Chapter 2: Why Women Avoid the Word "Theology"

When most women hear the word "theology," images of huge tomes of systematic theology fill our brains and intimidate us unless we happen to be in a seminary class. Not all women have this fear, but a love of learning the deep truths about God as revealed in His Word.

Simplifying this chapter does a detriment to the rich insights Ms. James puts before us. However, we need to ultimately keep in mind that "theology" is knowing God, not knowing about God. The more we learn of His attributes, His holiness, loving kindness, justice, goodness, mercy and grace, faithfulness, patience, truth and wisdom, the more we are prepared to lean into Him when our lives collide with our faith.

May we be equipped for the war and propelled to good works in the knowledge that He is sovereign over even the most mundane areas of our lives. To God be the glory!

Chapter 1: Intro to Mary of Bethany

The famous (or infamous) narrative of Mary and Martha is the subject of this chapter. However Ms. James takes us deep into the culture of the period, where women were not encouraged to sit at the feet of the Rabbi and learn with the men. Here, in the home of Lazarus, Martha and Mary, all are welcome to hear and learn.

Martha was feeling the weight of her hostess duties not only to Jesus, but to His entourage. This may have been 70 or more individuals for whom she was preparing food. It was such an honor to host Rabbi Jesus and His disciples. It was also stressful. It doesn't matter how adept you are at catering to a crowd, a crowd can be intimidating to serve.

It is interesting to note, no other women are mentioned being in attendance, and it was not likely that the men would help serve. So, no wonder Martha was frustrated with Mary. It was easy to let her frustration accuse Mary of shirking her duties. I know. I've been there.

I have also been busy serving my family and been envious of the deep conversations going on in another room. It's hard to join in when it's time for something to come out of the oven or something is boiling on the stove and there are little kids around. I have to concentrate on the joy of serving at that moment and know that my turn for the deep conversations will come around.

The question "Would Jesus accept the notion that some women are 'Marys' and others are 'Marthas'?" and "Why or why not?" has a clear answer. At times we are called to be one or the other or both. At all times we are called to sit at His feet, gain knowledge of the one who made us, and put our hope and trust in Him. It is the better thing.

Summer Book Study - Introduction

Today our ladies' group introduced ourselves to our summer book study, reading When Life and Beliefs Collide: How Knowing God Makes a Difference by Carolyn Custis James. This has been one of my favorite books for a good many years. Mrs. James covers deep subjects and causes us to think deeply about our own personal theology. Here are some topics she covers in this book, in depth. (Quotes are attributed to the author.)

• Theology, or knowing God, is for everyone. It is the "heart of life."
• Trusting God in the here and now during painful circumstances is a struggle.
• Theology is full of "everyday practical value." Deep thinking about God is always valuable.
• "Life's struggles are the shortest route to a deep appreciation of our need to know God better."
• Women don't have to divide themselves into the categories of "Thinkers" or Servers".
• "He [God] calls us to be a composite of the two women ["Mary and/or Martha"] who take time to know him better and whose theology informs and emboldens their ministry to others."

Next week we will discuss Chapter 1. Enjoy!

The Search for Significance

It has been quite overwhelming to me that out of the fifty or so women I see each week in the Made to Crave classes, the search for significance in some form or another is the number two reason why women are in this study. The need for praise, the tendency to control, to get angry or fearful, or the desire to be and look good are all indicators that we are looking for something we think we lack. If we look closely, we will see that the focus at these times is either ourselves or our reactions to someone or something else.

I was reminded sharply of my own need this past weekend. I have been sharing this story with my classes over the past week:

Last weekend my husband and I had some company over, and the young man and my husband knew quite a few people in common. Because of this, their conversation was rapid and quite exclusive.  A few times I interjected to add some pearl of wisdom. On at least four separate occasions my husband interrupted or corrected me. It stung. It hurt. Mostly it stung and hurt because we had talked about this very thing before…

My husband happens to be a very tall man, 6’3” to be exact. I only measure in at 5’1”. Most of the time when we are standing in a circle of friends talking, he can make just a minor pivot of 30 degrees or so and unintentionally cut me out of conversation. I have a great view of his elbow, and not much else. He can also be an intense conversationalist at times, which makes me rather rude if I stand there tapping on his elbow. It looks suspiciously like I just need to gain his attention, or that I’m ready to go home. Sometimes this makes me quite ready to go home.

The Lord and I have talked about this. What bothers me about being interrupted, cut off, or cut out? Obviously, I feel insignificant when that happens. Invisible. Even though I am aware that God knows even the number of hairs on my head…I feel invisible. When I feel invisible, it can become very easy to engage in actions that I feel no one would notice anyway… a sweet treat, a game (or ten) of Yahtzee on my Kindle when I should be studying, sitting too long in front of the television. . .who really cares about these things except me?

God does. He cares about my motives and what drives me to choose something that will comfort me or allow me to escape my current situation that doesn’t involve Him. I am thankful for that, and for a God who loves me far beyond what any earthly being could. I pray that I will learn to depend upon Him more and more as each day passes.

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! [1 John 3:1]

Video: The Invisible Woman

Blessings

What do we do with our desires for things other than God when we feel God is not there for us? Is it our deepest hurts, our flesh, or is it the enemy who lies and tells us that God doesn’t love us or want what is best for us?

This world is so broken. I have many friends who have been through hell on earth and back again. Was God absent? Was He asleep? Didn’t He care?

Only God Himself can heal hearts. Only He can combat the lies that consume us. Satan is so treacherous, and he keeps us from being all that we were made to be. He diverts our attention to anything that will keep us from the Truth.

Once again, music rolls through my head, and the words to this song express the realities of these questions the best—although not better than His Holy Word. It’s just that sometimes we need a word from someone who has been through trials themselves to speak to us. Laura Story does that through her song “Blessings.” 

Laura’s husband has been through a lot. Here is an excerpt from an article on her from www.thefish959.com:

Shortly after inking the deal with INO Records in 2006, a trial entered Story’s life that would not only provide her with a deeper understanding of God’s sovereignty. After one year of marriage, Story’s husband was hospitalized with a brain tumor.

“There was a time he was on a breathing machine and we weren’t sure he was going to make it. I spent my whole life singing, ‘’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,’ but until Jesus took me through something where my only option was to trust Him, I didn’t really know that sweetness,” reflects Story. While supporting her husband through surgery, radiation, complications, and intense physical therapy, Story composed new rubber-meets-the-road songs to reaffirm God’s presence in her darkest hours.
“It’s hard to understand why God would allow us to go through this, but I know He works all things together for good, and I feel my new album is reflecting that. Though He leads us through valleys, that’s when we get to trust Him and draw closer to Him all the more. Though I’ve doubted, His grasp has never released, never slipped. He’s remained completely faithful to me. He has proven that He really is my foundation and my hope.” 

Bless the Lord oh my soul, all that’s in me bless your name,

Forget not your power untold, not your glory or your fame

For you came to heal the broken, to redeem and make me whole, 

Bless the Lord, bless the Lord, oh my soul… 

Listen to this song here:

Laura Story, Blessings

If you have ever felt this defeat, and would like to encourage others, please leave a comment to this post. 

I love you all.

Made to Crave

Over fifty women have attended a Made to Crave class in the last week, most seeking guidance on their issues with food or something else they crave instead of God. How exciting it is to know that God is moving women to gain spiritual weight!

Our bodies and our spirits were made for God! We were created for His pleasure! What an awesome thought! Along with that thought, though, comes the realistic fact that we were not created for our own pleasure. Not that God doesn’t want us to have pleasure in our lives—He certainly does! He made every good thing that we enjoy: food, our families and friends, our work, our homes…all these He has given us for our enjoyment. It is in our flesh that we over-indulge in all these pleasures and put them above the place they were meant to have in our hearts.

We must give each and every day to the Lord. We need to get off our thrones and hand them over to the King of Kings, letting Him rule us during our day. We must stop depending on ourselves to conquer the lies and tactics of the enemy, and depend on the One who already accomplished the conquering.

“Keep your focus on Me. I have gifted you with amazing freedom, including the ability to choose the focal point of your mind. Only the crown of My creation has such remarkable capability; this is a sign of being made in My image.

Let the goal of this day be to bring every thought captive to Me. Whenever your mind wanders, lasso those thoughts and bring them into My Presence. In My radiant Light, anxious thoughts are unmasked as you bask in My unconditional Love. Confused ideas are untangled while you rest in the simplicity of My Peace. I will guard you and keep you in constant Peace, as you focus your mind on Me."*

You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. [Psalm 8:5]*

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. [2 Corinthians 10:5]*



*Sarah Young, Jesus Calling (January 29), ©2004

Sarah Groves, The Word (Conversations, 2001)

Catching Up

It has been so long since I posted to my blog. I have been all-consumed with my daughter’s wedding, and I must say, I had no idea how deflated I would feel when it was all over.

So many people have asked me about the wedding, so I thought in the tradition of journaling or blogging I should get some thoughts down before they slip away forever. After all…it has been over a month since the big event!

So much adrenaline and so much planning goes into such an occasion. At least it did for me. The ultimate desire is that when it is time for the wedding everything will go smoothly and there will be no more frantic rushing to finish something left undone. I was so thankful for all the help I had to make sure that this was the case.

Jeremy, the groom, being a music major and seminary graduate in worship studies, concentrated solely on making the ceremony concentrated on Christ. There were many comments to me about the beauty of the ceremony, Kevin Hass’s wonderful message from Ephesians 5, and the musicians. It was truly a worship experience, as many have commented. One good friend even told me it inspired her to have her vows renewed, as she was not married in the church, and has since come to the Lord.

Near the end of the reception, one of Jeremy’s older relatives came to me to thank me for making her feel at home. She told me she was Jewish, but that she loved the ceremony, and that Amazing Grace was one of the most beautiful songs ever written, no matter what religion you were. She put extra icing on the wedding cake for me that day.

The help my dear friends and family gave me to get everything set up and taken down meant so much to me. It is so hard for me to ask for help to do anything, and these dear people helped us with such joy. I could never thank them enough.

I realize that I have suspended my study on Covenants. Yes, I am on to something new. I will be doing quite a bit of teaching in the coming months. In February, I went to a conference to hear Lysa TerKeurst, President of Proverbs 31 Ministries, speak in Williamsburg. She had just published a book: Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desires With God, Not Food. This book has actually taken me further on a continued journey of a desire to be a better steward of my body and soul. In June, I will begin teaching at my church during the Sunday Bible Study hour, using this book and DVD series as a tool, sharing my own experiences with addictions, and what I have learned and am learning about victory over the lies of the enemy. In addition, I will be teaching at the church where I work this summer for their ladies summer Bible studies, beginning June 28 and ending the first week in August.

From this time until then, my Fill-r-Up blog will be devoted to discussions regarding this subject. I am very excited about sharing my life with people who are interested, the good and bad of it, and how God is working in me. “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you [me] will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 1:6)

Creation of the Image Bearer...Continued

Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. [Genesis 2:7]

God’s breath. The breath of life. His breath straight into Adam’s nostrils—divine CPR. Imagine waking up and being fully cognizant of your Creator, in a perfect environment, no need for fear or confusion like a newborn. Nor were there any of the other emotions we experience upon wakening, such as the impending pressures or boredom of the day ahead.

Although God had created the whole earth at this time, He set aside a beautiful garden, created along the lines of Heaven itself, where He would commune with His new creation, mankind.

As He says, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness,” He says “let them have dominion over” all the animals. He then put man in this beautiful garden to work it and to care for it.

God values rule and government—order. The Bible begins with his creating order out of void or chaos. Even his placing of the lights in the heavens indicate order and rule: “And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness.” (1:16-18)

A lot of the commentary regarding the mandate God gave Adam in having dominion over the earth is called cultural. I also want to call it a holy mandate. This was indeed a great responsibility given to the first man and woman, the responsibility to multiply from them a race that they would teach God’s ways about caring for, subduing, and keeping the earth. I heard a term that I loved, and searched high and low for the origin of it. I finally found that C. F. D. Moule in his book Man and Nature in the NT*, uses the term vice-regent. Mankind was to represent God in their rule over the earth, subject to the rules God gave them to abide by.

Psalm 8

O LORD, our Lord,
   how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
 Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
   to still the enemy and the avenger.

 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
   the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
   and the son of man that you care for him?

Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
   and crowned him with glory and honor.

You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
   you have put all things under his feet,

all sheep and oxen,
   and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
   whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

 O LORD, our Lord,
   how majestic is your name in all the earth!

The question arises: If we are made in God’s image, and the original mandate is to be his vice-regents over the earth, to care for it, keep it, subdue it…as Christ’s followers, how are we doing with that?

Kibera slum, Kenya

Next, we will explore God’s first command given to Adam,

"You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (2:16)

Did Adam understand the ramifications of death? Did he understand fully what the wages of disobedience to the Creator would be? Did he understand enough to explain it to his helpmeet? Did God explain it to Eve as well? Did he need to since he had explained it to Adam?

Ponder these questions as we will discuss communion in the garden prior to the fall, ramifications of the fall, and the first covenant made with man.

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*Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1967

Covenants, an Aside…

As I am writing the continuation of the Creation of the Image Bearer, I realized that I was coming to some fascinating aspects that might need to be explained in depth. I found an interesting website that started with the Noahic Covenant, but the questions asked about the covenants were good ones.1 As we reach each aspect of God’s covenant with His creation and His ultimate creation, man, we need to be asking ourselves some questions regarding covenant(s). How do the characteristics of covenant apply to each situation?

So…here are the things we will look for:

• Who is the initiator?
• Who are the parties involved?
• What is the reason for the covenant?
• Is there a sacrifice?
• Are offspring affected?
• Is there a promise or oath?
• Is there a sign or witness?
• What is the length of the covenant?
• Is there a meal, an altar, or a name change?

We are getting ready to talk about God’s first command to Adam. There are some really significant aspects here that were not covered in the website, that directly relate to the coming of Christ.

Let’s explore together!

1http://preceptaustin.org/covenant_in_the_bible.htm

Creation of the Image Bearer

It is so good to be back with you in the study of covenants. I have missed writing over the last few months because of family obligations and holidays. I have so many notes that they have grown cold, and I am having to go back over them and my Scriptures and texts to see what in the world was on my mind! What a joy it is to get busy again!

We left off in the middle of the sixth day discussing God’s creation of animals. He is about to create something different, something in His own image. If you will notice in Genesis 1-2, it says of the creation of the animals that they were created “out of the ground.” Yet the wording is a little different when man is created.

One of my favorite things to do (if you have read my blog very much) is to take Scriptures and blend them together. I have taken the Scriptures from Genesis 1 and 2 and compiled them in a sort of chronological reading of the creation of man. There are some specific things I want you to ponder on in this particular lesson:

• Compare the wording in Genesis 2:19 and Genesis 2:7 in different translations (use biblestudytools.com or biblegateway.com) and consider the difference in the way God “formed” the animals and the way he formed man.
• Notice the hierarchy of the order the earth was created, and what was provided for the living creatures for food.
• Think about and study “dominion.” We will talk about this more…

Genesis 2:5-6

When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground—

Genesis 1:26-27a 

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
 So God created man in his own image,
   in the image of God he created him;

Genesis 2:7-25

Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him."  Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said,

   "This at last is bone of my bones
   and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
   because she was taken out of Man."

  Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

Genesis 1:27b-31

. . .male and female he created them.

 And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so.  And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

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

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[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.