WORD #3
RHEMA
Caleb shared an awesome briefing last week on “Logos” - I URGE you all to check out his Berean notes (HANDY LINK) and to ask Ray for the video. That briefing was a great reminder of the all encompassing nature of the word of God - just look at this huge list - and this isn’t even all he shared!
Logos is: The full counsel, the why, the how, what you receive, account we give, eternal, living and active, a seed, reputation, brings blessing, is JESUS, is proof of love, cleans, is truth, increases.
Caleb also presented to us a brief understand of the 4 key Greek words for ‘Word’ - I recommend getting Berean on it and searching out these words for yourself!
G518 - ἀπαγγέλλω - Apaggellō - verb. To “show, tell, report or declare”
G3050 - λογικός - logikos - reasonable, of the word
G4487 - ῥῆμα - rhēma - that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken, word
G3056 - λόγος - logos - word, saying, account, speech, Word (Christ), thing, misc
Our topic today is RHEMA - which we see in these references is the “spoken word”, and which, as Caleb mentioned, we understand to be the “now” word, what is being said and most importantly what God is saying at a given time
John 5 (HANDY LINK)
MY SHEEP WILL HEAR MY VOICE
John 10:1-30 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. 7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?” Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. 24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”
Most Assuredly - THIS IS A PROMISE OF GOD
GOD SPEAKS
God speaks in tons of different ways;
Visions: Acts 10:9-16
Dreams: Genesis 37:1-11
From Heaven: Matt 3:17
From a cloud: Luke 9:35
Out of a burning bush: Exodus 3
Still small voice: 1 Kings 19:11-13
Via a donkey: Numbers 22:21-39
Just to name a few
We too can posture ourselves in a position conducive to hearing and we can also shut out the voice of God in our lives. Here at Megamorphic we believe it’s much more practical and beneficial to focus on what TO do, rather than what not to do, so I’ve put together a few practical pointers for positioning ourselves and hearing from God as we read and pray
HOW TO READ + HOW TO PRAY
READ
1. Do it every day
Acts 17:11 “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”
Matt 4:4 “Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”
Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word”
2. Be aware of the greater context, and interpret what you read in line with the FULL COUNSEL
2 Peter 1:20 "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things."
3. Look for what the scripture reveals about the nature of God, what He is doing and what He has promised before looking for information.
Make purpose your focus rather than process
Mark 11:15-17 “Then they *came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple.And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.”
4. Apply it as a filter
Bill Johnson says that “Bible stories are more than historical records of God intervening in a human problem, they are filters to see our own condition/circumstances. As a filter, they enable us to see our present situation and to apply the nature of God/His promises in the middle of it”.
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
SPEAKING OF CONTEXT
Hebrews 4:1-13 “Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:
“So I swore in My wrath,‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ”although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; 5 and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest.”Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said:
“Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.”
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."
Vs 12 is often quoted, but not always in the context of REST
5. STUDY
Already mentioned the Bereans and their nobility, but Paul urges that we study to show ourselves approved
2 Timothy 2:5 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
PRAY
THERE IS SO MUCH THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT PRAYER.
Here are some of my fav’s:
1 Samuel 3 (Handy Link)
James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much”
Ephesians 6:10-20 "10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the [b]wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”
1 Corinthians 14:15 “So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.”
1 Timothy 2:8: "I will therefore that men are always to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting."
Romans 8:26-27 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
Hebrews 7:25 "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."
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HANDY LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
OTHER RESOURCES:
The Holy Spirit: An Introduction