I wanted to share with you the meaning of Rhema from reading Pastor Yonggi Cho’s book “The Fourth Dimension”. I wouldn’t recommend this entire book unless you can discern as I think only about 90% is accurate. I’m not convinced that his explanation of "Fourth Dimension" is biblical.
Anyway, he shared how 3 Korean girls drowned in the river when they tried to cross a flooded river to get to a youth campaign because they felt that if they had the faith like Peter’s faith who walked on water, they could do it too. Alas, when they attempted to cross, they were immediately swept away by the angry floods and their dead bodies were found 3 days’ later in the open sea.
Ps Yonggi wrote on page 77 “You may listen to the word of God and you may study the bible, but only when the Holy Spirit comes and quickens a scripture or scriptures to your heart, burning them in your soul and letting you know that they apply directly to your specific situation, does logos become rhema.
Logos is given to everybody. …It is given to all so that they may gain knowledge about God; but rhema is not given to everyone. Rhema is given to that specific person who is waiting upon the Lord until the Holy Spirit quickens logos into rhema. If you never have time to wait upon the Lord, then the Lord can never come and quicken the needed scripture to your heart.”
Wow! I never knew this though I heard of the word rhema before. Again, a lot of things just fly over our heads. Maybe I had forgotten. When I asked Tammy for the verses so I can claim God’s promises, she gave me but told me to wait upon the Lord because He will give me His message to me. What I also learned is that along the way, people in tune with the Holy Spirit will give you a word from the bible meant for you from God. Often, they will have to spend time with God before they can give you a word. I also learned that when we receive God’s word and it speaks to us we have to obey it or if it lifts our spirit in difficult situations, we can claim it in Jesus’ name and believe it as received.
Looking back, I know God revealed to me His words Jeremiah 1:4 -8 on the first night at the hospital. I had a choice whether to obey His commandment. I would be a fool to say no. Later, back home, He also impressed very strongly upon me Proverbs 3 and I claim it in Jesus’ name, that when I return to Him, he will prolong my life and he will bring nourishment to my bones.
We can only hear His words specifically for us if we spend time with Him and wait upon Him and wait for the Holy Spirit to quicken the scripture to our hearts. In our fast paced life, that has to be a choice we make. God or facebook. God or pubbing, God or Oprah, God or cooking channel etc.
Tammy mentioned during her visit about how we each have a choice. This is the second time over last week that I have heard this. The first was at the tail end of Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer where the silver surfer told Reed "Mr. Fantastic" Richards “Treasure every moment with her and tell her she is right, we all have a choice”. That first night at the hospital, God revealed to me not to say “I am only a child”. He also said I have to say whatever He has commanded me to say. That was His rhema for me.
Pastor Yonggi Cho continued on page 78:
“The churches we build should be places where people get their solutions from the Lord, receive miracles for their lives, and can gain not just a knowledge about God, but get to know Him in a vital way. In order to do this, the pastor must receive rhema.
Christians should be given time to wait upon the Lord so that the Holy Spirit can have opportunity to deal with their lives and inspire them through the scripture. The holy spirit can take scripture, the “said word” of God and apply it to a person’s heart, making it the “saying word” of God. The logos then becomes rhema. ..
Before the Lord quickens a scripture to an individual, the Lord has many things to do. The Lord wants to cleanse your life and make you surrender to Him. The Lord will never give promises promiscuously. As the Lord deals with you, take time to wait upon Him; confessing your sins, and surrendering your life to Him. When these conditions are met, then the power of God comes. Your heart – like the pool of Bethesda - is troubled by a particular scripture; and you know that its promise is yours, and you have faith to bring about the needed miracle.”
Deuteronomy 30:19-20a
19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years…”
What is your choice? Begin your journey and find your rhema from God and He will bless you in ways beyond imagination. Choose life.
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Sister, you ought to lead Bible-Study. The clarity of thought and simple exposition reminds me of Marvin's writings. I confess to not reading as widely and as often God's Word that I know I should. Some Bible Study leader I am. I see you are reading yet checking if they are indeed in line with God's Word. This is important so that we will not be like the Korean girls who may read scripture out of context and apply literally. Danger of heresy also looms but we trust God to open our eyes and yes it depends on how close we tune to God's promptings and know Him. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteDear Liz and all my brothers and sisters in Christ.
ReplyDeleteTrails are here only to make us stronger and wiser, after when we have acknowledged that God is still on the throne, watching and waiting for us to seek Him and obey His words. Below is a song sung many years ago that still speak to my heart and taught me to be thankful to God for everything that has happened in my life. It is a beautiful song and I know it will minister to many of you who are going thru though times. Take a look at: Thank You Lord for the Trials.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGewnbWryFo
Blessings
Joanne Chee