logos and rhema

At Hope right now, Craig is going through a sermon series based on Hebrews. Last week he was preaching out of Hebrews 4 and talked a lot about the Word of God. A couple things he spoke about really sparked my interest and I thought I would share it with you :)

Logos- Word of God
There are two primary Greek words that describe Scripture which are translated "word" in the New Testament. The first, logos, refers primarily to the total inspired Word of God and to Jesus, who is the living Logos.

Examples of the logos of God:
-John 1:1
-Luke 8:11
-Phil 2:16
-2 Tim 2:15
-Heb 4:12
-1 Peter 1:23

Rhema- the spoken word
The 2nd primary Greek word that describes Scripture is rhema, which refers to a word that is spoken and means "an utterance." A rhema is a verse or portion of Scripture that the Holy Spirit brings to our attention with application to a current situation or need for direction.

-Every Word of God is inspired (2 Tim 3:16). It is the Holy Spirit that illuminates particular Scriptures for application in a daily walk with the Lord.

When God gives us a rhema to act upon, He often confirms it by a 2nd rhema, that "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word [rhema] be established" (2 Cor 13:1)

Examples of rhemas:
-Luke 5:5
-Luke 1:38
-Luke 2:29
-Luke 3:2
-Acts 11:16
-Matt 26:75

How can we get a rhema?
-In the regular course of our daily reading of God's Word (logos), we need to ask God to speak to us through His Word and give us insight into it. The Holy Spirit can cause certain passages to stand out with significant meaning or application for our lives. These are the rhemas of Scripture that should become part of our daily thoughts and actions.

My rhema for today:

"See, I have refined you,
though not as silver;
I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this.
How can I let myself be defamed?
I will not yield my glory to another."
-Isaiah 48:10-11

IT'S ALL FOR HIS GLORY.

I meet weekly with a woman that I admire and love so much and while I was telling her about my week she was telling me how the Lord is refining me and that it is all for His glory. Then I was able to explain to her how I had asked the Lord to give me a rhema that day, and that she had confirmed it by talking about refining. It was so cool! My challenge is that you all could be in God's Word daily, consistently asking the Holy Spirit to reveal something new and personal to you.
On Monday night, Craig and Kathy invited the interns over for dinner and they made us a wonderful dinner of prime rib and baked potatoes and salad and brownies and ice cream for dessert. They had amazing coconut coffee for us too :) It was so much fun! We had a time of worship and then prayed and played games. We have been so blessed by them. I am very thankful for their ministry and the way that they love Jesus and love others.

Risa

catch up

The past three weeks have gone a little something like this:

The Crochet Brigade was created. That involves Christy, Alyssa, and I buying Walmart out of yarn. Gummy worms (they taste amazing when you keep them in the freezer!). Swing dancing class at Hope. Tanning oil. Lots of laughs. Friends Season Three. Helping lead worship on a Friday night. Bought a ticket to Canada for a week to visit Christy and the Rendalls. I've finished 3 books. Talking/connecting in the court yard on Sundays. Maui Lovin' nail polish on my toes. Katherine had a baby! Taylor Anne. She's precious and I wish I could experience more than just the photos.

Movie night at Jake and Toni's. Sabrina. Processing. Sweet trip to town with Jenny to buy 100 dollars worth of neon pool toys for her job. Great talks with my mentor, Jill. Meeting with Joy and chatting on the beach for hours. Learning what a van does when it over heats....3-4 times a day! Eating brazilian coffee candies on the floor of Jake's office whilst soaking up his knowledge. Taking pictures with glow in the dark glasses with Christy. Sneaking the children dept's animal crackers with Lyssa during green time--and inviting Jake to come with us. Only using the second to last stall in the church restrooms. Worship with Jenny in the car on the way from Kahului to Kihei. Verona coffee. Attempting to change the air conditioning filter with Alyssa to no avail. It's tough being a grown up! :) Esther Bible Study is rocking my world.

I've done a lot of dying to myself over the past month. Gal 2:20. I've learned that anytime God calls us to die, His purpose is to reveal larger life. The one who has the mind of Christ doesn't necessarily understand all the mysteries....maturity is the ability to carry the unanswered question in faith, holding to the word by which we live. I'm still floored by the Lord every morning when I open my eyes and realize I'm living on an island. This internship ends in three short weeks. And some of my best friends are leaving. And then I embark on another exciting and growth filled year in a place that I've completely fell in love with.

Psalm 62:7