Please give me the knowledge and wisdom to say & do the things You need me to. Grant me the opportunities to see and acknowledge Your will in my life & those around me. Help me keep a clear, focused mind on You and the path You have chosen for me. Amen
After this week of ups & down, full moon, and quite a bit of inner turmoil/confusion; I was excited to be able to sit & read from my actual Bible (not my Bible app, which most of my studies have been from lately).
I started in Hebrews 12 - It's titled the Race of Faith:
The Race of Faith
12 Therefore
we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let
us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our
faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of
God.
The Discipline of God
3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens,And scourges every son whom He receives.”This passage has been used several times in sermons I've heard. Race of faith = competition in my mind.. however it's usage could be an awesome uplifting message of encouragement for endurance.. Running the good race, keep pace and don't give up. Cool!! right?!
I saw it differently today..
In the very first verse: God revealed to me that THIS passage, THIS event was in a crowd of BELIEVERS: witnesses of Christ. HELLO?!!! would they not then be called a "race of faith"??
are we not, as believers, a part of that "race" - a different breed, set apart to do His works, descendants of Abraham - the holy chosen??? where we do - as that race - look upon Christ as the example (author and finisher) ?!
Ok.. so did He not just change the dynamics of this passage??? whoa!!! Sure did for me.
Next, verse 3 - alerts us to the fact that NO MATTER how much we suffer in Christ- persecuted by our peers, etc.. HE PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE. We should not feel discouraged b/c His suffering was beyond our comprehension greater than ours.
Makes my little worries, problems, and playground drama moments feel that much smaller.
***do you not feel peace and joy from that???!!!! ***
The final verses (5-6) come from Proverbs 3.. It's verses 11-12
This verse follows one of my all time, go to verses where God wants us to "lean not on your own understanding, but in all things acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (5-6)
So, the verses 11-12 in Proverbs directly says when we feel chastened (or simply put: correction) from the Lord, we should delight in it - God is our FATHER and we, as His children, definitely do need direction. PERIOD.
AWESOME MESSAGE!!!!
Uh oh?!!! What's this???
Proverbs 3: 13-18
** I've seen this before.. There's this new up-springing of Proverbs media. This is a verse commonly used to encourage women to be more virtuous so their husbands find more favor in them..ya know.. a marriage strengthening.. thing **
I'm really sorry, but if I'm going to strive to be a virtuous woman - I'm doing it for the LORD, not to gain a husband...
Still, the verse is God's Word and I read it -- Proverbs 3:13-18
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
And the man who gains understanding;
14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
And her gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies,
And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand,
In her left hand riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who retain her.
And the man who gains understanding;
14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
And her gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies,
And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand,
In her left hand riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who retain her.
Do you see what I see ???
Happy is the man who finds WISDOM & the man who gains understanding. Man, ie MANKIND; being a loose term for a person (doesn't matter woman or man) who finds God's wisdom and understanding is HAPPY. WOW!!!
Now.. wisdom becomes the "she, her" that this verse is speaking of...
Wisdom's proceeds are better than the profits of silver, gain of fine gold, more precious than rubies, and ALL the THINGS you may desire cannot COMPARE with wisdom. So, think of the thing most precious to you. Finding wisdom & understanding in God's Word and Way are even more precious than that!
SHE (wisdom) is the tree of life to those who take hold of her and happy are all who retain her.
SERIOUSLY???!!! Did we not just go ADAM & EVE here???
Did Eve not take of the 'fruit' of the 'tree of life' ? She was NOT supposed to partake of that.. why?? because God had plans for it. Eve rushed God's timing.
Seriously - in Genesis 3 it says
6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
So, shame came from knowing too much too soon!
Knowing right/wrong - understanding God's plan for us -we should obtain all the wisdom from His word we possibly can. We are now permitted and accepted into His way and encouraged to do so.
Jesus made that possible. Eve tried.. but couldn’t fully because it was NOT the right time.
If you finish Genesis 3 you can see - GOD CORRECTS HIS CHILDREN.
He didn't kill them. MIRACLE!! b/c in those days sin = death. no joke!!! Old Testament. VERY gruesome stuff!!!
No, but He allows pain and strife into their life. Why?! So they are exiled from the Garden of Eden (which I believe is in Heaven - it's ok if you don't believe that) for them to fulfill the holy lineage of Jesus.
TALK ABOUT AMAZING HERITAGE!
20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
21 Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.Eve's name - means living..
Why is she the mother of all living? Because she obtained wisdom from the fruit of the tree of life.
Because from her the lineage follows a HOLY DESTINY for Jesus to come and bring salvation.
Because of that lineage we're accessible to eternal LIVING.
B I N G O !!!
**God knew the whole time!**
A good friend of mine spoke at a local church recently.. The title of his message was Thinking Magnificently. It was a challenge to us to thinking BIGGER PICTURE when it comes to God.
We are unable to comprehend it all. His magnitude is so great - there is NO WAY for us to fully understand. However, He does allow us from time to time - feel validated by the messages He brings us in His word. Why?? because His word says so. If it's not there - it's wrong.
Honestly, Lord, could You be any more awesome?!!
Nah.. I think not.
Peace be with you all <3