Author: Bri Bailey

Sketched IX Day 1 Who Is This?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 53:3-5
Matthew 16:13-20
Luke 4:31-44
John 6:66-69
Acts 9:36-43

Sketched IX, Day 1

“All right, Peter. It’s time. Tell me.”

I looked across the low, rough-hewn table at Simon; despite deepening shadows, I clearly read curiosity and exhausted patience in his eyes. The busyness of the day was past and  our evening meal was finished. When his wife and children left the room, his jocular manner ceased, replaced with quiet intensity.

The flame of the oil lamp between us flickered as I expelled a deep breath, my gaze wandering to the window. The distant lights of Joppa bathed the evening in a golden glow. Simon’s home was situated outside of town, as his work as a leather tanner branded him “unclean” by polite Jewish society. Ten years ago, I would have declined his invitation of hospitality with thinly-veiled condescension. But now . . . everything has shifted.

Where to begin?

“Really,” I mused, as Simon settled comfortably against the cushions, “this story starts years ago, on a Sabbath.”

It had begun like any other Sabbath gathering in the synagogue near my hometown of Capernaum. Various men from the community offered ritual blessings to God, led the recitation of the Shema, and read pre-selected passages from the Torah and prophets. According to tradition, a reader would now give a short teaching, relevant to one of the readings.

Well, “short” was a relative term, as was “relevant.” Commentary on the holy writings contained little original content, with a tendency toward the rote and monotonous. I craned my neck, trying to catch a clear glimpse of the man rising to speak, my thoughts already on the meal my wife was preparing at home. I hoped today’s lesson would be quick.

Then the Teacher began to speak.
And my spirit came to life within me.

His words resonated with humility, clarity, and authority; when He spoke, the fog of confusion, guesswork and empty theories shrouding God’s words parted. For the first time, I experienced a full, deep, assured understanding of their meaning. Surveying the room, I saw my amazement mirrored in the faces and murmurs of the others.

Who was this Teacher? As He spoke, I somehow felt God was in the room with me, speaking to my very soul.

A short time later, I burst through the doorway of my home, excitedly calling to my wife. She will absolutely not believe this, I thought, tearing through the house as the story poured out of me, growing in volume and fervor.

“And then, Love, you can NOT imagine what happened! You know Amichai, he’s been ravaged by demons for as long as I can remember?

“Well, the Teacher is finishing His talk and Amichai comes raging into the synagogue screaming at Him. The Teacher stands there, completely at peace, and all of us are scuttling backwards from Amichai–you remember what he did to the priests the last time they tried to exorcise that demon–and I’m thinking, ‘WHO IS THIS TEACHER?!’ I’m not kidding, Love, it was like Amichai heard me and he shrieks, ‘I know who you are–the Holy One of God!’ I’m reeling from that when the Teacher rebukes him and tells the demon to leave–He spoke it, no charms, spells or anything, just ‘Be silent and come out of him.’ And Love, it DID! Amichai collapsed and it was GONE! What can this mean? And now He’s coming here. . .”

My words trailed off as I skidded to a stop in the kitchen and my wife threw herself into my arms, sobbing. I was flabbergasted by this complete role reversal: shortly into our marriage, she’d affectionately dubbed my zealous nature “fiery,” while she was (usually) happy to be my rock of tranquility.

I was able to piece together that her mother, the matriarch of our home, who’d been fine when I left the house, was now near death with a sudden, high fever. The same fever had stolen members from many families nearby in recent days, and cold fear gripped my heart.

I heard a commotion at the front of the house, signaling the arrival of my brothers with the Teacher. “Come,” I said, taking my wife’s hand and tugging her along, “the Teacher will know what to do.”

“Well?” Simon leaned forward, weariness forgotten in his anticipation. “What happened to your mother-in-law? And how does this explain today, with Tabitha?”

I met Simon’s eyes, pulling myself back to the present. “Today, with Tabitha, it was like I was back in my mother-in-law’s room on that Sabbath, many years ago.

“Both were devoted to ministry, overflowing in kindness and generosity.
When the Teacher stood over my mother-in-law, only a few family members were present.
And today, I felt Him direct me to pray privately over Tabitha’s body.

“You see,” I explained, “When He healed, it wasn’t a performance. He didn’t need an audience to massage His vanity; He was and is in full assurance of His full authority.”

And?? was clearly written over Simon’s head.

“Simon, all those years ago, He spoke and my mother-in-law was healed. Immediately and completely.
Today, when I prayed over Tabitha, He moved and she was alive again.
Immediately and completely.
That Sabbath, I didn’t know who He was.
Now, I do.
Simon, He is everything.
He is power, spoken and enacted. He is humility and authority.
He is Rescuer and Healer. He is Final Sacrifice and Restorer.
He is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

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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 Sketched IX Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Enough Day 5 Prophet & Priest

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 28:7-8
Jeremiah 5:21-31
Ecclesiastes 7:20
Romans 3:10-12
Ephesians 2:1-3

Enough, Day 5

“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)

At the moment of choosing self over God in the Garden of Eden, mankind’s sweet and intimate communion with God was shredded to tatters. Rebellious thought became disobedient action, and instantly, horrifyingly, a gulf of sin yawned eternity-wide between Father and children.

But God.

In His unbroken love and unending mercy, He designed a way to remain in relationship with His children, a system that left His justice undefiled.

The sins of the people required payment, and so He established the priesthood, a lineage set apart to approach a holy God on behalf of a sin-riddled nation.

Descendants of Aaron (Moses’ brother) would dedicate themselves to upholding meticulously stringent rules for offering countless sacrifices to cover countless sins.

Aside from sin offerings, priests would oversee
burnt offerings,
grain offerings,
guilt offerings,
and fellowship offerings, to name a few.
The people of Israel would now relate to their God at a distance, through ritual.

Sin would separate their spirits.

The tabernacle, maintained by the tribe of Levi, would separate their physical presences. The people would remain outside, while God’s presence resided within the Holy of Holies, the tabernacle’s innermost sanctuary. Only the high priest, after strenuous cleansing rituals and offerings to cover every possible sin, was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies as a shadowed, hollow mediator between God and man.

“You must distinguish between the holy and the common,” God directed the priests, “and the clean and the unclean, and teach the Israelites all the statues that the Lord has given to them through Moses”. (Leviticus 10:10-11)

But the priests were not immune to mankind’s legacy of sin, and almost immediately, they became corrupt, continuing in their sinful nature of grubbing around in darkness rather than living holy before the Lord God.

Leadership roles, including that of high priest, were sold to the highest bidder or, later, appointed at the whim of foreign political leaders. Priests either taught from their own wisdom or put their authority up for sale (Micah 3:11), leading the people astray and violating their covenant work. (Malachi 2:8)

Finally, even before the dust of Egypt could fall from their shoes, Aaron commanded the Israelites to fashion and worship a golden calf as their one, true God. Again and again, priests sanctioned the casting of idols and the worship of false and foreign gods over the One True God. (2 Kings 17:16-17)

The cycle was unbroken, endless, despairing. No sacrifice made by man could provide permanent absolution; no spilled blood of an animal could transform the people’s sinful nature. (Hebrews 10:4)

God’s judgement was unequivocal, His words condemning their sin as a tragic echo of His commission:

“Her priests do violence to my instructions and profane my holy things. They make no distinction between the holy and the common, and they do not explain the difference between the clean and the unclean. They close their eyes to my Sabbath, and I am profaned among them.” (Ezekiel 22:26)

Moved to action by a generation of priests who stole offerings meant for the Lord, threatened violence against the people they were meant to lead, and sexually abused women who served in the tabernacle (1 Samuel 2:12-17, 22), God called a young boy to serve as His voice to Israel.

Thus began the age of prophets in Israel’s history, men and women who were called to approach a sin-riddled nation on behalf of a holy God. Some were people of incredible faithfulness, honor, and endurance, whose own words foreshadowed the Word made flesh.

In fact, much of the Old Testament has been dedicated to prophets’ exhortations.

But even prophets were not immune to the gnarled fingers of sin curling around their spirits.

Like the Israelites all the way back to Adam and Eve,
like the priests before and alongside them,
like every single human after them, some began to choose self over God.

What “prophetic” message would garner the most political favor?
What message would bring financial gain, or community stature?
What message would bring physical satisfaction, pleasure, or ease?
Then surely, that message was intended for God’s children . . . regardless of whether it bore any resemblance to His words.

As with the priests, God spoke out against false prophets:
“Because you have disheartened the righteous person with lies (when I intended no distress), and because you have supported the wicked person so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life, therefore you will no longer see false visions or practice divination. I will rescue my people from your hands. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 13:22-23)

. . . and eventually, the true prophets fell silent. For hundreds of years, Israel heard nothing from God. Never before had He seemed so distant, so separate.

No man, hopelessly bound in the sticky, spidery web of sin and death could free himself, save his people, and stand blameless before God (Ephesians 2:1-3).

Not priests.
Not judges, or kings, or elders.
Not prophets.
Not you, or me.

Where, then, does our hope lie? What sacrifice, what true High Priest, could be enough to break, once and for all, sin’s death-grip on our spirits?

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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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Questions 2 Day 15 Does God Need Me?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 3:13-15
Psalm 50:7-15
John 15:9-17
John 17:9-13
Romans 5:6-11

Questions 2, Day 15

Tap. Tap. Tap-tap-tap.

Drops of blood struck a staccato beat as they fell into an ever-widening pool, saturating the dirt around rough-hewn beams gouged into the earth. Blood’s heavy iron scent settled in a stifling cloud over nearby onlookers.

Soldiers clustered in conversation a little distance away, raising their voices over the heartrending wail of mourners. One soldier threw a puzzled glance to the sky, wondering at the darkness shrouding the sun since midday. He shrugged in the inky darkness and turned back to his fellow servicemen. For those assigned to crucifixion duty, the agony that daily played out around them faded quickly into mundane.

But their talk halted abruptly as a figure on one of the three crosses heaved against the spikes and cried out,

“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”
My God, my God, why have You abandoned me?(Matthew 27:46)

Centuries later, we wonder what could possibly compel the God-man on that cross to knowingly and willingly submit to such agony?
To a death that left Him unrecognizable as human?To total and utter separation from God the Father and the Spirit?

Surely, it must have been to satisfy a desperate need.
To mend His eternity, torn by the sins of His creations.
To fill the aching loneliness left by their desertion.
To secure for Himself workers in the establishment of His kingdom on earth.

These are logical conclusions, but they’re based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the character and heart of God . . . one I’d never really considered until now. If it’s a new idea for you, too, cool! Let’s learn together in this safe space!

In essence, we ask
Did Jesus die to redeem me because God needs me in order to be happy?
To be joyful?
To be satisfied, or fulfilled, or in community?
To be effective, powerful, or present?
Does God need me . . . at all?

Absolutely not.

Stings, doesn’t it?
But let’s invite our egos to take a seat and talk it through . . .
Because it’s actually THE BEST news.

God needs nothing.

He lacks nothing; the world and everything in it are His.
He does not need our offerings, praise, or provision.(Psalm 50:7-15)

He created all, in heaven and on earth.
He owns all.
He is victorious over all, with no need of aid.
(Genesis 14:17-20, Psalm 24:1-2)

Instead of needing anything, He is the source of everything.
Including us.
He gives us life and breath.
He determines our days and our boundaries.
He, Who made us, cannot be contained by us.
Our service does not fulfill or empower Him.
He is not bound by our understanding or creations or imagination.
(Acts 17:22-29)

He. is. all.
When God revealed Himself to Moses through the burning bush, He declared, “I AM WHO I AM”. (Exodus 3:14)
No other descriptor is needed, or could be more than, God Himself.

He is fullness of joy.
While He offers to share His joy with us, His joy is NOT dependent upon us.(John 15:11)

He is fullness of community, existing as God the Father, Christ the Son, and Holy Spirit.

In Himself is shared ownership, shared pleasure, and shared knowledge of each other on the most intimate level.

He has no need of us.

But take heart; we’re coming to the best part.

If the God-man on that cross knowingly and willingly submitted to such agony to satisfy a desperate need, His sacrifice would have been one of obligation.

Instead, He embraced His suffering
Unto disfigured death and utter abandonment
to satisfy a desperate love.

Our sin broke our world, broke our eternity, broke our spirits,
But it did NOT break His love.
And so He made a way to overcome our sin.
(Romans 5:6-8, Ephesians 2:4-5)

No, He doesn’t need us.
But oh, how He wants us!
How He loves us!

In those moments when….
the enormity and ugliness and shame of our sin
punches us in the gut, stealing our breath and leaving us longing
to peel off our skin, climb out, and be someone else because we can’t stand to be this wretched mess for one more second . . .

Oh, how He wants us!
How He loves us!

For here, in the absence of need, the fullness of God’s want
astounds us with its flourishing passion. 

Beholding the sobbing heap of mistakes and regret before Him,
Against all human logic, with obligation nowhere to be found,
Driven by abiding love,
He wraps us in His scarred arms and whispers,
“Beloved, I chose the cross, because I choose you.
Even here. Even now.”

(Cue the ugly cry. Every time.)

What will we do with this stunning reality?

Perhaps you’re experiencing significant lack, or feeling small and incapable . . .
His truth reminds you of the God Who needs nothing,
Who is the source of all, and is graciously, your Provider.

Perhaps you’re drowning in condemnation and shame, feeling wholly unlovable . . .
His truth resoundingly declares His incomprehensible love for you.

Perhaps He’s asking you to respond to His love by stepping out in forgiveness, obedience, or repentance . . . .
Here, in this unforced space, you are free to proclaim grateful devotion to your Father, Lover, and Helper.

Move into truth and act upon it, knowing full well the One Who loves us best is for us!

As we reflect on these questions, seek His heart, and follow the gentle nudges of His Spirit, we can walk on in partnership with the One Who loves us best.

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Gospel Day 5 The World

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 103:1-14
Matthew 5:43-45
Romans 8:37-39
1 John 4:8-10
Revelation 5:6-10

Gospel, Day 5

Shocking.
God’s love is shocking.

John 3:16 opens with the earth-shattering phrase, “God so loved the world.”
To those of us who have grown up in the church and can recite this verse by rote memory, the concept may have lost a bit of its punch. In a sermon entitled “God’s Shocking Love,” Pastor Steven Cole helps us reconnect with the power of this passage.

Cole explains that for the original devout Jewish audience, these words turned everything the Jews knew on end. Of course God loved them. After all, they obeyed the Law, made sacrifices to atone for their sins, and were generally as good as good could get.
But God so loved the world??!!

A world that included sinful Jews, those who had slipped in upholding religious minutiae, those who had missed a Sabbath or couldn’t quite afford that sacrifice . . . well, maybe. They were still God’s chosen people, even if they were a bit backslidden.

But a world that included Gentiles?!
Nope.
Absolutely not.
The Jews had spent generations being warned against intermingling with these dogs, failing to listen, and then bearing the punishment of their choices. And now God professed His love for the very people the Jews have been taught to shun?
Madness.

Let’s not forget those who openly opposed Jesus, condemned Him, and even participated in His death. Surely the love of God doesn’t extend quite that far.

And what about us?
Let’s leave our Jewish brethren to scratch their heads for a moment and turn our focus a little closer to home.

Have you ever felt unlovable?
Surveyed the last few months of your life and seen only efforts culminating in repeated failures?
Lost your temper with your kids, or your neighbors, or your co-workers
. . . for the tenth time
. . . since lunch?
Spoken or acted in a way that hurt those for whom you care the most?

At our prickliest, when it seems nothing we do is right or good, when we’re sick to death of being our miserable selves . . .

Does God love us then?

Yes.
Say it out loud with me if you have to.
God. loves. me.

The truth is that the shocking, incomprehensible love of God has nothing to do with our goodness, and everything to do with who He is: God is love.

And therefore He loves us, even at our ugliest.
Like the father of the prodigal son (Luke 15: 11-32), He sprints to greet us, grinning ear to ear, wrapping His arms around us without giving the slightest thought to the pig poop with which we’re covered, or our past insolence, or the way we’ve done all the bad things.

Devout Jew or Gentile dog, the mostly good, the mostly not good, His sweet mother, the soldier who drove the nails into His flesh . . . He simply loves us.

But the story doesn’t end there.

John 3:16 continues, “that He sent His only son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.”

God is love. God is also completely holy and utterly just.
Into that tension slithered our sin.
And in the instant of a single choice,
God’s plan for perfect fellowship with His children was broken.

To uphold His holiness and justice, and to uphold the dignity of human responsibility, God must judge all sin.*

Some of us, as discussed above, are acutely aware of our sin and its resulting judgement.
But what about those who, like the prodigal’s older brother, have done the good things? Perhaps we’ve been in the church, faithfully, for as long as we can remember.
Steered clear of “big” sins.
Maintained a respectful attitude toward God.

Get ready for some serious truth:
the older brother was a BIG OLE HYPOCRITE.
We may have done some of the good things, but no one has done all the good things.
Romans 3:23 drives home that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Furthermore, the wages of sin are death. (Romans 6:23)

Devout Jew or Gentile dog, the mostly good, the mostly not good, His sweet mother, the soldier who drove the nails into His flesh . . . we are all perishing.

But because of His great love, He sent His only Son, who is eternal God in sinless human flesh, to bear the death penalty we all deserve.*

In the face of our sin, His holy justice required separation.
His love moved Him to make a way back.

It’s up to us prodigals to acknowledge our sins and recognize the futility of our own efforts to mitigate their eternal consequences, choosing instead to believe in God and entrust our eternity to the finished work of the cross.

The Father’s love is calling us home.
How will you respond?

*Steven Cole, “Lesson 17: God’s Shocking Love,” www.bible.org.

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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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Anchored Day 13 When The World Is At Stake

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 95:2-5
Matthew 28:16-20
Colossians 4:2-6
1 Corinthians 16:9-10

Anchored, Day 13

Our world is dying.
Those of us walking with Jesus know the narrow road to life,
and we are commissioned to invite the perishing around us on the
journey to life everlasting. (Matthew 7:13-14)

The stakes couldn’t be higher.

This urgency drove Paul’s words to the Colossian church in chapter 4.
Having laid a foundation for Godly living in chapter 3, Paul now invites the Colossians to broaden their perspective to the lost world stretching out before them.

“Fellow saints,” he seems to say, “remember your transformation is unto transferral:
the transferral of lost souls from the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light.”

Paul extends the hand of ministry partnership to Colossian believers.
He begins by highlighting the power of prayer, fundamentally understanding the success of his local evangelism depends on a suffusion of supernatural power garnered by prayers of distant believers.

So too for us, sisters!
While evangelism may not be our main vocation, we are not sidelined!
Our supportive role is critical to the work of those on the mission field.
When the world is at stake, our prayers matter.

But how should we pray?
Verse 2 of this passage provides three main guidelines for powerful, supportive prayer.

First, we are to be STEADFAST in our prayers for those sharing the Gospel.
Consistency in prayer exponentially strengthens both the pray-er (growing both motivation and intensity within her) and the recipient.

Next, we are to be WATCHFUL in prayer.
When we get busy praying, the enemy gets busy opposing us. We need to be alert to his strategies, which he’s crafty enough to tailor to each of us. Head on a swivel, sisters, let’s fight to protect our prayers.

And finally, we are to be THANKFUL in prayer.
While the view from the trenches may be discouraging at times, it’s important to remember that ultimately, the victory has already been won. As we reflect on our testimonies, we are reminded God has been faithful and will be again.
We find ourselves infused with fresh hope and strength for the fight.

We’re ready to be consistent in our prayers,
alert to the strategies of the enemy to thwart us,
and gratefully confident that in the epic struggle for the world,
our God has already been declared Victor.
We’re ready to pray.

But what should we pray?
Verses 3-4 provide timely guidance.

First, Paul requests prayer “also for us”.
Again, this refers to those whose main vocation is spreading the Gospel, whether local or far distant. Specifically, Paul shares a deep desire to make the most of “open door” moments: those special opportunities to share Jesus in unusually effective ways. These are not day-to-day conversations with a single person, but rather unique openings to minister on a large scale.

In every interaction, Paul longs to declare the mystery of Christ in a way that makes it clear. Some people may have been taught a wrong understanding of the Gospel.
Others may have no frame of reference at all and find it overwhelming.
Paul seeks wisdom to spread the word of God in a way that is relatable to each person he encounters.

So, as we pray for our missionaries, let’s ask God to create open doors for the exponentially effective move of the Gospel.
Let’s ask Him to give those on the front line precisely the right words
to make clear the heart of the Father.

In the last few verses of this passage, Paul moves instructs the Colossians
how they ought to share Jesus.

Because of course, evangelism is not just for missionaries.
Each and every one of us have been commissioned
to engage in everyday, ordinary ways of sharing
the most extraordinary story ever told.

“The time has come,” Paul seems to say, “to put all of your learning, all of your discipline, all of your growth, into action. Being transformed into the Father’s image means your heart also becomes more like His, broken for His lost children. Go now; it’s time to act.”

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders,
making the best use of the time.
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt,
so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Colossians 4:5-6)

Right off the bat, Paul encourages us with the simple command to engage those outside the family of believers. Time is short, and every interaction matters.
Therefore, Paul explains, wisdom is paramount.

Where is this person in the process of salvation?
What action on my part would be most beneficial
for this person
in this moment?

Perhaps my role is to sew a seed, leaving the harvest for another worker. (1 Corinthians 3:5-9) Or perhaps this is the moment of decision, and I ought to press on.
God’s timing is perfect, and my desire is to move in step with Him as He leads.

Furthermore, operating in the Father’s wisdom and listening the Spirit’s whisper allows our words to be seasoned in a way that makes the Gospel most powerful in each interaction. Because it isn’t about us, this is God’s Work!

A highly effective approach with one person might prove detrimental with another.
Before we’re overwhelmed by the weightiness of what lies ahead, remember we have God on our side. He created each soul; He is perfectly capable of leading us as His Spirit courts each one for the Kingdom.

When the world is at stake, the power of prayer is critical
along with a willing obedience to go.
Let us meet the Lord on our knees,
hear His whispers in our hearts,
and take Him with us to the streets.

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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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Anchored Day 3 Together

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Colossians 1:3-14
Genesis 1:1-2
Matthew 28:16-20
2 Corinthians 3:12-18
Ephesians 1:7-10

Anchored, Day 3

“Alllll by myseeeeelllllllff
Don’t wanna be
Allllll by myseeelllff
Anymore”

Celine’s soulful lyrics have become stock in trade for rom com break-up scenes and may leave us rolling our eyes (or reaching for the tissues; no judging here . . .). But perhaps they are so ingrained in our culture because of her plaintive statement of a truth that resonates deeply within us.

Centuries earlier, John Donne penned a similar sentiment:
“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man
Is a piece of the continent, a part of the main”.

We were made for together.
At the inception of humankind, our Creator spoke this foundational idea:
“It is not good that man should be alone.” (Genesis 2:18)

Sisters, we were made in God’s image, and central to His identity is community and fellowship, together.  He is the triune God: God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Scripture tells us before anything else was, God was, eternally existing in fellowship with Himself. Born from this shared love, His creative heart crafted humanity, breathing His own life into us, fashioning our desire for community to mirror His own that we too might experience shared love of fellowship together with Him and others.

Why this emphasis on life together?
In part, He knew how dangerous alone can be.

 When we’re alone (physically or spiritually), our problems become larger than life.
We begin ignoring the provision of God Himself as we elevate our problems above His goodness. As we fixate on our struggles, we can’t begin to conceive of sharing another’s burden. Our gaze turns increasingly inward, into a deepening spiral of self-absorption, hopelessness, and paralysis.

When we’re alone, the whispered lies of the enemy become the loudest sound we hear.
God’s words of truth become faint, fading into the distance of our memories. “Sure, God calls you His beloved,” the enemy sneers, pressing play on our personalized failure reels, “but could He really love someone who does this . . . and this . . . and this?”

Heads hung in shame, we find ourselves agreeing. All too soon, we’re no longer defined by the love of our Father, but by everything ugly within us.

When we’re alone, we abandon our discipline.
We find ourselves exhausted by the weight of carrying on in our feebleness, and after all, who will know if I don’t (insert discipline here) just this once?
Here, our last tenuous tethers to life-giving habits are severed.

His solution: together.

Together, we lean into loving accountability.
Our communities both seek the best for us and deserve the best from us. When we choose discipline, not only are we transformed by consistent change, but we build trust within our tribes.

Together, we can put physical voice to the Word of God, drowning out the enemy’s condemnation as we remind each other of truth. When we risk vulnerability within biblical community, we encounter the awesome power of shared experience. We are reminded how life is a journey for all, and failure doesn’t disqualify us from His plan.

Together, we gain perspective on our problems.
We can draw on one another’s experiences, finding wisdom and guidance as we seek the Lord together. We feel the rebirth of hope, reconnect with empathy, and are energized to act on our faith in the world around us.

The church at Colossae excelled at together.
Paul opens his letter to them with praise for the love they have for one another in the Spirit (Colossians 1:4, 8). He’d heard of their deep understanding of the hope and grace of salvation, and how it’s moved them to join their hearts together on their journey.

However, they stopped short of putting feet to their faith.
This body firmly believes in the hope of life in God;
they see the suffering around and within them, and their hearts swell with empathy . . .
but they don’t seem to be quite sure what to do next.

Contained within Paul’s prayer for the church are two practical ways for these believers to act, together.

First, Paul prays the Colossians would grow in knowledge of God’s will, tempered with wisdom and understanding (Colossians 1:9). God is know-able; His word stands ready to teach us His heart!

Then, Paul urges the Colossians to let this Word of God dwell with them deeply (Colossians 3:16) as His Spirit guides their actions. Partnership with the Father, because of the Son, through the Holy Spirit, teaches them walk in a manner worthy of their calling, fully pleasing to God, and bearing much fruit. (Colossians 1:10)

Sisters, this is God’s calling for us!
We can follow Paul’s instructions by asking ourselves these questions as we read Scripture:

What is God showing me about Himself?
The Colossians were encouraged to grow rich in knowledge and understanding of the Lord. How does what we read inform our perspective of the Almighty?

What is God showing me about myself and others?
What is God’s heart for my community? What lens should I see myself and others through?

What am I going to do about it?
How do I put feet to my faith? What are tangible, practical ways I can act on the Word and will of God, for me, for the body of Christ, and for the lost?

As we live out the vibrant, active Word of God,
lives are changed,
discipline becomes consistent,
and transformation results.

As we are sanctified, the Bride of Christ more closely resembles her Lover and the world around us begins to touch the true heart of the Father.

Together, we seek Him.
Together, we grow.
Together, we bear fruit.

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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 Anchored 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 Anchored!

Sketched V Day 11 Paul, The Prisoner

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 90:1-17
2 Corinthians 11:24-27
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Acts 14:8-23

Sketched V, Day 11

Staccato pounding on my door broke my concentration. Sighing, I laid down my pen and rose to cross the small room. Opening the door, I greeted the soldier before me, then stood back to allow him entry.

Marcellus strode into the room, peering around him in the semi-darkness. “For Apollo’s sake, man, put a light on,” he ordered. Suspicion spread across his face as his gaze met mine. “Unless you’re trying to hide something . . .”

“No, no,” I hastened to reassure him as I lit a lamp. “I was caught up in my letters and didn’t notice the setting sun,” I explained, gesturing toward the sheaf of parchments on my small table.

Ambling over to the table, Marcellus picked up the papers and idly glanced through them. One in particular caught his attention, and he read aloud, “Therefore do not be ashamed about the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, His prisoner–”. (2 Timothy 1:8)

Breaking off, he snorted, “Prisoner of the Lord? You ought to know better than anyone that you’re a prisoner of Caesar.” I opened my mouth to reply, but he cut me off. “And big help your God has been to you. I’ve heard all about you. You know how to take a beating . . . I really don’t know how you’re still alive. Where was your God then?”

Tossing the letters on the table and retrieving a pile of chains from a corner of the room, he growled, “Enough nonsense. Let’s get on with it. It’s been a long day and I’m exhausted.”

A short time later, Marcellus’ even snoring filled the room. I shifted on my pallet, taking care not to jostle the chains that connected us. I’d learned the hard way that Marcellus’ sunny disposition grew even sunnier if he was awakened from sleep. Absentmindedly, I rubbed the finger he’d broken the first time I’d made that mistake.

Quietness settled over my body, and my mind drifted back to Marcellus’ derisive critique of my words. This wasn’t the first time the phrase “prisoner of the Lord” begat confusion; I’d used the term in my letters to both the believers in Ephesus (Ephesians 4:1) and brother Philemon (Philemon 8-9), receiving bewildered replies each time.

Recipients of my letters had expressed incredulity that, given my suffering for the gospel, I would willingly bear the title “prisoner” of anyone.

For indeed, I had suffered.

Five times, I had endured the maximum religious punishment of 39 lashes.
Three times, I had been beaten with rods.
Three times, I’d been shipwrecked, spending a long, chilling 24 hours in open water.

In my years of spreading the gospel, I’d been in danger from rivers, bandits, fellow Jews, and Gentiles;
in the city, in the country, at sea, and from false believers;
gone without sleep, without food, and without water;
and found myself cold and naked.

I even died.

And that story summed up my joy at finding myself the Lord’s prisoner.

When Barnabas and I first visited the city of Lystra, God used us to bring wholeness to a crippled man. Despite our protestations, the townspeople revered us as gods . . . for a few days. Immature and quixotic, the people were turned against us by Jews from Antioch and Iconium.

Less than a week after attempting to worship at my feet, the people of Lystra stoned me.

But God.

God’s plans were much, much bigger, and so He breathed life back into my body. Months later, I stood once again at the gates to Lystra, gathering my courage to enter the city. As I made my way through the bustling main streets, face after face turned from business-as-usual to shock and amazement.

One burly man came to a full stop directly in front of me, giving voice to the thoughts of the crowd: “But . . . but you were dead. I saw you. What power has brought you back? Alive?”

And the gospel spread through Lystra with a potency I couldn’t have imagined.

Far from quelling the word of God, my suffering instead spurred it on.
I came to understand I was never imprisoned by the whim of human rulers.
Rather, I was strategically positioned by God for the furtherance of the good news.

In my greatest moments of human weakness, His supernatural strength was made perfect and His power was displayed for all to see.

And now here I lay, chained to a Roman guard, as I have been every night for some years. To all appearances, I am on a fool’s mission, the result of a seeming misstep in my testimony before Agrippa.

But God.

God made a way for His word to reach even Caesar, should my house arrest end with an audience before the Roman ruler. Until then, a new opportunity to share Jesus presents itself at my door every evening at sundown.

I sense that my time grows short. Like Moses, my prayer in these final days is for God to prosper the work I have begun here and abroad, creating His own legacy from my lifetime of ministry. Until the day He calls me home, I remain faithfully and joyfully in service to my Rescuer and Redeemer, yes, as His prisoner.

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

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 Sketched V 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 Sketched V!

Sketched V Day 8 Paul, The Freedom Fighter

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 16:2-3
Acts 7:54-60
Acts 9:10-19
Colossians 2:20-23
1 Timothy 1:12-17

Sketched V, Day 8

My eyes clouded as the memories surged to the forefront of my mind.

I remembered the swell of pride the day I completed my religious training; as time passed, my acclaim as a pharisee grew. With each effortlessly victorious debate, each oratory demonstrating my deep understanding of the entire Scripture living within my memory, each flawless performance of public rites, I believed I inched one step closer to perfectly living the Law.

And yet, in the quiet of the night, questions came. Stunning in their simplicity, they goaded me, “Are you good enough? Have you done enough?”

I found myself without an answer, because despite my austere priestly persona, I hadn’t upheld the Law perfectly. And the exhaustion of my effort was overwhelming.
Unwillingly, I was bound against myself; I had no way out.

Constant perfection was demanded of me: I had joined the strictest sect of pharisees, because their zeal for the truth mirrored my own. Truth, we believed, began and ended within the Law. Anyone who violated that sacred truth deserved to be punished.

Therefore, rage ignited within me as I listened to my fellow pharisees’ vitriolic indictment of a new, heretical movement called The Way. I had built my life upon the Law. Adherence to our sacred texts defined our culture and preserved our identity as God’s chosen through generations of foreign dominion. But these traitors declared a transcendance of the Law by the death of a man claiming to be Messiah . . .

No. I quelled the doubts whispering at the periphery of my mind.
If the Law was proven unable to save, I was doomed, held hostage by its demand for perfection. I covered my silent fear with public outrage: when a call came for a leader to put a decisive end to this madness, I was the first to volunteer.

Thus began the arrests. More than I could count, running together in a blur that powered my meteoric rise to fame within my own circles, and infamy to those whom I pursued. The mention of my name struck terror into the hearts of these heretics . . . and the intense pleasure that brought spurred me to even greater efforts.

Etched into my soul was the rabbit-howl of condemned mothers as their children were ripped from their arms and handed over to slave-traders. I can still hear the muted slap of coats hitting the ground at my feet, the gritty heft of the first stone in my hand, the spurt of blood as it met its mark. In those moments, my satisfaction grew with each display of the pain I mercilessly inflicted.

For I no longer possessed any doubt: obliterating the enemies of Yhwh, protecting the very foundations of our beliefs–this would earn my salvation at the end of my days. And so bloodlust became my passion, in the name of my God.

Until, one day, on an unremarkable stretch of road, I met my God. Soon after, scales fell from my eyes, and shackles fell from my spirit. I saw the truth of the horrific war I waged against God and His children. My deepest fears of the Law becoming my own noose were realized.

The Law, my beloved, reverenced Law
upon which I built and staked my everything, led to death.
So many deaths, at my hand.
In my attempts to follow every letter of the Law, I had become the chief of sinners.

But then, grace.
And on its heels, freedom.

Grace in the form of a God who loved me deeply enough
to meet me, man to God,
as the Truth personified.

Grace in the form of a man whose love for God
outweighed his fear of me
and welcomed into his home his greatest enemy
in the days of my greatest vulnerability.

Grace in the form of a community of believers
who forgave my past
and sewed into my future.

Grace, not perfection.
Freedom, not captivity.

I came to understand that the Law didn’t bring salvation.
Rather, it created an awareness of sin,
the futility of legalistic striving,
and the need for a Savior.

With effort, I ended my reminisces and drew my attention to the task before me. My heart was broken to learn how my message of grace and freedom in Christ was being perverted. Like our ancestors begging to return to lives of tormented subjugation in Egypt, my brothers and sisters in the faith in Galatia were trading the freedom of the gospel for the chains of the Law.

At the heart of the issue lay a question of identity.

Were we children of God because of dogged obedience to the Law?
Because we were circumcised, followed each directive regarding food, and observed every Holy day?

But, of course, we couldn’t do it all. Not perfectly enough to stand blameless before an utterly holy God. So we sacrificed to cover our failures, and tried again. Tried harder.
And failed again.
We were once trapped,
Enslaved,
Dying within a system never meant to give life.

Or were we children of God because of our faith?
Because we repented of our sins, believed they were covered by the blood of the One True Sacrifice, and accepted the grace and forgiveness of God?
We walked in freedom, finally and completely released from the cycle of sin and death into new and eternal life in Christ.

I picked up my pen and began to write, my hand shaking with the force of my conviction. The words sprawled across the page.

Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? (Gal 3:1-2)

Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed . . .

 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His son to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons . . .

So you are no longer a slave, but a son, an heir through Christ (Gal 4:4-7) . . .

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery (Gal 5:1).

My brothers and sisters, you know the truth.
Stand upon it.
Choose freedom.

———

Sisters, how has Christ brought freedom to your life?

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

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 Sketched V Week Two! 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 Sketched V!

Awaken Day 13 Awake My Soul

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 91:1-4
Psalm 94:16-19
Romans 8:31-39
Hebrews 4:14-16

Awaken, Day 13

Her back against the wall of the dark corner, she slid to her knees. Forehead met floor as she clenched her arms tighter around her waist, trying desperately to muffle her cries. Despite her efforts, the roiling within couldn’t–wouldn’t–be contained, and her keening echoed in the emptiness around her.

Barely able to string words into thought, she flung a desperate plea to the heavens.

“I can’t do it anymore.
It’s too big, too hard, hurts too much.
I can’t.”

Never had the Throne of Mercy seemed more distant. The disappointment He must surely feel thundered in the silence, its weight crushing.

Exhausted, her sobs spent, one final whisper escaped her lips:
“ . . . help . . .”

Into the void, He spoke.

“My sweet girl,
I
am
here.”

She felt a hand on her back, and instantly her frenetic shaking ceased. Lifting her head, squinting through her tears, she saw Him. There. In her dark corner, His other hand reaching out to smooth damp hair from her face. He was there.

He pulled her into His lap, encircling her in the strongest, most gentle embrace.
Peace began to creep into her soul . . . until she remembered.

Remembered what had driven her to this place of desolation.

Overwhelming troubles.
Mountains she had tried again and again to scale, only to fail and fall and crumble.

Or perhaps rejection.
Barbed reminders that she didn’t belong, wasn’t good enough,
and therefore was destined to be alone,
piercing her soul until she was too wounded to stand.

Or injustice might have flung her into this pit,
blindsided and bleeding.

Whatever the root cause, its oppression began to close in again.
Hopeless, she cried out, “I don’t know what to do!”

“Beloved,” He murmured, shattering the encroaching darkness, “it’s time to worship.”

“Worship?” she echoed in confusion . . .

Dear sister, perhaps her puzzlement reflects our own?

Surely heartfelt hymns of praise spring from mountaintop moments,
not deepest, darkest valleys.

And yet, His Word shows us
life and hope and peace
in the midst of
death and hurt and despair
are found in the place of worship.

Praise . . . when it hurts.
Speaking truth we know and believe . . . when we don’t feel it.

When the giants of OVERWHELMED and FEAR and FAILURE loom large before us,
He reminds us:

He is the One Who created our universe (Psalm 95:1-5).
Whose dominion is absolute and glory is all-surpassing (Psalm 97:2-6).
Who performs wonders on behalf of His beloved (Psalm 99:1-3).

He is bigger, stronger, and victorious over
the obstacles we are powerless to surmount on our own.

When the bitter seeds of rejection begin to wither our spirits,
He uproots their lies with His hope-full truth:

We are intimately known by and called to belong to the flock of our Maker (Psalm 95:6-7).
We are deeply loved and faithfully cared for (Psalm 98:3).
We are His (Psalm 100:3-5).

We are never alone: we are the little sheep of His pasture,
created for and belonging to Him, always.

And when the devious cruelty of another leaves us
suffering, despairing, and crying out for vindication,
He is our justice:

He alone is Judge, and His faithfully righteous words speak joy into our aching souls (Psalm 96:10-13).
He sees the truth and will judge fairly (Psalm 98:9).
He loves justice (Psalm 99:4).

He promises to end our story with justice,
turning the wicked intentions of man against us to good,
for the glory of His name.

Truth begets life.
When we are helpless and hopeless in the place of deepest pain,
speaking the truth about our God revives our dying spirits.

Because the truth is, He is still worthy of our praise.
When we are overwhelmed, alone, wronged,
He is still God.
He is still good.
He is still for us.
And if God is for us, what can stand against us?

Remember that thing, that ugly hurt that drove us to our dark corners?
The truth we access in worship is because of who He is, because of His crazy love for us, He’s got that thing covered.

Drawing in a deep breath, she paused for a moment, biting her lower lip.
In a barely audible whisper, she began, “You are my God. You made me, and I. Am. Yours.” Words of life spoken in her own voice built her courage.

Stronger, now. “I come to You with thanksgiving and praise. Thank you for all that You are, and for being here with me now.

“You are my way through. You are my Good Shepherd and I belong to You.
You are my justice and my vindication.
You are good, and Your faithful love endures, forever.”

The mountains still rose before her.
The pain of brokenness with man remained.
But her Guide was at her side.
His very presence was salve to her wounds.

Slipping her fingers into His, she stepped forward, her soul awakened to deep life.

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Can we pray for you?
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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 Awaken 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 Awaken!