'I AM' Study Round Two
Lesson One
Lesson One
I AM - Your Beauty
I am so happy you have joined me for this blog Bible Study. Obviously anything I am able to present to you here will be greatly abbreviated for space and time's sake, but I pray God will use these teachings as a reminder that there is but ONE God and that He is for you. It took many years for me to finally embrace the fact God was working all the details in my life towards peace, rest and wide open spaces. So many times He held Canaan out to me and I turned my back on it for Egypt. I also finally understand after following Moses through this study that when God asks us to do something on His behalf, He is enough to accomplish the desired end. He delights in our 'yes' and how that spreads His fame. I want to be a girl with a 'yes' in my Spirit - don't you? When we can exchange God's I AM for our Am Nots, we'll proclaim as David, "With your help I can advance against a troop, with my God I can scale a wall." (Psalm 18:29) The most important thing I've learned? Unless the circumstances are dire, unless the situation hopeless, unless the task impossible, God is not assured the glory when the miraculous happens. He is still a God of Wonders. What a thrill when He asks us to hold the staff.
Today's lesson will focus on the birth of Moses and Stephen's description of this event in Acts 7:17-20. The lesson is titled "I AM - Your Beauty" but we will break that down into the following sub-lessons: Just In Time, Beautiful in the Eyes of God, and When Life Does Not Work Out Like You Planned. So yeah, this study could drag on a while..:) Didn't have anything else to do, did ya?
Just In Time
Acts 7:17-20
"But as the time for the promise was approaching which God had assured to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt. It was at this time that Moses was born; and he was lovely in the sight of God, and he was nurtured three months in his father's home." (NASB)
*Note - All word definitions and lexical references are taken from the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible - AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, TN. Edited by Spiros Zodhiates or Strong's Exhaustive Concordance.* This reference is a nightmare in its syntax, but this is a blog, not Broadman Holman...Ya'll will forgive me, right??**
Have you ever considered that your placement on planet Earth, in your generation, in your county, state, city, family, circle of friends was completely intentional? That you are not the accidental end of a long list of 'begats' that just happened to spring forth when you did? No doubt in every span of time, God could pull out any individual to accomplish His will but how much more thrilling to know He dreamed you up and placed you, on purpose, to experience life and react to its circumstances so as to potentially aid in the deliverance of someone close to you. I say 'potentially' because we will see in a moment how our 'yes' or 'no' could affect our privilege of participation in God's Wonders.
Notice in the verses above that Moses birth took place as the time of God's promise of deliverance to His people was approaching. Clearly, Moses' birth was intentionally planned 'just in time' so he would be the right age, in the right place, at the right time to be pulled from the reeds and placed in Pharaoh's house.
What is fascinating is the 'time' word used when talking of the timing of Moses' birth. It is not the word 'chronos' which describes a succession of moments. The Greek word used is 'Kairos' (Strongs 2540) and means "an occasion; a set or proper time. 'Kairos' implies not the convenience for the season but the necessity of the task at hand whether the time provides a good, convenient opportunity or not. The English language sometimes translates this word as 'seasons' at which foreordained events take place or necessary accomplishments need to take place."
Are you beginning to get the idea of what this time word implies? Moses was not born as one of many in a succession of moments, days, weeks, or years but was created to accomplish a necessary task. God would orchestrate the 'convenient opportunity' and Moses was the man whom He would bring forth to deliver His people, beloved Israel, from bondage. The implications of this concept are mind-blowing to me. I realize that God does not have national deliverance in mind for most of us, but what is that convenient opportunity, that necessary task, He is setting up for me and for you? Dear Girls, there is a reason God has placed us just in time in our particular circle of influence. Let's take our thoughts a step further.
The Hebrew (OT) equivalent of the 'Kairos' word used in the New Testament is 'Eth'. Just glance at that word, think of the words of a favorite verse "for such a time as this" and draw some creative conclusions of a person's name you can derive from 'eth'. Do you see it yet?? EsTHer. This may mean nothing, but I would like to suggest Esther's name symbolized the occasion for which she was specifically placed- the deliverance of her people. (Esther 4:14) 'Eth' means "the appropriate time for an unrecurring incident." I want to jump out of my seat as I think about what that means. Hear me well...I believe with all my heart that our entire lives are a series of unrecurring incidents in which we have the opportunity to use our 'yes' for God's fame. Just as Mordecai stated (paraphrase), "If you say 'no', God will raise up a deliverer from somewhere else. But who knows that you were placed in your position for such a time as this?" Esther could have said no. We can say no. But heaven help me if I cause my God to resort to Plan B. I want to be His 'go to' girl -the one He knows will say yes, Lord! May it be done to me as You have said! "Hmmm, I think I'll call forth Lisa in this situation..I can trust her with My glory." Let it be, Lord. Let it be me.
There are women in our midst who are dying - emotionally, spiritually, and sometimes physically. What are we going to do about it? How are we going to protect our sisters from the enemy? When are we going to stand firm and proclaim to Satan - Enough! You can not have her! My heart burns with indignation towards the enemy for the constant turmoil he places in our lives - the heartache, temptation, and oppression. Satan also understands the time concept and places obstacles to prevent us from possessing our lands of Promise - the place we can dwell unbound and able to bless. So his plan? Keep us spiritually and emotionally unhealthy. If we are weak, our hurting sisters our weaker. It is that simple. It is time to stand, to be the healthy ones, to be the women who will take our place between Satan and our broken sister until she is able to stand on her on.
Here are some Burning Questions I would like for you to consider in response to what God is showing us in these Scriptures:
1. Are there any circumstances or relationships in your life where you can see God has intentionally placed you? What do you perceive may be at stake if you do or do not speak out for Him?
2. Can you honestly describe yourself as a woman with a 'yes' in her spirit? If not, what keeps you from this?
3. Do you recognize any circumstances in your life which could be described as an 'unrecurring event'? Have you ever said 'no' to one and watched God use someone else instead?
4. Are you in an emotionally and spiritually healthy place? If yes, how are you using this freedom to minister to others? If no, what do you feel is holding you in your Egypt?
If you would like to post your responses on your blog, simply insert the "I AM" Study Button in your post along with the answers to your questions. Sign the Mr. Linky below and leave a comment so it will alert me you are on board! Remember to link to your study post and not just your home page so others will be able to find your responses easily.
I look forward to reading your comments. I can't wait to meet you girls!