A Consuming Fire: Just Come

   So, to start this discussion (further inner reflection) is there anything you want to share from your time of pausing and praying?

If you wish to engage some e-discussion with Pastor Terry, email him at the office, tfnaz1@gmail.com; for those who have his number, feel free to text him as well.

• Is there an area in which you need to focus more on the things of Christ and how do you see that happening, i.e., steps you may need to take, etc.?
• Is there an area where you are weak or “exposed” to the vacillating, even false & misleading, thoughts or temptations of the world and how may you see God helping you live “hidden with Christ in God”?
• Is there an area where you are still in control or have taken back control to live as you want to live but want Christ to be “your life” in this area?

THANK GOD that you have come to Him today! 

He will continue to fulfill His promises to never leave you or forsake you and that when you come to Him, He will give you rest.

  God invites us to come to Him in numerous areas of scripture.  What are some of those scriptures and ways in which God invites us to come to Him:

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  Now, let’s consider God’s invitations to come to Him in Psalm 95.

¹ Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
  let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
² Let us come before Him with thanksgiving
  and extol Him with music and song.

³ For the Lord is the great God,
  the great King above all gods.
⁴ In His Hand are the depths of the earth,
  and the mountain peaks belong to Him.
⁵ The sea is His, for He made it,
  and His Hands formed the dry land.

⁶ Come, let us bow down in worship,
    let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
⁷ for He is our God
    and we are the people of His pasture,
    the flock under His care.

• What do you learn about God in this Psalm? Is there anything new about Him that you may not have known?
• How can God’s invitations, as in Psalm 95, help you rely on, rest in, and live hidden in Christ?

Terry's NOTES: 

  The 3 words for “come” in Psalm 95 are each different words, and actually, in each appearance, “come” is the second word in the verse, placing the emphasis upon how we are to come or to whom we are coming.  Therefore, v. 1 is more properly read in this order:  "Let us sing .. and come/Let us sing as we come".

  In v. 1, “come” is one of the more common verbs in the OT.  It has a wide-scope of meanings but most often appears to be associated with a process, i.e., to come continually or walk (with a derivative meaning traveler, one who journey’s, the activity of walking).  This word can even mean to be conversant with (to approach with conversation).

  This first term can refer to actual motion, as in walking or moving toward but also as life-direction, the inner faith journey, or moral path of obedience.  Relationallly, it is used as walking in covenant with God.  In Psalms, this specific word depicts that life is a procession before & with God such as in covenant and/or relationship.

  In v. 2, “come” is a term of meeting with urgency, anticipating being before another, namely God.  It exudes the action as a priority and that initiative is taken to engage the action, i.e., come (move toward) with intentional eagerness.  This word is by no means a passive coming, like being drug by the heels.

  In a sense, this “come” encourages the one approaching to not wait on Divine Initiative, don’t hasten to meet with God, come/go eagerly with purpose, with priority. Such can only truly be done within the context of relationship as those who know God know that He is ready and willing to accept those who come to Him.

  With the realization that the verb, "come," is secondary in the sentence structure, verse 2 more properly reads as "His Presence, let us eagerly come before Him, with psalms with thanksgiving, shouting joyfully."

  The third “come” in v. 3 is even more common than the word used in v. 1; this third word appears 1000 times more than the first one.    This "come" word can mean “to go or come” in a wide variety of occurences, usually expressing movement toward a goal or an aim … “to come, to go, to enter, to bring, to be brought."

  The first use of this word is found in Genesis 2:19 when God “brought” all of the animals to Adam to be named, giving him a relational task.  One scholar writes that this usage sets a pattern that God initiates movement toward fellowship and stewardship, adding that “Throughout Scripture, divine action often frames human action; the Creator 'brings' and humanity responds."  In our Psalm, could it be that God saves, God reveals His Glory and we respond by bowing down to worship, etc.?

  In Psalms and, particularly, in our psalm, this third "come" is clearly a call to worship, an activity based on relationship.

  This word also carries a sense of “going in” or “coming in”.  Though the nuance may be small/slight, this connotation is the foundation upon which this word can be translated as “abide.” … It is not just a movement of “showing up” somewhere or “making an appearance” before someone but is rather one  of “entering into” relationship with who is approached, namely God.  This understanding is foundational as one author writes: “... the verb consistently unites divine initiative with human response, redemption with obligation, judgment with hope. It frames the biblical account as a movement from Eden lost to Zion restored, culminating in the eternal dwelling of God with His People." That is … ABIDING … ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP!