We are quickly approaching our second video of this series. Many of you are working through the work book at your own pace and I pray that God is opening your heart and you are being pulled and stretched by the Holy Spirit. We will watch Video 2 on Thursday March 17th at 6:30. You are also still welcome to join us beginning March 7th at 6:30 at our Home Study. You have not missed anything and we will view the video's shown on Thursday nights as well, for those that can not attend Thursdays. Well lets dig into the next week of lessons !!!
Dear Father,
Prepare our hearts for what you have to teach us. Give us a hunger to learn more and to open you word and listen as you speak to us. I pray for each of my sisters that you will meet us exactly were we are and that each of us will grow deeper in our walk and our desire to please you.
The memory verse we are remembering this month:
"God is no mere human! He doesn't tell lies or change his mind. God always keeps his promises." (Numbers 23:19)
READ: Genesis 25: 29-34
To really understand Esau's role in the drama unfolding, we need to really understand what "birthright" meant culturally to this family.
"applied to certain advantages, privileges, and responsibilities of firstborn baby boys.... The advantages and privileges were that this baby became the object of special affection and would legally receive a double portion of his father's estate.
The responsibilities were that he was expected to assume the spiritual leadership of the family. He was also required to provide food, clothing and other necessitates for his mother until death and all unmarried sisters until their marriage."
Wow This is a pretty heavy double edged sword !!!
Some other scriptures that help us examine other firstborns:
Deuteronomy 15:19
Deuteronomy 21: 15-17
Luke 2:23
Hebrew 1:6
Revelation 1:5
What do you perceive Esau's role to be in all the drama that unfolds in these verses. Do you think he is exaggerating when he says he is dying of hunger? What is he willing to give up all for the sake of a meal?
I am so struck by this whole incident. I can feel Esau's impulsivity and narrow mindedness in his vision. How many times in my own life I have made rash decisions based upon my earthly needs and wants at the moment and not looked any further than the end of my nose. I know I am not alone in this at all. How often we ourselves have given away something of lasting value just to satisfy a momentary self serving need. Things such as relationships, integrity, self esteem, and even our souls.
Can you think of an example in your own life when you went for the short term satisfaction versus the long term benefit? What were the consequences and what lessons did you learn?
(take a moment at the end and share this info with us in blogger world by posting here or take the time and journal it or share it with God)
My prayer has been most recently that I have a deeper hunger for God? Isn't this what we all want, a Godly appetite. Psalm 107:8-9; Luke 6:21 and John 6:35 all talk about this. I find it fascinating at this point in my life, that I am just now realizing that I have missed so much of what God had to give me, all because of what I choose to give up to gain something else. And what I gained was just a deeper chasm and a greater need in many times the same area. God's promises never changed and he never took them away, my appetites were for the wrong things.
What is our birthright as children of god? How God must feel when he watches us take from the world, eat until we are full, get up and walk away. How he must get frustrated with his children, when he knows that what he has to offer us is so much more and that it would fill us to the point of overflowing.
Genesis 25: 34 tells us that Esau showed contempt for his birthright. 1 Samuel 17:42; 2 Samuel 6:16 and 2 Samuel 12:9 all show us that the thing that is despised ( in this case King David) all have great value.
How would you restate that last sentence of Genesis 25:34? " I have turned my back and devalued the most valuable thing I have, my birthright as a child of God."
Read Genesis 26: 34-35
Most parents are pleased when their sons marry, but what was the reaction of Isaac and Rebekah? We might think the problem was that there were 2 wives but the problem was that they were Hittites; they were from a tribe of Canaanites. Isaac's father Abraham had made sure that his son didn't marry a Canaanite. Reading Deuteronomy 7: 1-4 which was recorded many years later does still give us a clue to why this was a problem.
How would you sum up Esau's nature? If we learn by example, what is the strongest lesson he has taught you?
I love the prayer that Liz Curtis Higgs sums up this lesson with:
"Father, when I read the sad and stark words that Esau was rejected and could bring about no change of mind even though he sought the blessing with tears, I am so grateful that the same doesn't have to be said of me. Thank you that you do not reject me, that when I seek you in tears over my mistakes, you do not turn me away. Help me never to take for granted, or to treat casually, the blessing of being your child....."
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
A Bold Bargain is Made - Week One
Read Genesis 25: 27-28
Some Reflective Questions:
1. Whom did each parent favor of the twins and why?
2. Have you ever seen this in a family? What did this do to the relationships between the preferential child and the other parent, siblings and even God?
3. Do you relate to your own children in the same way?
4. How do you understand one child better than another and yet not show favoritism?
5. What about parenting a child with special needs or is chronically ill? How do you meet that child's needs without favoring one over the other?
6. What does the bible teach us about our responsibilities as parents or as a woman who has some impact over the lives of children?
This week we will will be learning more about how these twin boys lives were shaped and molded by the influences of their parents. This story is such a story of drama within a household. It is a story of manipulation, deception and rationalization. How easy it is was to read the story of this family and be shocked by how they all treated each other, but to forget how easy and often we are confronted with the same situations within our own families. Yet the overriding outcome of all this drama, manipulation and pain was that God always honors his promises, no matter what, even when we do not.
Numbers 23:19 says. "God is no mere human! He doesn't tell lies or change his mind. God always keeps his promises."
This family had two parents, both Rebekah and Isaac were part of raising the twins ( Esau and Jacob), yet it appears that they both were not on the same page as far as parenting strategies. In addition, Jacob and Esau each had assumed typical life styles for their culture at that time, one as a hunter and one as a shepherd. Liz Curtis Higgs in the video shared the mystery of raising children who are of the same parents yet two can be so totally different. I can so relate to this, having two girls so close together in age, yet they are totally opposite of each other in so many ways. I have always joked about being amazed how they could both of been from me, especially given that for a great deal of their lives it was just the three of us. But again I did not have their individual plans, I just carried what was given to me by God. God already knew what each of them would become.
God is very clear in his teaching us our responsibilities as parents.
2. "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and mind; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk down the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many." Deuteronomy 11: 18 -21
3. "Fathers do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the way of the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4
Some Reflective Questions:
1. Whom did each parent favor of the twins and why?
2. Have you ever seen this in a family? What did this do to the relationships between the preferential child and the other parent, siblings and even God?
3. Do you relate to your own children in the same way?
4. How do you understand one child better than another and yet not show favoritism?
5. What about parenting a child with special needs or is chronically ill? How do you meet that child's needs without favoring one over the other?
6. What does the bible teach us about our responsibilities as parents or as a woman who has some impact over the lives of children?
This week we will will be learning more about how these twin boys lives were shaped and molded by the influences of their parents. This story is such a story of drama within a household. It is a story of manipulation, deception and rationalization. How easy it is was to read the story of this family and be shocked by how they all treated each other, but to forget how easy and often we are confronted with the same situations within our own families. Yet the overriding outcome of all this drama, manipulation and pain was that God always honors his promises, no matter what, even when we do not.
Numbers 23:19 says. "God is no mere human! He doesn't tell lies or change his mind. God always keeps his promises."
This family had two parents, both Rebekah and Isaac were part of raising the twins ( Esau and Jacob), yet it appears that they both were not on the same page as far as parenting strategies. In addition, Jacob and Esau each had assumed typical life styles for their culture at that time, one as a hunter and one as a shepherd. Liz Curtis Higgs in the video shared the mystery of raising children who are of the same parents yet two can be so totally different. I can so relate to this, having two girls so close together in age, yet they are totally opposite of each other in so many ways. I have always joked about being amazed how they could both of been from me, especially given that for a great deal of their lives it was just the three of us. But again I did not have their individual plans, I just carried what was given to me by God. God already knew what each of them would become.
God is very clear in his teaching us our responsibilities as parents.
1. Keep all his commands
2. That we need to immerse ourselves in God's word so that we can teach our children his word.
3. Do not discipline our children out of anger but out of God's instruction.
2. "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and mind; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk down the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many." Deuteronomy 11: 18 -21
3. "Fathers do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the way of the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4
WOW, as the Mom of grown Women, this would of made things easier, if I would of been more focused on how God wanted me to raise these little people he entrusted me with versus trying to do it on my own many times.
Yet, each of us as we reach adulthood, have to opportunity to allow God's plan to move forward for our lives no matter what decisions are parents have made for us whether good or bad. God will always honor his promises to us.
Spend this week focusing on the reflective questions, dig into God's word, can you find other places God has given us clear instruction on parenting? Share with others what the reflections raised in your own heart. See you next week for more as we dig into Trusting God's Promises and experiencing his blessings.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
God Honors His Promises
Welcome to our Bible Study Blog. I am very excited about starting this new Bible Study but to be honest with you very apprehensive about the effectiveness of this format. But I know God can take this and turn it into exactly what he wants it to be, so stand with me in believing.
This is an introductory Post. Just to let you know what you can expect over the next year. As you have read, we are trying to kick off 2011 with a new format in response to your requests. So we are alternating Bible Study, with Our Sisters sharing their stories. This creates a challenge, but we all know nothing is too big for our God. We will begin a DVD Bible Study by Liz Curtis Higgs that we will return to every other month through the year. This Blog will help us to stay focused and keep you connected to others by giving you the opportunity to share what you are learning, post questions for others, or to just receive encouragement to continue throughout the months until we come together again as a group.
For those of you who attended the WOP conference in November you had the opportunity to hear Liz speak. She is filled with God's love and grace and at the same time is filled with humor and down to earth practical reality that is relevant for us all no matter what season of life you are in. So enjoy this next year with me as we learn and grow.
Check in often but at the very least weekly to discover reflection questions, study verses, encouragement and comments from our fellow travelers as we go back and visit Issac and Rebekah; Jacob and Esau; and Leah and Rachel.
As we begin our study, spend some time reading Genesis 25: 19-28. We will begin studying the actions and motives of these family members and we will be blown away by how despite how we act or behave, God will always honor his promises.
This is an introductory Post. Just to let you know what you can expect over the next year. As you have read, we are trying to kick off 2011 with a new format in response to your requests. So we are alternating Bible Study, with Our Sisters sharing their stories. This creates a challenge, but we all know nothing is too big for our God. We will begin a DVD Bible Study by Liz Curtis Higgs that we will return to every other month through the year. This Blog will help us to stay focused and keep you connected to others by giving you the opportunity to share what you are learning, post questions for others, or to just receive encouragement to continue throughout the months until we come together again as a group.
For those of you who attended the WOP conference in November you had the opportunity to hear Liz speak. She is filled with God's love and grace and at the same time is filled with humor and down to earth practical reality that is relevant for us all no matter what season of life you are in. So enjoy this next year with me as we learn and grow.
Check in often but at the very least weekly to discover reflection questions, study verses, encouragement and comments from our fellow travelers as we go back and visit Issac and Rebekah; Jacob and Esau; and Leah and Rachel.
As we begin our study, spend some time reading Genesis 25: 19-28. We will begin studying the actions and motives of these family members and we will be blown away by how despite how we act or behave, God will always honor his promises.
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