F a c e to F a c e. with. Miriam. Her Story

Transcription

1 F a c e to F a c e with Miriam First Day Her Story But all of us who are Christians have no veils on our faces, but reflect like mirrors the glory of the Lord. We are transformed in ever-increasing splendor into His own image, and this is the work of the Lord who is the Spirit. (II Corinthians 3:18 PHILLIPS) Miriam was born into the priestly tribe of Levi, the eldest child of godly parents. As sister of Aaron, the first high priest of Israel, and Moses, Israel s most famous leader, Miriam was a woman of prominence and leadership. We see her first as a helpful and very clever child, next as a commanding and influential leader, and finally as a discontented older woman. Miriam is another example of the heroes and heroines of the Bible failing as they enter into middle and old age. We should see this as a warning in our own walk with God to be ever on the alert and keep short accounts with Him always. Remember the word: an unguarded strength is a double weakness. We will begin today by looking at what Scripture tells us about Miriam. This is her story. Read the following verses and, in a few sentences, summarize the events described there: Exodus 2:1-10 Exodus 15:20-21 Numbers 12:1-15 1

2 What was Miriam s affliction? What was her blessing? What did she learn? Second Day Her Manner Who is She? Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to selfcontrol perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. (II Peter 1:5-7) Miriam s name means bitterness. Today we will be looking at the character of Miriam. Consider the Scripture you have read on Miriam s life and use the following words to describe her: o Her strength o Her weakness o Her influence o Her ambition What do you learn from Miriam s character in her younger days as a child? What do you learn from Miriam s character as leader of women? Miriam s life began so well, only to end so sadly. The spirit of discontentment crept in and put an end to her ability to lead and influence others in a godly manner. In fact, Miriam became one who sowed discord. 2

3 In what way does Miriam s fall from grace warn you in your own walk with the Lord? What kinds of character decisions might you make today to be sure not to follow in her steps? Third Day Her Hope And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord. (Luke 1:45 NASB) Today we will focus in on Miriam s hope. From what you have studied about her this week: What was her need? What was her hope? What was God s promise? After sinning against Moses, Miriam s immediate need may have been the healing of her leprosy, but her greater need was the healing of her heart. Removing Miriam from the camp for 7 days gave an opportunity for that to take place. How many times had Miriam sinned in a similar way? How many times had God warned her of the consequences of this sin in smaller ways that she had not heeded? I Corinthians 11:31 says, For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. What does it mean to judge ourselves? o Consider the difference it would have made if Miriam had judged her own sin. o What difference might it make in your life if you judged your own sin? 3

4 Look up the following verses and share what they teach us: o Romans 2:4b o Hebrews 12:6 o II Corinthians 7:10a Do you think Miriam liked having a critical spirit? Do you? Share the struggles Miriam may have had with this fault in her life. o How did God s reaction to this sin of Miriam show how He felt about her? o Have you ever experienced the chastisement of God for your sin? What does this teach you about His feeling toward you? (See also Hebrews 12:8.) We know that God was angry at the sin of Miriam and Aaron; His Word says so. But we also know that He loved Miriam. He knew her great need and in His chastisement of her sin, He was doing a work in her heart. It seems probable that Miriam never sinned in this way again and that there was a new freedom in her life after this experience. We might say this was a case in which God took what Satan meant for evil and used it for good! Is there a sin that has become a stronghold in your life? Are you ready to judge yourself for this sin so that God doesn t have to? Take a moment right now, get on your knees and: o Admit your sin to God (confession). o Tell God that you are willing to change in this area (repentance). o Ask God to do whatever it takes to bring you freedom from that sin (surrender). Record the date that you made this transaction with God and if (when) the enemy comes to tempt you (which he will!) return to this place and remember that you have asked God to help you here and look for Him to do it! Expect His help and cooperate with Him! Memory Verse: David s testimony is this: In the day when I called, You answered me; and You strengthened me with strength (might and inflexibility to temptation) in my inner self Psalm 138:3 AMPLIFIED. This is our memory verse this week begin memorizing it today! 4

5 Fourth Day Her Gifts Do you have aspirations for leadership? Do you perhaps long to see women come to maturity and find their place in the body of Christ? Or, maybe you simply want to exert the proper influence in your home as mother, raising and releasing well-rounded children into society. Paul stated that to aspire to leadership is an honorable ambition (I Timothy 3:1 NEB); but looking at Miriam s position, privilege, and then her downfall gives us a sobering reminder that with leadership (influence) comes great responsibility. Whether in the privacy of the home or publicly in the community, a woman s voice can be heard and her influence felt far beyond her immediate circle. Each of us has a sphere of influence that allows us to touch and impact the lives of those around us, both now and for eternity! Take a moment to mentally survey your sphere of influence. Think about where God has you right now. Write down where you have contact with other people, i.e., home, family, job, Bible study, school, etc. How many different groups of people would you say you interact with on a regular basis? Studies have shown that the average man or woman will influence approximately 10,000 other people in his or her lifetime. That amounts to a great deal of influence! Think about it: the potential for impacting others for good (or bad) is tremendous! Miriam was a woman without a husband or children, who was devoted to God in her heart, and to her two brothers, Moses and Aaron, in her service. Her life was spent assisting them in leading the over two million people of the Jewish nation out of the oppression in Egypt and into the freedom in God. All the women went out after [Miriam]. Exodus 15:20 There was no getting around it Miriam was a leader! It doesn t appear that she asked for the position or that she even wanted it, but rather that it was a calling placed upon her by God. What we can learn from her example is that she was not only capable of leading the nation of Israeli women in praise to God, she also lead them in the complaint department and paid dearly for it. She teaches us to value the calling of leadership and, at the same time, exercise caution in using our influence for godliness! If your heart s desire is to be a leader, the following facts will give you a few things to think about. 5

6 Miriam was a follower The old saying that a good leader is first a good follower is quite true. You can t take anyone farther than you have gone yourself. It is in being a good student in the school of obedience that one learns the discipline and qualities necessary to lead others. Leaders aren t born, they are made developed in the process of following. Please share your thoughts. o Are you disciplined in your daily devotional habits? o Are you able to submit to the authority of those over you in leadership? o Are you willing to be accountable to them for your words and actions? Miriam was a pray-er Praying for others to realize their full potential in Christ is a pre-requisite for leadership. It is one of the great responsibilities that accompany the call. If you have responded to God s call to be a leader you will accept the mantle of prayer, which brings along with it the power and enabling of the Holy Spirit. o Do you have a heart to pray for God s best in the lives of others? o Do you believe it is possible to move others through prayer? o Have you allotted time daily to intercede for others? o Are you keeping a prayer journal to record your requests and God s answers? Miriam was a mover Miriam didn t sit idly by and wait for someone else to take the initiative. Inspired by God s miraculous intervention at the Red Sea, she took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and dances (Exodus 15:20). o Are you willing to be courageous and step out on God s behalf? o Are you willing to take a risk and move into the spotlight if He asks you to? o What leadership qualities do you currently exhibit? o What areas do you still need to work on before you can be effective in influencing others for good? As God s children, each of us is obligated to make the most of our lives, to develop to the maximum our given talents and abilities. Some of us have been called to leadership, some have not, but all of us will influence others by the words we choose and the actions we take. May our impact be one that pleases and glorifies the one whose name we bear! 6

7 Fifth Day Her Legacy For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. (Romans 15:4) How will you be remembered? How would you like to be remembered? What will you leave behind of benefit for others? What you do and say today will leave imprints for others to view tomorrow. Taking a closer look o What impression did Miriam leave with you this week? o How might her example impact women in today s world? Taking a personal look. o What did you learn this week about the gift of leadership and its operation in the body of Christ? o What did Miriam s story reveal to you about your own example to your fellow believers? Passing it on. o What lesson from Miriam s life do you consider worth passing on to someone else? 7

8 Sixth Day Your Prayer Each day this week you have examined up close face to face a woman of the Bible: her story and manner; her promise and hope; her gifts and legacy. Throughout the process, as you learned about her, you also learned about yourself. Now the focus shifts to Your Prayer. Each week during your group time you will have the opportunity to pray in agreement with the other ladies for the things you write down on this personalized page. Keep an updated account in the Praise list each week as God answers your petitions. This year let s come boldly to His throne and learn to pray the BIG PRAYER with expectancy! The only prerequisite for such boldness is being humble and real in His presence. Prayer: Prayer: Write out your prayer for each of the following I praise God for (an aspect of His marvelous character) I confess to God I thank God for I ask God for Promise: Promise: Write out this week s promise in the space provided and learn to pray this promise from Scripture. Praise: Praise: If God has answered a prayer request for you this week or fulfilled a desire of your heart, please write it out and date it as a stone of remembrance. 8

9 Notes 2001 Janis Vance and Linda Osborne, Harvest Women's Bible Fellowship, 6115 Arlington, Riverside, CA

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