'm guilty of anything, just go ahead and sentence me to death."</p><p>Joab spoke to David, and David finally received Absalom and they were reconciled.</p><p>Or so it seemed. But Absalom was not someone who allowed an injury to go unavenged, and he had a plan. He started small...ingratiating himself into the hearts of the people. He was handsome, he was sympathetic, he was personable, and he was accessible to the people. </p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the men of Israel. </i>-- 2 Sam. 15:6 (Strong's H 3820 again).</p><p>Absalom did this for four years, then he sprung his plot to have himself anointed king when he took an entourage to Hebron to 'worship'; even David's long time advisor Ahithophel joined Absalom's faction. When Absalom went to Hebron, some one...it's not mentioned who...caught wind of the conspiracy and sent word to David.</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">A messenger came and told David, "The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom."</i> -- 2 Sam. 15:13 (once more, H 3820). I have always marveled that that statement was enough for David to recognize his peril. Had it been me...I might have thought, good! He will be king after me! The people should love him! But David immediately recognized the implication that Absalom was usurping the kingship and that he and all his household were in immediate danger. They packed up and fled (all but ten concubines, who stayed behind to do the housekeeping) to the wilderness, so when Absalom and his entourage came back ready to assassinate David...he was gone.</p><p>It was now a civil war. Because the hearts of the people had turned from David to his son.</p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-86214496549095123932024-01-09T20:46:00.002-06:002024-01-11T19:43:20.728-06:00In Which She Muses about Imposter Syndrome...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqHTol3s8c8lg22JEoEh6HG6G8JvgKutCRsc5zfYDXI47pgimV48K5wT9aaZd1enFawtwtYwv_F8sX-JdDOppLSfUMjgwnCUfPdxvRaIjnOWg8ImATZXGItou97Zn-zV4DnDmQpHlTx2oMlG-mvz3DpYYVluZCkidyw71mblpULZe8Do8IXdmmlL4avVna/s4032/PXL_20240102_225344629.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqHTol3s8c8lg22JEoEh6HG6G8JvgKutCRsc5zfYDXI47pgimV48K5wT9aaZd1enFawtwtYwv_F8sX-JdDOppLSfUMjgwnCUfPdxvRaIjnOWg8ImATZXGItou97Zn-zV4DnDmQpHlTx2oMlG-mvz3DpYYVluZCkidyw71mblpULZe8Do8IXdmmlL4avVna/s320/PXL_20240102_225344629.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>Unrelated sunset post for Facebook thumbnail</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tonight I took part in an online chat for an online artistic community that I kind of follow. I had difficulties getting my computer to talk to Zoom for some reason and I was a couple of minutes late...and kind of quickly got asked to share about my current wins/struggles/ inspiration/ etc. Didn't really have time to come up with something eloquent, so I just went with my gut and confessed to dealing with imposter syndrome...like, I am here hanging out with creatives to try and convince myself that I really am one.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now, I do have some objective evidence that at least a few people appreciate my creativity, but I always kinda brush it off as 'yeah, well they're friends/ family so it doesn't really count' (Hi, Mom...). A number of my closest friends/ family are NOT fans of my creative efforts, so that kinda cancels it out, right? I mean, folks in the online community I was chatting with have artwork in shows, are published authors/ songwriters/ have actually gotten formal education in their area of talent and I'm...just out here winging it. And often getting shot down. Which makes me think, hey, maybe what I'm creating just really isn't that good. I mean, it's a possibility, right?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But when I confessed to Imposter Syndrome tonight, the chat moderator offered his thoughts... remember, we are accepted in the beloved. It's not about how my art/ creativity compares to any one else, or even if it gets a big audience. It may just hit one person and inspire them in some way, and ...that's worth it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And suddenly I remembered a moment at a women's conference back in 2008...the very conference that gave me the impetus to start this blog, now that I think about it...at which Wellington Boone himself gave me a prophetic word, with the central theme that I was 'Accepted in the Beloved'. I hadn't thought about that moment in a long, long time.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There are some challenges coming in the next couple of months...I'll talk about them when I have to...but it's good to remember that whether or not the end product gets published or performed or even recognized, it's still creativity, it's still my voice...and we all know from reading Dr Seuss that even the tiniest 'Yop' makes a difference, right?.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So...for anyone who happens to stumble on this post who may be struggling with creativity or whatever is in your heart, and you are starting to think that you don't measure up...just remember, if it's your way of sharing what God stirs in you, it's not fake or cheap or bad. He hears; He sees; He smiles. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Because you, too, are Accepted in the Beloved. Whether you have any kind of audience or not. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You are not an Imposter. Just a different sort of The Real Thing.</div><p></p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-52285755757714118662024-01-05T22:12:00.007-06:002024-01-06T22:55:04.433-06:00Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter - 2 Samuel, part 1...David is King<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVhN9HmxIGfAkca51iKjf-o1kUNlORwjx3pNGA0muuY6sEQNDvjnr_c2Y2uM5-XwLIJq8dGbu1TZnZPLbA_Dfo3QtI7P3_Z2vKUHrtEJ4n9gAfWOqaE6mlPWarJxejKFCjfy10LN4eiApHYlo6z-UFD2CAtZNdKn-1Nwy_7efsG0DIz8HMF5MjGlWbm7F/s300/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="277" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVhN9HmxIGfAkca51iKjf-o1kUNlORwjx3pNGA0muuY6sEQNDvjnr_c2Y2uM5-XwLIJq8dGbu1TZnZPLbA_Dfo3QtI7P3_Z2vKUHrtEJ4n9gAfWOqaE6mlPWarJxejKFCjfy10LN4eiApHYlo6z-UFD2CAtZNdKn-1Nwy_7efsG0DIz8HMF5MjGlWbm7F/s1600/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><p>Heart/ Hearts doesn't have nearly as many mentions in 2 Samuel as it did in 1 Samuel...in fact, nearly all of them are involved in one particular narrative arc, so I am going to put all those together next week. </p><p>Which means this week we're looking at two completely unrelated references.</p><p>At the start of 2 Samuel, both Saul and Jonathan had been killed in the battle with the Philistines at Mount Gilboa. The tribe of Judah declared David to be king, but there was still a faction loyal to the house of Saul, led by Saul's general, Abner. Abner made the next son of Saul, Ish-Bosheth, king over pretty much everything else. There was, of course, war, and David's nephew Asahel tangled with Abner and Abner killed him, even though it seems he didn't mean to. Unfortunately, Asahel was Joab's younger brother...which comes into play later. After some time, David's support grew stronger while the support for Ish-Bosheth dropped. Finally, Ish-Bosheth accused Abner of sleeping with one of his father's concubines. Now, there is no evidence given as to whether or not this was a valid accusation, but Abner got disgusted with Ish-Bosheth and declared that he was going to support David as king, and bring all of Israel with him.<br /></p><p>Abner sent straight away to David offering to support him and, in response to David's request for proof of his intentions, returned David's first wife, Michal, to him after she had been given to another one of Saul's allies. Abner also conferred with leaders of the other tribes, declaring to them that they should make David king. Finally, Abner and David met at Hebron, over a feast David had prepared in Abner's honor.</p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Then Abner said to David, "Let me go at once and assemble all Israel for my lord the king, so that they may make a compact with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires." So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace. - </i>2 Sam. 3:21; 'Heart' is <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5315/kjv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">Strong's H5315 - </a></span><a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5315/kjv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank"><i>nephesh</i>;</a> <i>'properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental):—any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature</i>'. 'Heart' here is the seat of David's ambition. And Abner fully intended to support him.<br /><br />Well, no sooner had Abner left than Joab and a number of other soldiers came in from a raid, carrying plunder. And Joab had a fit, stating that Abner was there just to spy out David's camp and movements. He left David, sent messengers after Abner so that Abner, thinking Joab had some important information for him, returned.<br /><br />And Joab took him aside privately and stabbed him to death to avenge his brother Asahel.<br /><br />This is the first of Joab's 'I know better than the king' dealings that left someone dead. David mourned Abner and honored him and, furious with Joab, pronounced a curse against Joab and his house, demonstrating to anyone that David was not responsible for Abner's death. Ish-bosheth was murdered in his bed shortly after, and there was no longer anyone to oppose David. All of Israel united to make him king.<br /><br />David captured Jerusalem from the Jebusites and began the process of making it his capitol; and, as part of making Jerusalem the focal point of the nation, decided to bring the Ark of the Covenant to the city. Now, the Ark had been stashed at the house of Abinidab since the Philistines had sent it back to Israel; Saul, in his entire reign, never considered doing anything else with it. David wanted it in Jerusalem. He constructed a tabernacle to house it and went to bring it back. Of course, they botched the first attempt, treating the Ark as cargo instead of as the holy thing it was, and it landed at the house of Obed-Edom while they researched the proper way to move it. After about 3 months, they tried again...this time, carrying it on the shoulders of the priests, as Moses had directed. David had a massive worship service to move the Ark, sacrificing a huge number of cattle as the Ark progressed down the road. Ultimately, he stripped down to his skivvies ('a linen ephod') and 'danced before the LORD with all his might' (2 Sam 6:14).</p><p><b><i>As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart</i></b>. -- 2 Sam 6:16; 'Heart' is the familiar<a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3820/kjv/wlc/0-1/"> Strong's H3820, leb.</a><br /><br />To be honest, I really hadn't considered Michal very much. It's always bee<span style="font-family: inherit;">n easy to scorn her bad attitude, but as I read this just now I thought a bit about her story. It may not have taken much to push Michal over the line to judging David here. She had loved him, back before all the crazy happened with her dad (1 Sam 18). But David had more or less abandoned her, leaving her in an unsafe place...if Saul had thought for a moment that Michal had aided David in escaping him, he could very well have killed her (1 Sam. 19:11-17) .Now, I don't know that it would have been possible for David to have done anything else; circumstances being what they were. But she basically said that David would have killed her if she hadn't aided him...which wasn't the truth. In any case, Saul didn't kill her for helping David. Instead, he gave her to be another man's wife (1 Sam 25:44), which may have been his way of punishing both David and Michal. But the other dude, Paltiel, </span>apparently<span style="font-family: inherit;"> loved her and did not want to let her go (2 Sam 3:16). As the time passed, Michal may have been happier with Paltiel than David. For David, she was a symbol and a token. Now, don't get me wrong, her spewing her bitterness on him was not the way to deal with the situation...I am just saying I kinda get where she was coming from. But David was done with her after that. Her bitterness cost her any hope of a future. To live as a childless woman, in that society, was a life of failure. Was her life fair? No. Not in the least. She hadn't had much of a say in any of the things that had happened to her. But she allowed it to make her bitter. David was coming to bless his household at the moment she threw her venom on him. He was excited, happy, rejoicing. Had she rejoiced with him in that moment...it could have been a whole new start for her. But she didn't see what he saw. He saw the triumph of God and celebrated. She saw a man acting a fool and was embarrassed by him. And what was in her heart came flying out of her mouth and she ruined whatever future she might have had.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm having trouble writing a summation here...I feel really sorry for Michal, which is a switch from my </span>previous<span style="font-family: inherit;"> smug dismissal of her...and hope I can learn from her mistakes.</span></p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-28003100813143176162023-12-29T20:56:00.004-06:002023-12-31T12:46:13.250-06:00Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter - 1 Samuel, Part 5 -- A Man After God's Own Heart<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnWWgGeqbb-GRUV3hnZhToPgf3WY1_MKi39d7UxtZlmUyULoZVAsOiXOaC_OWj9TkltVuEnEPzMTPY7EQ3HJGh7QY_cTu3zixtSGnTByzApk0WPI8hn50WIBH4afvj56zUSJH89DfvnX2lVP5_fFyyb1rJSNbu9Slz1-x9GmYwe7Zyo5aqB-PXrueAKVA/s300/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="277" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnWWgGeqbb-GRUV3hnZhToPgf3WY1_MKi39d7UxtZlmUyULoZVAsOiXOaC_OWj9TkltVuEnEPzMTPY7EQ3HJGh7QY_cTu3zixtSGnTByzApk0WPI8hn50WIBH4afvj56zUSJH89DfvnX2lVP5_fFyyb1rJSNbu9Slz1-x9GmYwe7Zyo5aqB-PXrueAKVA/s1600/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><p>I'm going to finish 1 Samuel in our cruise through the Bible looking at 'Heart/ hearts' today; there's a lot of ground to cover so buckle up, lol. We'll start with a reference from the <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com/2023/12/blogging-bible-study-heart-of-matter-1.html" target="_blank">Part 4 post</a>...1Sam 13:14...</p><p><b><i>"But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD's command."</i></b></p><p>The 'man after his own heart' was, at that time, likely still a teenager slinging rocks at trees and stumps and such in the hills around Bethlehem. His name was David, the youngest of 8 sons of a fellow with a questionable reputation named Jesse. I say 'questionable reputation', because whenever anyone wanted to discredit or downplay David, they referred to him as the 'son of Jesse'....which makes me think Jesse was not highly regarded in the area.</p><p>After Saul's disobedience regarding the spoil from the Amalekites, God sent Samuel to Bethlehem, to Jesse's house, to anoint the new king.</p><p>Samuel, still mourning Saul's downfall, went, even though he believed Saul would kill him should he get wind of it. (1 Sam. 16:2). He told the elders of Bethlehem he had come there to make a sacrifice, and asked the elders of the town to consecrate themselves and join him. Then he specifically consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them. (1 Sam. 16:5).</p><p>When everyone had arrived, Samuel saw Jesse's oldest son, Eliab, and, impressed by his height and strength and bearing, believed this was the man he'd been sent to anoint. But God told him no, this was not the one, explaining</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">"The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." </i>- 1 Sam. 16:7; 'Heart' is <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3824/kjv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">Strong's H3824</a>, the same word used in 13:14 above.</p><p>David's heart...his innermost being...was his qualification for the kingship. All seven of David's older brothers appeared before Samuel, and he announced over each of them, 'God has not chosen this one.' I am not sure if he ever really told them WHAT God was choosing at this point...did they assume it was the kingship? Or could they have assumed it was some other task or office? Samuel is not recorded as mentioning the kingship anywhere in the narrative. But after the seventh brother, he turned to Jesse and asked, "Are these all the sons you have?" (1 Sam. 16:11) Jesse rather sheepishly replied (no pun intended but I will take it, lol), "There's the youngest, but he's tending the sheep." Of course, David is fetched and comes in and Samuel dumps the oil on him. We still do not know what was said, but the Spirit of God came upon David and he...went back to the sheep. Until one of Saul's aides happened to remember that he knew of a young shepherd who sang and played the harp really well, and David got a sporadic music gig playing for Saul when his demonic depression/ anxiety came upon him. Apparently Saul never thought of him as anything but a background servant/ hired musician because he literally didn't even look at him enough to recognize him later. David would come and play for Saul for a bit and then...go back to the sheep. Nobody seems to think of David as one who was anointed to be king...which is why I think Samuel was really vague about just what exactly God was choosing David to do. Perhaps this was to protect David should Saul hear anything about it. And maybe they all decided he had been anointed to be a ministering musician/ worship leader, as that seems to be all anyone associated with him at the time.</p><p>Until the Israelites and the Philistines went to battle again, setting up camps opposite each other in the Valley of Elah. The Philistines had a big ol' dude named Goliath, who was descended from those Anakites the Israelites were so afraid of back in Numbers 13, and who came out daily to hurl insults at Israel and their God, trying to provoke someone to come out and battle him one on one, which would certainly be suicidal. Jesse sent David with some provender to his brothers, and David got there in time to hear that day's jeering and insults. He, of course, was <i>ticked</i> at the insults and began to ask the soldiers what would be the reward of the man who killed Goliath and removed the disgrace. I don't think that he, at that moment, was considering doing it himself so much as he was trying to motivate the actual soldiers into standing up to the oversized bully. But his older brother heard David's questioning...<br /></p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">When Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, "Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle."</i> -- 1 Sam. 17:28 (Also Strong's H3824)</p><p>Oh, but Eliab didn't know David's heart at all. Yet he was convinced he knew the 'why' behind what David was doing. </p><p>That, my friends, is judgment. The kind we are instructed NOT to engage in. Because we do not know the heart at all. God saw David's heart and chose him to be king. Eliab had not a clue of what was in his younger brother's heart.</p><p>Word, of course, got back to Saul about the young man who was going through the camp talking about slaying the uncircumcised Philistine who was insulting the armies of the living God and sent for David. David, seeing no one else seemed to be willing, apparently decided he was going to have to do it.</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">David said to Saul, "Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him." </i>1 Sam. 17:32; 'heart' is <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3820/kjv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">Strong's H3820</a>.</p><p>David, of course, kills the Philistine and becomes Saul's general and son-in-law. The people start praising David over Saul and Saul becomes insanely jealous, leading David to ultimately flee to the Philistines, looking for a place to hide from Saul. But his reputation has preceded him, and the servants of the king of Gath, Achish, report it to him in David's hearing.</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath. </i>- 1 Sam 28:24; 'heart' is H3824 again.</p><p>David then proceeded to behave as if he were a madman having a fit, and Achish had him thrown out. So David became a fugitive, living in the Judean desert and moving from place to place, defending Israelite towns and people as he moved about. One such person, a wealthy landowner named Nabal, spurned giving David and his men any provisions during a festival, despite the fact that David's band had actively protected Nabal's holdings. David, furious over Nabal's scorn, called for his sword to go to battle against him. Nabal's wife, Abigail, intervened with provisions from her own allowance and prevented David and his men from slaughtering the household. But Nabal was a stingy, ill-tempered fellow and Abigail waited until he was sobered up after the feast to tell him what she'd done.</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things and his heart failed him and he became like a stone.</i> <i> About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal and he died</i>. -- 1 Sam 25:37-38 (Heart: H3820 again. I thought it would be a word that specified the physical organ, but, no, this is still the innermost part...heart, mind, will, etc. Referencing the emotional center...the same as 1 Sam 17:32. I believe he was so angry he had a stroke.)</p><p>David married Abigail, had a run-in with Saul after being betrayed by the Ziphites and, for the second time, refused to kill the king. But he knew he couldn't trust Saul and he'd been too close to capture, so he returned to Achish...who, this time, believed David to be Saul's enemy and therefore a good ally. He gave David Ziklag for his base, and reveled in the reports of David raiding Israelite villages. Only, of course, David was raiding Geshurite, Girzites, and the Amalekite villages instead, leaving no survivors to send reports back to Achish. The Phililstines planned a big assault against Israel, and Achish was counting on David and his men to fight for them...and David and his men actually traveled to the Philistine camp as if they were part of that force.</p><p>Saul and the Israelites set up camp at Giboa, and Saul looked over the enemy camp from his vantage point.</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart.</i> <i> He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. -- </i>1 Sam 28:5-6; 'Heart' is, again, Strong's H3820</p><p>The terror Saul was experiencing and the silence from God drove him to a medium to inquire of Samuel's dead spirit...which terrified the lady, as she clearly did not expect an actual supernatural response to her inquiry. The apparition...whether it was actually Samuel or not is kind of open to interpretation...confirmed that God had rejected Saul and that the Philistines would defeat him and his army on the next day.</p><p>Meanwhile, while Achish was confident David would fight against Saul, the other Philistine leaders were just as certain that he would turn against them in battle and had him sent away. So David was not it the battle that saw both Saul and Jonathan slain and the Israelite army routed. He had his own problems, but as 'heart' is not mentioned again in 1 Samuel, I'll just refer you to the scripture if you want to see what happened.</p><p>So...God knows the hearts of people; other people do not. And deep-seated, intense emotions can drive our actions...or overwhelm us to actual physical consequences. All in all, what happens in the heart...matters in many ways. And that's a good thing to keep in mind when contemplating the new year.</p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-58097280653618931572023-12-17T20:57:00.005-06:002023-12-17T20:57:44.559-06:00Christmas time is here....<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDA6sU0L_B9agllKOdg4RE5pOFN20pcxAt4QU_CbtAFlTRYOUl2ylg9ewl0qE9BEw7PDN486JWOL5sC1DgRj0Nzg4SrnACp_ikcRUqFKE4gOcfc88fFx0WnARIrU9MRlD9acFYyte1Q5lBQDf-fltTWRlCTm1Qsy2NcEXXiEYNn9I92432lH7QxXUWVDPJ/s4032/PXL_20231205_061122139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDA6sU0L_B9agllKOdg4RE5pOFN20pcxAt4QU_CbtAFlTRYOUl2ylg9ewl0qE9BEw7PDN486JWOL5sC1DgRj0Nzg4SrnACp_ikcRUqFKE4gOcfc88fFx0WnARIrU9MRlD9acFYyte1Q5lBQDf-fltTWRlCTm1Qsy2NcEXXiEYNn9I92432lH7QxXUWVDPJ/s320/PXL_20231205_061122139.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /> It's Christmastime, y'all, and things are...rather disorganized. Long story, but I ended up with covid a couple of weeks ago and it has put everything out of sorts, because I just didn't have the spoons to keep up with the schedule. All is better now, but I am woefully behind on my holiday preparations. I know, I know, what's new...but I thought since I wasn't really participating in the Christmas production at church this year due to the craziness that was the 'two weddings and three out of town trips' fall, my post-Thanksgiving time would be dedicated to making sure All Things Christmas happened in an ORDERLY fashion this year.<p></p><p>Um. The best laid plans done gone all aglee....</p><p>So, I'm not going to try to keep up with the current word study schedule. It will be there when the holidays are over.</p><p>Meantime, I have been posting 'Advent from the Archives' on Sundays on Facebook...from the 2008 'Expectant Season' advent series. It's linked on the sidebar if you'd like to revisit that series with us! It was the first Advent series I posted; it's been interesting to look at it again.</p><p>So...to all of you who, like me, are trying to maintain a little bit of order in chaos, take a deep breath. The important stuff will get done, and some of the nonessential stuff might fall by the wayside, but at the end of the year it will all be memories so enjoy the people and don't worry about the stuff. (Advice I am giving myself...)</p><p>Taking a deep breath...lol...</p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-70505851491799669862023-12-08T23:27:00.002-06:002023-12-09T09:02:32.033-06:00Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter - 1 Samuel, Part 4 -- Saul's Presumption <p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7FDXOQzgB_VpaQnPS3gh5KvXKTwuFRq2pd_XwwTVS2mdKret7addO2wZPK3zEcM9lZqdegBvAtMBjvWM8F0m0GoBcYgoFDj8nU6ng1FD1ik1ALuSV4IaJ_7X62mP6VFd-_gNB7CeSme06qqWdXXtxcINCtl7_NESUE5XNghYco5N4QflwTo4zcAUnsq0/s300/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="277" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7FDXOQzgB_VpaQnPS3gh5KvXKTwuFRq2pd_XwwTVS2mdKret7addO2wZPK3zEcM9lZqdegBvAtMBjvWM8F0m0GoBcYgoFDj8nU6ng1FD1ik1ALuSV4IaJ_7X62mP6VFd-_gNB7CeSme06qqWdXXtxcINCtl7_NESUE5XNghYco5N4QflwTo4zcAUnsq0/s1600/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><p>Saul, Saul, Saul...simple obedience would have preserved a dynasty. But Saul proved himself incapable of simple obedience.</p><p>Now, I honestly don't know how much time has passed between chapters 12 and 13. Chapter 13 says that Saul was 30 when he became king...but we start off with Saul's son, Jonathan, attacking a Philistine outpost. We kinda have to assume Saul was really, really young when he became a dad, and Jonathan was really, really young when he led the attack... like, both in their teens...and even then, it could easily have been a couple...or even five...years later. In any case, Jonathan effectively swatted the bees nest and all the bees were out for blood, converging on the Israelites as they waited at Gilgal for Samuel to come and make the proper sacrifices before they headed into battle. But, for whatever reason, Samuel was delayed and he didn't arrive at the set time. The soldiers started to scatter and Saul, worried that he would not have enough men to fight if they waited any longer, made the sacrifices himself. And of course, Samuel arrived just as they were finishing up.</p><p>"I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering," Saul protested...and Samuel responded</p><p><i>"You acted foolishly," Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. </i><b style="font-style: italic;">But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD's command."</b> 1 Sam. 13:13-14: 'Heart' is <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3824/kjv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">H 3824</a></p><p>On the surface, this doesn't look so awful...Saul made an offering. But the problem was that Saul wasn't <i>authorized</i> to make that specific offering. And, as we saw back in Numbers, authority matters in these things. Samuel represented the guidance of God, and by offering the sacrifice himself, Saul actually dishonored both Samuel and God; he ignored the holiness of the sacrifices, treating them as a rather mundane thing. Waiting for Samuel to offer the sacrifice was a symbol of waiting for God to act on their behalf. But Saul couldn't wait.</p><p>Then, in the next chapter, Saul does another foolish thing, but it's not related to the verse mentioning 'heart'...or, at least, not directly. Johnathan once again takes the initiative to attack a Philistine outpost, slipping out of camp with only his armor bearer, saying 'Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf....'</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">"Do all that you have in mind, " his armor-bearer replied. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul." </i> - 1 Sam. 14:7, 'heart' is also H 3824</p><p>He had the complete support of his armor bearer, and the two of them, with God's help, actually decimated the outpost, which God used to incite a panic attack amongst the Philistines who began what appears to have been a chaotic retreat. Amazing what God does with someone who is fully committed. The Israelites in the area noticed the retreat, they began to pursue them...and Saul spoke a curse against any man who would stop and eat before the battle was over. Jonathan, who wasn't there, didn't hear this, and at one point he ate some wild honey...which none of the other men would touch, because of the oath of Saul. Needless to say, the men were fainting from hunger after pursuing the enemy while fasting, which lead to other problems besides just fainting soldiers...the men gorged themselves when they were finally allowed to eat, dishonoring God again by eating meat with the blood still in it. And, of course, when Saul found out what Jonathan had done, he intended to kill him for breaking the fast but the men prevented it. However, they had to cease their pursuit of the enemy because of Saul's oath...which was completely unnecessary. The men did not need any more incentive to pursue their enemies. Saul was still trying to be the one in control...the one who is calling the shots. Contrast that with Jonathan, who just wanted to give God a chance to do something.</p><p>Finally, in chapter 15 Saul's disobedience not only cost him a dynasty, but it cost him the kingship personally. Sent by Samuel to obliterate the Amelekites, carrying out a long-standing judgement, Saul kept their king and the best of their animals alive, in direct opposition to his instructions. He set his own standard of obedience, so by his definition, he did obey. (see 1 Sam. 15:20) Only problem...it wasn't his definition of obedience that mattered. Samuel pronounced God's judgment on what Saul had done, then left him and went home.</p><p>Samuel never visited Saul again, although he mourned for him. Saul never fully relied on God, and he considered God's instructions to be more guidelines than actual commands. And, make no mistake, it cost him.</p><p>As it will cost anyone who takes it upon him/herself to determine what the standard of obedience is or who attempts to define the terms oneself instead of listening to what God has said. Consider Saul before thinking it really isn't a big deal.</p><p>It is.</p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-30132834191714713882023-12-01T20:55:00.005-06:002023-12-02T10:00:09.320-06:00Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter - 1 Samuel, part 3 , Israel gets a King<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitR9K95eUi6OpXnvQPp8fxUl5v_95y7Kr_sEVKQPrfzOxkSHoTfkCkoaQQEzY3H2OmEYdsChEIMYnhZb7VtHarDO0IMaAeL3VVzIUoeX0hJ87zvDXI0Q3AXjMJwnrLSu3gdH1N64JTcAiQOOHdo20UCEwhGf-X5rpdZdH1LA6SMI882kF13bQMl9c4AZSM/s300/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="277" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitR9K95eUi6OpXnvQPp8fxUl5v_95y7Kr_sEVKQPrfzOxkSHoTfkCkoaQQEzY3H2OmEYdsChEIMYnhZb7VtHarDO0IMaAeL3VVzIUoeX0hJ87zvDXI0Q3AXjMJwnrLSu3gdH1N64JTcAiQOOHdo20UCEwhGf-X5rpdZdH1LA6SMI882kF13bQMl9c4AZSM/s1600/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><p>Well...I am under drs orders to 'rest and hydrate' ...and take the prescribed meds...for the next few days to try and beat back an ear/sinus infection. But I don't think writing a blog post is going to be too strenuous; although the foggy brain may make things a little less well ordered than is normal. But this is intended to be kinda raw anyway, so, it is what it is, lol. It's a long narrative, but without the narrative the isolated verses don't make much sense. So bear with me here...</p><p>Anyway, our look at the words heart/hearts in the Bible has brought us to a transition point in Israel's history. Samuel's sons did not serve God and actually perverted justice, accepting bribes and the Israelites (justifiably) rejected them as leaders, but instead of praying and seeking who the new leader should be, they came to Samuel and demanded that he appoint a king to rule over them, 'such as all the other nations have.' (1 Sam. 8:5).</p><p>Red flag. It's always a bad thing if God's people want to be 'like everyone else'.</p><p>Samuel is <i>ticked</i>, but God reminds him that the people aren't rejecting him as their leader; they are rejecting the leadership of God. God is going to allow them to have what they want, but he instructs Samuel to solemnly warn the people just exactly what it will mean to have a king ruling them.</p><p>Samuel warns the folks (1 Sam 8: 10 - 18) but the people refuse to listen and insist that they want a king. God instructed Samuel to give them a king, and Samuel told the people to go home.</p><p>Now, a day or two later a guy from the tribe of Benjamin had had some donkeys wander off, and his tall, rather good-looking son, Saul, was out looking for them with one of his father's servants. Samuel had a word from God on the previous day that a Benjamite would come to him, and Samuel was to anoint this man as king. So, when Saul and his servant wandered into town looking for the seer, so they could offer a coin and hopefully get a prophetic word about the location of the donkeys, God pointed him out to Samuel as the one he'd spoken about. When Saul approached him, asking for directions to the seer's house...</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">"I am the seer," Samuel replied. Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart." </i>- 1 Sam. 9:19 (Heart : <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3824/kjv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">H 3824</a>)</p><p>Samuel told him the donkeys had been found, so there would be no problem with him staying. They ate together and talked on the roof of Samuel's house for some time; in the morning, Samuel sent the servant ahead while he privately anointed Saul as king, and gave him some instructions and told him of several prophetic events that would happen that day to confirm the word of God to him.</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul's heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day. </i>-- 1 Sam 10:9 (Heart: <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3820/kjv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">H 3020</a>)</p><p>Despite all the prophetic confirmation, Saul didn't tell anyone what Samuel had said to him, and when the people were called together so Samuel could introduce them to their new king, he was actually found hiding among the baggage...not a terribly impressive first meeting. But he was tall and good-looking and most of the people were pleased. Samuel went over the regulations regarding the king. Then he sent everyone home, including Saul:</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched.</i> --- 1 Sam 10:26 (Hearts: H 3020) </p><p>Almost immediately, the Ammonites attacked Jabesh Gilead. With the people of that area under dire threat, word came to Saul and the Holy Spirit fell upon him and with surprising decisiveness for a man who tried to hide from the kingship, he slaughtered the oxen he was working with and sent the pieces throughout Israel, summoning them to battle. Saul showed himself a capable battle strategist, and the Ammonites were slaughtered in their camp. This victory convinced the holdouts that Saul was indeed the man for the job of king, and everyone went to Gilgal to reaffirm Saul as king.</p><p>As part of the meeting, Samuel released his leadership over to Saul, confirming with the people that he had always acted with integrity, and he went over a bit of the history leading up to Saul's appointment. After mentioning it was the time of the wheat harvest (apparently that's the dry season?), he asked God to send rain and thunder to show the Israelites that they had actually done a great evil by insisting that God give them a king.</p><p><i>Then Samuel called upon the LORD, and that same day the LORD send thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe of the LORD and of Samuel. The people all said to Samuel, "Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king."</i></p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">"Do not be afraid," Samuel replied. "You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart"</i> - 1 Sam 12: 18 - 20 (heart: H 3824)</p><p>Samuel reassured them that God would not destroy them for his own name's sake, exhorted them to resist idolatry, reassured them he would pray for them and continue to teach them 'what is good and right,' then concludes:</p><p><i><b>"But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. </b>Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away." </i>-- 1 Sam 12:24-25 (heart: H 3824)</p><p>So, as I pondered through this story, I had a few thoughts pop up...</p><p>1) How would I respond if a prophet of God told me s/he would 'tell me everything in my heart'? I kind of think I'd be shaking in my boots. That's going right to the quick, there. Oh, it would be a good thing...a marvelous thing... for a prophet to address the hidden questions and desires of my heart and tell me God's perspective on those things, but I don't know if I could handle someone looking into my heart and seeing those things that I'm trying to ignore. Of course, a true prophet would be doing that sort of thing with the interest of growth and freedom, so it would still be a good thing but...that might hurt a bit, you know?</p><p>2) God's change in Saul's heart was something that Saul had to grow into; he prophesied at once, but kinda shook it off and fell back into old patterns (hiding in the baggage). But when the Spirit of God came upon him, he became a man of action.</p><p>3) God gave Saul 'valiant men' who supported him in his position....an aside, I kinda suspect one of these guys was Abner, who became one of Saul's top generals...but God didn't leave Saul to learn the ropes of leadership alone. </p><p>4) The people did, finally, realize what they had done was a serious offence against God. But God, in his mercy and grace, reiterated the promise that all will be well if the people serve him whole-heartedly. No compromise with 'useless idols'...things valued by the unbelieving societies around them.</p><p>Mayhap next week I will be less rambly, lol.</p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-86443602447556823972023-11-24T17:08:00.001-06:002023-11-24T17:08:13.448-06:00Blogging Bible Study: The heart of the Matter - 1 Samuel part 2, God defends the Ark<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="Https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsSX8eWjtBYNfZ2D6aQPWNfsy1bg8_ETbrg0bonurN61KC0ggcw1FZuR7Y-RQdq94nY7QqU-aiV7ouQEsFpSQP11vbe91WcwebtYrrbEUuXvzp3pTiFKN3bY3vXa5ARqqHSSMmzm3W-FnG1TpoX3wIW165BCfpMeMgPiD8jeKVRaIsyVWU-08fgeArePl/s300/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="277" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsSX8eWjtBYNfZ2D6aQPWNfsy1bg8_ETbrg0bonurN61KC0ggcw1FZuR7Y-RQdq94nY7QqU-aiV7ouQEsFpSQP11vbe91WcwebtYrrbEUuXvzp3pTiFKN3bY3vXa5ARqqHSSMmzm3W-FnG1TpoX3wIW165BCfpMeMgPiD8jeKVRaIsyVWU-08fgeArePl/s1600/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><p>We have a couple of chapters now dealing with the ongoing hostilities between the Philistines and the Hebrews, with the captured Ark playing a large part. The Philistines had captured the Ark and taken it to Ashdod and placed it in the temple of their pagan god, Dagon. While Israel was mourning the loss of Eli and his sons, and doubtless others, along with the tragic loss of the symbol of God's dwelling with them, the Philistines were learning that the God of the Israelites wasn't to be trifled with.</p><p>1) The day after the Ark was placed in the pagan temple, the statue of Dagon was found fallen facedown in front of the Ark (1 Sam 5:3). The Philistines thought, gee, that's odd, and set the statue back in its place.</p><p>2) The second day after the Ark was placed in the pagan temple, the statue of Dagon had fallen facedown in front of the Ark again...only this time his head and hands were broken off and lying on the doorway. (1 Sam 5:4)</p><p>3) The people of Ashdod and the surrounding area were suddenly afflicted by...something. The NIV 84 says that God 'brought devastation upon them and afflicted them with tumors.' (1 Sam 5:6; some manuscripts add that a plague of rats had also appeared; noted in the margin of the NIV 84)...other translations indicate these tumors were hemorrhoids. So the people of Ashdod begged the rulers to move the Ark away so it was moved to Gath.</p><p>4) Same thing happened to the people of Gath...young and old were afflicted with tumors and the city was thrown into a panic (1 Sam 5:9). So the Ark was sent to Ekron. </p><p>5) When the Ark was brought into Ekron, the people there began lamenting, and a death plague hit the city. The folks there, in a panic, requested that the Ark be sent back to Israel; anyone who didn't die was afflicted with the same tumors that had hit Asdod and Gath.</p><p>So...7 months after the Ark was captured, the leaders of the Philistines went to to their priests and asked them to figure out how they could return the Ark to Israel (1 Sam 6:1-2)</p><p>Their recommendation was to be sure to send the Ark back with a 'guilt offering' of 'Five gold tumors and five gold rats' (1 Sam 6:5). Then they make an interesting statement:</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">"Why do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did? When he treated them harshly, did they not send the Israelites out so they could go on their way?"</i> - 1 Sam 6:6</p><p>Consulting the timeline of Biblical Events in my Inductive Study Bible, it had been somewhere around 400 years since the Exodus at this point. But the Philistines remembered. And their own pagan priests warned them against hardening their heart against the God of the Hebrews, like the Egyptians had done. They came up with a test: Take a couple of cows who had nursing calves, pen the calves up so their mothers can't get to them. Then hitch the mama cows to a wagon, put the Ark and the gold offering on the wagon, and let the mama cows go where they will. Nature would have them head over to their calves in the pen...if they headed down the road to Israel, then everyone would know this was the Hebrews' God at work and they should let it go. (1 Sam 6: 7 -9).</p><p>The cows, lowing and mooing all the way, nonetheless headed straight down the road to Israel. The Philistine rulers followed them all the way to the border, watched them keep going, Then, no doubt greatly relieved, they turned around and went home, convinced that everything would be ok now that the Ark was no longer in their territory. God returned the Ark 7 months after it had been captured.</p><p>But there is another little tidbit here about God protecting the Ark. We read in 1 Sam 6:19 that 70 men were killed ...Israelites...because 'they had looked into the Ark of God.'</p><p>The Philistines had learned from the Egyptians not to try to prove themselves greater than the God of the Hebrews; apparently the Hebrews themselves needed a reminder not to treat the Ark of God like something common. The people of the area sent word to the next city over, Kiriath Jearim, and asked them to take the Ark because...they were not comfortable with it amongst them. So it went to the house of Abinidab, where it stayed until King David undertook to move it to Jerusalem twenty years later.</p><p>But that's another story.</p><p>Meantime, the Israelites saw the hand of God in all of this and repented of their idolatry...</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, "If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines."</i> - 1 Sam 7:3</p><p>So, if I am reading things right (and the reference to the 20 years that the Ark was at Abinidab's is, I think, kind of a parenthetic thing, because Samuel died before the Ark was moved again.), Samuel's speech was right after the Ark was installed at Abinidab's. So we are somewhere between 7 months and maybe a year or so after the Ark was captured, and the Israelites were still reeling from their losses in that battle. So Samuel interceded, God intervened, and we read in 2 Sam 7:13 - "So the Philistines were subdued and did not invate Israelite territory again. Throughout Samuel's lifetime, the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines."<br /></p><p>Because the Israelites gave up their idols and served God with all their hearts. </p><p>(Both references are <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3824/kjv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">Strong's 3824</a>)</p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-13737686426035257762023-11-17T15:29:00.003-06:002023-11-20T23:08:35.440-06:00Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter - 1 Samuel Part 1 - Samuel and the Fall of the House of Eli<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv64Lx1b5L6ypO68laweaP4t7MGDpyvhU4VyVNO1nkCxB93A4ClAhSm3s495K6iJoqUfRijwQAMYDwtFuH1AhnTcAsYWhm1Gux3r-7SGHHqaIRsBNcEZ-j4GMu-ND6Lq7yH7AwBuijPR6iwoZ8h0TaK38z9SKd2dxTeJbRv5rW92E-8iEztWTEmuHJFZ0X/s300/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="277" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv64Lx1b5L6ypO68laweaP4t7MGDpyvhU4VyVNO1nkCxB93A4ClAhSm3s495K6iJoqUfRijwQAMYDwtFuH1AhnTcAsYWhm1Gux3r-7SGHHqaIRsBNcEZ-j4GMu-ND6Lq7yH7AwBuijPR6iwoZ8h0TaK38z9SKd2dxTeJbRv5rW92E-8iEztWTEmuHJFZ0X/s1600/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><p>Our perusal through the Bible looking at occurrences of 'Heart/ Hearts' has wandered through Joshua, but, despite the prevailing thought that Ruth is a romantic story...there isn't a single mention of heart/hearts in the entire 4 chapters. It's all about the inheritance, not romance. So that brings us to the book of 1 Samuel, which has a surprising number of mentions. I debated trying to look at the references thematically, but decided the best thing is probably to just follow the narrative, so today we're looking at the first 4 chapters (all references today, per usual, are from the NIV 84).</p><p>1 Samuel opens with the story of Hannah, the favored but childless second wife of one Elkanah, who was an Ephraimite. Up to this time, the spiritual leaders of Israel had been the priests descended from Aaron, with the current leaders being Hophni and Phineas, sons of Eli of the house of Aaron. These were corrupt leaders, who pursued their own agenda and abused their position, as we find in chapter 2, and Eli, their father, did nothing to correct them. But this was all peripheral to Hannah, who was desperate to have a son. When Elkanah's family were in Shiloh for a time of sacrifice and worship, Hannah made her way to the tabernacle to bring her pain and hope to God; Eli was sitting in a chair at the entrance.</p><p><i>As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. <b>Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk</b> and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine."</i> -- 1 Sam 1:13 [Heart: <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3820/kjv/wlc/0-1/">Strong's H3820</a>]</p><p>Would all my private pray-ers wave at me? I can pray with others, in front of others, for common concerns but if it comes to praying for me or mine...I wanna keep that between me and God. This verse is extremely comforting to me...it is the second one we've encountered that indicates that <i>God hears the prayers spoken only in the heart.</i> Those burdens or concerns that should not be spoken to others can be spoken to God. He <i>hears. </i>And there's something else that this passage says, kind of tangentially, about Hannah's heart. She didn't react to Eli's judgmental rebuke with offense. She replied with humility, and Eli blessed her....although he didn't apologize. She was comforted all the same...she left, she ate, and she received the answer she sought. And, as she had vowed, she brought her son Samuel back to Shiloh to serve God as soon as he was weaned, which I am sure was extremely difficult for her, but she rejoiced that God had heard her and blessed her even then.</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">Then Hannah prayed and said: "My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance" </i> -- 1 Sam 2:1, Strong's H3820.</p><p>Hannah's song goes on through verse 10; it's pretty amazing. And they do, indeed, leave Samuel with Eli to be raised to serve God. Hannah had 5 more kids...two daughters and three sons. Hannah saw Samuel when they came to Shiloh for worship, about once a year, and she would bring him a coat she'd made. Her heart was brought from pain and despair to contentment.</p><p>But Eli and his family were under judgement. You know how you think you know something and then suddenly realize it wasn't what you knew? Yeah, that happened. I thought Samuel was the one who prophesied the downfall of Eli's house...and he did, but he wasn't the first. An unnamed 'man of God' (1 Sam 2:27) came to Eli, apparently while Samuel was still very young, and gave him a blistering prophecy, which includes</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">"Every one of you that I do not cut off from my altar will be spared only to blind your eyes with tears and to grieve your heart, and all your descendants will die in the prime of life."</i> -- 1 Sam 2:33. 'Heart' here is a different Hebrew word - <b>nepes </b>(Strong's <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5315/kjv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">H5315</a>), which is more commonly translated 'soul', having distinct implications of 'breath' . Why it was translated 'heart' here instead of 'soul' I cannot guess...because 'grieve your soul' would make just as much sense. In both cases, the implication is the seat of emotion. </p><p>The man of God goes on to proclaim that, to prove his word true, both Hophni and Phineas would die on the same day, and that God said, <i>"</i><b style="font-style: italic;">I will raise up for my self a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his house, and he will minister before my anointed one always."</b> - 1 Sam. 2:35. (Strong's <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3824/kjv/wlc/0-1/">H3824</a>) As I typed that, I am reminded of something we'll see later, when God rejects Saul with almost the same language. And, if I'm not mistaken, this is the first time we have encountered a reference to God's heart since the very first post, which looked at God's heart being grieved, and God making a promise in his heart. In this case, he's referring to a man who does what is in his (God's) heart. Which implies that humans can know the heart of God...or at least, know it enough to know his character and order their lives in accordance with the character of God. Which is both an encouragement and a challenge.</p><p>In chapter 4, we come to the fulfillment of the prophecy of both the unknown 'man of God' and young Samuel. I don't know how old Samuel is at this time; the chronology is a little vague, but the Israelites are battling the Philistines and try to use the Ark of the Covenant as a magic weapon of some sort, thinking God would act to protect it, which fails utterly. Hophni and Phineas are killed and the Ark is captured. News travels...</p><p><i>That same day, a Benjamite ran from the battle line and went to Shiloh, his clothes torn and dust on his head. </i><b style="font-style: italic;">When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair by the side of the road, watching, because his heart feared for the ark of God. When the man entered the town and told what had happened, the whole town sent up a cry.</b> -- 1 Sam 4:13 (Strong's H3820 again).</p><p>Eli, with a premonition of doom, probably related to the prophecies he had heard, was worried about the Ark and seated where he could get news. I also wonder if Eli had counseled against taking the Ark to battle. It was a bad idea...especially since they had had no word of God to do so (remember Ai?). God did, of course, protect the Ark, but not how the Israelites had expected. They were soundly defeated for their presumption. Not once in the account of the fighting is there any indication the Israelites did what God had demonstrated to them over and over was necessary...seek His counsel for the coming battle. Eli's heart knew. And when he got word, he fell backwards from his chair...stricken? Fainted? Hard to say, because he broke his neck. So even if he had a stroke or a heart attack, the fall killed him.</p><p>God hears our hearts...and God's heart can be known. That's a good place to start if one is honestly seeking God. </p><p><br /></p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-50854708360447103952023-11-10T15:18:00.000-06:002023-11-10T15:18:06.509-06:00Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter- Judges, The Song of Deborah<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6EKxssK-GF8DLbMsgIE1qD46bEUoy5hzyX81IAd_R29HXXXnLsgeznThkbSpCvRniujQzQ-SlE0MvBzmkVI-3n4w9LMHmvZQkoDsuJHnMQ9oMukJWbVoWAJINTNHmrHVX7kPdQH0LddOaqUV-8gTAThPJdKDt3KHOVhSTO2GmCu2hefhRl4ShEbj50mHr/s300/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="277" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6EKxssK-GF8DLbMsgIE1qD46bEUoy5hzyX81IAd_R29HXXXnLsgeznThkbSpCvRniujQzQ-SlE0MvBzmkVI-3n4w9LMHmvZQkoDsuJHnMQ9oMukJWbVoWAJINTNHmrHVX7kPdQH0LddOaqUV-8gTAThPJdKDt3KHOVhSTO2GmCu2hefhRl4ShEbj50mHr/s1600/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><p>In all the book of Judges, there are only three verses that reference 'heart/hearts'...all <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3820/esv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">Strong's H3820</a> ...and they all occur in chapter 5. Mr. Scofield has labeled this chapter 'The Song of Deborah and Barak', a poetic response to the victory of Israel over the Canaanite army of Jabin, led by one bad dude named Sisera, who was dispatched in a grisly manner by a lady named Jael.</p><p>The song praises God for the victory, lauds the leaders who took initiative, berates the tribes that lagged and didn't fight, and recounts the actions of Jael, the woman who dealt the enemy the final blow.</p><p><b style="font-style: italic;">My heart is with Israel's princes, with the willing volunteers among the people. Praise the LORD!...The princes of Issachar were with Deborah; yes, Issachar was with Barak, rushing after him into the valley. In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart. Why did you stay among the campfires to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart.</b> - Judges 5:9, 15-16 NIV84</p><p>I really like the first verse of the song...<i>When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves -- praise the LORD! </i>(5:2); that kind of sets the tone for the whole song. The leaders stepped up and the people followed.</p><p>Y'all, that'll preach. But we are here to talk about hearts.</p><p>And the uses for 'heart' are kinda different than what we have looked at before. The first one indicates that the heart of the psalmist (in this case, Deborah, from v. 7) is with the folks who rose up willingly to fight the battle. She was interceding for them and proud of them. They were doing the right thing.</p><p>It's a contrast to the use of 'heart' later in the chapter, which is the same phrase repeated: <i> In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart.</i> The folks of the tribe of Reuben apparently did not muster to the battle as the passage implies that they stayed around the campfires to mind sheep. But what DID the 'searching of heart' actually mean here? That they hemmed and hawed over the call to arms too long and missed it? That they wanted to go to battle but couldn't convince themselves it was worth the risk? That they dug around in order to find an excuse not to go and decided they had to mind the sheep? I'm honest, I really don't know what their issue was. But whatever it was...they were listening to the internal dialogue and did not show up to help Israel defeat their enemies.</p><p>And that, too, will preach. The enemy doesn't have to flat out convince us to choose wrongly; he can just throw us into enough internal conflict that, if we don't recognize what's going on, we spend so much time wrestling over some aspect of the issue that we ultimately take no action. Which was his actual goal anyway. Searching one's heart to find and root out sin and disobedience is a good thing; searching one's heart to find an excuse to not turn up when called is a whole 'nuther issue, and I'm as guilty of that as the next person. </p><p>I would even go so far as to posit that searching one's heart to find an 'out' in such a situation is the first step to hardening one's heart to reject such appeals in the future. And that is definitely a problem.</p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-63069691663295901812023-11-03T13:56:00.004-05:002023-11-03T13:56:55.293-05:00Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter - Joshua, Part 2<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CHvS_kl-miRRiDyFusVFSS3HhK86V1sW2KUsFNXFumIRZ-ZRGEadv_Yj1-3Th_jVku1yzbiTiZKT-268wCjqfQUO3Zee2tTSeBNDoSEd9daxcy5oA6DXCgMf2VyrUuc4MHvurI9BbV7pa9ZdBZFW_eLy-E0_k8e6XQab3LBP08Afln_eLSVXcOYs-M8t/s300/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="277" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CHvS_kl-miRRiDyFusVFSS3HhK86V1sW2KUsFNXFumIRZ-ZRGEadv_Yj1-3Th_jVku1yzbiTiZKT-268wCjqfQUO3Zee2tTSeBNDoSEd9daxcy5oA6DXCgMf2VyrUuc4MHvurI9BbV7pa9ZdBZFW_eLy-E0_k8e6XQab3LBP08Afln_eLSVXcOYs-M8t/s1600/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><p>Of all the rest of the verses in Joshua that reference heart/hearts, one refers to hardened hearts; the rest refer to hearts devoted to God.</p><p>And...I'll be honest, given the current world events, I kinda feel like I need to treat that one verse with kid gloves; folks who are not convinced of the origin and authority of scripture could have a knee-jerk reaction to the content. So I am providing some context, but I can't quote the whole preceding two chapters about the battles....</p><p><i>Joshua waged war against these kings for a long time. Except for the Hivites living in Gibeon, not one city made a treaty of peace with the Israelites, who took them all in battle. </i><b style="font-style: italic;">For it was the LORD himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the LORD had commanded Moses.</b> -- Josh. 11: 18-20 (all references today from the NIV 84).</p><p>There are references in Scripture to the reasons why God commanded the Israelites to be merciless; I'm not going to chase that rabbit right now but if you are curious, look up the sin of the Amorites, and also look up the references to the practices of the people who occupied the land before the Israelites returned...particularly where God promises to send judgement upon the Israelites should they adopt those practices. Conquering/ invading nations was one way God visited judgment upon disobedient and rebellious nations...even Israel/ Judah were subject to that judgement because they fell into the heinous idolatry of the day. But it's a long and heavy topic and I'm looking at hearts so...I will also recommend going back and re-reading the posts about the hardening of Pharoah's heart from earlier in the study for a more detailed look at just what leads to a heart being hardened.</p><p>But...what is the protection against a hardened heart that brings judgment? A fully devoted heart.</p><p>[Joshua speaking to the people] <i style="font-weight: bold;">"But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and serve him with all your heart and all your soul."</i> - Josh. 22:5</p><p>[Joshua speaking to the people] <i style="font-weight: bold;">"Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed."</i> -- Josh. 23:14</p><p>[from Joshua's last address to the people] - <i style="font-weight: bold;">"Now then," said Joshua, "throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel." </i>-- Josh. 24:23</p><p>I think it's interesting that Joshua reminds them that they know in their heart and soul what God has done for them...they have experienced it themselves. They saw the Jordan run dry, they felt the ground shake when the walls of Jericho fell, they utterly defeated alliances of armies that far outnumbered them. They had also seen the ground open up and swallow rebellion, watched Aaron stand between the living and the dead to make atonement to stop a deadly plague, and they knew the sting of defeat because of greed and rebellion in the camp. God kept ALL of his promises.</p><p>But the ultimate reminder from Joshua's last words to the people he led...fully commit your heart to your God. </p><p>[I didn't include the Strong's numbers in the verses as I have been doing...it seems distracting when I re-read past posts. But I still feel like I should still include them, so we'll try footnotes, lol. Josh. 11:20 uses <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3820/kjv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">H 3820</a>, while the other three references are all <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3824/kjv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">H 3824</a>, both of which we've looked at before..in fact, H 3820 is listed as a form of H 3824.]</p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-50260298457148123462023-10-13T15:13:00.000-05:002023-10-13T15:13:01.992-05:00Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter -- Joshua part 1, Melted Hearts<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliwGQOAjyjK_-x7IlgP-Dmkxqu-Ao3gH6aHM93379p4sV4sKBfZHCYBwU_9F3v4daXuSVpJZMx7ys2j8RaecZ8luU2CDtI3f-tVzAY8biFwhyzGHDqpAhyo5xiCOlFm6LFxdwls7OJFU14ECf9AgAxYM3WLlyNZnhRzGBN-CUm9fJ1qbEwfXtEDOFf2-r/s300/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="277" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliwGQOAjyjK_-x7IlgP-Dmkxqu-Ao3gH6aHM93379p4sV4sKBfZHCYBwU_9F3v4daXuSVpJZMx7ys2j8RaecZ8luU2CDtI3f-tVzAY8biFwhyzGHDqpAhyo5xiCOlFm6LFxdwls7OJFU14ECf9AgAxYM3WLlyNZnhRzGBN-CUm9fJ1qbEwfXtEDOFf2-r/s1600/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><p>Part of the reason this post got delayed is that I wrote down a reference incorrectly when I was making my list and I had to go back to the concordance to see what it should have been. That should have been a simple thing, but just getting around to pulling out that massive tome was a thing, lol. But I have corrected my error and am moving forward, lol.</p><p>And I decided to split our time in Joshua into two posts, because, out of the eight verses that reference heart/ hearts, half of them reference fear.</p><p>Did you know fear is a solvent that melts hearts? All references today from the NIV 84.</p><p>(Rahab speaking) <i>"We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. </i><b style="font-style: italic;">When we heard of it, our hearts </b> [Strong's <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3824/niv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">H3824</a>] <b style="font-style: italic;">melted and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below." </b> Josh. 2:10 - 11</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until we had crossed over, their hearts </i>[Strong's H3824]<i style="font-weight: bold;"> melted and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites. </i> - Josh. 5:1 </p><p><i>When they returned, they said to Joshua, "Not all the people will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary all the people, for only a few men are there." So about three thousand men went up, but they were routed by the men of Ai, </i><b style="font-style: italic;">who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this, the hearts </b>[Strong's H3824] <i style="font-weight: bold;">of the people melted and became like water.</i> -- Josh. 7: 3 -5</p><p>(Caleb speaking) <i>"I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, </i><b style="font-style: italic;">but my brothers who went up with me made the hearts</b> [Strong's <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3820/niv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">H3820</a>] <b style="font-style: italic;"> of the people melt with fear. I, however, followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly."</b> -- Josh. 14: 7-8</p><p>Can I just be honest? I was really surprised to see that the last reference uses a different Hebrew word, <i>Leb,</i> instead of <i>Lebab</i>, which is what we have been seeing over and over and is what is used in the first three references.</p><p>Which immediately set me on a rabbit trail to figure out why....what's the difference? I found that <i>Leb</i> is actually a form of <i>Lebab </i>(the 'b's are pronounced as 'v's, for what it's worth); both connotate the center, or innermost part, and they are used for identical meanings...almost interchangeably. But Strong's definitions seem to put a little more emphasis on emotions with <i>Leb </i>and possibly a little more emphasis on the actual heart (the organ) and the intellect and courage with <i>Lebab</i>. But it's a very slight difference. Someone who is a true Hebrew scholar could probably discern the difference based on the spelling but I'm not anywhere near that level. For what we are looking at here, it's probably not enough of a difference to affect things.</p><p>I can categorize these verses several ways...two deal with fear in Israel; two deal with fear in their enemies. Three deal with reputation...word of mouth...hearsay; one deals with an actual battle. Of the two that deal with Israel's fear, one involves fear that comes as a result of presumption and the other is fear that comes from a lack of faith. Both involve not consulting/ listening to God; doing things based on human reasoning instead of what God spoke.</p><p>But it's interesting that a heart that has melted from fear becomes incapable of doing anything. For those who were opposing God's people, their fear was a protection for the Israelites while they re-circumcised the men...a very vulnerable few days for them. But fear kept everyone away. But for God's people...the fear came as a result of not asking God (presumption) or not listening to God (refusing to believe). In both cases, it was disastrous.</p><p>So, how does this apply to fear today? In an increasingly violent world...how do we deal with fear?</p><p>Rahab found herself in the camp of the enemies of Israel...and she abandoned her people to join with the Hebrews, and so saved herself and her family. She took action in the face of fear...moving toward God. For the Israelites themselves, dealing with the fear was a long lesson in obedience; one they didn't always remember, as there was 40 years in between the two referenced incidents. But...after the debacle at Ai, they DID seek God and they DID follow his instructions and then...they got a do-over and won the second time, defeating two entities instead of just one.</p><p>It is a fallen world, and faith is not an absolute guarantee there won't be horrible things to endure. It's not for nothing that we see the phrase 'the one who endures to the end' over and over in Revelation. But an assurance of following God will go a long way to taking the solvent power out of fear.</p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-22592053556478615972023-10-09T23:50:00.003-05:002023-10-17T17:37:57.363-05:00Where's Lisa Been???<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><p>I told ya it was going to be a crazy fall. </p><p>We're almost through it.</p><p>First...this happened...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTMn7fUj8xZ-W4gjUQSAWDJ4o5s1FWvUHneSWpvCgjifveTeg2w93UMM1IHmgngK310Gsca_kQvsQ5pFXfBqt2na4Tt6AJu5cj64_6XzBHPgqvKTPaRceEVsi91_SgGG-4LAQJi545MlDUb2yrFzbKGKZP4GZI2ACMBDni9a615aBg_1vLPL5HidhEKEX/s3546/20230923_150934.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3546" data-original-width="2074" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTMn7fUj8xZ-W4gjUQSAWDJ4o5s1FWvUHneSWpvCgjifveTeg2w93UMM1IHmgngK310Gsca_kQvsQ5pFXfBqt2na4Tt6AJu5cj64_6XzBHPgqvKTPaRceEVsi91_SgGG-4LAQJi545MlDUb2yrFzbKGKZP4GZI2ACMBDni9a615aBg_1vLPL5HidhEKEX/s320/20230923_150934.jpg" width="187" /></a></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><i>Photo courtesy of The Princess. I didn't pull my phone out to take pictures...</i></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Artist and his Dancer married on a bluff overlooking the Tennessee River, on a lovely day with eagles hanging around. Couldn't have asked for a more perfect setting. And, yes, <a href="https://sewrandom.blogspot.com/2023/09/in-under-wire.html" target="_blank">I did finish the dress on time.</a>..barely. (If you haven't read that post yet, click through...I'm not going to retype the shenanigans The Artist pulled on his family in the ceremony, lol). To top off the weekend, I had to be at church early the next morning to get folks registered for the quarterly baptism service. So, yeah. Crazy.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I thought I would get stuff done the next weekend. My Sweet Babboo was on a Royal Ranger campout, so I had the weekend to work on a project for a friend, catch up the laundry that didn't get done over the wedding weekend, clean up the sewing room, write the next Heart blog post...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But, well, a few weeks ago I listened to a Makers and Mystics podcast on which Stephen interviewed Sam Smith, who'd written an epic series about anthropomorphized rabbits. Think Redwall, not <br />Watership Down. After listening to the podcast, I bopped over to Sam's website and ordered the books.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And then forgot about them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, Thursday night, on the brink of my 'I'm going to catch up' weekend...those books came in the mail.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwKWomXaHZ09TqzhCZaWwIl1wW1lvAUTnXK-KfWqu1N4c3bQoVN1RpIkOVgl9yMhjDITFiHa1E8ENGnvKTOyg5pPxgHsA3VOpKgSTlVJOPyfDNq9L3squSRyZfQd1FqpbZYnpqfnRr86avMO-sgcqNIg38ck1yyuu-xqfJqEHRj64XcT5d-YU8BkgdE-V/s2268/PXL_20231010_041032484.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1940" data-original-width="2268" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwKWomXaHZ09TqzhCZaWwIl1wW1lvAUTnXK-KfWqu1N4c3bQoVN1RpIkOVgl9yMhjDITFiHa1E8ENGnvKTOyg5pPxgHsA3VOpKgSTlVJOPyfDNq9L3squSRyZfQd1FqpbZYnpqfnRr86avMO-sgcqNIg38ck1yyuu-xqfJqEHRj64XcT5d-YU8BkgdE-V/s320/PXL_20231010_041032484.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>So guess what I did on my 'catch up' weekend....<p></p><p>Had a very late night, but I can report that the good guys win, albeit not without cost. and I might even have shed a tear or two in the final boss fight...er, last battle. I found the books easier to get 'in to' than the Wingfeather series, if a bit long in descriptions in places. Overall...good books. </p><p>I'm calling it a mental health break, lol.</p><p>I did get the dress hemmed for my friend (it was a rather crisis thing and she had no one else to do it. I made her promise not to tell who did it, lol), so it wasn't a complete washout, but I did NOT get the laundry done.</p><p><br /></p><p>Then this past weekend we went to the state Assembly of God conference center for the annual Ranger Commander/ wives conference.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxiIDdTL35pdf8RiyjhxHDGrgl6vAE9QS1FQENvJVBmaFKAw1ifOgnR5YJHYGPGoqsmGr8JT3fwh9ZOgOTLjg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p>We had a cold front come through, and I managed to catch the resulting mist dancing on the small lake yesterday morning. It's such a pretty, restful place. </p><p>We had a fair amount of free time, so I dug into another book...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyu-w5ZcDmXMafvdnBvGOjQf9bnp8rE-77wZcUlxUHozHHlI2K_QC9r60dc3ue_Xv_11G8qmF6gr8dLW_7XZepxqEPp2dxbNhFyenXgkOhtWi1D_eIC6jLrdFuXgl8CrC8hyphenhyphenOUTdTveKPS20bC4Vz7N6wwqfhu9zztd7HkuUlBlP7lAKVTYa6L-6fM7YBp/s4032/PXL_20231006_210931209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyu-w5ZcDmXMafvdnBvGOjQf9bnp8rE-77wZcUlxUHozHHlI2K_QC9r60dc3ue_Xv_11G8qmF6gr8dLW_7XZepxqEPp2dxbNhFyenXgkOhtWi1D_eIC6jLrdFuXgl8CrC8hyphenhyphenOUTdTveKPS20bC4Vz7N6wwqfhu9zztd7HkuUlBlP7lAKVTYa6L-6fM7YBp/s320/PXL_20231006_210931209.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>this one was 'suggested' to the church staff. It's...interesting. I'm about 2/3 of the way through it.</p><p>The wifi/ cell signal is not terrific up on the mountain where the conference center is, but the news about the attack on Israel filtered up to us in pieces. We had a little over 50 folks from church on a tour of Israel last week; they were headed to the airport to start the trip home when the attacks began. They did manage to get out, after a bit of time in a bomb shelter at the airport. They were on what turned out to be the last commercial flight to leave on Saturday, but they are all home safe. I am gobsmacked by the details coming out about that attack; remembering a quote from the Lord of the Rings movies...'What can men do against such unreasoning hate?' </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtD2SUzJGQioazXLgcc0RpaPht624RgdZ1e4t1Zv6_FazrXYlpWDrzCEyq78KAhhJ5MHFBMsUGsWM4xEvbVcOPNiTu7mErLsXs7wNRUNkg0N9SFuAJ0MvinzGHQOn29jg-y_VhPWc0vBrFQGdSkYL1dYlMeqn6d8sfXqWb9wf5voKiWa_o5POQiVQGCSzJ/s960/Peace%20in%20Jerusalem.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="960" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtD2SUzJGQioazXLgcc0RpaPht624RgdZ1e4t1Zv6_FazrXYlpWDrzCEyq78KAhhJ5MHFBMsUGsWM4xEvbVcOPNiTu7mErLsXs7wNRUNkg0N9SFuAJ0MvinzGHQOn29jg-y_VhPWc0vBrFQGdSkYL1dYlMeqn6d8sfXqWb9wf5voKiWa_o5POQiVQGCSzJ/s320/Peace%20in%20Jerusalem.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>The photo is from my trip to Israel in 2019. When they first announced this year's trip, I told my hubby..."this is our trip. We need to go." But then both sons decided to get married this fall, so a trip to Israel just wasn't going to happen for us. Who knows now when or if we'll get to make the trip together. This could get very bad...but we can pray.</p><p>I don't know if I will manage to get the next Heart post up before the end of the month or not. We still have some crazy left to get through; but at least the rest of the crazy should be somewhat fun...</p><p>All that to say, yeah, I'm still here and I'll post the next few instalments in the series when I can...around the laundry, I'm sure. ;-)</p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-82838747517468044372023-09-27T07:22:00.006-05:002023-09-28T20:27:44.122-05:00Falling into the Hodgepodge...just for fun<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https//:beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="from-this-side-of-the-pond-button" style="margin: 0px auto; width: 273px;"> <a href="http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com/2023/09/falling-for-hodgepodge.html" rel="nofollow"> <img alt="From this Side of the Pond" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiXnHK9PPYen67DPK3sJwht0CB1vPJB1TMV5Dx08PvMCeLOvDjDhNrIu4bYXA_SQlL27nsAPG7wpjSE_Db8EAmM6rB2MmZkY-jCCTvgmnBrHVeBJQoL6wX0SGLGZsDCIQUExNUnUQyQ/s1600/hodgepodge-button.png" width="273" /> </a> </div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I haven't done the Hodgepodge in a hot minute...but now that the Weddings are both in the rear view mirror, and Fall is officially...well, at least sort of...here, I thought I'd just jump in and have some fun. So here are my thoughts for this week's edition...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>1. It's officially fall y'all. In the northern hemisphere anyway. Any signs of it where you are? What's your favorite thing about this time of year? </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Well, in these parts we really don't see what I'd call Fall until around the first weekend of November...peak fall color can be as late as Thanksgiving. We're still in mid-to-upper 80's for the 10 day forecast, so I'm not hurrying to pull out the sweaters and the boots. But it is nice that it's not absolutely ROASTING outside. My favorite thing about fall is probably the cozy settling in...the fire in the fire place, s'mores, and knowing that the holidays are coming and we'll see everyone before too long.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>2. Have you visited any 'falls' in person? Tell us about one of your favorites? Of the following top ten famous falls <i>(<a href="https://www.world-of-waterfalls.com/top-10-waterfalls/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">according to this site </a></i>) which would you most like to see in person-</b></span></p><p><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe/Zambia), Igazu Falls (Argentina/Brazil), Niagara Falls (US/Canada), Angel Falls (Venezuela), Yosemite Falls (California), Dettifoss (Iceland) Kaieteur Falls (Guyana), Plitvice Waterfalls (Croatia), Gullfoss-Golden Falls (Iceland), or Sutherland Falls (New Zealand)</b></span></i></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I've been to Niagara and Yosemite, although the trip to Yosemite was in August and there was barely a trickle over the falls. Niagara was amazing; there's a spot on the Canadian side where the walkway railing is just a few feet from the edge; you can see through the water as it goes over and really, it's not that deep. But it's moving fast. I kind of subconsciously felt like it should be turned off at night, which I know is completely absurd. I think my puny little brain just couldn't fathom that much water pouring down without stopping.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>3. What's something you'll miss about summer? </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Daylight. We're on the eastern edge of the time zone, so by the winter solstice the sun sets at like, 4:30 in the afternoon. Depressing.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>4. A favorite fall recipe?</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Russian Tea!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">2 cups Tang</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">1 cup instant tea (no sugar, no lemon)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">2 packages unsweetened lemon Kool-aid</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">2 tsp. ground cinnamon</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">1 tsp. ground cloves.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Put all in a tupperware container, seal it up and shake it really well. 2 teaspoons of mix in a cup of hot water...sweeten with sugar or honey to taste.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Beats Pumpkin Spice Anything hands down....</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>5. Something you enjoy but lately have allowed it to 'fall by the wayside'? </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Oy. I have been hankering to pull out my clarinet and play a bit, but I've lost my binder of music. I put it in a new one a couple of years back because the old black one was falling apart and...now I can't find it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>6. Insert your own random thought here. </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I have much Fall Cleaning to do. Much too much. But I have managed...so far...to keep my Commitment Level for Things in the Fall down considerably from the past few years, so maybe I can actually get that Round Tuit thing...</span></p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-9997546016572281712023-09-22T11:42:00.002-05:002023-09-24T16:01:05.088-05:00Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter - Deuteronomy, Discourse Five<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPF96Db8nJOadVk4iDOPFAFhdOHk-xU-ggGZZURN0vYZBqpgUg3uyfxEIoWMO-hIrln502_NPcoeK65KUSQXDhMx4-6arv3IApc85nhjvnr6WE-T9HyTjPHzWzOMG78UJiFfiTkEfZMakdZiZ5NgS1UFjMHTC0mNHzoYo8aHTPlAzfLnekIa0sgsCJeFzI/s300/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="277" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPF96Db8nJOadVk4iDOPFAFhdOHk-xU-ggGZZURN0vYZBqpgUg3uyfxEIoWMO-hIrln502_NPcoeK65KUSQXDhMx4-6arv3IApc85nhjvnr6WE-T9HyTjPHzWzOMG78UJiFfiTkEfZMakdZiZ5NgS1UFjMHTC0mNHzoYo8aHTPlAzfLnekIa0sgsCJeFzI/s1600/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><p>And so we come to the final discourse and conclusion of Deuteronomy, chapters 31 - 34. There is only one verse that mentions heart...and that is Deut. 32:46, following the passage known as the 'Song of Moses', verses 1-43 of chapter 32. I'm going to include the whole sentence, lol.</p><p><i>When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, <b>he said to them, "Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law."</b></i></p><p>The Hebrew word for heart is, as almost all have been, <a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3824/kjv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">Strong's H3824</a>, <b>Lebab. </b></p><p>As I typed that verse out, the word <i>command</i> stood out. Command your children. </p><p>And it hit me...IF the words are taken to heart, THEN the result is that the next generation will be diligently taught...commanded...to carefully obey all of those words. Which will include taking the words to heart and doing the same with the generation following them.</p><p>Take a selah moment right there.</p><p>I am reminded of a situation I had back years ago, teaching young people in our denominational church. One family stood out to me; with a single child, they stated that they were 'going to let [the child] decide what to believe and not push their beliefs onto [said child].'</p><p>That wasn't an isolated opinion, although it was more rare in that particular denomination than in more...progressive...churches.</p><p>Now, I totally get that forcing kids to toe a religious line just purely from a legalistic stance often produces rebellion and pushes the kids away from faith altogether. I have seen it happen.</p><p>Which is why the phrase <i>take to heart</i> is so key. We are not talking about an externally enforced list of requirements. This is about living out of personal, heart- felt convictions. Part of teaching the kids to carefully obey the word of God includes teaching them to take those teachings to heart.</p><p>And the word 'command' makes it clear that such teaching is not optional, is not left up to the kids to decide what they want to believe. No, from a very young age, the kids are to be taught to take to heart the words of God, so then carefully obeying those words will be part of who they are.</p><p>So...I have to ask...how are we teaching our children to take God's word to heart? </p><p>Because, has we have found in earlier lessons, obedience is a<i> heart </i>issue. </p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4903622276722104904.post-45850438620763979352023-09-15T19:33:00.001-05:002023-09-15T19:33:03.952-05:00Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter - Deuteronomy, Discourse 4<p><i> Posted by Lisa Laree to <a href="https://beerlahairoi.blogspot.com">Beer Lahai Roi</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjym3_HHiYCPTkz8uRcseQ9qG-LDg-OGjqMdyY62oYNHCIpXHxbsbwrrlyk-gkcrdqOHN1PPia59X68paDRBRNLtXXvqn64ai84Pd1JtZ6iIEeWDq_UYW3SYvoZ59SAWzHGBeK0CmGGt9cexGrHyCdJjqgzRgk757kONow1cevF_Z0QAg8ac_xd3xQRUrLL/s300/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="277" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjym3_HHiYCPTkz8uRcseQ9qG-LDg-OGjqMdyY62oYNHCIpXHxbsbwrrlyk-gkcrdqOHN1PPia59X68paDRBRNLtXXvqn64ai84Pd1JtZ6iIEeWDq_UYW3SYvoZ59SAWzHGBeK0CmGGt9cexGrHyCdJjqgzRgk757kONow1cevF_Z0QAg8ac_xd3xQRUrLL/s1600/Heart%20of%20the%20matter.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><p>Like Discourse Three, Discourse 4 only covers 2 chapters... Deuteronomy 29 -30. We have one verse in chapter 29 (all scriptures today taken as usual from the NIV 84):</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">Make sure there s no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart</i> [<a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3824/kjv/wlc/0-1/" target="_blank">H 3824</a>]<i style="font-weight: bold;"> turns away from the LORD our God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison. </i> -- Deut. 29:18</p><p>I read that verse and it pulled me up to a full stop....'bitter poison' needs a selah.</p><p>What is compared to bitter poison in this verse? Worshiping the gods of other nations, other cultures. Foreign gods, which starts with turning away from the Lord, the deliverer and provider that the Israelites have known. Specifically, the heart turns away. Why, after seeing God move and work, would someone's heart...or the heart of a family or tribe...turn away from the Lord? What is the root that leads to the heart turning away? We will see a similar warning in Hebrews; I thought for a minute about throwing that into the discussion but, no, we'll talk about that when we get there. Just know that this concept shows up in the New Testament....that the people who seem to follow God can still have a heart that turns away.</p><p>But there is something in the core of some people that results in the heart turning away. A root. Disappointment, unbelief, entitlement, rebellion...it could be any number of things that, if not dealt with, will fester and result in a heart that turns away. </p><p>And we all know the consequences of turning away from God. 'Bitter poison' is a good analogy.</p><p>Is there anything in my heart that could produce a turning away from God? Selah.</p><p>Moving on...</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come upon you and you take them to heart</i> [H 3824] <i style="font-weight: bold;">wherever the LORD your God disperses you among the nations, and when you and your children return to the LORD your God with all your heart </i>[H 3824] <i><b>and with all your soul according to everything I command you today,</b> then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he has scattered you. </i>-- Deut 30:1-3</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts </i>[H 3824] <i><b>and the hearts</b></i> [H 3824] <b>o<i>f your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart </i></b>[H 3824] <b><i>and with all your soul, and live</i></b>. -- Deut 30:6</p><p><i>The LORD will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your fathers, </i><b style="font-style: italic;">if you obey the LORD your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the LORD your God with all your heart </b>[H 3824] <b style="font-style: italic;">and with all your soul.</b> -- Deut. 30: 9b - 10.</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">No, the word is very near you; it is in our mouth and in your heart </i>[H 3824] <i style="font-weight: bold;">so that you may obey it. </i>-- Deut. 30:14</p><p><b style="font-style: italic;">But if your heart </b>[H 3824] <b style="font-style: italic;">turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to other gods and worship them, </b><i> I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. </i>-- Deut. 30:17-18</p><p>These verses make a very nice little condensation of the narrative... repentance, restoration, obedience, and a warning against idolatry. </p><p>And we see again a reference to a circumcised heart. In Deut. 10:16, the Israelites were instructed to circumcise their own hearts, here we see that God will circumcise their hearts...but that is after dispersion and repentance and restoration. And...I think I've mentioned it before, but it is worth noting that, after the return from the Babylonian exile, the Hebrews never again fell into national idolatry. </p><p>That's an interesting point to ponder.</p><p>Of course, this is all followed up by the well-known passage from Deuteronomy in which Moses exhorts the Israelites to 'choose life'...by loving and obeying the Lord.</p><p>Once more I am struck by the concept that the covenant was so simple...obey God and serve him only, and he would prosper and protect the people.</p><p>But...that root that led to turning away and following other gods poisoned it all...</p>Lisa Lareehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11516986664460840579noreply@blogger.com0