Lisa notes

Praise God for his jealousy?

By LisaNotes October 13, 2015 Knowing God, Knowing God_J.I.Packer 16 Comments

“He is jealous for me
Loves like a hurricane, and I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy”

– “How He Loves” by David Crowder Band

Have you been accused of jealousy? Or accused someone else of it?

Is jealousy a good or bad trait?

In humans, I think of it negatively. But we’re to praise it in God?

The Bible is full with statements about God’s jealousy (including Numbers 25:11, Joshua 24:19, Zephaniah 1:18, Psalm 78:58). J. I. Packer hits it hard in chapter 17, “The Jealous God,” of Knowing God.

“How can jealousy be a virtue in God when it is a vice in men? God’s perfections are matter for praise; but how can we praise God for being jealous?”

Here’s how we praise God for his jealousy, according to Packer.

1. Statements about God’s jealousy are anthropomorphisms.

It’s language in terms of men, for our own understanding. But these anthropomorphisms aren’t limited by men.

“The human qualities which show the corrupting effect of sin have no counterpart in God. . . . God’s jealousy is not a compound of frustration, envy, and spite, as human jealousy so often is, but appears instead as a (literally) praiseworthy zeal to preserve something supremely precious.”

2.  There are two kinds of jealousy among men, but only one is bad.

We’re familiar with the bad kind, hating someone for having something we want.

But Packer suggests there is a good jealousy—“zeal to protect a love-relationship, or to avenge it when broken.” He says that the jealousy we feel in a husband-wife relationship brings a “proper zeal to keep it intact.”

He says this is the kind of jealousy that God has for his people, a covenant love. It carries with it “a demand for unqualified love and loyalty.”

Spiritual adultery on our part provokes jealousy on God’s part.

Packer concludes that this jealousy drives us to be more zealous for God.

  • We respond to God’s love for us by loving him in return.
  • His concern for us leads to our concern for him.
  • His jealousy for us provokes us to keep him as our one thing, too.

Peace-of-God-J.I.Packer

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What do you think about God being jealous? Please share in the comments.

This is Week 9 of reading Knowing God together with Tim Challies.

Knowing-God-Packer-summary

Previous chapters:

Next week:

  • Chapter 19 and 20, “Sons of God” and “Thou Our Guide”

Day 13: Research the text {Tools for memorizing}

By LisaNotes October 13, 2015 31 Days Memorize Bible Chapter 4 Comments

TO MEMORIZE

Repeat 3-5 times, twice a day.

2  “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
3  With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 12:2-3 (ESV)

Practice using 1st letters, twice a day.

2  “B, G i m s; I w t, a w n b a; f t L G i m s a m s, a h h b m s.”
3  W j y w d w f t w o s.

TO REVIEW

1  You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.”
Isaiah 12:1 (ESV)

1  Y w s i t d: “I w g t t y, O L, f t y w a w m, y a t a, t y m c m.”

TO DO

1. Add in this week’s 1st letters.

Once in the morning and once in the afternoon, I use 1st letters to recite all the verses we’ve learned so far (Isaiah 12:1-3). See 1st letter cards here and 1st letter one-page here.

2. Add newest verses to Bible Memory (previously known as Scripture Typer).

Begin today with the Type It step for Isaiah 12:2-3.

Later in the week when you Memorize It, then Master It, try this option:
“Review all verses combined together” for a total review once a day.

3. Get background information on the new verses.

Blue Letter Bible offers a very readable (and quick) online study guide here from David Guzik. Add any interesting findings in your journal.

This was interesting to me from Isaiah 12:2-3:

Three different words for God’s name in Isaiah 12:2 . . .
God – el; LORD GOD – yah yahweh. (Remember there are no capital letters in Hebrew language)
Possible typo for “LORD GOD” or possibly intentional for added emphasis. (Quite contrary views among the scholars.)

David-Guzik-Study-Guide-Isaiah-12

TODAY’S TIP

* Turn off the punctuation.

Did you know you don’t have to type in punctuation if you’d rather skip it on Bible Memory?  Once you have your verse up, click on “Typing Options” and choose which you prefer. (I prefer not typing it.)

Punctuation:

Force me to type it, or
Keep going if I miss it.

no punctuation scripture typer

FINAL WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Some days you’ll think you have no time to spend on scripture memory. On those days, do the bare minimum: look at the 1st letters and see if you can say all the verses you’ve learned so far. Even with a 30-verse chapter, you can usually say the whole thing in less than 5 minutes.

With three verses so far in Isaiah 12, we can say all three verses in less than 30 seconds. 30 seconds! Even on our busiest days we have 30 seconds to spare.

LINKS

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Are you adding in new verses this week? Please share in the comments.

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Day 12: Add more words in your heart {Tools for memorizing}

By LisaNotes October 12, 2015 31 Days Memorize Bible Chapter 14 Comments

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Today we add Isaiah 12:2-3. 

TO MEMORIZE

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 12:2-3 (ESV)

TO REVIEW

You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.”
Isaiah 12:1 (ESV)

TO DO

1. Review Isaiah 12:1, twice each day.
Say Isaiah 12:2-3, three to five times, twice each day.

Strategically place your 3×5 cards for Isaiah 12:2-3 where you will see them often this week.

You can add a couple new phrases per day, or learn both new verses together at once. Don’t worry if they don’t stick for a few days. That’s normal.

2. Look up root words for your new verses.

It doesn’t have to take long. But look closely at each word in your new verses, writing down anything unusual that stands out to you. Use e-Sword. Or scroll and click over each word in Isaiah 12:2-3 online at StudyLight, (even though it’s in a different translation than we’re memorizing).

A few words of interest to me from Isaiah 12:2-3 . . .

  • “Behold” = hinneh (H2009) = See!
  • “God” = el (H410) = god; mighty one; strength, power
  • “salvation” = yeshuah (H3444) = safety, deliverance, from H3467, to be open, wide, or free; to be safe
  • “trust” = batach (H982) = to hie for refuge; be confident
  • “wells” = mayan (H4599) = fountain, source, spring

3. Download desktop wallpaper

Isaiah 12:2

Isaiah-12-2-wallpaper

[click here then download]

Isaiah 12:3

Isaiah-12-3-wallpaper

[click here then download]

TODAY’S TIPS

* Learn verse numbers, too?

Should you bother learning the verse numbers as well as the chapter number? It depends. With as few as 6 verses, I will also memorize the numbers. It does help me keep track where I am.

But with longer chapters, sometimes it gets too overwhelming. Experiment to see what works best for you.

* Scripture Stickies

Another way to keep your memory verses in front of you is to order a set of sticky notes. Scripture Stickies are Post-It notes with memory verses (use their sets or order a custom set). I’ve used them a few times and loved being able to stick them around the house in different places, and then remove and stick them somewhere else.

FINAL WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Remember you’re not just learning words; you’re learning God. He’s sending you truths that are important about him and about you. These two new verses (one long, one short) are packed with this truth: because God is strong, you can be free, confident and joyful.

As you add new words this week, release them often into your spirit, not just into your head. 

LINKS

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Do you typically remember the “address” of your memory verses or not? Please share in the comments.

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Day 11: Pray through it {Tools for memorizing}

By LisaNotes October 11, 2015 31 Days Memorize Bible Chapter 10 Comments

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TO DO

* Pray the chapter.
Use Sunday as breathing space to sit with the words in being, not doing.

Tomorrow we’ll add Isaiah 12:2-3. But not today.

Isaiah 12 (ESV)

1  You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.

2  “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”

3  With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

4  And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.

5  “Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.

6  Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

TODAY’S TIP

* Say it often in your head.

When I wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep, I often go through my memory verses. I may not get the words exactly right, but that’s okay; the meaning is there. It’s relaxing and focuses my thoughts on God.

FINAL WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Meditating on God’s truths aren’t guaranteed to bring you a feeling of rest or peace. Emotions and thoughts are fickle. They sometimes refuse to budge.

But you don’t have to stay stuck in chaos. Let feelings come and go. Instead, prioritize the love of God that you carry deep inside. Your emotions and thoughts will realign again in time with what you know to be true. Rehearsing scripture in your mind is one effective way to do that.

LINKS and Week-in-Review

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Has your memory verse begun popping into your thoughts throughout the day or night? Please share in the comments.

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Day 10: Recite it {Tools for memorizing}

By LisaNotes October 10, 2015 31 Days Memorize Bible Chapter 6 Comments

You made it through week 1!

TO MEMORIZE

You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.”
Isaiah 12:1 (ESV)

TO DO

1. Recite your verse to someone else.

Aloud. Let them know you’ve been memorizing this scripture and you need to practice it in front of another human being. They’ll be gracious with your mishaps.

This always helps me see my weak spots because I may *think* I have a verse down pat, but as soon as I try to say it to someone else, I find areas I still stumble. And that’s okay.

A few years ago I volunteered my family to memorize John 1:1-14 together. We did a blog post and video afterwards, attempting to recite it. You can see that perfection wasn’t our goal either.

[click here if you can’t see the video]

2. Prepare for next week’s verses.

Use the weekend as your prep days for the upcoming new verses. If you’re memorizing Isaiah 12, that means cut out your cards for Isaiah 12:2-3. (.) Perhaps go ahead and find a place to set them where you’ll see them.

I get my first letters ready too. I put the new letters in my daily digital calendar so every morning I’m reminded to say them once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

TODAY’S TIP

* Make the weekend easy.

You’ve worked hard this week. We’ve looked at lots of methods and new tools and resources. Plus, we’ve begun memorizing our first verse together. Let that be enough. Don’t cram on Saturday to make up for what you didn’t get accomplished during the week. You have permission to let it go. There’s no pop quiz on Monday.

FINAL WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Don’t fret if you can’t recite this week’s verse perfectly. Even if you can’t say any of it from memory, it’s okay. Truly. Perfectionism isn’t your friend with scripture memory. It’s a stumbling block. It’s what keeps people stuck until eventually they give up.

And you don’t want to give up. We have 20 days left. If you keep going, even if you think you’re not making progress, you’ll be surprised at the end of the month that you will have learned more than you realize.

LINKS

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How did you do with week 1? Learn some new things? Are you able to say Isaiah 12:1 (or whatever verse from the chapter you’ve chosen)? Please share in the comments.

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Day 9: Share it with others {Tools for memorizing}

By LisaNotes October 9, 2015 31 Days Memorize Bible Chapter 3 Comments

Isaiah-12-1

TO MEMORIZE

Repeat 3-5 times, twice a day.

You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.”
Isaiah 12:1 (ESV)

Say your verse looking only at 1st letters, twice a day.

Y w s i t d: “I w g t t y, O L, f t y w a w m, y a t a, t y m c m.”
Isaiah 12:1 (ESV)

TO DO

1. Share it.

The words you’re learning aren’t just for you. Let them minister to others as well. When something is on your mind this much, be aware of opportunities God gives you to spread it around.

How? Here are a few ways. 

  • In personal conversation. Directly or indirectly, share with someone in conversation the lessons you’re learning from your verse.
  • In prayer. When you’re praying with or for your loved ones and community, scripture is a great way to speak truth over their lives and situations.
  • On social media. Post an Instagram photo of your verse. Start a Pinterest board. Write about it on your blog. Send out a tweet. Make a Facebook status about it.

2. Practice in Scripture Typer.

Friday is usually the last day of the week that I use Scripture Typer (I take the weekends off). Give your best today on the Memorize It step.

TODAY’S TIP

* Be creative.

Actively seek to express the message of your verse in ways other than just words. God is the master of Creativity, so let God work through you outside the box.

  • If you’re a photographer, look for photo opportunities through the week that remind you of the verse.
  • If you’re a musician, create a song expressing the intent of the message.
  • If you love to decorate, organize a corner of a room as a place to meditate on God and set up items that remind you of God’s presence.

FINAL WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT

None of the time you spend in the spiritual discipline of scripture memory will be wasted. Maybe you won’t see the fruit of it in “exact recitations,” but that’s not the goal anyway. God is embedding truth in you in ways that may or may not be visible to you now, or maybe not for years to come. That’s okay.

But trust that God is at work. And that God’s work is always effective, always good, always loving.

LINKS

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What are some ways you like to share scripture with others? Please share in the comments.

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