Tuesday Morning Bible Study

I know I have mentioned before that I love my Tuesday morning Bible study group. I love sitting around the table with this group of ladies and opening God’s word and discussing the study we did over the week before. This week we got to dig in to Chapter One of “Hoping for Something Better,” exploring Hebrews 1:1- 2:4. Have I told you before that I really love the book of Hebrews? I do. I love how rich it is, how as we dig in we get to see that Jesus really is so much better than anyone or anything else.

God is, and He is not silent. He has spoken formerly through the prophets and in these last days He has spoken through His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. From the pictures of the Old Testament to the fulfillment in the New, what a blessing it is to open and read and heed His Word. What a blessing it is to be able to share together with like-minded women who love Jesus and who are willing to journey together as we seek to know Him and love Him more, to feed on His Word together. We had a wonderful discussion yesterday, and I am looking forward to the weeks ahead.

Last week we got to be reminded that God has broken the silence and spoken to us. And we talked some yesterday about how careful we need to be about experience-oriented faith and about not being too hasty to say “God told me....” without running everything, EVERYTHING, through the grid of His word. We talked about how so much of what is on Christian television is something to be very, very wary about. We talked about how much damage the ‘Prosperity Gospel’ is doing as people are sucked into its false teaching. You see, God has spoken to us...in His word and through His Son. We are to hear HIM. It isn’t about a feeling or experience, it is about faith in His revealed Word. It is about getting to know Jesus, the real Jesus, not what we think He is, or what we have become so comfortable with thinking about Him that we have begun to devalue His awesome majesty, but to really know Him.

And we can. Know Him. Jesus is the exact representation of God. He is the beloved Son. He is the appointed heir of all things. Meaning He can do just what He promised He will do because it is all His. He is the universe maker. He IS the radiant glory of God. Hallelujah! He is the powerful sustainer of all that is - and He will complete the work He has begun in those who have placed their hope and trust and faith in Him alone. He is the sin purifier. He is the seated Ruler...seated because His work is finished, and He ever intercedes for His own. He is the angels’ authority....have you ever noticed today how people love to talk about angels, but get really weird when you want to talk about Jesus and insist that He is the only way to God? People want spirituality and they like the idea of a guardian angel, but they want no demands made upon them. They want spirituality without Jesus. Problem is, that is not the truth. And Jesus is the enemy defeater. He is the One before whom every knee will bow.

I was thinking after this past week’s study about a sermon I heard once talking about how people talk about “God-to-me.” They say things like, “God to me is....” and they describe what a god in their image is like. They say things like, “My god would never....” Problem is, that’s an idol. Why settle for a weak and powerless “god-to-me” when we have been given the express image of God. Jesus came in the flesh to redeem us to Himself. We do not have to flounder around trying to define God or dictate what we think He should be like. How dare we? He has graciously given us Himself! How dare we neglect so great a salvation by settling for an idol of our own making? And knowing this, we must pay careful heed that we do not drift away. How I want to be about the business of heeding His word, and knowing Him and loving Him and living the life He has called me to live. May I be found faithful.

How good it is to read and study God’s word together and to talk about Jesus with other women who love Him and who also want to live a life that honors Him.