May I have a WORD with you?

References: 

• Learning to want what God wants can happen through the primary and urgent matter of communicating with God.
  • 1 Timothy 2:1-4 through Supplication, Prayer, Intercession, Thanksgiving
• ἔντευξις (ent'-yook-sis) noun - ἐντυγχάνω (en-toong-khan'-o) verb 
  • Noun 2X - 1 Tim 2:1 & 4:5
    • 1 Tim 4:1-10 - ἔντευξις = prayer in NLT and ESV
    • “It” is made acceptable by
      • The word of God and
      • By intercession
  • Verb 5X - two negatively, three positively
    • Acts 25:24 & Rom 11:2
      • The Jews “interceding” against Paul
      • Elijah “interceding” against Israel
    • Rom 8:27, 34 & Heb 7:25
      • Of the Holy Spirit’s interceding
      • Of Christ’s interceding
• Consider the root of ἐντυγχάνω, τυγχάνω (toong-khan'-o)
  • to hit the mark (of one discharging a javelin or arrow),to reach, fall out, of he who meets one or presents himself unsought
  • I find this helpful when put together with the positive examples of Holy Spirit and Jesus hitting the mark of accord with the heart of the Father in their intercessions
• For our intercessions, we look in. We listen to the voice of God as God reveals to us through the Spirit and the Word, God’s heart for everyone. 
  • Keeping in mind Jer 17:9-10
    • We cannot trust our own heart of flesh/stone in intercession.
    • We must listen, surrender, and allow God to reveal His heart for our hearts, thus for others
  • Psalm 139:23-24 - Know my heart, point out it’s flaws and lead me in Your way.

References: 

• Learning to want what God wants can happen through the primary and urgent matter of communicating with God.
  • 1 Timothy 2:1-4 through Supplication, Prayer, Intercession, Thanksgiving
• Prayer - προσευχή (pros-yoo-khay') noun  & προσεύχομαι (pros-yoo'-khom-ahee) verb is the most common, generic word for prayer. 
  • Consider MSG translation of 1 Tim 2:1 “Pray every way you know how…” 
    • In some NT passages δέησις is used synonomously for prayer.
      • Hebrews 5:7 “Jesus offered up prayers (deēsis) and supplications (hiketēria)...”
    • In others, they are used together in the same passage.
      • Philippians 4:6
      • Ephesians 6:18
  • So, let’s think of some of the generic qualities of prayer.
    • It involves at least two, sometimes more, beings (a human and God)
    • It should be thought of as communication
      • Face to face
      • Look up to look into the face of God
    • It is ideally dialogical (consider example of Bartimaeaus again.
      • His supplication - Lord have mercy.
      • Jesus’ response - what do you want me to do for you?
      • His response - I want to see.
• What part of communication in the form of a dialogue doesn’t fit with your NORMAL experience of prayer? Listening?
  • What if Paul used these two words side by side, in this order, to say “Go ahead, make your prayers! Ask away. But then listen to God’s response.”
    • Think of proseuchē as listening to God, being alert, watchful.
      • Colossians 4:2 “Continue steadfastly in prayer (proseuchē), being watchful (γρηγορέω - grēgoreō) in it (in prayer) with thanksgiving (eucharistia - the 4th of the 4 words Paul uses in 1 Tim 2:1).
      • Revelation 3:2-3 “Wake up (grēgoreō)... Remember, then, what you received and heard. 
    • Listening for God and listening to God are like remaining alert, awake, being watchful, attentive.
  • How do we listen in prayer? Actively, not passively.
    • My experience of being still and knowing that God is God. (see Ps 46:10)
      • Listening by God’s Word
        • To recognize God’s voice (Jn 10:14-16)
        • To meditate (soaking in God’s word shapes us from the inside out)
        • To atune our ears to LISTEN
      • Listening to the Spirit
        • Impressions
        • Thoughts
        • The still small voice (1 Kings 19:12) (The Spirit speaking in my spirit).
      • Listening to God speak through others.
• What are we listening for?
  • For God’s will
    • Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done
    • God’s irrefutable promises
  • For God’s heart
    • What God wants θέλω (thelō), though God won’t deny human will (1 Tim 2:4)
    • What God desires, even in the face of a blind obedience or rigid adherence to the law (Mt 9:9-13)
  • To atune our will and heart to His for the sake of being ready to make intercession for others.
    • Wanting what God wants
    • Look up.

References: 

• Learning to want what God wants can happen through the primary and urgent matter of communicating with God.
  • 1 Timothy 2:1-4 through Supplication, Prayer, Intercession, Thanksgiving
• Matthew 7:7-11 - αἰτέω aiteo - ask
  • Consider Jesus’ illustrations
  • Recall Solomon and Bartemaeus
    • Mark 10:35 - James and John: give us what we want (desire) aiteo
    • John 4:9-10 - Jesus asks aiteo first, then tells the woman that if she only knew, she would be asking aiteo. 
• Supplication (deēsis)
  • For one’s self: (noun only in Luke, verb also in Mt 1x)
    • Mt 9:38 - the one time in a Gospel other than Luke (ask for harvest workers to be sent)
    • Luke 1:13 (Zechariah's specific plea for a son), 2:37 (Anna’s constant and needy petitions), 5:33 (the disciples of John fasted and “prayed” (deēsis)).
    • Luke 8:28 (unclean spirits (Legion) make supplication)
  • For others: we see that prayer for others isn’t always “intercession.”
    • Romans 10:1 (Paul’s desire and (deēsis) for Israel), 
    • 2 Cor 1:11 (the Corinthian community in their (deēsis) for Paul and his coworkers), 
    • 2 Tim 1:3 (Paul thanks God that he remembers Timothy "in my (deēsis) night and day).
• Supplication: a seeking, asking, entreating, of God
  • 1 Timothy 2:1 - δέησις (deēsis): supplication
    • denotes an earnest plea rising from a sense of need.
    • focuses on a specific request placed before God, whether for oneself or for others. The word highlights dependency, urgency and humility.
  • Paul describes supplication as a part of love within the Body for the Body
    • Eph 6:18 (generic prayer & supplication)
    • vs 19-20 (continues the supplication of v 18)
• Supplication as a part of mission.
  • 2 Cor 1:8-11
    • Paul and his companions were facing overwhelming opposition. They were ready to give up, to collapse.
    • But the supplications of God’s people in Corinth sustained.
  • 1 Peter 3:8-12
    • Peter is reminding that God hears the supplications of those who are right with Him
    • This also lead to life that is worth living.
• Look Around. 
  • What issues do you notice 
    • In your life? 
    • In the lives of those close to you? 
    • In the world? 
  • How would you express the desire that God would do something about these issues (wants, needs)? 
  • That expression would be, in terms of prayer, a supplication.
    • God gives permission
    • God encourages our asking
    • God wants to know what is on your heart.

References: 

• The alarming rise in conflict within churches at current events
• The Body of Christ - (Rom 12:5; 1 Cor 10:17, 12:27; Eph 4:12, 5:23; Col 1:24; Heb 13:3)
  • Oneness and Peace in Christ - Eph 2:11-22
    • Enmity - ἔχθρα (ekh'-thrah) vs 15 & 16
    • Carefully joined together - συναρμολογέω (soon-ar-mol-og-eh'-o) (see v 21 in MSG)
  • Ways we fracture the oneness of the Body (see Gal 5:20)
    • Impatience and self-centeredness 
      • Jas 4:1-2 - guarding against (Eph 4:1-3) 
    • Unresolved issues and importing fights from elsewhere
      • Heb 12:14-15
    • Disrespecting church leadership
      • Num 12; 1 Thess 5:12-13; Heb 13:17
  • Seven things God hates: Prov 6:16-19
• Koinonia (κοινωνία) - fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, partnership, intimacy, etc.
  • Acts 2:42 - the four qualities or characteristics of the gathered followers of Christ
  • 1 Jn 1:1-4 - within the community of faith and with God
  • Phil 1:3-11 - sharing in the mission of the Kingdom
  • Col 3:8-17 - represent Christ in all you say and do (while koinonia doesn’t appear in this passage, it shows us the value of this fellowship)

References: 

• John 15:7 - ask whatever you WANT - thelo
  • To will, have in mind, intend, to purpose, to desire, to wish, to take delight in
    • To bring my thelo to the Lord is a form of prayer.
      • So, just ask in prayer for a job paying 7-8-9 figures, for a Lamborghini, for a vacation home at the beach
        • Compare James 4:1-3
        • With James 1:5-8
      •  John 15:7 - If you remain in me and my words remain in you…
    • The “ask” form of prayer is called supplication.
  • Amazingly, God knows that our asks won’t always align with His thelo, but He invites us to ask anyway, because of our dependent relationship.
• What would I ask for?
  • Consider Solomon
    • 1 Kings 3:5- 15a
    • God gave what Solomon asked for AND what he hadn’t asked for (wealth, fame, etc.)
  • Consider Bartemaeus
    • Mark 10:46-52
    • Jesus gave what Bartemaeus asked for AND… a new life, purpose, community?
• What does God want? - 1 Timothy 2:1-4
  • Paul prefaces his statement about what God wants with an urgent call to intimate communication with God that he captures in four words.
    • Supplication (deēsis)
    • Prayer (proseuchē)
    • Intercession (enteuxis)
    • Thanksgiving (eucharistia) 
  • Through these practices of communication with God, we can learn to want what God wants. 
    • Our hearts get conformed to the likeness of Christ’s heart.
    • We come to want all people to be saved and come to understand the truth.

References: 

• 100th Episode - This is a laughing matter.
  • laugh - צָחַק (tsaw-khak'); שָׂחַק (saw-khak')
    • Abraham and Sarah give birth to יִצְחָק (yits-khawk')
    • Psalm 2:1-4 - God laughs at those who plot to get free of God
    • Zechariah and Elizabeth name John (Lk 1:57-66)
      • To me this scene makes me laugh more than any other Bible scene (so Monty Python like)     
• To celebrate a milestone, recalling God’s faithfulness and honoring God’s goodness?
  • Joshua 3-4 - crossing the Jordan and the memorial
    • 4:7 - memorial - זִכָּרוֹן  (zik-rone') 
  • 1 Samuel 7 - Samuel raised an Ebenezer (like a memorial)
    • (which means “the stone of help”), for he said, “Up to this point the Lord has helped us!
    • “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”
      • “Here I raise my Ebenezer;” 
      • “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,”
        • Robert Robinson’s story
• So here is to the next however many episodes.

References: 

• 98 episodes ago - “Remembering to Forget”
  • Revelation 21:1-5
  • Deuteronomy 26:1-11
  • Isaiah 43:14-19
• On the brink of the 100th episode milestone.
  • Spiritual Blessing - Ephesians 1:3-11
    • “Before He made the world…”
      • πρὸ καταβολῆς - “before the foundation…”
    • “bring everything together…”
      • ἀνακεφαλαιόω (an-ak-ef-al-ah'-ee-om-ahee)
        • to sum up (again), to repeat summarily, to condense into a summary
        • can be literally translated as "recapitulate". 
        • Christ "recapitulates"—or sums up—all things in Himself, fulfilling God's plan to bring creation and humanity to unity in Him, rather than being divided by the first Adam's sin.
        • Romans 5:12-17
      • Romans 13:9
• What may God want me to do differently?

References: 

• The significance of the town gate.
  • That justice may be done, though not in an arbitrary way
    • Remember from Ruth: Part 1 - Deut 25:7-10
    • Consider the Magna Carta of 1215 & a jury of peers
  • The family redeemer - rights and responsibilities
    • Rights - v 4: he wants the land
    • Responsibilities - v 6: he doesn’t want the risk of responsibility  -  SO
• “In those days…” (in former times, in the olden times…)
  • The author’s parenthetical explanation of a practice no longer observed.
    • The taking off of the sandal (shoe)
      • Ref. Joshua 1:3 - where you set foot - land
      • A surrendering of rights, rather than a humiliation per Deut 25:10
    • The land and the widow are entrusted to Boaz
• The elders as witnesses - vs 9-11a עֵד (ayd) - witness, testimony
  • Septuagint - μάρτυς (mar'-toos) - see Acts 1:8
  • Job 16:18-22 - a witness in heaven, 19:25-27 (Redeemer)
    • We who are followers of Christ are witnesses to Christ’s Redeeming power
• Blessing: “May…” vs 11, 12, 14, 15
  • … Ruth be fruitful.
  • … Boaz be prosperous.
  • … the Lord’s people be blessed.
  • … Obed become Naomi’s strength and provide for her.

• • •  עוֹבֵד  (o-bade') - Servant - Grandfather of King David

• Transition: from misery to hope (genealogy)

References: 

• We can arrange, but God brings to fruition. 
  • Naomi’s conviction/responsibility
    • Boaz will be winnowing זָרָה (zaw-raw')  … as God winnows the righteous from the unrighteous
      • How do we fair in God’s winnowing process?
      • Boaz was in good spirits, his heart was merry, he felt great. (see Ecc 3:13)
        • v 9 - “spread your wings over your servant.”
          • Recall last episode and 2:12
      • Ruth 3:11 - “a virtuous woman”
        • think of the “Eshet Chayil”, recited before the Shabbat meal on Friday evenings. 
          • (The Chosen)
  • Ruth’s obedience/risk/blessing
    • Ruth’s actions could have soiled her reputation …
      • Humiliation vs. humility
      • Reminded of John 12:1-8; Mt 26:6-13
    • … and Boaz’s reputation (v 14)
      • Boaz generously blesses her and Naomi
• God won’t rest until He has taken care of our redemption!

References: 

• Wisdom: Proverbs 7:4 - מוֹדָע - (mo-dah') - kins-man(woman), relative
  • Boaz - he was prominent, wealthy, powerful: related to Naomi’s deceased husband
  • Ruth works Boaz’s field by “chance?” - וַיִּקֶר מִקְרֶהָ  - (kaw-raw' mik-reh') - unforeseen meeting or event, accident, happening, chance, fortune -  
    • used 10X in OT, 7 in Ecc. ! - Wisdom
    • When God is involved, there is no such thing as “luck” or chance. (see 1 Sam 6:1-18)
•      Ruth trying to survive meets the dignity of gleaning. לָקַט - (law-kat') & Boaz’s example (vs. 8-9, 14-17, 21)
  • Torah background 
    • Lev 19:9-10 - ESV heading - “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
    • Deut 24:19-22 - “for the foreigners, orphans, and widows” and because YOU were a slave in Egypt 
  • For us today
    • Stewardship of our lives
      • Business owners
      • With your stuff
      • Spiritually
    • Beyond “charitable giving.”
      • Rather than a hand out, a hand up
• Blessings - vs 12, 19, 20
  • “under whose wings…” כָּנָף (kaw-nawf') (Mal 4:2; Lk 8:43-48)  
  • “May the Lord bless…” - “he is showing his kindness”
  • “family redeemer” - גָּאַל (gaw-al') - to redeem, act as kinsman-redeemer, avenge, revenge, ransom