Adoption

Enough Day 6 Fallen Kings

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Samuel 8:19-22
1 Samuel 13:6-15
1 Samuel 16:4-13
2 Samuel 12:1-10
John 4:1-15

Enough, Day 6

“But MOO-ooom, I WANT it!” My toddler’s cheeks flushed with the heat of emotion. He knew what he wanted, and he wanted it RIGHT NOW.

I can relate. Maybe you can, too.

Countless times, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted or needed. I may not have articulated myself the same way he did, but the heart posture and desire have been identical. I know myself. I know what I need. I certainly know what I want, and when I want it.

Ahh, the self life. Like it or not, we’re born with it. It’s fully ours, from the moment our heart begins beating. Self-focus and self-service feel right because it’s in alignment with our flesh. We are born with the intense, driving desire to serve ourselves.

The Israelites weren’t so different from us as they, too, were born with a sin nature. They were born slaves to self, just as we were. In their desperation to make up for the incredible lack they felt, they demanded a leader. A King. A tangible leader to follow; one who’d care for them, inspire them, and check all the boxes they thought would make them feel satisfied, safe, and happy.

But the need they ached to fill with King Saul was a void only God Himself could fill.

Yet, God gave them what they so desperately clamored for: a King. And not without a measure of divine help; Scripture tells us when Saul was anointed by Samuel, God put a new spirit within him. (1 Samuel 10:10) Saul was strong, and handsome. In other words, he checked all the boxes. The Israelites couldn’t have found anyone who seemed a better fit for a king.

But he wasn’t enough. 

Saul was human. He was a man, and when he fell, the Israelites were left in even worse shape than before his reign.

Next, God appointed young David, the lowly shepherd, to be Israel’s king. David was truly a man after God’s heart. The youngest of many brothers, he was relegated to caring for sheep in the fields. During his time in the fields, he learned to play the lyre, and experienced many incredible feats as he kept the sheep in his care safe. Eventually, he began to play for King Saul, and spent time in his courts. David experienced his fair share of rejection, but the Israelites loved him dearly. God loved him dearly, too. Even when David sinned, he remained soft to the Spirit of God. He accomplished much for the Lord, and God blessed Him.

But he wasn’t enough, either.

David was also a man, and like any human being, he sinned. While he did repent, he was completely incapable of meeting the incredible need the Israelites felt.

The hunger for hope.
The longing for leadership.

They knew what they thought they wanted, but they didn’t know what they needed.

But God did.
He knew all along.
He created them, so of course He knew they needed…

To be seen and known.
To be heard. And held.
To be washed clean of every spot, every blemish.
To be forgiven, set free, adopted, and transformed.

Just like any good father, He sees us, just like He saw the Israelites. He sees us, exactly as we are. He sees all the people and things we use to seek solace.

He knows these imitations will never be enough.

Beloved, where are you today? Are you hurting, tired and angry, longing for more but unable to find the thing that makes you feel complete? Do you long to plunge deep in His refreshing presence? Do you wonder what it might feel like to be completely unfettered by the sin which has entangled you? Do you crave belonging, community, and purpose?

Beloved, truth?
You will never be enough.
You’ll never attain enough, or acquire enough, learn enough or do enough.
The Israelites felt all the same things, and looked to their earthly leaders for fulfillment, but their kings fell . . . never enough.

Could anyone ever be enough to reconnect us to the God who sees us, knows and is exactly what we need, and longs to share Himself with us?

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Follow Day 10 Transformed Follower

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 9:1-9, 17-25
Jeremiah 17:9-10
Romans 6:1-11
Acts 3:19-20

Follow, Day 10

Saul is walking along the road to Damascus, on a journey with the goal of persecuting those who follow the teachings of Jesus, claiming they are part of “The Way.”
In this place of unadulterated hatred, Saul has a radical encounter with God.

God speaks, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
Saul is completely blinded, asking, “Who are you, Lord?” (Acts 9:4-5)

He is given instruction to head into the city of Damascus. Although physically blind, disoriented, and unsure where this path would lead, he knows the Lord is directing him. Days later, Saul is approached by Ananias, who was sent by God to pray over Saul, to help him “regain [his] sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit”. (Acts 9:17-18) His name is changed to Paul, symbolizing the death of his past and the freedom of his future in Christ. He speaks boldly, claiming Jesus is the Messiah.

In Paul’s conversion story, we see a complete transformation from the life he was living before Christ to the life he is living knowing Christ. After salvation and adoption into the family of God, Paul’s purpose is radically altered.  He spends the rest of his days preaching and teaching to the Gentiles of the Jesus he once loathed.

Paul rejects the power of sin over him, living into his new identity with total surrender.
“For I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”
(Galatians 2:20)

How many of us live beneath the truth and promise we are utterly new creations if we have truly surrendered to Christ’s transformation?

When we come to face our reflection, we do not often see ourselves as beloved daughters of the Most High God. Instead, we focus on all the areas where we do not measure up, desperately striving to be better.

One of the biggest implications of the truth that we are a new creation is that there is no room for shame in the presence of God. The Lord has redeemed us; all of our past, present, and future sins were fully and finally paid for on the cross by the sinless son of God. Hebrews 10:10 declares, “we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.” Not only were our sins forgiven on the cross, but all of the favor and merit of Jesus was placed upon us.

The reality of sin still exists and wreaks destruction in our lives and in our hearts. Yet as believers, we are not identified as sinners; rather, we are given the identity of saints and coheirs with Christ. These two realities can be held in tandem, that we are still inclined to turn our affections to directions other than the Lord, but the sin in our hearts does not have the final word on who we are.

We are instructed to “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33) and to keep “our eyes on Jesus.” (Hebrews 12:2) This is good news and there is freedom here! The Lord pursues us and is constantly welcoming us back to Himself, reminding us of His goodness and grace.

The Lord is gracious to show us our sin and to redirect our attention. I have experienced this process in my own life, year after year. The Lord has faithfully used mentors to beautifully model how to live in the reality that we still sin, yet are called saints and daughters. When I have brought sin struggles to some of the women in my life, they have met me with incredible grace, which I believe reflects the grace of God and has brought much healing to my life.

He has been so near on this journey, constantly refining me in the fire to look more like Jesus. I truly desire to walk in a way that honors Him, but I know even in my weakness He is glorified. (2 Corinthians 12:9) He beckons me to His heart, showing me His plans are higher than my own.

“Turn away from evil and do what is good; seek peace and pursue it.”
Psalm 34:14

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Calling Day 2 Into Inheritance: 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 Into Inheritance!

The Questions

1) What important truths do we miss if we rush through the greeting of the writer? (verses 1-2)

2) What significance does the theme of “blessing” in verse 3 have on the rest of the passage?

3) In the context of this whole letter to the church at Ephesus, why does Paul begin chapter 1 by repeating the phrase “in Him” so often?

4) How is the Holy Spirit a down payment of our inheritance as saints? (verses 13-14)

Ephesians 1:1-14

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will: To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus. 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. 5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ 10 as a plan for the right time – to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him. 11 In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, 12 so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory. 13 In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. 14 The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.

Original Intent

1) What important truths do we miss if we rush through the greeting of the writer? (verses 1-2) Rebecca writes in yesterday’s Journey Study regarding Paul’s introduction, “in just the first 14 verses, we, the Church, every saved-from-sin-rescued-from-death believer, are hereby declared…”
What a wonderful word description and declaration for the Church! In his greeting, Paul identifies three important aspects of this letter: 1) he identifies himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ by God’s will; 2) he identifies the Ephesian recipients (both Jew & Gentile, 2:11-13) as the saints of Jesus Christ; 3) he identifies that his message is from God. This declaration of identity is then fully enlarged in the following verses. We do not skim the greeting because its significance is essential to our understanding of the remaining verses. Once we know the writer (Paul), the audience (Christian Jews & Gentiles in Ephesus), the message (grace & peace), and the original author (God), we can appreciate Paul’s enthusiasm in the following verses. As blessed saints, we are showered with grace and peace from God. For those who are in Christ, this grace and peace is lavished on us through endless blessings from the One and Only God of blessing.

2) What significance does the theme of “blessing” in verse 3 have on the rest of the passage?
Simply stated, it is everything. The word “blessing” is a translation of the Greek word eulogy, and it means “to speak well of.” All these verses (3-14) are focused on Paul’s charge to the Church to bless the Father. We declare God blessed by praising Him “with worshipping love.” (HCG Moule, A Commentary on Ephesians) It is essential to note that this passage comprises one long sentence in Greek. (enduringword.com) It appears that Paul is writing from such an overwhelmed condition that he hardly takes a breath between thoughts. It is as if Paul breaks out in a song of praise that he does not quite know how to end! When he considers all the spiritual blessings he has received from God, he cannot contain his worship. Pastor John Piper helps us understand what Paul is expressing, “When God blesses men they are helped and strengthened and made better off than they were before; but when men bless God He is not helped or strengthened or made better off. Rather, it is an exclamation and expression of gratitude and admiration.” The faithful saints of God, including Paul, bless Him by recognizing His glory and goodness which were demonstrated in the way He has blessed the believer with every spiritual blessing. Wow!

3) In the context of this whole letter to the church at Ephesus, why does Paul begin chapter 1 by repeating the phrase “in Him” so often?
Every believer has available to him or her certain, eternal spiritual resources. All those who are in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, are on the receiving end of God’s blessings.  What does Paul mean when he writes we have been blessed “with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.”? (verse 3) It has been expressed like this, “Contrary to some beliefs, [blessings] are not some mysterious power or cosmic connection reserved for a select few. They are the key benefits of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.” (Primary Source Unavailable) Although some Bible translations (NIV, ESV) leave out the two expressions from the original Greek  (“in him” and “into him” in verses 5 and 10), likely because they appear unnecessarily repetitive, I agree with New Testament Professor Kenneth Berding, “Union with Christ (‘in-Christ-ness’) is crucial to Paul’s thought and is repeatedly snuck in by Paul. Union with Christ can be viewed as a web that extends into the rest of Paul’s theology and holds it together. Perhaps Paul isn’t simply being redundant. It could be he is being intentionally repetitive, even in-your-face repetitive, because the idea of being united with Christ is so significant to him.” (The Good Book blog, Talbot School of Theology)
(2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

4) How is the Holy Spirit a down payment of our inheritance as saints? (verses 13-14)
Of all the spiritual blessings listed in the previous verses, perhaps the blessing of the Holy Spirit is the one that best ties them all together. When we become the daughters of God through Christ, He places His stamp of ownership on us, promising us a never-ending guarantee of salvation. Union with Christ means: We are chosen (verse 4), we are adopted (verse 5), we are accepted (verse 6), we are redeemed (verse 7), and we are forgiven (verse 8). It also means we gain wisdom (verse 9) and a guaranteed inheritance (verse 11). God reveals the genuineness of the believer’s relationship with Him as the Holy Spirit testifies through our lives when they look more and more like Christ. This guarantee, this assurance, acts as “the down payment of our inheritance.” It is God who holds us fast. It is our union with Jesus Christ the Son, by the power of His Holy Spirit, that we are kept safe until the day Jesus returns for us and brings us into His eternal kingdom. This is all done to the praise, and for the glory, of God. We return full circle to verse 3, “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!”

Everyday Application

1) What important truths do we miss if we rush through the greeting of the writer? (verses 1-2) “Paul, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed), by the will of God [that is, by His purpose and choice],To the saints (God’s people) who are at Ephesus and are faithful and loyal and steadfast in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (AMP (amplified) Version) Oh, friend, do you see the good news Paul was greeting the church at Ephesus with? As a chosen representative of the Messiah, by God’s choosing and for God’s purposes, he proclaimed grace and peace to them and upon them. It is this ‘grace and peace’ that is always available to all the people of God who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:27-30) It is this ‘grace and peace’ that brings spiritual blessings too numerous to count and too wonderful to fathom!
“Grace and peace, oh how can this be?
Let songs of gratefulness ever rise, never cease.
Loved by God and called as a saint, my heart is satisfied in the riches of Christ.
Oh, what an amazing mystery that Your grace has come to me!” (Grace &Peace by Sovereign Grace Worship)

2) What significance does the theme of “blessing” in verse 3 have on the rest of the passage?
If you follow any sort of social media, most likely you have seen it: Hashtag “blessed.” (#blessed) Though I have never personally used the hashtag sentiment, I would be less than honest if I did not admit my own tendency to equate the good things in my life as being a reward for my good works. It is way too tempting these days to post pictures of parties, or décor, or gatherings, or vacations as a way of picturing my blessings for all to see. After all, I really AM #blessed. Dear sister, testifying of our blessings is certainly not the problem. Paul was so overwhelmed by his blessings he created the longest run-on sentence in the New Testament. James reminds us that every good thing the believer has is indeed a blessing from God. (James 1:17) The problem lies with confusing the spiritual with the material. Too often, we allow our perspective to be hindered by the obstacle of discontentment. It simply does not matter if we are rich or poor, healthy or sick, powerful or weak by the world’s standards. Paul reminds us we are all #BLESSED in Jesus!

3) In the context of this whole letter to the church at Ephesus, why does Paul begin chapter 1 by repeating the phrase “in Him” so often?
John Stott says, “The expressions ‘in Christ,’ ‘in the Lord,’ and ‘in Him’ occur 164 times in the letters of Paul alone. To be ‘in Christ’ does not mean to be inside Christ, as tools are in a box or our clothes in a closet, but to be organically united to Christ, as a limb is in the body or a branch is in the tree. It is this personal relationship with Christ that is the distinctive mark of His authentic followers. What distinguishes the true followers of Jesus from false pretenders is neither their creed, nor their code of ethics, nor their ceremonies, nor their culture, but Christ. What is often mistakenly called ‘Christianity’ is, in essence, neither a religion nor a system, but a person, Jesus of Nazareth.”
In Christ, we are blessed with “every blessing”. We have them all within our reach. Read through these verses again as a prayer, and thank God for blessing you beyond what you could ever ask or imagine. Close your prayer in intercession (praying for others) and doxology (praising God for His blessings). (Ephesians 3:14-21)

4) How is the Holy Spirit a down payment of our inheritance as saints? (verses 13-14)
The Greek word for “down payment” is used only in the New Testament in regards to the Holy Spirit. He is our only down payment of coming glory; nothing else is provided or needed. (biblehub.com) The saints of God have an assurance that there will come a time when we will take possession of our full inheritance. John Calvin wrote, “We do not have the full enjoyment of it at present. Seeing that the Holy Spirit reigns in our hearts, we have something for which to give praise even in the midst of all our temptations. [So] we should rejoice, mourn, grieve, give thanks, be content, wait.” (Ephesians Sermon, 1558—59). When we fully grasp in our hearts the inheritance that awaits us, we are better able to sincerely give God praise even during trials. No matter what you are facing, friend, I believe Paul would remind you we have God’s guarantee of eternal glory, through His Holy Spirit that dwells with us. The God who validates our relationship with Him by His own Spirit, will absolutely keep us until the big reveal. That will be the day He testifies of our redemption and takes final and forever possession of His inheritance – US! (Romans 8:16 1 John 3:1-3)

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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!

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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 :-))

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Sketched VIII Day 3 Zacchaeus

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 22:1-4
Leviticus 6:1-7
Luke 19:1-10
Luke 15:1-7

Sketched VIII, Day 3

The crowds were thick on the day I first met Yeshua Maschiach.
Jesus, the Messiah.
I craned my neck this way and that, but I couldn’t even catch a glimpse of Him.

To be honest, I didn’t understand why we were all pressing in to see this mysterious man from Nazareth. Sure, I’d heard the murmurs whisper through the town, but the stories I’d heard…
The King we had all been waiting for…the ones the prophets foretold…a carpenter?
Well, it just didn’t seem very likely.

I tried to squeeze between two burly men in front of me, but they didn’t budge an inch. Pfft.
Exasperated, I exhaled noisily.
One of them glanced over his shoulder and down at me, and I felt ire begin to rise in my chest as he chuckled under his breath.
I crossed my arms and caught his gaze boldly, daring him to speak. He turned forward again, and the moment slipped away.

What am I even doing here? I wondered, silently. Just then, my gaze drifted across a nearby sycamore tree.
Why, I could climb up there in no time, I realized.
Swiftly, I strode to the trunk and began to climb. Higher and higher, until finally, I found a somewhat comfortable spot to rest and watch. I peered through a wide opening and scanned the people below until I spied the source of all the ruckus.

He moved with a fluid, uncommon grace that somehow felt completely out of place, while also exactly right. Dozens of people surrounded him, but He seemed…unshaken. It was almost as though He walked in a bubble. Set apart, but also fully present. I watched His face as He interacted with those closest to Him. His eyes were warm; His expression compassionate. Goosebumps rippled through my skin. This man loves. He loves each one. EVERY one. 

I sat up straight at the thought. Might it all be true? Something like fear and wild hope tangled in my chest and started up my throat. Could He really be the Messiah we’ve been waiting for? Blood rushed in my ears, and my heart skipped and thrummed at the thought.

“Zacchaeus.”
The syllables were uttered at barely more than a whisper, but everything in me came to sudden, total silence.

He was speaking to me. But, how could He even see me?
I leaned forward to peer through the opening again, but He was nowhere to be seen. He must be right below me.

“Hurry and come down here, because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house.”
His voice pierced through my internal dialogue and drew me with more than a command. Before my mind had even processed the words, my hands and feet propelled me from my vantage point and plopped me right at the feet of the very man everyone was desperate to see.

I stood quickly, brushed off a few stray leaves, and straightened to my full height as my gaze traveled up to meet His. His face was broad and kind, and His dark eyes warmer than I had first surmised. His mouth hinted at a curve as we stood there, inspecting one another. Surely, He couldn’t be serious. This man? Stay at MY house? 

He nodded, almost imperceptibly, and my heart swelled nearly to bursting. Joy blazed through every inch of my body, and I nearly shouted at Him. “YES, my Lord! Come to my house!” He could stay anywhere, but He chose ME. I don’t have quite the words to explain what happened inside me in that instant, but I knew I’d never be the same again. Even as the realization registered in me, murmurs of disgust and disappointment rippled through those standing all around us.

“He’s going to stay with a sinful man!” one woman hissed.
“Doesn’t he know who Zacchaeus IS?” another queried.

Tears filled my eyes. They were right. But I couldn’t allow this moment to pass. I wouldn’t.
I blinked a couple of times, then squared my shoulders and raised my eyes to meet his.

“Look, I’ll give half my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.” Please, Lord. Please choose me, still.

Yeshua stepped forward and rested a rough, tanned hand on my shoulder. An expression I couldn’t quite define crossed His strong profile, and He turned and spoke to those gathered. “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”

And my friends? That’s exactly what He did. I was lost. I didn’t even know I was lost until I encountered Jesus, but when He called my name, I was utterly, irrevocably changed. He could have chosen anyone. There were dozens of others present who were more righteous and less sinful. But He chose me. And when I realized Who He was, I chose Him, too. 

I gave away half of everything I owned, and I was a rich man. Half of my livestock, my riches. Half of my land, my clothing, my belongings. I returned four times what I stole from others.

I climbed a tree that day to see the man everyone claimed was the Messiah. I never expected my whole life to change in that instant. I never expected Him to pay for my sin and shame on another tree, along with everyone else’s, too. But He did. And I know He would do it all again.

For me. For you.

I am Zacchaeus.

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Sketched VII Day 9 Born Again: 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 Born Again!

The Questions

1) In this passage of Scripture, Jesus referenced Moses when he lifted up the snake in the wilderness. Why did he reference Moses to Nicodemus, rather than use a parable?

2) What does the phrase “born of water and of the Spirit” mean?

3) Why did Jesus say that “unless someone is born of water and of the Spirit, he can not enter the kingdom of God”?

John 3:1-21

1 There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2  This man came to him at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform these signs you do unless God were with him. 3 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 ”How can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit,  he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. 8  The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going.  So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9  “How can these things be?” asked Nicodemus. 10  “Are you a teacher of Israel and don’t know these things?” Jesus replied. 11 “Truly I tell you, we speak what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. 19 This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed. 22 But anyone who lives byJ the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”

Original Intent

1) In this passage of Scripture, Jesus referenced Moses when he lifted up the snake in the wilderness. Why did he reference Moses when he was speaking to Nicodemus, rather than use a parable?
Jesus is Emmanuel, God With Us. He is and always has been the God Who meets us where we are, and in his interaction with Nicodemus, we see this illustrated clearly. Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin, which was the highest Jewish council in the first century. The Sanhedrin was comprised of 71 individuals, which included 69 common members and was presided over by the high priest. The 69 common members were divided into three courts of 23 members, and Moses was actually considered the 70th common member. The Sanhedrin served as the highest court of the Jews, and they even appointed members to lower courts throughout the land. Their decisions were honored by Jews regardless of where they resided. If a lower court decision were to be appealed, it would be sent before the Sanhedrin for review…not unlike a first century Supreme Court. Every member of the Sanhedrin was well versed in the Law, as well as the history of Moses. They would have been well versed in all 613 laws, as well as any religious customs their culture had adopted as rules. Nicodemus undoubtedly knew the Law backwards and forwards, as was required of his position and title. The story of Moses lifting the snake in the wilderness would have been as familiar to Nicodemus as the back of his hand. Because he was after Nicodemus’s heart, as he always is, Jesus spoke to him in the language he would immediately recognize and understand.

2) What does the phrase “born of water and of the Spirit” mean?
Jesus was speaking to Nicodemus about the new life God extends to every believer when they submit their life to Him and accept the deity, death, and resurrection of Jesus and salvation through Him alone. While conversing with Nicodemus, Jesus mentioned being born of water and the spirit. The phrase “born of water” likely refers to what Nicodemus would have recognized as familiar: spiritual cleansing by water. This is clearly referenced numerous times throughout the Old Testament. (Numbers 19:17-19; Psalm 51:2, 7; Ezekiel 36:25) The phrase “born of the Spirit” refers to the spiritual birth each person receives when they experience salvation and their sin nature is crucified with Christ. When we accept the gift of salvation, we are transferred into the kingdom of God and begin to be transformed into the likeness of Christ! As we allow Him to do the work necessary in our spirit, our soul and flesh fall into alignment and we begin to become more and more like Jesus. Praise God!

3) Why did Jesus say that “unless someone is born of water and of the Spirit, he can not enter the kingdom of God”?
Jesus was fully God and fully man. He knew His verbal exchange with Nicodemus that night would echo throughout the Jewish man’s mind, heart and life, as well as through the pages of Scripture for all time. This conversation was anything but casual. Jesus took this important moment to explain the miraculous spiritual transformation every believer can experience in their life. He had not yet been crucified, but being God, He knew the end of the story. Jesus wanted Nicodemus, and everyone who would read this passage of Scripture, to know what God had been telling the Jews since the first Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden: no one is able to become righteous in their own strength. Instead, spiritual salvation and transformation are required. In this passage, Jesus is explaining what it takes to enter the kingdom of God: the spiritual transformation which would be made possible only by His own death and resurrection.

Everyday Application

1) In this passage of Scripture, Jesus referenced Moses when he lifted up the snake in the wilderness. Why did he reference Moses when he was speaking to Nicodemus, rather than use a parable?
In the exchange between Jesus and Nicodemus that night, we see the nature of God illustrated clearly, and we are encouraged to follow suit. Jesus could have spoken to Nicodemus in a parable, or through an angel, or through any supernatural or natural way he desired. However, he knew Nicodemus intimately. He chose to meet Nicodemus where he was and speak to him using the language and medium He knew Nicodemus would understand. As born again Christians, we are charged to fulfill the great commission, and in this interaction Jesus shows us the best way: by meeting people where they are and speaking truth to them in the way Holy Spirit leads. Doesn’t it make sense that He would encourage us to come alongside others as we share the good news of the gospel? Grab hold of the freedom we see Jesus extend to us here!

2) What does the phrase “born of water and of the Spirit” mean?
God never changes, and He has been telling us the same truth since the beginning: we are incapable of saving ourselves. No human could ever fulfill the law or become righteous on their own; we all need someone sinless to stand in the gap for us because all have sinned. God is holy, and He can not contradict Himself. As much as He loved His creation, He could not remain in intimate relationship with them once sin had entered the picture because sin deserves punishment and God is just. But, God also knew His creation would foul things up and sin (over and over), and He had already designed a different outcome. Enter Jesus. God sent His only begotten son to atone for our sins, so we could enter into a right relationship with Him. When we accept this gift of salvation, we are also recipients of spiritual birth! Our sin debt was paid for once and for all by the precious blood of Jesus Christ when He defeated death and hell, and rose from the grave three days later. This ultimate sacrifice made it possible for us to be born of water and the Spirit!

3) Why did Jesus say that “unless someone is born of water and of the Spirit, he can not enter the kingdom of God”?
From the moment we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and accept the salvation and new life He alone can give us, we become part of God’s family through the spirit of adoption. But that’s not all. We experience an immediate transfer into the kingdom of God, but this is only the beginning! As we grow in our faith and spiritual maturity, God is gracious to transform us from the inside out, renewing our mind to become like Jesus. Freedom is truly ours as we find there is absolutely nothing we can do to manufacture this incredible spiritual transformation on our own; instead, we are tasked to let Him do his work in us. We can fight it, sure. We can struggle, and resist. And the Lord will honor our desires. He will never force us to change, but if we will submit every area of our lives to him, He will go about the holy work of redeeming us and using us for His glory!

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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!

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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 :-))

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Sketched Day 15 Shannon

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 7:36-50
Mark 5:24-34
Psalm 18:1-19

Sketched VI, Day 15

I used to be deeply ashamed of my past,
but I’ve learned God has used every part of my journey to shape and mold me into the woman I am today. Although there were many dark moments, I wouldn’t change them. These have become part of my testimony to the faithfulness and hope found only in God.

Growing up, I was taught to attend church on Sundays, pray at meals, ask forgiveness and then we are good. So that’s pretty much how I lived my life.  I went to church, messed up, prayed, asked forgiveness and repeat.
I checked every “good Christian” box, but I had yet to experience or know Jesus.

I was raised in a loving home with parents who were always present for dance recitals, plays, and piano concerts.  What I never realized, however, was how hurtful missing out on three little words from your daddy could be: my dad has never told me he loves me.
He has always been there for me, hugs me, and is active in my kids’ lives, but I’ve never heard those three words from him.
Their absence left a lasting impression on me.

Starting in middle school and moving into high school and college, I began believing lies that I was fat, ugly, and no good. In order to push those words behind me, I would seek male attention in any way that I could.

Then, I hit college and was on my own.
I found myself in places I shouldn’t have been,
doing things I shouldn’t have done.

I believed that, as long as I could get a guy to like me, I had worth.
During this season, I often had thoughts of suicide, but I could push those thoughts away by finding male attention. That lifestyle stuck with me until after I graduated college, came home, and met Ryan.

I slowed down my crazy lifestyle and we began dating. Not long after, Ryan and I were married, and pretty soon I was pregnant with our first daughter, Alexis.

Since Ryan’s story is similar to mine, neither one of us had ever been taught how to live our lives for Jesus and our marriage suffered.
We argued a lot, and I sank back into my familiar dark thoughts and self-hatred.

Being pregnant, we decided it was time to find a church.
Because that’s what we do: we go to church on Sundays.

We visited Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Liberty, MO and began attending. For quite a while we sat in the back, stayed quiet, and the familiar cycle continued.
Then I started working in the church nursery, because I love babies and
things started to change.

The lady I worked with took me under her wing and started teaching me about who Jesus really is.  We made decisions to follow Jesus and Ryan and I were baptized together.
“Normal” was changing and old cycles were breaking!
The beginnings of new life were taking root in us, but we had much growing to do.

One Sunday, I found a community group for Law Enforcement Officers.  Being a law enforcement family, I immediately thought we needed to go.  Later, I realized it was God nudging me, but at the time, it was my own brilliant plan. I dragged Ryan to the group.

Initially, we were two of the quietest introverts anyone had ever met.
We arrived at the home of Steve and Robin Wright, who are now dear friends and missionaries in Ecuador.  They greeted us, welcomed us, and for the first six months we sat in the corner and didn’t say a word.

We eventually started coming out of our shells, and it was undoubtedly the community I found within that group of genuine Christ-followers that encouraged me to grow in Jesus as He has shaped me into the person I am today.

Robin also struggled with self-worth and identity in Christ, and she drew on her experiences to teach me how to love myself as Jesus loves me.  She taught me how to live every day for Jesus, and how to recognize the source of my pain, truly forgive, and put it behind me.  Steve did the same for Ryan and our marriage prospered.

The Wrights also introduced us into the student ministry at church.  I went from saying, “I hate middle schoolers,” to becoming a middle school small group leader and eventually high school group leader. Today, I’m discipling and leading young women, teaching them how to love themselves and let go of believing dark thoughts and lies in their own minds.

Because of the struggles in my own journey,
I understand their hurt.

Because God met me in my pain and rescued me,
I can share of the comfort and hope I’ve found.

Through the student ministry, Ryan and I took our first mission trip to Haiti together where God opened our hearts to adoption.  We have since taken many more mission trips and adopted our son, Mason, from China in June of 2017.

Although I’ve made many mistakes throughout my life and experienced some dark times,
I know God was with me every step of the way.
Because of Jesus’ transformation, I know how to love myself the way Jesus loves me,
and I am freed to help other girls to do the same.
Only because I’ve experienced Christ’s love is this new life of love and ministry possible!

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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!

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 VI Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

Sketched Day 13 Laura

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 1:9-13
Galatians 3:23-4:7
Psalm 27:7-14
Psalm 138:7-8

Sketched VI, Day 13

My life is a reflection of the grace of God.
I can’t look at any season I’ve walked through when Jesus hasn’t been faithful to provide.
It may not look like how I wanted, but He is faithful.

I was born to a mother who was addicted to drugs; I was a drug baby.
Those who knew my mother said if I were to think of any terrible action, my mother had done worse to get her hands on drugs. It was common for her to make drug deals in front of my sister and I, and prostitute in front of us.  I’m sure there was more, but it was never told to me – maybe to protect my mind – but I think I get the picture without any more stories.

My parents were foster parents when they welcomed my sister and I, which already gives you a glimpse of their hearts and lives, as they cared for children who weren’t their own. Later in life, I asked my mother why she’d never had her own kids. She told me about giving birth to a stillborn baby, which affected her more than anyone wanted to admit. She said she never wanted to experience that pain again.

So, my parents adopted both my sister and I, along with my brother who was born from another family. We lived in California, close to my biological family and siblings. We would visit often, usually weekly. I loved knowing my grandparents, it was like knowing I came from somewhere.

I remember one night packing up and leaving our home. We didn’t say goodbye to anyone, we just left. Our neighbor, who we were best friends with, saw us moving and came over to say goodbye. Later in life, that same neighbor told me she thinks my parents were trying to protect us from my siblings and biological mother in California. They saw the hurt and destruction the relationships were causing with my biological siblings being so close to my mom. My parents didn’t want to that environment for us too.

I remember being embarrassed telling people I was adopted when I entered elementary school. My cousin, Racheal, however, was so proud to know me and told EVERYONE we were related and I was adopted.
But for me, I always hated people knowing this part of my story.

Perhaps it was because my parents were older or a different ethnicity than me.
Or maybe adoption gave off the idea of being unwanted.
Regardless of how I felt about adoption, my parents loved me unconditionally.
Isn’t that strange for someone to love you SO well and SO deeply without being a biological parent?!

In middle school, we took our annual trip to California to visit friends and family where I had the opportunity to meet my biological aunts and uncles.
I had never met them, and I was so excited to meet people who were like me!
Maybe we had the same eye color, or nose, or the texture of our hair was the same. There was something about being adopted; for me, I just wanted to know who I was.

My aunts looked just like me, especially my aunt Vera.
When I met her, I felt like I had a connection with someone who looked like me. I asked my mom if we could move closer to them so I could know them better.
It crushed her, because she had spent the last 14 years of her life caring for us and raising us. To her, I seemed willing to throw that love away on someone I didn’t even know. While my aunt and I are still very close to this day, I think the idea of my mom losing someone she loved – again –  was terrifying.

The deep love the Lord has for us is much like this.
When I gave my life to Jesus at church camp in the summer of 2007, I began understanding His love. I began to take in the truth of the Lord having a plan for me and being for me, not against me.
Jesus had rescued me from a drugged-out woman who told my parents she never wanted me. He was there in the moments of abandonment as a child, comforting me through my earthly father’s love. That’s how good He is, that’s how good His plan is!

The Lord has taught me so much of His grace and what adoption looks like through His eyes. He is our Adopted Father!
I don’t think I really got this picture until I was in my twenties as I began realizing how much my parents sacrificed for our family; all for love.

There is something so sweet about adoption and the way it correlates with Scripture and God’s love for us.
When Jesus adopts us into His family,
He doesn’t give up on us when we do something wrong.
He doesn’t shame us when we fall short.

MY parents would NEVER do that to me, because they loved me like Jesus.
I partied in high school and they never once told me I was rejected from their family.
They chose love.
The same unconditional love our Father gives us surpasses anything I will ever experience.

I was abandoned. I was rejected, but I have been beautifully accepted, loved, and adopted. I know what it’s like to be loved, wanted, valued, heard, and a daughter to someone who said yes to you first!

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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 VI 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 VI!

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!

Pause 2 Day 10 Love The Sheep

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Pause 2, Day 10

This “in-the-trenches” book of suffering, of enemy attacks, of warring against the desires of our sinful flesh, ends with a mighty victory speech.

I have a hard time reading this chapter without tears in my eyes as I consider all of my own sufferings and putting them in context of incorruptible faith and hope.

Our God is a Mighty Warrior, a protecting God, and a tender Chief Shepherd, who sees our sufferings and is deeply familiar with each broken place on our souls that is tender to the touch.

He sees the anguish, the struggles, the temptation to give in to defeat, but He lifts our head, pointing our eyes towards the
incorruptible future where all will be made right.

Sisters, I reach out to hold your hand as you survey your hurts, your wounds, your sadness, your grief, your loss; all of those aches, whether as small as the whole box of Cheerios on the floor again, or the empty cavern left by the death of a loved one, are known. I’m reaching out to hold your hand, as you reach out to hold another’s, and she reaches to hold another’s.

Our hope is coming, Sister.
It’s incorruptible!

In the meantime, take courage and love the sheep around you as you proclaim this hope!

The God of all grace,
who called you to His eternal glory in Christ,
will Himself
restore, establish, strengthen, and support
you after you have suffered a little while.
To him be dominion forever.
Amen!

P.S. Hungry for more deep truths from this incredible letter from Peter?!
Journey with us into Incorruptible, launching Monday!
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Today's Invitation

1) Read through 1 Peter 5 out loud today twice. Slowly. Linger over that verse (or verses) that stick out to you, slowing and listening as God’s Spirit speaks to your heart! Choose 1 or 2 to write out on notecards and post them around your house – then post a picture of your reminder cards on Instagram or on our Facebook Community Page. Take the weekend to memorize these and forever hide them in your heart!

2) We are so excited to share this hand-crafted Spotify playlist! We created it as we prayed over *you*. Put this playlist on repeat this weekend and be reminded of the rich truths God has shown you this week in Pause!

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Colossians 1:1-14

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

How Does “Pause” Work?
1.Each day, Monday through Friday, for 2 weeks, we will provide you with an invitation to get away with the Savior. Each one is designed for you to engage with the Almighty in a deeper way and perhaps in a new way than you have been recently.

2. Having a journal is a must! You’ll want to take notes as you walk this special Journey of Pause.

3. Each week focuses on one or two passage of Scripture and we walk with you as you study and flesh these out for yourself. As you write your thoughts, read His Word, and pray, questions might come up. That’s Perfect! Ask a trusted fellow believer, a pastor, or send us an email as you work through them!

4. Jumping in at the middle? No problem! Here is the entire Journey Theme.

5. Connect with others on Facebook by visiting our GT Community Group!

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 Pause 2 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 Pause 2!