Dignity

King Day 3 Fit For A King

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King Day 3 Fit For A King

Carol Graft

December 31, 2025

Beauty,Christ,Clothed,Dignity,Flawless,Future,Holiness

Read His Words Before Ours!

Revelation 1:12-15
Revelation 19:7-9
Daniel 10:2-6
John 3:13-15

Studying (or even simply reading!) the book of Revelation can be daunting. In parts it seems scary; in other parts, fantastical. However, once we dig into the symbolism, it becomes less daunting and actually encouraging and affirming. 

Shall we journey together? 

John, one of Jesus’ closest disciples and a founder of the early Church, was given the visions described in Revelation while in exile on the island of Patmos. John experienced a unique and dear relationship with Jesus Christ when He walked the earth; John understood and embraced Jesus’ divinity as the Messiah and Son of God. 

The Lord instructed John to write what he hears and sees of the revelations of Jesus Christ. This is a book of letters, written to specific churches of the time. However, there’s much we can learn from these letters! If we read carefully, we might see bits and pieces of ourselves reflected in his words. . . Ouch.

To deeply understand Revelation, the last book of the New Testament, we must first explore the Old Testament. For example, we can find many connections between the book of Daniel and Revelation. In many ways, Revelation echoes and builds upon the themes mentioned in Daniel. 

Daniel, a prophet who spoke to God’s people while they were in exile in Babylon, described Jesus like this:

“I continued watching in the night visions, 
and suddenly one like a son of man was coming with the clouds of heaven.” (Daniel 7:13) 

“I looked up, and there was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of gold from Uphaz around his waist.” (Daniel 10:5)  

Isaiah, a prophet who declared God’s messages to the people of Judah prior to their exile, also mentions Jesus in a similar way:

“Righteousness will be a belt around his hips,
faithfulness will be a belt around his waist.” (Isaiah 11:5) 

With those images in mind, let’s consider how Jesus is revealed in Revelation. In Revelation 1:4-6 we see a coming King. He takes His place among seven lampstands, “like the Son of Man, dressed in a robe and with a golden sash around his waist.” (Revelation 1:13)

The lampstands were immediately recognizable to John’s original readers, as lampstands were an integral part of the tabernacle, and later the temple, where God’s Spirit resided. In Revelation, the lampstands represent the churches to whom the letters were written. 

In John’s vision, the Son of Man is dressed in a robe of linen. 

According to Levitical law, the high priest was to be dressed in garments of holy linen when he went before the Lord. (Leviticus 16:3-5) Jesus’ appearance in similar dress both emphasizes his holiness and purity, and reiterates His role as great high priest: “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who passed through the heavens–Jesus the Son of God–let us hold fast to our confession.” (Hebrews 4:14) 

Additionally, the golden sash teaches us Jesus is a righteous and faithful judge. We’ve already examined Isaiah 11:5; Jesus’ own words in Matthew 25:31-46 outline how He will one day judge all people. 

Psalm 96:13 reiterates,
“[F]or he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the earth with righteousness
And all the peoples with his faithfulness.”

The sash’s golden color may symbolize the divinity of “a great God, a great king above all gods.” (Psalm 95:3)

Finally, John’s referral to Jesus as the Son of Man would have immediately recalled Daniel’s prophecies to the minds of his original Jewish audience. Furthermore, Jesus referred to Himself this way several times:

“No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up a snake in the wilderness [Numbers 21:4-9], so the Son of Man must be lifted up so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” (John 3:13-14)  

During Jesus’ earthly lifetime, the people of Israel were desperately awaiting a Messiah to rescue them from Roman oppression. They expected a conquering king; when Jesus came as the Son of Man, a humble servant who lovingly sacrificed Himself to bring rescue from sin and death, they refused to recognize Him as their Messiah. 

Shortly before His death, Jesus was on trial before the religious authorities. 

“The high priest said to him, ‘I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.’ 

‘You have said it,’ Jesus told him. ‘But I tell you, in the future you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.’” (Matthew 26:63-64)

As Jesus’ own words promise, the King is coming, for all who believe. His linen robes and golden sash will also adorn the Bridegroom as He comes for His bride (you and me, and all who follow Jesus). 

When we repent, turn away from our sin, and follow Jesus, we become the Bride of Christ and can eagerly await the day we see the Son of Man coming in glory! 

“Hallelujah, because our Lord God, the Almighty, reigns!
Let us be glad, rejoice, and give him glory,
because the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has prepared herself.”
(Revelation 19:6-7)

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follow,Jesus,King,Revelation
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Just as Jesus Himself is the Light (John 1:4-5), He calls His disciples to reflect His life and light to the world. (Ephesians 5:8)

John saw Jesus standing amidst the seven lampstands, giving us a picture of Jesus standing with His Church (Romans 8:37-39) as His people make His name known among the world. (Matthew 5:16)

Take courage, fellow believer, your Savior stands with you!
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Slain Day 5 Perpetua & Felicity

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Slain Day 5 Perpetua & Felicity

Rebekah Hargraves

April 18, 2025

Anchored,Dignity,Glory,Joy,Kingdom,Obedience

Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Timothy 3:12-15
Matthew 10:37-39
John 15:15-17
Daniel 3:17-18

As a mother, I can imagine few things more heart-wrenching than leaving my infant to be cared for by another. Yet this is precisely what Perpetua and Felicity both did, willingly, as they were martyred for their faith. 

You may not have heard their names before, but both women are shining examples in church history of loving the Lord more than father, mother, son, or daughter. (Matthew 10:37-39) Their stories are deeply moving, inspirational, and worthy of our hearing.

These two young women, in their early 20s when martyred, were believers in Christ during the third century. Living in North Africa, they and a group of believing friends were arrested and thrown into prison because of their faith. Perpetua was the mother of an infant son who was placed in the prison with her because she was nursing him, and Felicity gave birth to a baby girl while incarcerated.

Sentenced to death by wild beasts, these young mothers surely wrestled internally with the high cost they would pay with their lives. But what of the cost if they chose to recant? Unfathomable to these brave mamas. Adding more weight to her heart, Perpetua’s father didn’t believe in Christ and he desperately begged his daughter to recant her faith and save her life. Perpetua wrote a moving account of their interactions, a portion of which reads,

“Another day, while we were at dinner, we were suddenly taken away to be heard [by the judicial authorities], and we arrived at the step of the town-hall.

Then they came to me, and my father immediately appeared with my boy, and withdrew me from the step, and said in a supplicating tone, ‘Have pity on your babe.’” (Catholic News Agency)

Perpetua goes on to write of another interaction she had with her father as he begged her again to recant,

“‘Father,’ said I, ‘do you see this vessel lying here to be a little pitcher, or something else?’

“And he said, ‘I see it to be so.’

“And I replied to him, ‘Can it be called by any other name than what it is?’

“And he said, ‘No.’

“‘Neither can I call myself anything else than what I am, a Christian.’”
(Catholic News Agency)

Meanwhile, Perpetua’s friend, Felicity, was 8 months pregnant when first thrown into prison and wanted so badly to be martyred at the same time as her friends that she prayed that her own baby would come soon so she would not be left behind when her friends went to be with Jesus. This is exactly what happened, and Felicity’s baby girl was given to a fellow sister-in-Christ to be raised as her own.

To tell you the truth, Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:37 have always been hard for me to personally read:

“The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of Me; the one who loves a son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” 

I’m a relationship-person through and through, and I am deeply attached to my loved ones. Yet Perpetua and Felicity’s examples show me even death was worth it for these women, these daughters and mothers, because the gain of Christ was just too precious to renounce.  

Though we will not all die as martyrs, Jesus nevertheless makes it clear we are, as believers, daily called to be “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20), to “take up [our] cross and follow [Him].” (Mathew 10:38) This means denying ourselves and our desires if they come before Christ in our hearts. It means following through with the race He has given us to run regardless of cost or discouragement. It means putting to death the sin which so easily entangles and distracts us from our God-given kingdom mission. (Hebrews 12:1)

In these ways, we join those who have been slain in Christ over the millennia. Every day, as we seek to honor and revere Christ above all, we are in good company, for our fellow brothers and sisters have been doing the same for hundreds of years. Their faith cheers us onward as we run the race marked out for us. (Hebrews 11-12:2)

For me, this dying to self looks like giving up what could be extra spending money each month so our family can sponsor a child, ensuring her daily needs are met. It looks like denying myself and turning the other cheek when I would love nothing more than to lash out at someone who has hurt me. It looks like respecting my husband more than I insist on my own way. Truly, it looks like crucifying “the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Galatians 5:24)

As much as these choices go against my naturally sinful bent, I am finding as I abide more deeply with Christ, He truly is worth renouncing the world. He is worth giving up selfish purchases so I can give to others. He is worth saying no to my desire to get even and instead love my enemies. He is worth being misunderstood by family members or friends for the stances I take. For, whatever hardship or sadness or angst I have ever felt over any of these things, the joy, peace, love, acceptance (truly the abundant life!) I have found in Christ and by His side are worth all of that and more.

May we each be able to continue to say just that as we grow, day by day, in our understanding of the inexpressible value and sweetness of life with Christ.

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I remember the way my stomach clenched with fear as I ruminated on the stories I read and heard about missionaries and martyrs from around the world.

Faithful Christians, serving God and proclaiming the good news of Jesus, yet brutally persecuted and murdered for their faith.

Would I be able to stand firm and claim Christ if faced with such violence and certain death? I didn’t think so.

This was a frightening prospect to consider, when Jesus clearly stated those who deny Him will be denied by Him before Father God.
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Slain Day 5 Perpetua & Felicity: Digging Deeper

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Slain Day 5 Perpetua & Felicity: Digging Deeper

Merry Ohler

April 18, 2025

Alive,Anchored,Dignity,Excuses,Faith,Fear,Gospel,Peace

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Perpetua & Felicity
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 10:32-39

32 “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven.

34 Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.

37 The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Anyone who finds his life will lose it, and anyone who loses his life because of me will find it.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What did Jesus mean in saying, “Whoever denies Me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven”? (verse 33)

To be good and faithful stewards of Scripture, we must always view Scripture through a deliberate lens, examining the biblical, historical, and cultural contexts while carefully considering the author, the original audience, and the meaning the original audience would have naturally understood.

At first glance, and without the proper context, Christ’s words sound like a threat to the believer who falters in his faith. However, when we read this verse within the greater context of the surrounding passages, His meaning becomes clear.

In this instance, Jesus was not making a threat to believers about what would happen if they chose to deny Him; He was illustrating that those who deny Him before others have not actually given their lives to Him. (John 3:18, John 3:36, Acts 4:12) 

Just a few verses prior, Jesus asserted that when a believer is faced with persecution or suffering for the sake of Christ, they should not worry about what to say because God would give them the words needed. (Matthew 10:19-20) His words about salvation are affirmed through many passages of Scripture, including 2 Corinthians 5:17, in which Paul writes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!”

Jesus was not threatening that those who fail to claim Him before others will lose their salvation. He was illustrating that those who are able to deny Him before others were never His disciples in the first place. 

The Everyday Application

1) What did Jesus mean in saying, “Whoever denies Me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven”? (verse 33)

When I was a young girl, this particular verse gave me a fair amount of concern. I vividly remember pondering Jesus’ words to His disciples and thinking about what they might mean to me. I remember how my stomach clenched with fear as I ruminated on the stories I’d heard or read about missionaries and martyrs around the world.

Faithful Christians, serving God and proclaiming the good news of Jesus, yet brutally persecuted and murdered for their faith. Would I be able to stand firm and claim Christ if faced with such violence and certain death? I didn’t think so. This was a frightening prospect when Jesus clearly stated those who deny Him will be denied by Him before Father God.

What I didn’t understand as a child is that Jesus had already outlined the truth before His words here. If a believer faces persecution, we don’t need to fear the outcome, or what we might say. We can trust that the Holy Spirit in us will fill our mouths with the truth about Jesus and salvation. Christ said it, so it is true. There is no darkness in Him; He will accomplish the work He has promised. (1 John 1:5-10, John 8:12, 2 Corinthians 4:6)

When we put our trust in Christ, we belong to Him. Whether we live, or whether we die, we are His. (Romans 14:8) He will be glorified in our death as in our lives because He will be glorified. Period.

If we have repented of our sins, put our trust in Jesus Christ our Savior, and made Him the Lord of our lives, we can rest assured we do indeed belong to God. He will not leave us to face persecution or suffering alone; He, Himself, will fill our mouths with exactly the words needed. He has promised, will He not fulfill it?

The Original Intent

2) How is Jesus’ purpose to turn family members against each other? (verses 35-36)

When Jesus came to earth in the form of a man, He shook up everything about the religious systems the Jewish people had adopted. His comments about turning family members against one another was a direct quote from Micah 7:6, which illustrated Israel’s condition at the time.

In addition to quoting the Scriptures by heart, further affirming the people’s acknowledgment of Him as Teacher, He also spoke the truth about what would happen when people choose to follow Him. When Christ came, the Jewish people were bound by far more than the law God had given to Moses so many years ago. Religious leaders placed restrictions on all Jews by adding their own additional rules and regulations to God’s law, making what was already impossible for a mere human to accomplish into a suffocating burden.

The law God gave to Moses was meant to show people that God is completely different from humans. His holiness and standard of righteousness are impossible for man to attain. Only Christ could ever uphold it perfectly. When Jesus came, He highlighted all the ways the religious leaders were taking advantage of the people, inviting all who would put their trust in Him to follow Him and His way instead.

Jesus knew this would cause division between families. He knew there would be those who would cling to their traditions and turn away from His teaching. There would also be those who would turn away from tradition and accept Christ’s message of light and life. Families would be torn apart by the convictions each member would choose to hold tight. In a culture where family and religious tradition were the center of everything, His plain words about this prospect would have been frightening and disturbing to hear and were a stark contrast to the cultural norms at the time. 

The Everyday Application

2) How is Jesus’ purpose to turn family members against each other? (verses 35-36)

The reality that a life surrendered to Christ is a life at odds with the world is apparent to most of us. While we may have family members and friends who belong to Jesus, most of us know all too well the tension that accompanies a Christian life lived out alongside those who have either rejected Christ or have not yet come to the place of decision.

The convictions the Holy Spirit brings to our hearts and minds are in opposition to the allure of the world.

While our individual family heritage may not mirror Jewish family culture from that period, if our family history doesn’t involve Christ, His words ring true for us as well. In a family with a history marked by broken relationships, addiction, worldly lusts and more, one who comes to Christ will find they must turn away from their upbringing and the things they have been trained up in. This turning away from what is familiar, and familial, is certain to cause relational challenges with those we love.

When we begin to separate ourselves from sin, we may find distance in our relationships with those who persist in those habits and choices. In some cases, the lack of their understanding may spiral to frustration, anger, and even hatred toward us.

While the pain of this separation is real, we can be encouraged that Christ Himself is with us and welcomes us as His own. We must not give up hope or withdraw completely. Instead, we should continue to pray for all our family members to come to the knowledge and acceptance of Christ. 

The Original Intent

3) How can we lose our lives so we can really find them? (verse 39)

When it comes to reading and understanding Scripture, we do not have the benefit of verbal inflections, visual cues, or even inherent cultural understanding. However, we do have the benefit of access to the full counsel of Scripture. Corresponding passages in the other gospels add additional insight to Christ’s words here.

Luke 9:24 states, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” John 12:25 states, “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” In Matthew 6:33, He puts it this way, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.”

Jesus was saying that one who seeks after his or her own life, passions, desires, and purposes is choosing things that are worldly and will not last. In contrast, Jesus teaches that the one who follows Him will lay down his or her life, self, and interests in exchange for taking up Christ’s life, way, and interests.

Those who pursue their own self or purpose apart from Christ will find that they have forsaken eternal things for that which is passing away. 

The Everyday Application

3) How can we lose our lives so we can really find them? (verse 39)

Christ’s way is ever in opposition to the way of the world, isn’t it? The enemy and the world ever shout for me to pursue my purpose, find my calling, discover my passions, figure out where I fit in, do what makes me happy, and a litany of other loud, self-focused directives.

In stark contrast, Jesus calls me to leave my way, lay down my life, and follow Him. To listen to His voice, walk in His footsteps, pursue His interests. This way of the cross is not easy. It requires turning from the world and following Jesus. I am incapable of turning from self in my own strength.

But God!

He is faithful to accomplish His good work in us when we surrender our lives to Him. An authentic relationship requires intentionality in spending time with Him, learning to know Him, recognizing His ways, and obeying Him.

This impossible ask is only accomplished in us by the power of the Holy Spirit as He completes His salvific work in our lives daily. He is gracious and forgiving when we falter and choose self over Savior, ever bringing us back to the point of surrender, grace, and mercy. Ever sanctifying us, showering us with new mercies each morning. Praise God!

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death,eternity,gospel,hope,life,peace,purpose
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Slain, Day 5
Journey Study

As a mother, I can imagine few things more heart-wrenching than leaving my infant to be cared for by another. Yet this is precisely what Perpetua and Felicity both did, willingly, as they were martyred for their faith.

You may not have heard their names before, but both women are shining examples in church history of loving the Lord more than father, mother, son, or daughter. (Matthew 10:37-39)
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Pause VII Day 8 The Victor Within

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Pause VII Day 8 The Victor Within

Rebecca Adams

January 31, 2024

Dignity,Focus,Hero,Holy Spirit,Hope

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 46:5

God is within her; she will not be toppled.
God will help her when the morning dawns.
Read More Of His Words

“God is within her, she will not fail.”
Perhaps you’ve seen these words on a cute, trendy t-shirt and wondered if they’re really in the Bible.

I did!

So few verses specify “she” or “her” in speaking directly of a woman, I remember wondering if this verse was being accurately quoted when I saw it on a cute shirt.

A quick google search landed me in Psalm 46:5 where, sure enough, the words were actually a direct quote!
The original meaning, however, was not directed to a woman, but a city.
Not just any city, but the city of God. (verse 4)

This wasn’t a promise God made to women everywhere of success in whatever she put her mind to accomplishing.

This was a holy, sacred assurance to God’s people, backed by the Almighty God whose voice has the power and authority to quite literally melt the earth. (verse 6)

I hope you’re catching the serious weightiness of these words.
They certainly weren’t meant to be flippant.
Nor were they meant to paint an individualistic picture.
These words depicted THE Almighty God living among His people whom He had set apart for mutual delight. (verse 4)

When the Spirit of God spoke through the Sons of Korah to write this song, which would be sung by every Jew down through the ages, the Almighty intended them to know that, despite the insane chaos of the tumultuous times (see verses 2-3),
He Still Held Israel Upright; He was the support within her.

Nothing could thwart His redemptive plans for Jesus to come through the tribe of Judah and bring redemption to His people, and the whole world. These believers, of all nations and all tribes, would make up the new City of Jerusalem, the very “City of God”.

The very best part?
He would dwell, live, exist, breathe, among them, within them.
For Eternity.

“God is within her; she will not be toppled.” (verse 5)

His people, called by His name, would not be swallowed up by the suffering that seemed to seal their fate. They would not be toppled by earthquake or violent enemy armies, for nothing, absolutely nothing, could keep them away from His pursuant love. (Romans 8:35-39)

And one glorious day, His Spirit would descend on all those who trusted Jesus as their Stronghold Savior, and live within His people, changing everything.

What a breathtaking prophecy!
What an incredible Hope we get to live in right now!

If you have turned away from your sin, repulsed by it, confessing it to God and asking forgiveness, then His Spirit lives inside you and your eternity is secure.
Your citizenship has been secured in the City of God!

Richer and deeper, by far, than a catchy slogan that misses God’s intended meaning for a handful of words, the truth here is meant to take our breath away as we anchor our hearts in a Hope we cannot yet see, but we are certain is coming.

For our Hope is coming, more sure than the dawn.
When it does, our Victorious Christ will ensure we are safe within His City, for He paid for our passage from death to life with His blood. (Romans 6:8-11)

Hear the words of another prophet, Zechariah, who adds even more beauty to this imagery,
““Daughter Zion,
shout for joy and be glad,
for I am coming to dwell among you”
—this is the Lord’s declaration. 

“Many nations will join themselves to the Lord on that day
and become My people.
I will dwell among you,
and you will know
that the Lord of Armies has sent Me (JESUS) to you. 

The Lord will take possession of Judah as His portion in the Holy Land,
and He will once again choose Jerusalem.
Let all humanity be silent before the Lord,
for from His holy dwelling He has roused himself.””
(Zechariah 2:10-13)

Today's Pause Challenge

1) Be a scribe and copy the precious words of Scripture down word for word. Make space in your journal to write down every word of Psalm 46:5 today.

2) Look up these cross-references for this passage and dig a little deeper into the context of the whole of God’s unfolding picture for His people to dwell with Him in unity without any entanglement of sin! Imagine what that will one day be like!
Isaiah 12, Zechariah 2:10-13, Revelation 21:1-8

3) Choose one of these options below to live boldly with authentic honesty in biblical community. As we grow deeper in God’s Word, the Lord designed us to share and grow with others walking alongside us.

a) Take a photo of your journal time this week and share it, or share a quote from it.

b) Do a Facebook Live on the GT community and share how God has been working in you.

c) Leave a comment here about it.

d) Share something God has been showing you in a comment at the GT Community Group

e) Plan a coffee or lunch date with a friend and share what you’ve been learning and soaking in as you have hit Pause.

f) Write a note of encouragement to a sister who has been your Timothy.

4) Keep working on Psalm 46:4-7

Close by reading Psalm 46 (As a prayer; feel free to add in words to personalize this prayer to your specific scenario)

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

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

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

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Pause VII, Day 7

Did you let your mind paint that stunning picture as you read God’s Words by His Spirit to Ezekiel?!

That description of the deepening waters, where it becomes so deep it’s impassable, is what it’s like to be lost in the wonder and richness of knowing God. How do we know Him? We walk in the River of Life which brings sheer delight.
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Worship XII Day 2 Ordinary Worship: Digging Deeper

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Worship XII Day 2 Ordinary Worship: Digging Deeper

Dr. Leslie Umstattd

November 21, 2023

Adoring,Dignity,Gift,Giving,Glory,Gospel,Ordinary,Trust,Worship

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Ordinary Worship"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 2:1-12

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

4 So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born.

5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet:
6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”

7 Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship him.”

9 After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.
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The Original Intent

1) According to this passage, what indicated that Jesus had been born? (verses 1-2)

Verses 1-2 tell the reader that, after Jesus was born, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem looking for the “king of the Jews” because they had seen His star and wanted to worship Him.

Not much is known about the star of Bethlehem or the band of traveling wise men, but we do know the star was significant enough that those from far off recognized the proclamation of the birth of a King and came to worship this Emmanuel (meaning, “God with us”).

Finding the new king and worshiping Him were their purposes; kindly, the God of Creation who rules space and all celestial beings (Psalm 8:3), used a heavenly body to bring these Gentiles to welcome the Savior of the whole world, whether Jew or Gentile.

The Everyday Application

1) According to this passage, what indicated that Jesus had been born? (verses 1-2)

Although prophecies pertaining specifically to “the star of Bethlehem” were not preserved in our Bibles, we know from this passage that, upon seeing the fulfillment of prophetic words in the sky, travelers from a far distance came with intent to worship the Messiah.

Verse 3 adds to our understanding that this star’s presence, and the knowledge of a newborn king, deeply disturbed Jewish King Herod and the whole city of Jerusalem along with him. (Matthew 2:3) As we read the account in Matthew 1:18-24 of the angel’s visit to Joseph just before Jesus’ birth, it’s clear this baby was no ordinary child. His birth ushered in the fulfillment of many Old Testament prophecies of a long-ago promised Savior who would come to set His people free. (Isaiah 7:14)

The long-awaited Messiah, the promised Deliverer of Israel, had come in the unexpected form of a baby. God himself, Emmanuel, had come for His people. (Matthew 1:23) He came to ransom us from sin, our true bondage. (Mark 10:45)

The Original Intent

2) What do verses 3-6 tell us about the birthplace of Jesus?

In verse 3, we see a very distraught King Herod as well as a disturbance in Jerusalem over the possible coming of the long awaited Messiah. In verses 4-5, King Herod assembles his priest and scribes to ask about the birthplace of the Messiah; with their knowledge of Old Testament prophecy, they knew the birthplace to be Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2)

Verse 6 provides even more detail about Bethlehem as we learn it’s located in the land of Judah and it uniquely held the promise of a ruler who will “shepherd” the people of Israel. The passage quoted in verse 6 is the actual prophecy from Micah 5:2. Micah wrote this prophecy empowered by the Holy Spirit roughly 700 years before the birth of Christ.

Jewish scholars of the 1st century consider this to be a prophecy about the coming Messiah, which is why Herod’s priest and scribes were able to give the exact location of where the coming Messiah had been born. (GotQuestions.org)

Although we read of Bethlehem as Jesus’ birthplace in the New Testament (Luke 2:4-7), centuries earlier, there were God-ordained plans in place for the coming Messiah in this little town, which was considered insignificant among the cities of Judah.

The Everyday Application

2) What do verses 3-6 tell us about the birthplace of Jesus?

A King and an entire city of Jerusalem being “disturbed” over happenings in a town of such insignificance as Bethlehem seems a bit far-fetched, but we are watching the response of an earthly king, Herod, who fears the eternal king, Jesus. (1 Timothy 1:16-17)

Bethlehem was considered fairly unimportant during the time of Jesus’ birth, but the city itself had been a symbol of King David’s dynasty, hence the term “City of David”. (Luke 2:11) (GotQuestions.org) When we sing songs like “O Little Town of Bethlehem”, it truly was small, but we know that despite its humble size, Bethlehem was the birthplace of Someone mighty, the “Everlasting Light” who would “shepherd His people”. (Micah 5:2)

In that city, the long-awaited Messiah had come, the baby who would be named Jesus because He would save His people from their sin. (Matthew 1:21)

The Original Intent

3) Why did Herod send the wise men to Bethlehem? (verses 7-9)

We are told in verses 7-9 that Herod secretly summoned the wise men with the purpose of sending them on a seemingly benign mission. Herod instructed them to go find the child and report back to him, so he could worship this Messiah along with them.

As we keep reading, we plainly see his true motives and Herod’s wickedly deceptive trickery becomes evident. He merely used the wise men to cover his deep-seated insecurity, arrogance, and self-love which led to the massacre of countless innocent toddlers and babies. Herod tells the wise men he wants to worship this baby who had been born “King”, but later in the passage, an angel warns the wise men to go home by another route because Herod intends harm to Jesus. (Matthew 2:12)

These Gentile astronomers were more keen on listening to and obeying the Lord than the Jewish King was to worship Him

The Everyday Application

3) Why did Herod send the wise men to Bethlehem? (verses 7-9)

We know King Herod was fearful of this baby taking his throne because, after He became aware of Jesus’ arrival, he set about killing all baby boys under the age of two. (Matthew 2:16)

What happened in Bethlehem helps us realize that God is both intentional in all His ways and aware of the earthly schemes of man. His plans cannot be thwarted or changed because of humanity’s choices. (Psalm 33:11)

God’s plan from the beginning was that Jesus would fulfill the Law and ransom His people once and for all from their sin. Sin always brings separation from the Holy God, and without Someone perfect to pay the death penalty caused by our sin, we would be forever condemned to an eternal death apart from His good, loving presence.

Christ took that punishment for us, and because of His great love and mercy, we are no longer under condemnation of sin if we take Him at His word and believe Him. (Romans 8:1-4, John 12:44-46)

The Original Intent

4) What was the response of the wise men when they encountered Jesus? (verses 11-12)

In just two verses, we gain a glimpse of the true wisdom on display in these men who followed a star to find a King. On encountering Jesus, the wise men humbled themselves to a posture of worship by bowing to young, toddler Jesus.

They honored Him for Who He truly was and proved it by presenting the Christ-child with valuable treasures. (verse 11) They gave of themselves in adoring humility. These men also demonstrate obedience in following the message of the Lord as delivered in a dream.

Their obedience proved that their physical bowing before Jesus actually reflected hearts that humbly listened to the Lord and quickly obeyed Him. After their encounter, they chose not to return and give a report to Herod on what they had seen or found because they were warned in a dream, likely delivered by an angel. (verse 12) They went back to their country via another route.

The Everyday Application

4) What was the response of the wise men when they encountered Jesus? (verses 11-12)

As with anyone who encounters the one true God, the wise men worshiped with their bodies, their hearts, and their possessions.

Like many after them who would encounter Jesus, Emmanuel, the living God on Earth, the wise men, recognized Him for His true identity and took the proper posture before Him by offering themselves in surrendered worship.

I don’t know if they understood the full weight of who Jesus was and the affliction of sin He would remove for all eternity by His future sacrifice on the cross, but they certainly recognized him as the rightful King of the Jews, the one prophesied about that would be the Savior of His people. (John 3:16-21)

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Worship XII, Day 1
Journey Study

Sisters, we are no different. We are ordinary. We are messy.

Often we feel stuck, held captive, in the mundane. Held captive by the weights and cares of this world. Held captive by sins, even small, ordinary ones.

With the birth of Christ that unsuspecting night in Bethlehem, God stepped into the world’s lament, our groaning for rescue and redemption from our captivity.
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Esther Day 8 Tears That Move God’s Heart

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Esther Day 8 Tears That Move God’s Heart

Rebecca Adams

November 13, 2019

Attention,Daughter,Deliver,Desperate,Dignity,Esther,Freedom,Grace,Help,Know,Love,Made New,Mercy,Praise,Prayer,Relationship,Strength,Struggle,Suffering

Read His Words Before Ours!

Esther 4:1-11
Psalm 56
Psalm 66:8-15
James 1:2-3
Romans 5:1-5


 

Bless our God, you peoples,
let the sound of His praise be heard! (Psalm 66:8)

Reason for rejoicing must be clear here, right?
Such jubilant praise!
Such rich, ardent voices lifted up in adoration!

But the Psalmist continues….
For you, God, tested us;
you refined us as silver is refined.
You lured us into a trap;
you placed burdens on our backs.
You let men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water….

Wait, what?
Those are crushing words.
Words, I could have written myself, and have, at various points along my own journey.
Burdened, trapped, pressed in upon, barely breathing, trampled over, scorched by flames, drowning in swirling waters.

Praise?
What kind of people would praise while drowning?
Or maybe better, what kind of deity would want to hear praise in dire trials?

Death had been decreed for Queen Esther and her people.
The date had been set for mass extinction of an entire people group.
There were no backdoors of escape, no democracy to provide checks and balances, only one option, prayer.

Prayer for Old Testament Jews meant a few things, especially in hopeless situations, but among the most prominent were gut-wrenching honesty, humility, petition, and praise.
The prayer book of the Jews was the book of Psalms, it also conveniently doubled as their hymnal. Yes, their prayers were their songs. The lyrics of their worship were the authentic pleadings and praises of their hearts.

Though prayer and the name of God are never explicitly noted in the book of Esther, where there was fasting, sackcloth, lamenting, and mournful weeping for Jews, there was prayer.
And where there was prayer, there was praise.

One only needs a cursory glance through Psalms to find this to be true. Go ahead, try it! Pick up your Bible, open to Psalms, and read a few random songs, skip pages, and read again.

Praise is everywhere, but so is brokenness.

Later in the New Testament, the great Pastor Paul says it like this:
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not forsaken;
struck down, but not destroyed. (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

As Mordecai wept, ripped his clothing, and dipped trembling, fearful fingers into the dust from which he’d been made and streaked his face with it, he prayed in faith to the God of the Universe.

He knew his weakness.
He recognized his complete and utter inability to change the decree of his own death or the massacre of his people.
Yet, he prayed.

He prayed because he also knew something else.
He knew God’s character could not, would not, be faithless. (2 Timothy 2:13)
He knew God does not abandon the work of His hands. (Psalm 138:8)
And for these reasons, Mordecai, a man on death row, could praise.

When I am afraid,
I will trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me? (Psalm 56:3-4)

No doubt, Mordecai was afraid. He agonized. He mourned. He wailed.
But he knew where to take his fear.

Mordecai did not know how God would answer, nor even if his own life would be spared, but He did trust that God would bring redemption.

Sisters, with tears in my eyes as I write, I too have felt Mordecai’s helpless fear.
My face has been planted into the floor, my clothing as rumpled as my spirit.
My cheeks have been stained with tears (and a whole lot of snot), my hands have trembled with the unknown and the glaring reality of my own endless weakness and inability to change my circumstances.

With upturned hands and downcast, flooded eyes, I’ve begged for mercy, for release, for redemption. I’ve admitted out loud in all gut-wrenching honesty that I did not know if God would bring redemption in my life or, if He did, that it would look as I wanted.

But through praise, lament, and petition, He uncurled my fists and I anchored again in the safe harbor of His sure and certain character.
He would not abandon the work of His hands.

Mordecai couldn’t see the end, but He trusted all the same.
To Esther, he spoke with unshakeable conviction, “For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place…”

I don’t know your fears, your hurt, or your great need for God to redeem and act, but the Lord does know.

You yourself have recorded my wanderings.
Put my tears in your bottle.
Are they not in your book? (Psalm 56:8)

Not a tear falls without the Lord seeing, knowing, holding it, and waiting to redeem it in His time and in His way, which is precisely why we can praise in the midst of floods and fires and ruin and heartache.

Like Mordecai, I do not know how the Lord will work His redemption over my brokenness, but I will shout in triumph in the face of this fear and trembling,
“My enemies will retreat on the day when I call.
This I know: God is for me.” (Psalm 56:8-9)

The rest of that psalm of praise we began this journey with?
The one about being refined as fire, burdened down, and walking through fire and flood?
Here is the worshipper’s refrain on the prayer of his song,
“but You brought us out to abundance.”
(Psalm 66:10-12)

Trust His heart, Lovely One.
Cry the tears.
Rend the garments.
Mourn with authenticity.
Then surrender to the One who holds your tears in a bottle, records your pain in His own journal, and is waiting to bring you into His redemptive abundance!

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Esther, Day 9
Digging Deeper

One person’s poor decision does not give us a blank check to treat them with the justice we deem most fitting. (Romans 12:17)

When we choose honor and respect (note this doesn’t mean agreeance), we are carrying the gospel to the other person. We are removing ourselves as the authority on justice, and leaving room for God to fight our battles.
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Esther Day 3 Trash Or Treasure

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Esther Day 3 Trash Or Treasure

Amy Krigbaum

November 6, 2019

Beauty,Dignity,Esther,gentle,God,Treasure

Read His Words Before Ours!

Esther 2
Isaiah 49:15-16       
Isaiah 61:1-4
Matthew 10:29-31
1 Peter 3:1-6


 

Ugh, another red dot…at my age?

I spent an hour doing my hair today and no one noticed.

My clothes won’t fit; I need to go to the gym.

We’ve all had those times of looking in the mirror and not liking what we see.
It doesn’t take much looking around to discover the world has dragged us into a place where beauty is necessary to survive. 

Television commercials, magazines, billboards, and even friends and family sell us on the necessity of beauty. Buy this product, eat this food, go to the gym, wear this outfit; the taglines scream from everywhere.

We must have that make-up, that membership, and those clothes. We buy new clothes and use a new beauty treatment only to watch the trend fade.

The world has tossed women to a pack of wolves by defining what is beautiful by what is fleeting.  It feels as if we’re always on the stage of the beauty pageant, waiting to hear where we stand.  First, runner up, less than perfect, or worse…last.
Undesirable, unwanted, and unworthy.

Beth Moore, a fellow champion for women to be esteemed with the value God ordains, shares transparently on how tough it is to be a woman. It is tough living in a world where beauty is valued by status.  It is tough living in a world where beauty is treated as something you are entitled to or something you earn.   It is tough to fight against the need to be beautiful instead of being the woman God wants us to be.

This fight to be beautiful isn’t new.
The need to stand above the rest, be noticed, and valued are battles women have waged for centuries. In this chapter of Esther, we find a king looking to replace his banished queen.

He didn’t walk the city and randomly select a pretty face or a hardworking handmaiden. Neither did he scour the synagogues to find a woman of noble character.  This decision was intentional and calculated, hinging on one criteria, his enjoyment of her appearance.
And he wanted the very best.
The king ordered all eligible maidens to the palace to begin eliminating “lesser beauties”. He designed his own beauty pageant where he would win first prize of the prettiest body, while she lost, being valued on gorgeousness alone.

One year of beauty treatments and special dietary regimes were implemented to smooth rough skin, clear imperfections, and fatten scrawny bodies. These ladies’ appearances were the result of real, regular everyday living, just like us.  The arid climate and sun exposure led to dry skin and tan lines instead of the preferred pale complexion and supple flesh. Arms strengthened from everyday workloads and thin figures resulting from low food supply weren’t signs of beauty in this culture, but of poverty.

Where real life was evident, ‘beauty’ was applied.

After all these treatments, they chose clothing and jewelry to impress the king.  Each woman visited the king for a single night. After their one-night-stand, they were sent away, not just from the king, but from the other women….and men.

Sexually soiled, they were now unclean. Whatever life and family they had known and loved before this night was now forever lost. Most ladies would never return home after this disgrace because they had no chance of marriage.  The fate of these women was worse than being last in a beauty pageant.
Their dignity had been stolen as they were tossed out, discarded like trash.

Doesn’t this ancient dichotomy feel well-fitted to today’s message?
Either apply the beauty and win the comparison pageant, or be tossed aside as trash.

For Esther, the Lord used her beauty and her heart to win not only the favor of the King, but of the people around her as well. Esther’s outward beauty was enhanced by her kind and gentle heart; a ‘treatment’ no Persian aesthetician could touch.

Though Esther was chosen as queen, she wasn’t treated much better than the other woman.  She had no rights other than the title, “Queen of Persia”.  She was also Jewish, a people who had largely forgotten about their God as they blended with culture around them, and who probably also felt cast off from Him in the years since they’d been exiled in Persia.

Maybe you’re in a place of forgotten and unwanted too.
Transparently, I’m single and have never married; I’m tired of counting how many times I’ve been rejected and labeled “not worth it”.  Someone here knows the sting of feeling undesirable when a husband walks out to find a younger version of beautiful.  Or maybe you’ve worked hard for a promotion, only to be overlooked by someone “better qualified.”

The appearance of ‘beauty’ comes in many shades, and often, if we aren’t cultivating the beauty of our hearts first, we become a casualty of ‘cast off’.

God does not treat us this way! 
We are not pushed onto a stage while God inspects every inch of us, exasperated by our imperfection. He will not toss us aside like trash, because we aren’t.

When God looks for beauty, He’s looking on the inside. (I Samuel 16:7)
He takes our brokenness and makes it beautiful. (Isaiah 61:3)
God doesn’t forget those the world has forgotten. (Isaiah 49:15-16)
We hear “not good enough” or “not valuable”, but God says we are more important than sparrows.  (Matthew 10:29-31)
He sent His Son to save us from our sin because He made us for being treasured.

“The LORD has chosen you to be a people for His treasured possession…” 
(Deuteronomy 7:6)

When the world judges us for what we are, remember WHOSE we are!
Remember you are a beautiful treasure!

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Esther, Day 4
Digging Deeper

Centuries after Isaiah’s words to the Jews (Isaiah 44:28-45:3), we read in Esther about those who did not answer God’s call to return to Judah.

With no mention of God in the entire book, the author of Esther records the story of a likely secularized Jewish people living among the pagans of Persia.

Hundreds of years after King Saul disobediently spared the life of Agag (1 Samuel 15:3), God mercifully worked behind the scenes to rescue those Jews from Haman, the Agagite.
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Pause 2 Day 9 Gripping Grace

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Pause 2, Day 9

Suffering doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone.
What isn’t common, is the mindset regarding suffering that is available to all who claim Christ as Lord and Savior.

No matter what we face,
how overwhelmed our circumstances are,
or how tempted we are to believe all is lost,
grace is still ours.

Along with boundless grace comes, solid hope, fullness of life, and strength only God can provide.
On the good days when we feel amazing, and on the rough days when lies become difficult to decipher from truth.
All of these riches, and so much more are freely available, it’s up to us to be alert enough in the chaotic swamp of our everyday lives to choose truth over the lies that seem to easy to believe.

1 Peter 4 is the right place to land for drinking in truth and reveling in grace.
In a world where it’s easy to lose sight of the eternal, Peter invites us to grip grace so tightly it becomes our everything.

Dig in, Sisters, grip grace with me.
I know I need it.

Today's Invitation

1) Be a scribe and copy the precious words of Scripture down word for word. Make space in your journal to write down all of 1 Peter 4 today. As you copy, lookup a cross reference or two as you come to them (they are the small letters next to certain words in your study Bible or online at www.biblia.com). As you write, think of the incredible gift it is to be invited into God’s presence through His word!

2) Choose one of these options to walk into more with Jesus as you make the intentional choice to “Grip Grace!”
a) Pitch in to do something extra at church. Whether it’s helping with cleanup, opening doors, trimming weeds, or offering to help in a child’s classroom, step up to loving deeper by serving in a new way.
b) October is Pastor Appreciation Month and a note of genuine kindness goes a long ways in showing love and giving encouragement. Consider sending your pastor an email or card!
c) Check out some local ministries in your area and make plans to serve with them for an afternoon. Maybe it’s organizing school donations, serving soup, or stuffing backpacks for kids. Even better, get some friends to join you!
d) Prayer walking is a simple way to begin shifting the eyes of your heart to truly see others. Walk around your neighborhood, some city streets, the aisles of your grocery store, or intentionally sit at a local coffee shop and pray, pray, pray. Pray for the people around you, pray for hearts to turn towards Jesus, pray for your own heart to be ready to share the full gospel if given the chance. Don’t worry about seeing results, that’s God’s job!
e) Strike up a conversation with a random stranger. It may move to spiritual topics, it may not, but showing love to those outside our immediate circles always begins with a simple conversation. “What have you been doing today?” “Do you live nearby?” “Where do you go to church?” “What are your favorite local restaurants?” “I love your top! Where did you get it?” These open-ended questions work well!

3) Share the exciting, bold ways you are Gripping Grace today with the rest of the GT Community! Our Facebook community page is always open! Or snap a photo and tag us on Instagram @gracefully_truthful

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1 Peter 4

Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same understanding —because the one who suffers in the flesh is finished with sin – 2 in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for God’s will. 3 For there has already been enough time spent in doing what the Gentiles choose to do: carrying on in unrestrained behavior, evil desires, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and lawless idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you don’t join them in the same flood of wild living—and they slander you. 5 They will give an account to the one who stands ready to judge the living and the dead.6 For this reason the gospel was also preached to those who are now dead, so that, although they might be judged in the flesh according to human standards, they might live in the spirit according to God’s standards. 

7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer. 8 Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. 

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you. 13 Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler. 16 But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name. 17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with God’s household, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?
18 And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?
19 So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good. 

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!

Roads Day 11 The Weight of Hopelessness

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Roads Day 11 The Weight of Hopelessness

Michelle Promise

September 24, 2018

Believe,Broken,Character,Desperate,Dignity,Emptiness,Forgiven,Freedom,Gospel,Heaven,Hope,Inheritance,Kingdom,Lonely,Prayer,Purpose,Roads,Scripture,Significance,Truth

Read His Words Before Ours!

 

Psalm 86:5-10
Matthew 27:45-28:10
Mark 10:17-31
Luke 8:26-39


 

On one trip to the mountainside in South Korea,
we met up with my husband’s extended family for lunch at their family restaurant.
We were welcomed by the sour-est faced elderly grandma sitting in the back corner,
sulking for no apparent reason.
As lunch was served, I discovered she was my auntie-in-law and we were sitting at the entrance to one of the oldest Buddhist temples in the country.
She was a firm follower of Buddhism and wore her sufferings plainly for all to see.
Her faith permeated every facet of her life, yet she looked so hopeless.

The daily goal of Buddhism is to find an end to suffering through a constant recycling of life by re-incarnation. That is, after death, a soul is “reincarnated” or “comes back to life” as a different life form.
Good works are cornerstone in having any hope of coming back as anything better. The ultimate goal, however, is enlightenment (also known as nirvana); an experience saved only for monks and nuns.
Publically demonstrating sufferings followed by an outward display of good actions becomes an easy way to convince yourself there’s a good chance of returning as a monk/nun in the next life.
There is no thought that any choice you make in this life has the power to improve, change or even alter your current life, only the one to come.
Many Buddhist friends believe the bad things that happen to them are the result of karma. They presume they must’ve done something bad in their previous life and, in hopes of improving their next life, must simply buckle down, grin, and bear it without grumbling.

My auntie passed away last year thinking she had done a sufficient job of enduring the difficulties of her life. She passionately believed that she would come back to life as something better than a female human.
The very sad reality is that she died without knowing the hope found in a relationship with Jesus.

Hope.
We all cling to something as truth, praying it will stand up under fire.

Matthew 27:45-28:10 vividly records the account of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
We see Jesus holding ultimate power over death with the ability to break the chains of sin and bondage.
This is an important truth of Christianity for your Buddhist friend!
There IS something we can do to change not only our current life,
but also our eternal one!

Accepting, believing and confessing Jesus as Lord brings instant hope into one’s life, forever changing the trajectory of our lives.

Most Buddhists do not recognize Jesus as God’s son, co-equal with God the Father in deity. Before they will understand the truth of God’s Word, we must PRAY.

Pray, pray, and then pray again.

Prayer is the most important work to be done in cross-cultural sharing of the Gospel.
We need to rely heavily on the Holy Spirit to lead us as we share truth.
We need Him to guide us to engage with those who are ready to listen, those who have an open heart, and who will respond in faith to the hope we share from Scripture.

Because Buddhist people do not believe there is a God, or that God has any power to influence their life, studying Scripture about the character of God is useful.
Psalm 86:5-10 highlights several aspects of God’s character. Dig into these truths and be prepared to share about the character of our great God!

Forgiving. Good. Abounding in love. Ready to answer. Almighty. Doer of mighty deeds. Father.

In the muck of life when all seems lost, these are truths we, as followers of Jesus, claim and cling to. Truth of God’s character build hope within our hearts, providing solid assurance and calming our fears in the middle of real suffering.

We have hope, Sisters!
Hope that our Buddhist friends have yet to experience.

When your friend watches you navigate the messiness of your life circumstances, seeing you cling to the truth of Jesus and Scripture, they will begin to wonder, “how is it possible to actually find joy in this difficulty” rather than just endure the situation.
Faithfulness to Scriptural truth and actually living it out daily, coupled with intentionally inviting your Buddhist friends into everyday life with you, will influence your friends in a mighty way for eternity!

Buddhist, Zen, or New Age people are our neighbors, our baristas, our librarians, sports’ coaches, teachers, and friends.
Find the ones in your community!
Pray for them to be open to the solid hope the Gospel offers.
Tell them of the power, authority, and victorious freedom of the cross of Jesus.
Explain the character of God and allow them to see firsthand in your life who He is and how He can impact their daily life.
Hold tightly to the truth of Scripture while sharing His love letter with them, remembering He is a God of grace and truth and He expects us to share His forever hope with gracious love and respect!

In doing so, you can help others be
forever free from this heavy weight of hopelessness!

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Buddhism,challenge,friendship,gospel,grace,grow,hope eternity,reincarnation,roads,Truth
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