Creation . . . Continued

It’s really interesting to me how close heaven and earth were in the beginning. God was near and communed in His creating. The chasm was created by sin. It continues to widen. Only Christ’s return can restore the peace that was. Let’s think about days three through five and most of day six.

I find it really fascinating to think about God speaking and things just happening. Yet the Word also tells us he formed things. Genesis 1 tells us he separated the waters from the waters, but elsewhere we are told how He stretched out the sky:

Can you, like him, spread out the skies, hard as a cast metal mirror? [Job 37:18]

You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent. [Psalm 104:1b-2]

And we are also told how John saw this same sky rolled back like a scroll in the future:

The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. [Revelation 6:14]

As majestic as this creation seems to us, the mere spoken word of the Creator can change it all in an instant.

As the earth and its contents begin to take shape and form, and it begins to be filled with vegetation and life, it is clear that there is a design. Just as all things were created with a view to Christ, the earth was created with a view toward God’s ultimate creation of man, his image bearer. Just as God is intricate in every detail, he so designed the earth in perfect order, preparing it for its inhabitants.

Each stage of life that was created was created higher than the previous stage. Plants cannot move about and have no instincts. The fish of the sea and the birds of the air certainly do. The four-legged beasts have even stronger wills. Yet they do not have souls and were not created in the image of God as was man. Yet even in His creating, He planned for many of these animals to serve symbolic purposes in His kingdom to point the way to Christ.

It is almost painful to think about how perfect it was all created to be. No death—probably not even between animals. The lion was likely lying down with the lamb then. No survival of the fittest. As Homer Hoeksema puts it, “Originally there was perfect harmony: harmony between God and man, between man and animal, and between animal and animal. The creation was marked by peace, rooted in peace with God.”[1]

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. [Romans 8:19-22]

Enjoy this short video: Perfect Harmony

---

[1] Hoeksema, Homer. Unfolding Covenant History: An Exposition of the Old Testament, Vol. I, From Creation to the Flood. Reformed Free Publishing Assoc., 2000, p. 72.

Covenants . . . a Beginning

Reading: Genesis 1-2

It’s really important to start at the beginning, because the whole Bible from beginning to end is not just a collection of stories or works or letters. It is one big story unfolding in which our Creator is using this inspired Word that has transcended centuries to tell us about Himself, about His relationship to us, and not only what to do about that now, but to give us a glimpse of what it will be like to get back to the beginning—back to the way he originally designed it to be.

One of the pleasures of reading Genesis again and again and examining some of the commentaries to prepare for this study of covenants has been to explore the differences between Genesis 1 and 2. Chapter 1 gives us an overview of creation, the big picture of God speaking the earth and all that is in it into being. The overview is given in a sort of poetic form, a form easy to remember and to repeat to generations, as the end of each day is recorded the same way: first the Creator declaring evening and morning, declaring this a day, then after seeing His creation to be good, declaring it another day.

It is very interesting that the first thing God did was shed light on everything. The Bible speaks often of God’s light and the separating of light from the darkness. The culmination was the advent of Jesus, the Light of the World, who gives us light that we can shine before men. What in the world could we do without light? We couldn’t see, there would be no power, no energy, and nothing would be revealed. Of course, everything would have to begin with light.

In Genesis 2:2 I find the word “generations” interesting. It could mean “this is the birth of the heavens and the earth” or “this is the course of history of the heavens and the earth.” The HCSB uses the words “records of the creation of the heavens and the earth concerning their creation at the time.” However it is stated, it sounds like it took some work.

Now, because the word “covenant” is not mentioned in Genesis until the time of Noah, does that mean that there was no covenant with creation? Let’s look at some other texts:

Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day

   And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,

who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—

   the LORD of hosts is his name:

 "If this fixed order departs

   from before me, declares the LORD,

then shall the offspring of Israel cease

   from being a nation before me forever." [Jeremiah 31:35-36]

"Thus says the LORD: If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night will not come at their appointed time, then also my covenant with David my servant may be broken, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and my covenant with the Levitical priests my ministers.” [Jeremiah 33:20-21]

Thus says the LORD: If I have not established my covenant with day and night and the fixed order of heaven and earth, then I will reject the offspring of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his offspring to rule over the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes and will have mercy on them." [Jeremiah 33:25-26]

O. Palmer Robertson points out in The Christ of the Covenants that the similarity in these two passages deems it appropriate to assume that “covenant” in Jeremiah 33 and “fixed order” in Jeremiah 31 mean the same thing. And the Jeremiah 33 passage is linking two covenants.

To be continued…

A Word About the Word

Before I dive into this study, Exploring Covenants, I feel that there is something I should make clear. Some of you may think this is totally unnecessary, but that is because you know me well. However, when you start a blog or you post statuses on Facebook and encourage myriads of people you don’t know very well to take a look at your innermost heart, you better make it clear where you’re coming from. I thought I should do that from the very beginning.

Already I have been overwhelmed as I am reading and studying and attempting to begin at the beginning of this study. I am overwhelmed with the wealth of material that has been written by some very smart people. I’m overwhelmed that I am starting out on another phase of my life while still in the midst of this fairly new one that I love so much and I have no idea how I will handle it all. Most of all I am overwhelmed with the love of our Father in heaven—how He could love us so much that from the very foundation of the world He would create us specifically with the ability to laugh and cry, love and hate, think and reason. Then He would arrange it so that we could be saved from His holy wrath…because He knew we would not be able to help using those gifts He gave us to try to be like Him.

What I need to make clear is how I will approach this study. I will always approach God’s Word as though it is inspired and infallible. I will not use commentaries or study helps from scholars who believe otherwise. To do so I believe wastes time and takes me down rabbit trails that are of little use to those who want to know about God. Of what use is a study that just creates more questions? We will always be seeking to know our Father better. If I were to hinder anyone’s progress in that, I believe I would be held accountable to Him.

I will also try very hard not to try to read things into Scripture that are not there. I think that could be a real danger in a study such as this, if we are not careful to study diligently, look carefully at history, culture, people, and situations. That being said, as we study covenants we must remember that Christ is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament promises. As excited as I am about studying covenants, I know that I am not a seminary graduate or a pastor, and I will be leaning heavily on my pastor and pastor friends for guidance as I proceed.

Please be patient with me for the next week or so as I prepare. I am still planning for us to meet and discuss as a group on October 9. Please be in prayer for me. Thanks!

New Study - Exploring Covenants

I have been fascinated with covenants for a while now. I want to more firmly wrap my mind around several things, and I invite you to join me while I do this.

I hope to:

• Seek to know my Father and Creator better by seeing Him as a covenant designer, developer and keeper who teaches His children to follow His ways by learning this pattern. 
• Learn biblical history from a covenant keeping perspective, bearing in mind that the Father’s ultimate covenant promises are still to come in the fullness of Christ’s glory.
• Bring in current cultural application to our lives as we see how the brokenness of our world is impacted by the lack of focus on our Father’s redeeming covenantal plan. 

I am excited about our study. I hope you will consider discussing your findings with me either by email or by blog.

Reading: Genesis 1-2

Week 8 - Partners in Giving and Receiving

Philippians 4:10-23
2 Corinthians 9
1 Kings 17

What is our greatest need? Christ, of course! When do we want Him the most? When things are rosy and comfortable? Or do we long for Him and cry out for Him and learn to lean on Him when our lives are a struggle and things just aren’t going so well for us? Why should we think hardship means that God is against us? The Cross of Christ tells us a much different story. It is in our comfort we tend to forget our Father who actually bestows gifts of grace. In either plenty or want, we must remember we need His help to survive spiritually.

What of Paul’s words in v. 19 that our God will supply every need according to His riches in glory? Oh, how these words have been misrepresented over the years that if we give our money, He will repay us with more money, or “you can never out give God.” How many times have I heard that? Don’t get me wrong, I have been the recipient of untold miraculous monetary surprises at the eleventh hour, and know first hand about God’s timing and his supply of every physical need. But to think that God would repay us for giving! Scandalous!

Who confronted Me, that I should repay him? Everything under heaven belongs to Me. [Job 41:11]*

For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been His counselor?
Or who has ever first given to Him,
and has to be repaid? [Romans 11:34-35]*

“According to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” absolutely has to mean more than monetary or physical needs. Every spiritual gift in Christ Jesus, including the ability to be sustained in plenty (as in those generous souls in Philippi able to give) and in want (as in Paul who spent quite a bit of time in prison) must be the focus of the passage rather than the physical needs. Paul clearly states that he didn’t need their gift, although he was brimming over with emotion from receiving it. Why? There were probably several reasons.

Paul mentioned that the gift was a long time coming (“now you have renewed [or revived] your care for me”) v.10. Only one commentator that I read, John Gill, indicated that the Philippian church may have neglected Paul and that he was giving them an “out” by saying that they had “no opportunity” to send a gift. All the other commentators take Paul at face value that they really didn’t have the opportunity to send anything. I’ll leave that up to your individual study. I certainly found it an interesting idea, considering the state of our contemporary economy today and the fact that so many of us as individuals, and our churches, have to make tough decisions about giving to our missionaries.

Here’s what I think—I think they had been saving up all along to give to Paul and really lacked the opportunity. This is why I think so. I think Paul was overcome by emotion and overwhelmed by the amount of the gift and the fact that they sent one of their most valued leaders at a time when there was conflict in the church. All of this was an act of pure faith on their part, that God would supply what they needed. In turn, Paul is encouraging them that the fruit of the Holy Spirit is evidenced by what they have done, and he can hardly express his emotion, “but I seek the fruit that is increasing to your account. But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied.” Paul received a huge blessing, the knowledge of the fact that the saints in Philippi were growing in the fruit of the Spirit of God, even in his absence.

I cannot end this lesson without making a comparison of the 1 Kings 17 passage with Luke 7:11-16. In both passages we read of a widow with nothing left in life but her only son, dead. In both instances the God of compassion, once through the prophet Elijah and once through His only begotten Son, raised the son of a devoted widow to life, supplying all her need. I’m not sure in just reading these passages we understand the life of a woman in biblical times without a man’s protection, but it was grim. Not only was she dependent on other family for the rest of her life (if she had any) but she had no name of her own, and the family line would be extinguished from that point if there were no other heirs. She would have nothing else to do if there were no children to raise. We don’t know just how much our God rescued these women from by raising their sons, but I can imagine that they would have wanted to enter the grave with them rather than live the life they were left with without them.

Now the One who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness, as you are enriched in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many acts of thanksgiving to God. Through the proof of this service, they will glorify God for your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with others. And in their prayers for you they will have deep affection for you because of the surpassing grace of God on you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift. [2 Corinthians 9:10-15]*

*HCSB

Week 7 - Partners in Unity in the Church

Philippians 4:2-9
Romans 15:1-13

Has someone in authority ever called you on the carpet in public? Was it someone you really respected? Did you deserve it? How did you handle it internally? Was Christ your righteousness, or were you defensive and needed to have yourself a pity party for a little while?

I’ve been imagining a little what it must have been like when Epaphroditus brought back Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi. He’s calling out Euodia and Syntyche before the whole church because somebody let Paul know that they were not in sync. In his gentle way he is still admonishing them, and urging them to seek agreement in Jesus. We don’t really know how the story ends, but I can guess. I’m going to guess that this disagreement between the two of them starts to look small when they compare it to standing with Paul in times of persecution (Acts 6&7) and in struggling against opponents (1:27). It is obvious that Paul esteems these women, and has no doubt about their belief, their faith and growth, and their labor for the advancement of the gospel.

It could be that the next couple of verses are applicable to the same situation. Let’s reverse some order just for fun, and put verse 4 at the end of 5-7, like this:

“Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” 

Paul could have added whatever is “gracious” to his list of virtues in this letter. It is certainly a trait we need in our dealings with each other.

I absolutely cannot close out this week’s lesson without stressing “but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” [v.6] Without Him, without His Spirit, there can be no reconciliation, no virtue, and no true gratitude. We are constantly told in His Word that we don’t have because we don’t ask. May we be constant seekers of peace, and the virtues Paul reminds us to practice.

Week 6 and a half...

This weekend I attended the Living Proof Live Conference in Richmond where Beth Moore gave her usual uplifting message and the worship was 9,300 strong! I wanted to share something that I gleaned from her teaching which coincided with our study in Philippians that I’ve been mulling over in my heart.

The Scripture Beth taught from this weekend was John 1. In our Philippians study for Chapter 3 we learned that Paul said forget our past accomplishments and run the race set before us—don’t look behind.

Wouldn’t you know it—Beth’s whole teaching was on eight things we need to go back to—Number 1 being Back to the Word. Then she compared John 1:1 and Genesis 1:1, reminding us that Christ was before the beginning (Number 2, Back to the genesis). If we ever looked back in the race, we would see Christ cheering us on at the starting line as He will be leading us on to the finish line! We don’t need to look back! We can confidently forget our sin and earthly entanglements we have been forgiven of (Number 3, Back to the exodus—even our own exodus!), and run the race set before us!

I am more excited about studying God’s Word than ever (and I was pretty excited before)! Our Father wants us to know Him, and to know Him, He sent His Son. We study Jesus, and we will know the Father. Number 4, Back to the ultimate exegesis, Christ, will be the path to relationship with our Father and with each other. Getting Back to grace and truth, and getting Back to the Gospel (Numbers 5 and 6) will set us free, because the Truth dispels darkness. Then we can believe that we can receive one blessing after another (Number 7, Back to one blessing after another) because our Father does not give His children stones—He gives them the Bread of Life.

Then we need to go Back to the future (Number 8). We need to win that race, go for that prize! Christ is coming again in all the fullness of His glory, and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord! Hallelujah! And He will say, “Well done! You kept your eyes on Me, My good and faithful servant!”

Week 6 - Partners in Pressing On

Week 6 – Partners in Pressing On
Philippians 3:12-21
Hebrews 12:1-17

I just love the partnership language that Paul uses in Philippians, as does the author of Hebrews, with regards to “pressing on.” “Let us run,” “join me, brothers,” we eagerly await,” “our citizenship,” “we may share,” all indicate that they are fully engaged in the blessed process of striving for the prize at the end of the race—the glory of the resurrected Christ at the last day. As in any race, we must not be distracted by either the comforts that would keep us from the hardships of the race or the discomforts that would keep us from persevering. Our eyes must be focused on the end, the prize, and the reason we are even in the race at all.

The one thing I love about the races described is that they are not competitive races. I haven’t heard of too many races in which the runner goes it alone. When I worked at the local high school the track team had practices in which the team members had individual practice runs. They were probably trying to beat their own best times. In the end though, they would vie in a group against team members from other schools for the ultimate title.

Let’s envision what a non-competitive, partnering race would look like:

• Learning that self-discipline and self-control do not mean self-dependence! Jesus is the Captain, he steers the course, makes the path straight and gives us energy to go on. (v. 21, kata thn energeian, “by the power,” or “according to the energy)… 
• Not looking behind at past accomplishments, spiritual growth spurts, or obedience to the law—it just slows us down… 
• Runners lean forward, stretch out as they run toward the mark, and encourage others to follow their example by word and deed… 
• As they run, they keep their eyes on the mark, the Captain, who is constantly moving toward His goal of final glory, ruling over all the earth, bringing all into final ultimate citizenship and bestowing bodies that will no longer tire from running the race. 

This past week there was a sad occurrence in the family of one of my friends and coworkers. She lost her two-week-old niece, a result of a premature birth because of complications in the pregnancy. Because of social networking (Facebook) many people around the country were able to pray for her brother’s family during their tragedy. While the last weeks of pregnancy and the birth and illness were very stressful, the experience has brought the parents closer to their Father, a miracle only He can perform. Please take time to read the father’s thoughts after Baby Carolina’s death this week. I’m sure you will be touched, as I was, to think of how the body of Christ can minister to this hurting family from so far away. Please pray for His provision for them.

Baby Carolina Rae's Blog

Week 5 - Partners in Glorifying Christ

Philippians 3:1-11
Acts 6:8-7:60

Do you have any strange habits that you fall into when you are around your family? I now live back on the farm where I grew up, about two-tenths of a mile from my mother. My husband and children tell me that whenever I walk into her house my dialect changes. I’ve wondered why that happens. Is it because I think she will understand me better? It shouldn’t be that—my mother is well read and quite intelligent. Is it because I feel like a child? I don’t think so—I’m over fifty now and pretty secure in my role as daughter, wife, and mother myself. Maybe it’s that I want to fit in, conform, avoid ridicule and be accused of becoming uppity, or citified in my speech—too good for the farm. Ahh, maybe I’m getting a little closer to the truth.

Since I was on vacation last week, I struggled a bit with the lesson. It was difficult to concentrate for long periods of time, or to hog the computer, or to get up super early the way I do at home. I also struggled because when Paul used the word “dogs” to describe a group of people, all of my commentaries point to the Judaizers as the culprits. That may be so. As I continued to study, I saw all of us in that category. I see all of us in danger of adding things to the gospel to help guarantee our salvation, and refusing to examine the motives or the attachment to the advancement of the gospel in those actions. Let me explain.

I’m sure that in Paul’s day the Jewish Christians could have felt that they had one up on the Gentile Christians. They were children of the promise! They could trace their ancestry all the way back to Jacob! They were the chosen people of God. They had the Law, the Scriptures, and the Prophets. They had been through the years of the great Kings and they had been through the years of exile and famine. I am sure to own all of that and Christ, too, would be an amazing amount of spiritual wealth. Paul put into perspective, though, when he called it crap. That is pretty much what he did. Even today when I meet a Jewish Christian I think how neat it must be to have all that heritage and Christ, too. But Christ is all that matters.

We need to be very careful about our earthly identifications. We all have them. I knew a friend once who told me she was a Democrat and a Methodist and she could never change—as long as her parents were alive she was going to follow the family pattern and not make waves. Some of us are proud to be Baptists, Presbyterians, Joneses, or Rosencrantzes, but it doesn’t bring us one step closer to eternity. Who do we want to be found partnering with upon Christ’s return? The Spirit of the living God, or the Methodists, Baptists, or Rosencrantzes?

It seems that every generation has its “dogs.” We all succumb to the fleshly need to belong to some kind of group, to identify ourselves with people who are like us. There are major problems with this. Do you realize that the protestant church today remains divided by race, socioeconomic class and age more than any other religion? What is wrong with this picture? Do we constantly feed this monster by dividing ourselves up into programs and groups in our churches that cause age separation? Do we provide opportunities for men and women to be separate? Adults and children? Young people and older people? Do we provide activities that only the wealthier can afford to participate in? Do we invite our neighbors to church in spite of their color, distance from church, programs we lack that we think they need?

Oh how we need to go back to our need for Christ and Him alone. Examining our motivations and our need for His all-consuming grace. We need to remember that Paul was Saul the day that Stephen shared the whole gospel before him and was stoned to death, but that was not the day Christ chose to reveal Himself to Saul. If we are obedient to do what we are asked to do for Christ, He will be faithful to do what He has promised—to draw people unto Himself. It is not up to us to ask anyone to conform to a specific church or standard, but to look to the One who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He will provide the answers they need to follow Him, without jumping through external hoops that mean nothing.

But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 

[Ephesians 4:20-25]

Desiring God Blog: Christians and the 10 Commandments 

Week 4 – Partners in Service

Philippians 2:12-29
1 Kings 19

Just out of curiosity, I looked up the definition of the word “partner.” I found a couple of things that were interesting in the English dictionary without even having to do a word study. These are the ones I liked the best:

1. a person who shares or is associated with another in some action or endeavor; sharer; associate. 
2. a player on the same side or team as another 
3. to serve as the partner of 

I liked the least:

1. silent partner 
2. a person associated with another or others as a principal or a contributor of capital in a business or a joint venture 

Can you guess why I didn’t like the last two? They are business or legal terms, yet they remind me of people I know in our churches today who treat Christ’s work as a business venture. They attend, bring their check (contribute capital) and remain silent as to the workings of the whole. This is definitely not was Paul was encouraging in Philippians.

How can we be illuminators for Christ, shining for him in a crooked and perverted generation? Life hasn’t changed much since Paul’s time, has it? Our generation is still crooked and perverse. Evil still abounds. Yet Christ’s redemptive work is still being done through us, through His church, each and every day. Sometimes the task seems overwhelming. We must remind ourselves that advancing the gospel is hard work. Neither God nor Christ represents any kind of laziness. The Father and Spirit are always at work; He never sleeps. It was rarely reported that Jesus slept.

One theme I find dominating Paul’s letter to the Philippians is that furthering the gospel of Christ is hard work, and it takes a team—a unified team. Hard work was considered normal for Paul. In addition to traveling, preaching, teaching and writing letters of encouragement and instruction, he could fall back on making tents in order to meet his needs. The man was hardly idle. He also worked hard at mentoring and building relationships he could depend on to carry on his work in his absence. This is an extremely important detail—that as much as Paul loved the churches he was planting—it did not have to be him that kept them alive. It was the Spirit of the living God, and he was always pointing the converts to Christ, Him crucified, and the Spirit who dwelled in them richly to carry them through to the day of Christ.

In studying for this week’s lesson, I got sidetracked writing for my other blog, lamenting the darkness of the world and the lack of hard work for Christ. Sometimes I tend to concentrate only on the encroaching darkness rather on the light we shine. Then I remember places like Kibera Reformed Presbyterian Church in the Kenyan slum, and I recall the advancement of the gospel there. I remember how in the midst of the poverty over two hundred children are being educated and fed, and the number of converts is growing. I remember how AIDS education is helping the community and the weekly support group is meeting their spiritual needs. I know in my heart that there are places all around me and all over the world where Christ is bringing redemption until His return, and we need to partner with Him to continue the work he began until He comes in glory.

If we are not working hard to advance the gospel, if we are coasting on the grace He has so wonderfully poured out upon us on the cross, what exactly are we saying to our wise and generous Father who has bestowed the most wondrous gift imaginable upon us—an inheritance of such magnitude that we cannot possibly imagine, but can only see through a glass darkly?

If our hearts are not burdened by our sin of putting idols of this age before our Heavenly Father, if we cannot love our brothers and sisters, or our neighbors, and live in unity, if we do not care for the plight of the poor or hungry, if we do not shun evil and love good, we will be in serious trouble on that last day of Christ that Paul talks about.

Last week we read Isaiah and Paul together. Read Moses and Paul together:

His people have acted corruptly toward Him; this is their defect —they are not His children but a devious and crooked generation. [Deut 32:5]

Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world. [Phil 2:14-15]

The Rock—His work is perfect; all His ways are entirely just. A faithful God, without prejudice, He is righteous and true. [Deut 32:5]

Hold firmly the message of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn't run in vain or labor for nothing. [Phil 2:16] 

So we do need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We need to pray for God to work His will and His way in us right up to that last day, to keep us faithful to Him. We are to be diligent to work together as partners with Him, and with each other, and with our leaders who are in authority over us. Then we can be like Timothy and Epaphroditus who Paul praised to the Philippians, and set them up as examples worthy of emulating. Paul is in essence telling the Philippians, “these are my good and faithful brothers and soldiers in Christ who have suffered for the gospel with me.” He is giving testimony to the Philippians about their service so that their confidence in them will be as high as he can offer it.

Praise be to God for those who have gone before us as examples of faith in Him.

Week 3 – Partners in Humility and Obedience

Philippians 2: 1-11
Isaiah 53
Micah 6:8

This week I was awestruck by humility. I felt ill equipped to write this lesson. However, out of obedience to my commitment to my Father and to you, I needed to pursue what was proving to be an awesome week for me in this study.

I absolutely love how the Apostle Paul constantly points people to Christ. He does offer up how he weathers through trials, but more often than not, he is pointing to the One who suffered and gave up the most for us—and that is what Paul is doing in this week’s passage. I was reading commentaries as usual, and going back and forth between Philippians and Isaiah, when I realized that both were songs of a sort. Isaiah 53 is called the Fourth Servant Song and Philippians 2:5-11 is labeled the “hymn of Christ.” Now Emily will probably teach you how the Jewish people view the Isaiah passage, and I’m all for that, but I felt that I could complete the lesson this week by just giving you the Word of God in the following fashion, although I am taking a little liberty in combining the Old and New Testaments here. The version is the Holman Christian Standard Bible. I leave you this and the video link for your meditation. I hope you will leave me your comments.

Isaiah and Paul 

Who has believed what we have heard? And who has the arm of the LORD been revealed to? He grew up before Him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He had no form or splendor that we should look at Him, no appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like one people turned away from; He was despised, and we didn't value Him.

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal.

Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.
But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds.

Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not [only] for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; 
 and the LORD has punished Him for the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth.
 Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep silent before her shearers, He did not open His mouth.
He was taken away because of oppression and judgment; and who considered His fate? For He was cut off from the land of the living; He was struck because of My people's rebellion.
They made His grave with the wicked, and with a rich man at His death, although He had done no violence and had not spoken deceitfully.

Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, 

  who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage.
  Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave,
taking on the likeness of men.
  And when He had come as a man in His external form,
  He humbled Himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—even to death on a cross.

Yet the LORD was pleased to crush Him,
 and He made Him sick. When You make Him a restitution offering He will see [His] seed, He will prolong His days, and the will of the LORD will succeed by His hand. He will see [it] out of His anguish,
 and He will be satisfied with His knowledge. My righteous servant will justify many, and He will carry their iniquities. Therefore I will give Him the many as a portion, and He will receive the mighty as spoil, because He submitted Himself to death, and was counted among the rebels; yet He bore the sin of many and interceded for the rebels.

For this reason God also highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name,
  so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow—
  of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth —
  and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
  to the glory of God the Father. 

Chris Tomlin Video: Take My Life

Philippians, Week 2– Partners in Prayer, Suffering, and Perseverance

Philippians 1:12-30

2 Corinthians 1:3-11

1 Samuel 17

I’m sure you have heard the question “Why do bad things happen to good people?” It has been asked for centuries, since the Bible was written, Job finally had the courage to ask it—we all wonder! Books have been written about it, theologians attempt to address it in all kinds of ways, and every time we minister to people through tragedy, if it is not asked, then it is the unspoken “elephant in the room” question that is on everyone’s mind.

The reasons behind which things happen can be many. Consequences of actions can be just as much to blame as accidents. Thoughtful decisions and planning can help to avoid a lot of unwanted outcomes. Yet people tend to hold God responsible for the bad things that happen and give him credit for the good. We can learn a lot from Paul’s example in his writings, because his perspective is always kingdom oriented.

The first thing he wants to assure the Philippians is that the gospel is advancing even though he is in chains. Not only is he able to witness in prison by telling all those around him about Christ, and that he is imprisoned for no other reason than his preaching, he is also aware that his brothers on the outside have become bolder in their witness for Christ! We don’t know whether they were encouraged by Paul’s words as they visited him in prison, or whether they were so disturbed by his condition that they were spurred into action. All we know is that Paul says they were fearless—a definite manifestation of the Spirit! Paul also contrasts this good news with news that the gospel is being advanced by others whose motives are not so pure—and yet he rejoices. This is a man wholly at ease with God’s sovereignty over his circumstances, and that the outcome is in His hands.

Here Paul is letting the Philippians into his world of suffering and perseverance, giving them a picture so that they know exactly what they are praying for and how to continue—and he is completely dependent upon their prayers (v.19). He is also giving them an example to follow. His focus is on the outcome—not on the circumstances. He wants them to feel the joy he feels through his pain. Paul never implied that prison was good, or that it wasn’t a hardship. Can you imagine being this type of minister of the gospel—that in your darkest hour you are all about Christ and him glorified? This is a sign of God’s victory, when our joy remains in affliction.

Is it possible that our culture, our lifestyles, our places in society, the financial blessings God has placed upon us such as access to shelter, travel, food, medicine and care have so spoiled us that our suffering seems so much greater so that we can’t focus on the advancement of the gospel through it? I daresay, put something on the line. . . our house burns, we lose our job, we get cancer and can’t work, we lose a spouse, loved one, parent or child—is the first thing we think of “how can I make sure the kingdom of Christ is advanced through this tragedy?” Where do these treasures lie in our list of life’s priorities?

Let us meditate on three things that Paul desired for the Philippians (v.27):

Stand firm

With Unity

In a manner worthy of Christ

And let us pray for each other until His return.

Philippians – Week 1: Partners in the Gospel of Grace

When we read the narrative in Acts 16 of Paul, Silas, Luke and Timothy’s journeys around southern Europe, and how the Holy Spirit directed their paths directly to Macedonia, we see how partnering with God is absolutely essential in ministry. In fact, little did Paul know how much he would need the friendship of this future church established in Philippi.

Several things stand out as interesting about this group that were gathering outside the city gate by the river.  They were Gentiles, predominately women, brought together by their worship of the God of Israel. However, where there might have once been a synagogue here, there may no longer have been enough men, or enough Jewish men present to qualify it as such. Paul mentions that from the very first day they were partners. Lydia believes the Word as the Lord opens her heart, and she and her whole family are baptized. She opens her home to the apostles, and cares for them the entire time they are in the city. Probably between Lydia’s home and the place of prayer they continued to teach until the incident that caused Paul and Silas’s imprisonment.

I can imagine that the displays of power witnessed by this small band of new converts in so short a time was life changing to say the least. We aren’t given an exact timeline, but placing yourself in Lydia’s prayer group, imagine the praise and glory to God upon hearing of the expulsion of a demon, the imprisonment, the earthquake, the unbound chains, and the conversion of the jailer and his family! And although Paul and company had to leave the city within a few days of their arrival, he made sure they modeled justice and mercy for the small band of believers, requesting vindication with the magistrates, so that the Church of Christ would have no harm to its reputation.

There is no doubt that it is the powerful work of the Spirit in this group that gave them such generous hearts toward Paul and his ministry. They receive word that he has been imprisoned, and send one of their own, Epaphroditus, to Paul with money so that he could be fed in prison. Paul is so touched that his letter is more heartfelt than most, indicating his longing to see them and is particularly encouraging to the Philippian church, because of their partnership with him in the gospel. What can we learn from this early church and their example of partnership and how we should view those who advance the gospel?

• Have deep personal concern and care for the well-being of those who give their lives to serve
• Provide consistent prayer and financial support
• Recognize that God will bring to completion the good work He has begun, in us and in others
• Recognize that it is all for God’s glory

Next week: Partners in Prayer, Suffering, and Perseverance 

Emily's Notes & Synopsis

John 15:1-8 – In the pruning and grafting of grape vines, an older, mature, established root is used to hold the new graft. The dead or non-productive vines are removed from the root trunk and the top of the trunk is sawn so that it is an even surface on top. In this surface, a “T” is made (the form of a cross) that will be the resting place for the new bud that will be inserted to graft. A few inches from the top of the root trunk, a slash is made deep into the trunk to alleviate the pressure of rising sap (His side was pierced and when the pressure on his chest was relieved, blood and water flowed out) which would force out the newly placed graft in the “T”. The new bud graft should be whittled so that the bottom is pointed and will fit snugly into the “T” of the root trunk. A slash is made into the side of the “T” opening and another on the new bud. The bud is inserted with the bottom down and the slashes of the bud and root trunk are pressed together so that the sap from the root trunk will flow into the new bud. (His blood mingles with ours at the time of our acceptance of sacrifice and salvation). The bud’s “head” or top must always be placed upward. The root trunk and bud are then bound in a way so that the bud cannot move from the root trunk and it will grow into the root trunk, making the two into one. 

In the Vine, we see the older trunk as a representation of Judaism and the Law, which has no end. The cross was made into the healthy part of the root trunk and the new bud was placed into position. At the time of the crucifixion, the only way to G-d was to convert to Judaism if you were a non-Jew. The slit is made in the root trunk to reduce sap pressure and represents the soldiers’ spear piercing His side. Yeshua was a representation of the joining of the new vine into the root trunk. He hung between the two. The cross was nothing more than a crude tree trunk fashioned with a pointed end to stick firmly into the ground or a tree with deep roots that was used over and over for crucifixion. A notch was made about 6 feet from the bottom of the trunk in order to hold a crossbeam for the arms. A notch was made about 3 ft. from the ground as the area for the feet to be nailed to and the head would be above the arms. When He was nailed to the cross, Yeshua’s feet were nailed to the old trunk and his arms to the inserted crossbeam; once again representing the old and the new. When His blood flowed, it flowed into the old trunk and into the crossbeam. Both were forever joined when he was nailed (secured) to the tree so that “new bud would not be removed from its position in the old root”. According to tradition, when Yeshua walked the streets of Yerushalyim to His death, He carried this cross. This is not quite right. He carried the crossbeam that would be laid onto the trunk of the crucifixion tree. Quite literally, he carried the “new” to the “old."

A problem with grape vines is that sometimes they can appear to have a “bumper crop”, when in all actuality, the vines are producing more than the root trunk can afford to “feed”. This weakens the whole vine and the root and threatens the longevity of the entire plant. If a vine begins to show signs of weakness in upholding and feeding the over-abundance of new fruit, then the gardener removes half of the new fruit so that the fruit remaining will receive more nutrients and will become healthier and more rich at the time of harvest. My own quote: Better a basket of good, succulent grapes than a bushel of small, bitter grapes. What would be YOUR choice if you were the one to eat the grapes? 

In these last days, many congregations and congregants are becoming “over-zealous” and they want to bear fruit before they have been instructed and matured in the Word of G-d. When you see a congregation begin to grow very rapidly, one of two things is happening. Either the Spirit of Hashem is drawing people to repentance and a life of servanthood OR there are too many young vines who are not properly grafted into the root trunk. Yes, they produce fruit in great quantity but the fruit does not remain because there was not enough nourishment to sustain it. Lulled into believing salvation is a hype and a form of entertainment, these vines are moved from the root trunk and begin to grow wild on their own. Not only is this damaging to a congregation, the congregant is allowed to commit spiritual suicide because the gardener (pastor) is not watching and shaping the vines as they grow and their relationship with the root trunk is all but pushed out because the new vine can’t stand under the pressure of the “sap rising” because it’s not firmly attached to begin with. 

Those of us dedicated to serving G-d will sometimes find ourselves being stripped of “things”. This is because G-d wants us to get our nourishment from His root trunk and not something wild growing in the hedges. If He did not remove things from us from time to time, we would wither and die or we would become over-zealous and cause great spiritual harm to ourselves and to others.

The basis of this whole passage is that we should never depend on anything or anyone for our source of strength and nourishment. We should always depend on Abba our Father for all things with Yeshua as our connection. 

Isaiah 5:1-11 – On the hills of Judah, the grapes in Biblical times and now are plentiful with beautiful grape vines. The richest of wines was produced from the grapes grown in this area during the times of David HaMelech (David our king) until the destruction of the second Beit HaMikdash (the Holy Temple). In order to have a vineyard in Israel, the soil is so rocky, one must plow the area and remove stones, sometimes a dozen times to make it fit for planting. Farming in Israel for a beginner, is not an easy task. At the time of the Babylonian captivity, Jerusalem had fallen into a state of ill repair and ill repute. Yes, the Temple was still there and the people learned Torah. However, they learned Torah as a ritual and not as a lifestyle. Service in the Temple because a ritual and not a service to Hashem because He is Holy. Yes, there were prophets, but the people didn’t hear their warnings; they wanted to shut the prophets up. Only when it was too late did they realize what they had done. The reference to less fruit in this passage refers to the small amount of people who truly loved G-d and Torah. Because the people had sinned so greatly, G-d wanted to destroy them but he had made a covenant with David HaMelech that His throne would endure forever. He had made a covenant with Abraham that this would be his land and an inheritance to his people through Isaac and Jacob. G-d cannot break a covenant. So instead of destroying His people, He took His wrath out on the stones of the first Beit HaMikdash and destroyed it. Yes, people say there was a Babylonian soldier who set the fire but they are mistaken. True Jewish history says that at the moment the soldier was about the set the torch to the Temple, G-d’s fire came and consumed the soldier’s fire and everything around it. 

Because of their great sin, Judah was taken into captivity and Yerushalayim was laid desolate. However, in later years there was a Babylonian king named Cyrus who believed in the G-d of the Jews and he sent them home with whatever they needed to rebuild the Temple and the city of Yerushalayim. These accounts are written down in the books of Nehemiah and Ezra. And in case you are interested, the wall built by Hezekiah and rebuilt by Nehemiah is still here and can be seen in Yerushalayim. Even today the rocks cry out that there is a G-d and He is the G-d of Israel! 
Psalm 80 – Asaf was the chief musician and director of the Temple music and choir. This Tehillim (Psalm) was written by him and sung to Hashem. Why? Because He wanted to remind G-d of His covenant. The punishment was decreed and set forth but in the midst of the punishment, the covenant was everlasting. Asaf was homesick and he wanted to be back at his work in the Temple leading in the praises of Adonai. Today, in Yerushalayim, there is still a musical school that remains operational and was formed by generations of musicians who carried with them in the dispersions the songs of the Temple. It is called simply “The School of Asaf” and is located near Mt. Zion. 

Purge – The idea of purging is one of purification… a burning away of all that is contaminated. Hyssop is used continually with the idea of purging. Hyssop, known today as a popular Israeli spice called Za’atar, is a spice that is cleansing to the blood and purges the body of unhealthy toxins. The people and the city were purged not once, but twice by fire. The next time it is purged, it will be from the fire of the Torah, which has already begun but will not be complete until the final Redemption.

John 15:9-17 – Yeshua gave the greatest of Jewish commandments (outside of the 613 commandments of the Torah) when He said we are to love each other, even to the point of laying down our lives for each other. This still remains the most prominent of Jewish standards today. The Jewish people love and care for their own (if they are followers of Torah as they should be) and they love and care for the “strangers and aliens” among them. Every Jew and every Believer should know they have a support system through the love and the blood of Yeshua. Unfortunately, this has been robbed from Christians today. Pastors and leaders show no compassion to the disciples and sheep and the disciples and sheep turn into vicious people, doing many atrocious things in the name of Yeshua, while abusing the Shechinah – The Holy Spirit, and completely ignoring the Father.

In this passage Yeshua says that He chooses us. In Matthew 22:14, He says that many are called but few are chosen. This would read more accurately as follows: Many are invited but few choose to come. Each person has a calling on their life but it is up to them to decide between following G-d or following selfish desires. I know people who are called to be ministers, missionaries, evangelists… but they refuse to choose to serve G-d in that capacity. They were invited, but they chose to refuse the invitation. The ones who choose sincerely will see fruit, abundant fruit, and fruit that will be preserved. There are many ways to serve G-d but if we refuse to serve him in the capacity He has called us to, we are guilty of refusing the invitation just as much as those people who choose to ignore Him. 

Music has always been an important part of my life and up until a few years ago, I enjoyed singing for Hashem and I even had my minister’s license, but He was calling me to do something else. He had been grooming me all my life to immerse myself in Judaism and to teach Christians the nutrients of the root trunk that had been thrown away by the church. Even though I heard His invitation, I chose to go my own way with singing and ministry. In the winter of 2000, I got very sick with an upper respiratory illness that left me with a depleted singing range and unable to lead in any kind of singing without losing my voice. I knew this was a decree of punishment. My next test was to give back my minister’s license. He kept urging me and urging me and finally in September of 2001, I relinquished that license to the denomination I was under. Within one week, a lady from Karen Wheaton Ministries called and told me that she had the unction to send me materials about Israel and her own books to study about the prophecies written about the Land and the People. This was the beginning of my ministry of servanthood to Israel and my ministry of teaching Christians what they have lost and what they have been taught that is not correct. In May of 2004, I made my first journey to Israel and I have never looked back. This is what I was created to do. And in the process of it all, G-d gave me a double blessing when I found out my maternal great-grandparents were Jews. I am a Jew by birth. Never would I have imagined such a thing. If G-d had not pruned me by taking my singing voice and my minister’s license, I would never have been so blessed to learn under a special anointing and travel and serve my people why learning so much about the Land of Israel, this special land that is my heartbeat. Pruning is not easy and it hurts; sometimes we bleed a bit, but it’s worth it to choose what HE has for us and not what we want. Just because we minister in a good way in a particular area does not mean it is the area Hashem has chosen for us. We have to learn the difference and then be willing to follow His lead. For our joy to be complete, it will only come through serving as He has called us to serve. 

Psalm 51 – This Psalm is a Psalm of Teshuva or repentance. Without a heart of repentance at all times, G-d cannot and will not use us in the area of His choosing. 

Isaiah 61 – One of the greatest joys of Jewish life is the marriage of one’s children. The Jewish wedding is a prelude to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. The groom and bride are separated until they are under the Chuppah (marriage canopy). Even in the joy following the ceremony, the bride is attended to by women and the groom by the men. There is much singing and dancing but it is only on the marriage night that the two are alone with themselves and G-d. Yeshua has been sent and is arrayed in his royal finery to receive His bride. What are the jewels of the bride that she must adorn herself with? Teshuvah (repentance), mitzvoth (performing good deeds), and the learning of Torah. Why Torah? Remember what John 1:1-5… it refers to the Word. Christians mistakenly believe this means the Bible as a whole with the Old and New Testaments. Wrong! This refers to the Torah. Yeshua did not come to take away the law, He came to fulfill it. Yeshua is the Word that was given to Moshe our Rabbi. 

In these last days, the Shechinah is awakening people, especially Christians, to the fact that some of the things we have been taught are not necessarily the whole truth and that there is so much more to what we have been taught on the surface. This is what will make the Bride adorn herself. Those who realize and recognize what is happening are moving themselves to repentence, to serving others gladly with a whole heart, and learning the basics of what the first “church” really was. Yeshua didn’t teach a new thing to the people when he was on the earth. He taught them Torah in the manner that it was supposed to be taught. Over the years, the Priesthood had been infiltrated with those who used the Law / Torah as a weapon and slavemaster over the Jews. The same is being done in the churches today. When Yeshua came and gave the Torah so simple a child could understand, that’s when they said “we’ve never heard anyone speak like you”. It was not a new thing; it was the revival of the REAL thing! 

John 15:18-25 – Hate… yes there is much hate for those who choose to follow Hashem’s course and not their own or someone else’s. I have a problem with many ministers and church leaders who force a person, regardless of their maturity and calling, into a position they have no business taking over. This is spiritually destructive for the person in position and for those under the person in that position. Mature Christians are supposed to recognize qualities in Believers around them and work to nourish and encourage and help that Believer grow into the calling G-d has for them. However, I recognize that in many, many instances when a person has a powerful calling, the authorities turn their backs or try to undermine. Why? Simple…jealousy. The authorities are not secure in their own area of service and are jealous and afraid of someone who is moving forward into what G-d has for them. 

After choosing to follow G-d’s plans for me concerning teaching, serving Israel, and leaning more into my Judaic background, I have been hated by many. But I have come to the conclusion that this is THEIR problem and not mine. Unfortunately, many marriages and homes become a battleground when G-d lays a heavy calling on a person. There is the opportunity for issues of controlling spirits to enter, not only to delay action in the person who chooses to serve, but to disrupt the home and cause lack of Beit Shalom (shalom in the home). Retaliation against those that hate comes to nothing and destroys your own anointing. The hard way, I have learned to let it go. This does not mean I’m not careful about anyone who would plan to undermine or control my ministry, but it does mean that I leave G-d’s decree of judgment between Him and them. As I said… if they have a problem with me, it’s their problem. Not mine.

1 Peter 4:12-19 – When you are persecuted, ridiculed, and torn down by jealous people, don’t be alarmed. This has occurred for centuries without end. Don’t give up… keep doing what you were created to do. You know if people are attacking you, they are being used by the enemy. The enemy only wants to make you afraid so you will stop what you are doing. The most dangerous people to the enemy are those who choose to follow G-d’s path and are undaunted by circumstances, failures, successes, or anything else. You have a made up mind and spirit that has one goal… to complete the mission G-d has laid before you.

Psalm 69 – Do not ever think you are the only one to be persecuted. And don’t ever be surprised if the people closest to you are the ones who try to destroy you. By attacking within, the enemy gains a stronger foothold. Don’t be fooled. Be wise and continue on your journey. David HaMelech was not a perfect person but his praise for G-d was His calling and he did it well. He loved G-d enough to do what He wanted. Sure he strayed sometimes and did things he shouldn’t have, but if you will notice, teshuvah (repentance) was right on the heels of the transgression. 

There are people in my family who shun me because of what I do. Most of them think I’ve really lost my mind. Little do they know that I have my full capacity of understanding in what G-d wants.

Christianity has been persecuted to a certain extent but I believe it is retribution for the harm they have caused the Jews in the last 2000 years. The Holocaust is but one pogrom enlisted to abolish the Jews. Why are they hated so much? Because G-d chose them. And in 1948 when G-d restored Israel as a sovereign nation, THEY CHOSE G-D! Every year since then brings in more Jews from the Diaspora, which infuriates those who choose another G-d over the G-d of Israel. Christianity has had its day but it is sort of fading except for those who are willing to go back to the roots of the religion and learn from mistakes made through the centuries. I think Christianity is also being persecuted because it lacks depth and reality. Ask anyone within a 10 mile radius of your home if they are a Christian and 99% will say yes. Is this a realistic answer? No. The actual statistic would be more like 15%, with that 15% comprised of those seeking and doing the will of G-d. Just because someone believes there is a G-d and that Jesus is Messiah does not make a person a Christian. Believing something to be true is one thing, experiencing its truth is something else. 


John 15 & 14 – Yeshua is the Vine; Hashem is the gardener; the Shechinah is the fertilizer

The greatest work of the Holy Spirit is not a work that humans harness Him to do; it is a work He does in G-d’s people. The greatest work of the Shechinah is when you see a person following G-d, doing what G-d has chosen for them, and progressing in that calling. The Shechinah transforms the grafted vine into a harvest producer whose fruit is succulent and not bitter and of bad quality.

My opinion on Yeshua, the Shechinah, and Hashem… I mean this in no blasphemous way or to take away from the sacrifice Yeshua made… many “Believers” have used Yeshua as a cover for their own wickedness. Many things are done in His name that He does not approve of. When He came to the earth, He came to tell of the Father. EVERYTHING He said and did was to draw people to the Father. The Holy Spirit does the same thing… He speaks and does that which is decreed by the Father. Somehow, Hashem is left out. Worship, teaching…everything is about the cross and Yeshua but this is out of balance. When we realize that our Father is our Creator and we pursue a relationship with him through Yeshua and the Shechinah, then we will be moving in the right direction spiritually. 

***

The Torah portion for the week after Hanukkah is “Vayigash” (Genesis 44:18-47:27). “Vayigash” means being a good and mature person regardless of circumstances. This portion is about Joseph and the obstacles he faced in his life but because he remained true in his calling of Hashem, all was made well in the end when he was reunited with his father and his family. Because of his integrity, both of his sons inherited Joseph’s portion of Land in Israel. Efraim and Manashe were the only grandchildren decreed by Jacob to receive an inheritance! Joseph had a triple blessing!

When in Egypt before the brothers know who Joseph was, Joseph approached Judah and asked him “Do you have a father?” He replied, “Yes, an old father and we have a little child”. (The “little child” referred to Benjamin, Joseph’s younger brother). We all know why Joseph asked this question; he wanted to know if Jacob and Benjamin were still alive. In the Hebrew, the literal meaning of this question is “Is your father alive?”

However, if we take the question and look deeper, it could almost seem to be ludicrous question… “do you have a father”. Everyone has a father of some kind or they would not have been born into the world. Joseph wanted know that he would be reunited with his father but he also wanted to know if his brothers were still “rooted” with their father. He had been gone for many years and had no way of knowing the destiny of the family after he had been sold into slavery. There was a reason he needed to know… he wanted to know if the brothers had committed themselves to the care of their father; he wanted to know if they knew their roots and origins from Abraham to Jacob at the present time and if they acknowledged those roots; he wanted to know if the brothers looked to their father, the Patriarch of the Jewish nation and root trunk, for their spiritual and existential sustenance; when I left, did you turn into what you had become…a band of wandering shepherds who left their roots behind and went from place to place without a home; and lastly, are you proud of your father?

In accordance to our devotional for this past month, we can take Joseph’s question and ask the same thing of ourselves and others… Is your Father alive? Do you allow your Father to direct you and care for you? Are you attached to the ancient root of your Father? Are you attached to the ancient root of origins from Abraham through Jacob through Judah through Yeshua? Is the Father your root trunk and the nourishment for your spiritual and physical well-being? OR are you a wanderer who has forgotten your Father? Have you left the deep roots of your beliefs and gone wandering? Are you left with no spiritual home? Are you proud of the Father? Can you go out and tell others what He means to you and what He has done for you?

“Atik Yomim” – He of Ancient Days – HE is our Father and that encompasses His position as our Father, He extends to us as His children.

Comments from Meeting on 7-10

My joy was complete in meeting with you gals this morning!

I shared with everyone one section of comments from my cousin Emily in North Carolina, who calls herself a "student of the Torah." I wanted to post her comments under each week of the devotionals so that you could read them in relation to the Scripture and questions for the week, but the blog is not set up that way. So they are a separate blog post. I appreciate her gift of bringing the OT and Hebrew phrasing into her writings to us for richness and clarity, and to give us a bigger picture of our Redemption.

It was interesting after I read the first section from Emily that Nancy, our expert in pruning, remembered that one of the terms in grafting/pruning of a tree or plant is called "wounding."

Thank you so much, all of you, for your insights. Please, continue to share as you feel led!

John 15, Week 4

Week 4 - The Counselor of Truth Will Testify

John 15:26-27

John 14:15-21

Questions:

What, in your opinion, is the greatest testimony of the work of the Holy Spirit?

Look up the Greek word for Comforter in v. 26, parakletos, and list from the definition a number of nouns descriptive of the Holy Spirit.

An interesting question from J. I. Packer in Knowing God [paraphrased]: Do we realize what we are missing when we give so much thought and care to Christ and so little to the Holy Spirit? We fully understand that without the Incarnation and the Cross there would be no Savior, but do we fully understand our condition if there were no Holy Spirit?

****

Jesus said some extremely important words to his disciples this Passover night. Yet the events that followed in the next few days would send them into turmoil. Jesus would not be there to comfort them and calm their fears. In Ch. 14 He says the Holy Spirit will “bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” [26]. How comforting it is to us that the inspiration of the Holy Spirit has given us through the written Word a description of that night and the words He wanted them to remember.

Specifically this night He is telling the remaining eleven that this Comforter will enable them later to testify about Him because they have been with Him from the beginning, but what they don’t realize is that He is also speaking of events that they will be witness to in future days—His Resurrection. The Comforter will enable them and empower them to stand firm under the persecution they will encounter once they begin to proclaim the risen Savior, and as the Holy Spirit reveals to them just why Jesus had to die upon that cross.

The work of the Holy Spirit is evident throughout biblical history, but what is about to happen here is a monumental shift in God’s plan for man. Redemption is close at hand, the Kingdom of God is about to be fulfilled in Christ, and the Holy Spirit will be coming in obedience with new power to glorify the Father and the Son in the building of the Church. Without this power, the followers of Christ would have been completely helpless to continue what He started, because their words and deeds alone could never have convicted people of sin. Only the Spirit could draw the heart of man to God and convince him that he had sinned against his Creator.

Consider these words of Paul, the apostle, from 1 Corinthians 2 (The Message):

“You'll remember, friends, that when I first came to you to let you in on God's master stroke, I didn't try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did—Jesus crucified.

   I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate—I was scared to death, if you want the truth of it—and so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else. But the Message came through anyway. God's Spirit and God's power did it, which made it clear that your life of faith is a response to God's power, not to some fancy mental or emotional footwork by me or anyone else.

   We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it's not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so. God's wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don't find it lying around on the surface. It's not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene. The experts of our day haven't a clue about what this eternal plan is. If they had, they wouldn't have killed the Master of the God-designed life on a cross. That's why we have this Scripture text: 

   

No one's ever seen or heard anything like this, 
   

Never so much as imagined anything quite like it— 
   

What God has arranged for those who love him.


But you've seen and heard it because God by his Spirit has brought it all out into the open before you.

    The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along. Who ever knows what you're thinking and planning except you yourself? The same with God—except that he not only knows what he's thinking, but he lets us in on it. God offers a full report on the gifts of life and salvation that he is giving us. We don't have to rely on the world's guesses and opinions. We didn't learn this by reading books or going to school; we learned it from God, who taught us person-to-person through Jesus, and we're passing it on to you in the same firsthand, personal way.

   The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can't receive the gifts of God's Spirit. There's no capacity for them. They seem like so much silliness. Spirit can be known only by spirit—God's Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God's Spirit is doing, and can't be judged by unspiritual critics. Isaiah's question, "Is there anyone around who knows God's Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?" has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ's Spirit.”

I don’t know about you, but this humbles me beyond what I can hardly bear. When I think of how often I block the Spirit’s work—my rebellion, my idols—and in so doing hurt my witness for Christ, I am ashamed. I am so thankful for my Father who cared enough for me to send my Savior who died that I might be free from this yoke of slavery, and who has given me the gift of the Advocate who intercedes on my behalf and who constantly convicts me of areas in which I need to plaster myself to the Cross of Christ.

I thank You, Father, for the gift of your Spirit, who

• Comforts, helps, advocates
• Convicts of sin, brings to repentance
• Equips and enables
• Testifies about Christ through changed lives

Without your design, we would be hopeless and helpless. Equip us daily to follow You. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, Amen.