Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
Interesting side note: I did find my ESV Bible (I'd left it in my office), so I have been using that as my primary text for this study. And, as I've been reading, I have noticed how many times the word 'therefore' appears (as of 4:13, I have counted 8 'therefores', not including those that are part of an Old Testament quote).
But the passage that was assigned for this week, Heb 4: 14 - 16, in the ESV, begins 'Since then...'
And the discussion for these verses begins with a look at the word 'therefore', which is how verse 14 starts in the NIV.
So I'm not sure there's much point in counting the 'therefores', since it varies from translation to translation. But the use of connecting words such as 'therefore' and 'since then' indicates the logical structure of Hebrews, the building of one concept upon another.
And these three little verses are just such connectors, connecting the argument for the superiority of Jesus to his superior priesthood.
We actually looked at the temptation of Christ in our Friends Club lesson last night, comparing the temptation He endured in the desert to the temptations that face us on a daily basis. It was one of those classes where the teacher (i.e., me) just didn't feel like the essence of the scripture was adequately communicated; a typical junior-highish night, so I was a bit amazed to see this discussed today.
My concept of that passage has been based on Matthew's account...which states that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for the purpose of being tempted. I've supposed that he was in the wilderness all that time, waiting on the devil to come to him and try to deflect him from his purpose...and that the devil waited forty days, until Jesus was exceedingly weak and weary from hunger and near hydration (I think he found at least some water, but that's another post), and THEN the enemy came at him with his enticements.
But, because we looking at Luke's account last night, today I happened to re-read that and I noticed something a little
differently than I had ever noticed before; the first two verses of Luke 4
tell us that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being
tempted by the devil. The verb tense here suggests that my suppositions are wrong. It almost reads as if the enemy was tempting him the whole time; we just see the biggest guns that he saved for the last, when Jesus was at his weakest.
That would make sense. Not that the enemy hit him hard, but that he hit him consistently, with annoying and distracting petty temptations with the intention of keeping him from his communion with the Father. Then, when Jesus was worn in body AND mind AND spirit...THEN the enemy pulled out those temptations to satisfy his physical appetite and achieve the honor and the wealth without enduring the suffering that following the Father's will would cost him.
But...Jesus did not even try to fight the devil with his own strength. He just applied the scripture...common, ordinary, well-known scripture to the situation at hand. I almost wonder if he were using the scripture to strengthen his own resolve not to give in. Luke records the temptations in a different order than Matthew, and Matthew includes Jesus' dismissal of Satan, but the two accounts both show that Jesus never called on any supernatural power to defeat the enemy...Scripture, applied to a specific situation, was enough to keep the enemy at bay.
Our Superior High Priest, having been weakened as a human, withstood the enemy as a human, using the same weapon that is available to the rest of us: the sword of the Spirit. He knows what it is like to be tempted, and he knows how to use The Sword to avoid temptation's trap.
And, as this little passage in Hebrews reminds us, he is available to us to help us do the same.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Punching Through
Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi. I originally posted this as a Facebook note, but decided to put it here, too...
2nd service today, we were singing the bridge 'Show us, show us your glory, Show us, show us your power, show us, show us your glory, Lord...' and somewhere around the third repeat I heard in my spirit:
Do you really know what you're asking for here?
Suddenly, I experienced one of those moments when I realized that what I thought I was doing wasn't what I was doing at all. Of course, I was earnest in my desire to see God's power and glory, but how blithely I was expressing it...as if a revealing of God's glory and power would be something to see; as if the measure of God's glory and power that I have experienced in my life were the total of what He has and I'm just asking for a second helping.
Do you really know what you're asking?
There was a dangerous edge to that, a 'count the cost' connotation.
Because when we really see God's glory and power, nothing about our lives will be remotely the same.
'Show us your glory/show us your power' is sort of the same as saying 'take my life totally apart and turn it inside out and throw away anything that makes me feel safe and remind me just how NOT IN CONTROL OF ANYTHING I really am.'
And that's putting it mildly.
I remembered an article I'd recently read about a storm chaser, a article that had a bit of the science of severe weather in it. "Warm, moist air rises until it hits warm, dry air --the cap. If the moist air becomes warmer than the cap, it can punch through it explosively."
In a flash, I saw that my requests to see God's glory and power were hitting a cap. "It's unbelief, isn't it?" I prayed. "Help my unbelief!"
But the response I got back knocked me back.
No, it's not unbelief. The cap is your comfort zone. When your desire for God's manifest presence becomes greater than your desire to keep life safe, simple and comfortable...that's when the punch through will come.
As I related this to My Sweet Babboo on the drive home from church, he reminded me of a story that teacher Steve Thompson related about asking to see God's glory...and actually getting the tiniest glimpse of something supernatural. As Steve told the story, he came to himself about two hours later, driving down the road repeating, 'God, don't kill me! God, don't kill me!'
Do I really want to see God's glory and power, knowing it will take me to places I can't imagine and cost more than I can calculate in terms of anything the world values? Recognizing that the folks who DID see God's glory and power in biblical days were misunderstood, judged, outcast, abused and even killed? That to whom much is given, much is required...and the glory and power of God comes with profound responsibility to handle the revelation correctly? That the concept of 'comfortable' will become foreign?
Do I really know what I'm asking?
But, having seen the choice, how could I choose anything other than to tell my screaming selfish nature to talk to the hand, put my head down and say, 'No, Lord, I don't know. But I want it just the same. Teach me how to punch through to the other side of comfortable and walk where I don't care if I'm comfortable or not.'
2nd service today, we were singing the bridge 'Show us, show us your glory, Show us, show us your power, show us, show us your glory, Lord...' and somewhere around the third repeat I heard in my spirit:
Do you really know what you're asking for here?
Suddenly, I experienced one of those moments when I realized that what I thought I was doing wasn't what I was doing at all. Of course, I was earnest in my desire to see God's power and glory, but how blithely I was expressing it...as if a revealing of God's glory and power would be something to see; as if the measure of God's glory and power that I have experienced in my life were the total of what He has and I'm just asking for a second helping.
Do you really know what you're asking?
There was a dangerous edge to that, a 'count the cost' connotation.
Because when we really see God's glory and power, nothing about our lives will be remotely the same.
'Show us your glory/show us your power' is sort of the same as saying 'take my life totally apart and turn it inside out and throw away anything that makes me feel safe and remind me just how NOT IN CONTROL OF ANYTHING I really am.'
And that's putting it mildly.
I remembered an article I'd recently read about a storm chaser, a article that had a bit of the science of severe weather in it. "Warm, moist air rises until it hits warm, dry air --the cap. If the moist air becomes warmer than the cap, it can punch through it explosively."
In a flash, I saw that my requests to see God's glory and power were hitting a cap. "It's unbelief, isn't it?" I prayed. "Help my unbelief!"
But the response I got back knocked me back.
No, it's not unbelief. The cap is your comfort zone. When your desire for God's manifest presence becomes greater than your desire to keep life safe, simple and comfortable...that's when the punch through will come.
As I related this to My Sweet Babboo on the drive home from church, he reminded me of a story that teacher Steve Thompson related about asking to see God's glory...and actually getting the tiniest glimpse of something supernatural. As Steve told the story, he came to himself about two hours later, driving down the road repeating, 'God, don't kill me! God, don't kill me!'
Do I really want to see God's glory and power, knowing it will take me to places I can't imagine and cost more than I can calculate in terms of anything the world values? Recognizing that the folks who DID see God's glory and power in biblical days were misunderstood, judged, outcast, abused and even killed? That to whom much is given, much is required...and the glory and power of God comes with profound responsibility to handle the revelation correctly? That the concept of 'comfortable' will become foreign?
Do I really know what I'm asking?
But, having seen the choice, how could I choose anything other than to tell my screaming selfish nature to talk to the hand, put my head down and say, 'No, Lord, I don't know. But I want it just the same. Teach me how to punch through to the other side of comfortable and walk where I don't care if I'm comfortable or not.'
Friday, November 1, 2013
SSMT Verse 21: Hebrews 10:35-36
Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
Tonight was the sectional Royal Ranger commander pitch-in dinner; we do this every year about this time and, to be honest, while I like eating all the home cooked food and visiting with folks, it always seems to be something that requires more fuss and bother than I have time for.
I did cook for it and came home and cooked more (how did our school get signed up to provide breakfast for the theater festival judges in the morning?)...my kitchen is WRECKED.
I think I'm going to do an unheard of thing and bail from the festival as soon as my kid is done tomorrow; come home and clean up the mess I made today.
But I digress. Tonight was worth the fuss and bother and then some.
Our feature this year was a young lady who is on the worship staff at our church and is just launching out into her own ministry, Kat Holder. She did an awesome job singing three of her original songs, and she challenged us along the theme of tonight's banquet, 'Top Shot'. She kinda made a play on words...one of the things the Ranger Boys have to earn is something called a 'Cut and Chop' card, which they must have on them in order to use any sharp tools on any Ranger event; so she said that we would earn our 'Top Shot' card tonight.
Basically, she anagrammed 'top shot' down the side of the card, then challenged us to consider what makes someone a 'top shot' in the kingdom. She described her choices, but told us that we would probably all pick different words, depending upon where we each were in our spiritual journey or how we saw our position.
We were also challenged to post photos of the cards to the Sectional Ranger Facebook page, but, well, since I'm not on that page I just decided I'd do it here:
One of the verses she mentioned tonight caught my ear and I scribbled it down. When I got home and read it, I decided that verse and the one preceding it would be the SSMT verse for Nov. 1:
So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. - Heb 10:35-36 NIV84
Tonight was the sectional Royal Ranger commander pitch-in dinner; we do this every year about this time and, to be honest, while I like eating all the home cooked food and visiting with folks, it always seems to be something that requires more fuss and bother than I have time for.
I did cook for it and came home and cooked more (how did our school get signed up to provide breakfast for the theater festival judges in the morning?)...my kitchen is WRECKED.
I think I'm going to do an unheard of thing and bail from the festival as soon as my kid is done tomorrow; come home and clean up the mess I made today.
But I digress. Tonight was worth the fuss and bother and then some.
Our feature this year was a young lady who is on the worship staff at our church and is just launching out into her own ministry, Kat Holder. She did an awesome job singing three of her original songs, and she challenged us along the theme of tonight's banquet, 'Top Shot'. She kinda made a play on words...one of the things the Ranger Boys have to earn is something called a 'Cut and Chop' card, which they must have on them in order to use any sharp tools on any Ranger event; so she said that we would earn our 'Top Shot' card tonight.
Basically, she anagrammed 'top shot' down the side of the card, then challenged us to consider what makes someone a 'top shot' in the kingdom. She described her choices, but told us that we would probably all pick different words, depending upon where we each were in our spiritual journey or how we saw our position.
We were also challenged to post photos of the cards to the Sectional Ranger Facebook page, but, well, since I'm not on that page I just decided I'd do it here:
So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. - Heb 10:35-36 NIV84
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Hebrews: Chapter 4 on REST
Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
To catch up...the assignment for today was to read chapter 4, vs. 1 - 13, and ponder REST.
I have been here before; it was one of the topics I considered during the Jubilee Year, and one truth I discovered early on was that 'real rest is a discipline'.
And what struck me as I read through today's verses was the author's repeated warnings that we, like the ancient Israelites, can hear the good news of God's promises and still not receive them.
From last week, we see that they failed to enter God's rest because of unbelief (3:19)
Today's passage shows that they did not benefit from the message because they did not unite it w/faith (4:2) and they failed to enter God's rest because of disobedience (4:6)
The ancients who fell in the desert did so because they did not believe God would give them victory against intimidating foes, they did not listen to those who declared that God was able, and they refused to act on God's direct instructions.
We are warned 'if you hear the message, do not harden your hearts.' (4:7)
In verse 10, we read that whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works.
God's rest means that I believe, have faith, and obey.
But that ain't easy.
Notice the author says that we must strive to enter that rest (v. 11). We have to purposely choose to trust God, when situations say He doesn't make sense. We have to believe what He tells us, even if everything around us appears to be contrary. We have to do what He says, especially when he tells us to do something that is beyond our ability.
Because He takes it at that point and does for us that which could not have been done otherwise. And we rest from our own efforts and work.
Yes, real rest is a discipline...of belief, faith and obedience.
To catch up...the assignment for today was to read chapter 4, vs. 1 - 13, and ponder REST.
I have been here before; it was one of the topics I considered during the Jubilee Year, and one truth I discovered early on was that 'real rest is a discipline'.
And what struck me as I read through today's verses was the author's repeated warnings that we, like the ancient Israelites, can hear the good news of God's promises and still not receive them.
From last week, we see that they failed to enter God's rest because of unbelief (3:19)
Today's passage shows that they did not benefit from the message because they did not unite it w/faith (4:2) and they failed to enter God's rest because of disobedience (4:6)
The ancients who fell in the desert did so because they did not believe God would give them victory against intimidating foes, they did not listen to those who declared that God was able, and they refused to act on God's direct instructions.
We are warned 'if you hear the message, do not harden your hearts.' (4:7)
In verse 10, we read that whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works.
God's rest means that I believe, have faith, and obey.
But that ain't easy.
Notice the author says that we must strive to enter that rest (v. 11). We have to purposely choose to trust God, when situations say He doesn't make sense. We have to believe what He tells us, even if everything around us appears to be contrary. We have to do what He says, especially when he tells us to do something that is beyond our ability.
Because He takes it at that point and does for us that which could not have been done otherwise. And we rest from our own efforts and work.
Yes, real rest is a discipline...of belief, faith and obedience.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Hebrews Chapter 3 Discussion
Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
As I read through (late, overdue, but still...) the Hebrews 3 assignment, a kind of broken sentence formed itself:
Therefore...consider Jesus...who was worthy of more glory than Moses...and take care we do not harden our hearts as those led by Moses and were unable to enter God's rest...
Another place in scripture where the chapter breaks not only a section but a thought. The first word in chapter 3 is 'Therefore'.
Which, of course, means that one must carefully consider what comes after that word in light of what went before it.
In this case, the previous chapter ended with a discussion of how Jesus had become like us in order to help us.
And, therefore, we are to consider Him...look at Him, ponder Him, see how He walked out His destiny.
Consider Christ, in comparison to the lawgiver Moses: Moses was the House; Christ the Builder. Moses was the Servant; Christ the Heir.
We are His, so we are to be careful that we do not fall into the same traps that those who followed Moses fell into.
The traps are all summed up in one: an evil, unbelieving heart.
One that accuses instead of confesses. One that provokes instead of petitions. One that rebels instead of reverences.
The followers of Moses who did those things fell in the desert and never saw the culmination of their dreams and journeys. They never saw God's rest.
If that evil, unbelieving heart is the block to God's rest, then one who follows the instruction to be on guard against that would have easy access to the rest of God.
A heart that believes and seeks God's good is a heart that has the ability to rest.
Because a heart at rest is a heart that has truly learned to trust God in all things.
As I read through (late, overdue, but still...) the Hebrews 3 assignment, a kind of broken sentence formed itself:
Therefore...consider Jesus...who was worthy of more glory than Moses...and take care we do not harden our hearts as those led by Moses and were unable to enter God's rest...
Another place in scripture where the chapter breaks not only a section but a thought. The first word in chapter 3 is 'Therefore'.
Which, of course, means that one must carefully consider what comes after that word in light of what went before it.
In this case, the previous chapter ended with a discussion of how Jesus had become like us in order to help us.
And, therefore, we are to consider Him...look at Him, ponder Him, see how He walked out His destiny.
Consider Christ, in comparison to the lawgiver Moses: Moses was the House; Christ the Builder. Moses was the Servant; Christ the Heir.
We are His, so we are to be careful that we do not fall into the same traps that those who followed Moses fell into.
The traps are all summed up in one: an evil, unbelieving heart.
One that accuses instead of confesses. One that provokes instead of petitions. One that rebels instead of reverences.
The followers of Moses who did those things fell in the desert and never saw the culmination of their dreams and journeys. They never saw God's rest.
If that evil, unbelieving heart is the block to God's rest, then one who follows the instruction to be on guard against that would have easy access to the rest of God.
A heart that believes and seeks God's good is a heart that has the ability to rest.
Because a heart at rest is a heart that has truly learned to trust God in all things.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Hebrews, Chapter 2 Discussion
Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
Aiieeee....in the craziness that has been October, somehow I missed the post on Hebrews 2 on the 16th. And the chapter 3 post was up last week...I did see that one, but didn't have time to comment, since I was in full out sleepover prep. So...I'll hit chapter 2 today and try to get chapter 3 in on Wednesday, just in time for chapter 4...
The theme Suzanne found in chapter 2 is 'He is able'. The phrase that hit me as I read through it was 'Great Salvation', from 2:3-4:
how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. ( ESV)
Look at that salvation...it was
1) Declared by the Lord
2) Attested by eyewitnesses
3) validated by signs, wonders and gifts of the Spirit.
As we read on, we find more details about this salvation...
- by God's grace, Christ tasted death for everyone (vs.9)
- he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all brothers (v. 11)
- through death, he destroyed the one who has the power of death (v. 14) and delivered all those who were slaves because of the fear of death (v. 15)
- He is able to help those who are tempted (v. 18)
The Great Salvation is not just a ticket punch for the ride to heaven, it is an ongoing, growing, reciprocal relationship.
And it is not surpassed by anything. Not to jump ahead, but here is the groundwork laid for a later argument. The author is already trying to get the reader to consider...if I neglect this relationship, overlook this truth, reject this opportunity for redemption...what is left? What will replace it? What will do its work?
If one goes in search of a superior way...how can that person escape?
Aiieeee....in the craziness that has been October, somehow I missed the post on Hebrews 2 on the 16th. And the chapter 3 post was up last week...I did see that one, but didn't have time to comment, since I was in full out sleepover prep. So...I'll hit chapter 2 today and try to get chapter 3 in on Wednesday, just in time for chapter 4...
The theme Suzanne found in chapter 2 is 'He is able'. The phrase that hit me as I read through it was 'Great Salvation', from 2:3-4:
how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. ( ESV)
Look at that salvation...it was
1) Declared by the Lord
2) Attested by eyewitnesses
3) validated by signs, wonders and gifts of the Spirit.
As we read on, we find more details about this salvation...
- by God's grace, Christ tasted death for everyone (vs.9)
- he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all brothers (v. 11)
- through death, he destroyed the one who has the power of death (v. 14) and delivered all those who were slaves because of the fear of death (v. 15)
- He is able to help those who are tempted (v. 18)
The Great Salvation is not just a ticket punch for the ride to heaven, it is an ongoing, growing, reciprocal relationship.
And it is not surpassed by anything. Not to jump ahead, but here is the groundwork laid for a later argument. The author is already trying to get the reader to consider...if I neglect this relationship, overlook this truth, reject this opportunity for redemption...what is left? What will replace it? What will do its work?
If one goes in search of a superior way...how can that person escape?
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Snapshots 10/26/13
Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
Last night was the annual Girls Ministry sleepover; as we have done for a number of years now, the teen girls (grades 6-12) split from the younger girls.
Some years we just split for part of the evening, but this year we basically had a whole separate event at the same time.
We started the evening by attending a local concert featuring Casting Crowns.
Wow.
Then we went back to church; I did the devo portion first, since we had a girl who had to leave early and I wanted to make sure she got the 'lesson' of the evening, too.
It all worked out to talk about the lies the enemy tells us.
Then they watched a movie...and I hid treasure hunt clues around the church (had to wait for other ministries happening to finish and get cleared out).
Then the girls did a flashlight treasure hunt.
Wasn't going to do it this year, but I had a flash of inspiration about having them look for jewels to put on crowns on which they'd written the truth to counter the lie of the enemy...anyway, we did it again.
And I messed up again. I gotta get some help doing this, if only to have a second pair of eyes looking at stuff to catch oversights.
After everyone found their jems and I doled out the 'prize' candy, we watched the Official Every Year Movie, Princess Bride.
That movie finished up about 5:30. The girls all dozed off; the other teen chaperone and I wandered out into the lobby and watched the sun come up.
I failed utterly to take pictures of the evening, only getting a couple of pics at the concert.
I wanted one of all the girls with their crowns. Forgot.
In the process of planning and preparing, involving, among other things, wrestling a bench seat back into our minivan and hunching over a table cutting rectangles out of poster board to run through the die cutter and turn into crowns, I have done pretty much every bad thing in the book to my back.
Ice pack 20 on/20 off. Repeat till the ice packs are tepid slush.
Thinking really hard about seeing if I can use some of my comp time for recovery time next week. I could use a couple of days to just breath.
And visit the chiropractor. ;-)
Last night was the annual Girls Ministry sleepover; as we have done for a number of years now, the teen girls (grades 6-12) split from the younger girls.
Some years we just split for part of the evening, but this year we basically had a whole separate event at the same time.
We started the evening by attending a local concert featuring Casting Crowns.
Wow.
Then we went back to church; I did the devo portion first, since we had a girl who had to leave early and I wanted to make sure she got the 'lesson' of the evening, too.
It all worked out to talk about the lies the enemy tells us.
Then they watched a movie...and I hid treasure hunt clues around the church (had to wait for other ministries happening to finish and get cleared out).
Then the girls did a flashlight treasure hunt.
Wasn't going to do it this year, but I had a flash of inspiration about having them look for jewels to put on crowns on which they'd written the truth to counter the lie of the enemy...anyway, we did it again.
And I messed up again. I gotta get some help doing this, if only to have a second pair of eyes looking at stuff to catch oversights.
After everyone found their jems and I doled out the 'prize' candy, we watched the Official Every Year Movie, Princess Bride.
That movie finished up about 5:30. The girls all dozed off; the other teen chaperone and I wandered out into the lobby and watched the sun come up.
I failed utterly to take pictures of the evening, only getting a couple of pics at the concert.
I wanted one of all the girls with their crowns. Forgot.
In the process of planning and preparing, involving, among other things, wrestling a bench seat back into our minivan and hunching over a table cutting rectangles out of poster board to run through the die cutter and turn into crowns, I have done pretty much every bad thing in the book to my back.
Ice pack 20 on/20 off. Repeat till the ice packs are tepid slush.
Thinking really hard about seeing if I can use some of my comp time for recovery time next week. I could use a couple of days to just breath.
And visit the chiropractor. ;-)
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