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Hallel Day 4 In His Presence: 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 In His Presence!

The Questions

1) Why does the Hallel song set focus so much on Israel coming out of Egypt?

2) The psalmist sings twice of the sea, of Jordan, and of mountains. What significance do these three carry?

3) What role does the presence of the Lord play in the anthem of this psalm? (verse 7)

Psalm 114

When Israel came out of Egypt—
the house of Jacob from a people
who spoke a foreign language—
2 Judah became his sanctuary,
Israel, his dominion.

3 The sea looked and fled;
the Jordan turned back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams,
the hills, like lambs.
5 Why was it, sea, that you fled?
Jordan, that you turned back?
6 Mountains, that you skipped like rams?
Hills, like lambs?

7 Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 who turned the rock into a pool,
the flint into a spring.

Original Intent

1) Why does the Hallel song set focus so much on Israel coming out of Egypt?
From the time they were set free, Israel was commanded to retell the story of their exodus from slavery for future generations, which they did through song, written record, and oral tradition. Being set free from their 400-year slavery became one of the biggest mile-markers of their journey into becoming a nation shaped by God. What made their escape from enslavement so memorable and remarkable, was that it had absolutely nothing to do with their ability as a people. They weren’t even a nation yet! They had no government structure, no military presence, no power, and no land; the thousands of people who left Israel had absolutely no proof that pointed to themselves as being the reason they had been set free. Only an act of the Lord God could rescue such an utterly helpless people.

2) The psalmist sings twice of the sea, of Jordan, and of mountains. What significance do these three carry?
Like the marker of the great exodus from Egypt, so do these three words call to mind for the original audience three additional highly significant events in the history of Israel as it was being formed. The sea refers to the Red Sea, which all of the former slaves of Egypt crossed. Not such a big deal, right? Well, add in the fact that the multitude of thousands trudged across the Red Sea on dry ground, that they were being hotly pursued by the Egyptian army and Pharaoh himself, but God was holding the enemy back with a cloud of glory, and that God released the waters of the sea to effectively drown every Egyptian, including Pharaoh, right before their eyes, and you have an incredibly formative historic event! (Exodus 15:4) “Jordan” refers to the river Jordan, where Joshua lead the newly minted nation of Israel across as they stepped foot onto the long-awaited Promised Land. (Joshua 3:13-17) Israel was to take possession of this land; it was the fulfillment of the promise God had made to Abraham and his coming descendants hundreds and hundreds of years prior. Another pivotal moment in Israel’s history. The mountains “skipping” references God giving Israel the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, an event sandwiched between crossing the Red Sea and the Jordan River. Lightning flashed, thunder roared, and an earthquake occurred at the time of this momentous event when God gave Israel the rules of the covenant. (Exodus 19:16-20) He had already chosen them as His people and rescued them from slavery before they even knew about His law, let alone fulfilled a single aspect of it, but this was the giving of the Law by which Israel was to follow the Lord God.

3) What role does the presence of the Lord play in the anthem of this psalm? (verse 7)
Verse 2 can be easily overlooked, but it’s actually acting as the first bookend, which is completed by the declaration of the Lord’s Presence in verse 7. Both verses hinge on the powerful presence of the Lord. Verse 2 says Judah (Israel) became His (God’s) sanctuary where He ruled with all dominion, power, and sovereignty. God’s desire was always to dwell with His people, even from the Garden of Eden at the beginning of Creation, we see God walking with Adam and Eve in the cool of the evening to enjoy the depths of relationship with them. (Genesis 3:8) After God had given the 10 Commandments and many other laws at Mt. Sinai, he gave instructions to Moses and the people to build a tabernacle, a sanctuary, so God might dwell in their midst. (Exodus 25:8-9) He didn’t want to simply possess a people group for His own clout or sense of power, He wanted to be with them, to express His vast love to them, to invite them to truly know Him deeply and intimately. His heart was to shepherd them and show Himself faithful to them that, as they followed Him, they would reflect His magnificent love and faithfulness to the world around them so that all would know Him! (Ezekiel 24:15-16, Isaiah 42:6-7) By dwelling with His people, the same Presence of the Lord that made the Red Sea part, the Jordan River divide, the mountains shake, and solid rocks pour forth water (Psalm 114:8, Numbers 20:11), would be constantly abiding with His People! As Israel submitted to living God’s design for their lives, His Spirit would move among them and declare Himself to all nations!

Everyday Application

1) Why does the Hallel song set focus so much on Israel coming out of Egypt?
Thousands of years and hundreds of generations removed from the Hebrews’ liberation from enslavement at the hand of the Egyptians and their story is still being told, read, sung, and studied. What’s more incredible, their Old Testament story beautifully depicts the New Testament gospel. There are only 2 kinds of people, those who have trusted Christ for salvation and are now “slaves” to freedom because they have been made righteous in Jesus, or those who are slaves to sin because they are still dead in their sin nature. (Romans 6:16) Every person is a slave to sin without having trusted Christ for redemption; we have absolutely zero ability to free ourselves from the enslavement of sin, earning the punishment of eternal death and separation from God. Israel was not a nation, so are unbelievers not God’s people. They are owned by Satan, the ruler of Sin and Death. But God offers freedom from this slavery! He calls those who aren’t “a people” to be His people. (1 Peter 2:10, Romans 9:25-26) Only by His gift of grace towards us, and our willing reception of that gift through faith, can we be free and declared righteous in His sight, having victory over death and sin through Jesus Christ! (Romans 6:14, Romans 6:20-23) Do you have a freedom from sin story? Keep telling it! Declare it to yourself and others as a reminder of what God has done in setting you free from sin and death and alive to walk in the new life of righteousness!

2) The psalmist sings twice of the sea, of Jordan, and of mountains. What significance do these three carry?
These three events, while deeply significant in Israel’s formation as a nation, are mentioned in this Jewish song for a singular purpose revealed in verse 7, “Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.” Why did the Red Sea part? Why would the Jordan River split in two? Why would the mountains skip and shudder like animals? Only because of the presence of the Lord God. The God who called Israel to be His, a people for His own possession, precious in His sight honored, and loved. (Deuteronomy 4:20, Isaiah 43:1-4) Jesus said in Matthew 9:26, “With man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.” He said this in response to the disciples’ question of who could possibly be saved for eternity because the requirements for salvation are so, well, impossible (because it requires absolute holy perfection). What is utterly inconceivable for flawed human beings (living a perfect life without even one fault), is entirely possible for God (as exemplified in God the Son, Jesus Christ, as He lived the human life without a single sin). The same magnitude sung about in this sacred Hallel hymn is amplified in the life of the believer who has trusted Christ to do what he or she could never do, be declared righteous in the sight of God. Take some time to consider your own incredibly pivotal moments in your faith journey. Where has God left His indelible mark on your life because of His presence? Where are the events of your story radically different than they would be without the presence of the God who does impossible things?!

3) What role does the presence of the Lord play in the anthem of this psalm? (verse 7)
No body of water has ever split in two leaving a dry pathway to cross since the day God’s presence specifically called for that event for the purpose of declaring His glory to His people. In similar fashion, hearts trusting Jesus for salvation can live and move and act and speak and love others in radical ways because of God’s presence living within them through the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, God gave explicit instructions on how to build the Tabernacle so He could dwell with His people. This was incredible to have the Spirit of God with Israel! His presence was to be signified with the “Ark of the Covenant”, which was a large, ornate box covered in gold. Only the high priest could enter the holy of holies space within the Tabernacle where the Ark was placed, and even then, only once a year. Here, Israel could meet with God through the high priest. BUT NOW! Now, because of Jesus coming to earth, living righteousness out in everyday life for us, He became the high priest for each of us. He not only gives us access to God through His sacrificial death on our behalf, God Himself lives inside every believing heart! Not simply with, but inside! Fueled with this powerful presence of the Lord, every Christ-follower carries around a sanctuary (verse 2) for the Most High God. When we submit to the rule and reign of God’s Spirit, giving Him total dominion over our lives, His presence is made evident for all to see and know Him!

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

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 Hallel 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.

Questions Day 4 Why Doesn’t God Heal Everyone?: 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 Why Doesn’t God Heal Everyone?!

The Questions

1) What kind of healing is spoken of in verse 15?

2) What role does prayer play in this passage?

3) How does healing relate to turning a “sinner from the error of his ways”? (verses 19-20)

James 5:13-20

Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. 17 Elijah was a human being as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit.

19 My brothers and sisters, if any among you strays from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let that person know that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

Original Intent

1) What kind of healing is spoken of in verse 15?
This is the end of James’ letter, and unlike Paul, James lacks the succinct, logical flow Paul possessed in his letter writing. James’ letter is full exhortation to live out the everyday Christian life with wisdom from God as it applies to every situation. In conclusion, his last few instructions are thrown in as final, parting words of command and encouragement and appear a little disjointed, so it takes a little more care to properly parse and understand them. In verses 13-14, his primary focus is to call every believer back to the anchoring relationship with God regardless of circumstance. In verse 15, his goal is for the church to see the connection between the prayer of faith and the healing of the heart, which is wicked and wholly sinful and irredeemable apart from Christ’s offer of forgiveness. We know this because of the specificity of the Greek words James used in this particular sentence and the structure he employs. “The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” The Greek word for “save” is “sozo”, which is used when speaking of eternal salvation of the soul from the consequence of sin, which is death as in Acts 16:31, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…”. This is not a physical healing, but a spiritual one. In addition, the Greek word for “raise” is “egeiro”, which is used when speaking of raising the spiritually dead heart to life as seen in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, “(But God) made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! He also raised us up with Him…”. This is clearly speaking of being raised to life in Jesus from spiritual death, not being healed from physical sickness. As final evidence of this interpretation, the sentence structure itself points to one undeniable conclusion in the final word of the sentence, “so he will be forgiven.” (verse 15)

2) What role does prayer play in this passage?
As verses 13-14 point out, our time on earth is full of varying circumstances. We will not always be happy, nor sad. We will not always be sick, nor healthy. Regardless of circumstance, James reminds us of our one unchanging constant, God, and the believer’s access to Him. We are not instructed to pray so our circumstances can be manipulated to our liking, rather we are called to pray as a reminder of our anchor. Whether we are happy, depressed, diagnosed with cancer, vomiting with the stomach flu, or dancing on cloud nine with excitement, we are called back to prayer because our relationship with God is critically paramount in relation to everything else around us. He will anchor our hearts, keeping us tied fast to His good heart so we are not tossed to and fro by emotion or situation.

3) How does healing relate to turning a “sinner from the error of his ways”? (verses 19-20)
According to the Westminster Catechism, “the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Enjoying Him forever is rooted in loving and obeying Him, which, as a result, brings Him glory as His Spirit does His work through us in our everyday lives. As James closes out his letter of practical, everyday wisdom for the Christ-follower, he ends with what is arguably the most deeply satisfying way to bring God glory, by turning sinners away from death. This isn’t accomplished by a single, well-timed conversation where we lay out the details of the gospel. This is to be the pattern of our everyday lives, day in and day out. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Matthew 28:19-20) James’ instruction isn’t limited only to those who have never heard the gospel of Jesus, but he also includes the holy calling to address sin within the family of those brothers and sisters who already claim the name of Jesus, but are stuck in sin.

Everyday Application

1) What kind of healing is spoken of in verse 15?
How deeply each of us longingly ache for a world where physical suffering and pain are eradicated! No more death! No more tears! No more pain! Every one of us would shout YES to a world like that! This is God’s heart for us as well, and it was His original design for His creation, but because of sin, everything was destroyed as we became separated from God. The effects of sin are felt in the brokenness of our bodies from sniffles to cancer to depression and everything in between. Hope is not lost, however! God uses even this desperately broken world, and our bodies, to make us aware of a much more severe problem, the lostness of our hearts apart from Him. If we die from cancer, but our hearts are safe with Jesus because we’ve trusted Him with our souls, our bodies will be healed for eternity in Heaven with Him. If we die from cancer while our hearts are stuck in sin, unredeemed by the God who loves us because we have stubbornly chosen to live for ourselves instead of our Maker, we will spend eternity apart from God. In this case, neither our hearts, nor our bodies, will experience healing. This is truly tragic! As you experience sickness and suffering around you, let it remind you of the state of our hearts without Jesus. Let it urge you to turn to Him for salvation and to tell others of His hope and forever healing!

2) What role does prayer play in this passage?
Take a few minutes to consider when you are most likely to pray, thinking through both the everyday, normal life scenarios as well as the big events in life like birth, death, tragedy, or success. Does your prayer life ebb and flow based on outward circumstance in the grand scheme of life? When do you most commonly pray in the everyday? Is it like breathing in and out? Do you pray most often at mealtime? With a child? Or maybe it isn’t really something you think much about at the everyday level. Assessing your current prayer life is a first step in fostering growth in prayer. We must accurately define reality before we can move forward in the direction we want to go. What do you wish your prayer life was like? Do you wish you had a deeper connection to God? Like James’ examples of when to pray, begin taking every opportunity in regular life to speak with the Lord. He is always present and always listening! The more we practice constant prayer, the richer our relationship with God will be, and the more stable our lives will become.

3) How does healing relate to turning a “sinner from the error of his ways”? (verses 19-20)
If you have given Jesus your heart, trusting the full weight of your eternity to Him and His finished work on the cross, then you are called to this mighty work of calling sinners to truth. This is the ultimate healing! If this is part of our chief end and purpose on earth, we should be intentional and diligent in fulfilling it! Make a list of those who are sin-sick, and don’t forget to include yourself on that list. Who has the Lord put in your circle who don’t yet know Jesus? Pray for them; pray for the healing of their sin-sick hearts. Pray for opportunity to love them like Jesus and to speak boldly of His love for them. Who do you know as a brother or sister fellow-believer in Christ that is stuck in a particular sin? Pray for them; pray for the healing of their sin-sick hearts. Pray for opportunity to lovingly share of God’s truth and calling in their lives. Are you aware of your own sinful tendencies? Ask a trusted believing sister in Christ to walk alongside you, be transparent with her, and confess sins with her as you both pursue the healing of your hearts in Jesus!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Why Doesn’t God Heal Everyone?!

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 Questions 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.

Shielded Day 7 Heart Armor: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

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 Heart Armor!

The Questions

1) What is the “it” in, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed…”?

2) What is meant by “first to the Jew, and also to the Greek?”

3) Where is it written, “The righteous will live by faith”? Why bring in this quote?

Romans 1:16-17

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.

Original Intent

1) What is the “it” in, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed…”?
“It” in verse 17 is a continuation of the “it” in the middle of verse 16 where we have the definition of “it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…”. This definition points back to Paul’s first words in verse 16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel”. The gospel is the incredible, shocking news of the holy God entering into a human, sin-wrecked world, humbly clothing Himself in human flesh, living a faultless, perfect life only to die a shameful, torturous death He did not deserve, and then rising from the dead 3 days later just as He Himself predicted….all to rescue sinful mankind who would forever be stuck in their own sin, hating and spurning the God who made them because they loved their sin more than the Savior. THIS IS THE GOSPEL!!! Paul practically shouts that he refuses to be ashamed of this radical declaration of love for him and the world. He refuses to back away from preaching it with eagerness because it is so powerfully effective in buying back a soul previously dead in sin! (verse 15) In it, in this gospel, the very righteousness of God is on display for the world to see. God is perfect and blameless. What better way to see His righteous holiness than in His intentional, sacrificial love for us? Because He is perfectly just, the debt of sin required blood sacrifice. A righteous, just God could not “look the other way”, shrug His shoulders and make excuses on our behalf. Sin demands payment. That payment has always been, and will always be one thing, death. Specifically in this case, because God is a holy God, incapable of being in the presence of sin, death is a spiritual removal from God forever. In radical, generous love, He sacrificed Himself to pay the penalty, heaping death upon Jesus Christ and separation from God the Father as Jesus took our sin upon Himself at the cross. (which is why Jesus cries out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?! –Matthew 27:46) His righteousness is on display in with loud, vibrant colors as Jesus Christ conquers death once and for all for everyone who believes in Him as He rose from His own grave, visited eyewitnesses, and ascended back into Heaven where He sits at the right hand of God the Father. THIS is the righteousness of God, on display for the world to see, through the precious truth of the gospel!

2) What is meant by “first to the Jew, and also to the Greek?”
God does not show favoritism. Period. In fact, Paul, the author of Romans, uses that exact phrase in Romans 2:10-11 where he also connects the idea of God not showing favoritism to how He engages with people “…first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. For there is no favoritism with God.” The phrase “first to the Jew” goes all the way back to Abraham! God called Abraham out of his homeland, away from his idol worship, to follow Him in obedience, promising to bless him if he would follow. Abraham took God at His word, chose to trust Him and followed Him. God took Abraham’s faith and credited it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6) Yes, righteousness, just like the righteousness of God on display in the gospel which we read of in our passage! (verse 17) Abraham didn’t do any work or put on good behavior to become righteous, he simply trusted God at His word. This has always been true for every person from Old Testament to New Testament to right now in the 21st century. This is how God doesn’t show favoritism, because the same offer of faith being credited as righteousness is extended to all people. It was first made known through Abraham and his physical offspring, who were the Jews. Later, when Jesus came, He made it clear that salvation was for everyone regardless of race, gender, or nationality. (Acts 10:34-35) 

3) Where is it written, “The righteous will live by faith”? Why bring in this quote?If this phrase was translated word-for-word in its original language we would read, “The one who is righteous by faith will live”. Paul is quoting Habakkuk’s words which came directly from the Lord as He compared the person who relied on himself to be righteous against the person who had faith, which was credited to him as righteousness, “Look, his ego is inflated; he is without integrity. But the righteous one will live by his faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4) To have integrity, in the case of Habakkuk’s quote, was to recognize oneself as a sinner hopelessly separated from God. With a true view of oneself as a sinner, unable to attain righteousness by one’s own merit, one is in a position where they are able to accept Christ’s work of righteousness on their behalf.  Covered by God’s own righteousness, the sinner, now made whole, can stand before God clean and forgiven, able to live for eternity in God’s presence! Without complete righteousness, Death rules, keeping us forever separated from God and His presence.

Everyday Application

1) What is the “it” in, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed…”?
Has this “power of God” wrapped up in salvation been embraced by your heart?! Do you know for certain that there was a time when you took Him at His word for all He accomplished for you, a sinner spurning God, and surrendered the whole of yourself to Him for eternity? This singular decision is the biggest one of your entire life and deserves your honest wrestling. As you read the description of the gospel in the first question, what portion stirred deeply in you and awakened your heart to love and worship towards God? Praise Him for that incredible gospel and for the way He continues to work in and through you! For every single person who says a true “YES!” to Jesus, welcoming His powerful salvation into their heart and life, God’s righteousness continues to work through that now-redeemed person! Everything about their life is affected as it is open to the new work of God unleashed in that heart. God is righteous and holy, and His salvation demonstrates it with awesome strokes of beauty, as a further demonstration of His righteousness, the entirety of a believer’s life is remade! No sinner is left the same once Christ’s righteousness clothes them. Relationships will change, purpose in life will shift, priorities will reset, fullness, peace, and love will rule where brokenness and shame once held chains fast over heart territory. Look for that righteousness being worked out in your own life, and praise God for doing it! Look for that righteousness being worked out in the lives of other brothers and sisters around you, encourage them by telling them what you see, and praise God for His righteousness on display! 

2) What is meant by “first to the Jew, and also to the Greek?”
The main point of Paul’s passionate statement in these verses is to point to the supreme power of the gospel to transform lives, any life. Period. We are left to sit with this reality and wrestle through it in our own lives. Though we might verbally give assent to the truth that the gospel is for everyone, do we offer it willingly to all? Are there some we deem “too far gone” to be reached by the hope of Jesus? Or maybe, because of our own sense of justice, or a result from wounds we have experienced at another’s hand, we decide someone is unworthy of receiving the salvation Christ designed for all. Or maybe, sometimes the person we decide is unworthy of salvation is ourselves. Shame. Guilt that hits us like waves or gnaws on the edges of our hearts little by little. Fear of who we envision God to be. What if He can’t stand us? What if He is angry? And we know He would have the right to be angry at us for our sin, don’t we? We know we possess zero righteousness on our own. If this is you, whether you’ve already crossed the line of faith but still carry the weight of heavy shame, or you’ve never fallen headlong into the grace of God, He doesn’t stand in condemnation of you. He died to rescue you, offering His flawless righteousness in exchange for your putrid sin. Hold out your heart to Him, Sister, seek His face, He will overwhelm you with His loving rescue from yourself!

3) Where is it written, “The righteous will live by faith”? Why bring in this quote?
While we live here on earth in our physical bodies, God is extending us grace, which equals time to listen to His voice and respond to His offer of giving us His righteousness in exchange for our heavy burden of sin. We have the chance now to be given life for eternity in God’s presence and stand whole and forgiven because of Christ’s righteousness given as a free gift to us. This is a gift we could never possibly hope to earn by our own hard work to become good. This is His righteousness, and by it we live! God is pursuing every heart that beats in the here and now, revealing Himself to them by declaration of the gospel, of which Paul says he was unashamed to boldly preach. Time on earth will not last forever, as we all know. Our lives are like a mist that vanishes as quickly as it comes, and it’s impossible to know when our last opportunity will be to choose eternal life over eternal death. Choose Now! What is holding you back?! If you’ve already given Christ lordship over your heart, and you stand whole and righteous before the God of the universe, are you living as Paul did with the bold proclamation of the gospel ready on your lips?! Who are you praying fervently over for their heart to be unveiled and understand how rich the Father’s love is towards them as He offers out His righteousness? Wherever you are, believer or not, the time is short!

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

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 Shielded Week Two!
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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.

Shielded Day 2 Shielded By The Unstoppable: 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 Shielded By The Unstoppable!

The Questions

1) What does it mean to wage war “according to the flesh?” (verse 3)

2) What are our weapons of warfare? (verse 4)

3) What arguments and “proud things” is Paul referencing that we should destroy? (verse 5)

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

For although we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, 4 since the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments 5and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.

Original Intent

1) What does it mean to wage war “according to the flesh?” (verse 3)
Paul’s reason for writing his letter to the church in Corinth was multi-faceted, but every specific issue he addressed centered around one general theme, they had walked away from living by God’s Spirit. The Corinthian church was full of people who had genuinely asked Jesus to rescue them from their sin, but gradually, with one decision at a time, they had faded away from living by the Spirit of God who had been deposited in their hearts at the time of their salvation, and had chosen instead to live according to the flesh. (verse 2) Backing up a few verses to the beginning of chapter 10, Paul loved the Corinthian church and had been gentle with them, but now, on hearing how they had walked away from living by their source of power, refusing to access the Spirit living within them, He was ready to come in person and strongly set right what was going wrong. Paul wrote to confront them ahead of time of his visit, drawing their attention sharply back to their heart issue.

2) What are our weapons of warfare? (verse 4)
Paul draws a distinct line when he says, “although we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.” (verse 3) We live our everyday lives here on earth wrapped in flesh and bone and surrounded by sin; we are frequently tempted to fulfill our fleshly desires because we live in the flesh. For the believer, however, we do not wage war with mere fleshly weaponry, which would be ineffective. Rather, we have direct access to “weapons of warfare” that have nothing to do with the flesh. These weapons carry with them the very power of God, the same power in fact that raised Jesus from death to life! These weapons are available to the Christ follower to fight against fleshly desires, sin, and our sinful attempt to live God’s way without God’s power. Examples of this powerful weaponry are listed as armor in Ephesians 6:13-18, truthful speech, genuine love, and patience and kindness from the Holy Spirit are given in 2 Corinthians 6:6-7, and 1 Thessalonians 5:8 speaks of faith, love, and salvation as battle weapons with which to wage war.

3) What arguments and “proud things” is Paul referencing that we should destroy? (verse 5)
Paul is specifically addressing the Corinthian church and the habits they are displaying as they have “faded away” from living in God’s power. The reality is that when we stop relying on God’s power to live for Him, we fall back into relying on ourselves. This would be like going from using a power steering mower to cut your grass to using dull safety scissors to mow your lawn. It’s incredible ineffective to use our fleshly power to accomplish the work of God! A byproduct of relying on our own strength, and slowly fading away from God’s truth as our anchor, is that we begin puffing ourselves up. Look what I did! See how I handled that situation! When we are only using our hands to fight, humility is gone, dependence on Christ is absent, and we end up with an inflated view of ourselves, which completely distorts the truths presented in Scripture. God says we are weak because sin ravages us.

Everyday Application

1) What does it mean to wage war “according to the flesh?” (verse 3)
When we receive the Holy Spirit, we are given an entirely new heart, a new love, a new passion for following Jesus, and a new source of power to actually follow Jesus in obedience. We are entirely made new!! The battle comes when we struggle against our old way of living. Before Jesus’ redemption over our lives, we live according to the flesh, we think about ourselves and how to gratify ourselves. We may appear loving, but we aren’t able to sacrificially love like Jesus day in and day out, growing in intensity. To live according to the flesh means either to live sinfully, or to try hard to live as God has called us, but without His power. Take some time to identify areas you struggle in living “according to the flesh”. 

2) What are our weapons of warfare? (verse 4)
Take a few slow breaths, close your eyes, and assess the weak spots in your life right now. Where are you feeling defeated and worn in your everyday life? Perhaps the battle is heavy against you as you are working intently to further God’s Kingdom in ministry, in loving the unlovable, or in serving within your church. Maybe the battle is showing up in your relationships where conflict seems constantly present. Sometimes the battle surges in full force as we become aware of our sin in specific areas and then, wanting to be like Christ, fight against that sin. Whatever your battle today, my friend, in the words of Paul, “Stand firm….”, intentionally put on His own armor He fitted for you, and know that your greatest weapon is the Spirit of the Living God who works powerfully within you. He holds the victory! 

3) What arguments and “proud things” is Paul referencing that we should destroy? (verse 5)
We are weak because we will always, over time, choose to love ourselves and our sin over the Savior. God’s antidote is Christ and His power working in us to accomplish His purposes! (2 Corinthians 12:9) He gives us His weaponry to tear down and destroy every stronghold where we are bowing to other gods and living for ourselves rather than surrendering to God’s wisdom, and living His way, by the power of His Spirit. (verses 4-5) Take these few minutes to prayerfully ask the Lord where you are trusting in your own strength. Where is sin slowly creeping in, tempting you with lies and justifications? Fight those battles with the Spirit of God inside you, Christian! Refuse to allow the ground in your heart that Christ died to rescue, be turned over again as enemy territory!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Shielded By The Unstoppable!

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 Shielded 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.

Shielded Day 1 Shielded By The Unstoppable

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 6:10-11
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Isaiah 40:30-31
2 Timothy 2:3-4

Shielded, Day 1

The last few weeks have been up and down in waves.
I’ve been grumpy and my patience has been tested.
Why? 

I could say the students in my class are getting on my nerves because they’re excited about upcoming activities. I could say it’s because friends and family are irritating me.  I could say it’s because some family members’ health has me concerned.

These triggers are part of the human experience, but they aren’t why I’ve been in a slump. It didn’t take long for me to review the last few weeks and realize, I have not been putting on my God-given armor. 

I’ve slacked off.
I haven’t been in the Word.
I haven’t been taking time to grow in my walk with the Lord.

I don’t share this because I want your sympathy. I share this because surely, at some point, we’ve all experienced missing armor, manifesting in attitudes and actions. Therefore, I share this because I want to encourage you.

Ephesians 6:10-11 speaks to believers about putting on the special armor God gives us to use in our fight against the enemy.  The situations I described above are external. What was really happening?  I let my guard down and the enemy attacked.  He attacked my heart and my thoughts, and without my armor to defend me, he buried me in a big mess of trouble.

We are at war every day in this world.

We tend to focus on the outside, what we see around us. We get angry with family and friends. We get disproportionately upset at minor frustrations, like an unexpected schedule change.

But this isn’t a war of the physical world.
There is a different war raging.
This war is invisible, in the spiritual realm.

While unseen, our enemy is real and ruthless. 1 Peter 5:8 calls him a “lion seeking who he can devour.” God not only warns us about him, but gives us the necessary weapons to fight him. When we believe and accept God’s gift of salvation, we receive both eternal life and an impenetrable suit of armor. We become soldiers of Jesus Christ, called and equipped by God to enter the fight against sin and Satan.

However, our armor isn’t given to us so God can leave us alone on the battlefield. He knows we cannot win this war in our own strength.

Therefore, our armor is covered in God’s power and strength.

God is with us at all times
and, clothed in His armor,
we can access His power to fight the evil forces in the unseen realm.

2 Corinthians 6:7 declares we have the power of God in us.

This truth is reflected in Jeremy Camp’s song, Same Power:
“The same power that rose Jesus from the grave, lives IN us!”

Satan cannot take this power from us,
but he will try to keep us from using it.  

Leaving our armor behind gives him the opportunity to strike us.
He wants us to be apathetic and complacent.
He wants us to get lost in “what ifs” and doubt God.

He wants us to forget we have the power of God living inside us and can be victorious, even in our weakest moments. Our enemy is a crafty adversary, tailoring his attacks to take advantage of our deepest vulnerabilities.

Peering into our darkest insecurities, he draws arrow to bow.

Zing. The arrow flies.  “You’re not good enough.”

Zing. “You’re comfortable, no reason to do anything new.”

Again. “You’ll be crushed if something bad happens because of this decision.”

And again. “God will never forgive you for _______.”

And again. “You can’t.”

If our armor is laying in a heap, rusted and dusty, we are defenseless against the onslaught. Satan’s accusations demolish us.

But if our armor is in place, well-fitted and consistently maintained, we are shielded by the unstoppable power of God. His power is able to deflect Satan’s lies, to topple his strongholds.

Not good enough?
God says our adequacy and worth are bound up in and defined by Him alone. (2 Corinthians 3:5)

Tempted to stay safe and comfortable?
God urges us to walk with courage and strength into new callings. (Joshua 1:1-9)

Paralyzed by fear of unforeseen consequences?
God assures us He will be with us, no matter what the future holds. (Hebrews 13:5-6)

Strangled by shame?
God heaves condemnation from our shoulders and nails it to the cross. (Romans 8:1-2)

Just. Can’t?
God declares in Him, we can. (Philippians 4:13)

Every thrust of our swords and clang of our shields moves us away from the devil and toward God Himself.

I haven’t been responsible and active about my armor lately.
I’ve become comfortable and lazy.
Exactly what Satan wants.

What about you?  
Are the external happenings in your life a result of setting down your armor and walking away from the fight?

It’s easy to get comfortable in our daily routines and forget our time with God.
Join me today.
Let’s steep ourselves in His Word, His presence, and His power.

Sleeping warrior, awake.
Settle your armor into place.
The battle cry has sounded.

It’s time to fight.

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
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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 Shielded Week One! 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 Shielded!

The GT Weekend! ~ Treasure Week 2

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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) “God wove holy work into our design as an act of love toward humanity.” That’s a pretty bold statement from our friend, Tawnya. In what ways do your views of your work contradict, or agree, or land somewhere in the middle of that statement? If God truly did create, and give, work as an act of love towards us, how might that reshape how we go about our work, regardless of what it is, where it is, or how we are reimbursed for that work? What specific steps can begin taking to “take back” a biblical view of the work God has lovingly given you?

2) As important as our work is in the grander view of building God’s Kingdom, whether we are doing dishes, inviting a neighbor for tea, or bringing together business deals, the enemy is always lurking around us, ready to tempt us to tie our identity to our work. It’s such an easy trap to fall into! When we succeed at our job, we feel we have won. Conversely, when we feel we have failed, the weight falls heavy on our hearts, affecting everything else. Learning to lean wholly on the truth of who God says we are, regardless of what we accomplish with our hands, will radically rewrite how we view ourselves and our work!

3) God not only fills us with life-giving purpose by calling us into eternal kingdom work, He also intentionally designed what we do here to echo into eternity. What we do with our time, our talent, and our treasure while we live on this temporal earth will matter in eternity. Because of this reality, the apostle Paul urges us to “run so you may obtain it (the prize)! (1 Corinthians 9:24) Run the race of your faith with purpose, intentionality, and with your eyes focused on the eternal, not the temporal. Only what’s done for Christ, through His power and by His love, will have forever impact!

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 1 Corinthians 9:22-24 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we are imperishable.

Prayer Journal
“I do it all for the sake of the gospel…”. Lord, I read those words by Paul, and Your Spirit washes over me with new awareness of the work You have called me into. All things, for all people, whatever I’m doing, all for the gospel to be proclaimed, understood, and received by the same mighty Spirit Who empowers me to work at all. I’m humbled, Lord, and in awe of Your Work! You work in me, You fuel me to do Kingdom Work, You call me into purpose, and elevate everything I set my hands to as being potentially used to build Your eternal kingdom. Incredible grace, Lord! May I run this race well with each job ahead of me. From sweeping the floor, potty-training, meal planning, errand-running, or patience in my relationships…this is the work You’ve purposefully given me. Establish it with Your hands!

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

Treasure Day 9 The Gift Of Laboring: 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 The Gift Of Laboring!

The Questions

1) What was the burden that wearied the people to whom Jesus was speaking? (verse 28)

2) What does it mean when Jesus says to “take up my yoke” (verse 29)?

3) In what way is the yoke of Jesus easy and how does He make a burden light (verse 30)?

Matthew 11:28-30

28 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Original Intent

1) What was the burden that wearied the people to whom Jesus was speaking? (verse 28)
When you study the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), you’ll learn that verses 28-30 are distinct to Matthew’s gospel alone. Though a simple reading of Chapter 11 may cause an observer to feel it is disjointed, there is a connection we find when we dig into Jesus’ repeated call to the weary. In these three verses, Jesus invites burdened people to come to Him for relief from what loads them down. In the context of all of Jesus’ teaching, it is quite evident He isn’t speaking of physical burdens like a backpack or an illness. Jesus wanted those who followed Him to understand He was inviting them to surrender in a much different way than the religious leaders of the day required (which was purely physical). (Matthew 23:1-7) Jesus called them to reject their own sufficiency. The burdens of heartless law-keeping were placed on them by men, not God. Matthew reveals Jesus’ heart through His words of rebuke to the cities. Jesus and John had preached repentance, had worked miracles, and had given them ample opportunities to be released from the bondage of sin, but they continued to ignore the message of hope, Instead, by rejecting Him and His freedom from the bondage of sin, they brought upon themselves judgment instead of comfort. (Matthew 11:16-20)

2) What does it mean when Jesus says to “take up my yoke” (verse 29)?
Verse 28 reveals the offer Jesus made to those listening, “Come to Me.” In verse 29, He presents to them Himself as their example of what finding rest will mean for them. Jesus had come to release them from the heavy burdens the religious leaders placed on the people. The entire ministry and message of Jesus centers around this exchange and drastic mind shift. Jesus knew the oppression they experienced was never what God intended the Law to produce. Instead, the Law was intended to be a reminder that repentance and faith was all that was essential, since no one would ever be able to keep the full law perfectly. The obedience that followed the surrender would not be burdensome because Jesus’ righteousness provided all that was necessary to release the weary soul from sin and death. (1 John 5:1-4) The good news of Jesus was His promise that no would need to earn their way into heaven! Instead, all one must do is come toward Jesus and exchange the burden of impossible perfection for His true goodness. (1 Peter 2:24)

3) In what way is the yoke of Jesus easy and how does He make a burden light (verse 30)?
Earlier in chapter 11 we read John the Baptist (Luke 3) was in prison. Considering the inquiry, it appears John’s faith in Jesus had been met with doubt. Though we don’t know for sure his motivation, the message from John’s disciples required Jesus to assure John that He was indeed the Messiah of whom John had preached. (John 3:28-30) Jesus instructed John’s friends to tell him of what they had observed. Was it possible John’s weariness of waiting had caused him to doubt? Maybe. Even so, Jesus affirmed John (Matthew 11:11) and Himself, rebuking the crowds for their unrepentant hearts. (Matthew 11:19-20,  25-27) Under the inspiration of God’s Spirit, Matthew records John’s inquiry and Jesus’ response. Even John the Baptist, the great forerunner of Jesus, (or his disciples), needed to be reminded why Jesus came and assured He was exactly who He claimed to be. It wasn’t to overthrow an earthly kingdom built by human hands. He came to replace the burdensome system by surrendering His own life so ours would be death-penalty free. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

Everyday Application

1) What was the burden that wearied the people to whom Jesus was speaking? (verse 28)
The burden that afflicted the people in Jesus’ day is the same one that we must shake off from ourselves today in our own time. It’s the burden of our own efforts in our salvation and spiritual growth. We cannot be “good enough” to gain favor from God or make Him smile on us. Jesus has provided the answer, the only answer, for us when He said, “abide in Me” (John 15:9). The only effort we must make is to move toward His extended hand and heart, openly, willingly, humbly receiving His lavish offer of grace and forgiveness. Once we have come to Jesus, then we rest. The burden of perfection is too heavy, too demanding, and will never be lifted by our efforts. That’s why faith is essential. We must trust Christ at His work on our behalf, believing His word as true. Faith is resting in what Jesus has told us about Himself, then believing and abiding in that truth. The yoke of Jesus is a hopeful assurance of life abundant and everlasting as we learn to live in the pattern of love and surrender He has modeled for us. Only here will we finally find rest for our souls!

2) What does it mean when Jesus says to “take up my yoke” (verse 29)?
The author of Hebrews tells us to “run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eye on Jesus, the Source and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) This is the light yoke Jesus calls us to take up. There is not another yoke in existence that gives us rest for our souls. “Oh soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see. There’s light for a look at the Savior, and life more abundant and free! Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” (Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus) Where are you working hard to be good enough for God and earn His favor? Where are you relying on your own strength to be a better Christian, wife, friend, mother, or daughter? Only Jesus is your strength and sustenance. Only by His Spirit can be made like Him! Surrender to Him!

3) In what way is the yoke of Jesus easy and how does He make a burden light (verse 30)?
The yoke of Jesus is easy because He carried the burden that was meant for us to carry; and He was the only one who could carry it all the way to the end perfectly without a single flaw. We are the recipients of His gracious and perfect obedience to the Father’s plan for our redemption because of His unfathomable love for us. You could say our obedience to Jesus is “easy like Sunday morning.” It’s resurrection power & peace. Those of us who have put our faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross find ourselves being made into His likeness by the Spirit’s work daily in our lives. What sweet rest we have in Jesus, through the gift of grace from the Father and the help and comfort of the Spirit. We aren’t to bear the burdens of a life of law-keeping, checkboxes to mark off, and “being good enough” in order to make ourselves right with God. We are instead worshippers, resting in the obedience of Christ and His finished work on the cross, which He did on our behalf that we may, finally, be truly free! (Hebrews 10:8-14)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with The Gift Of Laboring!

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 Treasure 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.

Here Day 8 King Herod

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 2:1-18
Micah 5:1-6
Jeremiah 31:15-25

Here, Day 8

“WISE men?” I laughed mirthlessly as I swirled the ruby liquid in my goblet. Without warning, I hurled the heavy object across the room as I roared in anger. Wine sprayed across the white marble floor as the goblet shattered with a crash. The dark color reminded me of blood. High priests and scholars who had been sharing whispered information with me only moments ago scurried from the throne room like frightened children, eager to escape my wrath. A servant hurried silently to clean the spill and restore order.

My thoughts churned, an equal mixture of fury and disgust. They couldn’t be THAT wise! How dare they show up in my kingdom, unannounced, to inquire about the newborn king of the Jews?! I am the King of the Jews. There is no other. I rule with the support of Rome and most of Jerusalem.

Did they truly think this course of action could possibly end well for them? If they had any sense or skill at all, their stars and signs would have forewarned them what a mistake it would be to come here! I’ll make sure it’s a mistake they won’t make again. They won’t be doing anything once I’m through with them.

Although… Perhaps there’s a way I can use their idiocy to my advantage. I stood and took a few steps toward the opposite wall before turning to pace back the other way. The whispers of an idea were beginning to take shape.

The prophecy plainly states the Messiah will come from Bethlehem. Of that, everyone seems certain. If it is true, and he is here, I know that’s the region where he’ll be. He is only an infant. He is weak and defenseless…for now.

I am the only king of the Jews. I will not allow him to become my successor.  A darker thought took root and began to grow. He will never make it to adulthood; I won’t allow it.

“Simeon!” I barked, fists clenched, robes rustling behind me.

He appeared at once and bowed. “Yes, my king?”

“I want you to arrange a meeting with the men from the East. Tell no one. I want to meet with them at once!”

Simeon bowed again. “Yes, my king.” He left as silently as he had appeared.

Yes. This will work, I can feel it!

I will convince them that I, too, want to worship the newborn king.
I will convince them that my motives are pure.
Then, I will find him. 

I will find him, and I will kill him.

I felt a cold smile curve my lips. The prophecy was good for something, after all. God may have intended it to inspire hope, but instead, it would serve to secure my reign against His “Messiah.”

I retrieved the new goblet a servant had placed on the table beside my throne and poured a generous helping. What kind of God sends His Messiah as a baby, anyway? Kings are powerful. They command armies, and respect. They deal with rulers, and other authorities. Nothing about this makes any sense. 

Lost in my thoughts, I sat on my throne and studied the gems adorning one hand, swirling the wine with my other hand. The sound of someone clearing their throat brought me back, and I noticed Simeon had returned.

“It is done, my king. They will be here soon.” He bowed, never once making eye contact.

I chuckled with dark delight. “Well done, Simeon! Leave me, I need to be alone with my thoughts.”

He strode quietly from the room as I stood and began to pace once more.

“Thank you so much for coming to meet with me! Yes, I too, am thrilled that the prophecy is fulfilled and am eager to…” I snorted aloud as an unsolicited bout of laughter overtook me. “…worship the newborn king!”

Yes. This will work splendidly…if only I can keep from laughing outright! 

No one will take my kingdom from me.
No one will take my power, my position, my status.
No one will bow to any other king of the Jews. 

I ALONE determine my fate, and the fate of all I rule.
I will NEVER allow this infant Messiah to survive, to fulfill the prophecy. 

And once I kill him, I will kill these foolish “wise” men, too. They will rue the day they dared set foot in my kingdom to seek to worship my successor. 

I am the King. I am Herod. I have no room for another.

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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!

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Worship VI Day 10 Do It Again

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Joshua 6:1-20
Lamentations 3:21-26
Daniel 3:16-18
Mark 11:22-24
Romans 4:18-25

Worship VI, Day 10

When I read the story of Joshua, it all seems so easy…

Admittedly, God’s instructions to Joshua and his army are strange…
march around the walls of Jericho once a day for six days
and seven times on the seventh day

But they’re clear and easy enough to follow.
What’s more, the outcome is entirely predictable.  As long as they demonstrate their faith by obeying God’s command, on the seventh day, “the city wall will collapse, and the troops will advance.”  (Joshua 6:5)

When I think about life today, it all seems much more complicated.
We all have situations where we would love to see God move in power like He did at Jericho. We have each had situations where we long for breakthrough, as we constantly circle them in prayer. Maybe we’re praying for healing or salvation for a loved one, seeking God’s wisdom about a major life decision, or coming to God with a long-held dream we can’t quite give up on despite the lack of opportunity for its reality.

Unlike Joshua, we often have no idea what the outcome will be,
or how long we will wait.

“Walking around these walls,
I thought by now they’d fall…
Waiting for change to come…”

It’s easy for the waiting to lead to discouragement.

Around five years ago, this all became very real to me as I prayed for a friend struggling with mental health issues.  After a couple years of battling with this, during which I’d been praying regularly, her condition seemed to be spiralling downward. As she began texting me late at night with graphic descriptions of her depressed feelings, I felt helpless. I knew she was receiving professional help, so all I could do was pray, and I believed God could help and heal her. Unlike Joshua, I had no guarantee of how God would answer my prayer, or what that answer would look like.

I came to realise my faith must be based on something deeper
than the miracle I hoped for.

Fortunately, while we have examples in Scripture of God’s miraculous power, we also have examples of people waiting and praying in desperate situations. We meet people longing for answers that are slow to come.

Jeremiah lamented over Jerusalem’s destruction and his people’s exile to Babylon. Abraham waited decades for the child God had promised; his waiting eventually reached the point where it seemed physically impossible to bear a child.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the fire for no crime other than obedience to God.

Yet all these people managed to hold on to their faith in God by looking beyond their circumstances and focusing on His faithfulness.

Amidst the ruins, Jeremiah declared:
“Because of the Lord’s faithful love
we do not perish,
for his mercies never end.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness!”  (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Abraham held onto hope even when his situation was hopeless, humanly speaking, because, “he was fully convinced that what God had promised, he was also able to do.”  (Romans 4:21)

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were bold in proclaiming their trust in God’s power and goodness, despite the uncertain outcome of their situation.

“If the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king. But even if He does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”  (Daniel 3:17-18) 

Each of these knew God’s faithfulness by experience and chose to put their trust in Him, just as this song declares:

“Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
I’m still in Your hands
This is my confidence, You’ve never failed me yet.” 

In each case, the outcome was different, but the faithfulness of God
was exactly the same.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego experienced a speedy and miraculous rescue.  Abraham finally saw the fulfilment of God’s promise after years of waiting.  Jeremiah never saw the restoration of Jerusalem, though it did happen after 70 years just as Jeremiah had prophesied, because God is faithful.

How can we respond in our own situations where we long to see God move in power?

Tension exists between holding onto the solid hope that God is the same today as He was to Joshua, and that He is perfectly able to “do it again,” while also accepting God’s ways are not always predictable or understandable to us.

We’re called to have faith that God is able to move mountains, while we’re also called to trust in God’s faithfulness when the mountains fail to move exactly as we wish,
because He is always faithful to His promises.

We may not have the promise God gave Joshua that our walls will fall quickly and easily, but we do have several other promises, all rooted in His unchanging character.

He promises that….

Whatever our situation today, let’s choose to hold onto real, solid hope
and thank Him for His faithfulness!

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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!

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