#shereadstruth Day 18 Where is your treasure?

When I read this it reminded me of Idol Worship.  I heard a great sermon on this tis year, these are my notes on No Other Gods.


God starts with Himself. Command one. 

No other gods before the One True God. 

God begins with the root of the issue. Idolatry 

I AM. Reminding them. 

Because we're a forgetful people. He just parted the sea. Brought water out from a rock. Manna from heaven. 

But God knows the tendency of the human heart to wander. 

An idol is anything/one that our heart wanders to. Idolatry is the pursuit of that idol. 

1. We all struggle with idolatry 

Don't worship the things that are already there. But also DO NOT make anything either. 

God wants NOTHING to compete for the spiritual attention of his people. 

Exodus 20 is the first time the bible uses these words. Idol worship. 

Israelites are in a perpetual pattern of worshipping god, turning from god, turning back. 

2. We needs to identify our idols. 

Idol: anything our heart wanders to. Idolatry. Is the pursuit of that thing. 

Idols are not bad things that enslave us without our permission that we voluntarily give ourself to. 

Questions: 

What's your greatest fear? 

Poverty

Loneliness 

Single hood 

You're idol is the thing you put your faith in to calm your fear that IS your idol. 

Where do you run for comfort in troubling times? 

Alcohol 

Drugs

Sex

Shopping 

If loneliness is my fear - friends become our idol. 

What do you complain about the most? 

Boss 

Bank account 

Kids 

Spouse 

What causes you to be angry with God? 

We get angry with God when He doesn't give us our idols. 

He refuses to fashion the golden calf 

If you could have anything what would it be? 

And have you gotten what you really wanted and had the joy ended moments after receiving it? Moments!! 

All things are good as long as it directs our heart toward God. Even a really good cup of coffee. :) 

If your fire has dwindled to embers then you have an idol. 

Idolatry keeps us from the fruit of the spirit. When the idol is in place you gravitate toward the works if the flesh. 

3. God is concerned about idolatry for a good reason. We will become like our idols. 

2 kings 17:15. 

They became the things they worshipped. 

The idols were worthless and they became worthless. 

Our lives should be built on becoming like Christ.

Psalm 56:3 

What you fear reveals what you value the most. What you fear reveals where you trust God the least 

What do you value. 

1. Family/relationships 

2. Money

3. Safety 

4. Acceptance by family, friends, outsiders 

What do you fear? 

Loss of family/relationships, acceptance, money

In order to face the what ifs of fear you must acknowledge your fear (name your idols) and choose to trust God.

#shereadstruth Day 16

Oh how it stings.

James 3:11-12
Colossians 4:6

Speak Evil
Gracious
Seasoned with Salt


Only one lawgiver
Able to save or destroy
Who Are You?

Pierced, am I.  I am opinionated and critical.

Remember your place - You Are Not The Light.
The job of the Holy Spirit has been filled, no more applicants need apply!

God will convict - this is not your position
God will judge - this is not your position
God will make sin apparent - this is not your position

Do you help or harm?
Is it about your or their well being?

A critical heart is a problem, it usurps God's position.  A critical heart is toxic for your faith because it places you before God in your own eyes.

Speak evil: katalaleo verb
To speak against one, to criminate.

Root: katalalos noun
A Defamer

Gracious: Noah Webster
Favorable, Kind, Expressing kindness, contributing to the happiness of others.

Seasoned: artyo verb
To prepare, to arrange

Root: airo verb
To raise up, lift up, elevate

Salt: halas noun
symbol of lasting concord because it protects and preserves.
wisdom and grace in speech

For some reason this reminds me of Nichole Nordemans song Take Me As I Am:

To wear wisdom like Solomon's robe
For the patience and perspective of a man like Job
Just to soar on wings of eagles
For no other reason than the bird's eye view
For a flight or two
And the list gets longer
Who I wish I was, and was no longer

…..and the list gets longer… between who I wish I was and (want to be) no longer. 

I know that all of this has to do with heart change and of that I'm in desperate need.  Desperate.
I can't be good enough, I want to be.  I'm not.  I fail and fail and fail again.  Yet trying each day to submit,  resist, draw near, receive grace, be humble…..before I am humbled.  

#shereadstruth Day 15

James Study:

More Grace                        Free                   Watches
Proud                                 Open                  Sojourners
Humble                              Lifts                    Upholds
The LORD                        Loves


We are wanderers, faithless, striving, controlling, doubters, idolators, sinners, fighters, takers.

BUT GOD - my favorite phrase in the bible….

I have to start over….every day, every hour, every minute….   Submit, Resist, Draw Near, Be Cleansed (receive grace) Humble Before the Lord.

More: Megas adj.  Greater.
Used of intensity and its degree of splendor, prepared on a grand scale.

Root 1: Megistos adj. Greatest, very great, exceedingly great.
Root 2: Meizon  comparative  Greater.  Larger.  Stronger.

Grace: Charis noun.

1. that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm

2. Good, well, loving kindness, favor - of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting His Holy influence up on souls, turns them to Christ.
* Keeps Them
* Strengthens Them
* Increases Them in faith, knowledge and affection

3. The spiritual condition of one governed by the power of divine grace.

Proud Hyperephanos adj.
Showing ones self above others.  Overestimate of ones means or merits.  Despising others. Treating them with contempt.  Haughty.

Referece: Proverbs 3:24 in Septuagint.  But in the Hebrew it's not proud but scoffer.

He scoffs at the scoffer, yet He gives grace to the afflicted.

Scoff: luwts verb
To scorn, make mouths at, talk arrogantly, to mock, to boast, to be inflated.

Affliced: anav noun
Poor, humble, afflicted, meek, needy, lowly

Humble: tapeinos adj.
Lowly in spirit

The Lord: Covenant God.

Free: nathar verb
Unfasten, loosen, set free, unbind.

Open: paqach verb To open the eyes specifically.

Lifts: zaqaph verb
used only twice
To raise up - all those bowed down.

those who are bowed down:
Kindred to one being hollow or arched.
Hebrew: Hollow

Watches: shamar verb
To keep, to guard, to keep watch & ward. To Protect, Save life.

Sojourner: Get noun
A temporary inhabitant.
A newcomer lacking inherited rights.

Root: guwr verb
Abide, dwell, inhabit, to be a stranger, to be continuing - surely.

Upholds: uwd verb
To Surround
To go round and round
To restore, relieve


But He gives more grace:
Very great loving kindness.

Treat others better than yourself…. don't treat them with contempt.
Don't mock others or be arrogant.

Get yourself back to your appointed place. See Day 12

Although you journey, continue on, surely.  The Lord keeps watch over you, protects you, saves you.
Stop all this striving, it's just one foot in front of the other, sometimes it's rocky, but keep going.  You are restored, you are supported, there is hope.  Keep on expecting good.

#shereadstruth Day 13

Wise Women.

I have a few women I confide in, a few older women I will go to for sage advice. I don't exactly have parents, so I've adopted and been adopted by a sweet older couple who I go to often, particularly about parenting decisions.  They've been in my shoes, I consider them wise.

I have a few friends who say I'm the wisest person they know.... I think they need to get out more! Surely there are others wiser than me. 

I try to obtain knowledge on a variety of topics, only because I have enough life going on that I need to depend on those who are wiser.  I read books.  The Bible, Blogs, Books.  Mostly on relationships.  Improving mine.  My Parenting, My Marriage, The Voice in my Head that tells me I'm doing it all wrong. 

So I read.  I'm not that good at reading. I'm dyslexic and it makes reading challenging.  Which is why I use a dictionary, several dictionaries, all the time.  I like lexicons and old English dictionaries.  I like to get to the root of the matter.

Speaking of Roots.  Let's lay some down.

Wise                                                               Jealousy
Understanding                                                Strife
Good Conduct                                                Disorder
Meekness of Wisdom
Peaceful
Gentle
Open to Reason

Just gonna focus on a few of these today.

Understanding: epistemon - Intelligent, Experienced

Root: epistamai -
To put ones attention
To fix ones thoughts on
to understand, to know.

Meekness: prayles - noun  Mildness of disposition

Root: prays
Stems from the trust of Gods goodness and control over the situation

The gentle person who is not occupied with self.  This is a work of the Holy Spirit and not of human will.  This is actually in the definition notes.
Comments on jealousy and envy.  The ESV uses jealousy, but the word in greek is envy.  Lets look at this for a moment.

Jealousy:  This is a fear based emotion.  A fear of rejection.  I "fear" you because of who you are, I feel displaced.

Webster 1828: A passion of a peculiar uneasiness which arises from the fear that a rival may rob us of the affection of one whom we love.   Nearly allied to envy, for jealousy, is before "a good" is lost, is converted to envy after being obtained by others.

Envy:  Also fear based emotion.  A comparison fear.  I "fear" you because of what you have.  Better relationships, possession, skills. 

Webster 1828:  A feeling of uneasiness at the (supposed) superior condition, prosperity and happiness of another.

Zelos - Noun Zeal on behalf of a person or a thing.  Fierce indignation, contentious rivalry.
Root: Zeo  Boiling Anger.


Disorder: akatastasia - noun  Instability, A state of disorder, Disturbance, Confusion
Root: akatastatos - adj. Unstable.  Inconstant.  Restless.
used once.  James 1:8 a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

This makes me chuckle just a tad, as it reminds me of my kiddo in his younger days of Thomas the Train obsession!  "you are causing confusion and delay"  And in searching that comment I came upon some interesting info about Autism Spectrum and Thomas the Train.  Get to know my kiddo a little better while I study James.  Hmmmm... Ask God for wisdom... He doesn't fail to respond!

I also thing it's interesting that the last verse places righteousness before peace.... God is indeed a God of order.

There's a little nugget tucked into Romans 14:17 .... the kingdom of God is not...
but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 

There is no peace without right standing.  Right Standing isn't a fruit.  It's your position.  It's who you are, through who's you are.  The righteousness of God through Christ Jesus (Rom 3:22 & 2 Cor 5:21)

Without righteousness there is no peace.  If you don't understand your position, you will not live in peace. 

I don't have to hope for wisdom or understanding.  I need in meekness (trust in God's goodness)to ask for wisdom. Don't live in fear and disorder.   I don't bear fruit without being in position.  Right Standing.  Trusting in God's goodness is wise. 

#shereadstruth Day 12

My thoughts before I get into defining the words that stuck out for me today:

The only way to resist is by submitting to God.  Drawing near.   Humble yourself before God. Get in your appointed place, the wing, the cleft of the rock, hemmed in, in the shadow of the Almighty.   Withstand, continue on safe and sound.  Draw near, join together (have the mind of Christ 1 Cor 2:16)  with God in your place and position, Likewise God will position Himself to you.
This is how you have "clean hands" "purified heart" This is not a work of our own but of the Holy Spirit.

Submit: hypotasso - Verb Arrange Under (yea, that's helpful)  I generally defer "all things submission to Rachel Evans.

I find it interesting that in the verse prior the greek uses the word Humble: Tapeinos Adj. Lowly in Spirit

Then in verse 10 uses Humble again.  But in Verse 7 "Submit yourself to God"

Root 1: hypos - by or under
Root 2: tasso - to put in order, to appoint.

Resist: anthistemi - Verb  Withstand. Resist. Oppose (or benadryl, sounds like antihistamine)

Root 1: anti  Over, Against, Opposite
Root 2: histemi   To cause, to make to stand. To make firm, fix, established.

I like definition #3 To continue safe and sound.  To stand unharmed.

For me, many times I get all heebee jeebee'd out when I read these tests… resist the devil, stand against the schemes, withstand in the evil days…  I feel powerless and a little scared.

Draw Near:  eggizo - Verb  To bring near.  To join one thing to another, to approach

Root: eggys Near of place and position.

Those who are near access to God.

Cleanse: Katharizo - Verb  To make clean.
In a moral sense:
1. free from defilement
2. to purify from wickedness
3. to free from guilt of sin

All things I'm incapable of.

Purify: hagnizo Verb  1. Ceremonially.  To make pure, purify, cleanse. 2. Morally

Root: hagnos adj.   Definition 2. Pure:
1. Pure from carnality, chaste, modest
2. Pure from every fault, immaculate
3. Clean

All things that I am not able to do.  Pure from carnality? Pure from every fault? Immaculate? Please, even my house isn't immaculate.  Let alone my mind, my heart, my soul, my spiritual life.

But when I am humble, our good friend Noah describes it as:

A deep sense of unworthiness in the sight of God.

That I am, have, can be.   When I'm in my appointed place, in the wing, cleft, shadow; resisting is okay, not scary.  I can withstand, continue on safe and sound.  Draw near, approach.  It's ok because I'm clean and pure through grace.   Yes I have a sin nature.  I am not the sin.  I mess up, every day, every hour, minute.   But I know I can approach the throne of grace with confidence. (Heb 4:16)  Receive wisdom without judgment.  Speak life (if only for a moment), before I mess up again, starting the process all over again.  And that's life.  The journey. The lessons learned.

Grace and Peace to you (and me)

She Reads Truth Day 11

Taming The Tongue.

I relate to this post.  It's a struggle.  Some days I'm better than others at staying positive, being kind, tenderhearted.  I get the sentiment: Something has to change, worse yet, I'm powerless to change.

James 3:2 For we all stumble in many ways….

Stumble: ptaio - verb
To err, to make a mistake, to sin
Root: pipto - verb
To fall down

James 3:9-10 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.  My brothers (sisters), these things ought not be so.

Indeed. *sigh*

Bless - not the same as blessing on Day 4 Markarios (happy) but similar as in the opposite isn't unhappy, but curse.

Eulogeo - verb  (as in eulogize)
To praise, celebrate with praise, invoke blessing
Root 1) eu - to be well off, fare well, prosper
Root 2) logos - speech

Good Speech

Curse: katara - noun.
an execration, imprecation, curse

hmmm I need more than that so I go to the 1828 Noah Websters Dictionary:

Curse: To utter a wish of evil against one, to call for mischief or injury to fall upon.

These things ought not to be so.

Ephesians 4:29-32 let no corrupt talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as it fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

But before that Paul says…. put off your old self an be renewed in the spirit of your mind….

Renew ananeoo - verb
to renew (in the mind)
This is the only verse this word is used.

In Thayers Lexicon the notes state:
Denotes from a lower place to a higher place.
Corresponds to the Latin and German indicating the goal
Denotes repetition, renewal, anew, over again

Be Kind - chrestos - adj
fit, fit for use, useful
    virtuous, good
managable
    mild, pleasant (as opp to hard, harsh, sharp, bitter)

Matt 11:30 Amp
For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good.  Not harsh, hard, sharp or pressing. but comfortable, gracious and pleasant) and My burden is light and easy to be borne.

Tenderhearted - eusplagchnos - adj
we're gonna go to definition 2.  compassionate, tender hearted (as opposed to 1. having strong bowels)

Root 1.  eu - to be well off, fare well, prosper
Root 2. splagchnon - kindness, benevolence, compassion, tender mercies.  a heart in which mercy resides.

Noah Webster:

Very susceptible of the softer passion of love, pity or kindness.  As in Be ye king to one another, tender hearted.

Forgiving - charizomai - verb
To do something pleasant or agreeable, to do a favor
To grant forgiveness
To give graciously

Root: charis
Grace

As I'm reading through this and thinking of all the grace I need… grace I need to give…

I thought of a few verses.

Luke 6:45 ….out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right (steadfast) spirit (mind) within me.

David uses the word Bara the same word used in Genesis for create…

Create something from nothing….

Steadfast: Kuwn - verb
to be firm, stable, established

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Words and heart, they seem to go hand in hand.  Inward to outward.  What is in us comes spilling out. And for me particularly when I'm stressed.  When I'm squeezed the ugly comes out.  Nothing is right or Okay.   The House, Work, The Kids, The Husband, The Extended Family… it's all driving me crazy. And the words of my mouth aren't kind or tender hearted, towards myself or others.

I was reminded of something I read years ago in an old book.  Daily Strength for Daily Needs.  This is from February 10.

Do no be discouraged at your faults; bear with yourself in correcting them, as you would with your neighbor.  Lay aside this ardor of mind, which exhausts your body, and leads you to commit error.

Accustome yoursefl to gradually carry prayer into all your daily occupations.  Speak, move, work, in peace, as if you were in prayer, as indeed you ought to be.

Do everything without excitement, by the spirit of grace.  As soon as you perceive your natural impetuosity gliding in, retire quietly within, where the kingdom of God is.  Listen to the leading of grace, then say and duo nothing but what the Holy Spirit shall put in your heart.

You will find that you will be come more tranquil, that your words will be fewer and more effectual and that with less effort you will accomplish more good.

Francois Fenelon (1651 - 1715)

April 17th

Every morning compose your soul for a tranquil day, and all throughout it be careful to often recall your resolution and bring yourself back to it, so to say.  If something discomposes you, do not be upset, or troubled; but having discovered the fact, humble yourself gently before God, and try to bring your mind into a quiet attitude.  Say to yourself, "Well, I have made a false step; now I must go more carefully and watchfully."

Do this each time, however frequently you fall.  When you are at peace use it profitably, making constancy acts of meekness, and seeking to be calm even in the most trifling things.  Above all, do not be discouraged, be patient, wait, strive to attain a calm, gentle spirit.

Francis De Sales (1567 - 1622)


Do Not Be Discouraged.

#shereadstruth Day 4-6

#shereadstruth Day 4:

Matthew 5.  I'm familiar with it.  I've read Beautiful Offering by Angela Thomas, facilitated the study more than once.

It's easy to rush over the verses, we know them by heart.  But do we really know what it means?  Do we look at it like a laundry list of things to be.

Angela has a great theology on it. 

Angela Thomas thought of the Beatitudes as a list of "Gotta be's"... Gotta be meek. Gotta be merciful. But, when she compared her life to the standard the "gotta be's" set, she always felt that she came up short. Now, through God's great mercy, she has come to see this passage as a roster of "When You Are's." When you are meek, there is a spiritual inheritance. When you are merciful, you will be shown mercy.

This shift in thinking has led Angela to understand that God does not require perfection, but rather, our gracious obedience. In His eyes, our lives (complete with mistakes, blemishes, and imperfections) are a beautiful offering.



In other research on the word during this time I found a great commentary on the word Blessed.   There are a few things to point out in regard to this.

1. The beatitudes declare an objective reality as the result of a divine act, not subjective feelings, and thus should be translated with the objective "blessed" instead of the subjective "happy." The opposite of "blessed" is not "unhappy," but "cursed" (cf. Matt 25:31-46; Luke 6:24-26).

2. The beatitudes are written in unconditional performative language. They do not merely describe something that already is, but bring into being the reality they declare. ... As eschatological blessings, the beatitudes are not "entrance requirements" for outsiders, but a declaration about insiders.

3. The nine pronouncements are thus not statements about general human virtues -- most appear exactly the opposite to common wisdom. Rather, they pronounce blessing on authentic disciples in the Christian community All the beatitudes apply to one group of people, the real Christians of Matthew's community. They do not describe nine different kinds of good people who get to go to heaven, but are nine declarations about the blessedness, contrary to all appearances, of the eschatological community living in anticipation of God's reign. Like all else in Matthew, they are oriented to life together in the community of discipleship, not to individualistic ethics.
Therefore, "Blessed" is your position, not your attitude, or circumstances, or appearance.  It's your position.  Yes things are falling apart around you, your position is Blessed.  Start there. 

Because that is your starting point, remain steadfast!

Steadfast or Persevere.
Constancy.  Endurance.  The characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose.

Full Effect - brought to it's end.  Wanting nothing necessary to complete.

Greek: hypomeno - verb - to remain.
Hypo - by or under
Meno - to continue to be present. to be held up, kept, continually
             to remain as one, not to become another or different.

From Noah Webster:

From Latin Persevero or Severo:
the radical sense of set, fixed, continued. to stand. constant and continued.

In light of your position, stand up, fight the good fight.  God "brought you forth by the word of truth".

Be reminded that what is birthed of the flesh is physical, maintained by the flesh, but what is birthed by the Spirit is maintained by the Spirit.  (John 3)

By Him all things (whosoever) were created.... in Him all things (whosoever) are held together. (Colossians 1:16-18)

Continue where you are, be present, you are held up, kept, in your position.... blessed.  Regardless of todays trials, the season you're in. Yes they look terrible, unbearable.  But God.... is holding you together.  Rest in that today!  Take a deep breath.  Be Blessed. Claim it.  Your Position. 

Day 5

²² But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.


Noah Webster:
Doer:

1. One who does; one who performs or executes; an actor; an agent.

2. One who performs what is required; one who observes, keeps or obeys, in practice.

Doer: poietes  Noun.
I find it interesting this word is a noun.  It's who you are.  Your Position.
It comes from a root word meaning "to make" "to act rightly" "to carry out, to execute"

Deceive: paralogizomai. Verb.  To Reckon wrong, to miscount.

This particular word for deceive is used twice in the bible.
This verse and Col 2:4.
James gets straight to the point.  Be A Does.  Don't be wrong in kidding yourself.

Day 6:

The Gap is the distance between the Word we read and the Word we live.
        we can't skim passages
        it has to be planted in us
        we can't forget who we are in Him
        we forget who are in the Word
        who we are in Him
        the Gap gets wider and wider.

But It Doesn't Have To!

Close The Gap!

Quick to hear (akous): attend to, consider, understand
Slow to speak (laleo):  Not ready, not prompt, or quick.  utter a voice, to speak, to use the tongue, to use words to declare one's mind.
Slow to anger (orge):  Anger.  A natural disposition, temper, character, agitation of the soul.

Orego: To stretch ones self out in order to grasp something. to reach after, to desire something.

Airo:  To take upon one's self & carry what has been raised up.  To bear.

Noah Webster:
From Latin:  To Choke, to strain, to press, to squeeze, to make narrow.

A violent passion of the mind excited by real or supposed injury.

Wow.... I love to drill down into the meanings from the greek and to look back at what our ancestors knew about the bible. 

It's interesting to me that the Greek describes anger as our natural disposition, our character.  Even more so that it's stretching one's self out.  I know when I am over committed, stressed and busy, when I'm stretched out thin.... I'm angry.   I'm taken too much upon myself.  Bearing burdens that aren't my own.... and are they really?

Excited by real or supposed injury... isn't it mostly supposed.  A misunderstanding?  A failure to "attend to, consider, understand"

Implated: (emphytos) a word whose property it is to root itself like a seed in the heart.

Phyo: to beget. to spring up, to shoot forth.
used in Luke regarding the seed (word) and the soil (heart)

Noah Webster: Fixed in the mind. 

It all starts there, right? 

Romans 12: 2 ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Transformed:  Present, Passive, Imperative.
Present.... happening now
Passive... happening to you, you are receiving the action.
Imperative... not an invitation and absolute.

Metamorphoo - sound familiar?  Brings thoughts of butterflies?
The transformation is an action happening to the caterpillar the result is a butterfly.  The caterpillar is present.  The caterpillar is passive.  The caterpillar absolutely will become a butterfly.

Onto the vs 26:

²⁶ If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Religious: Fear or Worshipping God.

Bridle: (chalinagōgeō)  Verb.  To lead by a bridle.

Chalivos - Noun - A Bridle
Chalao - Verb - to loosen, slack, relax
Chasma - Noun - a gaping opening, a chasm  (to gape, to yawn)

Talk about Closing the Gap! 

Deceived: (apataō) Verb.  to cheat.
A different word from vs. 22. 
The take away for me is. 

Faith comes by hearing the Word.  In order to stand, and continue in my position which is Blessed, and be steadfast under trail.  I have to be transformed, a process that is happening, by the renewing of my mind.  The only way to Close The Gap is to Fill The Gap with the Word.
Matthew 12:34 Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 

I have to ask myself... what is the abundance of my heart?  Am I really living as Blessed, a declaration?  Embracing that "when I am meek.... I receive.."  "when I am hungry and thirsty.... I receive...." "when I am merciful.... I receive...."

Yes Lord.... Transform me.... I receive....   

Notes on Ruth (2007)

Like I said before I have studied Ruth quite a bit, over several years. I read just about every thing I can get my hands on about Ruth, her situation, her life, her family, her way of life. Thankfully I attend a church that has a great library and an even more wonderful librarian, who lets me check out reference books and keep them for a long time.

I spoke on Ruth three summers ago and these are my notes:

It's true; I am my mothers daughter, although I act more like my grandmother, I am my mothers daughter. I look like her, I sound a lot like her, I used to think a lot like her too, until I came to the realization that I am my Fathers Child.

Yes I am a product the past, but the past is not my product.

It is not who I am.

It doesn’t have to produce in my life what it has produced in the lives of my ancestors.

Deut. 30 says: God says I have called heaven and earth against you as witnesses and I have set before you LIFE and DEATH, CHOOSE LIFE! So that YOU and YOUR descendants my live!!

I grew up in a household of fear. Fear everything, Trust No one and if God existed, He was out to get me! Its been a long journey, but one I’d like to share with you today. Out of the fear and into faith.

It has been said that there are no more than four generations on the earth at one time. Try it for yourself. Example:

My example. Kids, Me, Mom. Kids, Husband, His Mother, Her Mother. Who has five?? With that in mind lets get to our first text.

Exodus 20. The 10 commandments. People put a lot of emphasis on "the 10", when there are in fact 613. Thank God for justification huh! But these we consider to be “the important ones”. I’m discussing Commandment #2 tonight.

INIQUITY = That’s a better word than sin. Sins are forgiven, iniquity is more like lingering consequences for sin. Some call it generations curses, some call is sick cycles, some call it dysfunction, God calls is iniquity.

Lets talk about MY generations:

Great G'ma: Married alcoholic, remarried an alcoholic (bootlegger), illness and depression. Sent children to church, no legacy of Christ to her children.

G’ma: Married an alcoholic, remarried an alcoholic, was an alcoholic, depression and illness, did not send her children to church and left no legacy of Christ to her children.

Mom: married an alcoholic, remarried an alcoholic, is an alcoholic, depression and illness, she was saved in 1980 and made her children attend church faithfully. Read them the bible every day at breakfast. My parents left me a legacy of faith to their children and in turn we are leaving a legacy of Christ to ours

bring up a child had he will not depart from it...

Me: married, remarried (neither are alcoholics) I am not an alcoholic, I do not live a live of illness or depression. I attend church, my children attend church.

What happened? What changed? I chose life! I changed my focus. Because I wanted to live…

I wanted my children to live. Not in a bubble, not in fear, not afraid of God. I had to decide to DO something different. I wanted something different so I had to do something different. I had to change my view of God and see him for who he really is. And I had to change my view of me and stop seeing myself thru the eyes of others.

How did that happen?

I had to make Gods voice louder than any of the others (and there are others) in my head. Read the bible, study the bible, meditate on the word, apply it to my life. One of the stories I read made an impact on my life, its the story of Ruth.


I'll give you a little background of Ruth and where she came from:

Moab was considered a "cursed" of Lot, and his two daughters. They hid out in the mountains after Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed they were the only people left alive; the daughters got their father drunk on two successive nights and each had sex with him, they became pregnant by him.

One of the children born out of this incest was named Moab. His descendants were the Moabites. Ruth,was a Moabite. The mentality of all the Moabite people was distorted by idolatry. A society that had very little value for life and family.

SOUNDS LIKE A NATION WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE.

Idol Worship. Ruth was familiar with Idols. All of these things (idol worship, child sacrifices, death of her family, her husband, her father in law) had an impact on her. Shaped her, thoughts, her words her actions. There was something great about Ruth - she rose above her past.

She had an ability to look at her past and present and say "I want no more of this. I want something better. I want something more." I recognized I had the same ability. I was a child of the Most High God and I had the same ability as Ruth.

I wanted no more fear, no more depression, no more illness, no more victim mentality. I kept reading….

After the death of the men in this family, Naomi (her mother in law) heard that the famine was over (was no more) in Bethlehem, and she decided to return home. She began her journey with both her Daughters in law by her side, but along the way, she stopped and told them to turn around and go back to Moab - to return to their people and their gods. One daughter in law agreed.

But Ruth loved Naomi and "clung to her" DAW-BAK To Cleave (Ruth 1:14) Naomi told them "I am going to a place that is unfamiliar to you, go back to your traditions and customs."Ruth said "INTREAT ME not to leave you...."


Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die,And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.”

Ruth recognized that she had already experienced her past, and she didn't like it. She made a choice. Her tomorrow didn't have to look like her yesterday. Many people today base on their ending on their beginning. They do it to themselves and they do it to others.

Based on my beginnings, I should be fearing for my life to be talking to you today!

The MOST important thing is life is where you finish! God does not use your past to determine your future....SO WHY SHOULD YOU??

I had to stop doing that. I had to stop consulting with my past. I had to stop using it as the barometer for life. I had to make a decision to LEAVE and CLEAVE. Leave and Cleave Its a biblical principle that applies to every part of your life. You must leave your past and cleave to what God has for you today.

Cleave means …. To Cleave means to adhere closely, to stick, to remain faithful to follow ones principles despite persecution.

Leave yesterday and cleave to today.
Leave your failures and cleave to Gods Promises.
Leave your old sin and cleave to the forgiveness God gives you.

God had a plan and a purpose for Ruth....Ruth married her Kinsman Redeemer Boaz and Ruth gave birth to Obed, Obed was the father of Jesse, Jesse is the father of David, David is the direct bloodline of Jesus! Which means Ruth is the direct bloodline of Jesus.

Ruth - who was marred, scarred, stained, tainted, distorted and warped by her environment - lived out her life in greatness!!

God will do in your life too what he did with Ruth! You must allow God to do His work, His changing in you. You must be willing to disconnect from your past and move toward the presence of greatness in your future. The truth is You are not final product of a fatal beginning.

The wagging of tongues DO NOT change Gods Mind or Change His Purpose for you. God doesn’t form His opinion of you based on anything other than HIS thoughts. Jer 29:11 I know the thoughts that I think towards you. You ARE who God says YOU ARE!

And God says you are loved with an everlasting love (Jer. 31:3),
you are purchased with a preciousness (I cor 6:20).
You are justified (rom 3:24, Romans 5:1,9, Rom 8:30, rom 10:10, I cor 6:11, Titus 3:7)
you are righteous. Not self righteous, you have right standing (rom 1:17, rom 3:21-22, rom 4, rom 10, rom 14:17, eph 4:24, eph 5:9, eph 6:14, II tim 3:16)

Do you know what that means? A condition acceptable to God.

God says you can succeed. God says you have a future that is a blessing and fulfilling and eternally rewarding. God loves you completely. God knows you completely, everything you have done, haven't done, will do, will say, think....and he loves you completely, wholey, created you and chooses to be in relationship with you. To walk that out we have to make choice….remember Deut. 30 .

1) Go back to how you always do things. Go back to your customs and traditions and past. OR....

2) Go to a place you have never been to create something you've never had....we can choose life.

God says, he’s doing a new thing…forget the former things…do not dwell on the past. Isaiah 43

Jesus said: DWELL IN ME! John 15

To dwell means to live or to continue in a given condition or state

Paul said ONE THING I do…ONE THING…forgetting what is behind and STRAINING toward what is ahead I PRESS ON toward the goal…..

Something else Paul say just above that in Chapter 3 vs. 10-14 10[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [[a]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]11That if possible I may attain to the [[b]spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].12Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own.13I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,14I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.It is up to us to Press on….toward a supreme and heavenly goal.


Not the goals of others, but Gods purpose and plan for our life. Yes its true, I am my Mothers Daughter, But I am my Fathers Child.

I don't know anything about traveling pants, but I know we are part of a sisterhood of the Most High God. Who calls us by our NAME, not by our SHAME.

We are to wear our crowns with confidence and leave a legacy of Christ for the next 999 Generations!!