Enemies

Slain Day 10 Pastor Chung-Ryeol

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Slain Day 10 Pastor Chung-Ryeol

Meribeth Schierbeek

April 25, 2025

Alive,Enemies,Faith,Holy Spirit,Hope,Kingdom

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 15:26-16:4 
Philippians 1:27-30 
Psalm 1

Every day I wake up in America as a woman whose physical life is not threatened. Rather, my mind is often occupied simply by daily tasks and the needs of those around me. I also find myself occupied with the concerns of the consumerist culture in which I live as I fear its effects on myself and those I love.

As believers, we all live in different cultures around the world, but our mission remains the same: we are to be kingdom-minded people daily learning how to deny ourselves, pick up our crosses, and follow Jesus with joy. 

Just this month, I read about a martyr, Pastor Han, who embodies this call. Pastor Han Chung-Ryeol and his wife arrived in the Chinese border town of Changbai in 1993. The 26-year-old was a Chinese citizen of Korean ancestry known for his prayer life. It was once said of him, “He never failed to start each day in morning prayer – he said if he didn’t pray, he couldn’t do the work.” (Persecution.com)

Stories of martyrs who exemplified faith, courage, and sacrifice aren’t merely encouraging to us, they challenge us to deepen our own commitment to follow Christ no matter the cost.

“Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, in one accord, contending together for the faith of the gospel, not being frightened in any way by your opponents.”
(Philippians 1:27-28, emphasis mine)

This verse was brought to life by Pastor Han. He and his wife had a clear God-given mission to the Chinese and North Korean people. They sacrificed much, strove side by side, and were persecuted for their faith. Pastor Han’s life was ultimately taken because of his faith and missionary work. Even so, he stood firm in faith to the end in China,  just as I am called to do in America.

How we live our everyday lives depends on where we believe our true citizenship lies. 

Pastor Han was focused on building God’s kingdom not his own. As believers, we are ultimately citizens of God’s Kingdom. Our core identity is Ambassador for His kingdom and mere tourists of the neighborhood, city, or village where we live on earth. This order is important:

Citizens…ambassadors…tourists.

How I spend my time, money, and talents
is dependent on which king rules 
the throne of my heart.
To whom and what do we belong?

John 15 reminds us that abiding in the true vine means we are connected to God, and the work He has given us to do is by the power of His Holy Spirit. Our identity as citizens of the Kingdom begins with abiding in Him. 

Let’s think again about the order of our identity as citizens…ambassadors…tourists.

I don’t know about you, but I often find myself distracted by the things of this world, living as a Kingdom Tourist in my daily life. I grow bitter because I don’t get what I want from a person or activity. I compromise truth for the sake of my Tourist comforts. I forget I have a foundation to stand on and remain committed to, and my heart gets pulled away from being an ambassador and citizen of God’s Kingdom.

Yet, as an ambassador, I have great security in my Heavenly Father, for my citizenship is paid for by the blood of His Son. My roots are secure in His work and in His Word, and those roots produce fruit as I abide in Him.

Pastor Han Chung-Ryeol’s life resembles the Lord Jesus’ own life of sacrifice through the power of the Holy Spirit and serves as an example to us.

“When Pastor Han answered a phone call one afternoon at his church in Changbai, China, near the North Korean border, his wife initially saw no particular reason for concern. She knew, however, that for several months her husband had been warned that he was at the top of a North Korean ‘hit list.’ After receiving the phone call that afternoon at church, the pastor uncharacteristically disregarded all precautions and left the church alone. His body was found later that evening in a rural area along the North Korean border.” (Persecution.com)

For some time after his death, Pastor Han’s wife experienced fear and hurt but, because of her true citizenship, she knew she was safe to bring herself and her fears to the Lord. Han’s wife understood something we often forget: we are to be about the business of God’s kingdom first and our physical address second.  If we find ourselves misaligned here, God’s Word faithfully reorders our hearts and minds as we submit to the Spirit.

We are ambassadors with a citizenship in heaven.
We know the One Who has overcome the world and lives victoriously in us.
Because of the Lord’s work, our delight is in the law of the Kingdom of Heaven and in our Savior, the King of our true Home.

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eternal life,future,hope,martyr,reward
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Slain, Day 10
Digging Deeper

“Just one thing:
As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, in one accord, contending together for the faith of the gospel, not being frightened in any way by your opponents.”
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Slain Day 7 Esther John: Digging Deeper

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Slain Day 7 Esther John: Digging Deeper

Rachel Jones

April 22, 2025

Anchored,Enemies,Gospel,Legacy,Life,persecution

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 "Esther John"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 15:22-25

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 The one who hates me also hates my Father. 24 If I had not done the works among them that no one else has done, they would not be guilty of sin. Now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But this happened so that the statement written in their law might be fulfilled: They hated me for no reason.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Who are the ones who hate Jesus and His Father? (verse 23)

In John 15:23, Jesus tells His disciples, “The one who hates Me also hates My Father.” Although He taught almost exclusively about love and forgiveness (John 3:16), Jesus and His disciples had many critics. One such group is often referred to in the Bible as “the world,” meaning all the people of the world.

Walter Elwell notes, “the world can also refer to the subclass of indifferent and hostile people who reject God and His ways.” Some people hear about God and His ways and choose to walk their own path, despising God’s plans. Dick Lucas asserts, “We carry around in every heart an enmity towards the things of God until, in His great grace and mercy, He subdues it.”

Indeed, James 4:4 tells us that friendship with the world makes us hostile to God, but Jesus’ haters also included people who claimed not only to love God but to know more about His laws than any other group of people.

Religious leaders of the day hated Jesus and ultimately plotted His death. (John 11:53) Jesus sought to establish that He and the Father are one in spirit and nature (John 10:30); the Sadducees, Scribes and Pharisees regarded this as blasphemous. (Matthew 26:65) Matthew Poole suggests, “It is a common error of the world, that many in it would pretend to love God, while yet they are manifest haters of Christ and his gospel.”

Those who hated Jesus reacted to the God they claimed to serve in the same way the sinful world reacted to Jesus, with a hatred and contempt strong enough to call for His crucifixion.

The Everyday Application

1) Who are the ones who hate Jesus and His Father? (verse 23)

My friend’s aunts got into a heated argument with her mother. The argument had nothing to do with my friend, but the next day she discovered she had been unfriended and unfollowed on social media by multiple cousins. Before realizing what had happened, she requested to be online friends again with one cousin, assuming the unfriending was in error.

She never imagined that something so unconnected with her could garner her enemies in the family. In their eyes, a fight with the mother was a fight with the daughter. Jesus conveyed a similar sentiment in John 15:23, where He told His disciples, “The one who hates Me also hates My Father”.

Jesus declared Himself to be God, the Messiah, the One prophesied in Scripture (Isaiah 61:1) to redeem the world from sin (Galatians 3:13). His message was that in Jesus, God had fulfilled His Promise of a Savior; He and the Father are one (John 14:9-11).

For unrepentant sinners, sceptics, and religious leaders who accused Jesus of being a false prophet (Matthew 12:24), Jesus’ words and actions stirred up hate. He held up a mirror that reflected their sinfulness back to them, and they hated Him for it. They wanted to keep sinning without regard to the consequences, or continue considering themselves above reproach, rather than consider the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6) that Jesus represented.

The same mirror is held up for our own souls. According to the Christ, we are each sinners who have rebelled against God with our willful sin. Will we cling to our offense and continue the trajectory of our rebellion, which will land us in an eternity separated from the love of God? Or, will we surrender our rebellion, confess our sin, and humbly lean on Jesus’ offer to save us from ourselves?

The Original Intent

2) What works did Jesus do that made these people aware of their guilt? (verse 24)

In John 15:24 Jesus claimed, “If I had not done the works among them that no one else has done, they would not be guilty of sin. Now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father.” Jesus and His disciples traveled throughout Galilee and the region preaching the Gospel (Mark 1:14), healing the sick (Matthew 4:23-24), raising the dead (Luke 7:15), and performing other miracles (John 21:25).

The world and the religious leaders hated Jesus because His words and His works revealed their hypocrisy and arrogance and accused them of cleaning the dish on the outside but leaving the inside of the dish filthy with greed and selfishness. (Matthew 23:25) They claimed to be close to God, but Jesus’ teachings made it clear they cared more about their social status and self-importance than the Truth of God’s Word. For the mirror He held up to their lives, they despised Him.

Instead of receiving the Truth of Jesus’ words, repenting and finding vast forgiveness, they burned with hatred for Jesus and plotted to kill Him. (Matthew 26:3-4) Dick Lucas suggests that people respond to God’s offer of sanctification with, “I don’t want to be acceptable, thanks. I don’t want you to change me. I don’t want you to make me acceptable to the kingdom of God. I want to remain as I am.” They preferred to continue in their darkness rather than have their sins exposed and forgiven. (Ephesians 2:1-3)

The Pulpit Commentary notes, “The awful condemnation is here pronounced, ‘that men loved darkness rather than light’. (John 3:19)” Instead of rejoicing in God’s power and compassion, they hid from the exposure His light would bring, thereby keeping themselves separated from the endless love, compassion, and forgiveness He offered.

The Everyday Application

2) What works did Jesus do that made these people aware of their guilt? (verse 24)

As a child, I was fascinated by a picture book that portrayed a leader conned by two swindlers who offered to make a magic suit of clothes that only the intelligent could see. They pretended to sew him new garments, and the Emperor and his entourage pretended to admire the clothes because they did not want to appear unworthy and stupid.

The emperor eventually wore the new outfit for a parade through town, where the citizens, also too embarrassed to admit they couldn’t see the new suit, remarked on the quality of the clothing. Eventually, a little boy called out that the Emperor wore no clothes, and everyone realized the Emperor had been conned and was walking around in his underwear!

I get the same sense in reading about the pompous religious leaders in John 15:24. Jesus performed miracles (Matthew 9) that sinners and the religious elite refused to recognize as divine. Instead they hated Him for making them look bad when they professed to be better than everyone else. (Matthew 23:3-4)

Charles Ellicott explains that the religious leaders “met the evidence of works by the assertion that He was a sinner (John 9:16), and possessed a devil (Mark 3:22). Their hatred led them to ascribe the highest good to the power of evil.”

When confronted with our own sin, may we not be like the Emperor or the religious hypocrites who refused to acknowledge the reality of our sin. May we instead welcome and accept the grace God offers to all who come to Him in honesty and humility, agreeing with Him about our sin.

The Original Intent

3) Which part of the Law says that Jesus would be hated for no reason? (verse 25)

Jesus explained to His disciples why His detractors hated him by saying, “But this happened so that the statement written in their law might be fulfilled: They hated Me for no reason.” (John 15:25) Jesus referenced a Messianic Psalm in this verse that described David, an archetype of Jesus, and prophesied about the coming Savior.

Psalm 69:4 reads, “Those who hate Me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head; my deceitful enemies, who would destroy Me, are powerful. Though I did not steal, I must repay.” The fact that David and Christ were hated for no reason is also echoed in Psalm 35:19, Psalm 109:3 and Psalm 119:161. Albert Barnes writes, “Jesus had broken no law, He had done no injury to his country or to any individual. It is still true that sinners hate Him in the same way. He injures no one, but, amid all their hatred, He seeks their welfare.”

More than having given no reason for his foes to hate Him, Jesus performed miracles and offered forgiveness of sins to His haters, who still refused to acknowledge Him as the Son of God. (Luke 7:28-30) Because of Jesus’ love, forgiveness, and power declaring who He is to the world (Acts 2:22), “Those who hate Him will be without excuse—even the excuse of ignorance. The Father and the Son have made it abundantly clear who Jesus is and what our obligations to Him are.” (Ligonier.org)

Without cause, and against evidence of Jesus’ deity, some people stubbornly choose to hate Jesus and the Good News He represents, fulfilling the prophecies from God’s Word.

The Everyday Application

3) Which part of the Law says that Jesus would be hated for no reason? (verse 25)

In Jane Austen’s 19th Century novel Emma, the beautiful and wealthy lead character holds an inexplicable but intense dislike for Jane Fairfax, a young woman in her social circle. Emma does not hate Jane because she is poor, nor is she jealous of her beauty or musical talent or pleasant demeanor. To a casual observer, Jane is just the kind of girl Emma should be friends with. Even so, Emma dislikes Jane for no good reason that she can name, and she is vexed because she knows everyone expects that she should like and befriend Jane.

These societal expectations and Jane’s own exasperating goodness combine to make Emma hate her all the more, unreasonable though she knows it to be. The religious elite and the sinful world similarly had no reason to hate Jesus. He taught the Word of God that the religious leaders purported to love (John 7:14-19), and He offered freedom and forgiveness to sinners (Luke 5:32), but they still despised Him.

Merrill Chapin Tenney notes, “By both His life and His words He rebukes human sin and condemns it. He uncovers the inner corruption and hypocrisy of men, and they react violently to the disclosure.” Jesus explained this disdain to His disciples by saying, “But this happened so that the statement written in their law might be fulfilled: They hated Me for no reason.” (John 15:25)

Jesus explained that the very Scriptures the Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees revered and followed foretold their rejection of Him as the Messiah. (Psalm 69:4) The mirror was before their eyes the whole time, yet they remained blind.

While it’s true that unrepentant sinners and self-righteous hypocrites reject God’s merciful gift of salvation, it’s also true that for all who come to Him in humility, confessing their sin and trusting Him for forgiveness, freedom and abundance are found! (Luke 4:43)  

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Easter,eternal life,hope,martyr,reward
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Slain, Day 6
Journey Study

On October 14, 1929, Qamar Zia, one of seven children, was born into a Muslim family. At 17, Qamar began attending a Christian school where she began to see a new, profound faith in the life and testimony of a teacher, which sparked an interest in Bible reading.

Her favorite Scripture, Isaiah 53, further motivated her conversion to Christianity.

Qamar’s family moved to Pakistan, and she was given a New Testament. While holding a flashlight under her blankets in the darkness of night, she read her Bible. As she learned more about her greatest love, Jesus, Qamar’s tender faith grew strong.
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Slain Day 3 Blandina

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Slain Day 3 Blandina

Sara Cissell

April 16, 2025

Called,Enemies,Fear,Hero,Resurrection,Struggle,Suffering

Read His Words Before Ours!

Revelation 2:8-11
John 15:1-17
Matthew 11:25-30
Genesis 1

A friend of mine recently passed away. In the midst of grief, however, joy does arise when I think of him in heaven with Christ. I have no doubt Jesus welcomed him with joy and the confirmation of a life well-lived. 

My friend is not known beyond the circles in which he traveled, but I know his desire to live for Christ will live on as we reflect on his humble servanthood and carry his example with us. 

My friend died at a much younger age than anyone would have expected, especially since we often think of a life well-lived as including many decades of walking with Christ. Our Lord constructed time (Genesis 1) and lives beyond its constraints. Therefore, our definition of a life well-lived should reflect the mindset expressed in this quote:

“The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.” ~William James, philosopher

As we enter the Easter season, we are focusing on believers who gave their lives in the pursuit of Christ. 

Today, I am honored and humbled to focus on Blandina, a young slave girl who was martyred in Lyons in 177 AD. Christians were under incredible persecution from the Roman empire at that time, persecution so intense the only options were denying Christ or enduring torture culminating in death. 

Blandina is known today, not because she was one of the first martyrs or even one of the most politically significant ones. In fact, she was only a young slave girl, one characterized as “weak in body.” (The Gospel Coalition) Yet, Blandina did not cower in the face of torture nor deny her Lord. Rather, she endured torture beyond what anyone thought her body capable of handling. 

Her name made it into the history books because she withstood torture device after torture device and, through it all, encouraged her fellow Christians to not lose heart. Blandina experienced significant pain and traumatizing experiences, yet one historian noted that the more she endured, the stronger she seemed to become. Only God could have imbued this frail girl with strength to not falter in her faith.  (Revelation 2:8-11)

Because of her example, Christ-followers in her day saw the example of a life spent on that which would outlast her breaths on earth. 

We are invited to witness her faith and be challenged to live out our own with all the courage. 

Many of us will not experience martyrdom or anything remotely close to all Blandina went through, but we will be placed in positions of either choosing Christ or choosing the world. 

A choice for the one is a denial of the other. 

Are we mentally and spiritually prepared to choose Christ regardless of the outcome?

Could we truly walk in Blandina’s footsteps with such unwavering faith? 

Blandina was no gladiator; she was neither physically fit nor prepared to fight. Her strength stemmed from within, from her connection to Christ. (John 15:5) Faith enabled her victory. 

Matthew 11:25-30 may seem like an odd choice for connecting to Blandina’s story, as “easy” and “light” do not describe her last days. However, her life highlighted how the Lord carries the weight in our relationship with Him. He strengthened Blandina and encouraged her just as she, in turn, encouraged those around her. 

Several years ago, I lived through one of the hardest, most intense seasons of my life, a season filled with spiritual warfare, doubt, darkness, and a serious lack of hope that the season would ever end. During that time, the Word came alive in a way I had never realized possible, largely because I had never needed it so desperately. During this season, I learned to “remain in [Christ]” in new and deeper ways. (John 15:4)

As I reflected on that season shortly after circumstances changed, I realized that deep within me, at my core relationship with Christ, I felt the strongest in Him I had ever felt while walking through the dark. Physically, mentally, and emotionally, I felt like I had been hit by a truck, but I recognized the power of the Holy Spirit was dwelling richly within me regardless. 

It is this indwelling power of the Holy Spirit that enables us to answer Christ’s call in John 15: “This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” 
(John 15:12-14)

Whether we, like Blandina, are led to literally lay down our lives for Christ, or whether we are called to sacrificial love in a relationally difficult season, we are empowered and strengthened as we abide in Christ. 

I have not felt the persecution Blandina suffered, but I have needed to choose where I put my hope and accept the consequences of my choice. 

During my hard season, I repeatedly ran to Jesus and His Word, certainly not perfectly, but desperately, consistently, and humbly. The Lord proved He is faithful, powerful, and sufficient for all my needs. 

That season shifted my perspective to a more heavenly one. Heaven is our home, and living for Christ will always be worth it, even if our journey takes us down paths we never wanted to walk. 

It has been challenging to realize how an easy life can often hinder my spiritual growth. My desperation to hear the Lord’s voice lessens, and I allow a myriad of other things muffle His Words. Social media, busyness of life, relationship challenges, and so many other things begin to take precedence in my calendar, and my ability to discern true kingdom work fades. 

Blandina demonstrated a life spent on something that will outlast her breath. I challenge and encourage us to pattern our days to do the same. 

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hope,life,martyr,reward,worship
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Slain, Day 4
Digging Deeper

Jesus, who came to earth as an infant born to a humble carpenter’s family (Luke 2:12) and who slept under the stars during his years of ministry (Luke 21:37), assured His followers that they were choosing better by choosing to walk in His ways (John 15:5).

Though they were not rich in material things, Jesus’ followers were rich in spiritual blessings.
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Come Day 2 Come To See: Digging Deeper

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Come Day 2 Come To See: Digging Deeper

Melodye Reeves

February 11, 2025

Community,Encourage,Enemies,Faith,Fullness,Future,He,Hero

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 "Come To See"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Habakkuk 3:16-19

16 I heard, and I trembled within; my lips quivered at the sound. Rottenness entered my bones; I trembled where I stood. Now I must quietly wait for the day of distress to come against the people invading us.

17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the flocks disappear from the pen and there are no herds in the stalls,

18 yet I will celebrate in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! 19 The Lord my Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights!
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What was Habakkuk’s response to encountering God’s presence? (verse 16)

In the original Hebrew language, the book of Habakkuk begins, “The burdensome oracle [Heb massa] which Habakkuk the prophet saw [Heb chāzāh].” (Habakkuk 1:1) Hazah refers to a divine revelation, usually during a deep sleep like what Abraham experienced in Genesis 15:1.

The prophet Habakkuk saw and heard what God communicated to him. Interestingly, he is the only ‘minor prophet’ who did not address the people directly. (Got Questions) In more journal-like form, Habakkuk records his questions for God followed by God’s responses to his questions.

For us to grasp the weight of Habakkuk’s prayer response in chapter 3 (Habakkuk 3:1), we need to zoom out just a bit. Strong protests to the Lord from Habakkuk dominate chapter 1; God answers in verses 5-11, prompting a rebuttal from Habakkuk. The final thoughts of God in the following chapter provide a striking contrast between lifeless gods and THE living God.

Because Yahweh ever reigns from His throne, silence before Him is the only right response. (Zephaniah 1:7) So, Habakkuk is humbled, “I trembled within … trembled where I stood.” He may have been terrified of what was to come, but he came to realize it was the right judgment of God at the right time.

Habakkuk can only stand in reverence of the One he has come to see and know.

The prophet’s prayer-song begins with consideration of the past as he waits for the Lord to do His work in the present. Though he had not been able to comprehend God using the evil Babylonians to bring judgment (Habakkuk 1), being reminded of the infinite power of the Lord brought holy silence.

Does that remind us of anyone else? There was another who was humbled and silenced by God’s declaration of Himself. (Job 42:1-6) Yes, God will handle Babylon in His time. The prophet was to wait and see.

The Everyday Application

1) What was Habakkuk’s response to encountering God’s presence? (verse 16)

Habakkuk’s fear affected him “within.” The prophet had heard and accepted the Lord’s word, but he trembled at the news of the impending doom. His lips quivered and his bones shook as he considered the Lord’s pronouncement.

Although it seems the prophet’s fear cut to the very core of his being, Habakkuk was not without hope. Can you feel it with him, Sister? In choosing this perspective, Habakkuk leads us all to cast aside our anxiety and sing of the Lord’s sovereign goodness. We trust that because He sits on His throne, He is good.

The value of trusting God in every circumstance is the peace He brings even in the midst of fear. (Hebrews 13:20-21) We know His future redemption is as certain as looming judgment (Luke 21:26-28), and we can rest in knowing He is orchestrating all events for our good as believers, even in times of great trial or sorrow. (Romans 8:28-31)

Friend, let us turn our eyes toward God through prayer and the Word. As we wait on Him to work, we stand in awe of the Lord’s goodness and greatness.
“I love Your voice. You have led me through the fire.
In darkest night You are close like no other.
I’ve known You as a Father, I’ve known You as a Friend,
and I have lived in the goodness of God.
All my life You have been faithful.
All my life You have been so, so good.
With every breath that I am able,
I will sing of the goodness of God.”
(Goodness of God)

The Original Intent

2) What do we learn about Habakkuk’s heart posture toward God through his prayerful song in verses 17-18?

“Yet I will celebrate in the Lord!” (verse 18) What a shift for Habakkuk! Although the future days were certain to grow more distressing, he determined to praise the Lord and find joy in the God He trusted would save him.

It had been a challenging and discouraging period in the life of Israel. The wealthy in Judah were oppressing the poor, and the rulers had continually led the people into idolatry. (Micah 3:1-12) As many turned away from God, it seemed like God had, in turn, abandoned them.

Habakkuk communicated to God his agony over the situation much like the psalmist (David) had done years before. (Habakkuk 1:2-4, Psalm 13:1-4) Habakkuk describes the worst of circumstances by using a variety of agricultural metaphors (verse 17) which would have been familiar to those in his day. Figs, fruit (grapes), and olives represent the entire agricultural system of Israel, as well as the Promise of prosperity and provision by the Lord.  

Olive trees are abundant in Israel, and the trees’ oil was consumed at most meals. By putting these vivid word pictures together, the prophet was summarizing the terrifying and terrible events that could be devastating for those desperately relying on crops and livestock to survive.

Using these worst-case scenarios, Habakkuk desired to demonstrate his loyalty to the Lord no matter what was ahead. God alone was his salvation.

There wasn’t anyone or anything on which the people should depend for survival except Him. It had been God who had sustained them; it would be God who would save them. Much like the young Hebrew men we find in Daniel 3:16-18, Habakkuk had come to see and know the power of God. EVEN IF the worst happened, he would only worship the Lord. What genuine faith!

The Everyday Application

2) What do we learn about Habakkuk’s heart posture toward God through his prayerful song in verses 17-18?

Habakkuk envisions the Babylonians invading the land, ruining their crops, destroying the flocks and herds, trampling vineyards and olive groves, and running savagely over their Promised Land. That’s what he sees.

But he doesn’t focus on physical sight, instead he chooses spiritual vision by focusing on God’s steady character. He chooses to rejoice in the Lord’s plan. I don’t know about you, Friend, but I need to rehearse this same truth.

I want to remember His promises and recognize His presence. Even though there are certainly difficult days ahead, and the enemy tempts me to despair, my deepest longing is to declare to my soul: Lord God, I may not understand all You are doing, but I trust Your goodness as You do whatever it takes to bring us into Your glory.

Sister, instead of constantly asking God questions like, ‘How can I get out of this?’, will you join me in pursuing a life that includes more prayers drawing us to rejoice in God’s nearness? (This is God’s will for us! 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Lord, help me to really see You. Because of Your finished work through Christ on the cross on our behalf, all we need to do is believe and accept Your invitation to confess our sin and receive everlasting life. (John 19:28-30) There are days I can’t make sense of what You’re doing, but it is in that anguish, You remind me of Your sustaining grace. Even in these difficult days, “yet I will celebrate in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!” (Habakkuk 3:18)

F.F. Bruce writes, “It is right and proper to voice appreciation of God’s goodness when He bestows all that is necessary for life, health and prosperity. But when these things are lacking, to rejoice in God for His own sake is evidence of pure faith.”

The Original Intent

3) What does Habakkuk’s faith declare about God and His relationship to us? (verse 19)

“The Lord is … He makes … He enables.” This verse captures the essence of God: The Lord IS. Habakkuk declares, “The LORD, my Lord, is my strength.”

The Bible often connects the Lord’s name with His strength and His power to save. (Exodus 15:2-3, Joshua 1:9, Psalm 27, Psalm 118:4, Proverbs 18:10, Isaiah 41:10) The original Hebrew contains two different words for God: Yahweh (LORD) and Adonai (Lord). Here, the prophet addresses God by His Self-proclaimed name that was first revealed in Exodus 3:14-15. By the way, when God self-proclaims something, it is not the same as humans doing so! This was also the title the Jews often used in place of Yahweh.

The Jews considered the name too sacred to be uttered by sinful human beings. The revelation of the name announced to Moses in Exodus 3:14-15 denotes an astonishing nearness. Yahweh is … present, accessible, and near to those who call out to Him for deliverance (Psalm 107:13-20), forgiveness (Psalm 25:8-11), and guidance (Psalm 31:1-3).

After Habakkuk humbly sees and acknowledges the LORD, he is then able to remember what He has provided and will provide. The prophet sees the future doom in the light of the present and able LORD.

Though there is the certainty of judgment (Habakkuk 2:3), the prophet believed God would supply exactly what he needs when the time comes. Habakkuk recognizes his future is in the hands of a good and sovereign God. He can walk in places where others stumble.

Although the prophet’s legs initially shook (verse 16), God enabled his messenger to walk through the valley he faced as sure-footedly as a deer navigates the steep places on the mountainside. He could declare as another prophet had spoken, “The Lord will renew my strength!” (Isaiah 40:31)

The Everyday Application

3) What does Habakkuk’s faith declare about God and His relationship to us? (verse 19)

In using the “I AM” phrase to identify Himself, the LORD declares Himself as the self-existent One—the eternal, unique, uncreated God. (Exodus 3:14) What an unfathomable thought: God just IS. (Psalm 145) Even more remarkable to a stunned crowd who stood nearby Him hundreds of years later is Jesus using the name “I AM” in reference to Himself. (John 8:58)

Sister, don’t miss this glorious reality! We who are in Christ through faith (Ephesians 1:7-14) have living within us the great “I AM.” That means there is nothing we need that is not ours through Him who IS!

One of the characteristics of a mountain deer is the surefootedness that allows her to climb high rocky terrain without stumbling. Just as she carefully places her back feet exactly where her front feet were to secure her steps, God protects and strengthens His children to keep them from falling in the fearful seasons of life. (Psalm 18:31-33)

Just as the prophet needed to remind himself, so do we. Sister, we can walk on the frightening high places without fear of falling! Although the meaning of the word “shigyonot” found at the beginning of chapter 3 is uncertain, I love how Habakkuk encouraged the reader at the end of the chapter. He clearly communicated this prayer was to be sung in public worship, led by the music leader and accompanied by an instrument!

So, let’s praise the LORD together now:
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise Him, all creatures here below.
Praise Him above ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Praise God the Father who’s the source; praise God the Son who is the course;
Praise God the Spirit who’s the flow; praise God, our portion here below!
(The Doxology)

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It’s hard to stand on God’s promises when it feels like we’re sinking!

His promises are firm and His Word is true, but when life’s circumstances shake, we feel the ground beneath us shift.

Recently, my own “quicksand” circumstances have felt far from firm.
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Lowly Day 8 An Upside Down Gospel

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Lowly Day 8 An Upside Down Gospel

Carol Graft

December 12, 2024

Affectionate,Blessed,Captivating,Enemies,Fear,Follow,Fullness,Future,gentle,Gospel,Hope,Humility,Journey,Regret

Read His Words Before Ours!

Colossians 1:13-14
Philippians 2:3-7
Isaiah 53:1-2
Luke 1:51-53

“He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. In Him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14)

An early Church apostle and preacher, Paul wrote to the believers in Colossae, reminding them of the foundational truths of the Gospel. The Colossian church, comprised mainly of Gentiles but including a faction of Jews, were being drawn by prevailing cultural philosophies into believing in salvation through works, rather than through faith in Christ. 

Paul needed to remind the Colossian church in Whom lay their salvation; followers of Jesus often call this message the “Good News.”

Sixty plus years before this letter, while shepherds were tending their sheep in the fields of Bethlehem, an angel shared the same Good News. (Luke 2:10-11)

For hundreds of years, Israel had been waiting for the good news that a Rescuer was coming.

And He did. 
But not quite as they’d planned. 

You see, they were waiting for a conquering hero who, through incredible might and political power, would free them from crushing Roman oppression.

Instead, Jesus arrived, turning everything Israel thought they knew about Messiah upside-down. 

Centuries earlier, the prophet Isaiah had foretold just such an upside-down Savior:

“Who has believed what we have heard? 
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 
He grew up before him like a young plant 
and like a root out of dry ground. 
He didn’t have an impressive form 
or majesty that we should look at him,
no appearance that we should desire him.”
(Isaiah 53:1-2)

Isaiah not only prophesied the Messiah would come in humble form, but also that He would not be accepted, as He didn’t fit into their preconceived notion of a messiah. (Isaiah 53)

Mary, the mother of Jesus, further expounded on the unexpected ways Jesus would embody and value humility:

“My soul magnifies the Lord, 
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 
because he has looked with favor 
on the humble condition of his servant [. . .] 
He has done a mighty deed with his arm; 
he has scattered the proud 
because of the thoughts of their hearts; 
he has toppled the mighty from their thrones 
and exalted the lowly. 
He has satisfied the hungry with good things 
and sent the rich away empty.”
(Luke 1:46b-48, 51-53)

God did not choose a queen to give birth to the Savior of the world; instead He chose an unmarried, ordinary woman, who was betrothed to a carpenter. The very nature of the conception and birth of the Messiah ushers in God’s plan for a new, upside-down kingdom.

God has always used those cast aside to do His greatest work. Consider our unlikely Christmas storyteller, Joshua. Israel was a nomadic nation. Like pesky fleas compared to the giants of civil and military prowess in Canaan, they wandered the Sinai Wilderness for four decades while an unbelieving generation dropped dead in the sands. This unheard-of tribe was certainly no threat to the long-established cities of Canaan and powerful armies long-familiar with war tactics and battle gear.

Yet Yahweh “toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted […]” (Luke 1:52) 

Who? 
Yes, He exalted the Lowly. 

Why? 
Because He is the God of the Lowly, with an upside-down view of how victories are truly won. 

The term “lowly” often gets a bad rap. Usually lowly means lesser than, for any number of reasons: demographics, education, economics. Today, our world’s mantra might be, “What can I do to elevate myself?”  

Israel had no means to elevate themselves against enemies in Canaan, yet Canaan would soon become known as Israel’s land for generations to come.

Mary and Joseph had no means to increase their influence in the world around them, yet today, we still read their stories and their faith emboldens our own.

God took the tales of a minute militia in wilderness wanderings and spread them like wildfire as people of Canaan caught wind of Yahweh’s unstoppable, unlikely, victories. Notice, it wasn’t the Israelites they feared, as much as their God. (Joshua 2:8-11)

And so Jericho’s impenetrable fortress was toppled by the God of the Lowly. 

Mary’s virgin womb carried God the Son, made possible by the God of impossibilities. 

To the world looking on, Christ-bearers of all nationalities, tribes, and tongues will stand in the face of persecution and cling all the more fiercely to the Hope of Christ. 

For our victory is sure and certain when we surrender ourselves wholly to the God who daily stoops low to carry our burdens. (Psalm 68:19)

In a season marked by giving and generosity, let’s stoop low, to love the lowly and to become lowly, like our Savior.

For in the greatest show of humility, Christ allowed Himself to be stripped, flogged until His flesh came off in strips, and hung on a public cross to die. 

Then He rose to life in another unexpected victory, conquering an enemy much greater than the Canaanites: the power of sin and death.

Jesus was brought low in order to save the world and offer rescue for our souls. 

There is no greater love. No greater sacrifice. (John 15:13)

Looking at our brightly lit neighborhoods, festive trees, and filtered reels of social media posts, we can be lured into thinking this life is the pinnacle of success. 

But this “right-side up” kingdom will not last. 

Christ’s Kingdom may not be what the world wants, but it is what we all need.
From lowly manger to cruel cross to eternal victory, embrace the upside-down Gospel by surrendering your everything to the Lowly King of All!

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Christmas,creation,hope,humility,restore
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Lowly, Day 9
Digging Deeper

When Gabriel told her that she was chosen to carry the Messiah (Luke 1:35), she knew what His future would be.

Because of the many prophecies about the Son of God, Mary could boldly proclaim, “He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts” (Luke 1:51).
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Sketched XII, Day 13 Power & Prestige To Full Surrender

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Sketched XII, Day 13 Power & Prestige To Full Surrender

Meribeth Schierbeek

May 1, 2024

Adoption,Bold,Enemies,Enough,Faith,Help,Lord

Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 10
Matthew 16:24-28
Romans 2:1-16
Exodus 34:4-9

Hello! I am Peter; you may know me as the impulsive disciple who is often gently yet firmly humbled by my Savior and friend, Jesus. (Mark 8:31-33; John 13:1-11) Today, I want to tell you how I learned God shows no partiality (as I often do), but instead looks for people ready to surrender their lives to His leadership. Unsurprisingly, I learned this the hard way. 

My personality is quick to speak and act as I am zealously passionate about the people I love and desire to protect. But God is teaching me He is above all things, and HE is the one Who protects His people. My role is to follow Him, teaching His followers to follow Him more closely. (John 21:15-19)

This lesson became very clear to me through divinely-appointed interactions with a fellow Christ-follower named Cornelius. (Acts 10)

Cornelius was a Roman centurion. More than his military title, I recall him as “a devout man [who] feared God along with his whole household. He did many charitable deeds for the Jewish people and always prayed to God.” (Acts 10:2) 

Cornelius’ Story
One afternoon, I experienced a vision of an angel of God who appeared to me, calling me by name. I was terrified! Yet I managed to stammer a few words, asking, “What is it, Lord?” (Acts 10:3-4)

The angel told me God had witnessed and remembered my prayers and acts of charity, and instructed me to send for a man named Peter, who was living in Joppa. (Acts 10:5-6)

Recognizing the absolute authority in the Lord’s command, I didn’t hesitate to send two servants and a devout soldier to Joppa, inviting Peter to my home. (Acts 10:7-8) And then I waited, curious to see how the Lord would continue to lead me.

Peter’s Story
Hunger rumbling in my stomach interrupted my midday prayers, and as I prepared a meal, I fell into a trance. In a bizarre scene, a great sheet descended from heaven, containing all kinds of unclean animals. (Leviticus 11) 

I was dumbfounded to hear a voice instruct, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” (Acts 10:13-14) “No, Lord!” I protested. “For I have never eaten anything impure or ritually unclean.” This interaction was repeated two more times, and then the sheet was taken up into heaven.  

I was so perplexed! While I was pondering the meaning of this strange vision, men sent by Cornelius arrived and related the equally strange tale of his vision. The messengers invited me to return with them, and, guided by the Spirit, I agreed. (Acts 10:17-23)

So, the very next day I traveled to Cornelius, who had gathered his community to meet with me, as well. Though Cornelius fell down to worship me as I entered his home, I quickly pulled him to his feet, assuring him I was simply a man, just like him.  

A Jew and a Gentile, simple men with a simple story and a great God.  

As we began to share our experiences, God’s message became clear. Cornelius, a Gentile, found favor with and glorified God! Until my vision, I would have scoffed at such an unthinkable idea, but now, God’s words reverberated through my mind:

“What God has made clean, do not call impure.” (Acts 10:15)

Amazed, I replied, “Now I truly understand that God doesn’t show favoritism, but in every nation the person who [approaches him with reverential awe] and does what is right is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34-35)

Do we truly understand this?  

I am Peter, a Jew, the rock upon whom Christ will build His church; 
I am fully surrendered, through faith, to Jesus Christ. (Matthew 16:18)

Cornelius, a God-fearing Gentile, is also rescued, commissioned, and surrendered, through faith, to Jesus Christ.

We are both called to eschew pride of our respective positions, instead surrendering in loving humility to Christ, just as He surrendered to the Father. (John 14:31)

Meribeth’s Story
A cardboard testimony from the author

Like Peter, I too was devout, committed to doing the right things at the right time. 

I came to truly know my sin and my Savior through another woman sharing her testimony of the mind-boggling forgiveness she experienced in God.  She was in awe, something I wanted as well. As I heard her story, the Lord revealed to me how I was trying to save myself by “doing all the right things,” rather than coming to Him in full acknowledgement of my struggles, with a heart of gratitude, awe, and worship.

I had always thought God was partial to the ones who “did all the right things”; instead, God began to teach me He shows NO partiality, but desires ALL to worship and glorify Him!

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Sketched XII, Day 14
Digging Deeper

Therefore, every one of you who judges is without excuse.

For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things.

Now we know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth.

 Do you think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you despise the riches of
His kindness, restraint,
and patience,
not recognizing that God’s kindness
is intended to lead you to repentance?
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Devoted Day 9 Lust’s Lie: Digging Deeper

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Devoted Day 9 Lust’s Lie: Digging Deeper

Rachel Jones

March 14, 2024

Adoration,Confession,Enemies,Freedom,Healing,Holiness,Holy Spirit

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 "Lust's Lie"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Samuel 11

In the spring when kings march out to war, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah, but David remained in Jerusalem.

2 One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing—a very beautiful woman. 3 So David sent someone to inquire about her, and he said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hethite?”

4 David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. Now she had just been purifying herself from her uncleanness. Afterward, she returned home. 5 The woman conceived and sent word to inform David, “I am pregnant.”

6 David sent orders to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hethite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the troops were doing and how the war was going. 8 Then he said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king followed him. 9 But Uriah slept at the door of the palace with all his master’s servants; he did not go down to his house. 10 When it was reported to David, “Uriah didn’t go home,” David questioned Uriah, “Haven’t you just come from a journey? Why didn’t you go home?”

11 Uriah answered David, “The ark, Israel, and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my master Joab and his soldiers are camping in the open field. How can I enter my house to eat and drink and sleep with my wife? As surely as you live and by your life, I will not do this!”

12 “Stay here today also,” David said to Uriah, “and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 Then David invited Uriah to eat and drink with him, and David got him drunk. He went out in the evening to lie down on his cot with his master’s servants, but he did not go home.

14 The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15 In the letter he wrote: Put Uriah at the front of the fiercest fighting, then withdraw from him so that he is struck down and dies.

16 When Joab was besieging the city, he put Uriah in the place where he knew the best enemy soldiers were. 17 Then the men of the city came out and attacked Joab, and some of the men from David’s soldiers fell in battle; Uriah the Hethite also died.

18 Joab sent someone to report to David all the details of the battle. 19 He commanded the messenger, “When you’ve finished telling the king all the details of the battle— 20 if the king’s anger gets stirred up and he asks you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you realize they would shoot from the top of the wall? 21 At Thebez, who struck Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the top of the wall so that he died? Why did you get so close to the wall?’—then say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hethite is dead also.’” 22 Then the messenger left. When he arrived, he reported to David all that Joab had sent him to tell. 23 The messenger reported to David, “The men gained the advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we counterattacked right up to the entrance of the city gate. 24 However, the archers shot down on your servants from the top of the wall, and some of the king’s servants died. Your servant Uriah the Hethite is also dead.”

25 David told the messenger, “Say this to Joab: ‘Don’t let this matter upset you because the sword devours all alike. Intensify your fight against the city and demolish it.’ Encourage him.”

26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband, Uriah, had died, she mourned for him. 27 When the time of mourning ended, David had her brought to his house. She became his wife and bore him a son. However, the LORD considered what David had done to be evil.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Why would David disobey the law of the Lord by committing adultery? (verse 4)

By the Lord’s own declaration, King David was a man after God’s own heart. (1 Samuel 13:14) He was brave (Psalm 27:1), worshipful (Psalm 18:2), and full of faith (1 Samuel 17:45-47). He understood and loved God’s laws. (Psalm 119:16) In fact, the Bible proclaims that David did what was right and obeyed God’s laws in every matter but one. (1 Kings 15:5)

David disobeyed God when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged the murder of her husband to cover up the resulting pregnancy. (2 Samuel 11:4) David understood that God forbids adultery. (Exodus 20:14) He allowed his lusting heart to overrule his head knowledge of God’s law. He permitted his physical desires to supersede God’s place of authority in his life.

Pastor Chuck Swindoll suggests, “As the dense cloud of his aroused passion closes in around him, all he knows is the present. Everything else is forgotten — his family, his kingdom, even his God.” Bible student, David Guzik, suggests David’s fall was more than a matter of the moment, and points to David’s harem as indicative of his problem, “David’s practice of adding wives showed a lack of sexual restraint and an indulgence of his passions. This corrupt seed, sown long ago, grew unchecked long enough and would bear bitter fruit.”

The Lord advised that a king must not acquire many wives lest his heart go astray. (Deuteronomy 17:17) Yet David had at least 8 wives (biblestudytools.com) plus even more concubines (2 Samuel 5:13). God provided David with ways of escape from his lustful temptations (1 Corinthians 10:12-13), but David chose to ignore all of them.

Rather than flee from sin (Matthew 6:13), David indulged his sinful passions until they grew stronger than his desire to cling to God’s Word. He fed his lust more than his worship of the Lord. When we are faced with temptation of any kind, we can ask the Lord to help us flee and thank Him that His grace frees us from the bonds of sin. (Romans 6:14)

The Everyday Application

1) Why would David disobey the law of the Lord by committing adultery? (verse 4)

When I was a kid, my dad managed a Christian radio station, so I occasionally met musicians on tour in our city, including my favorite group. They were role models I tried to emulate. When I learned that one member had abused alcohol and drugs and committed adultery, I was devastated. How could someone who knew Scripture so well and led worship so beautifully fail so catastrophically? In my eyes, it was on the scale of what happened to King David in 2 Samuel 11:4.

David proved his trust in the Lord and his reliance on God’s precepts time and again throughout his life. (Psalm 27 and Psalm 25) He knew that committing adultery with Bathsheba was not in God’s will, or even in his own best interest. Still, he disregarded God’s Word and gave in to his selfish desires, setting in motion a chain of disastrous events that changed his family forever. David did not rely on God’s strength; he trusted in his own, and it failed him miserably. (Jeremiah 17:5)

Scriptures tell us to live according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. (Romans 8:4-6) When we rely on the Holy Spirit, He promises to help us escape temptation’s call by delivering us from evil. (Matthew 6:13) When we believe the enemy’s lie that we can better satisfy ourselves than God, we are deep into trouble.

When we pursue pleasures that take the place of God’s provision, we are left empty and devastated for sin always leads to death. (James 1:15) David Guzik asserts, “You can’t satisfy lusts of the flesh. They are primarily rebellious assertions of self. It wasn’t so much that David wanted Bathsheba, it was that he would not be satisfied with what God gave him.”

Stop chasing what will never fulfill! Instead, recognize and appreciate God’s will and work in our lives, only then will we find delightful satisfactions within God’s plan as we flee temptation.

The Original Intent

2) In their culture, what would happen if Bathsheba was found pregnant while her husband was away? (verse 5)

David knew there could be dire consequences for sleeping with Bathsheba. He knew Bathsheba’s “father and husband [were] both members of David’s elite vanguard (2 Samuel 23:34, 39); her grandfather . . . [was] one of the king’s wisest counselors” (Rachel Adelman) He also knew God’s law required death for adultery. (Deuteronomy 22:22)

Despite the deadly risk and his knowledge of God’s jealous justice, David disregarded the consequences for himself and others. Possibly, as king, he felt powerful, above the law, and immune to judgment. Bathsheba, however, did not have that security. While David was clearly complicit in this affair, Bathsheba’s compliance is questionable. David saw her bathing, but bathing in one’s own courtyard was common, and often even involved a covering cloth. (Bonnie Kirk) Author Carmen Joy Imes explains Bathsheba was “purifying herself ritually following menstruation (2 Samuel 11:4). This practice indicates that she was a pious keeper of Israelite purity law (and also that she was not already pregnant […].”

When summoned by the king, we only know Bathsheba obeyed the call. Author Subby Szertesky asserts, “Given the times and the culture in which she lived, Bathsheba almost certainly had no power to refuse the advances of an absolute monarch.” We only see Bathsheba report she is pregnant. (2 Samuel 11:5)

This revelation led David to deceive, and ultimately murder, Bathsheba’s husband to hide his adultery. When Nathan confronted David with his sin, it was only David he reproached, not Bathsheba. Bible scholar John Piper suggests Nathan’s word picture “re-created the adultery in the categories of theft and killing. Not Uriah’s killing — that’s an added evil — but as it were, Bathsheba’s killing represented by the little, little, helpless pet lamb being killed and served up as a meal.”

As king, David justified he could get away with adultery, but he exposed Bathsheba to the consequence of death for her part in the affair.

The Everyday Application

2) In their culture, what would happen if Bathsheba was found pregnant while her husband was away? (verse 5)

The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is about a pregnant Puritan woman whose husband denied her child to be his. Her community forced her to wear a scarlet letter “A” for adulterer. She never revealed that her lover was the minister, but his guilt caused him to secretly brand his chest with a letter “A”. Her affair was volitional, but even women without a choice bear the consequences of sexual sin when they become pregnant.

For Bathsheba, her pregnancy (2 Samuel 11:5) could have brought her shame and death. Bathsheba’s volition in the affair is not known, but we do know that Scripture focuses on David’s sin. Rachel Adelman suggests, “As the story unravels, the narrative seems to exonerate Bathsheba of any guilt and is exclusively concerned with the king’s degeneracy.” David was at first reckless in sinning and then later desperate to cover it up. He should have remembered God’s teaching that your sins will catch up with you. (Numbers 32:23) He should also have considered the danger to Bathsheba.

When we encounter strong temptations, like David did, we can instead choose to be led by God’s Spirit and successfully avoid sin. We have a way to defeat temptations available to us by heeding the apostle Paul’s advice in Galatians 5:16 to “Walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh.”

We can choose to follow the desires instilled in us by the Holy Spirit and refuse the wrong desires of our flesh. It is Christ alive in us (Galatians 2:20) that empowers us to follow Him even in the face of our wrong desire and the strong pull of sin. When we face the consequences of sin, whether our own or those committed against us, the Holy Spirit guides us through this as well (Philippians 1:6) for He desires our reconciliation back to a whole relationship with Him. Our God is faithful to give us a way out of temptation and to help us when we fall. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

The Original Intent

3) Why didn’t Uriah’s loyalty and faithfulness earn David’s respect and save his life? (verse 11)

When David discovered that Bathsheba was the wife of his faithful soldier, Uriah, that fact alone should have kept him from pursuing her. When Bathsheba became pregnant, David brought Uriah home from battle to make her pregnancy plausible. In 2 Samuel 11:8, David told him to “Go down to your house and wash your feet,” which was an idiomatic way to say “spend some time at home” with your wife in intimacy. (Preceptaustin.org)

David should have respected Uriah’s noble response, “The ark, Israel, and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my master Joab and his soldiers are camping in the open field. How can I enter my house to eat and drink and sleep with my wife? As surely as you live and by your life, I will not do this!” (2 Samuel 11:11) Because David was trying to cover his own sin, he didn’t recognize or appreciate Uriah’s loyalty; in fact, it likely riled him all the more because Uriah was acting more righteously than he.

Joyce G. Baldwin notes, “David had expected and hoped that Uriah would prove to be like himself; instead he proved to be a man of integrity, whose first loyalty was to the king’s interests rather than to his own pleasure.” In his desperation, David tried to make Uriah contradict his values and forsake his convictions (Romans 14:13), but Uriah proved faithful and true where David had failed.

Instead of letting Uriah’s integrity move him to penitence, David allowed it to predicate his murder. According to author Adam Clarke, “This was the sum of treachery and villainy. He made this most noble man the carrier of letters which prescribed the mode in which he was to be murdered.”

David let his lust and his selfishness blind him to the respect due to his faithful soldier. His unrepentant heart led him to murder the man he should have been rewarding.

The Everyday Application

3) Why didn’t Uriah’s loyalty and faithfulness earn David’s respect and save his life? (verse 11)

I had a friend who loved his family very much and worked hard at a blue-collar job to meet their needs. His wife encouraged him to work as much overtime as possible for the extra income, which he gladly did, never suspecting she was trying to increase his salary so that when she filed for divorce her child support payments would be based on a higher salary.

My friend was devastated to find that the extra money he earned and the time away from his family were being used against him in divorce proceedings. Instead of being appreciated and valued for his contributions, he was being used like a pawn in his wife’s selfish plans for her future without him.

King David used his loyal soldier Uriah in a similar way. Uriah refused to indulge his own pleasures while his fellow soldiers were on the battlefield proving his allegiance to David and his army. (2 Samuel 11:11) This faithfulness to his king and country should have been valued. Instead, Uriah’s fidelity was the very thing that motivated David to kill him.

When David heard Uriah’s honorable words, all he could think of was how Uriah was thwarting his attempts to cover his sin. (Proverbs 28:13) One sin led to another sin (John 8:34), and eventually David had innocent blood on his hands for he had become a slave to sin. David returned evil for the good Uriah gave him, and it turned out badly for David. (Proverbs 17:13)

By the time David repented of his sins, there were consequences already set in motion that would plague David all his remaining days. (1 Kings) In our own lives, we can recognize that when we go astray we can turn from our sin (Acts 3:19), stopping the cycle of disobedience that David fell into and moving closer to the life God has planned for us.

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Devoted, Day 8
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Have you ever felt like giving up on following Jesus? Have you ever thought, “This doing-things-God’s-way just isn’t worth it.”

I have.
Many times.

How we feel and what we think is important, but we must be willing to take our thoughts and feelings captive, holding them accountable to truth before we embrace them whole-heartedly. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

The easiest way to ruin God’s people is to distract them. Oh, how we love to be distracted!
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Known Day 10 Jehovah Rohi: Digging Deeper

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Known Day 10 Jehovah Rohi: Digging Deeper

Stacy Winkler

July 21, 2023

Comfort,Dwell,Enemies,Family,Fear,Fellowship,Shielded

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 "Jehovah Rohi"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 23, John 10:2-5, 14-18

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need. 2 He lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. 3 He renews my life; he leads me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

4 Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

6 Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.

2 “The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don’t know the voice of strangers.”

14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What is a shepherd in this context? (Psalm 23:1-4)

Jehovah Rohi means “The Lord is our Shepherd”. Most of us probably do not understand a shepherd’s job description and this beautiful metaphor of God as Shepherd might be difficult for us to deeply comprehend.

Shepherding is first recorded in the Bible early in Genesis describing Abel as a shepherd of flocks. (Genesis 4:2) Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Jacob’s sons, and David were all shepherds. (Genesis 24:34-35, Genesis 26:12-14, Genesis 30:40, Genesis 37:13, 1 Samuel 16) Jacob explicitly declares that God had been his shepherd all his life. (Genesis 48:15)

In his book “Shepherds After My Own Heart,” Timothy Laniak writes that the success of the flock was dependent “greatly on the care, attentiveness and skill of the shepherd.” (Laniak, pg 98) The shepherd led his flock to “quiet waters” and a variety of “green pastures,” rarely driving them from behind. (verse 2)

Kenneth Bailey, in his book “The Good Shepherd”, writes, “The sheep appear to be attracted primarily by the voice of the shepherd, which they know and are eager to follow.” (Bailey, pg 69) Shepherds protected their flock from disease, injury, weather, and predators. (Isaiah 49:10) A good shepherd would not run from danger but stayed with the flock to defend and rescue. (verse 4)

David convinced King Saul he could defeat Goliath, telling Saul how he protected his sheep by killing predators and even rescuing them from a predator’s mouth. (1 Samuel 17:34-37)

The shepherd carried a rod and a staff. (verse 4) “His staff was useful for support, picking off branches, snagging a trapped animal with the crook, or redirecting misbehaving members of the herd…. (It) became a symbol for the protective presence of the shepherd.” (Laniak, pg 103)

The rod was a shorter club that “was a traditional shepherd’s standby for defense and the implement for counting sheep.” (Laniak, pg 104) A good shepherd was a symbol of self-sacrifice as he cared for, protected, and defended the flock he loved.

The Everyday Application

1) What is a shepherd in this context? (Psalm 23:1-4)

My friends, Rebecca and Vance, keep sheep at their homestead and their duties as shepherds are not that different from Old Testament shepherds. They must daily check on the health and welfare of their sheep making sure they have good, clean water.

They provide over-seeding and rotational grazing for fresh, clean, high quantity and quality food. They provide shade during hot summers and shelter during the cold winters. Electric fencing assures them that the sheep are kept in while the predators are kept out. Some shepherds also use livestock guardian dogs for extra protection. They trim the sheep hooves regularly to help their mobility and avoid injury.

Rebecca said, “Shepherds have to spend time with their flock to build familiarity and trust. When sheep know and trust their shepherd, they will come when called, and the shepherd can better care for them. Our more tame sheep love to get their heads and necks scratched. Their trust in us encourages the other sheep to trust us as well.”

Do you know the voice of your Shepherd? Have you experienced His care, attentiveness, and skill? (Laniak, pg 98) Do you go to Him regularly? Are others encouraged by your relationship with Him? Have you called upon Him to be your Shepherd?

Through His shed blood on the cross, all who trust in Him and repent of their sin have complete forgiveness. Yes, we walk through dangers and griefs in this life, but our Shepherd has promised His constant presence to comfort, strengthen, and provide for those who have been redeemed by His blood. (verse 4, 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, Ephesians 1:7-8, 2 Timothy 1:7, 1 Peter 5:10)

The One who has inscribed His beloved ones on the palms of His hands can never forget us nor lose us. (Isaiah 49:15-16) 

The Original Intent

2) How is God the Shepherd of His people? (Psalm 23:1-4, 6)

Psalm 23 begins with David speaking about God. (verses 1-3) He writes that YAHWEH, the only true self-existent eternal God, is His shepherd, linking God’s most holy name with the intimacy of a shepherd caring for his sheep. (verse 1)

It isn’t that God simply provides, but David paints a picture of how He tenderly and faithfully provides. God “lets him lie down in green pastures” and leads him “beside quiet waters.” (verse 2) According to “The Good Shepherd” by Kenneth Bailey, sheep are afraid to drink from moving waters, so quiet waters are essential in keeping the sheep well hydrated and feeling secure.

David knows God provides him with everything he needs, including food, water, and security. He also notes that God leads him along the right paths for God’s glory and reputation. (verse 3) But here there is a change in the psalm as David no longer talks about God but begins talking to God, building even more intimacy into the psalm.

He knows there are dangers everywhere even as God leads him on the right paths, yet it is God’s presence that comforts and protects him in the midst of danger. There are metaphoric predators, bad weather, and injury but David is secure not in his circumstances, but in the God who is always with him. David confidently knows God’s goodness and faithfulness will pursue him all of his life, even when he is disobedient to God. (verse 6, 2 Samuel 11-12)

It is in this relationship that David declares how he longs to be with God all the days of his life. He is safe, secure, cared for, and loved by his shepherd.

The Everyday Application

2) How is God the Shepherd of His people? (Psalm 23:1-4, 6)

Though familiar to many, Psalm 23 isn’t the only place where a psalmist references God as shepherd. Elsewhere, the psalmist makes a connection between God the majestic Creator and God the caring Shepherd, declaring His worthiness of our worship and adulation because He is both magnificent and loving. (Psalm 95:6-7)

It is this majestic and caring, loving God who did what was necessary to rescue us from our predator, the devil. (1 Peter 5:8) Our Shepherd sent His one and only Son to live a perfect life and die in our place for the sins we committed, thus snatching us out of the jaws of our enemy, Eternal Death and separation from God. (Galatians 1:3-4) We are saved from the penalty of sin while we are saved to an abundant life. Jesus said He came to give us life and give us life in abundance. (John 10:10)

He is our Creator, Sustainer, Provider, Protector, Counselor, and constant Companion. (verses 1-4) It is His goodness and faithful love that pursues us for the rest of our lives and never lets us stray very far. (verse 6) Have you come to know Him for yourself?

Is he your Shepherd? If he is not, pray, and ask him to be your Good Shepherd and He will with joy receive you into His flock, never letting you go!

The Original Intent

3) How is Jesus our Shepherd? (John 10:2-5; John 10:14-18)

Just as God is the Good Shepherd in Psalm 23, Jesus declares Himself as the Good Shepherd in John’s gospel and reminds His audience of the attributes of a good shepherd.

The sheep hear His voice, He calls His sheep by name, and He leads them. (verse 3) He goes ahead of His sheep and the sheep follow Him trustingly because they are keenly familiar with His voice. (verse 4)

His sheep will never follow a stranger because they don’t know any voice but the shepherd’s. In fact, they will run from a stranger’s voice. (verse 5) A few verses later, Jesus says something staggering and nearly unimaginable, “I am the good shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me, just as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father.” (verses 14-15) The relationship between the Father and the Son is one of thorough intimacy, full omniscience, and complete oneness.

It is the only perfect relationship extending from eternity past to eternity future. Jesus then says this is the relationship He has with His flock. He knows everything about each of His sheep. He knows what they are thinking, feeling, and how they have been hurt. He knows their sorrows and their joys. 

Later in the text, Jesus tells the audience He is not only willing to lay down His life for His sheep, but that He will take it up again. (verse 17) He tells of both His impending death and resurrection, both of which are for the sake of His flock.

He willingly and painfully gives up His life in the greatest example of self-sacrifice man has ever known and picks it up again, proving eternal victory over Death, Sin, and the Grave; He then hands this victory to His precious sheep who trust in Him! (Romans 14:8)

The Everyday Application

3) How is Jesus our Shepherd? (John 10:2-5; John 10:14-18)

What do we do with this understanding of Jesus’ intimacy, love, and self-sacrifice toward us? If you have trusted Jesus as your Savior and Lord, I want to remind you He knows you. He sees you. He knows your thoughts, your actions, and your feelings. Knowing all this, He still loves you with perfect love and open arms of forgiveness and joy in His presence. (Psalm 16:11)

Difficult circumstances may still exist, but His love and provision He shows while leading us on the right paths while providing constant companionship will never end. (Psalm 23:1-4) You cannot flee the Good Shepherd because He is always with you. (Psalm 139:7-10) If you have not trusted Jesus as your Savior and Lord, come into His flock and allow Him to be the loving, good, perfect Shepherd over you and your life.

He loves you and provides grace and forgiveness and eternal salvation when you enter the safety of His fold. You are not too dirty, too sinful, or too far away that He cannot find you, cleanse you, and make you whole.

It is a strange thing, isn’t it, when we consider how Jesus is the Shepherd who willingly lays down His life for His sheep, and at the same time He is the Lamb of God whose sacrifice on the cross takes away our sins? He is both Shepherd and Sacrificial Lamb. This is how God showed His love for us even while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Meditate on and pray Psalm 23 and John 10. Ask God to show you how He has been your shepherd since before you were knit together in your mother’s womb. Thank Him and rejoice in your very Good Shepherd who loves you to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:8)

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Resting Day 10 Journey Study

The Lord is my King and Guardian Caretaker; I have everything I need. Even when I despair, He comes through and takes care of it all.

He leads me to His good blessings, whether they are basics like good food and clean water, or more complex as a loving community and purpose in Him. He gives me rest and eases anxiety. God guides every step and shows me the way to His goodness.

With His help, everyday decisions are stepping stones to fuller plans He has for me to proclaim His glory. Even in difficulty and pain, I’m not afraid because God is right beside me. I know He will always protect me, therefore I feel safe.
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Sketched XI Day 10 Fist Sized Faith

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Sketched XI Day 10 Fist Sized Faith

Shannelle Logan

June 30, 2023

Enemies,Faith,Hero,Mighty,Old Testament

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Kings 18:20-45
Jeremiah 2:1-13
Joshua 24:14-24
Hebrews 12:1-6

I could taste the dead air.
The drought drained life from everything.
Death’s shadow gradually crept across the land.

Israel had chosen to reject Yahweh, the source of living waters, yet again and pursued leaky cisterns (other gods) of their own making. (Jeremiah 2:13, John 7:37-38) Yet Gracious Yahweh was giving Israel another chance to choose once more between life and death, blessing or cursing. (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)

Three years ago, I couldn’t have imagined I’d stand before a people who allowed my fellow prophets to be killed at the queen’s command. (1 Kings 18:13) Now God has directed King Ahab to gather the people in this arid valley. I see confusion and contempt in their eyes. The prophets of Baal stand 450 strong, amused and sure in their societal position.

I appear to stand alone. 

Yet I feel Yahweh with me, even in this place of death. It’s like a fire burns within me, intensifying until I can’t help but speak His words:
“How long will you hobble between two crutches? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him!” (1 Kings 18:21)

Israel does not answer, their hardened faces a perfect reflection of their hearts. 

I’m greeted with stony silence, broken only by snickers from the queen’s prophets.

“Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” (1 Kings 18:23-24)

Israel agrees to the challenge and the prophets of Baal begin their rituals. Hours evaporate and soon, the noonday sun blazes overhead. Baal has not answered his prophets despite many pleadings.
“Cry louder!” I shout. “Since Baal is a god, he’s probably musing, or relieving himself. Or perhaps he is on a journey far from here, or maybe he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.” 

After all, who truly knows Baal, or what might move him to act? The false god’s whims and motives remain shrouded in bloodlust and the unknown.

I watch as, desperation growing, the prophets try to cajole their god, adding their own blood to the bull’s. They look like living nightmares, knives swishing across their skin. By evening, they are exhausted from blood loss and the shame of Baal’s utter silence.

The Spirit of God burns within me once more and I speak. 
“Come near me.” (1 Kings 18:30)

Gathering up twelve stones, one for each tribe of Israel, I rebuild Yahweh’s crumbled altar. As I build, I recall the stories of Yahweh calling, naming, and blessing Israel. Yahweh cut a covenant with us (Genesis 15), never once abandoning us despite our countless rejections of Him. He remains faithful even as we loathe Him; again, I’m stunned by His love. 

I finalize preparations of the altar and sacrifice, even dousing it three times with water; when Yahweh moves, there will be no doubt of His authority. Israel will know He alone is God. 

I raise my hands and call upon the God I have come to know
as Sovereign
as Enough
as Omnipotent
as Truth
as Jealous.

“LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, 
today let it be known that you are God in Israel 
and I am your servant, 
and that at your word I have done all these things. 
Answer me, LORD!
Answer me so that this people will know that you, the LORD, are God and that you have turned their hearts back.” (1 Kings 18:36-37)

I look up to see a fiery ball hurling down from the sky, crashing into the altar. Screams of terror fill the air as the force of the blast sends us flying backwards. I have never felt such intense heat and power in my life. 

As we struggle to our feet, the acrid smell of fire rides the hot wind. The altar has been consumed; there is nothing left, even the very rocks have disintegrated into dust! (Hebrews 12:29) 

Yahweh has made Himself known.

“The LORD, He is God.
The LORD, He is God.”

A chant of repentance sweeps through the crowd, and I catch sight of the false prophets slinking away in the deepening shadows. “Seize the prophets of Baal!” I exclaim. “Let not one of them escape!”

Several hours later, I bow face down on the summit of Mount Carmel. 

The blood of the prophets of Baal now flows in the waters of the Wadi Kishon, but Yahweh has sustained me once again and rescued me from the shadow of death. (Psalm 23:4, ESV) Again I am reminded my hope is in Him, the LORD God I have come to know, rather than in a blind, unknowing faith. 

For Yahweh Who Is Known has answered my impossible prayers over and over again, providing, sustaining, and even restoring life. (1 Kings 17) He is ever with me. 

So now I implore Him once again to make the impossible possible by sending rain. I feel consumed with groaning like a woman in labor as I pray, “LORD God, honor Your name and restore life to the land as You promised, for this day Your people chose life.” For the seventh time, I send my servant to look for signs of rain.

“Elijah, behold a little cloud like a man’s hand is rising from the sea!” my servant yells excitedly.

Feeling a weight slip from my shoulders, I rise.

Rain is coming.

A Note About Sketched

In Sketched themes, we imaginatively step 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 viewed God, themselves, and the world around them.

Perhaps we will find parts of our story reflected in theirs!

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Sketched XI, Day 10
Digging Deeper

With the defeat of the false prophets would come the end of the drought. (1 Kings 18:45)

Elijah wanted to break the power of idolatry and refocus his people on the power of their God.

Today we can also refocus by turning away from anything that tries to supplant God in our hearts and minds and by purposing intently to love and serve Him alone. (1 Corinthians 10:14)
Dig Deeper!

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June 19 - July 7, 2023 - Journey Theme #120

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