Excuses

Enough Day 5 Prophet & Priest

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Read His Words Before Ours!

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

Enough, Day 5

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

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

But God.

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

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

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

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

Sin would separate their spirits.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Enough Day 4 Promised Land Lost: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Promised Land Lost!

The Questions

1) Why did the Israelites rebel so frequently against God? (verse 43)

2) Why did God continue to rescue and forgive His wayward people? (verse 10)

3) Why did God allow Moses and Phineas to intervene in His punishment of the people? (verse 23 and verse 30)

Psalm 106:1-48

Hallelujah!
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever.
2 Who can declare the Lord’s mighty acts
or proclaim all the praise due him?
3 How happy are those who uphold justice,
who practice righteousness at all times.

4 Remember me, Lord,
when you show favor to your people.
Come to me with your salvation
5 so that I may enjoy the prosperity
of your chosen ones,
rejoice in the joy of your nation,
and boast about your heritage.

6 Both we and our ancestors have sinned;
we have done wrong and have acted wickedly.
7 Our ancestors in Egypt did not grasp
the significance of your wondrous works
or remember your many acts of faithful love;
instead, they rebelled by the sea—the Red Sea.
8 Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,
to make his power known.
9 He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up;
he led them through the depths as through a desert.
10 He saved them from the power of the adversary;
he redeemed them from the power of the enemy.
11 Water covered their foes;
not one of them remained.
12 Then they believed his promises
and sang his praise.

13 They soon forgot his works
and would not wait for his counsel.
14 They were seized with craving in the wilderness
and tested God in the desert.
15 He gave them what they asked for,
but sent a wasting disease among them.

16 In the camp they were envious of Moses
and of Aaron, the Lord’s holy one.
17 The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan;
it covered the assembly of Abiram.
18 Fire blazed throughout their assembly;
flames consumed the wicked.

19 At Horeb they made a calf
and worshiped the cast metal image.
20 They exchanged their glory
for the image of a grass-eating ox.
21 They forgot God their Savior,
who did great things in Egypt,
22 wondrous works in the land of Ham,
awe-inspiring acts at the Red Sea.
23 So he said he would have destroyed them—
if Moses his chosen one
had not stood before him in the breach
to turn his wrath away from destroying them.

24 They despised the pleasant land
and did not believe his promise.
25 They grumbled in their tents
and did not listen to the Lord.
26 So he raised his hand against them with an oath
that he would make them fall in the desert
27 and would disperse their descendants
among the nations,
scattering them throughout the lands.

28 They aligned themselves with Baal of Peor
and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods.
29 They angered the Lord with their deeds,
and a plague broke out against them.
30 But Phinehas stood up and intervened,
and the plague was stopped.
31 It was credited to him as righteousness
throughout all generations to come.

32 They angered the Lord at the Waters of Meribah,
and Moses suffered because of them,
33 for they embittered his spirit,
and he spoke rashly with his lips.

34 They did not destroy the peoples
as the Lord had commanded them
35 but mingled with the nations
and adopted their ways.
36 They served their idols,
which became a snare to them.
37 They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons.
38 They shed innocent blood—
the blood of their sons and daughters
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;
so the land became polluted with blood.
39 They defiled themselves by their actions
and prostituted themselves by their deeds.

40 Therefore the Lord’s anger burned against his people,
and he abhorred his own inheritance.
41 He handed them over to the nations;
those who hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies oppressed them,
and they were subdued under their power.
43 He rescued them many times,
but they continued to rebel deliberately
and were beaten down by their iniquity.

44 When he heard their cry,
he took note of their distress,
45 remembered his covenant with them,
and relented according to the abundance
of his faithful love.
46 He caused them to be pitied
before all their captors.

47 Save us, Lord our God,
and gather us from the nations,
so that we may give thanks to your holy name
and rejoice in your praise.

48 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Let all the people say, “Amen!”
Hallelujah!

Original Intent

1) Why did the Israelites rebel so frequently against God? (verse 43)
We learn in Psalm 106:43 that God rescued the Israelites “many times, but they continued to rebel deliberately and were beaten down by their iniquity.” Throughout their history, Israel had a pattern of sin and rebellion, followed by captivity, then redemption and rescue by God. Why did they continuously put themselves in harm’s way by disobeying God and forsaking His commands? Author Matthew Henry explains, “the way of sin is down-hill: . . . One sin led to many more, and brought the judgments of God on them.”  Instead of obeying God, the Israelites chose to either ignore His warnings or blatantly rebel against Him. The Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament states, “God’s counsel was to make Israel free and glorious, but they leaned upon themselves, following their own intentions . . . wherefore they perished in their sins.” The Scriptures warn us against choosing our own way over God’s in Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.” Likewise, Proverbs 3:5 encourages, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.” Still, Israel repeatedly trusted her own understanding over the counsel of the Lord. As a result, they repeatedly reaped negative consequences for their sin. Christians today face the same choice Israel did in the Old Testament. Will we trust in God and obey His commands or go our own way? Because He is the same today as He was to Israel, God allows us to face the consequences of our sin, and He also extends mercy to rescue us. My prayer is that we turn to Him for redemption every time we falter.

2) Why did God continue to rescue and forgive His wayward people? (verse 10)
Psalm 106 references Israel’s repeated rebellion against God. They grumbled and complained (Psalm 106:25), ignored God (Psalm 106:13), worshipped idols (Psalm 106:19), followed after sinful nations (Psalm 106:35), and even sacrificed their children to demons (Psalm 106:37). Repeatedly, God rescued and forgave them with incredible mercy! They suffered punishment, but God’s mercy always delivered them. Why would a just and righteous God continue to forgive such a rebellious people? Psalm 106:8 declares, “He saved them for His name’s sake, to make His power known.” Charles Spurgeon asserts, “The Lord very jealously guards His own name and honour. It shall never be said of Him that He cannot or will not save His people, or that He cannot abate the haughtiness of His defiant foes. This respect unto his own honour ever leads Him to deeds of mercy.” God saves to glorify His name and demonstrate His power. He also saved them because He had made a covenant with His people. “When he heard their cry, he took note of their distress, remembered his covenant with them, and relented according to the abundance of his faithful love.” (verses 44-45) Albert Barnes says God “had made gracious promises to the patriarchs; He had promised to be the God of their posterity; He had His own great purposes to accomplish through their nation in the distant future; and on these accounts, He came and blessed them.” His great love motivated Him to provide rescue. The author of this Psalm marveled at the goodness of the Lord by exclaiming, “Hallelujah! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever.  Who can declare the Lord’s mighty acts or proclaim all the praise due Him?”. (Psalm 106:1-2) We can rejoice along with the psalmist that God’s love and mercy endure even unto today!

3) Why did God allow Moses and Phineas to intervene in His punishment of the people? (verse 23 and verse 30)
In Psalm 106:15 God sent a disease because the people tested Him. In verses 16-18, the people sinned again and were punished by the earth opening up to devour them and a fire that consumed them. Sometimes, though, God was swayed by the pleas of the righteous.  Verse 23 describes how God intended to pour out His wrath on the people, but Moses intervened and God relented. Another time, God sent a plague because of their sin, but Phineas intervened and the plague was removed. (verse 30) God intentionally allowed the prayers and actions of these righteous men to move Him to mercy. Author Charles Spurgeon argues, “Mighty as was the sin of Israel to provoke vengeance, prayer was mightier in turning it away.” Even when Israel’s sin set holy consequences in motion, there was still power in calling on God to save. Author John Gill suggests Moses was a type of Christ, “As Moses was a mediator between God and the people of Israel, so is Christ between God and his people.” John Gill also asserts that Phineas was a type of Christ “who, by doing righteousness, by the atoning sacrifice of himself, and by his intercession, has appeased the wrath of God. . .”  The salvation foreshadowed by Moses and Phineas would come to the world through Christ Jesus, who gave His life as a ransom for all so our sins would be forgiven and we would have direct relationship to the Father. (John 14:6) God used Moses and Phineas to demonstrate to us the importance of intercessory prayer while also pointing our hearts toward the One who would take our sins’ punishment for us (2 Corinthians 5:21), presenting us blameless to Father God if we surrender to Him.

Everyday Application

1) Why did the Israelites rebel so frequently against God? (verse 43)
Years ago a family with five boys showed up at our children’s church. They quickly gained a reputation for their creative ability to defy classroom rules and procedures. Even decades later, I whisper their last name to my husband, one of their teachers, to watch his facial expression! Our teachers redirected, gave warnings, provided think time, connected with parents, and, inevitably, followed through with consequences for unacceptable behavior. Each week the boys arrived with good intentions for following rules, yet, each week they received some kind of consequence. The Israelites in the Old Testament were similar to our lively group of boys; they started out intending to follow God, but frequently got off track. Psalm 106 summarizes Israel’s history as they escaped captivity in Egypt, wandered in the desert, entered Canaan, and endured oppression by their enemies. Every time they disobeyed God, they faced consequences, then repented and cried out to God, who rescued them. It’s not just the Israelites, or rambunctious little boys, who choose to disobey God in favor of their own selfish ways, this is the way of all humans. We know what to do, but we can’t do it for long in our own strength. (Romans 7:18) We need the power of the Holy Spirit to help us obey God and refuse sin, we simply cannot do this without Him! Romans 8:12-13 tells those who have trusted Jesus for salvation, “we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” God graciously comes to our rescue when we fall, but He also gives us the Holy Spirit to equip us to follow Him!

2) Why did God continue to rescue and forgive His wayward people? (verse 10)
It is easy to read if Israel’s repeated sin pattern in Psalm 106 and conclude their rebellion was extraordinary. God led them out of slavery in Egypt and on a journey through the wilderness to the Promised Land, yet despite His faithfulness, they rebelled and disobeyed. Time after time, God blessed and rescued them, and after a brief season of repentance and piety, they passionately returned to their sin. If our own “wilderness years” deeds and thoughts were all recorded, however, the failures of Israel may seem similar to our own. I know I’ve complained about my circumstances to the Lord right in the midst of answered prayers and an outpouring of blessings. It’s so easy to focus on discomfort and selfish desires and miss the miracles God is doing. There was a time my mother was sick in the hospital for nearly 2 years. I concentrated on the longevity of her illness and the hardships on our family, nearly ignoring how God saved her from death at least twice and answered our prayers for improvement on a near daily basis. My eyes were on the Promised Land of her recovery, but I was ignoring all the blessings of the journey. We are blessed that God does not give up on us when we complain or disobey. He pours out His mercy and saves us for the sake of His name. My prayer is to recognize His provision in my everyday rhythms and accept His grace and forgiveness when I go astray.

3) Why did God allow Moses and Phineas to intervene in His punishment of the people? (verse 23 and verse 30)
For many children, there is no greater advocate than a grandparent. When I was about to get in trouble with my parents at my grandparent’s home, I always knew that running to my “Papaw” would work in my favor. I generally deserved whatever punishment my parents doled out, but my grandpa could get my sentence repealed or reduced, or, if not, he would do something that would make me forget my troubles. I always felt so important and cared for (and relieved!) when Papaw would step in and save the day. Moses and Phineas provided this type of intervention for the Israelites when God was prepared to punish them for their sin and disobedience. Psalm 106:23 tells us God would have destroyed the Israelites if Moses hadn’t pleaded for them. Author John Butler describes Phinehas, “the grandson of Aaron, who made a gallant stand for holiness in a time of degradation to stop the judgment of God upon the people. It is an outstanding example of service.” This encourages me to pray for people when all hope seems lost or when I despair for their lives or their souls. The intercession of Moses and Phineas instructs me to pray for those who are choosing sin over obedience to God or who seem stuck in destructive behaviors. When righteous people pray, God promises that those prayers have a powerful effect. (James 5:16) We are blessed that God hears those prayers for mercy and honors them; pray on! (2 Chronicles 30:9)

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Follow Day 5 Where We See A Mess

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 3:1-14
Exodus 4:1-20
Acts 4:7-13
 1 Corinthians 1:26-30

Follow, Day 5

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.’ This is the Lord’s declaration. ‘For as heaven is higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Who but God would invite an ex- murderer to lead an entire nation? Humans use the past to judge the present, but God sees beyond the past. Regardless of our history, He longs to make us radically new and use us to build His kingdom.

Consider Moses, who grew up in the palace of the Egyptian pharaoh knowing he was a Hebrew. One day, he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave, and, after carefully ensuring no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian. Still, Pharaoh learned of Moses’ crime and sought to kill him, so Moses fled to Midian. Welcomed into the family of Jethro, a Midian priest, Moses planned to live out his days in the wilderness as an isolated shepherd caring for mangy sheep.

Like Moses, there was a time in my college life when I felt like running away. My boyfriend spent the night with another student in his home, and someone told the school authority I was the student. I was innocent, but unable to convince school leadership. My punishment was a warning; a repeat would earn my dismissal.

I was devastated. In time, bolstered by God’s merciful strength, I ended the relationship. God gave me a new beginning altogether: since then, I have been following Him, and am now in His service.

Similarly, Moses was in desperate need of a new beginning. Moses was content with a shepherd’s life in the bush; one day God appeared to him in a literal bush bursting with fire. God called Moses to Egypt to bring His people out from slavery and into a land of freedom and plenty, a land of promise.

Dismayed, Moses gave God a slew of excuses:

“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” (Exodus 3:11)
What if they ask Your name? ( Exodus 3:13-15)
“What if they don’t believe me?” (Exodus 4:1)
I am not eloquent (Exodus 4:10); send someone else (Exodus 4:13).

Looking through the lens of his past, Moses saw himself as unfit for the work God was calling him to do. But despite his resistance, God was not deterred. He promised to be with Moses, and commissioned Moses’ brother, Aaron, as his spokesman. God also understood the physical fear hiding behind Moses’ excuses, and assured him those who sought to kill him were dead.

We cannot mess up God’s plan for us, even if we push against Him!
He refuses to give up on us because He looks not at our mess, but our potential in Him.

As Moses’ heart turned toward trusting obedience to God, he encountered God in a personal and powerful way. He received instruction and clear direction from God for his next steps. When he met resistance in Pharaoh, he sought God who faithfully met and guided him. Soon, the naïve and fearful man became a threat to Pharaoh and all of Egypt, until Pharaoh released the Israelites.

Sometimes, our past failures threaten to hold us back from following God. The past upsets us, and we lose confidence. Like Moses, we easily conclude we cannot be useful to God. Moses didn’t have an organized plan, talent, or the confidence of a leader, but God still invited him to follow. It was not about Moses, but about God. He chooses the foolish, the weak, and the despised to shame the wise and the mighty, so we boast in Him alone. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)

Regardless of our past, God forgives completely, and equips us by His power for His service as we choose to follow His way. We see this truth in the lives of the apostles. Some were mere fishermen; one was even a tax collector, considered by the Jews as the most sinful; yet Jesus called each of them to follow Him. When the Pharisees grumbled about Jesus dining with sinners, Jesus replied His call was precisely for sinners such as them. (Mark 2:15-17)

Consider the Apostle Paul, a persecutor of the Church; yet God called him out of slavery and empowered him with the Holy Spirit to follow Him in freedom. As a result, Paul became a great preacher of the gospel. His Spirit-inspired writings continue to guide our lives today, comprising a large part of the New Testament.

Hear Paul’s own testimony, “This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–and I am the worst of them.’”
(1 Timothy 1:15)

Moses’ story, the first 12 apostles, Paul, and even my own life, join together to declare in wondrous chorus . . .
Where we see a mess,
God sees an opportunity for transformation.

God simply requires hearts willing to accept His invitation to follow Him, one step after the other.

Sisters, let us turn our eyes from our pasts to the One who holds our tomorrows and whisper, “Yes.”

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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

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Ten Day 11 The Deceit Of Not Enough

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 6:25-34
Psalm 27:1-5
1 Peter 5:5-7
Genesis 3:1-6
Exodus 20:15

Ten, Day 11

“What’s in your hand?”, my mom asked as we walked out of the convenience store. I slowly unwrapped my seven-year-old fingers from the small pack of Now and Later candy I had stolen. The pit in my stomach told me I was in trouble and it was only going to get worse.

“You have to take it back and apologize.” My mom held my hand and led me back into the store. We walked up to the counter and I stared at the pickled pig’s feet in the jar on the counter.

“My daughter has something she would like to tell you,” Mom explained to the clerk. I stretched my hand out and dropped the candy on the counter.

“I’m sorry I took these without paying for them.”
I couldn’t make eye contact, I was so embarrassed. Immediately, I headed for the door.

Once we left, my mom explained I had broken one of the Ten Commandments. Stealing was on the same list as murder. I learned a valuable lesson and cemented an aversion both to pickled pig’s feet and stealing that has stuck with me to this day.

I have since realized my desire to take what isn’t mine goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. When the serpent convinced Adam and Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they were stealing from God.

One of Satan’s most deceptive strategies involves providing a short-term solution giving us something we want or need, but ultimately keeping us from God’s best. 

Though Eve lacked for nothing, Satan enticed her with the forbidden fruit. Just like Adam and Eve, we can be easily convinced God is holding out and we need to meet our own wants or needs.

For many people, our choice to cut corners and take what isn’t ours comes from
a fear God won’t give us what we want,
a sense of entitlement (we deserve what we are taking),
or just plain impatience.

Each of these motivations are based on pride.

Pride means elevating our needs and desires over God and other people.

When we act out of fear, we are choosing to listen to pride’s whispered lie we know more than God and can do a better job providing than He can.

A sense of entitlement elevates our needs and desires over the owner’s rights. Pride tells us our desires are THE MOST important. As Proverbs 16:19 reminds us, “Better to be of lowly spirit with the humble than to divide plunder with the proud.”

Impatience is often rooted in pride and fear, as well. Our pride falsely elevates our ability to know the future, and imposes a man-made deadline on the Creator of the Universe’s capacity to meet our needs. Rather than focusing on God’s unlimited resources and ability, we become focused on our scarce resources and opportunities.

Fear is a weapon Satan often uses to lead us away from God’s best. The best way to fight back is by studying and memorizing Bible verses. God’s Word is a double-edged sword we can use to defeat Satan’s attacks. Dwelling on Scripture builds our faith; faith provides a shield against the fiery arrows Satan uses against us.

At an early age, my mom helped me learn to use this verse to combat fear.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.”
(2 Timothy 1:7)

This promise breaks through the fear of unmet needs.

“And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

When the future looms ahead, murky in uncertainty, let’s remember:

“Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26)

“The Lord is my light and my salvation
whom should I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
whom should I dread?” (Psalm 27:1)

When pride begins to puff our chests and cloud our vision,
let’s pursue humility with His Word:

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7)

“When arrogance comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2)

Whether we’re tempted to pocket a stolen piece of candy, or steal our future from the hands of our loving Father, we’ve seen how God’s command to refrain from stealing addresses the true condition of our hearts.

And when we struggle with fear of scarcity, impatience, or pride, we can counteract Satan’s assaults with Scripture. When fear strikes, we can ask God to lead us to His truth from Scripture to counteract the lies. Let’s turn our focus to our Heavenly Father as we trust in His deep love, His unbounded resources, and His faithful provision.

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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The GT Weekend ~Ten Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worship Through Community

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Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Worship VI Streams In The Wilderness: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Streams In The Wilderness!

The Questions

1) What does it mean to be “brought up from Sheol” or spared from “the Pit?”

2) What should our response be to the Lord’s rescue?

3) What is the favor of the Lord?

Psalm 30:1-12

I will exalt you, Lord, because you have lifted me up and have not allowed my enemies to triumph over me.
2 Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you healed me.
3 Lord, you brought me up from Sheol; you spared me from among those going down to the Pit.

4 Sing to the Lord, you his faithful ones, and praise his holy name.
5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor, a lifetime. Weeping may stay overnight, but there is joy in the morning.

6 When I was secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.”
7 Lord, when you showed your favor, you made me stand like a strong mountain; when you hid your face, I was terrified.
8 Lord, I called to you; I sought favor from my Lord:
9 “What gain is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your truth?
10 Lord, listen and be gracious to me; Lord, be my helper.”

11 You turned my lament into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
12 so that I can sing to you and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.

Original Intent

1) What does it mean to be “brought up from Sheol” or spared from “the Pit?”
According to Albert Barnes, the word Sheol means grave or “the region of the dead; the underworld which is entered through the grave.”  King David uses this word in Psalm 30:3 when he sings, “Lord, you brought me up from Sheol; you spared me from among those going down to the Pit.” Albert Barnes also notes the “word pit here means the same as the grave.”  David rejoices that God delivered him from Sheol and the Pit.  Author David Guzik points out, “we don’t know if David here described what we might call a near-death experience or if it would be more like a narrow escape from death. Either way, in his life as a soldier and leader, he had more than one time when death was near, and God rescued his soul from death.”  David makes sure to memorialize the Lord’s goodness to him in a song which is sung at the dedication of his palace (Enduring Word Bible Commentary) He had been delivered from the jaws of death, and he wanted to “Sing to the Lord!” (Psalm 30:4)

2) What should our response be to the Lord’s rescue?
In Psalm 30:1, David extols the Lord for lifting him up and rescuing him from his enemies.  Author Samuel Chandler points out that the Hebrew verb, dalah, “is used in its original meaning, to denote the reciprocating motion of the buckets of a well; one descending as the other rises, and vice versa; and it is here applied, with admirable propriety, to point out the various reciprocations and changes of David’s fortunes, as described in this psalm. . .”  Indeed, David does describe many other times the Lord has rescued him in Psalm 30.  In verse 2, David says he called out to God for help and He healed him.  In Psalm 30:3, David says the Lord brought him up from Sheol and spared him from the Pit.  In Psalm 30:11, David notes how God turned his mourning into dancing.  Each time that God provides rescue, David has the same response.  He praises God and gives Him the glory.  Throughout Psalm 30, David exalts the Lord, sings to the Lord, praises His name, vows to sing and not be silent, and to praise the Lord forever.  Author David Guzik points out that David praises the Lord because “He knew his security and status were the work of God. It wasn’t as if God did it all as David sat passively; he was a man of energy and action. Nevertheless, it was God’s work far more than his own.”  David Guzik further argues that “God worked in David’s life so He would bring Himself glory and appropriate praise. Though it clearly benefited David, it was primarily for God’s own glory He did this.”  Whenever God rescued David from trouble, David responded with praise so God would get the glory.

3) What is the favor of the Lord?
One Messianic Jewish author explains how the “word favor in Hebrew is hen. . . It comes from the word to pardon: l’hon. When you hen someone, you grant favor to a prisoner and cancel his punishment.” According to Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, favor “means gaining approval, acceptance, or special benefits or blessings. There is also a close association among favor, grace, and mercy, which are sometimes used to translate the same Hebrew and Greek words (such as hen and charis.”)  In Psalm 30:5, King David speaks about the favor of the Lord when he writes, “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor, a lifetime.” David suggests that God’s favor is God’s pleasure, or the opposite of God’s anger.  David also discusses God’s favor when he writes in Psalm 30:7, “Lord, when you showed your favor, you made me stand like a strong mountain; when you hid your face, I was terrified”.  Here, David asserts that God’s favor brings strength and the opposite of favor is God hiding his face. The good news according to Ron Cantor is, “the instant you put your faith in Yeshua, God turned His face towards you. You found favor in His eyes.” Having God’s favor, or His acceptance and blessings, is a gift granted only to those who trust in the Lord.

Everyday Application

1) What does it mean to be “brought up from Sheol” or spared from “the Pit?”
I love the song “Still Rolling Stones” by Lauren Daigle.  In this song, she expresses what the psalmist, David, proclaimed in Psalm 30:3.  He sang, “Lord, you brought me up from Sheol; you spared me from among those going down to the Pit.”  Lauren Daigle sings it this way:

Out of the shadows
Bound for the gallows
A dead man walking
Till love came calling. . .

Six feet under
I thought it was over
An answer to prayer
The voice of a Savior

I cannot express it musically, or even lyrically, but I have felt that same joy and relief at being rescued by my Savior when I was as good as dead.  Before I trusted in Jesus as my Savior, my sins were leading me to the grave, as everyone’s sins do (Romans 6:23) By the grace of God, I have not been a “dead man walking” for over 40 years now!  Some days are easy; many are not, but each day is filled with God’s grace and love and the joy of living a life redeemed by the blood of Jesus.  That freedom in Christ is something to sing about!

2) What should our response be to the Lord’s rescue?
Asking for help is hard for me.  Unless it is reading a map or reaching something up high, I usually muster what’s needed to get the job done.  But sometimes (usually when I find myself in a real mess), I cry out for God’s help.  Without His intervention and deliverance, I would be headed for the Pit like David in Psalm 30:3. God always comes to my rescue. Kyle Idleman tells us the Psalms “reference God as a rescuer about thirty times!“  Psalm 34:19 declares, “One who is righteous has many adversities, but the Lord rescues him from them all.”  Sometimes God swoops in and delivers me.  Sometimes He sits with me as I deal with the fallout of my actions.  Sometimes He holds me while the storm rages, but He always takes my pain and problems and works them out for my good. (Romans 8:28) However He chooses to help me, my response is to praise Him and give Him glory. Psalm 40:2-3 says, “He brought me up from a desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and they will trust in the Lord.” After David’s deliverance, the Lord put a song of praise in his mouth.  David even used praise as an argument in favor of protecting his life: “What gain is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your truth?” (Psalm 30:9) David knew one reason the Lord rescues is so we will give Him glory and draw others to also find their rescue in the Lord. So, if you are in need of rescue today, know that God is a gracious and loving Savior. His sacrifice of love is the ultimate rescue from death, and His ongoing love provides daily deliverance.  Rejoice with me today that God provides rescue!

3) What is the favor of the Lord?
When I was in 3rd grade, we had a new student several weeks into the first quarter.   The little girl had been in the middle of an art project at her old school, and she brought it with her to work on.  My teacher was kind, but she was also strict and no-nonsense, so I was shocked she let the girl work on the project during class time.  When something went wrong with her creation and the girl burst into tears, I expected the teacher to demand she pull it together and act like a 3rd grader, not a kindergartener.  But she just put her arm around the girl, spoke reassuringly, and let her go to the nurse’s office to get a drink and calm down.  I have always remembered the care and grace the teacher took with this nervous, scared girl.  Her kindness was the key to that girl settling in to our class.  This is how I picture the favor of God in my life.  When I least expect it or deserve it, God pours out His favor on me, wrapping me in His acceptance and showering me with His blessings. Author David Mathis points out that while God often chooses to lavish His people with His favor, there are also certain daily habits that attract God’s favor.  Mathis argues that what “sends our roots deepest, truly grows us up in Christ, and produces lasting spiritual maturity, streams from the ordinary and unspectacular paths of fellowship, prayer, and Bible intake in its many forms.” We can be grateful for God’s unexpected favor, and we can also seek His favor by prayer, fellowship with the saints, and studying the Word of God.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
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Catch up with Streams In The Wilderness!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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The GT Weekend! ~ Relentless Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) “If the Lord is for us, then why has all of this happened to us?!” Gideon’s question hits all of us. If we are willing to be honest, then you know as well as I do, I’ve pleaded with the Lord over this query. I’m challenging you and me to be bold before the Lord and write out what our fill-in-the-blanks are for this question in relation to our own lives. “If the Lord is for me, why did my friend commit suicide? Why is my marriage so difficult? Why am I so weary?” Pray these to the Lord from a place of transparency and seek His solace and His answers over your own. Connect with a trusted, believing, friend in the next few days and share your thoughts, asking her to pray with you.

2)  Amy shared on Wednesday of times she had questioned God’s love for her, run from Him in anger, and have failed to follow Him. Take some time to write down, even if it’s on your phone’s notes, times when you have done the same. There is something powerful that happens in our hearts when we verbalize reality. As you take steps to be transparent with yourself, pray over these and bring them to the Lord. Tell Him honestly what you have questioned, why you were (or are) angry, and why you have run. Pray. Seek His Word, studying it as you pray for His Spirit to free you and show you His relentless love!

3)  We all like winning, don’t we? Reaching the goal, checking off that list, knowing we hit the target square on, we crave that win! Kendra reminded us yesterday that God always wins, meaning that His purposes cannot be thwarted and what He intends to accomplish, He will do. What would it look like if we abandoned our ideas of winning, and instead picked up the Lord’s? What if He became our source for strength and we shifted our eyes to see His win instead of our own? What radical difference might it make if we knew that whenever we aligned ourselves with His ways over ours, we would be assured His victory in His way and in His time?

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Lamentations 3:22-24 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

22 Because of the Lord’s faithful love
we do not perish,
for his mercies never end.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness!
24 I say, “The Lord is my portion,
therefore I will put my hope in him.”

Prayer Journal
Because of Your love….I am here tonight to praise You, I held my babies tight today, I slept peacefully last night, I saw the sun this morning, and breathed in Your new morning mercies. Because of Your love, gracious, good Father! Your love is better than life itself! (Psalm 63:3) Teach me, on repeat, to view my days and moments and relationships and circumstances through the lens of “because of Your love” just like the psalmist wrote. Teach my lips to sing it, my hands to love with Your love, and my eyes to see with Your love. You alone are my portion, Oh God; how great is Your faithfulness!

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Relentless Day 9 Relentless Love: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Relentless Love!

The Questions

1) What caused Jonah to become “furious” (4:1)? Why is it so significant to the story?

2) What caused Jonah to be “pleased” (4:6)? Why is it so significant to the story?

3) What does God’s response reveal about His heart of compassion toward rebellious people (4:11)?

Jonah 3:10-4:11

10 God saw their actions—that they had turned from their evil ways—so God relented from the disaster he had threatened them with. And he did not do it

1 Jonah was greatly displeased and became furious. 2 He prayed to the Lord: “Please, Lord, isn’t this what I thought while I was still in my own country? That’s why I fled toward Tarshish in the first place. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and one who relents from sending disaster. 3 And now, Lord, take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”4 The Lord asked, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
5 Jonah left the city and found a place east of it. He made himself a shelter there and sat in its shade to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the Lord God appointed a plant, and it grew over Jonah to provide shade for his head to rescue him from his trouble. Jonah was greatly pleased with the plant. 7 When dawn came the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, and it withered. 8 As the sun was rising, God appointed a scorching east wind. The sun beat down on Jonah’s head so much that he almost fainted, and he wanted to die. He said, “It’s better for me to die than to live.”
9 Then God asked Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” “Yes, it’s right!” he replied. “I’m angry enough to die!”
10 So the Lord said, “You cared about the plant, which you did not labor over and did not grow. It appeared in a night and perished in a night. 11 But may I not care about the great city of Nineveh, which has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot distinguish between their right and their left, as well as many animals?”

Original Intent

1) What caused Jonah to become “furious” (4:1)? Why is it so significant to the story?
In 2 Kings 14:25 we find evidence that Jonah was a historical prophet (not a parable character) called by God. He was a real man whose story was equally real. Jesus also referred to Jonah and Nineveh, giving us some idea what the city was like and what made Jonah furious. “This generation is an evil generation. It demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.” (Luke 11:29-30) In Jonah 4:2 Jonah tells God: “I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and one who relents from sending disaster.”
Old Testament professor Dr. Douglas Stuart says Jonah “was a prophet who has this kind of special situation.” Unlike his contemporaries Amos and Hosea, the attitude of Jonah is revealed more than his message. Dr Stuart gives insight into Jonah’s anger and its significance. The prophet had been preaching “the destruction of Israel’s enemies. [But] the Assyrians were far more threatening than some of those Jonah preached against like the Syrians. He does not want to hear that God is now calling him to go and have a ministry of compassion to people he hates.”

2) What caused Jonah to be “pleased” (4:6)? Why is it so significant to the story?
Bible scholars are not in agreement about the best interpretation of the Hebrew word used to describe what God provided for Jonah’s shade. The word kikayon is only referenced here in the book of Jonah. The CSB says God caused a “plant” to grow over Jonah’s head, where other translations will say tree. Whatever it was, Bible commentator John Calvin said “it must have therefore been something extraordinary. God added this shrub to the shade afforded by the booth: for in those regions, as we know, the sun is very hot; and further, it was, as we shall see, an extraordinary heat. So, it protects him a little bit in the early day when the sun is slanting and late. Then God causes this leafy gourd to grow up very quickly and suddenly he has got a roof. Now that is not bad. Breeze comes through and you have got shade and it is not bad. He kind of likes that gourd; it is a nice gourd.” (Biblehub.com) Simply put, the shade pleased Jonah. The contrast in Jonah’s attitude from anger to pleasure was of great significance, revealing what mattered most to Jonah. Sadly, it was not God’s mercy that comforted the prophet. Neither did he desire for it to be shown to the Ninevites.

3) What does God’s response reveal about His heart of compassion toward rebellious people (4:11)?
When God told Jonah He “cared” about the people of Nineveh (verse 11), He was communicating His mercy. The Hebrew meaning here is “to pity, look upon with compassion.” (biblehub.com) God’s desire was to spare them, despite their wickedness. This tender God would have spared the city of Sodom if only ten righteous men were found. (Genesis 18:20-33) Jonah obviously knew it was this kind of God who called him to Nineveh. “I knew You were a gracious and compassionate God.” (verse 2) Although some interpret the phrase to denote only children, most likely the “people who cannot distinguish between their right and their left” (verse 11) refer to all the Ninevite people in spiritual ignorance. The Hebrew word used here in Jonah is not the Hebrew word for “children,” giving evidence that a broader interpretation which includes all the people in Nineveh is probably the best rendering. (Holman OT Commentary) God is a God who takes pity on those who stumble blindly in the darkness of sin. His heart is merciful toward those far from Him. On the cross, God the Son prayed for His Father to forgive those who were murdering Him, saying “because they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:32-24)

Everyday Application

1) What caused Jonah to become “furious” (4:1)? Why is it so significant to the story?
When we first read about Jonah’s anger toward the people of Nineveh, we might find ourselves judging him and being critical of his merciless attitude. But if we consider the many who had loved ones die on 9-11, we begin to possibly comprehend his hatred toward a group of people.
What would you feel if you had a grandmother who shared her experience of captivity and severe abuse at the hands of Germans during the Holocaust, and then God called you to go as a missionary to Germany? From a distance, we can allow our resentment to subtly take shape within our hearts. We convince ourselves that evil and murderous people don’t deserve God’s love. We even dismiss them from our thoughts, or we pray for their destruction. Thankfully, God is not like us! He calls us to share the good news of the gospel even with our enemies. Though there will ultimately be a day of judgment for those who reject God, until then He calls us to patiently wait on Him as He pursues people and bestows His mercy on those who repent. (2 Peter 3:6)

2) What caused Jonah to be “pleased” (4:6)? Why is it so significant to the story?
Jonah was pleased while things were going his way. Briefly he sat watching Nineveh from his comfortable shelter in hopes that he would witness the destruction of those he hated so much. His pleasure, however, was short-lived when God interrupted it with a worm and a scorching wind. Similarly, the Scriptures tell us of a man named Job (Job 1:1) who was experiencing all the blessings of God. Amid his comfortable life, unknown to Job, Satan approached God and asked for permission to strike his life and fill it with suffering. Like Jonah, Job began to question God about his life, wondering why he was even born. (Job 3:1-3) Unlike Jonah, he did not waver in his understanding that God was in control. He knew He could put his hope in Him no matter what would come. (Job 2:10, Job 13:15) The significant lesson for us is that God is God and we aren’t. When Job asked God to explain, God didn’t really give an answer as much as He simply declared Who He is. (Job 40-41). When Jonah fretted over the loss of his comfort more than people’s lives being destroyed, God reminded him of Who He is and how He loves: “May I not care about the great city of Nineveh?”. (verse 11)

3) What does God’s response reveal about His heart of compassion toward rebellious people (4:11)?
Before we are too hard on old Jonah, we must ask ourselves what our response would have been. WE are Jonah! Thankfully, Jonah wasn’t judging the Ninevites and neither are we the final judge of our enemies. It is the gracious God of the universe who calls them to repentance and offers His forgiveness. Just as we are Jonah, we are also Ninevites – people desperately in need of the mercy. The shepherd/king, David, is a great example of someone who rehearsed the goodness of God (Psalm 23) He was deeply grateful for the forgiveness of God. (Psalm 51) I especially love David’s reflection when he had disobeyed God regarding a census. Of the three consequences presented to David, instead of relying on a human’s mercy, David chose to trust the mercy of God. (2 Samuel 24) And I’m with David! “David answered Gad, ‘I have great anxiety. Please, let us fall into the Lord’s hands because His mercies are great, but don’t let me fall into human hands.’” (2 Samuel 24:14)
“Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish for his mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! I say, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will put my hope in Him.’” Lamentations 3:22-24

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2) Read it, and the verses around it,
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Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

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Relentless Day 6 Faith or Fear?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Judges 6:11-18
Lamentations 3:21-26
1 Corinthians 1:26-30

“Thanks for coming for the interview yesterday. We’d like to offer you the job.”

As I stood with the phone to my ear, letting the words sink in, all I could think was there must be some mistake. Surely, they weren’t seriously offering me the job!

Doubts and insecurities flooded my mind. As much as I wanted this job as a school’s worker with a Christian charity, I didn’t feel capable. I was too inexperienced, too lacking in confidence, definitely not good enough to even consider this. Although I wanted the job, the chances of being selected had seemed so small, I’d really only gone to the interview for the experience.

Plus, I’d been dealing with some difficult things lately. There was no way I felt strong enough to take this on right now. All too conscious of my weakness, I was sure they could have found someone better.

I imagine Gideon’s feelings may have been similar when the angel of the Lord appeared to him. Cowering at the bottom of a winepress, threshing wheat, hiding from the Midianites who had destroyed the Israelites’ crops and reduced them to starvation, he wasn’t exactly a picture of strength.

When the words, “valiant warrior” are uttered, I picture him looking round in bewilderment to see who the angel is addressing, not thinking for a moment that the greeting is intended for him.

What’s more, the angel announces that God is with him! Gideon has little confidence in either part of this greeting. He struggles to see beyond his fear and his weakness to consider himself a “valiant warrior,” while also finding the idea of God being with him difficult to believe. After all, the Israelites’ oppression at the hands of the Midianites has been going on for seven long years. By this point, Gideon is worn down and out of hope. He can’t help but blurt out his honest question:

“If the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?”  (Judges 6:13)

Don’t we all ask similar questions at times?

Whether it’s a significant time of tragedy or loss, a situation where our hope and hard work give way to disappointment, or simply a day when the pressures and frustrations of life seem to mount up, it’s easy to question where God is and why He has allowed these things to happen.

Maybe, like Gideon, we have tried to hold on to God’s promises and the ways we have seen or heard of His power in the past, but, when we look at our current situation, we feel abandoned. The idea of God having a good plan for us can seem hard to believe.

It’s reassuring that God doesn’t rebuke Gideon for asking this question, but neither does He provide an explanation.

Judges 6:14 provides an intriguing twist: “the Lord turned to him.” As He calls Gideon to go forward in the strength he has and lead Israel to victory over the Midianites, it seems Gideon suddenly realises he is not merely talking to an angel, but God Himself.

God’s response to Gideon’s question is not to answer, but to draw close and reveal Himself. He shows Gideon He has not abandoned him, but that, even in the midst of the suffering and oppression, He is right there with him.

As God continues to speak, we see His relentless love both towards the Israelite nation and towards Gideon as an individual. By this point, the Israelites have been spiralling round in a self-destructive cycle of sin for several years. God has forgiven them time and time again, yet still they continue to turn away. It would have been understandable for Him to have rejected them, but instead He remains committed to the rescue.

The manner in which He chooses to effect that rescue is through Gideon, even in his weakness. Despite Gideon’s doubts and hesitation, his lack of confidence, and his fear, God’s commitment to His plan for Gideon is relentless. Gideon still doesn’t understand, and he continues to question his ability and seek reassurance, but despite this he is called to move forward and to step out in faith.

Gideon is faced with an important choice: follow God, or follow his fears.

As I considered my unexpected job offer, I had a similar decision to make. When I looked at myself, I felt inadequate and ill-equipped, but then I remembered my many prayers that God would let the right person get the job, and in the end, I knew my reasons for hesitating were due to fear. Instead, I knew I had to step forward in faith, trusting that God had answered my prayer, that He would be with me and help me, and that His strength would be enough.

As I did so, I saw His relentless faithfulness in providing all I needed and leading me into a place where I could serve Him and flourish. As I look back, twelve years later, still happily involved in the same ministry, I’m grateful He enabled me to choose faith over fear and as God used me even in my weakness!

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