When I first began my blog, it was with the desire to be able to continue dialogue with the ladies from city-wide Bible Study and Ladies Sunday School class. Consequently I have been considering how the blog could be written in a way that lends itself to more discussion and less blogging on my part. As I prayed about this, the idea came to me to make it more like "On Eagles Wings," selecting a Scripture to discuss asking the three questions:
2. What does the Scripture mean
3. What does the Scripture mean to me personally
The first Scriptures that came to mind were John 2:29-30. I read these during my quiet time last week and immediately three questions jumped off the page. I thought at that time, "I need to take these Scriptures apart and apply them to my life!" What a more perfect way to do this then together with all of you!!
The setting of these scriptures is when John the Baptist was baptizing men and his disciples and the Jews came to him saying, "Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified - behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him." John 2:26
John answered and said "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. John 2:27 "You bear witness, that I said, "I am not the Christ," but "I have been sent before Him." John 2:28
The Scriptures I would like to discuss are the next two when John the Baptist continues:
"He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. John 2:29
"He must increase, but I must decrease." John 2:30
Let's take them apart:
1. What does the Scripture say?
"He who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. John 2:29
2. What does the Scripture mean?
"He who has the bride (the church) is the bridegroom (Christ), -so Christ has His people the church, but the friend (could be the church or could be John referring to himself as Christ's friend) of the bridegroom (Christ), who stands and hears Him (so the church hears Christ as He speaks) rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice (they know His voice).
Therefore this joy of mine if fulfilled (John the Baptist knew what he had been sent to do)
For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
"Make straight the way of the Lord."
John 1:23
His joy was complete because he had accomplished his purpose.
3. What does the Scripture mean to me personally?
The first lesson that came to my mind was when John called himself a friend of Jesus, I had to ask myself, "Could I be considered a friend of Jesus". John describes the friend as someone who stands and hears him (Christ).
Do I listen when Christ speaks? If not - why not?"
Could it be I am not listening for His voice through His Scriptures?
Could it be I read them and walk away immediately forgetting what I
read?
This is why memorization of Scripture is so important! In memorizing Scripture we must thoroughly think about what the Word says, digesting it into our being, that it may become part of who we are!
The second lesson that came to mind was when John said he rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. I had to ask myself, "Do I know Chirst's voice when He speaks? If not - not why?". Could it be I don't spend enough time with Christ to recognize His voice? I think of friends who are dear to me, who when they call me on the phone and say "hi" I know immediately who it is by the sound of their voice. I know their voice!! Why is it I know their voice? It is because I spend time with them and have developed a close friendship with them. Do I spend enough time with Christ to get to know His voice, to develop a close friendship with him?
1. What does the Scripture say:
"He must increase, but I must decrease." John 2:30
2. What does the Scripture mean?
This is quite simple to understand - hard to do!! Christ must be
above all, everything must be about Him!
3. What does the Scripture mean to me personally?
The third lesson that came to my mind was I must decrease, not to do things to elevate myself, but only to elevate Christ! My life should be about Christ living in me, not about me making a life for myself. It should always be "His will be done," not my will be done! I had to ask myself, "When do I put myself above Christ? Do I do all that I do with the right ambition, to lift up Christ, or do I do somethings to be lifted up in other's eyes, to build up my reputation? Do I always pray before I do something, or do I sometimes do what I want to do, knowing if I asked Christ He would say no - and I want my way more than I want His will?"
Upon asking myself these questions my first thought was:
Search me, O God and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24
So how will my life be different because of the lessons I have gleaned from God's Holy Word?
1. I will concentrate on listening for His voice when I read the Scriptures
2. I will commit myself to memorizing Scripture - and stop making excuses
3. I will spend as much time as I possibly can with Him, putting aside things that so easily take time from Him, that I know He calls me His friend because we are always together!!
What a wonderful way to begin the New Year!! Instead of New Year's resolutions, I have committed to a closer walk with My Father!! It just doesn't get any better than that!!
I would love to hear what you glean from these Scriptures!! One of my most favorite times was when we sat around a table and discussed Scriptures together. Even though we can't be together in person we can still share our thoughts with one another! Let's do it - let's dig deep together - and continue growing in God's Holy Word!!
I love you all so much - and miss you so!!
Happy New Year to you!
ReplyDeleteCyndy, I love your most recent post and printed it out. I have been reading and re-reading it and meditating on it and listenting to what the Lord is speaking to me. As we talked often about in our studies, I believe truly in my heart that the Lord wants us to always rest at his feet and abide in his word. Our relationship to him is what enables us to hear his voice. Firstly, we have to fully seek him and a ever-growing love affair with him, and submit and walk obediently and constantly to his light which is his word. When we are willing to slow down enough to hear what he has to speak to us only then can we recieve his Holy guidance.
I cry out to follow the plans that the Lord has for me.
It is a new year, a new day, with new seconds and minutes in each one for me to totally surrender and die to all that I may want for myself. It is all about what the great I Am has in store for me! I am so in love with Him!
In Christ,
Judy
Hi Cyndy!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your insight about these Bible verses. I think what speaks to me most about them is the theme of complete and utter surrender - listening to His voice and letting Him lead. Sometimes it is not difficult to hear His voice, but to know what He means from what you heard.
It is a new year! My prayer is for a greater sensitivity to hearing Jesus' voice so I can be attentive and obedient to His leading. I also need a whopping increase in my faith if this is going to occur.
Hope your new year is getting off to a great start Cyndy!
Thanks for sharing your heart and also for encouraging us to DIG DEEP into the Word of God for life, wisdom, strength, and guidance, as well as intimacy with this God that loves us SO RADICALLY and SO DEEPLY!
Much love,
Jen
Happy New Year to you, too, Judy!!
ReplyDeleteI loved your insight into these Scriptures!! When you mentioned that it is our relationship to Him that enables us to hear His voice, I couldn't help but Praise Him for allowing me to have a relationship with Him!! When we stop and realize that it is the God of the universe, who made the moon & the stars, the mountains and the oceans, who allows us to have a relationship with Him, it is almost more than we can fathom. What amazes me is that we are so easily distracted from this relationship and so often think we have a better way!! Why would we ever settle for less than sitting at His feet with a heart to obey, excited about His guidance in our lives!! You also mentioned that we have to be willing to slow down to hear what He has to speak to us. Life gets so busy! Is it that we choose to be busy, or is it that there are that many demands on our time? I'm not sure. All I know is that when I take time to have a quiet time with Him, allowing Him to speak to me through His Word, I always go away so blessed and excited about what He has just shown me that I can hardly stand it! Makes me wonder why I don't put that at the top of my to-do list each morning no matter how early it might be! What a great way to start the New year! What a blessing to know He is sitting waiting for me if I will only show up!!
Love you so, Judy!
Hugs,
Cyndy
Hi Jen,
ReplyDeleteI loved your comment of knowing what He means from what you heard!! It reminds me of our discussion over lunch last week when you were sharing how you knew the Lord had spoken to you, but yet you knew it could be taken different ways. Then you went on to say that in just a few days the events that took place confirmed what you had heard, and you understand what He meant. Sometimes I think He wants us to just trust Him with what He has given us for the moment. I heard someone say one time -"God doesn't play games with us, He isn't trying to get us to guess what He means!" I believe He wants us to walk in what He gives us, trusting He will give us further explanation as we need it. To me that is walking in faith. The unknown is always so hard, but if we really trust Him like we say we do, we should walk in anticipation for what is ahead, not in fear and frustration. That goes back to memorizing His Word that we might hide it in our hearts and walk in it, not in the anxiety that so easily can engulf us. It comes back to believing God, not just believing in God! What a huge difference that can make in our trusting Him, and walking in faith. What amazes me is that we know all of this yet so quickly pick up our burdens and try to carry them ourselves!! What part of "Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for You" (1 Peter 5:7), do we not understand!!
I love that we can keep digging deep, asking Our Father to give us wisdom and leading, and that in a way that only He can, He will grow us up in who we desire to be, and who He knows we can be!
All He asks is that we be willing to be the branch and let Him be the Vine, allowing Him to have His perfect way in our lives!!
Love you Jen! Thank you for sharing!!
Hugs,
Cyndy
Mornin, Cyndy!
ReplyDeleteYou're right, there is not better time of the day than the time we spend with Jesus! Here's what I got from the first part. Jesus has believers/me! I don't have to fret, He goes before me and holds me close. I am His friend, Yippee! When I stand still and listen, I hear His voice, He speaks to me personally. When I recognize the awesome fact that my Savior, the Savior of the whole world is speaking to me... I am thrilled. My cup is running over! He knows me, cares about me and speaks to me personally. I hope I have an opportunity to share this tonight at jail with the Moslum ladies! Holy cow, that would rock their world! Jesus is our joy, Good grief, I take Him for granted so often. Forgive me, Lord. Please increase the volume of your voice and my hearing to it. Give me the desire to hear everything you are saying and decrease my own selfishness. You are my joy!