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Sketched X Day 2 Family Tree: 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!

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The Questions

1) What do we learn about God’s plans from this passage?

2) How does God use what we see as impossible or dire circumstances to work out His plans and purposes?

3) How can we respond to this knowledge about God’s overarching and intimate involvement in all our experiences?

Genesis 45:7-8

God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.  8 Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Original Intent

1) What do we learn about God’s plans from this passage?
This passage in Genesis comes after Joseph is already well established in Egypt. He had been nearly murdered by his brothers, sold into slavery, risen up in power under Potiphar only to be falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, then sent to prison, given authority in prison, but left there, seemingly forgotten. Then, at the right time, Joseph was brought before Pharaoh to interpret a dream. The outcome of that exchange resulted in Joseph’s elevation to lord over Pharaoh’s household; he became second in command only to Pharaoh over all of Egypt. Joseph’s reflection in Genesis 50:19-20 reflects God’s purpose in the overall story and timing of every aspect of Joseph’s long journey. Joseph said to his brothers who had plotted his death, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.”

2) How does God use what we see as impossible or dire circumstances to work out His plans and purposes?
When we look at the full narrative of Joseph’s life, it’s obvious how God used all the circumstances that led up to Joseph’s high position in Egypt to both prepare Joseph (by humbling him and teaching him to depend upon God) and use him to bless a nation. If we divided Joseph’s story into segments, they would appear fruitless and perhaps could be seen as evidence of God abandoning someone who was faithful. Joseph acted rightly in the house of Potiphar yet was accused of adultery and unjustly imprisoned. Only looking at this scene could lead us to discount God’s faithfulness and “prove” God had abandoned Joseph. If we zoom in on Joseph’s years of being forgotten in prison after he accurately interpreted a dream and he pleaded to be remembered, we may feel God is unjust because Joseph’s circumstances were unfair. But when we see the whole of Joseph’s story we discover the ultimate, very good outcome of Joseph’s life. Even Joseph’s own lips attest of God’s supreme sovereign faithfulness. The Lord used every circumstance of Joseph’s life to position Joseph in just the right place, at just the right time so that only Joseph’s family would be saved, but the nation of Israel would flourish.

3) How can we respond to this knowledge about God’s overarching and intimate involvement in all our experiences?
Joseph’s life journey was fraught with trouble, persecution, injustice, and hardship; it seemed to never end and was surely pocked with disbelief and doubt along the way. But the Lord’s love was relentless to not only finish His work for Israel but to also finish His work in Joseph’s heart. Joseph didn’t always trust the Lord steadfastly, but at the close of his narrative, he testifies of the good plans of the Lord. God developed Joseph’s faith through suffering. Joseph trusted God more fully as he grew in knowledge of God and His faithful character. Perhaps the greatest example of this truth is the cross of Christ, which would surely have been the greatest tragedy in all of history as it threatened to kill the Author of Life. But God in His love and sovereign authority used the cruelty of death to bring about our own salvation and reconciliation to God that was once an impossible gulf to span because of our sin’s heavy debt. If we could see Christ’s death through the eyes of the eleven remaining disciples during the first days after the crucifixion we would see utter tragedy and defeat. But the cross was a pathway and a means, not an end. Through the supreme suffering of Jesus, God reconciled the ungodly (all of us) to Himself, and made a way where there was no way so we could be called sons and daughters of God. (2 Corinthians 6:18) When we witness God turning the greatest tragedy into the greatest gain, we can trust God more fully with every hardship we endure. He is the same God now as He was at the cross. He is the God who went to the cross for us; such lavish love! (Romans 8:32)

Everyday Application

1) What do we learn about God’s plans from this passage?
God’s plans for His people, both individually and corporately, involve a far deeper and broader scope than we can see or fathom.  His plans are laid to work good for many even though they involve the temporary suffering of one or more people to achieve His ultimate blessing. Jeremiah 29:11 conveys this essential principle of God moving on behalf of His people as He spoke through the prophet to the nation of Israel who faced exile and captivity, “For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” God is light, and in Him is no darkness whatsoever. (1 John 1:5) He is not the author of evil. (Job 34:12) He has no pleasure in wickedness. (Psalm 5:4) God has allowed evil in the world because He permitted humanity’s freedom of choice, and we chose sin, and will always choose sin when we act out of our sin nature. Even this gift of freedom to choose, like everything else God does, flows from His character essence of absolute love. (1 John 4:16) His will is good and perfect toward all His creation, emanating from His heart of love. This love is perfect, true, and trustworthy which is why we can rejoice in our sufferings and endure hardship. We confidently know and attest to the reality that God is working all things together for the good of those He loves and those who are called according to His purposes. (Romans 8:28)

2) How does God use what we see as impossible or dire circumstances to work out His plans and purposes?
God’s plans allow for suffering, which can make us squirm in our theological seats, but because of His goodness, our suffering is never in vain when we surrender our lives to His authority. (Hebrews 12:7) When we remember God’s character and we recall that He is incapable of sin or evil, we can view our circumstances in a new light. We can remember that God is constantly at work to do His good pleasure in the hearts and lives of His followers. (Philippians 2:13) He is working all things together according to His plans for good and He will graciously bless us and make us more like Himself in the process. (Romans 8:29) In light of this reality, the author of Hebrews encourages, “No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees.” (Hebrews 12:11-12) His plans are firm and unwavering, flowing from His heart. (Psalm 33:11) What He plans, He will do. “The Lord of heavenly forces has promised: As I intended, so it will be; and as I have planned, so it will happen.” (Isaiah 14:24)

3) How can we respond to this knowledge about God’s overarching and intimate involvement in all our experiences?
We are prone to wander and drift, doubt and mistrust for we are each just as human as Joseph. We remain strong in our faith when things are going well and we sense God’s presence in our lives, but when God feels far, or our circumstances try us, our weak flesh easily doubts God’s goodness, care, love, and faithfulness. When we remember how God provided for Joseph, or for the Israelites in the desert for forty years, we cannot miss His constant presence and perpetual work even if it seems slow and too long to us. He never abandoned despite Israel’s rebellion and faithlessness for abandonment goes against His character. (2 Timothy 2:13) He is Emmanuel, God with us. (Matthew 1:23) He is not a God who is far, but a God who is near. This truth allows us to drop our anxieties. (Philippians 4:4-5) So many places in His word He echoes the truth of His nearness, His care, and His provision. In the short run, it may appear we have been overcome or that life is hopeless and we are helpless, but that is never the whole picture for all who have trusted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. “We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9) Let’s choose to remember God’s presence, His purposes, His goodness, His past actions on our behalf and in history so we can endure trials by keeping our eyes set upon His love. (James 1:2-4, Romans 5:3-5)

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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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Whole Day 8 Identifying The Oppression

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Jeremiah 22:3-5
Proverbs 31:8-9
Zechariah 7:9-10
John 1:1-16

Whole, Day 8

The snarls of a sinister enemy snaked through the goodness of Eden, deviously plotting the downfall of the Almighty who had cast him from His glorious presence.
How the enemy loved himself. How he loathed the Almighty.

Humanity would pay the price of the enemy’s sickening self-love by carrying his pride in their hearts, grooming it, making it their own, then calling it righteousness by justifying their selfish pride to the Almighty. Perfectly mimicking the enemy’s craft which had earned him ejection from The Presence.

“I’ll make it appealing”, the enemy drooled with demonic delight darkening his eerie eyes. Love for self, hatred for others. His breathing slowed as his shadow fell across Eve’s innocent face as she delighted in the husband she’d been lovingly given by the Maker. “I’ll make them murderers of one another as they feast frenetically upon the lusts of their flesh”, his callous thoughts crept through him as quickly as the greed glowed in his belly. “Almighty will not have the final word. I will make His beautiful creation suffer. In killing them, I will kill Him”.

Then, adorning his luscious invitation with a lethal portion of deception, the enemy lured Eve with a single question meant to draw her into his grasp and under his oppression. “Did God really say…” (Genesis 3:1) For if you question God and His goodness, you question everything.

We know the rest of the story. Innocent Adam and Eve ensconced in Eden’s luscious beauty, wide eyes curious at the heavy fruit in hand.

One.
Single.
Sin.
Death had snatched Life away.

Perfection had now fallen under the monstrosity of ominous oppression.
Corruption held the scepter and the enemy laughed, sure of his venomous victory.
The world wouldn’t need to learn to hate, kill, lust, thieve, gossip, eye-roll, bicker, and mock for oppression was now written into their DNA.

Natural man would take after their new father and sin’s self-love would spread like an uncontrollable wildfire, ravaging, killing, destroying everything from atoms to earthworms to bodies with earthquakes, poison, divorce, genocide, slavery, abortion, addiction, and the like. Nothing was untouched by oppression’s insidious sickness.

How do we identify oppression?
We look for the darkness.
We look for the absence of Light.

On the grand scale and the small ones. As we look at the nations and inside the isolated islands of our homes, oppression rages on. Cancer, mental illness, abuse, tragedy, complaining, bitterness, anger, slander, murder. It hides its snarling sickness in rage and rape and behind the gruesome masks of bigotry, prejudice, pretentious piety, and chauvinism. Oppression’s enslavement marks us all; it’s meant to kill, demean, and destroy for Sin and Death are its father.

The enemy hates the Almighty and oppresses His people.
The Almighty hates the work of the Father of Lies and every single act of oppression.
But lest we walk away with the ludicrous assumption the enemy and the Almighty are equal in force, hear the Word of the Lord.
Then the earth shook and quaked;
the foundations of the mountains trembled;
they shook because he burned with anger.
Smoke rose from his nostrils,
and consuming fire came from his mouth;
coals were set ablaze by it.
He bent the heavens and came down,
total darkness beneath his feet.
He rode on a cherub and flew,
soaring on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his hiding place,
dark storm clouds his canopy around him.
From the radiance of his presence,
his clouds swept onward with hail and blazing coals.
The Lord thundered from heaven;
the Most High made his voice heard.
He shot his arrows and scattered them;
he hurled lightning bolts and routed them.
The depths of the sea became visible,
the foundations of the world were exposed,
at your rebuke, Lord,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
He reached down from on high
and took hold of me;
he pulled me out of deep water.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out to a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
For you rescue an oppressed people,
but you humble those with haughty eyes.
(Psalm 18:7-19, 27)

Long before the crafty serpent had even considered the plot of his disastrous deceit in Eden, the Almighty already knew of Satan’s vile plan, and He’d already decided to sacrifice Himself for His people.

Yes, Satan plotted to slay humanity pressing them farther and farther from the Father who lovingly crafted them to enjoy relationship with Him.
But in a radical act of unfathomable humble love, the Almighty allowed Himself to be slain by the sinners, then rise again to conquer sin and death forever. Death had been swallowed whole by Life! (1 Corinthians 15:54)

Yes, oppression’s foul stench is everywhere in our world, but the Light of the Victor shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5) As Christ-followers run toward the broken, the battered, the lonely, the fearful, and yes, even the angry and abusive, we bring with us, the victorious light of the One who has conquered Sin and Death forever.

Oppression’s power is vanquished by One Name, The Lord Jesus Christ.
(Philippians 2:10-11)

See the oppression, surrender your own rebellion, and fearlessly carry the Light of Love by the power of Jesus into the world around you for nothing can separate us from the love of Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:1-5)

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Eden Day 1 Ex Nihilo

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Colossians 1:15–23
John 1:1-5
Psalm 104
Psalm 33:1–9
Job 38

Eden, Day 1

We’d been on the road for six months, travelling around remote Australia while living in an RV. We explored beaches and mountains, waterfalls and desserts. On this day, we were travelling through a very remote part of Western Australia. The closest township was home to only a few hundred people, and it was several hundred kilometers away.
We were literally in the middle of nowhere.

A little blue sign with a lookout icon was on the side of the 4X4 track we were following, so we turned up the path, parked in the bay and walked to the platform at the top.
What I saw took my breath away.

I stood, mesmerized, tears spontaneously streaming down my face. I was overwhelmed by the beauty and grandeur of the mountain range circling around us. In every direction there were magnificent cliff faces in rich red and orange, towering above the vast plains of spinifex grass and wildflowers.

I searched for words to describe this place. Majestic. Glorious. Awesome. Every word was inadequate. I took my phone out and tried to capture the scene with my camera. Wide angle. Panoramic. No photograph came even close to capturing the vastness of the scene. In that moment, I had a powerful encounter with God the Creator.

I have spent most of my life disconnected from creation in a city where the horizon is the shape of man-made buildings and the power of the elements is shut out by climate control and insulation, shielding me from the discomfort of the seasons. I earned money from working in an office to buy food from a supermarket, packaged in boxes and plastic bags. In this environment it has been easy for me to disregard God as creator.

God spoke, and by the power of His breath alone, everything we see, from the tallest mountain to the tiniest beetle, came into being.
Ex Nihilo, out of nothing.
God didn’t take something that already existed and refashion it into our world. God is the source of life. He created the world “ex nihilo”, out of nothing, by the power of His Word alone.

Hebrews 11:3 describes it this way, “What is seen was made from things that are not visible.” The power of this Word, God’s Word, is impossible for us to fully understand.

We can stare at the sky and worship with the psalmist, “The heavens were made by the word of the Lord, and all the stars, by the breath of His mouth.” (Psalm 33:6) I see the beauty and grandeur of creation and capture a glimpse of the power of the One who created the world with His Word.

John 1:1, 3 tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God [. . .] All things were created through Him[.]“
The ‘Word’ in John 1 refers to Jesus.
The One who entered the creation He orchestrated,
the One who died to pay the penalty for our sin,
the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
The Creator stepped into His creation to save us, His beloved creation.

This blows my mind. This God, the source of life, became like you and me in order to pay the price for our salvation. Wow. The Creator, the Word, died to have a relationship with you and me.

Understanding this evokes three emotions in me.
It makes me feel very small,
it makes me feel very loved,
and it gives me hope in my suffering.

When I consider God as the creator of our magnificent world, I feel insignificant and humbly powerless. Knowing how small I am gives me a new perspective on humility I can take into my marriage, and a renewed hunger for God’s wisdom in my parenting. The sufficiency of God becomes much more important as I seek to solve problems, love others, and serve my family. I know it’s not up to me. What a freeing realization!

I also feel deeply loved. In light of God’s power, knowing He came as a helpless baby, lived a perfect life and died a criminal’s death so He could have a relationship with me, makes me feel significantly special. God loves me, tiny insignificant me. Knowing this gives me confidence to take my place in the world. I am expertly designed. I am worthy of love.

Knowing the God of creation is almighty and all-wise puts our suffering into perspective. A beautiful example of this in Scripture is from the book of Job. God bragged of Job and his righteousness to Satan (Job 1:8), but God allowed Satan to take away his family, his wealth, and his health. As any of us would, Job cried out to God for justice in the midst of his pain and grief. Good people, he reasoned, don’t deserve bad things to happen to them.

Finally, in chapter 38, God answers Job’s arguments. His answer?
Job, look at creation.
Look at My power.
Look at My beauty.
Look at My abundance.

God didn’t diminish Job’s suffering; rather, He adjusted Job’s vision to magnify his view of God, putting Job’s struggle into perspective.
The challenges we face are not too big for the God who created everything out of nothing.

I pray you have the opportunity to encounter God, the Ex Nihilo Creator, today.

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Kneel Day 5 Faithful God Who Fills

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Nehemiah 1:4-11
Nehemiah 4:11-14
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
Psalm 145

Kneel, Day 5

What is the difference between faithful and faith-filled? Prior to pondering Nehemiah and the confidence with which he prayed, I may have described them as two sides of the same coin: faithful and full of faith.

However, as I continued to think about those two concepts, I began to see parallels with the scientific terms potential and kinetic energy.

Yes, I am taking us back to science class for a moment.
Kinetic energy is the energy of an object in motion.
Whereas, potential energy’s origin is found in the location of said object or the nature of its construction, not in movement.

For instance, think about pushing a snowball off a mountain top (can you tell I grew up in Wyoming?). The snowball itself has great potential energy when it sits, motionless, at the top of the mountain, although it’s not actually demonstrating any of that energy. However, once the snowball begins migrating down the mountain, rapidly picking up speed and growing in size, anyone living in the valley below may discover the power of its kinetic energy.

This analogy demonstrates the difference between faithful and faith-filled, which we will see applies to Nehemiah and his prayer life. Approximately 100 years before we meet Nehemiah, Israel’s time of exile in Babylon had ceased and they had been given freedom to return home. However, not all exiles chose to return. A new generation had been born and raised in exile, and Babylon had become home. Hence, why Nehemiah was still hanging out in Babylon when we read his biography. The previous troupe who had returned home were tasked with rebuilding a ransacked Jerusalem, but a century later, Nehemiah learned that the Israelites continued to walk a razor-thin line of survival:

“The remnant in the province, who survived the exile, are in great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem’s wall has been broken down, and its gates have been burned.” (Nehemiah 1:3)

As he led Israel to rebuild Jerusalem, Nehemiah prayed intensely faith-filled prayers. He cried out to the Lord and entrusted the outcome to the faithfulness of God. He understood the “potential energy” of a heart beseeching the Lord. Nehemiah was positioned to experience the miracle of the Lord working through him, but the ability to accomplish the tasks before him did not reside within Nehemiah himself.

The Lord, however, carried the capability to see Nehemiah’s mission come to pass, and Nehemiah prayed with expectation the Lord would remain true to the promises He’d given the people of Israel. (Deuteronomy 30:1-5) Nehemiah understood the concept of faithfulness and recognized it as a demonstration of God’s character. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Faithful is defined as:

  1. Firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty,
  2. given with strong assurance, and
  3. true to the facts, to a standard, or to an original.

All three of these definitions apply to the character of God.
Consider generations earlier, when God cut a covenant with His servant, Abram (later renamed to Abraham), regarding the establishment of an entire nation through Abraham’s lineage. God alone assumed the weight of the promises’ fulfillment. (Genesis 15)
The covenant would be upheld by God’s faithfulness.

The Lord demonstrated His faithfulness to Abraham and His people throughout the Old Testament. In pondering His faithfulness to those in the New Testament, the apostle Paul comes to mind. After his profound conversion experience (Acts 9:1-25), Paul sought to spread the Gospel with the same energy he once used to persecute Christians, which cost him dearly. Shipwrecks, beatings, and imprisonments filled Paul’s missionary journeys. In 2 Thessalonians 3, he encourages believers to remember the Lord is faithful, a truth I believe helped guide Paul into the incredible obedience he displayed throughout his life.

The truth of the Lord’s faithfulness is for us, as well. In fact, today I am choosing to believe in His faithfulness as I navigate some unexpected scenarios in my current season.

Maybe, like me, you wonder, “What is the practical application?”.
For me, it looked like the following three steps today, ones I will probably need to repeat often.

  1. Pray like Nehemiah. He laid out the elements troubling his heart and directed his prayer to the Lord. This was an active conversation with Him, not simply thinking through details. I am often guilty of equating thinking about something with praying about it.
  2. Believe the Lord will respond in His faithfulness. The Lord’s character is consistent. Once I spent time praying through the details of life, I thanked the Lord for Who He is and the promises He has given in Scripture. I reminded myself of the goodness and faithfulness of God.
  3. Surrender the outcome to the Lord. This step is crucial and is sometimes the most difficult. The Lord will faithfully listen to my prayers and respond to them, but His answers may not be what I hope or expect. He may not remove the circumstances, provide insights immediately, or even seem to acknowledge my prayers. However, my role is to pray in faith, trust the Lord will reply in His faithfulness and timing, and obey as He leads me. The rest is up to Him.

Nehemiah and the Israelites rebuilt the great wall surrounding Jerusalem–an undertaking the Hebrew remnant previously believed impossible!– in 52 days. Paul brought the Gospel to innumerable people throughout his life. Regardless of the mission the Lord has appointed for each of us, the same faithful One Who led Nehemiah and Paul leads us as well, and His activity makes all the difference.

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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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If Day 1 One God?

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Isaiah 9:2-7
Hebrews 1
Colossians 1:13-22
Daniel 7:9-14

If, Day 1

Years ago, a certain talk-show host sometimes used his show to attack the faith he’d abandoned. During one show he asked, “If God the Father is so ‘all-loving,’ why didn’t He come down and go to Calvary?” This man traded the truth he knew for a what-if question. I myself have heard it in several forms.

What if Jesus was just a prophet or a great teacher? What if Jesus wasn’t really God? Honestly, I’ve asked myself these questions. It wasn’t from unbelief, but a desire to be able to explain my faith to others.

Those questions have one answer: Jesus was fully God and fully man. Therefore God did come down, teach as only God could, and then endure the cross so we could obtain salvation and eternity in heaven with Him.

Want to know what’s good about my answer? I can back it up.

If Jesus isn’t God, then He and John the Baptist would be liars. John the Baptist called Jesus “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) and “the Son of God” (John 1:34). Jesus said of Himself, “before Abraham was, I am,” (John 8:58), echoing God the Father’s statement in Exodus 3:14, “I AM WHO I AM.” But let’s go one step further.

If Jesus isn’t God, then God Himself would be a liar.
And let’s be clear.
God is holy.
He cannot lie. (Numbers 23:19)

When John the Baptist was baptizing Jesus, the voice of God from heaven proclaimed, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17) We know from Genesis 1 that the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) was present at creation. They work in tandem with each other. We see an example of this in John 14:16, where Jesus asks the Father to send the Holy Spirit to the believers. Three persons, yet one God, working for our good and our salvation.

Salvation means God working on behalf of man to deliver us from sin and death and give us eternal life in heaven. How does Scripture support this? What a great question! I started in Isaiah 9:6, “For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us.” Then it lists His names, “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Who is this Son who is also Mighty God?

Matthew 1:20 says this, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Look, we found Mighty God. It’s Jesus!

You might be wondering why this is important. Well, it speaks directly to several assertions people make about Jesus. Let’s review, shall we?

  •     Jesus was just a prophet or a great teacher
  •     Jesus was a great man, but not God

Colossians 1:13-22 addresses these assertions. Verse 13 reveals God has rescued us from darkness and “transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.”
Who’s the Son God loves? Jesus.
Who possesses kingdoms and has authority over everything within them? Kings.
So Jesus was clearly not just a prophet or great teacher.
He was, and is, an eternal king.

I confirmed this in Daniel 7:14, “His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.” 

Well, what about the “great man but not God” statement? Colossians 1 says this:

  •     “He is the image of the invisible God” (verse 15)
  •     He created everything (verse 16)
  •     He is the head of the church (verse 18)
  •     God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him (verse 19)

Friends, Jesus was a great man. But He was also fully God.

But not just any “god.” Jesus is the One True God. He’s the God who reconciled His people to Himself by defeating sin and death. Defeating sin requires a perfect, sinless life. In other words, a person would need to be perfectly and absolutely holy. No human fits that bill. But God, presenting Himself in human flesh could and did, in the form of Jesus. Then, He went one better. He took on all the sin of the world so we could be considered clean before God the Father. We should sit with that for a moment.

To defeat death, we’d have to die and resurrect ourselves. Humans can die, but we can’t resurrect ourselves. But Jesus’ human body died and then was alive again. He, Himself, resurrected. No smoke and mirrors. Just the power and authority of God. Thus, Jesus earned the title of Savior.

God said this about Jesus, “And let all God’s angels worship Him.”
I say, let all of us worship Jesus, our one True God. He is more than worthy!

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Reveal Day 1 Until He Appears

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Habakkuk 1:1-4
Habakkuk 3:16-19
1 Peter 1:3-9
Romans 8:18-38

Reveal, Day 1

“How long, Lord, must I call for help
and you do not listen
or cry out to you about violence
and you do not save?
Why do you force me to look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Oppression and violence are right in front of me.
Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates.
This is why the law is ineffective
and justice never emerges.
For the wicked restrict the righteous;
therefore, justice comes out perverted.”
(Habakkuk 1:2-4)

If ever there was a prayer for 2020, this passage from Habakkuk pretty much covers it.
Pain, strife, injustice, violence, conflict, loss . . . all wrapped up in a God who has never felt further away.

Christmastime often taps us on our shoulder to remind us what we’ve lost throughout the year, or to bring attention to what we don’t have. Loved ones with whom we once celebrated who will not be sitting at the dinner table this year. Gifts we wish were under the tree, but for which the budget couldn’t make room. A special someone to share life with or children and a family of our own.

But 2020, and all its tumult, have truly humbled our hearts. What we thought was known has toppled into an overwhelming heap, perplexing us when we attempt to piece it back together.
Loss of jobs, businesses, and lives.
Sudden, rapid loss of our “normal.”
The loss of comfort in, and blindness to, the systematic racial inequities still existing in the world, despite the long and hard-fought battles already waged.

It seems impossible that God is here. That He is working. We want to cry out, like Habakkuk, “How long, God!?”
“Where are You now?”
“What are You doing?”
“Why don’t You save us?”

The book of Habakkuk shows us a raw and real conversation between God and Habakkuk on behalf of the nation of Israel. For hundreds of years, since the exodus from Egypt, Israel suffered from the plight of its own sin. Time after time, they turned away from God and deliberately disobeyed Him by worshiping other gods and idols, despite the Father’s constant grace and effort to bring them back to Him.

And so Israel fell, and suffered, at the hand of corrupt nations like Babylon. God delivered them, and they remained faithful . . . for a time. Until they abandoned their Deliverer, and the endless cycle began again, and again, and again.

We see both Habakkuk and God hurting for the world and the sin wreaking havoc at every turn. God shows Habakkuk that He, too, sees the hurt, the pain, the suffering, and the loss. His heart breaks, too. Even though it seemed inconceivable, God was working a plan far greater than their present troubles. In the midst of the consequences of our own sin and the ripple of others’, God’s glorious plan to save His people was being revealed.  

I’m amazed at Habbakuk’s praise at the end of the book. Despite the absence of God’s immediate rescue, Habakkuk rests in God’s constant promises to deliver His people. Habakkuk didn’t have the Christmas story of Immanuel, God with us, or even the knowledge of the Easter story of the resurrection of Jesus, and yet he chose to trust in the midst of loss.

My favorite Christmas hymn lyrics, from the first verse of “O Holy Night,” simply and beautifully remind us of the “now” of our suffering and the “not yet” of the promise to come:

 “Long lay the world in sin and error pining
‘Til He appears and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!” 

How long have you felt the weight of sin and error and pined for relief, crying out to God, “How much longer, Lord?”

Friend, when Christmastime taps us on the shoulder and we look back at 2020 and remember what was lost and painful, may the picture of an innocent baby named Jesus, born in the midst of chaos and filth, prompt our weary hearts to turn toward hope and the bright, new, glorious morning our Father has given us.

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Sketched VIII Day 10 Tamar & Judah

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 38
Matthew 1:1-16
Isaiah 30:18-22

Sketched VIII, Day 10

“Judah has chosen you to marry his son, Er!”

“Papa!” my disgust was as thick as the outrage in my voice.

I’d always been too outspoken, and Mama’s quick glare reminded me I’d spoken out of turn, again.

“Tamar!” My mother clicked her tongue and added reprovingly, “Judah is one of the twelve sons of Jacob; you should be honored! Covenant promises with Yahweh surround his family.”

I whirled to face her. My family was well-accustomed to my vigorous debates, and this was one I would not lose. “You know Judah’s reputation! I don’t care a whit whether he’s Jacob’s son, that man has a wandering eye for any woman with a pulse!”

“Well, Tamar, you’re marrying Er, not Judah. That’s final!”

“Papa! No! It’s not fair!” My shrill voice drew the glances of passersby.

Papa responded with tender grace, “Tamar, I love you. You are important and precious, and Yahweh will use you for His work.” He reached out to touch my cheek. “My fiery girl, I adore you. Er has no idea what he’s in for.” He winked and took his seat to bless our meal.

I smiled at the memory. I loved Papa dearly, and he had loved me for who I was. I grieved every day he was gone, but also breathed a prayer of thanks he never had to witness the obscenity that was my marriage to Er.

Er was spiteful and addicted to many things: alcohol, women, and anger . . . but mostly, himself. Whatever Er wanted, he got, until finally, the Lord mercifully answered my pleas for safety. Er was killed by the Lord’s hand.
Truly, the Lord is a God of justice.

In accordance with the Lord’s law, Judah gave me to his next son, Onan.

“Onan.” I spat out his name like a curse. Onan was devious, passive aggressive, and manipulative. Where Er had beaten me with his fists, Onan cut my heart with his words and insidious deception. The death trap of marriage to Judah’s sons was stifling.

My only hope was to bear a child. Even one son would bring purpose to my suffering. Please, Lord, please, I whispered all day and through the watches of the night, grant your daughter redemption.

My situation felt hopeless. Onan only had sex with me for his own pleasure, pulling out at the last moment so I couldn’t conceive. Yet, I knew Yahweh saw all. I clung to my God of justice, waiting.

Mercifully, the Lord did see Onan’s treachery, and He hated it. By Yahweh’s hand, Onan was also put to death. Two dead husbands, a heart damaged enough for a lifetime, and all hope was dashed.

Still, Yahweh was and always would be just, even if I couldn’t see it. There remained Judah’s youngest son, Shelah. I would be close to the end of my child-bearing years by the time Shelah was old enough to marry, but Judah, with some semblance of honor, promised me Shelah if I returned home and waited for him.

Mama. Sweet mama. I nestled my head against her aging shoulder, wrapping my arms around her. “Tamar, my girl, I love you. You are important and precious. Yahweh will use you for His work.” Despite my pride, tears flowed down my cheeks into my mother’s silvery hair. Such faith! Lord, look upon Your daughter! Extend Your just arm!

Shelah’s coming of age came and went. Weeks turned to months as I waited, sure the Lord heard my pleas, but Judah never fulfilled his promise. Word had it, he blamed me for the deaths of his other two sons.

Angry, I cried out to the Lord. Where is your justice, Yahweh?! Have you not seen me waiting, oppressed, and broken all these years?! I have trusted You, haven’t I?!

“Tamar, Judah is heading to Timnah to shear his sheep.” My friend’s bit of information lit a match within me and hope sparked to life. My plan was devious, yes, but I was too angry to care. Yahweh had given Judah the responsibility of protecting and caring for me, yet he shirked his duties. Now was the time for action.

My heart raced as I removed my widow’s clothing, and hurried to the outskirts of Timnah where Judah would pass. Dressed as a prostitute, I was counting on old Judah to be as scandalous as always. I was not disappointed, for moments later, he asked for my services.

I would not be taken advantage of this time. “Give me your signet, your cord, and your staff from your hand as pledge of your payment.” Greedy Judah readily agreed and the deed was done. We both went on our way, Judah to shear his sheep, and me to plead with Yahweh for mercy.

Three months later, Judah’s baby was 12 weeks along.
The Lord had heard! Evidence of His justice fluttered in my womb.

Proof of His abundant kindness washed over me when I safely delivered two sons a few months later. As I held their tiny bodies close, tears streamed from my eyes. The Lord was righteous! Perez and Zerah were proof!

But when the community heard of my sons’ birth, they cried out for my death as an adulteress. As they dragged me to the place of judgement, I clenched Judah’s signet, cord, and staff, calling out for their owner to claim his items, and his sons.

The blood drained from Judah’s face as he put the fragmented pieces together.
I held my breath.

Would the Lord bring justice?

Judah stepped forward, raising a shaking voice,
“She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her my son, Shelah.”

I trembled, in shock at Judah’s confession and in awe of the Lord’s justice.
I would live and raise my boys in peace!

Hundreds of years later, Yahweh further unfolded a plan Tamar wouldn’t know until she reached Heaven: Perez and Zerah are listed in the lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord is faithful and just; His righteousness knows no limits. God used a woman of fierce bravery, fighting through difficult circumstances, to usher in the One who would bring justice and righteousness to all people through His death and resurrection. Never doubt, dear sister, the Lord sees, and knows, and fights for you!

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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 VIII Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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The GT Weekend ~Ten Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Feelings of disappointment and ‘never enough’ can easily seep into our relationship with our earthly parents. Maybe they are, or were, difficult to please. Maybe you never really felt understood, or perhaps there were so many layers of conflict and communication barriers it was difficult to deeply connect. Maybe your parent has passed and you are left with loss, or perhaps even regret. Relationships are messy and complicated, even healthy ones! Even if you enjoy a rich, close connection with your parent, expectations and feelings of being “boxed in” to a previous role, can feel stifling and awkward. While it can seem natural to place these human failings and struggles onto our relationship with God, He is altogether other. Performance demands have no place. Shame is bound up. Love is unleashed in brilliant colors never before experienced! Where have you placed God in the same category as your parents? Take that to Him and ask Him to reveal His Father heart of love to you in new, vibrant ways!

2) Rebekah shared transparently on Wednesday on how easy it is to fall into the trap of working hard to earn God’s favor. We want Him to smile on us. We want His protection, His blessing, and His favor, so we will work to do things to please Him. There is simply nothing we can do to make ourselves more winsome to God! He hand-crafted us to mirror His own image. He already delights over us, and He cannot possible love us deeper than He already does. Because He is infinitely good, kind, faithful, and true, He adamantly will not love us less. Here’s the kicker, this extravagant love of God is not limited to you or me, unbeliever or church-goer. The Lord views each and every life with the same lavish love, utterly regardless of who we are or what we have done. Who is in your life that you have been hard-hearted towards or stingy with your love? Ask the Lord to shift your perspective, instead seeing them as highly valued and adored as a fellow bearer of God’s own image. How can you begin loving them more like Jesus this week?

3) Cheated. Even saying the word riles our hearts and we begin feeling the need to take up arms against someone who wronged our right or privilege. Take cheating within the context of marriage and the hurt sinks deep very quickly. Maybe you’ve experienced what it is to walk through being cheated on, or maybe you’ve been the cheater. Circumstances are complicated, reasons and justifications abound as quickly as the hurt does, and the trail back to where the distrust began is long and usually involves more than one party in the relationship. God didn’t design us for heartbreak. His perfect intention was for us to find delight in another and sink deep into trust as both people love the other unconditionally. Maybe you find your eyeballs rolling into your head at this point because this description feels so unlikely. Remember the heart of this specific commandment is to point towards a God who will absolutely never be unfaithful and will also always love us unconditionally. Focus on investing in the only relationship that will not leave you hungry for more. What can you do to develop your relationship with God more deeply?

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from 2 Peter 1:3-4 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire.

Prayer Journal
Father God, I love this passage of Your Word and the truths You speak of here. You have given everything I need for life and godliness simply by leaning deeper and deeper into knowing You! You are unfathomable accessible. Lord, I truly could sit and ponder this extravagant love for the rest of my days and never have plumbed its depths. Your glory and goodness have been made known to me in every moment; You are waiting to be embraced and known more fully by me. Every breath I take is an invitation to know You better! Oh Lord, how distracted I become by focusing on the fleeting things and passions I can see with my eyes or feel in my heart! I will quickly shift my gaze off of You for lesser loves. Yet, Your truth revealed here speaks wonderfully that I do not need to fall prey to these desires to chase the lesser. In You alone is my fullness found. Keep my heart here next to Yours, remind me how sweet Your truth and love are to my soul!

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

He Day 11 Yahweh Sabaoth

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 7:14-14:31
Matthew 14:22-32
John 6:16-21
Isaiah 43:1-2
2 Corinthians 4:7-9

He, Day 11

Hovering over the expanse of waters was the Spirit of Yahweh Sabaoth, the Lord of hosts, creator of everything out of nothing. When man’s sin stained His beautiful creation, He promised a divine deliverer to pay the price for man’s rebellion. Throughout the ages of the patriarchs, Yahweh Sabaoth sustained, protected and pursued His people.

When Egyptians enslaved them, Yahweh Sabaoth waged war on their behalf, unleashing His fury upon the nation and Egyptian gods. Each plague landed a direct hit upon their god’s identity and supposed jurisdiction of power. The wizards mimicked some plagues, but quickly realized they were dealing with Someone stronger than they’d ever encountered.

Someone fierce.
Someone dangerous to their reign of deception.
Yahweh Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts.

Yahweh Sabaoth delivered the Hebrews and brought them to the Red Sea.
As the dust clouds rose from the desert signaling Pharoah’s advancing army, the Hebrews trembled. The people who just witnessed plagues, the decimation of one nation and the exodus of another by the Lord of armies . . . panicked.

Yahweh’s response?

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:14) 

He called toward quiet trust;
they rushed headlong into despair.

Despite their faith-failures, the miraculous doorway of deliverance for the Hebrews became the doorway of death for the Egyptians. Placing His visible presence as a barrier between the Egyptians and His people, Yahweh Sabaoth thwarted the Egyptians while illuminating the Hebrews’ route through the sea.

Millenia passed, still God delivered valiantly. The One who created everything from nothing wrapped Himself in flesh and descended to redeem mankind.

Both Matthew’s and John’s gospels record a day in Jesus’ life depicting the Lord of Hosts at work with power and majesty.

Bringing their diseased and distressed, masses followed Him. Some sought a spectacle, while others sought physical healing and hope for their lost and hungry souls. He multiplied loaves and fishes to satisfy their bodies and offered the Bread of Life to feed their souls.

Following a long day of ministry, the disciples stepped into a boat, ready to unwind with a quiet nighttime row across the lake. However, they were met with fierce winds and crashing waves.

Through the splashing spray, an eerie sight arose, a human form walking toward them on the waves.

“It’s a ghost!” they shouted. Suddenly, they recognized His face. Jesus!

The One whose Spirit hovered over the waters of creation now walked upon the waves.
The disciples had known Jesus as Rabbi and friend;
now, they beheld Him as Yahweh Sabaoth.

Without hesitation, Peter issued his challenge, “If it’s truly You, call me out to You on the water!”

Yahweh Sabaoth answered, “Come!”
With stunning confidence and audacious trust, Peter stepped out, joining Jesus on the waves.

When they returned to the boat, two amazing things happened.
The storm stopped instantaneously and their boat immediately arrived at its destination on the opposite shore.

Stunned silence must have followed as the boat bobbed near the quiet beach. The disciples, slack-jawed, stared at Yahweh Sabaoth. Shaken, they gasped, “Who are you?”

Jesus, Lord of hosts, Lord of angel armies, Yahweh Sabaoth.  

Like the Hebrews at the Red Sea and the disciples on the lake, I, too, have encountered Yahweh Sabaoth. In the fall of 2012, my son, Matthew, lay in the PICU. A friend sent me the worship song “God of Angel Armies”. Initially, the lyrics sounded nice, but felt like a lie, or worse yet, a sick joke.

Matthew was in a coma. My conversations with God were wordless groanings of the soul.  My conversations with doctors were hushed, grim, and heavy. I felt like I was being slowly crushed in an invisible vice.

But eternal truth rose from the lyrics and I struggled to believe the words were true, despite what I felt. I was faced with the old dilemma: circumstances and emotions versus Scripture and Holy Spirit.

The answer was simple, not easy.
Truth always trumps emotion and circumstance.
It meant following His voice, through the fear.

Throughout Matthew’s journey, God never spoke audibly, and I saw no pillars of fire. However, the “yes and amen” within my spirit was my pillar of cloud, and Scripture, my pillar of fire.

Yahweh Sabaoth was present in each hymn I sang softly in the darkness, inhabiting worship rising from my battle-weary soul. There in Matthew’s PICU unit, He remained Yahweh Sabaoth, God of angel armies, friend of mine.

My emotions continued to whirl and our circumstances remained tumultuous. But as I clung to the truth, I found myself walking in confident trust and audacious faith, following Jesus through the fear.

For as He promised,
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.” (Isaiah 43:2)

Yahweh Sabaoth, who hovered over the waters of creation,
hovered near us in the PICU.
Yahweh Sabaoth, who walked upon the sea,
sustained us “through the waters.”
Yahweh Sabaoth, who delivered the Hebrews,
delivered Matthew from illness and special needs, welcoming him Home.

The same Yahweh Sabaoth calls to each of us, reaching through the waves. Our spirits will gasp in wonder when we recognize Yahweh Sabaoth in the face of Jesus. And like Peter, our only option will be confident trust and audacious faith in the Lord of hosts, Yahweh Sabaoth.  

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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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