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Hang with me, this is a lot of information. As Beth said on Saturday, God brings topics along in our lives not by coincidence. He allows that topic to reoccur over and over until we get what he is trying to say to us. I call this layers. So this lesson really brought the term HOLD FAST to me as a layer from a discussion we had at our book club.
This summer we are study Fearless by Max Lucado. A story was told by one of the ladies that resonated with me for weeks. I am including her story here...
A few years ago I had to opportunity to stay a few days at a place in Tucson called Miraval Life in Balance. It was my mom’s 80th birthday and the first time we had ever gone away together. The days were filled with healthy food, great classes, spa treatments…the days really focused on getting in touch with body, soul, and mind. How do you chose in life, why do I chose what I do in life, am I mindful of my choices??? Well, it was the last morning and I had a free hour. One hour to choose a last activity—and what was available—climbing a 30+t. telephone pole. OK—without really thinking of the reality of it all, I began walking out to the destination to meet together with the other participants, 7 other women, for this adventure. We each took a few moments to explain why we chose to do this.By that time I realized that this was going to be very significant for me. I looked at that pole and “fear” gripped my heart. How in God’s green earth would this 50-something (-: gal with bad knees, a herniated disk, and a fear of heights going to actually climb and stand up on this “tower”??. Well, after some insightful instruction from our seasoned supportive coach. It was time to strap on my harness and go. The first portion-about 10 ft. I climbed a ladder leaning up against the pole. Now it was time to begin the climb up the metal brackets protruding on the side of the pole---I could hear the instructions from the coach and the encouragement from the others down below. As my fear mounted it would subside as I listened to their words. Then I froze—I can’t do this. My coach said, “Put your core to the pole. Stay close to the pole—tight” Stay close to the pole. At that moment my fear began to subside. I began to think, “I can do this. Then I realized I’d made it. I was at the top. Now—how to I pull myself to the top and stand up? Amazing that after that long climb I suddenly was convinced I could do it. I slowly lifted one foot to the small disk on top the pole—then the other—still hearing the words from below reminding me how close I was to my goal—I did it. I found myself standing looking at the amazing view-actually feeling the breeze. Thinking at that moment –it took climbing a telephone pole to get here. Yes, it was worth it.
The whole experience took my mind to my need to stay close to my Savior. He equips me to make the climb in life. His mercy, grace, strength, mercy, and so much more will only fill my life as I become one with him. “Stay strong, put your core to the pole”, shouted my coach. I will always remember those words.
My take away was...God is my core or my center...stay centered on God. Now it is stay centered on God and HOLD FAST.
(continuing from Beth Moore event)
O - Only He is your praise
Duet 10:21 - He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.
L - Loving Him awakens your true heart
Duet 10:21 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
God wants everything from us, but He gives everything to us.
We are not destined to lives of defeat
You were created to love God
Love the Lord you God
Walk in His Ways
Fear the Lord – this is a health fear protects you. Like if you do something wrong you fear your parents discipline or if you had an affair, you would fear your spouse’s reaction.
Serve the Lord
Obey His commands
All of these are an overflow of the heart. If your heart is not full of Christ than it is full of trash.
Col 3: Rules for Holy Living
Psalm 119:25 - My soul clings to (dabaq) the dust; give me life according to your word!
2 Tim – Chosen before time (I could not find the exact verse)
Acts 20:24 - However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
We have been setup to serve Him, and setup to know Him
We were made for worship. We will either worship God or little gods. Look at how we are devoted and emotional to a particular sports team.
D - Doing His will does us good
Deut 10:13 and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
4GOOD4U – this phrase condenses all the blessing that Moses elsewhere expansive describes. (I guess this is in Deuteronomy)
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
If all things are equal and we feel no leadership from God, in one direction or the other, then follow the desires of your heart. God doesn’t want martyred Christians or Christians who struggle unnecessarily because they feel it makes them holier. Being a Christian is hard enough, why make it harder?
You can trust HIM.
What is good for us and what good happens to us is meant to outflow to those around us, our community as a testimony of God.
You are to be known by your love
Exodus 23:9 - Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.
You cannot bribe God with good behavior because He knows when you have no love for Him. (Ex: If I do this for God…or stop doing that…then He will bless me. The behavior is for the blessing, not an overflow of the love in my heart).
F - Fleeing to Him means fleeing with Him
1 Kings 1:5 - Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king."
Adonijah, 2nd son of David, thought he was going to be king and he was never told by his parents otherwise. When he learned that David appointed Solomon king, he ran to the altar and grabs the horns. This is a place of refuge because without the shedding of blood there is not remission or forgiveness of sins.
Hebrews 6:13-18 - 13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. From this we see 2 unchangeable things. One is God’s promise and two is his oath.
Heb 10:23 - Let us hold fast (dabaq) the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
Flee and take refuge at the cross.
Matt 28:20c - I am with you always, to the end of the age.
In Greek the phrase reads “ego meth umōn eimi” which means
come back tomorrow where I hope to conclude my notes
1 comment:
Mary, thanks for sharing some of what you heard and learned from Beth. I am so glad that you got to attend. and that you got such great seats. When I attended with my sister-in-law here in Houston, we were in the second or third row on the right and she didn't even come close to us.
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