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Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Think On It Thursday

Glossary for Song of Songs - Kim Specker



Allegory -   the expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence; also: an instance (as in a story or painting) of such expression.  Example:  Chronicles of Narnia. : A symbolic representation: emblem 
Bride – or Beloved in SOS.  Also known as the church in the book of Revelation in the Bible.  Can be known as a person who seeks after a personal relationship with God.   Also known as the female partner in marriage when reading SOS as a literal translation. (individual male or female, church )
Daughter of Jerusalem, maidens - young believers, those early in their journey or don’t the personal Jesus yet.
Lover - Known as Jesus in SOS.  Can also be known as the husband in a marriage relationship when reading SOS as a literal translation.  Could be referred to as Jesus or God synonymously with the Trinity.  Father,  Son and Holy Spirit.
Bride’s inheritance in Christ – what the Bride receives from Jesus as she grows in her relationship with Him.
Christ’s inheritance in the Bride – what Jesus receives from the Bride as she matures in Him.
Divine Kiss  -  is a metaphor for the Word of God spoken from his mouth.  Heavenly  truth.  This is NOT to be confused with physical touch of God’s lips. 
Great Commission – The command given in Matthew 28:20 to make disciples.
Intercession - prayer, petition, or entreaty in favor of another
Ministry – could be an act of service.  Not necessarily just in the church but in the marketplace, neighborhood, family, friends and volunteering.  Where talents, spiritual gifts and passions can be demonstrated.
Mature in ministry   advancing in the spiritual disciplines that lead to a deeper more personal relationship with Jesus.  Being able to let go of self-desires and preferring what God desires for us.
Paradox  tenet contrary to received opinion : a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true b : a self-contradictory statement that at first seems true c : an argument that apparently derives self-contradictory conclusions by valid deduction from acceptable premises
Prophetic , Prophetically -  foretelling events : predictive
revelation – new understanding of spiritual truth or awareness of something about self that is divinely inspired
redeemed   something made good out of something broken or ugly  to free from what distresses or harms: : to free from captivity by payment of ransom b : to extricate from or help to overcome something detrimental c : to release from blame or debt : clear d : to free from the consequences of sin.  : to change for the better : reform : repairrestore
  A personal relationship with Jesus that takes a life and makes something beautiful out of it.
righteousness   acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin a: morally right or justifiable, a righteous decision b : arising from an outraged sense of justice or morality<righteous indignation>
Supernatural Love – love that is greater than what the fleshly body can offer to others.   It is the kind of love God has for his children.  Incomparable or rare by earthly measurement.
Supernatural abilities – abilities given to God’s children when he needs to accomplish something or it would bring God glory.  These abilities are unique to individual and circumstances.
Union of agreement  God’s acknowledgement of the bride’s obedience.
Vindication of the Bride   - The Bride (individual and/or body of the church) is publically known as one whose  sacrifice has been noticed by God and he wants others to see it.  Sometimes he demonstrates favor over his children.



Song of Songs 1

 1 Solomon’s Song of Songs.
   She[a]
 2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
   for your love is more delightful than wine.
3 Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;
   your name is like perfume poured out.
   No wonder the young women love you!
4 Take me away with you—let us hurry!
   Let the king bring me into his chambers.
   Friends
   We rejoice and delight in you[b];
   we will praise your love more than wine.
   She
   How right they are to adore you!
 5 Dark am I, yet lovely,
   daughters of Jerusalem,
dark like the tents of Kedar,
   like the tent curtains of Solomon.[c]
6 Do not stare at me because I am dark,
   because I am darkened by the sun.
My mother’s sons were angry with me
   and made me take care of the vineyards;
   my own vineyard I had to neglect.
7 Tell me, you whom I love,
   where you graze your flock
   and where you rest your sheep at midday.
Why should I be like a veiled woman
   beside the flocks of your friends?
   Friends
 8 If you do not know, most beautiful of women,
   follow the tracks of the sheep
and graze your young goats
   by the tents of the shepherds.
   He
 9 I liken you, my darling, to a mare
   among Pharaoh’s chariot horses.
10 Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings,
   your neck with strings of jewels.
11 We will make you earrings of gold,
   studded with silver.
   She
 12 While the king was at his table,
   my perfume spread its fragrance.
13 My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh
   resting between my breasts.
14 My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms
   from the vineyards of En Gedi.
   He
 15 How beautiful you are, my darling!
   Oh, how beautiful!
   Your eyes are doves.
   She
 16 How handsome you are, my beloved!
   Oh, how charming!
   And our bed is verdant.
   He
 17 The beams of our house are cedars;
   our rafters are firs.

Song of Songs 2

   She[a]
 1 I am a rose[b] of Sharon,
   a lily of the valleys.
   He
 2 Like a lily among thorns
   is my darling among the young women.
   She
 3 Like an apple[c] tree among the trees of the forest
   is my beloved among the young men.
I delight to sit in his shade,
   and his fruit is sweet to my taste.
4 Let him lead me to the banquet hall,
   and let his banner over me be love.
5 Strengthen me with raisins,
   refresh me with apples,
   for I am faint with love.
6 His left arm is under my head,
   and his right arm embraces me.
7 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you
   by the gazelles and by the does of the field:
Do not arouse or awaken love
   until it so desires.
 8 Listen! My beloved!
   Look! Here he comes,
leaping across the mountains,
   bounding over the hills.
9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.
   Look! There he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
   peering through the lattice.
10 My beloved spoke and said to me,
   “Arise, my darling,
   my beautiful one, come with me.
11 See! The winter is past;
   the rains are over and gone.
12 Flowers appear on the earth;
   the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
   is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree forms its early fruit;
   the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
   my beautiful one, come with me.”
   He
 14 My dove in the clefts of the rock,
   in the hiding places on the mountainside,
show me your face,
   let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet,
   and your face is lovely.
15 Catch for us the foxes,
   the little foxes
that ruin the vineyards,
   our vineyards that are in bloom.
   She
 16 My beloved is mine and I am his;
   he browses among the lilies.
17 Until the day breaks
   and the shadows flee,
turn, my beloved,
   and be like a gazelle
or like a young stag
   on the rugged hills.[d]

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Wisdom Wednesday

Today we are embarking upon a three-week study of the Song of Solomon presented to us by Kim Specker. There are a couple different ways to interpret this book of the Bible. We will be doing a study of the "spiritual interpretation" of the Song of Solomon as an example of the intimate love relationship God desires with each of us.

For today's handout on the Song of Solomon from Kim Specker, click HERE.

For a Bible Study to accompany today's talk, click HERE.

Whose Day Tuesday

Name: Constance E.
Family Stats: Mark (husband), Ashley (9), Tristan (7), Tucker (4)
Spiritual Gifts: Word of Knowledge, Creative Communication, Mercy
Spiritual Pathway: Creation and Intellectual
Passions: Reading
Pet Peeves: Interrupting my favorite songs
Secret Shames: Talking without thinking
Books That You Love: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Can’t Live Without: Coffee and books
Favorite Room In Your House: Library
Favorite Tradition: St. Nick’s Day—I’m German so he leaves oranges, nuts and chocolate

Monday, February 6, 2012

Whose Day Tuesday

Whose Day Highlight: Kristin N.
Family Stats: Husband Alec, Kids-Mason-7, Ava-5, Lila-3
Spiritual Gifts: Compassionate, Empathetic, Giver
Spiritual Pathway: Relational
Passions: Working out, reading, spending quality time with my family, nurturing my relationship with God, helping others in the community
Pet Peeves: Selfishness, arrogance
Secret Shames: When I get overwhelmed in life, I lose my focus on faith
Books that you Love: God is for Real, The Help, Look Me in the Eye
Can't Live Without: Relationships, connection with my family and friends
Favorite Room: The Kitchen; it is where we all seem to congregate and connect, talk and share
Favorite Tradition: Newly added for my husband and I to add one night a week to "date" each other

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Memorize-It Monday

New Living Translation 2007 
“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”  I John 4:8



Why this verse?  This verse can be called upon when you begin to experience fear or anxiety.  It turns the mind to think about how much God loves us and gave his son Jesus life for us. We were created by a God of love not a God of punishment.  Sometimes it feels like punishment when life is difficult and hurtful. It is in those times we need to call out to God and pray back the scriptures that direct you to who God really is. 

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Focus Friday

Today, say a prayer for the Orphans at Covenant Children's Homes, India, and all the orphans around the world. Think of one thing you can do to support orphans: attend an adoption class at Heartland; "like" Covenant Children's Homes, India, on Facebook; give of your time, talent or treasure to a ministry that blesses the fatherless.  And today, be intentional about your own family, and give your children your very best.

Doing the Dailies

There’s a phrase I like to use to describe the endless tasks many of us carry out on a daily basis.  It’s called “doing the dailies”.  Friends call just to find out how my day is unfolding and my reply is often, “just doing the dailies”.  They get it. I’m sure you do too.  I don’t have to go into details about my piles of laundry, awaiting dishes, full trash cans, scrub-worthy toilets, bills, paperwork, phone calls, work outs, appointments, meal preparations, etc. for you or them to get what “dailies” I’m referring to.   They’re the seemingly small, repetitive tasks that fill a lifetime.
It’s in these duties that I tend to lose my focus, my center.  My vision blurs among the repeating tasks and my mood swings with the length of my to-do list.  Why is it that I, who should know better, cannot shake the feelings of inadequacy and worthlessness when it comes to conquering the small things, the dailies?  Shouldn’t this be the easy part?  How can someone who has experienced real loss fret over dirty dishes in the sink and wet towels on the floor? God, why can’t I get this right?
Then I am reminded how God views our weaknesses,

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:8-9

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15

It’s not about how I can conquer anything, large or small.  It’s how I can surrender it to the One who already sees my prideful attempts at perfection for what they are, and turn them into righteous acts of gratitude for what He has done for me.  In my weakness His power is made perfect.  Christ’s grace is sufficient.  Even when I...yes. Even where there’s...yes. Even though I can’t...most definitely.

“Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,” 2 Corinthians 3:4-6

God, I feel like a child who can’t grasp the fact that I can’t do everything by myself. My fits aren’t on the floor kicking and screaming but they play out in cutting words, ignored feelings, hurried days, and frustration.  Forgive my pride.  Forgive my arrogance.  Forgive my self-centered approach to the significant tasks that bring peace to my family and me. Come into my mess and teach me how to surrender and turn over every hint of weakness so your strength may abound in me.    I ask all this in the name of your Son, and as your daughter in Christ.  Amen.

Jena Meyerpeter