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Screenshot Day 2 From Religion To Relationship: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out From Religion To Relationship!

The Questions

1) Who is the speaker in this passage and what is the context?

2) Wasn’t the Lord the one to institute the sacrifices and offerings? Did He get bored with them and change His mind?

3) What is the heart behind this heart cry from the Sovereign Lord?

4) What is the promise in this passage?

Isaiah 1:11-20

“What are all your sacrifices to me?”
asks the Lord.
“I have had enough of burnt offerings and rams
and the fat of well-fed cattle;
I have no desire for the blood of bulls,
lambs, or male goats.
12 When you come to appear before me,
who requires this from you—
this trampling of my courts?
13 Stop bringing useless offerings.
Your incense is detestable to me.
New Moons and Sabbaths,
and the calling of solemn assemblies—
I cannot stand iniquity with a festival.
14 I hate your New Moons and prescribed festivals.
They have become a burden to me;
I am tired of putting up with them.
15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will refuse to look at you;
even if you offer countless prayers,
I will not listen.
Your hands are covered with blood.

16 “Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves.
Remove your evil deeds from my sight.
Stop doing evil.
17 Learn to do what is good.
Pursue justice.
Correct the oppressor.
Defend the rights of the fatherless.
Plead the widow’s cause.

18 “Come, let us settle this,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are scarlet,
they will be as white as snow;
though they are crimson red,
they will be like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the good things of the land.
20 But if you refuse and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Original Intent

1) Who is the speaker in this passage and what is the context?
In verse 11, the inquiry is from “the Lord”. In verse 10 above it, the audience is instructed to “hear the word of the Lord.” Going all the way to the beginning of the chapter (and the book of Isaiah), we gain a broader perspective and understand that what follows is the description of a vision given by Yahweh, the One True God, to Isaiah, son of Amoz. Later in chapter 6, we read of Isaiah’s commissioning by Yahweh to be His prophet to His people, wayward as they were. Isaiah’s audience is the Jewish people, God’s chosen ones, set apart from other nations in order to display God’s glory and draw others to Himself, but they were failing miserably in this high calling. They turned away, chasing other gods, inflating themselves, and breaking the heart of God, their One True Love.

2) Wasn’t the Lord the one to institute the sacrifices and offerings? Did He get bored with them and change His mind?
Yes, the laws listed here, both the general and the specific, were all originally instituted from Yahweh Himself. He first gave the law to Moses at Mt. Sinai when the Israelites were being led through the Wilderness towards the Promised Land. (Exodus 19-24) The Lord’s language here is intense, intentional, and weighed down with thick emotion. He says the people have “trampled my courts” and made “vain offerings”. The Lord says of Himself that He “cannot endure iniquity”, His “soul hates” the festivals and offerings, that they have become a “burden” to Him and He is “weary” of bearing them. It is not the laws itself that have suddenly become cumbersome and draining to the Lord, for these were never the end goal, rather they were simply the means He had designed for His people to draw near to Him. The Lord brings piercing clarity in verses 15-16 as to the reason behind His heavy heartbreak with phrases like, “your hands are full of blood”, “remove the evil of your deeds”, and “cease to do evil”. Even in the Old Testament, it was never about following long lists of rules, it has always been about pursuing a vibrant, deep, intimate relationship!

3) What is the heart behind this heart cry from the Sovereign Lord?
In a word? Redemption! The reason Yahweh called Isaiah to be His prophet in the first place is because His people do “not know” and “do not understand” His perfect design for them to be in relationship with them. They are a “sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity” who have “forsaken the Lord” and “despised the Holy One of Israel”. (Isaiah 1:3-4) God’s father heart wants His beloved children back (Isaiah 1:2), so it is to this end that He calls them to return to Him and leave their sinful ways behind them. (Isaiah 1:17)

4) What is the promise in this passage?
Life! The promise of fullness, of abundance, and blessing comes as a result of a choice given by the Lord at the end of the passage. “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat of the good of the land”, speaks of much more than just full bellies. These words are steeped in ancient promises dating back to when the Hebrew people, having been freed from slavery in Egypt, were led through the Wilderness to gain access to the Promised Land. Wrapped up in this phrase in Isaiah is the idea of rich inheritance, completely undeserved. When the Hebrews took possession of Canaan, the Promised Land, they were given “a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.” They had done nothing to deserve the wealth of the land, the work had already been done for them; Yahweh simply gave it to them because they were His children. In Isaiah, the Lord hearkens back to this old promise, reminding the Jews that abundant life can still be theirs. The rich inheritance is still available. They don’t need to continue in their sin and empty religion, because real relationship is waiting on the other side of genuine confession of sin! (Isaiah 1:18)

Everyday Application

1) Who is the speaker in this passage and what is the context?
Sometimes reading the Old Testament seems so far removed from us with its impressive visions and direct, verbalizations from God, we wonder if it has anything to do with our “right now”. Nothing the Lord did was done in a vacuum, and neither was it recorded and preserved for centuries just to bore us later in the reading of it. When we understand the original context, we can make good application to today. God chose an ordinary man, Isaiah, to be His mouthpiece to His people. Through Isaiah, God verbalized His great love for them, and desire to be in perfect relationship with them. Today, we don’t need visions, booming voices from above, or signs in the sky to show us what God wants for us. His heart desires are all found in Scripture, which He has faithfully preserved through persecution and thousands of years. Additionally, He has given us His Holy Spirit to live right inside of every believer to guide and teach us! (John 14:16-17)

2) Wasn’t the Lord the one to institute the sacrifices and offerings? Did He get bored with them and change His mind?
When we read the seemingly endless rules in the Bible, especially the ones in the Old Testament that seem to make no sense to our modern understanding, remember that it the Lord God has never been random or reckless, but always intentional. There was a specific purpose and meaning behind every instruction that was intended to bring life to His people, glory to God, and a deeper relationship between them. Again, it was never about adherence to the rule, as this passage makes clear, the distinct purpose has always been to remove the sin that stands between us and the Most Holy God so that we might enjoy sweet fellowship with Him! Whether it’s Old Testament law or modern-day church traditions, God’s heart has not changed. The precious treasure is not found in the “doing”, but in the “being” with Him.

3) What is the heart behind this heart cry from the Sovereign Lord?
God’s desire for you and me, your neighbor, and mine, the driver in the lane next to yours, and the mama in line behind me in the grocery is exactly the same as it was for the Jewish people of centuries long since passed. Redemption! This God who set time in motion, crafted our bodies from the dust of the earth, breathed His breath into our lungs, and created us for intentional purpose is the same God whose Father heart longs for our return. We have loved our sin, we have become enamored with ourselves, and in the doing, we have become enemies of Him. (Romans 5:10) We have traded worship to God for worship of ourselves, and it has utterly ruined us, rendering us forever separated from the Holy, Righteous God. (Romans 1:25) But God offers redemption, full and complete and eternal! (Romans 3:23-24) Where our sin cut us off from Him, He sent Jesus to take that “cut off” punishment for us, so that where we were once far, can now be drawn near. (Ephesians 2:13) We could never “make ourselves clean” or fully “cease from evil”, but Jesus did it for us. In exchange, He lavishly gave His righteousness to us, removing all sin, and presenting us blameless before God! Is this how you stand before the Almighty Yahweh?

4) What is the promise in this passage?
Deep, meaningful, relationally satisfying life was held out to the Jewish nation by the Lord God, and He offers the same to us. Escape empty religious rituals, become dead to performance driven acceptance, and become alive to a relationship hemmed in by love, grace, and boundless mercy. Walk into an inheritance your hands did not earn, your ingenuity did not attain, and your body did not produce. Walk into the Life Jesus offers. Worried about those test results? His life is eternal, His peace is real. Caught up in the too-tight-tension of marital conflict? His ways are good, the relationship He offers to you will always satisfy if you allow Him full reign. Overwhelmed? Anxious? Carrying shame? The inheritance of Christ, one you could not create or earn, is yours, full, complete, and eternal through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ! Like the Lord’s invitation in this passage, the pathway to true, free relationship, is through the confession of our sin to a Holy God. What is your confession, Sister? His life is waiting for you!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with From Religion To Relationship!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Screenshot Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Sketched IV Day 7 Samson: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Samson!

The Questions

1) What is the “therefore” referring to?

2) What was the “thorn” in Paul’s flesh?

3) How is it possible to take pleasure in weakness, insult, hardship, persecution, and difficulty?

2 Corinthians 12:7b-10

…Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. 8 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.”

Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. 10 So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Original Intent

1) What is the “therefore” referring to?
One of the biggest clues for studying Scripture well is wrapped up in this word: therefore. When reading, always look back to see what the author is referencing, literally asking what is “therefore” “there” “for”? When we look back a few verses, we read a potentially confusing text about Paul, who he refers to as “a man” in the 3rd person. Scholars generally agree that this “man” was indeed Paul himself, but downplayed it because the whole paragraph emphasized Paul’s own weakness, not his greatness. “The man” was caught up in a vision from the Lord and was blessed “to see and hear” things too wonderful to even express. Paul was literally beyond-words-speechless at the breathtaking majesty of the vision he received. He used this glorious experience to point out that no matter what wonderful things he had seen or what glories he knew, he still had zero reason to boast about Himself. The vision given to Paul wasn’t about Paul’s glory or edification, it was intended to steadfastly point to the beyond-words-description of the Majesty of the Lord God! After seeing the Lord in His glory, “therefore”, he couldn’t possibly boast about himself or his experience. Paul knew firsthand that everything was rubbish except Christ and Christ alone!

2) What was the “thorn” in Paul’s flesh?
When studying Scripture, it can be so easy to focus in on one particular detail, or a handful of words that really don’t sit well with us that we end up missing the whole point of that passage. When studying, remember to back up first. Read through the entire chapter, or a couple of chapters, making notes of what the big-picture is. What key phrases or themes are often repeated? For this particular section, Paul has been addressing the Corinthian church. On one hand, he is giving them solid reasons as to why he has the Lord’s authority as a true apostle, therefore they would be wise to listen to his instruction. But, at the same time, he is saying that none of the “clout” of accomplishment or “authority” means anything at all to him. Paul insists that it is only knowing Christ that ultimately matters. Even so, Paul admits how easy it can be to fall into human vanity and pride. This being true, the Lord gave Paul a “thorn in the flesh”. Was it an eye problem as some scholars suggest? Was it a physical sickness? Was it an emotional weakness? We have no idea…and that is exactly the point. Scripture records this “thorn” vaguely that we might understand with greater emphasis how none of our accomplishments are worth boasting in on our own strength. 

3) How is it possible to take pleasure in weakness, insult, hardship, persecution, and difficulty?
Strange words, aren’t they? Paul says, “I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Though the words certainly don’t appear to be very encouraging or comforting, the secret of their veracity is cocooned in the middle with one phrase: “for the sake of Christ”. For Paul, for Samson (when he finally “got it” at the end of his life), for Ezekiel (who gave up his life as bizarre illustrations for God’s purposes), for Isaiah (who was killed by being sawed in half), for Peter (who was killed by upside down crucifixion), and for countless others all the way through history, this key phrase has changed everything. “For The Sake Of Christ” Why? Because we are weak. Because we are finite. And He, the Lord God, is not. He is mighty, He is glorious, He is everlasting, He is victorious! Because He Is Worth It!

Everyday Application

1) What is the “therefore” referring to?
Likely, you, like me, haven’t experienced a glorious vision of Christ and His indescribable majesty and power in the same way Paul did, or Isaiah, Ezekiel, or John, but the Lord and His glory is not hidden away waiting, hoping, that you will be able to find Him. His glory is seen in the intricacies of creation, the beauty of relationships, the community of the Church, and in the wonder of a child. Experiencing His glory is meant for 2 things. One, to encourage and comfort us, as He reminds us that we are not alone and He is for us. Two, to expand our desire to search after Him; longing, hungering, thirsting for so much more of Him! As anyone who has truly experienced the Lord knows, the only proper response is worship. Whole life worship. Worship that points steadfastly to the glorious, risen Lord Jesus Christ because we know, we know, we know, that the real life offered by Jesus, is not about us, it’s about Christ and Christ alone! If you’re feeling a little stuck in your walk with the Lord, or maybe you’re curious about this whole “everyday Savior” we like to talk about, take time to slow down, reflect on how you’ve already experienced Him. Silence your thoughts and welcome His voice enough to hear how He wants to take you deeper to know Him better! 

2) What was the “thorn” in Paul’s flesh?
For Samson in yesterday’s Journey Study, his greatest downfall was that he trusted in his own strength. Even when he had given away the secret of his strength and lost his supernatural ability, he still fully believed he could take down the enemies exactly as he had done before, but this time on his own power. Samson epically failed in this endeavor. God had given Samson incredible abilities, just as He had given Paul indescribable visions of glory, and just like He offers Himself to each of us in tender, glorious, intimate sweetness, but the moment we shift our eyes from the majestic glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, we will find our eyes locked onto our own glory. We have traded the worship of the One True God for a “god” of our own making, and it will never be worth it. For Samson, the “thorn in the flesh” was his loss of strength as well as his vision. It was through these “thorns” that he was finally able to see that the Lord wanted more with Samson; He wanted Samson’s total trust and dependence to be on God instead of Himself.

3) How is it possible to take pleasure in weakness, insult, hardship, persecution, and difficulty?
What weaknesses do you see in your everyday life and relationships? What would it look like if you took those instances as opportunities of worship? Opportunities to surrender your weakness in order for God’s glory and strength to be made much of? Wouldn’t it take off the burden of performance? Might it remove the need to control? Perhaps, like the stories of faith in the Bible, these hardships and weaknesses will point steadfastly to the glory of an eternal King of Glory! I have a friend who lost her son, who nearly lost her life due to significant illness, I have a friend who loves Jesus most. When I asked her why she would try again for another baby, or why she would move to another country to proclaim Christ, her answer is simple, but her faith is deep and intricate, “He has been so faithful to us before, why wouldn’t we trust Him for this?”
“For The Sake of Christ”. It’s not a pithy saying, it’s a hard-hitting truth to battle your “weakness, insult, hardship, persecution, and difficulty”. Surrender your weakness, friend, and rest in the faithful, un-ending strength of the God who will always do the incredible with our frailty!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Samson!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Sketched IV Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Tabernacle Day 7 Purpose & Pieces: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Purposes & Pieces!

The Questions

1) Who is the High Priest referenced and how did he “pass through the heavens”?

2) What “confession” are we to “hold fast to”?

3) Why is it significant that the High Priest has been tempted “in every way we are”?

Hebrews 4:14-16

 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

Original Intent

1) Who is the High Priest referenced and how did he “pass through the heavens”?
Verse 14 continues by answering exactly who this High Priest is: Jesus Christ. The name “Jesus” meaning our Savior, and the title of “Son of God” signifying complete authority as God and Himself having the full nature of the Divinity. This is the Son of God who had been promised to come to earth centuries earlier through the prophets, and even hinted at as far back as the Garden of Eden. There is no question in the original hearer’s minds, Jesus Is God. The only God, the Great I Am, co-equal with God the Father and pre-existing with God the Father before Time itself began. The bold statement leaves zero room for any other conclusion or theory. Jesus wasn’t a “good man”, a “popular prophet”, or a “figment of imagination”. No, Jesus is the Son of God. The Messiah, the Savior of the world, who “passed through the heavens” by setting aside His rightful Glory, in order to come to us for one purpose: to reconcile us to Himself by becoming our High Priest.

2) What “confession” are we to “hold fast to”?
The “therefore” at the beginning of verse 14 links the full words in the first question to this phrase, “let us hold fast to our confession.” Because Jesus, the Son of God, has passed through the heavens and become our High Priest, we can confidently hold fast to our confession. The “confession” is clarified by a cross reference to Hebrews 10:23 which states, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” The confession is the same one Paul speaks of when he instructs non-believers to “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:9-10) The author of Hebrews is encouraging his listeners to not turn away from the gospel they both confessed with their lips and believed in their hearts. Jesus alone can save us and keep our souls for all eternity; we are to guard that and keep it at our forefront.

3) Why is it significant that the High Priest has been tempted “in every way we are”?
Later in Hebrews 5:2, the author writes, “He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.” In my arrogance as a parent, sometimes (er, often…), I get greatly annoyed with the little owies and complaints and fringe injustices that my children want me to listen to. They want real compassion, they want someone on their side, they will even ask me things like, “Have you ever had a splinter go into you hand?” What they want to know is am I really “there with them”, or am I just so far superior that I could care less about their childhood aches and pains. What would be arrogance on my part, is something the Lord will never do to one of us as His children. Abuse? He’s experienced it. Disrespect? Yes. Injustice? Ridicule? Harsh words? Rejection? Abandonment? Loneliness? Fear? Stress? This High Priest who passed through the heavens came that He might be our High Priest, a very “with us” God, One who has experienced the highs and lows and everything in between that we have, yet was without sin, that He might fulfill His purpose, sacrificing His blameless self that we might have direct, unabated access to His Glorious Throneroom!

Everyday Application

1) Who is the High Priest referenced and how did he “pass through the heavens”?
I love finding the “gospel in a nutshell” in just a few short words scattered all throughout Scripture, and this verse doesn’t disappoint! Sometimes, we need to intentionally slow way down when we think about Jesus and God, and ask obvious questions, then allowing ourselves to wrestle with the answer. Not a “church-y” answer, but one that’s well though through, one we know exactly what every word in our response means. For example, consider if someone asked you the following questions. Take some time to slowly and thoughtfully write down your answers that involve more than a few words. Put some meat on the bone of what you believe! Consider if someone were to ask you: Who is Jesus? Why did He die? How can one man take away “all the sin” of the world? Why do Christians say that Jesus is God? Enjoy your time of discovery then share it with a friend, challenging them to do the same!

2) What “confession” are we to “hold fast to”?
It’s one thing to mentally understand what the author is saying in these verses and be able to follow his reasoning, but it’s quite another to put it into everyday, practical practice. When the cereal explodes from the minivan….we need the gospel at the forefront to remember that we are sinners just like our children, and we make plenty of bigger messes in our relationships and other areas, yet the High Priest intercedes on our behalf! When a spouse blows up over something you know you didn’t do and your first reaction is to jump to anger….we need to keep the gospel at the forefront. The gospel that says man’s anger never accomplishes the righteousness of God and that, if Jesus can stand in our place, though we woefully are undeserving, we can offer the same grace in a loving way.
The gospel, we need it every single day. We must immerse ourselves in it by daily reading His Word and connecting with the Lord through continual prayer. This is what the author means when he urges, “let us hold fast to our confession!”

3) Why is it significant that the High Priest has been tempted “in every way we are”?
How often do we easily fall into thinking, “I’m the only one like this. Only I struggle in this area. I’m alone.”? These are lies straight from the Enemy of our Souls and we must fight against them with Solid Truth. Truth that says we are never alone, we have been bought with a price, Jesus is “for us”, there is no condemnation or shame for those in Christ Jesus. These are truths to win a battle with! Take time to slowly think through the soundtrack that plays in your mind as you go through your day today. Where are you critical, performance based, without grace, and freely distributing negative words to yourself and others? Challenge yourself to fight back with truth. Arm yourself well with Scripture, and hold tightly to the glorious gospel, knowing you were bought with the precious blood of the High Priest who knows exactly what it’s like to be you!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Purpose & Pieces!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Tabernacle Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Worship III, Day 11 One Glad Morning

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 5:3-5
John 14:1-6
2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Worship III, Day 11

“Some glad morning when this life is o’er,
I’ll fly away;
to a home on God’s celestial shore,
I’ll fly away.
I’ll fly away, O glory, I’ll fly away.
When I die, hallelujah, by and by,
I’ll fly away.”

These iconic words took on a deepened reality in my life last October.
My grandmother’s “glad morning” arrived after 95 years on earth.

Her legacy includes children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. When asked what her greatest joy was, she would quickly respond that it was knowing her family walked with the Lord. It was my own walk with the Him that enabled the sorrow of saying goodbye become joy in knowing Grammy now resided in Heaven with the Lord.

We sang “I’ll Fly Away” at her funeral.

Three days later we sang it again at my friend Gabe’s funeral.
While the rendition at Grammy’s matched her traditional nature,
the tempo of Gabe’s reflected his energetic love of music.

At 37, we were not prepared to say goodbye to Gabe.
Though not a biological brother, he was counted among our family members.
Our family picture even flashed across the screen when sharing Gabe’s family pictures at the funeral.

Grief is a tricky thing.
Sometimes the ache is dull and persistent.
Other times it pierces the heart and pulls the breath from my lungs.
Since we sang this song at both funerals, it has become a comforting reminder of the presence of the Lord in the midst of the pain, as well as a joyful encouragement regarding the hope of heaven.

Have you ever found a time when the orchestration of the Lord
both humbles and surprises you?
This hymn became one of those moments for me.

Albert Brumley authored this hymn in 1929 and it was published in 1932. According to research, Brumley wrote the song while picking cotton in the fields of Missouri. A line from a song popular at the time prompted the thought of flying away.

I found myself picturing that tedious, sore-fingered process of pulling cotton on hot summer afternoons, and could easily understand the desire to escape the mundane, the painful, and the heartbreaking.
Thankfully through his own walk with the Lord and the lyrics of that secular song, Brumley brought to life hope-filled lyrics now known far and wide.
In the goodness of the Lord,
He penned this song when my grandmother was seven years old,
long before I would need the words to express my emotions.

As I stood at both Grammy and Gabe’s funerals, tears streaming down my face,
I felt the desire to fly away and escape the pain of the moment.
How I longed for Heaven!

However, I also recognized that the Lord still had
plans and purposes for my life here on the earth.
Plans that give me a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
Plans that guarantee trials and tribulations. John 16:33
Plans that were prepared in advance for me to complete. Ephesians 2:10

It is the thought of these plans that anchor me in everyday life, and it is the hope of heaven that lifts my head in the midst of the day-to-day-ness of it all.
How amazing it will be to spend eternity with the Lord!
To walk on streets of gold.
To worship Him with the multitudes.
To dwell in the place He is preparing for me even now as He promised:
“Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:1-3)

Until then, I will draw close to Him and let Him capture my tears.
I will hide in the shadow of His wings.
I will be thankful for the hope of what is to come.
I will dream of my own “glad morning” when I too shall fly away.

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Worship II Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Worship III!

Worship III, Day 9 Fight Song: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Fight Song!

The Questions

1) What is the significance of having God as our refuge and strength?

2) How is God my helper – doesn’t that seem “beneath” him?

3) What do we need to know when we are fighting a battle?

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,
a helper who is always found
in times of trouble.
2 Therefore we will not be afraid,
though the earth trembles
and the mountains topple
into the depths of the seas,
3 though its water roars and foams
and the mountains quake with its turmoil. Selah

4 There is a river—
its streams delight the city of God,
the holy dwelling place of the Most High.
5 God is within her; she will not be toppled.
God will help her when the morning dawns.
6 Nations rage, kingdoms topple;
the earth melts when he lifts his voice.
7 The Lord of Armies is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah

8 Come, see the works of the Lord,
who brings devastation on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease throughout the earth.
He shatters bows and cuts spears to pieces;
he sets wagons ablaze.
10 “Stop your fighting, and know that I am God,
exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.”
11 The Lord of Armies is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah

Original Intent

1) What is the significance of having God as our refuge and strength?
The specific background and occasion of this Psalm are not known, however the author is clearly familiar with battle and war, which was not an uncommon scenario for God’s people.  From the opening line of, “God is our refuge and strength…” (verse 1) to the very last words, “…the God of Jacob is our stronghold,” (verse 11), the psalmist outlines the benefits of having God on the side of His people during struggles.  This part of Scripture acknowledges that the battles being fought were both real and difficult, and that the circumstances may have felt out of control.  However, the author comforts God’s people by reminding them that the One who created and is in control of it all is for them.  As their Refuge.  God will give them rest when they are battle weary.  As their Strength.  God will help them to endure the battle.  As their Stronghold.  God will give them a safe place from which to fight.

2) How is God my helper – doesn’t that seem “beneath” him?
God’s people needed a reminder that He is “…a helper who is always found in times of trouble,” (verse 1).  His presence would not forsake them.  He would be at their side.  No circumstance would be beyond His reach.  Not only is God present, but He willingly offers up His help.  He doesn’t passively watch what is happening while they fight, but instead intervenes and works on behalf of His children.  Our finite, earthly problems are not too small or insignificant for the God of the universe.  Not only that, the author also reminds His people that, “...God will help [them] when the morning dawns,” (verse 5).  What the psalmist emphasizes is that God’s timing is perfect.  While He is always there and present for His people, His tangible help for them comes when He determines the time is right.  He wants His people to have confidence in the fact that His help will come, without question, and faith to know that He will offer it when He knows it will be best.

3) What do we need to know when we are fighting a battle?
The psalmist wants those who hear these words to know the truth.  The reality of their struggles – crushing fears, roaring waters, quaking mountains, trembling earth, toppling mountains – is part of life.  Even God’s chosen people cannot avoid the battle.  However, the author also wants them to know that the battle is not theirs to fight.  God specifically addresses His people and says, “stop your fighting, and know that I am God,” (verse 10). He promises to make the wars cease.  And when He fights on our behalf, He becomes the center of the story, instead of His people taking the glory for the work of His hands, and His hands alone.

Everyday Application

1) What is the significance of having God as our refuge and strength?
“It is said of Luther that, when he heard any discouraging news, he would say, Come let us sing the forty-sixth psalm.,” (Matthew Henry Complete Commentary).  This psalm is meant to lift us in our darkest of times, to give us hope for the morning.  Let the reality of these promises sink deep into your soul – God is your refuge, your strength, and your stronghold – not accessible only for those who do the right things, wear the right clothes, go to the right places, say the right things, or “feel” close to God.  No…He is those things for every imperfect and struggling one of us.  You too.  When your world feels out of control, where do you seek to find stability and strength for the fight?  Do you turn to the One who can offer you what you need, or do you instead turn to counterfeits that will always fail you in the end?

2) How is God my helper – doesn’t that seem “beneath” him?
“I don’t want to BE a helper, I want to have one!”  This is one of my favorite quotes from a friend, related to a wife’s role in marriage.  Her statement was funny, yet it captures well the sentiments that can hide in the depths of our hearts.  We often look at someone who simply “helps” as beneath us – less than and unimportant; so, imagining God with that role can feel a little bit…well, wrong.  But when we do that we cheapen how God actually feels about us!  We can be tempted to handle things on our own, so as to not bother Him with things too insignificant.  Yet, that is not what God has asked us to do.  He invites us to extend what we have received from Him to others in our lives to help them (2 Corinthians 1:4).  Think about the people He has placed in your world.  Who needs help right now?  What experiences or gifts has God given to you that could be leveraged for the benefit of someone around you who is facing battle?  How can you offer that help on behalf of God as a source of encouragement and strength?

3) What do we need to know when we are fighting a battle?
First, God wants to fight for you.  All He asks is that you stop trying to manage and deal with it on your own.   He is asking you to allow your strength to come directly from Him, through prayer, scripture reading, and biblical community.  On the surface, the ask He makes of us seems simple.  But when it comes to living out the command, it can feel impossibly hard.  Our struggle to surrender control is always just under the surface as we attempt to be our own gods.  But just as the hymn A Mighty Fortress ends, we are wise to remember WHO, exactly, fights for us when we let Him:
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God’s own choosing:

The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo! his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

The “right Man” is none other than Jesus.  And at a simple word, His victory is sure.  Rest in that truth. Allow Him to fight your battles.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Fight Song!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship III Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

The GT Weekend! Misunderstood Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) How are you at sitting still before the Father? It’s tempting to be busy doing good things in His name. But if we do good works separate from being steeped in His presence, we’re wasting our time. Where can you adjust your schedule this week to spend more time at the feet of Jesus?

2) Life is often tumultuous and unpredictable. Where have you experienced loss and needed hope? Share your interactions with the death of a loved one or loss of a relationship. Ask the Lord to pour out healing or bring restoration to your life. Wait on Him as He is faithful to breathe a soothing balm over your loss and hope found in His Name.

3) When you hear lies people believe about Scripture being brought to light, how do you feel? How do reconcile these commonly held beliefs with truth from the Word? We highlight using www.studylight.org to study the meaning of Scripture. Try it out and tell us what you found at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Psalm 130:5-8 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

5 I wait for the Lord; I wait
and put my hope in his word.
6 I wait for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning—
more than watchmen for the morning.
7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord.
For there is faithful love with the Lord,
and with him is redemption in abundance.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.

Prayer Journal
Lord Jesus, you know me better than anyone. You know that my love language is acts of service, You created me that way! As I battle against myself to balance the desire to serve with spending time with You, let me wait on You! I choose to put my hope in Your word as I wait. I need Your redemption to flow in my life; bring me close to Your heart, Lord.

As I think back over the loss of our son, I have so many questions. The biggest one I come back to is, “did shoveling the snow that day cause his death?” Lord, as I rethink these questions, I wait on You for comfort. I know there are many questions this side of Heaven that I will never have answered. Pour out your grace to cover those questions until I am before You and reunited with my sweet boy.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Misunderstood Day 14 On Death & Butterflies: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out On Death & Butterflies!

The Questions

1) What is the tent?

2) What is the significance of saying, “we will not be found naked”?

3) What do “down payment” and “confidence” have in common?

2 Corinthians 5:1-10

For we know that if our earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands. 2 Indeed, we groan in this tent, desiring to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 since, when we have taken it off, we will not be found naked. 4 Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.

6 So we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 In fact, we are confident, and we would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Original Intent

1) What is the tent?
Paul was an author, speaker, preacher, and teacher. He knew how to captivate an audience and he knew how to relate to them. One tool he often employed was the metaphor, skillfully painting a word picture to convey a spiritual truth to an audience who thought concretely. Paul was also a tentmaker by trade, when he wasn’t off preaching, teaching, and being chased out of town because of persecution. It came naturally to him to use the physical around him to describe the spiritual. He used the metaphor of a tent to describe our physical bodies on earth. Flimsy, temporal, fragile, but sufficient nonetheless. Paul didn’t shy away from the fact that our bodies will be destroyed one day by death, nor did he sugar-coat the fact that while we live in these temporal bodies, we groan. We ache, we hurt, we long for more, for better, for eternity. We were designed to hunger for a flawless existence!

2) What is the significance of saying, “we will not be found naked”?
Again, Paul continues with his metaphorical speech, drawing on something obvious and concrete to make a spiritual point. To be found naked would be an embarrassment and shameful (in Old Testament days and our own!); it would speak of being un-prepared and caught off guard. But Paul says, “we will not be found naked.” We won’t be caught off guard when our earthly, tent-like bodies are destroyed by death; neither will we be ashamed, embarrassed, or un-prepared. Why? Because the hope of our eternal dwelling, our forever clothes, our glorified, physical bodies are waiting for all those who put their trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation.

3) What do “down payment” and “confidence” have in common?
In yesterday’s Journey Study, it was noted that people are so desperate for hope they are willing to trust in “folklore and emotional feelings” in order to get it. Not so with Paul! He points to clear, solid reasons (not blind emotion) as to why we can have such sure confidence in life after death. Paul notes that we were intentionally designed to longingly ache for “mortality to be swallowed up by life” (that is, death to be defeated by life), and that Designer is God Himself! There is no greater final authority! He placed His seal, His signature promise, right on our very souls by giving us His Holy Spirit to dwell within us, even these temporal tents. The Spirit is His down-payment, His proof of purchase over our eternal souls. The Spirit in us is proof that God will do what He said He would do: defeat Death with Life! Our confidence is rooted in the promise of the Almighty God.

Everyday Application

1) What is the tent?
Our bodies are incredible masterpieces, but no matter your age, your tent of a body has failed you, bringing about pain or frustration. Allow these weaknesses to remind you of the fleeting nature of our existence here on earth. Living with the reminder of death, may seem morbid, but the reality that our lives will vanish like morning mist should compel us to love well, making our temporal lives count for the eternal. Paul reminds us in verses 9-10 that regardless of living on earth or in Heaven, we should “make it our aim to please Him, for we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ.” Eternity is coming, how are we stewarding our time in this “tent” of a body?

2) What is the significance of saying, “we will not be found naked”?
Where in your life are you experiencing shame? Paul intended this section of Scripture to teach us about the eternal that was awaiting us in real, physical, concrete bodies, but there is a broader abstract aspect as well. If we are in Christ, we are new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17), we have been born afresh with a new Father, a new nature, no condemnation (Romans 8:1), and no obligation to obey the old, sinful nature (Romans 8:2). There is hope for the eternal, but also hope for the now. Take off the shame, the feelings of not enough, and wrap yourself tightly in the clothing of eternal hope because of Jesus who came to set us free! 

3) What do “down payment” and “confidence” have in common?
The concrete idea of making a “down payment” is something we can relate to easily in our culture. If something is valuable to us and we really want to purchase it, we are willing to hand over something of significant value to us to “hold our name” on that item until we can fully make it ours. The same is true for our souls in relation to God. He longs for unity with us, so God sent His Son to redeem us from sin’s grip and then went further to prove his love by making a down-payment of His Spirit, who lives inside of every believer. Understanding this truth and choosing to follow the leading of the Spirit as He guides us gives us incredible confidence, both for our eternal home and our temporary one. Believers know where they will go when they die on earth, and they also have confidence in daily living because the Spirit of the Living God abides within them. This is true, solid hope!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with On Death & Butterflies!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Misunderstood Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Misunderstood Day 13 On Death and Butterflies

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 1:18-25
Ecclesiastes 3:9-15
2 Corinthians 5:1-10
I Corinthians 15:35-49
John 3:16-21

Misunderstood, Day 13

Loss hits each of us in varying degrees.
Financial, emotional, relational, and of course, physical.

The ache of physical loss is so deep, we naturally long for something more.
Something to wrap us up, assuring us that everything will be okay, that death wasn’t the end.
We ache for hope.

When I lost my son, the brokenness was like waves, rising and falling, each crashing mercilessly on my unspeakable hurt. I found myself repeating,
“This is the new normal. I will always carry this loss. There is no “going back” to before now.”  

How to breath.
How to keep living.
Loss intensified my need for hope.

I am not alone, am I, sister?
You’ve been there, too.
Different stories, but the same need.
We each share it, this desperation for hope.

Someone I love was walking through loss, and one afternoon, she pointed to a butterfly and whispered through tears, “There she is”.
She wasn’t referring to the butterfly, but rather the loved one she’d lost.
She longed for hope.

Maybe you’ve wondered the same thing at some point.
A beautiful, fluttering butterfly. The soul of the one we love?
The coin on the street. Sent from Heaven with love from those gone before us?
The feather whispering through the air. A sign sent to us from above?

This life with all of its obvious brokenness and ugly,
gut-ripping hurt,
creates an ache for something
to staunch the flow of throbbing agony.

Butterflies are an amazing design.
Feathers hold stunning intricacies.
Money holds value.
But these created things were never meant to be an end,
they were intended to point us to the Creator. 

As I began my research for writing, pulling up website after website of what it meant to
“find a feather” or “see a butterfly” after loss,
the most blaring discovery wasn’t found in what was said, but rather what wasn’t.
Every website was full of emotional statements worded as facts, but none of them gave reasons for why they believed what they did.
Folklore, tradition, emotional feelings, these were the basis for their beliefs.

The questions hounded me as I read more stories,
“Wouldn’t you want to know? For sure?
Wouldn’t whatever truth you uncovered be better than a feel-good falsehood?”
Lies, no matter how wonderful they feel,
hold nothing more than a vanishing morning mist.
Life can’t be built on mist.

I’ve had questions about life and faith countless times.
What if life after death is a fantasy?
What if Christianity was just created to make us feel better?
I wanted the truth.

What we believe matters,
but what the truth is matters even more,
because it doesn’t change,
whether we believe it or not.

Through a lengthy process of investigation, I came to a place where I could solidly stand on the claims of the Bible.
The deeper I studied, the more I came to know the Bible was real,
not because I wanted it to be,
not because I was raised that way,
or because it made me feel good,
but because it was true.

And Sisters?
The Bible doesn’t sugar-coat our pain.
In fact, our pain has an explanation.
And so does our longing for hope.

Loss happens because we live in a world broken by sin and death.
It was a choice Adam and Eve made in the Garden of Eden when they chose to trust their own desires over God’s design. The sickness of Sin travels to each and every one of us from the babe whose heart stopped beating before he even took a breath, to the eyes of those who have seen 100 years pass before them.
Sin affects us all; always bringing death, brokenness, pain, and heartache.

So, yes, we all hunger for hope.
Because we are all irreversibly broken.

But God…
God in His love,
God in His goodness,
God in His mercy,
brought Hope.

Hope that says the grave is not the end.
Hope that says broken can be healed.
Hope that says our sinful hearts can be bought back.
Hope that says Love Wins.

What does the Bible say about Death and Souls?
It says that souls are eternal and life after death is real.
The Bible says that when we die, we will either spend our eternity
delighting in relationship with God,
dancing out the life we were always intended to live in real, physical bodies,
with significant purpose and meaning,
OR
we will forever be bound in Hell.

Hell, where real people live in real, physical, broken bodies experiencing eternal separation from the Creator. It’s a physical place of forever heartache, suffering, and pain.

Heaven and Hell.
Both are eternal.
Both are real.
Our destination is our choosing.

Rather than returning as a soul embodying a butterfly,
God designed our souls to be made perfect,
to indwell perfect bodies, free from sickness and pain.
He designed us for a full life!

For those left alive on earth, He brings us comfort.
Not from butterflies, feathers, or random coins,
but from the sure and certain, solid truth of His word.
Comfort much more satisfying than glossy butterfly wings.

The next time you stand amazed at a monarch, look past the creation, and see the Creator. Know He loves you.
Know He has a plan for life after death.
Know that in Him is found Hope.
Hope for those who admit their sin-filled hearts and accept the free gift of Righteous Life held out through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as He took the punishment for our sin on Himself.
Know that this Hope is solid and sure,
able to stand up under the heartache and joy of our everyday life
because Jesus Christ is our Hope!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!
Join our Facebook Community!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Misunderstood Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Misunderstood!

Misunderstood Day 4 God Wants Me to be Happy: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out God Wants Me to be Happy!

The Questions

1) Solomon says that his mind was guiding him with wisdom (v. 3) and that his wisdom remained with him (v. 9). What kind of wisdom did Solomon have?

2) What does Solomon mean in verse 10 when he says that he took pleasure in all of his struggles?

3) In all of his wisdom, why was Solomon not able to find meaning in the pleasures and accomplishments of this world?  

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

I said to myself, “Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good.” But it turned out to be futile. 2 I said about laughter, “It is madness,” and about pleasure, “What does this accomplish?” 3 I explored with my mind the pull of wine on my body—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—and how to grasp folly, until I could see what is good for people to do under heaven during the few days of their lives. 

4 I increased my achievements. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. 5 I made gardens and parks for myself and planted every kind of fruit tree in them. 6 I constructed reservoirs for myself from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees. 7 I acquired male and female servants and had slaves who were born in my house. I also owned livestock—large herds and flocks—more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered male and female singers for myself, and many concubines, the delights of men. 9 So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; my wisdom also remained with me. 10 All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them. I did not refuse myself any pleasure, for I took pleasure in all my struggles. This was my reward for all my struggles. 11 When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun. 

Original Intent

1) Solomon says that his mind was guiding him with wisdom (v. 3) and that his wisdom remained with him (v. 9). What kind of wisdom did Solomon have?
Not long after Solomon became king, God came to Solomon and said, “Ask. What should I give you?” (1 Kings 3:5) Solomon could have asked for anything: riches, health, fame, love. Instead, he asked for wisdom (v. 9), which ironically was very wise! Solomon’s wisdom wasn’t worldly wisdom, it was godly wisdom. He had wisdom that was greater than his own knowledge, worldly strategies, and philosophy of the day.

2) What does Solomon mean in verse 10 when he says that he took pleasure in all of his struggles? What does Solomon mean in verse 10 when he says that he took pleasure in all of his struggles? 
As king, Solomon had many struggles and problems despite his wisdom. Even in hard times, Solomon found ways to have joy. Solomon’s great wisdom allowed him to see past the temporary pain. Proverbs 1:33 says that whoever listens to wisdom will not be disturbed by the dread of danger. Godly wisdom allows us to find pleasure when we are faced with difficulty.  

3) In all of his wisdom, why was Solomon not able to find meaning in the pleasures and accomplishments of this world? 
Solomon was able to indulge in all that the world had to offer. His palace and his riches are famous, but none of this fulfilled him. In the end, he found that everything was futile. There was nothing to be gained under the sun. Solomon was looking in the wrong place. True fulfillment is not found under the sun – it is found in the Creator of the sun and everything under it. Solomon did not find joy because he was delighting in the created instead of the Creator. (Romans 1:24-25) In the end Solomon concludes: “When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: fear God and keep his commands, because this is for all humanity.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13) 

Everyday Application

1) Solomon says that his mind was guiding him with wisdom (v. 3) and that his wisdom remained with him (v. 9). What kind of wisdom did Solomon have?
We live in a world where information and knowledge are almost always at our fingertips. An answer to any question is just a quick Google search away. College is more accessible than ever. There are endless ways to learn new things and ideas. Is all of this knowledge the same kind of wisdom that Solomon had? Knowledge and information do not equal wisdom from God. Do you trust in the wisdom of the world? Or do you seek wisdom that comes from above? Proverbs 2:6 says, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Wisdom from God will always endure where wisdom from the world fails.  

2) What does Solomon mean in verse 10 when he says that he took pleasure in all of his struggles?
James 1:2-4 says that we should consider it joy when we face trials because it grows us in our faith. The very next verse says, “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.” (v. 5) James knew that when we face trials, we need wisdom from God in order to persevere. Praise be to God, that even in our trials we can find joy through the wisdom that He provides!  

3) In all of his wisdom, why was Solomon not able to find meaning in the pleasures and accomplishments of this world? 
Like Solomon, worldly pleasures are all around us. Have you ever thought, “If I only had _____, then I would be happy.”? Insert anything you like: that job, a husband, the perfect house, more money, a better body, etc. God cares about the desires of our heart. In Matthew 6:33 Jesus instructs, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.” God wants to provide for us, and when we are seeking His kingdom and His righteousness, our desires will align with His. Later in the same sermon, Jesus says, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him.” (Matthew 7:11). James says that every good and perfect gift is from God (James 1:17). God gives good gifts for us to enjoy, but we must remember that our joy comes from the Creator, not the created.  

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1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
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3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
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Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

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Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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