“Repentance”
re-pent-ance [ri-pen-tns] –noun
Definition: Feeling remorse for past sins against God, resulting in a sincere desire to change one’s future behavior.
For the first few years that I was a Christian, I was confused about the word repentance. At the time I was unknowingly confused, but looking back I really had no idea what the word truly meant. I understood that repentance meant that I needed to feel regret for my past sins. But what I didn’t understand is that true sorrow leads to a drastic change away from sin and towards God. The awesome thing about repentance is that God wipes away our past sins and is delighted that we’re making conscious decisions against sin. True repentance is not something that can be artificial. According to Romans 2:4, it’s God’s kindness that should lead us to repentance and it’s not something we can create in ourselves.
There’s no question that our sins anger God. He hates sin! But there’s nothing that makes Him happier than to see us completely turn away from our old self and make a new future in Him. We deserve the wrath of God and judgment for every sin we’ve ever committed. But Ephesians 2:4-6 says: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together in Christ – by grace you have been saved – and raised up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly place in Christ Jesus.” What a glorious God we have that shows grace to us despite our pasts!
To a non-Christian, the word repentance probably sounds pretty “religious.” It’s not used too much outside Christianity. But the best way that we can teach people about repentance is to live it out! Share with others the things that God has taken you out of and has brought you to repent of. When others see us (Christians) repent of our sins and make a complete one-eighty away from sin and towards God – they will not be able to mistake it for anything but repenting of our sins to Him!
Acts 3:19 “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.”
by Kyle Ackerit
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Word of the Week: Testimony
Testimony
“I am a living testimony.” “Let me share my testimony with you.” “How can you be a living testimony?” In fact, what is a testimony ?
Definition from Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
· Pronunciation: \ˈtes-tə-ˌmō-nē\
· Etymology: Middle English testimonie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin testimonium Decalogue, from Latin, evidence, witness, from testis witness
· Date: 14th century
1 a (1): the tablets inscribed with the Mosaic law (2): the ark containing the tablets b: a divine decree attested in the Scriptures
2 a: firsthand authentication of a fact: evidence b: an outward sign c: a solemn declaration usually made orally by a witness under oath in response to interrogation by a lawyer or authorized public official
3 a: an open acknowledgment b: a public profession of religious experience
By definition the word testimony has several different meanings. However the same principle applies to all definitions. That is sharing what you have experienced or know. A testimony for a Christian is how they came to know Jesus, or what he has done and is doing in their lives. It is a relationship worth sharing with other people, so that they may come to know Jesus themselves.
Being a living testimony is acting on that relationship by letting other people see love, acceptance, patience and other characteristics of Jesus. It is being an example of how God is working in your life.
People who aren’t Christians may look at this word and not quite understand what’s going on (“Do they think they’re in a court of law? Are they CRAZY??” Others may see it as another way for a Christian to try and force them to believe in what they do, but it doesn’t have to be like that. A testimony is not meant to force you to believe in anything. It is simply an explanation to why a Christian may seem different from everybody else. It’s a way for you to get to know them and if it peaks someone’s interest that’s awesome. An explanation of the way YOU use the word “testimony” may be necessary, or you could try saying something like “this is what Christ has done in my life,” or “having a relationship with Jesus has changed me this way.” Rather than being confused by the Christianese you’re speaking, the person you’re talking to will probably simply accept this as a straightforward and honest way of communicating who YOU are, and they’ll learn about Jesus in the process.
by Angie Paddock
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Word of the Week: Christianese
Christianese
christianese: (kris'ch nez') n. 1. Language spoken by church goers that is seldom understood by anyone else.
This year the “Word of the Week” will focus on “Christianese.” The hope is that through this study of “Christianese”
we will become more aware of the Christian subculture language that we use everyday, and the shortcomings we create for ourselves by trying to use it on people who don’t speak it.
Titan Christian Fellowship is focusing on having our “Arms Open Wide” – but if we speak a language that doesn’t translate on the far side of communication, we have probably only confused and frustrated our hearers who can only see how different we are from them – and how different they would have to become in order to fit into the (exclusive and seemingly archaic, irrelevant, and very strange) Christian world. Our hope this year is to put forth a face, demeanor, and language of acceptance that “outsiders” will feel so comfortable and welcomed by that they will not even notice, at first, that they have already stepped closer to the light – they will just they have some pretty cool new friends who happen to be Christians that they feel comfortable around and want to spend more time with.
For this week’s Word, “Christianese,” I’m going to write a quick blurb – pretend it’s a part of a conversation I’m having with you. Pretend it’s part of a conversation I’m having with a nonChristian who wants to know why I’m wearing a shirt that says “Arms Open Wide” on it.... As you read, watch for “Christianese” terms. Ask yourself: how do I understand this word? How does the person I’m talking to understand this word? Will they see the love of Christ in this word, or will they see the love of Christianity? Would some one on the “outside” that I’m trying to welcome in feel welcomed?
Remember, those on the “outside” are those that
• know nothing about Christianity
• know just enough about Christianity to not want to have anything more to do with it
The world needs Jesus. So many people today are living to satisfy the flesh and are so engrossed in sin that they can no longer see the light to be saved by. Those of us who are born again need to evangelize them, by teaching them the Truth and inviting them to church so that they can experience the freedom we know. They can have faith in Jesus just as we do and can kill their old self and become a part of the living body of Christ. By our testimony and witness they will begin to see the hope of salvation, and they will repent and be saved.
I confess, it almost sounds pretty normal to me. I wouldn’t even think it weird if you said this to me. I’d probably say “Amen! Let it be! Go Jesus Go!” But can you begin to see how it might cause some one else to run the other way? Do you begin to see how someone who has been a part of the church in the past and left it might avoid ever talking to you again?
Friends, if we’re going to make others feel welcomed and accepted, if we’re going to get them to walk into our wide open arms and into Christ’s, we must not box them out with our words.
christianese: (kris'ch nez') n. 1. Language spoken by church goers that is seldom understood by anyone else.
This year the “Word of the Week” will focus on “Christianese.” The hope is that through this study of “Christianese”
we will become more aware of the Christian subculture language that we use everyday, and the shortcomings we create for ourselves by trying to use it on people who don’t speak it.Titan Christian Fellowship is focusing on having our “Arms Open Wide” – but if we speak a language that doesn’t translate on the far side of communication, we have probably only confused and frustrated our hearers who can only see how different we are from them – and how different they would have to become in order to fit into the (exclusive and seemingly archaic, irrelevant, and very strange) Christian world. Our hope this year is to put forth a face, demeanor, and language of acceptance that “outsiders” will feel so comfortable and welcomed by that they will not even notice, at first, that they have already stepped closer to the light – they will just they have some pretty cool new friends who happen to be Christians that they feel comfortable around and want to spend more time with.
For this week’s Word, “Christianese,” I’m going to write a quick blurb – pretend it’s a part of a conversation I’m having with you. Pretend it’s part of a conversation I’m having with a nonChristian who wants to know why I’m wearing a shirt that says “Arms Open Wide” on it.... As you read, watch for “Christianese” terms. Ask yourself: how do I understand this word? How does the person I’m talking to understand this word? Will they see the love of Christ in this word, or will they see the love of Christianity? Would some one on the “outside” that I’m trying to welcome in feel welcomed?
Remember, those on the “outside” are those that
• know nothing about Christianity
• know just enough about Christianity to not want to have anything more to do with it
The world needs Jesus. So many people today are living to satisfy the flesh and are so engrossed in sin that they can no longer see the light to be saved by. Those of us who are born again need to evangelize them, by teaching them the Truth and inviting them to church so that they can experience the freedom we know. They can have faith in Jesus just as we do and can kill their old self and become a part of the living body of Christ. By our testimony and witness they will begin to see the hope of salvation, and they will repent and be saved.
I confess, it almost sounds pretty normal to me. I wouldn’t even think it weird if you said this to me. I’d probably say “Amen! Let it be! Go Jesus Go!” But can you begin to see how it might cause some one else to run the other way? Do you begin to see how someone who has been a part of the church in the past and left it might avoid ever talking to you again?
Friends, if we’re going to make others feel welcomed and accepted, if we’re going to get them to walk into our wide open arms and into Christ’s, we must not box them out with our words.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Welcome Week 2009
The last couple of weeks have been swallowed up by work on the new campus house -- but we are FINALLY seeing light at the end of the tunnel (at least for the projects we hope to complete this year). There are rooms that are CLEAN and functional with furniture and curtains! SUCH PROGRESS! We've even had numerous gatherings there and welcomed a few freshmen to campus at our cookout yesterday. This is the BEFORE picture. See the AFTER picture of the GO House in the next entry.But it's here at last: the end of summer and the beginning of new year of ministry at UW-O. Freshmen moved in yesterday, all the returning students came back today. TCF helped move people in and invited hundreds of people to join us for our week of activities!
We have a Breakfast for Returning TCFers , the Taste of Oshkosh (the organization fair), and the Faith Community Cookout all tomorrow; a Video-Scavenger Hunt on Wednesday, Game Night on Thursday, a House Party on Friday, Ultimate Frisbee and "Night at the Northwoods" on Saturday, the kickoff service for 180 Church on Sunday (180 is the Wisconsin Christian Campus Ministries church, like TCF is one of two WCCM campus ministries), and a party for the Packers/Bears game Sunday evening. Whew!
In the meantime, the students (including Rob) start school on Wednesday! Pray for sanity!
Pray for us and the incoming students! May they be inspired and obedient to God's call to search Him out -- to try something other than the typical party scene. May we be welcoming and wise in our words and actions as we seek to introduce students to Christ and get them hooked on Him!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Two Weeks Before School Starts
Hooray!! Rob and I got to go to Pocahontas, IA to visit his family and friends this weekend -- and to make a visit to his home church, Pomeroy Covenant, to tell them more about Titan Christian Fellowship and to THANK them and invite them to continue to join us on this adventure called Campus Ministry. It was a refreshing and encouraging trip!
This week, Rob is in Gettysburg, PA until Thursday doing some Army Chaplain Assistant training. Our friend from OUR college days, Jared is there (suprise!!) and they are having fun Old School styles.
August 25 (today) marks 2 weeks before school starts here at UW-O. Jeremy, some friends of the ministry, a few students, and I got back to serious work on the new campus house (painting, refinishing floors, fixing the stairs, finishing the door frames, tiling floor and ceiling in the entryway, cleaning, gardening, etc). We have begun to call the new campus house the "GO House." It's on AlGOma Blvd. The old campus house is on PROspect Ave, now known as the "PRO House."
On top of all of this, I have a huge list of things to do for preparing for Welcome Week Activities, my class at Moody (World Religious Systems), and life in general (like feed my starving kitties!). I really enjoy being busy so this is not a complaint. One big thing I accomplished today was helping to set up a Paypal account for Wisconsin Christian Campus Ministries (of which TCF is a part) so that I can make it much more convinient for my supporters to support! I am waiting for confirmation that the account is up and running, then I will send out the Sponsorship ideas I've been working on. Please keep praying about what aspect of this ministry is closest to YOUR heart and ask God how He'd like you to be involved. If financial donations is the way, there will soon be an easier way to do it!! Praise God!
Be blessed this week, Friends.
Love Katy
This week, Rob is in Gettysburg, PA until Thursday doing some Army Chaplain Assistant training. Our friend from OUR college days, Jared is there (suprise!!) and they are having fun Old School styles.
August 25 (today) marks 2 weeks before school starts here at UW-O. Jeremy, some friends of the ministry, a few students, and I got back to serious work on the new campus house (painting, refinishing floors, fixing the stairs, finishing the door frames, tiling floor and ceiling in the entryway, cleaning, gardening, etc). We have begun to call the new campus house the "GO House." It's on AlGOma Blvd. The old campus house is on PROspect Ave, now known as the "PRO House."
On top of all of this, I have a huge list of things to do for preparing for Welcome Week Activities, my class at Moody (World Religious Systems), and life in general (like feed my starving kitties!). I really enjoy being busy so this is not a complaint. One big thing I accomplished today was helping to set up a Paypal account for Wisconsin Christian Campus Ministries (of which TCF is a part) so that I can make it much more convinient for my supporters to support! I am waiting for confirmation that the account is up and running, then I will send out the Sponsorship ideas I've been working on. Please keep praying about what aspect of this ministry is closest to YOUR heart and ask God how He'd like you to be involved. If financial donations is the way, there will soon be an easier way to do it!! Praise God!
Be blessed this week, Friends.
Love Katy
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Building the Church at UW-O
"And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst."
August 2009
I'm standing on the edge of a great precipice: a new year is about to begin in campus ministry at Titan Christi
an Fellowship, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh. Excitement has been building since last spring when our potential Student Ministers began to ask God what He would have them do to minister to their peers this upcoming year. Over the summer, the Student Ministers have had time to catch God's vision and begin working together to plan for the ministry He has called them to, to prepare for their small groups, discipleship partners, and the many activities we will be hosting for the students of UW-O this year.
JOIN ME IN BUILDING THIS CHURCH
I am writing to ask you to join me in this life altering, Kingdom serving, God glorifying work by giving financially. In Exodus 25:1-8
, God asks Moses to take up the first offering from the Hebrew people. He says, "From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: (all manner of valuable things needed to build the tabernacle)[1]. And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst." Here at Titan Christian Fellowship, we are also building the Church, and inviting God to dwell in our midst. To the hearts, minds, and lives of each student that we come in contact with, we bring the person of Christ by teaching Biblical truth and encouraging Godly living.
The money you donate would be my salary for the year (I'm aiming for $22,000 for the period of September 1, 2009 through August 31, 2010). Your contributions would enable me to continue my full time service in building the Church as God has asked me to, by preparing "God's people for works of service, so the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12-13).
[1] I don't actually need "gold, silver, and bronze, blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats' hair, tanned rams' skins, goatskins, acacia wood, oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece." Don't know what I'd do with the goats' hair, and I don't wear an ephod. Besides, Christ's kingdom is made out of other things than these (see 1 Corinthians 3:9-17).
BUILDING IN 08-09
During my first year in ministry, I accomplished this goal by:
* Mentoring eight girls individually as disciples of Christ
* Preparing and leading a weekly women's bible study
* Initiating a new structure for recognizing, training, and preparing our Student Ministers
* Leading our Student Ministers (both male and female) in Christian leadership training
* Modeling and encouraging the students of TCF to Godly sincerity in every facet of their lives
* Teaching the lesson (aka giving the sermon) at our Tuesday night meetings 4 times
* Hosting a myriad of activities across campus and in my own home (ok, Christina's home)
* Catching God's vision for Titan Christian Fellowship and working with Him to accomplish His goals.
It was an amazing year, and I believe the work of Kingdom building was accomplished! Students' lives were changed, and the ministry was made more efficient and focused. (I look forward to sharing more a
bout this with you as this year progresses!)
BUILDING IN 09-10
Teaching the Truth This year, as part of leadership development, I am going to attempt to take a step back from planning and leading everything and will instead be training and equipping the Student Ministers to catch God's vision on their own and lead their peers closer to Him by leading Bible studies, activities, and small groups. I will continue mentoring our Leading Ladies (5 of them this semester), leading a monthly women's bible study, leadership training, giving sermons, and, of course, modeling and encouraging Christian living. But my job description has broadened. In fact, my job title has changed from Women's Campus Minister to Campus Minister - a promotion, of sorts.
Another change this year will be monthly newsletters to YOU so that you can be aware of what you are helping to accomplish (by financial donations, prayers and petitions, and by just being my friends) for Christ on campus at UW-O.
I am so glad to have your support. Thank you for everything. May God bless you as you have blessed me.
With Christ on Campus,
Katy Ahlrichs
HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT??
This year I'm going to try something fun: Giving you the opportunity to sponsor one of the specific aspects of my ministry.
For now, simply consider and pray over the prospect of supporting this ministry and what you would like to be most involved in.
In a few days, I will begin introducing you to the Leading Ladies, the Student Ministers, and various activities that you can sponsor, and how.
Or, if you'd prefer to invest in the students of UW-O the old fashioned way:
Please call Share Steffen at
920-279-1313
or email her at
uw4god@live.com
to set up payments by credit card.
Or send a check, made out to Titan Christian Fellowship with Katy Ahlrichs written in the memo line to
Titan Christian Fellowship
833 Wright St.
Oshkosh, WI 54901
One time contributions and monthly contributions are accepted with appreciation!
August 2009
I'm standing on the edge of a great precipice: a new year is about to begin in campus ministry at Titan Christi
an Fellowship, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh. Excitement has been building since last spring when our potential Student Ministers began to ask God what He would have them do to minister to their peers this upcoming year. Over the summer, the Student Ministers have had time to catch God's vision and begin working together to plan for the ministry He has called them to, to prepare for their small groups, discipleship partners, and the many activities we will be hosting for the students of UW-O this year.JOIN ME IN BUILDING THIS CHURCH
I am writing to ask you to join me in this life altering, Kingdom serving, God glorifying work by giving financially. In Exodus 25:1-8
, God asks Moses to take up the first offering from the Hebrew people. He says, "From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: (all manner of valuable things needed to build the tabernacle)[1]. And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst." Here at Titan Christian Fellowship, we are also building the Church, and inviting God to dwell in our midst. To the hearts, minds, and lives of each student that we come in contact with, we bring the person of Christ by teaching Biblical truth and encouraging Godly living.The money you donate would be my salary for the year (I'm aiming for $22,000 for the period of September 1, 2009 through August 31, 2010). Your contributions would enable me to continue my full time service in building the Church as God has asked me to, by preparing "God's people for works of service, so the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12-13).
[1] I don't actually need "gold, silver, and bronze, blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats' hair, tanned rams' skins, goatskins, acacia wood, oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece." Don't know what I'd do with the goats' hair, and I don't wear an ephod. Besides, Christ's kingdom is made out of other things than these (see 1 Corinthians 3:9-17).
BUILDING IN 08-09
During my first year in ministry, I accomplished this goal by:
* Mentoring eight girls individually as disciples of Christ
* Preparing and leading a weekly women's bible study
* Initiating a new structure for recognizing, training, and preparing our Student Ministers
* Leading our Student Ministers (both male and female) in Christian leadership training
* Modeling and encouraging the students of TCF to Godly sincerity in every facet of their lives
* Teaching the lesson (aka giving the sermon) at our Tuesday night meetings 4 times
* Hosting a myriad of activities across campus and in my own home (ok, Christina's home)
* Catching God's vision for Titan Christian Fellowship and working with Him to accomplish His goals.
It was an amazing year, and I believe the work of Kingdom building was accomplished! Students' lives were changed, and the ministry was made more efficient and focused. (I look forward to sharing more a
bout this with you as this year progresses!)BUILDING IN 09-10
Teaching the Truth This year, as part of leadership development, I am going to attempt to take a step back from planning and leading everything and will instead be training and equipping the Student Ministers to catch God's vision on their own and lead their peers closer to Him by leading Bible studies, activities, and small groups. I will continue mentoring our Leading Ladies (5 of them this semester), leading a monthly women's bible study, leadership training, giving sermons, and, of course, modeling and encouraging Christian living. But my job description has broadened. In fact, my job title has changed from Women's Campus Minister to Campus Minister - a promotion, of sorts.
Another change this year will be monthly newsletters to YOU so that you can be aware of what you are helping to accomplish (by financial donations, prayers and petitions, and by just being my friends) for Christ on campus at UW-O.
I am so glad to have your support. Thank you for everything. May God bless you as you have blessed me.
With Christ on Campus,
Katy Ahlrichs
HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT??
This year I'm going to try something fun: Giving you the opportunity to sponsor one of the specific aspects of my ministry.
For now, simply consider and pray over the prospect of supporting this ministry and what you would like to be most involved in.
In a few days, I will begin introducing you to the Leading Ladies, the Student Ministers, and various activities that you can sponsor, and how.
Or, if you'd prefer to invest in the students of UW-O the old fashioned way:
Please call Share Steffen at
920-279-1313
or email her at
uw4god@live.com
to set up payments by credit card.
Or send a check, made out to Titan Christian Fellowship with Katy Ahlrichs written in the memo line to
Titan Christian Fellowship
833 Wright St.
Oshkosh, WI 54901
One time contributions and monthly contributions are accepted with appreciation!
PS. The Apostle Paul says, "For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have"
(2 Corinthians 8:12).
From what you have, give as your heart is moved to give.
Woohoo! School starts soon!
Year #2 in ministry at Titan Christian Fellowship starts soon! I am gearing up by preparing all manner of of things for Welcome Week (which includes activities during move-in days, the official UW-O organization kick off called "Taste of Oshkosh," and a week's worth of evening activities) to which we will be inviting the campus at large. I am also doing fundraising and getting email lists ready to send out monthly newsletters!! The next post is a copy of my first fundraising letter. The sponsorship opportunities mentioned will be posted soon and a newsletter shortly after that, just to be sure we're all up to date on what's going on and planned for the 2009-2010 school year at Titan Christian Fellowship!
This year you can also expect to see weekly updates and prayer requests on this blog, and the Word of the Week will be back too, written, again, by the students. The Word of the Week will focus on "Christianese" -- the words we in the Christian subculture so often use that may not be understood by the modern American culture, or may just scare them off.... Stay tuned!
Thanks for coming!
This year you can also expect to see weekly updates and prayer requests on this blog, and the Word of the Week will be back too, written, again, by the students. The Word of the Week will focus on "Christianese" -- the words we in the Christian subculture so often use that may not be understood by the modern American culture, or may just scare them off.... Stay tuned!
Thanks for coming!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Word of the Week: Yahweh Shalom
This week at TCF we are conducting interviews for all of our new Student Ministers. May I simply say, God is at work here and I am blessed to be a part of it. Our future leaders have eyes and hearts open to the Lord and He has drawn near to them. Please pray for them as they finish school for the semester and head away from school and each other for the summer.
This week's Word is brought to us by Abby Belton, one of TCF's new Student Ministers. She is a freshman this year, and not only has this been her first year away from home, but her parents live in Africa. A weekend trip home is out of the question. Because of this distance and separation, Abby lives in a constant state of not really having a "home." But she is learning to let God be that for her. She resides, and finds her peace, in Him alone.
Yahweh Shalom Peace
Do any of you have a hard time finding peace in this day and age? With technology, we have music blaring in our ears, we have the TV running, and when that isn’t enough we have our cell phones to check. We have friends knocking on our doors, people dying for our attention. From the moment we wake up in the morning, until the last few seconds of our night, we have noise around us constantly. The Webster dictionary defines peace as “a state of tranquility or quiet.” I find it difficult to find a quiet place to have peace; a time to rest and be alone with God without the distractions of this world. Psalm 34:14 says “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” We need to seek peace. We need to go after it and find it and find time to be quiet and just listen. God longs to talk to us. He doesn’t want us to be distracted by the earthly things, but focus on Him. He wants us and calls us to have the quiet time to be with Him.
Peace isn’t always the first thing that comes to our mind, but let’s let it be the first thing from our heart and through our actions. In John 14:27 Jesus says “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Jesus wants us to have peace, not just any peace, but one that is from Him. He has given it to us as a gift. Who better to receive this gift from than the Prince of Peace? It will be a struggle; this world has everything fighting against us. Keep in mind that you will be blessed for your efforts and God will give you that peace. Once you have it, practice it and do not be afraid.
People in this world are struggling and stressed. Relationships with friends, work buddies and our families can be hard. To set the example of having peace all the time is difficult to do. People are looking for those people who have peace and are able to stand out with their quiet spirit. They are searching for others who care to listen and are willing to help with a servant heart. Proverbs 14:30 “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but evil rots the body.” Are you at peace? Is your peace giving life to the body of Christ? Do your actions show that you are at peace with God? Or are you corrupted by evil and rotting out the body?
What about if you lost your family today, would you be at peace with God? What about your home, your life, your job? Do you truly believe God is in control and do you really have peace about it? Is your spirit quiet? Are you at peace now? Have peace with our God, the One that created you and knows your name.
My family lives all the way across the world, they could easily be taken to heaven at any moment in time. When I say goodbye to them, I have to say goodbye as though it is the last time. I don’t know if I will get the opportunity to see them again. Somehow, through this all, God has given us the chance to love each other at a deeper level. He has also taught us to live in peace, no matter what, He is in control and we are His children. No one is saying it’s easy to have peace because it’s not. Keep looking to God for the peace and quiet that we all need in our lives each and every day. If you look to Him, you will find what you are looking for.
In closing John 20:21 Jesus says “Peace be with you! As the Father sent me, I am sending you.”
Peace
This week's Word is brought to us by Abby Belton, one of TCF's new Student Ministers. She is a freshman this year, and not only has this been her first year away from home, but her parents live in Africa. A weekend trip home is out of the question. Because of this distance and separation, Abby lives in a constant state of not really having a "home." But she is learning to let God be that for her. She resides, and finds her peace, in Him alone.
Yahweh Shalom Peace
Do any of you have a hard time finding peace in this day and age? With technology, we have music blaring in our ears, we have the TV running, and when that isn’t enough we have our cell phones to check. We have friends knocking on our doors, people dying for our attention. From the moment we wake up in the morning, until the last few seconds of our night, we have noise around us constantly. The Webster dictionary defines peace as “a state of tranquility or quiet.” I find it difficult to find a quiet place to have peace; a time to rest and be alone with God without the distractions of this world. Psalm 34:14 says “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” We need to seek peace. We need to go after it and find it and find time to be quiet and just listen. God longs to talk to us. He doesn’t want us to be distracted by the earthly things, but focus on Him. He wants us and calls us to have the quiet time to be with Him.
Peace isn’t always the first thing that comes to our mind, but let’s let it be the first thing from our heart and through our actions. In John 14:27 Jesus says “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Jesus wants us to have peace, not just any peace, but one that is from Him. He has given it to us as a gift. Who better to receive this gift from than the Prince of Peace? It will be a struggle; this world has everything fighting against us. Keep in mind that you will be blessed for your efforts and God will give you that peace. Once you have it, practice it and do not be afraid.
People in this world are struggling and stressed. Relationships with friends, work buddies and our families can be hard. To set the example of having peace all the time is difficult to do. People are looking for those people who have peace and are able to stand out with their quiet spirit. They are searching for others who care to listen and are willing to help with a servant heart. Proverbs 14:30 “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but evil rots the body.” Are you at peace? Is your peace giving life to the body of Christ? Do your actions show that you are at peace with God? Or are you corrupted by evil and rotting out the body?
What about if you lost your family today, would you be at peace with God? What about your home, your life, your job? Do you truly believe God is in control and do you really have peace about it? Is your spirit quiet? Are you at peace now? Have peace with our God, the One that created you and knows your name.
My family lives all the way across the world, they could easily be taken to heaven at any moment in time. When I say goodbye to them, I have to say goodbye as though it is the last time. I don’t know if I will get the opportunity to see them again. Somehow, through this all, God has given us the chance to love each other at a deeper level. He has also taught us to live in peace, no matter what, He is in control and we are His children. No one is saying it’s easy to have peace because it’s not. Keep looking to God for the peace and quiet that we all need in our lives each and every day. If you look to Him, you will find what you are looking for.
In closing John 20:21 Jesus says “Peace be with you! As the Father sent me, I am sending you.”
Peace
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Word of the Week: Melek
Rob and I have landed back in Oshkosh and actually plan to be here for at least 3 weeks straight! WOAH! Now it's hit the road hard for the last 3 weeks of the semester -- for me that mainly means loving on and encouraging the students through finals, and helping them find some time to relax. It ALSO means, and I'm INCREDIBLY excited about this: getting through the applications for our Council of Student Ministers for next year, and meeting with each applicant for an interview and starting to put together our plans for next year's ministry. God has already done a LOT of work in the hearts of our students as far as preparing and exciting them into action, and the vision that they have to minister to their peers is awe inspiring! Pray for wisdom and guidance for us as TCF begins to draw alongside God for the 2009-2010 school year at UW-O. It's going to be awesome!
Part of that awesomeness is Sam Murray -- another Prospective Student Minister for next year. Check out her Word of the Week post below, and be blessed!
King, “Melek”
Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34). When we hear someone describing God, they may say; King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and Prince of Peace. Melek… King, describes the Lord as King of all Kings. He is all of those names, but how often do we sit back and really think about what those titles really mean.
While I was reading up on what this means, the song by David Crowder Band, “He is our King” kept coming into my mind. If we look at the lyrics, the song says, “He is our King, He is our Love, He is our God who’s come to bring us back to Him.” When we think of earthly kings, an earthly king is a lot of times worried about his government and how to gain wealth for him and his people. Our God already has all of the wealth and power in the world.
Recently we have had a lot of rain, but not any thunderstorms. For some of us, that may be a relief, but to me I look forward to the thunderstorms. I love hearing the thunder boom inside my heart and seeing the lightning light up a room. Psalm 97:4 says, ‘His lightning lights up the world, the earth sees and trembles.’ Our God is the King over all the earth, He produced that power, and we need not be afraid of the thunder, but of our great and powerful God.
Finally, those of us who have received the Lord’s gift and accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior need to learn to have God as King of our lives. Think of how we would be awestruck by a king of present day, we need to be even more in awe and immensely more willing to do as He wills. Live as though God is right here, governing over every move we make, because He is.
Part of that awesomeness is Sam Murray -- another Prospective Student Minister for next year. Check out her Word of the Week post below, and be blessed!
King, “Melek”
Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34). When we hear someone describing God, they may say; King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and Prince of Peace. Melek… King, describes the Lord as King of all Kings. He is all of those names, but how often do we sit back and really think about what those titles really mean.
While I was reading up on what this means, the song by David Crowder Band, “He is our King” kept coming into my mind. If we look at the lyrics, the song says, “He is our King, He is our Love, He is our God who’s come to bring us back to Him.” When we think of earthly kings, an earthly king is a lot of times worried about his government and how to gain wealth for him and his people. Our God already has all of the wealth and power in the world.
Recently we have had a lot of rain, but not any thunderstorms. For some of us, that may be a relief, but to me I look forward to the thunderstorms. I love hearing the thunder boom inside my heart and seeing the lightning light up a room. Psalm 97:4 says, ‘His lightning lights up the world, the earth sees and trembles.’ Our God is the King over all the earth, He produced that power, and we need not be afraid of the thunder, but of our great and powerful God.
Finally, those of us who have received the Lord’s gift and accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior need to learn to have God as King of our lives. Think of how we would be awestruck by a king of present day, we need to be even more in awe and immensely more willing to do as He wills. Live as though God is right here, governing over every move we make, because He is.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Word of the Week: Yahweh Tsuri
Justin Christofferson wrote this week's Word post. He is a freshman this year at UW-O, and got involved in TCF early on in the year. He has been in my and Rob's Lifegroup all year and we've greatly enjoyed getting to know him and his Cubbie-loving self :) This semester he has taken on the task of getting the room set up before TCF each week -- making sure people are scheduled to be there to help and then directing them to accomplish the task before students arrive for worship. Praise the Lord for his service, and for being a vessel that God can speak through! Check it out!
Yahweh Tsuri
This name of God comes from the Hebrew noun meaning “rock” or “stone.” Therefore, God has revealed Himself to us as the Lord My Rock. The Lord is a solid foundation in which we can trust at all times. When He gives us a promise, He is faithful and always keeps His promises. Unlike the things or people of this world, God is completely reliable, and He will never let us down.
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer, my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—from violent men you save me. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies” (2 Samuel 22:2-4). According to these verses, the Lord My Rock will protect us when we call out to Him.
Remember when Saul repeatedly tried to kill David? David fled and hid in a cave. When Saul entered the same cave that David was hiding in, David was urged by his men to kill Saul right there. It’s only rational that David should have killed the very person who was trying to kill him, right? But David did not kill Saul because he trusted that the Lord would protect him; he “believed that the promises God had made were as solid as the rock he stood on.” Instead of striking out, David left it up to God to punish Saul. In the same way, when we are wronged by others, we need to leave it up to our ever-faithful Rock to deal with those people instead of retaliating against them.
The Lord My Rock is the strong foundation for those who put their trust in Him. “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore” (Psalm 125:1-2). No problem, whether physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual, is too big for the Lord! When we pray and give our problems up to Him, He will take our burdens off our backs.
So remember that when you build your life around Jesus, you are building on a solid rock foundation that will not crumble! “There is no Rock like our God” (1 Samuel 2:2).
Yahweh Tsuri
This name of God comes from the Hebrew noun meaning “rock” or “stone.” Therefore, God has revealed Himself to us as the Lord My Rock. The Lord is a solid foundation in which we can trust at all times. When He gives us a promise, He is faithful and always keeps His promises. Unlike the things or people of this world, God is completely reliable, and He will never let us down.
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer, my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—from violent men you save me. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies” (2 Samuel 22:2-4). According to these verses, the Lord My Rock will protect us when we call out to Him.
Remember when Saul repeatedly tried to kill David? David fled and hid in a cave. When Saul entered the same cave that David was hiding in, David was urged by his men to kill Saul right there. It’s only rational that David should have killed the very person who was trying to kill him, right? But David did not kill Saul because he trusted that the Lord would protect him; he “believed that the promises God had made were as solid as the rock he stood on.” Instead of striking out, David left it up to God to punish Saul. In the same way, when we are wronged by others, we need to leave it up to our ever-faithful Rock to deal with those people instead of retaliating against them.
The Lord My Rock is the strong foundation for those who put their trust in Him. “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore” (Psalm 125:1-2). No problem, whether physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual, is too big for the Lord! When we pray and give our problems up to Him, He will take our burdens off our backs.
So remember that when you build your life around Jesus, you are building on a solid rock foundation that will not crumble! “There is no Rock like our God” (1 Samuel 2:2).
On the Road Again
So, last Friday Rob and I were in La Crosse, WI so that he could give a presentation at a science convention. Then he went to Door County to help lead a weekend marriage retreat for Army folks, and I went to Milwaukee for drill. Today we were actually home in Oshkosh. Tomorrow, we leave for Virginia Beach for an Army Bands Leader Training -- a working vacation for me, simply a vacation for Rob. :) Please pray for us that travel would be safe, our time together would be like vacation for both of us, and that we would be living testimonies to the people we meet. Be blessed, and be in touch!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Word of the Week: Esh Oklah, El Kanna
Kyle Ackerit, another Prospective Student Minister, took on this week's post. Kyle is a freshman this year. His dedication, maturity, and pure potential have been a blessing to us at TCF and we are excited to continue to watch him grow in the Lord. Check out what he's got to say below!
Consuming Fire, Jealous God
Esh Oklah, El Kanna
Deuteronomy 4: 23-24 says “Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the Lord your God has forbidden you. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” When I was first introduced to the thought that our God is a jealous God a while back, I didn’t think it made any sense. Sure our God is all knowing, all powerful, and wonderful… but jealous? The reason this didn’t make sense to me at first is because we tend to immediately apply our definition of human jealousy. Edward Mac says “This word (jealousy) did not bear the evil meaning now associated with it in our usage, but rather signified ‘righteous zeal,’ Jehovah’s zeal for His own name or glory.”
El Kanna… the Lord our God is jealous. He wants each and every one of us to be constantly faithful to him. God is all consuming because he wants every last bit of us. Though that might sound scary at first, isn’t it comforting to know that God wants all of us? Even the bad things! We can give EVERYTHING over to him and then we don’t have to worry about it anymore.
Hebrews 12: 28-29 says “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” God’s wrath is real. Just because we believe in God’s awesome mercy doesn’t mean that sins don’t still anger God. God sent his son to die on the cross for us. Hopefully you’ve had time these last few days to think about that. But we can only be saved if we choose to be. There is a quote from Anne Spangler’s Praying the Names of God that I really like. It is by Ignatius of Antioch from the first century that says “we must either fear his future wrath or love his present grace - one of the two!”
When we think of anger, we might think of someone throwing a tantrum or getting revenge for something someone else has done to them… but this is not the kind of anger that God has. God’s anger is a “consuming fire,” an expression of his justice and holiness! What’s not just is the fact that God is willing to offer us anything better than hell. Even a life that is extremely honoring to God still has not deserved heaven. We can be thankful that God has offered us grace, even though we did absolutely nothing to deserve it. Praise God that he is a consuming fire and hates everything that is evil. Do you hate what is evil? Do you hate the sin in your own life?
God is a Jealous God, who loves us with an everlasting, all-consuming love!
Consuming Fire, Jealous God
Esh Oklah, El Kanna
Deuteronomy 4: 23-24 says “Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the Lord your God has forbidden you. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” When I was first introduced to the thought that our God is a jealous God a while back, I didn’t think it made any sense. Sure our God is all knowing, all powerful, and wonderful… but jealous? The reason this didn’t make sense to me at first is because we tend to immediately apply our definition of human jealousy. Edward Mac says “This word (jealousy) did not bear the evil meaning now associated with it in our usage, but rather signified ‘righteous zeal,’ Jehovah’s zeal for His own name or glory.”
El Kanna… the Lord our God is jealous. He wants each and every one of us to be constantly faithful to him. God is all consuming because he wants every last bit of us. Though that might sound scary at first, isn’t it comforting to know that God wants all of us? Even the bad things! We can give EVERYTHING over to him and then we don’t have to worry about it anymore.
Hebrews 12: 28-29 says “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” God’s wrath is real. Just because we believe in God’s awesome mercy doesn’t mean that sins don’t still anger God. God sent his son to die on the cross for us. Hopefully you’ve had time these last few days to think about that. But we can only be saved if we choose to be. There is a quote from Anne Spangler’s Praying the Names of God that I really like. It is by Ignatius of Antioch from the first century that says “we must either fear his future wrath or love his present grace - one of the two!”
When we think of anger, we might think of someone throwing a tantrum or getting revenge for something someone else has done to them… but this is not the kind of anger that God has. God’s anger is a “consuming fire,” an expression of his justice and holiness! What’s not just is the fact that God is willing to offer us anything better than hell. Even a life that is extremely honoring to God still has not deserved heaven. We can be thankful that God has offered us grace, even though we did absolutely nothing to deserve it. Praise God that he is a consuming fire and hates everything that is evil. Do you hate what is evil? Do you hate the sin in your own life?
God is a Jealous God, who loves us with an everlasting, all-consuming love!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Word of the Week: Abba
Check this out! This was written by one of our Prospective Student Ministers. Courtney is a sophomore this year, but was new to TCF this fall. I have been blessed to meet with her each week this semester for one-on-one discipleship. Her growth and excitement in the Lord have grown exponentially and this post, trust me, is evidence of that. Praise God!
Father
Ab, Abba, Pater
When we think of God, we often times think of our Savior, our Lord, our King, however we often forget that he is not only those things, but also our Father. He is the one who loves us, who protects us, who holds us close, who rejoices when we come back to him, and forgives us when we least deserve it.
In Hebrew Scriptures, God is normally seen as the Father over Israel, not the Father over individuals. Jews of that time would never have considered calling Him Father; however, Jesus himself referred to God as his Father, and called us—as believers—to do likewise. Jesus depicted God as a tender, and a compassionate father, who gives grace to sinners.
According to the book, Praying the Names of God Ab (Hebrew) or Abba, the Aramaic word for Daddy which came to be known as “dear father” is paired with the Greek word pater. Pater is the most frequently used term for Father in the New Testament. The name Abba, Pater is found three times in the New Testament, all in prayer. Jesus cried out to God in Gethsemane saying, “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36).
I’m sure we can all see God as our Father in many of the circumstances we face each day. When I was a freshman in high school, it was made clear to me that my God is my Father, my Abba, my Pater. I remember vividly my mom breaking the news to me that my dad would be in prison for nine years. I remember crying and wondering what I was supposed to do without my dad. I longed to have a dad who would watch over me, and protect me. Unfortunately, I received none of those from my earthly dad. I looked to God and wondered, are you like the dad I have now? Are you going to leave me? Are you going to break countless promises? Anne Spangler puts it best, “If you want to perceive who God the Father is, earthly models will fail you” (321).
It was and is true, my earthly model of a dad failed me in perceiving who God truly is. God watches over us, and protects us through everything. Spangler quotes Sigmund Freud, “One of the strongest needs of childhood is the need for a father’s protection” (325). Even when our earthly father fails to provide a sense of security, we can count on and know that God will everlastingly provide faithful fatherly protection. When we feel as if there is no one to protect us we need to remember Deuteronomy 33:27, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” This protection will not weaken, it will not fail, it will eternally remain.
It is important to know that God is our Father, our Abba, our Pater, and he wants us to be His children. He wants to hold us close so that we may experience security in him. By doing so we are free to confidently take risks that faith requires. Let God be your Father, so that you can take those risks for him, let him cradle you, and know that he will never let go.
Luke 12:32-
Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
Father
Ab, Abba, Pater
When we think of God, we often times think of our Savior, our Lord, our King, however we often forget that he is not only those things, but also our Father. He is the one who loves us, who protects us, who holds us close, who rejoices when we come back to him, and forgives us when we least deserve it.
In Hebrew Scriptures, God is normally seen as the Father over Israel, not the Father over individuals. Jews of that time would never have considered calling Him Father; however, Jesus himself referred to God as his Father, and called us—as believers—to do likewise. Jesus depicted God as a tender, and a compassionate father, who gives grace to sinners.
According to the book, Praying the Names of God Ab (Hebrew) or Abba, the Aramaic word for Daddy which came to be known as “dear father” is paired with the Greek word pater. Pater is the most frequently used term for Father in the New Testament. The name Abba, Pater is found three times in the New Testament, all in prayer. Jesus cried out to God in Gethsemane saying, “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36).
I’m sure we can all see God as our Father in many of the circumstances we face each day. When I was a freshman in high school, it was made clear to me that my God is my Father, my Abba, my Pater. I remember vividly my mom breaking the news to me that my dad would be in prison for nine years. I remember crying and wondering what I was supposed to do without my dad. I longed to have a dad who would watch over me, and protect me. Unfortunately, I received none of those from my earthly dad. I looked to God and wondered, are you like the dad I have now? Are you going to leave me? Are you going to break countless promises? Anne Spangler puts it best, “If you want to perceive who God the Father is, earthly models will fail you” (321).
It was and is true, my earthly model of a dad failed me in perceiving who God truly is. God watches over us, and protects us through everything. Spangler quotes Sigmund Freud, “One of the strongest needs of childhood is the need for a father’s protection” (325). Even when our earthly father fails to provide a sense of security, we can count on and know that God will everlastingly provide faithful fatherly protection. When we feel as if there is no one to protect us we need to remember Deuteronomy 33:27, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” This protection will not weaken, it will not fail, it will eternally remain.
It is important to know that God is our Father, our Abba, our Pater, and he wants us to be His children. He wants to hold us close so that we may experience security in him. By doing so we are free to confidently take risks that faith requires. Let God be your Father, so that you can take those risks for him, let him cradle you, and know that he will never let go.
Luke 12:32-
Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
Update on March
Wow. So, after my week in Chicago (which was absolutely excellent and I left after my class SPILLING OVER with knowledge and love for Jesus -- almost unable to contain it at all), I spent a week in Middle Tennessse at Horton Haven Christian Camp on TCFs 2009 Spring Break Mission Trip. Hopefully I'll have an update here soon about that. God was at work and the changed lives and relationships amongst the 14 of us who were there testify to it daily.
Last week, I was so overwhelmed trying to get caught back up with life that the Word of the Week got lost in the shuffle, so we focused on Yahweh Rophe again -- and praised God for healing and refreshing and renewal. Phew!!
This week, the big news in TCF is that my co-campus minister, Kyle, is heading to Moody Graduate School himself next year (yay!) and will not be working with TCF in the fall (boo!). Please pray for him and his future endeavors and for Jeremy and I, who, only with God's help, will be picking up the slack (or, by God's grace, hiring someone new).
Last night I had the immense privilege of introducing the hopes and expectations for next year's Leadership team -- now renamed the Council of Student Ministers. Over the next few weeks, our Prospective Student Ministers will be prayerfully considering their commitment to TCF and what ministry God is calling them to lead. Please pray for them too!!
I hope you are doing well and I praise the Lord for your prayers and financial support. Thank you thank you thank you. Every prayer and every penny makes a huge difference in my life and my ability to keep doing what God gives me to do.
Last week, I was so overwhelmed trying to get caught back up with life that the Word of the Week got lost in the shuffle, so we focused on Yahweh Rophe again -- and praised God for healing and refreshing and renewal. Phew!!
This week, the big news in TCF is that my co-campus minister, Kyle, is heading to Moody Graduate School himself next year (yay!) and will not be working with TCF in the fall (boo!). Please pray for him and his future endeavors and for Jeremy and I, who, only with God's help, will be picking up the slack (or, by God's grace, hiring someone new).
Last night I had the immense privilege of introducing the hopes and expectations for next year's Leadership team -- now renamed the Council of Student Ministers. Over the next few weeks, our Prospective Student Ministers will be prayerfully considering their commitment to TCF and what ministry God is calling them to lead. Please pray for them too!!
I hope you are doing well and I praise the Lord for your prayers and financial support. Thank you thank you thank you. Every prayer and every penny makes a huge difference in my life and my ability to keep doing what God gives me to do.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Word of the Week: Yahweh Rophe
This week I'm living in Chicago Illinois. I'd never spent the night here (that I can remember) until this Monday evening, and now, I live about 1/4 of a mile from the Magnificent Mile at Moody Bible Institute. I am doing my one week of classes at school for the semester of homework I'm doing on my own at home. I'm taking a class called "Biblical Theology of the New Testament" and I'm learning so much my brain might just explode. So, partly for this reason, and partly to have a good excuse to introduce you to another student, and partly to give that student a chance to show her stuff, the Word of the Week is brought to you by Angie.
I see Angie more each week than any other student because she is SO involved at TCF -- and TCF is BLESSED by her presence and service. Praise the Lord for her!! And please check out what she's got to say:
Yahweh Rophe (yah- WEH ro- FEH)
Have you ever had a broken heart? Broken spirit? A headache? Or anything else that need healing? Well, let me share with you the perfect remedy!
Rophe is the Hebrew word for “heal”, “cure”, “restore”, or “make whole”. God revealed himself as Yahweh Rophe, “the LORD who heals”; to his people shortly after they left Egypt for the Promised Land. The Hebrew Scriptures indicate that God is the source of all healing. Not only can he heal the body but the mind and soul as well. He can heal everything from sin to apostasy and the aliments that come from living in a world with evil in it.
In the Old Testament, God smites people for their sins to wake them up to their spiritual danger. Yet, he quickly restores them when they repent. A good thing to ask God is to help us see the link between obedience and health, physical and spiritual.
Yahweh Rophe is “the LORD who heals” and he showed us this when he sent his only son down to us. “The New Testament reveals Jesus as the Great Physician, the healer of body and soul, whose miracles point to the kingdom of God.” When God allowed Jesus to die for us on the cross, Jesus took on not only our sins but all our infirmities as well; completely making us whole inside and out.
The healing Jesus offers today is not merely physical and therefore temporary. His miracles are far more penetrating, like his word, “dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
There is a lot of pain in this world and sometimes it is difficult to be strong and believe. We need to remember to hold fast to Yahweh Rophe and ask him to reveal himself as “the LORD who heals us.”
Do you believe?
Jeremiah 17:14- “Heal me, O LORD, and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.”
I see Angie more each week than any other student because she is SO involved at TCF -- and TCF is BLESSED by her presence and service. Praise the Lord for her!! And please check out what she's got to say:
Yahweh Rophe (yah- WEH ro- FEH)
Have you ever had a broken heart? Broken spirit? A headache? Or anything else that need healing? Well, let me share with you the perfect remedy!
Rophe is the Hebrew word for “heal”, “cure”, “restore”, or “make whole”. God revealed himself as Yahweh Rophe, “the LORD who heals”; to his people shortly after they left Egypt for the Promised Land. The Hebrew Scriptures indicate that God is the source of all healing. Not only can he heal the body but the mind and soul as well. He can heal everything from sin to apostasy and the aliments that come from living in a world with evil in it.
In the Old Testament, God smites people for their sins to wake them up to their spiritual danger. Yet, he quickly restores them when they repent. A good thing to ask God is to help us see the link between obedience and health, physical and spiritual.
Yahweh Rophe is “the LORD who heals” and he showed us this when he sent his only son down to us. “The New Testament reveals Jesus as the Great Physician, the healer of body and soul, whose miracles point to the kingdom of God.” When God allowed Jesus to die for us on the cross, Jesus took on not only our sins but all our infirmities as well; completely making us whole inside and out.
The healing Jesus offers today is not merely physical and therefore temporary. His miracles are far more penetrating, like his word, “dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
There is a lot of pain in this world and sometimes it is difficult to be strong and believe. We need to remember to hold fast to Yahweh Rophe and ask him to reveal himself as “the LORD who heals us.”
Do you believe?
Jeremiah 17:14- “Heal me, O LORD, and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.”
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Word of the Week: Adonai
Hello Everyone! This week I am preparing for my week of school at Moody Grad. School. I'm taking Biblical Theology of the New Testament, modular style -- which means that I do most of the work at home, go to class for one week, and finish up the work at home. Next week is my week there and the BIG DEAD LINE for a LOT of homework, which I'm behind on. So I'm taking this opportunity to practice delegating! This week, we get a very special blessing from one of the students at Titan Christian Fellowship! I hope to use this (and future opportunities of more purposeful delegation) to introduce you to a few more students and their spectacular mental and spiritual capacities :)
This is Keith's Word of the Week contribution:
Adonai
Lord, Master
“That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” -Romans 10:9
I can remember back in sophomore year of high school when I first accepted Jesus as my Lord and savior. I remember getting down on my knees crying and pouring out my heart to Jesus. I cried out to Jesus and gave him everything that was on my heart that night to the point where I gave him my life. I’ll never forget that night and I remember it so clearly to this day. It was the first time I ever gave my life over to somebody and become a servant to them. So what does this story have to do with the God name Adonai? You’ll have to keep reading to find out!
Adonai (a-do-NAI) is a Hebrew word that means Lord Master. Adonai is also the plural form of the word Adon. The word Adon, according to herbrew4christians.com, derives from a Ugaritic word meaning Lord or Father. Adon is used often as a term of respect and always refers to people. Adonai therefore refers to Lord in the sense of an owner or master. The first time in the Old Testament that Adonai is used is in Genesis 15:2 when God makes a covenant with Abram. In this verse Abram refers to God as “Lord God” (or “Sovereign Lord” in other translations) which refers to both Yahweh and Adonai. In the New Testament, the Greek word most often translated Lord is Kyrios.
The story above is a great example of Adonai. When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior (as I did in the story) you are confessing that He is Adonai. You are trusting Jesus as your Lord and you are a servant to Him. It was the biggest release I ever had knowing that God is master and Lord over my life. I was filled with so much joy that week that people in school sometimes didn’t know who I was! I was a completely different person and eventually my “old self” faded away. When Jesus is Lord of your life you will truly see changes happen for the better as you serve Him.
Part of Adonai that many believers forget is that we are called to serve the Lord. That word “serve” or “servant” sometimes scares people. Many people have a very hard time being a servant; even more people have a hard time being a joyful servant. Sometimes that way of thinking prevents us from doing what is God is calling us to do, which is to serve others. Ann Spangler puts it really well in saying that sometimes we treat “God as though he was some kind of celestial butler who should use his divine powers to further our plans.” Doing things to benefit yourself usually doesn’t benefit you at all. What do I mean by that? Well, if you do things to benefit yourself, outside of God’s plan for your life, you are not only hurting your relationship with the Lord but you are also cutting off yourself from God’s blessing that he had for you. The Lord’s blessing is far greater than anything this world could ever give you (I know that from experience) and not only benefits those you were serving but you also grow in your relationship with the Master himself!
Jesus is the best example of someone who didn’t do things his own way. He was Lord but he was also a servant to the Father. Philippians 2:5-11 states that
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Jesus could have easily taken himself off the cross, but He didn’t and became sin so that we would not perish. He remained a servant to the Father and did God’s will to the end. Jesus is now seated at God’s right hand “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.”- Ephesians 1:21 (NKJV) Because of His faithfulness to God’s will, Jesus has not only been blessed but has also brought that blessing to us who believe in Him! If we become a servant to the Lord and make Him Lord over every area of our life, we will start seeing God in a truly beautiful way as our relationship grows deeper and deeper with the Master. And in the process of a deeper relationship, we will have blessings like never before!
The Lord wants to draw near to each and every one of us! How awesome is that? All we need to do is surrender every aspect of our lives to Him. Not just 75 percent or 99 percent of your life, but all of it. So many times (in the Bible and in our lives) we don’t give God everything we hold on to as if we can keep some stuff secret from God. My friend that is not trusting the Lord with everything you have, but is actually a way for Satan to get a foot in the door. Once that happens, you start living a double life and your relationship with the Lord is hindered. Instead give it all to God. If you have to get on your knees, raise your hands, shout, cry, whatever it is you have to do, don’t hold back and pour out your heart. Confess all the things keeping you from giving it to the Lord and then let it go. Don’t let fear take root and cast it out, Jesus died so that you can have love not fear! Praise Adonai and give thanks to Him as you go out and serve Him.
Some final thoughts about Adonai is that every day we should worship and thank Him for all the things he has done in our lives and for His amazing love. Also, pray that the Lord uses you and that you are faithful to whatever he is calling you to do. Everyone can do something for the Lord no matter how big or small. Here are some verses that contain Adonai in them that will help.
Nehemiah 4:7-18, Psalm 16:2, 73:25-26, 54:4, 62:11-12, 86:15, 110:1, 136:3, Isaiah 6:1-8, Luke 17:7-10, Thessalonians 5:16-18
This is Keith's Word of the Week contribution:
Adonai
Lord, Master
“That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” -Romans 10:9
I can remember back in sophomore year of high school when I first accepted Jesus as my Lord and savior. I remember getting down on my knees crying and pouring out my heart to Jesus. I cried out to Jesus and gave him everything that was on my heart that night to the point where I gave him my life. I’ll never forget that night and I remember it so clearly to this day. It was the first time I ever gave my life over to somebody and become a servant to them. So what does this story have to do with the God name Adonai? You’ll have to keep reading to find out!
Adonai (a-do-NAI) is a Hebrew word that means Lord Master. Adonai is also the plural form of the word Adon. The word Adon, according to herbrew4christians.com, derives from a Ugaritic word meaning Lord or Father. Adon is used often as a term of respect and always refers to people. Adonai therefore refers to Lord in the sense of an owner or master. The first time in the Old Testament that Adonai is used is in Genesis 15:2 when God makes a covenant with Abram. In this verse Abram refers to God as “Lord God” (or “Sovereign Lord” in other translations) which refers to both Yahweh and Adonai. In the New Testament, the Greek word most often translated Lord is Kyrios.
The story above is a great example of Adonai. When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior (as I did in the story) you are confessing that He is Adonai. You are trusting Jesus as your Lord and you are a servant to Him. It was the biggest release I ever had knowing that God is master and Lord over my life. I was filled with so much joy that week that people in school sometimes didn’t know who I was! I was a completely different person and eventually my “old self” faded away. When Jesus is Lord of your life you will truly see changes happen for the better as you serve Him.
Part of Adonai that many believers forget is that we are called to serve the Lord. That word “serve” or “servant” sometimes scares people. Many people have a very hard time being a servant; even more people have a hard time being a joyful servant. Sometimes that way of thinking prevents us from doing what is God is calling us to do, which is to serve others. Ann Spangler puts it really well in saying that sometimes we treat “God as though he was some kind of celestial butler who should use his divine powers to further our plans.” Doing things to benefit yourself usually doesn’t benefit you at all. What do I mean by that? Well, if you do things to benefit yourself, outside of God’s plan for your life, you are not only hurting your relationship with the Lord but you are also cutting off yourself from God’s blessing that he had for you. The Lord’s blessing is far greater than anything this world could ever give you (I know that from experience) and not only benefits those you were serving but you also grow in your relationship with the Master himself!
Jesus is the best example of someone who didn’t do things his own way. He was Lord but he was also a servant to the Father. Philippians 2:5-11 states that
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Jesus could have easily taken himself off the cross, but He didn’t and became sin so that we would not perish. He remained a servant to the Father and did God’s will to the end. Jesus is now seated at God’s right hand “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.”- Ephesians 1:21 (NKJV) Because of His faithfulness to God’s will, Jesus has not only been blessed but has also brought that blessing to us who believe in Him! If we become a servant to the Lord and make Him Lord over every area of our life, we will start seeing God in a truly beautiful way as our relationship grows deeper and deeper with the Master. And in the process of a deeper relationship, we will have blessings like never before!
The Lord wants to draw near to each and every one of us! How awesome is that? All we need to do is surrender every aspect of our lives to Him. Not just 75 percent or 99 percent of your life, but all of it. So many times (in the Bible and in our lives) we don’t give God everything we hold on to as if we can keep some stuff secret from God. My friend that is not trusting the Lord with everything you have, but is actually a way for Satan to get a foot in the door. Once that happens, you start living a double life and your relationship with the Lord is hindered. Instead give it all to God. If you have to get on your knees, raise your hands, shout, cry, whatever it is you have to do, don’t hold back and pour out your heart. Confess all the things keeping you from giving it to the Lord and then let it go. Don’t let fear take root and cast it out, Jesus died so that you can have love not fear! Praise Adonai and give thanks to Him as you go out and serve Him.
Some final thoughts about Adonai is that every day we should worship and thank Him for all the things he has done in our lives and for His amazing love. Also, pray that the Lord uses you and that you are faithful to whatever he is calling you to do. Everyone can do something for the Lord no matter how big or small. Here are some verses that contain Adonai in them that will help.
Nehemiah 4:7-18, Psalm 16:2, 73:25-26, 54:4, 62:11-12, 86:15, 110:1, 136:3, Isaiah 6:1-8, Luke 17:7-10, Thessalonians 5:16-18
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Word of the Week: El Shaddai
El Shaddai
The All Sufficient God.
“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Phil. 4:13
The first time God reveals this name for himself is in Genesis 17:1, where YHVH (“Yahweh,” which is the personal name of God – the one that denotes his mercy and condescension to us) said to Abram: "I am El Shaddai. Walk before me and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly." What does that mean?? What does this new name have to do with Abram, or ME, walking blamelessly and a covenant and multiplication?
According to hebrew4christians.com, no one is really sure where “El Shaddai” is derived from. It could be from the root verb “shadad” that means “to overpower” or “to destroy.” In this understanding, the Name is usually translated “God Almighty” and can be understood in his omnipotence. But it could also be a contraction of the phrase, “I said to the world, dai (enough),” as in “it would have been sufficient.” God created the world, but “stopped” at a certain point, leaving it incomplete and imperfect because he wanted us to exercise chesed (love) in repair of the world. But Jacob’s blessing in Genesis 49:25 “indicates that Shaddai might be related to the word for breasts (shadaim), indicating sufficiency and nourishment…. In this case, the Name might derive from the contraction of sha ("who") and dai ("enough") to indicate God's complete sufficiency to nurture the fledgling nation into fruitfulness. Indeed, God first uses this Name when He refers to multiplying Abraham's offspring (Gen. 17:2).”
So we see that this personal God, Yahweh, is not just demanding that I be perfect and blameless all on my own. He is inviting me into a relationship where He is sufficient for me. As I walk before Him in faith, He is Enough who makes me perfect and blameless. Not only is Enough for me in my weakness, but He is Sufficient to do the work of multiplication Himself – whether that is in regards to descendents or ministry or whatever He desires me to accomplish.
Anne Spangler comments, “Sometimes it’s easier to believe in the power of Shaddai on a grand scale – creating the universe, sustaining it through time, reigning over the centuries – than it is to believe in his power to keep one simple promise.” We can believe in Him as the God who created the universe or caused a virgin to be pregnant or raises people from the dead. But it is much harder to trust Him daily when He promises that He “is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Co. 10:13).
El Shaddai is the Name to remember when you are beyond your own power to resist temptation (it might be wise to remember it before you get to that point, too!). He is not only able to help you bear up under temptation, He is completely sufficient for you.
There may be pain, confusion, struggle, and difficulty along the way, but El Shaddai is able and willing to work even these for the good of those that love him – those that walk before Him in faith. Nothing can prevent El Shaddai, our Almighty God, from carrying out his plans – trust Him, and be watching for His blessings.
Check these verses out:
“For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near…. When [Christ] said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:1, 8-10
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 1 Corinthians 12:9
El Shaddai can also be found in these verses: Gen. 28:3; 35:11; 43:14; 48:3; 49:25; Exod. 6:3; Num. 24:6; Ruth 1:20; Job (various references); Psa. 22:10; 68:15; 91:1; Ezek. 1:24; 10:5; 23:21 etc.
(References: ESV Study Bible, Anne Spangler’s Praying the Names of God, and www.hebrew4christians.com)
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Word of the Week: El Olam
El Olam (EL o-LAM)
Do you ever feel like you are running around in this world, not sure where you’re going or why? Do you think you know God pretty well, or are you serving a set of rules taught at church without really understanding? Who are you in the light of who God is? Should your relationship to God really make a difference in who you are? What’s the significance of your life, anyway? Read Psalm 90, it may shed some light.
In verse 2, Psalm 90 says “from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.” This “everlasting” is translated from the Hebrew word “olam,” which means “eternal, “forever,” “ancient,” “universe” or “everlasting time and space.” “El Olam” is the Hebrew name for the God who was God prior to creation and who will still be God when it is gone. He has no beginning and no end. He will not cease to be God – He is not growing in godliness, nor is His godliness diminishing. The word “olam” also applies to His love, His plans, covenant, laws, promises, and His kingdom – all of which stand firm forever.
In contrast, however, the life of man – even the longest life possible (the oldest man ever was 969 years old)— is brief compared to God’s longevity. In Psalm 90, the life of man is compared to a watch in the night, a dream, a flood, and grass!! Not only this, but our lives tend to be full of toil and trouble, separated, as we are, from God and the purpose He created us for. We are utterly insignificant apart from Him!
Anne Spangler points out that Psalm 90 (and most of the rest of Scripture) teaches that “wisdom comes, not from living a long life, but from numbering our days aright, which is another way of reminding us that death could come to us anytime, anywhere, at any moment.” This could be a depressing, horrifying, or debilitating thought! But for someone who has faith in the everlasting God, this perspective helps to keep us humble and focused – we recognize our limitations and believe that every day matters. The significance of our lives then, comes from living each day dependent on El Olam, allowing Him to satisfy us, to make us glad, and to “establish the work of our hands” – to make what we do in pursuit of God’s calling WORTH something (Ps 90:14-17).
So, what IS our worth? We are creatures loved by an Everlasting God. And we are saved and kept by Him to be eternally loved. Spangler questions, “Is it any wonder that the Eternal God wants a people he can love eternally? Is it so hard to fathom that God’s love is stronger than death? Is it impossible to believe what can happen to souls created to be wide and deep enough for God to dwell in?” Our worth, then, is found solely in God, for all of eternity. Then, “let it be said of us, not that we died laughing (great as that might be), but that we died loving, trusting our eternal future to the everlasting faithfulness of God” (Spangler).
But how about here on this earth? It’s all well and good to be loved by God now and forever, but what about what I am doing here and now? What does knowing and loving and being loved by God look like while I’m still HERE? “Perhaps the challenge is not only to believe that those who belong to Jesus are destined for heaven but to live in a way that expresses heaven as your deepest longing, your true home” (Spangler). This might still seem a little vague, but pray and seek after God as you try it out, and it will become clear: act for the love, honor, and glory of God in everything you do. If something you are doing is done for any other purpose, it will be a chasing and striving after the wind (see the book of Ecclesiastes!). Acting with the Love of God in mind will help focus your actions only on what God wills and what is for the best benefit of His Kingdom (including you!). Not only will he bless you immensely out of his pleasure in you, but he will “establish the work of your hands” giving it significance on this earth, and in eternity.
When you read the Bible, ask these questions: “What does this say about God?” “What does it say about me?” “How can I live this out to show Him my love for Him?”
Bank on this: There is nothing in the universe as solid as God’s plans. Psalm 33:11 says that the “purposes of his heart stand firm forever,” and because of that, and knowing that the purpose of His heart is to save those that love him, we can simply focus on loving Him and trusting Him to work out His plans. So, even if you’re not sure you’re doing the right thing, or if it has turned out to be harder than you imagined, be confident that when the created world passes away, Jesus (the Alpha and the Omega) will be there to raise you up because El Olam has given you worth and your life eternal significance.
“Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” Is 26:4
(References: ESV Study Bible; Praying the Names of God, by Anne Spangler; hebrew4christians.com)
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Word of the Week: Yahweh Yireh
Yahweh Yireh (yah-WEH yir-EH)
Last week’s Word was God’s Name “El Roi,” the God who Sees. He sees our present situation, our past hurts, our future destination. He is the God who sees EVERYTHING that we are, and loves us anyway. Remember FB Meyer’s quote, “Wherever we go He precedes and brings up the rear; we are beset by His care behind and before.” Because God is omniscient (able to see the future as well as the past and the present), he is able to anticipate and provide for what is needed. The Name of God that corresponds to this idea is “Yaweh Yireh” or, more commonly translated as “Jehovah Jireh,” the Lord will Provide.
The Hebrew word raah (RA-ah, from which both “yireh” and “roi” are derived) means “to see.” In the case of Genesis 22, the story of God testing Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice his only son, it is translated as “provide.” The English word “provision” is made up of two Latin words: “pro” meaning before hand, and vision, meaning “to see.” When you pray to Yahweh Yireh, you are praying to the God who sees the situation beforehand and is able to provide for your needs.
Check it out for yourself: Read Genesis 22:1-14.
Anne Spangler (Praying the Names of God) asks, if we have “ever considered [this story] from God’s point of view? Watching the man and is son, did God feel something tearing at his heart, knowing that what he asked but did not require of Abraham – the sacrifice of his only son – he would one day require of himself?” She sheds a little more light on the story also, “Moriah, the site of Abraham’s thwarted attempt to sacrifice his son, has been traditionally associated with the temple mount in Jerusalem. Today Mount Moriah is occupied by a Muslim shrine called the Dome of the Rock. Jesus, whom John the Baptist called “the Lamb of God,” is thought to have been crucified just a quarter mile away from Mount Moriah. It was there that Yahweh Yireh provided the one sacrifice that would make our peace with him.” See John 1:29, and Isaiah 53 (especially verses 6-8).
Here’s another excerpt from Anne Spangler:
What kind of God would ask a man to do this? What kind of man would obey?? The questions betray our ignorance. Seeing the story through human eyes, we miss the point and fail to see what it means to be God and what it means to be human. Why would God ask for such a sacrifice? Because he knows there is no other way for us to learn that he is God. When we put something on the altar, sacrificing it to him, we acknowledge two things: that he is God, and that we are not God. This is the worship we need to offer, the worship that will allow us to experience his provision for our lives.
Each of us will be faced with Abraham’s dilemma, perhaps many times in our lives. In our case, it won’t be a matter of physically placing a child on an altar, but it may mean placing a child in God’s hands, forswearing our tendency to be a little god to that child, trying to control her universe and to keep her safe. If not a child, then something else – a relationship, a career, a gift, a dream. Whatever it is, if we offer it to God as Abraham offered his only son, we will begin to know God as Yahweh Yireh, the Lord who provides everything we need.
Reference: Praying the Names of God by Anne Spangler
Last week’s Word was God’s Name “El Roi,” the God who Sees. He sees our present situation, our past hurts, our future destination. He is the God who sees EVERYTHING that we are, and loves us anyway. Remember FB Meyer’s quote, “Wherever we go He precedes and brings up the rear; we are beset by His care behind and before.” Because God is omniscient (able to see the future as well as the past and the present), he is able to anticipate and provide for what is needed. The Name of God that corresponds to this idea is “Yaweh Yireh” or, more commonly translated as “Jehovah Jireh,” the Lord will Provide.
The Hebrew word raah (RA-ah, from which both “yireh” and “roi” are derived) means “to see.” In the case of Genesis 22, the story of God testing Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice his only son, it is translated as “provide.” The English word “provision” is made up of two Latin words: “pro” meaning before hand, and vision, meaning “to see.” When you pray to Yahweh Yireh, you are praying to the God who sees the situation beforehand and is able to provide for your needs.
Check it out for yourself: Read Genesis 22:1-14.
Anne Spangler (Praying the Names of God) asks, if we have “ever considered [this story] from God’s point of view? Watching the man and is son, did God feel something tearing at his heart, knowing that what he asked but did not require of Abraham – the sacrifice of his only son – he would one day require of himself?” She sheds a little more light on the story also, “Moriah, the site of Abraham’s thwarted attempt to sacrifice his son, has been traditionally associated with the temple mount in Jerusalem. Today Mount Moriah is occupied by a Muslim shrine called the Dome of the Rock. Jesus, whom John the Baptist called “the Lamb of God,” is thought to have been crucified just a quarter mile away from Mount Moriah. It was there that Yahweh Yireh provided the one sacrifice that would make our peace with him.” See John 1:29, and Isaiah 53 (especially verses 6-8).
Here’s another excerpt from Anne Spangler:
What kind of God would ask a man to do this? What kind of man would obey?? The questions betray our ignorance. Seeing the story through human eyes, we miss the point and fail to see what it means to be God and what it means to be human. Why would God ask for such a sacrifice? Because he knows there is no other way for us to learn that he is God. When we put something on the altar, sacrificing it to him, we acknowledge two things: that he is God, and that we are not God. This is the worship we need to offer, the worship that will allow us to experience his provision for our lives.
Each of us will be faced with Abraham’s dilemma, perhaps many times in our lives. In our case, it won’t be a matter of physically placing a child on an altar, but it may mean placing a child in God’s hands, forswearing our tendency to be a little god to that child, trying to control her universe and to keep her safe. If not a child, then something else – a relationship, a career, a gift, a dream. Whatever it is, if we offer it to God as Abraham offered his only son, we will begin to know God as Yahweh Yireh, the Lord who provides everything we need.
Reference: Praying the Names of God by Anne Spangler
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Word of the Week -- El Roi
El Roi – The God who Sees.
Check it out for yourself: Gen. 16, 21:8-21; 2 Chronicles 16:9, Ps. 33:13-15, 18-19, 139; Mt. 6:3-4
Interestingly, while the idea of God watching over us is found throughout the Bible, the Name “El Roi” is found only once. I suggest you read the story, found in Genesis 16. Here are some interesting tidbits that you might not get from the text:
Hagar was an Egyptian slave. She was brought up in a culture that worshipped Egyptian idols – gods that could be seen but that could not see. The idea of a God who takes a personal interest in His creatures may have been completely unfamiliar to her. Or, perhaps she would have known of Abram and Sarai’s God, but would not have considered herself a part of His providence.
Note in the story that blame can be placed everywhere: Sarai and Abram weren’t able to wait for God to fulfill His promise to them, so they involved Hagar. Hagar was haughty to Sarai after she conceived. Abram encouraged Sarai to do whatever she wanted to her slave. Sarai mistreated Hagar.
When The Angel finds Hagar, He not only knows her name, who she is, and where she is, but has a plan for her, a promise for her and her child, and knows her future.
The Angel of the Lord is probably God Himself – most likely the Person of Jesus taking on human form even before the incarnation. In the Old Testament an angel of the Lord is simply one of the angels, but THE angel of the Lord is God Himself. Take a closer look: Gen. 16:13 says, “So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”
After this encounter, it’s no wonder Hagar is willing to return and submit to her mistress. This is a GOOD God, one who is powerful, interested, gentle, and caring.
El Roi, “the God who sees,” bears the connotation of One who sees everything and loves anyway. This is not the cruel God who watches, waiting with thunderbolts to destroy anyone who steps out of line. FB Meyer in Our Daily Walk, says “Wherever we go He precedes and brings up the rear; we are beset by His care behind and before.” He also notes that in Ps. 139, a Psalm all about how God sees and knows us, the tone is one of rapturous gladness. Meyer says, “It is the prerogative of friendship to love the presence and thought of a friend….”
But there’s still a naggling question, isn’t there? If God sees and God is good, why is life so hard?? Even Hagar and Ishmael were sent away from Abraham’s camp again – this time to nearly die of thirst, despite the promise spoken directly to her by El Roi (see Genesis 21).
Sometimes God allows us to bear the weight of persecution or to face a particular trial. And yet Jesus set the example: we are to “take His yoke, and bear it as He did; remain where God has put us, till He shows us another place; and bear what He ordains and permits.” How?? By believing that “what God permits is as much His will as what He appoints. Behind Sarah's hard dealings we must behold His permissive providence. Through all the discipline of life we must believe that God has a purpose of unfailing love and wisdom” (Meyer).
R.C. Sproul in “The Character of God” writes, “God knows that even in all of these afflictions there is the potential to bring Him glory. Remember that because God is sovereign, if what occurred in our lives (or is occurring right now) did not have the potential to conform us to the image of His Son, then He would not have allowed it to occur but He would have intervened. This should give you great peace in the midst of the storm, an inner peace that comes from the fact that He is the God Who sees and that He has not missed any of the events in our lives…the peace is that He knows.”
Praise God!! He knows YOUR whole story and is working something GOOD in YOU.
(References ESV Study Bible, FB Meyer,“Our Daily Word”; R.C. Sproul “The Character of God”; Anne Spangler, Praying the Names of God.)
Check it out for yourself: Gen. 16, 21:8-21; 2 Chronicles 16:9, Ps. 33:13-15, 18-19, 139; Mt. 6:3-4
Interestingly, while the idea of God watching over us is found throughout the Bible, the Name “El Roi” is found only once. I suggest you read the story, found in Genesis 16. Here are some interesting tidbits that you might not get from the text:
Hagar was an Egyptian slave. She was brought up in a culture that worshipped Egyptian idols – gods that could be seen but that could not see. The idea of a God who takes a personal interest in His creatures may have been completely unfamiliar to her. Or, perhaps she would have known of Abram and Sarai’s God, but would not have considered herself a part of His providence.
Note in the story that blame can be placed everywhere: Sarai and Abram weren’t able to wait for God to fulfill His promise to them, so they involved Hagar. Hagar was haughty to Sarai after she conceived. Abram encouraged Sarai to do whatever she wanted to her slave. Sarai mistreated Hagar.
When The Angel finds Hagar, He not only knows her name, who she is, and where she is, but has a plan for her, a promise for her and her child, and knows her future.
The Angel of the Lord is probably God Himself – most likely the Person of Jesus taking on human form even before the incarnation. In the Old Testament an angel of the Lord is simply one of the angels, but THE angel of the Lord is God Himself. Take a closer look: Gen. 16:13 says, “So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”
After this encounter, it’s no wonder Hagar is willing to return and submit to her mistress. This is a GOOD God, one who is powerful, interested, gentle, and caring.
El Roi, “the God who sees,” bears the connotation of One who sees everything and loves anyway. This is not the cruel God who watches, waiting with thunderbolts to destroy anyone who steps out of line. FB Meyer in Our Daily Walk, says “Wherever we go He precedes and brings up the rear; we are beset by His care behind and before.” He also notes that in Ps. 139, a Psalm all about how God sees and knows us, the tone is one of rapturous gladness. Meyer says, “It is the prerogative of friendship to love the presence and thought of a friend….”
But there’s still a naggling question, isn’t there? If God sees and God is good, why is life so hard?? Even Hagar and Ishmael were sent away from Abraham’s camp again – this time to nearly die of thirst, despite the promise spoken directly to her by El Roi (see Genesis 21).
Sometimes God allows us to bear the weight of persecution or to face a particular trial. And yet Jesus set the example: we are to “take His yoke, and bear it as He did; remain where God has put us, till He shows us another place; and bear what He ordains and permits.” How?? By believing that “what God permits is as much His will as what He appoints. Behind Sarah's hard dealings we must behold His permissive providence. Through all the discipline of life we must believe that God has a purpose of unfailing love and wisdom” (Meyer).
R.C. Sproul in “The Character of God” writes, “God knows that even in all of these afflictions there is the potential to bring Him glory. Remember that because God is sovereign, if what occurred in our lives (or is occurring right now) did not have the potential to conform us to the image of His Son, then He would not have allowed it to occur but He would have intervened. This should give you great peace in the midst of the storm, an inner peace that comes from the fact that He is the God Who sees and that He has not missed any of the events in our lives…the peace is that He knows.”
Praise God!! He knows YOUR whole story and is working something GOOD in YOU.
(References ESV Study Bible, FB Meyer,“Our Daily Word”; R.C. Sproul “The Character of God”; Anne Spangler, Praying the Names of God.)
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Word of the Week -- Elohim
Elohim is the Hebrew word for God that appears in the very first sentence of the Bible. “In the beginning, Elohim created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1)…
Check it out for yourself: In each of these verses the word “God” (capital G, lowercase –od) is translated from the Hebrew “Elohim”: Genesis 1:1; 1:26-28; 28:10-22; 35:1-8, Psalm 102.
“Elohim (e-lo-HEEM) is the plural form of El or Eloah, one of the oldest designations for divinity in the world. The Hebrews borrowed the term El from the Canaanites. It can refer either to the true God or to pagan gods. Though El is used more than 200 times in the Hebrew Bible, Elohim is used more than 2500 times” (Spangler, p 15). According to Hebrew for Christians (www.hebrew4christians.com), the variation of El to Elohim is unique to Hebrew thinking. It is masculine and plural, but does not mean “gods.” It is most often used with singular verb forms, adjectives and pronouns (see Genesis 1:26). Ann Spangler, in her book Praying the Names of God, states that the plural form is used to denote the “majesty of the one true God. He is the God of gods, the highest of all.” Further understanding of this strange combination of plural and singular comes with the later revelation of the plurality within the Godhead; three Persons, one Being – the Trinity.
Elohim means Creator and Judge. This ancient name for God contains the idea of His creative power as well as his authority and sovereignty.
“The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses, ‘You want to know my name? I am called according to my actions. When I judge the creatures I am Elohim, and when I have mercy with My world, I am named Adoni” (Ex R. 3:6, see The Names of God Introduction for an attempt at an explanation of what Ex R. is).
Think about this:
Elohim, the mighty sovereign creator, could have created a world VERY different from what He did. Gravity might not work; animals could ALL be ugly and dangerous; humans (or whatever) could be automatons, incapable of love or any meaningful interaction. “Have you ever wondered why the world you take for granted is often so stunningly beautiful?” wonders Spangler (p 19). Have you ever wondered how it is that you were created to be able to sense and interact with and enjoy creation? Why you can usually trust a chair that you can see and feel to hold you up when you sit on it?
Praise God! Not only did He create the world and everyone in it but continues to sustain it through his creative power. Think about the world in a new way, and offer thanks to Elohim: He has blessed you with the good things of the earth. Do you have a tendency to take God’s earthly blessings for granted? Confess that to Him. (Spangler, p 21.)
Apply it:
What do you think it means to be created in “the image of God”?
So often we miss life’s beauty because we are preoccupied by its flaws. But God seems delighted by what he has made, proclaiming it good and even very good. How does God’s assessment of Creation shape your own attitude toward the world? Toward yourself?
As human beings we need constructive change because both we and the world we live in are imperfect. We are not yet everything God intends us to be. Perhaps you face unwelcome changes…? Let the God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever steady your world today. Whatever challenge or change confronts you, let it drive you toward the God who never changes, a God so stable and strong you can lean on him forever. (Spangler, p 17-24).
(Sources: ESV Study Bible, Praying the Names of God, by Anne Spangler)
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Word of the Week -- Intro to the Names of God
My aim with the Word of the Week is to learn something new about God and/or my place as a Christ follower and to focus on one such aspect each week. I also would like to offer my gleanings up for anyone else who’d like a little extra education or meditation each week – something informative but easy to tuck away and wonder about later. Last semester, I focused on the Attributes of God – the things that God IS (faithful, righteous, love, good, genuine, omnipotent, sovereign, immutable, etc). This semester, I will concentrate on the Names of God – the Names by which He introduces Himself to us and which will, I’m sure, teach us a lot about HOW he is -- how He relates to us.
Throughout the Bible God is known by many names. Unfortunately, they are all translated into English as God or GOD, Lord or LORD, or a combination of those or in conjunction with other words. The impact is, fairly often, completely lost in translation. What’s the big difference between upper and lowercase?? In Hebrew, they are completely different words with different meanings! Did you know that?
Here’s just a taste of the intrigue of the Names of God:
In Exodus 3:14 (ESV), Moses asks God “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God answers cryptically, “Ehyeh asher ehyeh” – "I AM WHO I AM.” This can be translated, I am what I am, or I will be what I will be, and contains the idea that God has always been, is, and always will be just what He is. He is the essence of the verb “to be.” This name drips with meaning and with mystery. One Jewish midrash (interpretation/commentary) states that “The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses: You want to know My Name? I am called according to my actions, El Shaddai, Tsevaot, Elohim, Adonai. When I judge creatures, I am called Elohim (God). When I wage war against the wicked, I am called Tsevaot (Hosts). When I suspend judgment of a person’s sins, I am called El Shaddai (Almighty). And when I have mercy on My world, I am called Adonai” (Exodus Rabbah 3:6 – Jewish midrash (commentary) on Exodus 3:6).
(Sources: ESV Study Bible, www.kolel.org/blog, www.hebrew4christians.com, www.jtsa.edu)
Next week Tuesday (February 3) the Word of the Week will commence with the Name “Elohim.” New postings arrive each Tuesday!
Throughout the Bible God is known by many names. Unfortunately, they are all translated into English as God or GOD, Lord or LORD, or a combination of those or in conjunction with other words. The impact is, fairly often, completely lost in translation. What’s the big difference between upper and lowercase?? In Hebrew, they are completely different words with different meanings! Did you know that?
Here’s just a taste of the intrigue of the Names of God:
In Exodus 3:14 (ESV), Moses asks God “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God answers cryptically, “Ehyeh asher ehyeh” – "I AM WHO I AM.” This can be translated, I am what I am, or I will be what I will be, and contains the idea that God has always been, is, and always will be just what He is. He is the essence of the verb “to be.” This name drips with meaning and with mystery. One Jewish midrash (interpretation/commentary) states that “The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses: You want to know My Name? I am called according to my actions, El Shaddai, Tsevaot, Elohim, Adonai. When I judge creatures, I am called Elohim (God). When I wage war against the wicked, I am called Tsevaot (Hosts). When I suspend judgment of a person’s sins, I am called El Shaddai (Almighty). And when I have mercy on My world, I am called Adonai” (Exodus Rabbah 3:6 – Jewish midrash (commentary) on Exodus 3:6).
(Sources: ESV Study Bible, www.kolel.org/blog, www.hebrew4christians.com, www.jtsa.edu)
Next week Tuesday (February 3) the Word of the Week will commence with the Name “Elohim.” New postings arrive each Tuesday!
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