Fellowship

Calling Day 12 The Lens Of Truth: 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 The Lens Of Truth!

The Questions

1) Who are the disobedient mentioned in verse 6 and how are the saints to proactively stay connected?

2) How did the Ephesians, to whom Paul is writing, move from darkness to light? (verse 7)

3) Once a person is walking in the light, what is the public evidence? (verse 9)

Ephesians 5:6-14

6 Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things. 7 Therefore, do not become their partners. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light— 9 for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth— 10 testing what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. 13 Everything exposed by the light is made visible, 14 for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.

Original Intent

1) Who are the disobedient mentioned in verse 6 and how are the saints to proactively stay connected?
At the beginning of Chapter 5, Paul continues his thought from Chapter 4. He wants his reader to understand the importance of their relationships with each other and with those outside the Church. Scripture makes it clear that those who consistently walk in disobedience (those living outside of God’s grace), have intentionally rejected God’s forgiveness. (Romans 1:18-28) Forgiveness is God’s answer to the impossible state of reality for all humanity, we are insufficient to save ourselves. We see from the creation story that God created humans with a freedom that allowed them to choose obedience or disobedience. That freedom sadly exposed mankind’s unwillingness to choose rightly. Adam and Eve found themselves deceived by an empty argument from the source of all disobedience, pride. (Genesis 1-3) In the Old Testament, the Psalmist reviewed the disobedience in Israel’s history. (Psalm 78) In the New Testament, the apostles reminded the people of their rebellion against God (Acts 3, Acts 7). Had the very first man and woman refrained from approaching the one tree God had forbidden, they could have continued their sweet fellowship with their Creator. In this section of his letter, Paul encourages the saints to remain distanced from the message and lifestyle of the rebellious. This intentional choice demonstrates, and promotes, obedience to Christ over self.

2) How did the Ephesians, to whom Paul is writing, move from darkness to light? (verse 7)
Note the wording in verse 8. Paul not only says the saints were once in darkness, he says they were darkness. This “darkness” is not simply a place without light. It is the condition of all men apart from Christ. (studylight.org) Every heart not regenerated by the light of Christ is utterly dark. The prophet Isaiah said that everyone stumbles in their darkness. (Isaiah 59:9-10) Light necessarily shines on the rebellious and disobedient heart, revealing the need for forgiveness. As “dearly loved children of God” (Ephesians 5:1), the believers were to walk in the love and light of Christ. The only good thing about darkness is that light is seen so clearly! The letter to the Ephesians emphasizes Paul’s desire for them to recognize God’s “goodness, righteousness and truth.” (verse 9) When light and darkness are in the same space, light wins. The recipients of Paul’s letter had come into the light only though God’s gracious revelation to them. God’s light shone in and on their dark hearts. The exposure to sinfulness produces repentance that leads to “speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for everything to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:19-20)

3) Once a person is walking in the light, what is the public evidence? (verse 9)
In the original Greek, the words that speak of the previous darkness reveal a forceful impact. As darkness itself, they were “utterly sunk in ignorance of Divine things, [and] wholly lost in the evils accompanying such ignorance.” (Expositor’s Greek Testament) But God! If two words were used to be the subtitle of Ephesians, it could be these! Though the English word “but” is supplied in Ephesians 2:4 for clarity, it perfectly translates the message of Paul in the letter. Multiple times, he compares who the saints at Ephesus previously were with who they now are. The God of light has shone His mercy in the darkness since the days of Noah. (Genesis 7:23-8:1)The urgency of Paul to proclaim this message of transformation from dark to light is found in his letters to the Romans and the Corinthians. (Romans 5:6-11, 1 Corinthians 1:26-27) How glorious and radical is the light that shines in, on, and through the darkness. “The completeness of the change [from dark to light] is evidenced in that they were so possessed and penetrated by that truth, that they could be described not simply as enlightened but as themselves now light.” (Expositor’s Greek Testament) Being light is evidenced through our obedience. Paul speaks in the remaining chapter (Ephesians 6:1-23) of how we are to shine our light in marriage, family life and in the church.

Everyday Application

1) Who are the disobedient mentioned in verse 6 and how are the saints to proactively stay connected?
Genesis pronounces that human beings were “hardwired to be good creatures who live in a good world created by a good God for the purpose of expanding this goodness to the ends of the earth.” (Terry Evans, upi.org) But Satan took advantage of the atmosphere of freedom in the Garden of Eden. It is in the very same environment of suspicion and skepticism that we are led to be disobedient rebels today. Just like the people Paul was writing to, we are prone to wander away from following God wholeheartedly. Even as believers in Jesus, our human nature is still fighting within us as the enemy uses it against us often. (Romans 6:12-16) If we keep ourselves too close to those who are recklessly denying God’s judgment to come, we may find ourselves listening to, and believing, their shameful lies. It is in these situations we are tempted to succumb to a wrong way of thinking about our obedience. We begin to believe those trapped in darkness who tell us that God’s way is restrictive or unnecessary. The forbidden fruit we read about in Genesis 3 becomes more desirable. If we continue to stand too close to the tree, we are setting ourselves up for disillusionment and ultimately disobedience.

2) How did the Ephesians, to whom Paul is writing, move from darkness to light? (verse 7)
Darkness is uncomfortable, dangerous, and scary. So, why are so many people staying there? Because they have been convinced by the prince of darkness (Ephesians 2:1-2), the father of lies (John 8:43-44), that obedience to God is keeping us from something. The devil is continuing to use his stealth against humanity. He thrives in bringing confusion and chaos. (2 Corinthians 2:9-11) God is good and does good. Satan is evil and does evil. God is light and brings light. Satan is darkness and brings darkness. This is why we feast on God’s words. That is why we avoid those who desire to cause us to doubt the goodness and mercy of God. It is in the light that we see so clearly who God is and who we are! “This is the message we have heard from Him: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him. If we say, ‘We have fellowship with Him,” and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. If we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:5-7)

3) Once a person is walking in the light, what is the public evidence? (verse 9)
The evidence that we are walking in the light is our witness. We give witness to our transformed heart and life by our words, our obedience, and our love for others. Once we have been transformed from darkness to light, we are to shine in the dark places everywhere we go. There is just something about a woman who consistently walks with Jesus through prayer and Bible study. She lights up a room like no one else can! Oh sister, I encourage you to study the Word so you deeply know Jesus, that you might become an ever-brighter reflection in this scary, dark world. The way to be the light is to wake from apathy and drudgery and celebrate the Light!
“There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.” (John 1:6-9) It’s not Christmas yet, but let’s worship Him and share the good news:
Noel, Noel!
Come and see what God has done.
Noel, Noel!
The story of amazing love!
The light of the world, given for us.
Noel.
(Lyrics by Chris Tomlin & Matt Redman)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
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Catch up with The Lens Of Truth!

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 :-))

Memorize It!

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Calling Day 10 The Jesus Life

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 4:17-5:5
Colossians 3:12-17
Psalm 1:1-3

Calling, Day 10

What are some of your family traditions? Do you vacation at the same time in the same place every year? Do you have a unique way of celebrating birthdays? What marks your family as a unit, a team? What are your values?

Every family has certain characteristics setting it apart from other families. Each is unique in its own way, and the family of God is no different.

When we decide to follow Jesus, we make the decision to leave behind past ways of thinking, believing, and behaving. We become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17) We join a new family, and adopt a new set of values along with a new identity. We are called to leave our former way of selfish living and, instead, take on the character of our adoptive Father, with our thoughts and actions reflecting Christ’s.

But how?
How do we develop the mind of Christ? 

Our culture loves self-help books. Whether we need to better manage our time, money, business, or diet, we can find many resources to help us succeed. While we might run across a few tips, lasting change requires more. We all know the motivation bought by those helpful tricks will wane after a few weeks, because our hearts and minds remain untouched.

In contrast, Jesus calls us to a radically transformed life, beginning with our inner selves. (Ephesians 3:16) Lifelong change will only grow from a renewed mind and transformed spirit.

True change, working from the inside out, will, in turn,
display the power of Jesus to a watching world.

I love preschoolers! Their hunger for learning and amazement with the simplest of concepts inspires me to approach life with wonder. One experiment I’ve loved performing with them is to place a white flower into a vase of water tinted with food coloring. After a day or two, the children note the flower petals are no longer white, but have become the same color as the tinted water.

Simple experiments teach the most profound lessons in life. Just as the flowers take on the color of the water in which they are placed, so we must be careful what we allow into our minds. God has graciously given us His Words, contained in the Bible, to show us how He expects us to live and why those expectations are necessary.

For example, we are told to treat each other with compassion, to encourage each other, to forgive each other just as God has forgiven us. (Ephesians 4:32) We can fake all of those behaviors to a point. Occasionally, we can force the action, much like a child who has been told to apologize turns with contempt to the one he’s wronged and mumbles an insincere “sorry.” Empty words have been spoken, but no heart change or reconciliation has taken place.

This heart change is only possible as we saturate our minds and hearts with God’s Word and by spending time in His presence through prayer. Colossians 3:16 encourages us to “dwell richly” in the Word of Christ and live together in unity. The more time we spend with Him, the more we develop the mind of Christ, and our actions will reveal His character.

The world today needs hope. As followers of Jesus, we possess that hope and are directed to share it with the doubting world. (Romans 15:13)

What are we showing the world? 

Are we showing love in our treatment of those who don’t know Jesus, and each other as brothers and sisters?
Are we known for building each other up, or are we tearing each other down over disagreements?
Are we forgiving, letting past offenses stay behind, as Christ has done for us?
Do we strive to mend broken relationships, believing the best in each other, or do we gossip to create further division?

In full transparency, I am guilty. 

This passage has wrecked me the past few weeks as I have wrestled with some attitudes which do not honor God or represent His character well. I am thankful we serve a Father who is generous in forgiveness, and continues to welcome me back into His arms. He listens to my apology and, with full knowledge I will certainly mess up again, He still chooses to love me and partner with me on His mission.

Sisters, shall we embrace this Jesus life?
Like my preschoolers’ flower and the tree described in Psalm 1, let’s deeply root ourselves in our Father through prayer, study of His Word, the exhortation and encouragement of fellow believers, and authentic repentance and reconciliation. As we are transformed from within, we will bear fruit in season, inviting the lost around us to join us on this journey, the Jesus life.

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
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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!

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Calling Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
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The GT Weekend ~Ten Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Ten Day 10 A Love That Honors

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 20:1-17
1 John 4:7-21
Psalm 136
2 Peter 1:1-11
Matthew 5:13-20

Ten, Day 10

The email started with a simple question,
“Did you attend Marquette University in the early to mid 80s?”

The name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place it. Then I realized it was an old flame from college. I wasn’t sure what he wanted, but thought he might be working through a twelve-step program, so I confirmed my identity.
The next email started with compliments and ended with the real question.
“I know you’re married, and so am I, but is it possible for us to talk?”

I’m not going to lie. I was tempted for a moment. But in the end, I responded, “No, it would be disrespectful to both our spouses.” And that was that.
Events easily could have taken a different path.
Because I value my relationship with God, there was no alternate ending.

Exodus 20:14 is a command straight from God,
“Do not commit adultery.”

It’s from a set of ten God gave to the Israelites through Moses. But they weren’t just rules to act like bumpers on a bowling lane. They weren’t meant to be an “am I holy?” checklist.

Because, you see, we cannot keep the commandments.
We’re not righteous enough to live a perfect life.

Romans 3:23 tells us “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” And in the Old Testament, Psalm 14:3 tells us there is not even one person who does good.

So why did God give us commandments we are doomed to break, you might ask?

Quite simply, because He loves us.
1 John 4:10 explains, “Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

He wasn’t acting on a mean-spirited desire to set us up for failure. Since Adam and Eve’s first sin, He had been separated from His precious children, and He was heartbroken.

So He planned to sacrifice His very self to give us a way back into relationship with Him . . . but this way back is dependent upon our recognition of our sin, repentance, and embrace of Jesus as our Savior.

By giving us ten commandments simultaneously reflecting His holy character and highlighting our sin,
He was helping us understand our need for a Savior.

Next, let’s explore what God reveals about His character by identifying adultery as a sin.

First, He is faithful.
Avoiding adultery means to remain faithful.
And what is God, if not faithful?

Psalm 136 repeats “His faithful love endures forever” twenty-six times as it recounts God’s wondrous creation and His consistent protection of, and provision for, His people, despite their repeated disobedience, failures, and abandonment of their Creator and Rescuer.

In fact, Judges and 1 and 2 Kings tell a dismal story of the countless times the Israelites disobeyed God or chased other gods. Yet God always saved them, because of His faithfulness and in spite of their unfaithfulness.

Scripture tells us that no matter what we do, no matter what happens, God loves us.
Why?
Because “God is love.” (1 John 4:8)

Marriage is a covenant promise. By asking us to keep our promise to another human being, God was demonstrating that He is a promise-keeper. (See for yourself! Check out Joshua 21:45, Number 23:19, and Ezekiel 12:28)

God wants the world to know He is a faithful, loving, promise-keeping God; therefore, He instructs us to reflect His character in our relationships by abhorring adultery.

It’s important for believers to adhere to this command,
because if we won’t honor the relationship with our spouse, whom we can see and touch,
how well will we honor our relationships with God, Whom we cannot see or touch?

When we do follow His command, our marriages become a reflection of Who God is and how He wants to love the world. We become a shining light in a world dark with sexual sin and broken promises. Matthew 5:16 says when our light shines, the world sees and gives glory to God. What an honor!

Are you familiar with the story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife in Genesis 39? She was doing all she could to commit adultery. But Joseph would not oblige her.

In recounting all Potiphar had given him, Joseph asked, “So how could I do this immense evil, and how could I sin against God?”. (Genesis 39:9) Joseph understood that to commit sexual sin was to hurt the heart of God.

And he was right. When we honor God, and express our love for Him by following His commands, our actions speak louder than any words we could say.

So, let’s change our perspective on the commandments as a whole, and the command regarding adultery in particular. Let’s shift our focus from ourselves to leading lives that honor God, in order to share His character, His love, and His sacrifice with the world.

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Ten Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

Blessed Day 4 Blessed Are Those Who Mourn: 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 Blessed Are Those Who Mourn!

The Questions

1) What events caused King David to mourn so deeply before the Lord?

2) Matthew 5:4 says, “Blessed are those who mourn…” What blessing was David praying for?

3) How did God comfort David?

Psalm 51:6-13

Surely you desire integrity in the inner self,
and you teach me wisdom deep within.
7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Turn your face away from my sins
and blot out all my guilt.

10 God, create a clean heart for me
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore the joy of your salvation to me,
and sustain me by giving me a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach the rebellious your ways,
and sinners will return to you.

Original Intent

1) What events caused King David to mourn so deeply before the Lord?
The prophet Nathan came to David one day telling him a story of two men: One poor, the other rich. The rich man had many sheep, but the poor man had only one lamb. The lamb was dear to the family and loved like a pet. One day, the rich man had a visitor and he needed to serve him dinner. But rather than slaughtering one of his own sheep, he took the poor man’s sheep and served it to his guest. When King David heard this story, he was furious. Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!’” (2 Samuel 12:7-9) The whole sordid story can be found in 2 Samuel 11-12. When Nathan confronted David with his sin, David was immediately mournful and confessed his sin before God. David wasn’t repentant because he had been caught in his sin, but he realized he had sinned against God. His fellowship with God had been severed; this is what caused his great mourning.

2) Matthew 5:4 says, “Blessed are those who mourn…” What blessing was David praying for?
David’s sin was crushing his soul during this time. He must have been relieved to be found out and his sin exposed because this is when healing of our hearts can begin. In the many months between the time when David committed these sins and his confession, he had not escaped the sense of sin, it was always before him. (verse 3) He could not escape his sinfulness. He was miserable in his sin, as a child of God should be. (Guzik) When Nathan confronted him, he became very aware of the heaviness of heart that had been there all along. He knew his body ached to have that fellowship once again with the Father. In Psalm 32:3-4, David writes, “When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was drained as in the summer’s heat.” David desired to be cleansed from his sin and his sin blotted out. He wanted to be able to rejoice in the Lord once again. (Psalm 51:7-9). Again, we see in Psalm 32, he wrote of how good it is to be forgiven. “How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven; whose sin is covered! How joyful is a person whom the Lord does not charge with iniquity and in whose spirit is no deceit!”

3) How did God comfort David?
God comforted David foremost by returning His Spirit to David. His spirit was made right with God giving him the fellowship he desired once again. Though his son would die, God did not take Bathsheba away from him; indeed, their second son, Solomon, became the next king of Israel and God allowed Solomon the privilege of building the temple. God kept his promise to keep David’s family in the throne of Israel. David had a third son with Bathsheba, Nathan, who is the son in which the line of David (through Mary) would bring Jesus into the World. (Luke 3:23-38) What a comfort to have a new spirit, David was once again willing to serve God as He prescribed. David was again able to teach others about the joy of salvation and to sing of His righteousness and declare God’s praise. And ultimately, draw others to God.

Everyday Application

1) What events caused King David to mourn so deeply before the Lord?
The prophet Nathan came to David and confronted him about his sin. And David mourned. While we may have leaders or friends we are accountable to, more deeply, we have the Holy Spirit living within every believer, guiding our actions and convicting us of sin. If we are in tune with the Spirit, we mourn when we realize we have allowed sin to creep into our lives. The Apostle Paul mourned at his inability to please God. He wrote how we all know what is right, but we don’t do it. (Romans 7:14-25) Just as David cried out in Psalm 51, so did Paul cry out his mournful repentance. We also struggle with our carnal nature in keeping God’s law. C.S. Lewis said, “No man knows how bad he is until he has tried to be good.” (Enduring Word, Romans 7) But Praise God! “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.” (2 Peter 1:3) After we are saved, the Holy Spirit dwells in us, guides us, and convicts us of sin. We could not follow Jesus without His power. However, we cannot experience His power without totally yielding to Him. From the moment of spiritual birth, the Holy Spirit indwells, or resides in, every Christian. But to be controlled by the Holy Spirit, we must, as an act of our wills, completely surrender our lives in obedience to Christ. (Vonette Bright, CRU, Campus Crusade for Christ)

2) Matthew 5:4 says, “Blessed are those who mourn…” What blessing was David praying for?
The Apostle Paul shares with us in Romans 5:1-5 some of the blessings of our salvation.
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God… But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:20-21 There is no greater blessing than the joy found in forgiveness. Bill Gaither wrote, “Oh the joy that floods my soul!” A new song bubbles up with joy in our heart when we are forgiven and cleansed forever. And the Victory! He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood! (Bartlett). What a treasure we have in this wonderful peace… For I’m kept from all danger by night and by day, And His glory is flooding my soul!” (Cornel) What a blessing to be found in Christ. Have you found the joy of salvation? Have you mourned over your sin and repented to God?

3) God comforted David. How does God comfort us?
The Holy Spirit is our Comforter. When we sin against God and hurt others, it is as if we can’t breathe. I remember times when I have hurt others, I was afraid to go to them and confess. I feared their rejection and possible retaliation. But once I confessed and received that forgiveness, I could breathe again. My fear disappeared; my heart was comforted in the restoration of fellowship and a wonderful peace overtook my spirit. While believers never need to fear that the Holy Spirit will be removed from us, He is our permanent seal, our fellowship with God through the Spirit can be estranged and broken by our sin.
Yesterday, in her Journey Study, Lori said, “on the other side of mourning are abundant blessings.” Revelation 21:4 reminds us, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more.”  Our vision is clouded by the sin we allow to persist by not fully addressing it or trying to excuse it. But if we are faithful to humble ourselves (I mean true, honest to goodness, on-our-knees-humbling ourselves) before God, then He is faithful to wipe away our tears and forgive our sin (1 John 1:9).  What a comfort to be completely forgiven and filled with His Spirit. And what an even greater comfort on the day when He wipes away every tear from our eyes forever!

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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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Here Day 15 Anna

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Proverbs 13:12
Luke 2:25-37
Isaiah 11:1-16

Here, Day 15

The day arrived just like so many others,
and I’m an old woman, so that’s been more than a few.

The sun rose, and with it, I answered the call to worship, another pattern I’ve learned over time that has made my life so full. My feet carried me towards the Temple, a journey they were quite used to traversing. My heart echoed the words of King David,
“I have asked one thing of the Lord; it is what I desire;
to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in His temple.
For He will conceal me in His shelter in the day of adversity;
He will hide me under the cover of His tent;
He will set me high on a rock.”
(Psalm 27:4-5)

I hadn’t planned on living out the words of King David to their literal extent, but my life had taken unexpected turns I never saw coming, and worshipping at His temple was His grace to me. The Temple rose before me and it hummed with life. Men, women, and children ascended the steps. The sound of conversations and bleating sheep filled the air. The beauty of the Temple caused me to pause and tears swarmed my eyes.

How had I, Anna, been so privileged to live out King David’s words?
To dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life?

I brushed away the few tears that escaped. My wrinkles welcomed them and sheltered their salty moisture. I heard my name and turned to see a fellow friend wave at me as she approached the entrance. While her husband had only recently died, a deep friendship with her had quickly formed. My husband had passed away after only seven years of marriage. He had been a loving man, and I missed him dearly. Even while married, I could not imagine what my life would have been like without the ability to spend my days at the Temple serving the Lord.

I waved energetically in return. As I began moving in her direction, I saw Simeon out of the corner of my eye. He stood in the courtyard with a small family: father, mother, and young son. Simeon spent much time in the Temple as well and hadn’t kept quiet regarding the promise he carried, such a bold promise. Simeon believed God had told him he would not see death before seeing the Messiah. After 400 years of silence from Yahweh and His prophets, bold seemed an understatement, yet, I somehow sensed the promise was true and secretly hoped the Messiah might arrive in my lifetime.

However, each passing day increased the odds of that reality not coming to pass. It had been 84 years since I last saw my husband, and while the Lord’s timing is always perfect, I had come to terms with the fact that He remained faithful even if I never saw the Messiah walk the earth. My greatest joy would be living out the honor of gazing on the beauty of the Lord each day.

I paused my movement towards my widow friend and fully turned to look at Simeon and the family. Something about Simeon’s countenance drew me.
This interaction was different.
This family fully engaged his attention.

I drew closer, and with each step, I increased my pace.
Simeon’s face radiated joy and the need to know what he was saying created an unexpected, other-worldly urgency. My heart began to pound as my feet raced forward.

I came within hearing distance just as Simeon picked up the child and said,
“Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace, as you promised.
For my eyes have seen your salvation.
You have prepared it in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to your people Israel.”

I glanced from Simeon and the young child to the parents and back again.
Had I just heard Simeon’s words correctly?
Had he truly just declared the fulfillment of the Lord’s promise to him?

As I stood there working to comprehend all that was unfolding before me, Simeon turned to the mother and continued, “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed – and a sword will pierce your own soul – that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Awareness washed over me as the Spirit Himself flooded my being, and I recognized the holiness of the moment. There, in front of me, held in the arms of Simeon, rested my Messiah, MY Messiah. The Christ had come, not as I expected, but He had come.

Tears streamed from my eyes, but I gave no effort to wipe them away. Let those around me see them for they represented joy and promises fulfilled.

After standing there for several moments, I finally found my tongue. Turning to the person nearest me, I found myself telling them of the reality standing before us.
“Christ has come!”

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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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Sketched VI Day 3 Pat

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Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Corinthians 1:3-7
Romans 8:26-32
Romans 8:1-8

Sketched VI, Day 3

“Why don’t they love me?”
I questioned myself when I was growing up.
Something was wrong that I couldn’t grasp.

As the oldest of five, I was like a mother to my younger siblings as we struggled to grow up in a home with abusive parents. It was a home without love. I felt like a real-life Cinderella.  Only much, much later did I come to realize I am a deeply-loved child of God!

When I was nine, my grandfather took me to a little Baptist church.  There, I found families who showed such love to each other!  I wanted to be just like my Sunday school teachers, a missionary couple, who told me how God loved me and about His Son, Jesus.  I accepted Jesus into my heart.  However, when my grandfather passed away, I was never taken there again.

At fourteen, when I learned my father was really my stepfather, I felt rejected and betrayed. I longed to simply be loved and accepted, as I had been at church.

When I was 15-years-old, I was raped and became pregnant. My mother learned what happened, and she made arrangements for me to go to a home for unwed mothers. I had a baby boy on January 8, 1961. I cared for him for two weeks before I left the maternity facility and moved back home.

I gave him up for adoption because I wanted him to have a loving home. My home was anything but loving. Feeling “used” and “unworthy”, I was sure my life was ruined, and I’d never find someone who would love and cherish me.

In late 1961, I “fell in love.” When I had intimate relations and became pregnant again, my boyfriend abandoned me. The idea of giving another baby up for adoption, as well as feeling unwanted and unloved, pushed me to the edge.

I wanted to die. I gathered, and took, all the pills in our medicine cabinet.

I hadn’t thought about the baby dying.  I just knew I didn’t want to live any longer.  As I sat there, crying and waiting to die, I felt a hand on my shoulder and heard a comforting voice, “You know you’ve done wrong.  No one has the right to take your life but me.”
I knew it was God or His Holy Spirit.

Two lives were saved when I then told my mother what I had done.  She helped me seek medical treatment, and months later, I had another son, born October 19, 1962. After I signed the adoption papers, I wished I would get run over by a truck. Once again, I struggled with feelings of shame, guilt, being unloved and unworthy.

I married when I was 19 and thought my life would be perfect. I started attending and serving at an Episcopal Church in Kansas City. Though my husband didn’t attend with me, I wanted and needed to worship, learn, and fellowship with others. Eventually, my husband gave his life to the Lord and was also baptized, an amazing answer to prayer.

Learning God’s Word, and leaning on its truth, has helped me through many more trials throughout my life, including a miscarriage, battle with cancer, and a devastating divorce. For three years after the divorce, I faced more hardship than I could have imagined. I felt like I was in a battle to remain close to the Lord while Satan tried pulling me away.

But these struggles were different from those I’d faced in my earlier life, because I knew God, who loved me, accepted me, and forgave me, was with me.
His Word became my lifespring.

I found comfort and hope in the promise of Romans 8:28,
“And we know that in all things,
God works for the good of those who love Him,
who have been called according to His purpose.”
I have learned through the years that God has called me.
I experience joy in serving in many areas I have felt His calling, including preschool instruction, Stephen Ministry, missions, and Hospital Ministry.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 exhorts us, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”  This verse especially helps me to have compassion and empathy for others in each area of ministry in which I’ve served because I have experienced God’s comfort for myself.

Another valuable lesson I’ve learned is the importance of forgiveness.
Jesus died on the cross to forgive us.
How could I not forgive?!
My parents asked for forgiveness and I could honestly forgive them and others, even including my ex-husband.

Romans 8:1 says “Therefore, there is now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
I want to encourage those who are depressed and feel shame or unworthiness to reach out. I, too, suffered shame for what happened in my teen years; I have walked in your darkness.

Take courage, dear sisters!
We serve a God who sees our past, yet loves us boundlessly.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,
plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11-12

I thank God for His unending love!

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched VI Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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

Relentless Day 15 Everyday Idols

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 20:1-17
Deuteronomy 4:15-24
Judges 17:5-12
Hosea 2:14-23
Matthew 22:34-40

Relentless, Day 15

“Do not have other gods besides me.
Do not make an idol for yourself,
whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above
or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth.”
(Exodus 20:3-4)

Consider this your “real talk” alert, Loves.
We’re diving deep, and quick.

Scripture shows us the Lord created mankind for the express purpose of relationship with Him. We were designed to have fellowship with our Maker and to worship Him only. When Adam and Eve sinned by placing their desire for knowledge over their trust in God (as He knew they would), the Lord was forced to banish them from the garden of Eden. He is incapable of contradicting Himself, and when sin separated Adam and Eve from Him, the next phase of His plan was set into motion.

When God raised up Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt, the Lord used him to deliver His Law in the form of the ten commandments. These laws were important, but not for the reason you might think. Here’s where many of us (both historically and currently) miss the mark, right along with the Israelites: The ten commandments were the original outline of the Lord’s laws, but the intent behind them was to illustrate that no mere man or woman could ever uphold them. These commandments were not designed to give God’s people a list of rules to follow so they could make themselves holy before Him. They were created to show the Israelites they could not possibly save themselves…
and to highlight their overwhelming, inescapable need for a Savior.  

However, when they embraced the ten commandments God dictated to Moses, God’s chosen people missed the mark. Rather than recognizing they would never be able to fulfill the Law, they became so focused on the doing, they failed to focus on the Doer. Instead, they placed their trust in themselves, elevating their own self-righteousness over the Righteous One. In doing so, they effectively broke God’s Law by elevating the Law above the Lord, and by placing their ability to uphold His commands above relationship with Him…
which created an idol in their hearts.

The account of Micah and the Levite in the book of Judges shows the danger of what can happen when we allow other things to take God’s rightful place in our lives.
Both of them fell short by doing what felt right to them.

Micah adopted a custom of idol worship; it is clear his heart did not belong to the Lord. The Levite was passing through when Micah stopped him, and regardless of what he knew to be right, he accepted Micah’s offer for money, shelter and food in exchange for effectively endorsing and joining Micah in sin by being his household “priest.” Each man exhibited idolatrous behavior. Micah’s was evidenced by his worship of graven images, while the Levite’s was exhibited by placing provisions and shelter above obeying the Lord.

Sometimes it’s hard to relate to Scriptural accounts like the one we just worked through. You may not find yourself around many graven images or physical idols.

I know I don’t.

But friend, if we are stuck on the physical representation of an idol,
we are missing the message here.
If we’re being honest with ourselves, every one of us can think of a time when we have placed something, someone, or some desire above our personal relationship with the Lord.

We talk about our struggle to squeeze in quiet time with the Lord.
We are so busy we can’t carve out time to read and study His Word, pray, or worship Him.

But we seem to have no problem finding time to do other things that matter to us.

Can we be real here?
Can we ask ourselves a few questions, and can we answer honestly?

What matters to me so much that I make sure it happens or takes precedence over everything else, no matter what?
What am I placing above the Lord?
What am I failing to yield to Him?

Whatever that thing is, whether it is:
our spouse,
our children,
our relationship status,
our financial security,
our career,
our self,
our image,
our future,
our comfort,
our entertainment,
or any other thing,
if we elevate it above our relationship with God by giving it more time, attention, thought, pursuit, or desire than we give to the Lord,
we
have
made
it
our
idol.

Woo. My heart. Conviction.
But the truth is the conviction that stirs us in this moment means nothing if we do not respond in obedience to what the Lord is revealing.
We must also obey Him.
We must turn toward God, and away from our everyday idols. 

When we do this, and ask for His holy help,
we can rest assured that He Who is faithful will forgive us! (1 John 1:9)

Lord, I come to You today, convicted of my sin.
I repent of making ________________ an idol in my life.
Jesus, You are my only King forever.

Take Your rightful place as the ruler of my soul, spirit and body, and help me to walk in step with Your commands. Forgive me for worshiping anything but You with my time, attention, heart, money, body, or any part of my life.
You are the only One worthy of my worship.
Thank You for the new work You are doing in me starting now!
I yield every part of my life to You today.
In Jesus’ Name, amen.


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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!

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Relentless Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Here’s a link to all past studies in Relentless!

Worship V Day 4 How Deep The Father’s 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 How Deep The Father’s Love!

The Questions

1) Who are the persons referred to as “Every family in heaven and on earth” in verse 15?

2) In this intercessory prayer, what purposes is Paul praying for the Ephesian believers?

3) How are these lofty purposes realized?

Ephesians 3:14-21

For this reason I kneel before the Father 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. 16 I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, 19 and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Original Intent

1) Who are the persons referred to as “Every family in heaven and on earth” in verse 15?   
The concept of family is extremely important in the Bible, both physically and theologically. Jesus makes it very clear that in the kingdom of Heaven, the most important family connection is spiritual, not physical. In Matthew 12:46-50, He uses “family language” to describe the connection God intended for Believers to share with each other and the Lord. “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother…”
Of course, we understand “family” as a group of persons sharing a common father. Jesus directed His prayers to God the Father and He taught us to do the same. It is to “our Father God” Paul directs his prayers on behalf of those who are members of the family in Christ. Those who have received the “Spirit of His Son“ evidenced by calling Him “Abba! Father!”. (Galatians 4:6)
The family referenced in verse 15, therefore, are all those who are a new creation in Christ. This family is The Global Church consisting of all who call upon the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. This family is drawn from “every nation, tribe, people, and language”. (Revelation 7:9) A defining characteristic of this spiritual family is love one for another which John writes, “A new command I give you, love one another, as I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know you are my disciples if you love one another.”

2) In this intercessory prayer, what purposes is Paul praying for the Ephesian believers?
Paul prays for the church to know, in a deeply intimate and experiential way, the vast love of Christ which surpasses all knowledge. He prays this on their behalf in order for them to be fulfilled and overflowing with all the fullness of God. This deep knowing of Christ’s love is at the pinnacle of Paul’s prayer. Before this peak, Paul first prays for the Ephesians to be strengthened in their deep “heart” places within through the Holy Spirit. This strengthening leads to an ever-increasing faith for everyday living, which produces this pinnacle lens through which we are able to grasp in continuously greater degrees the vast richness of Christ’s love. (Ephesians 3:18)
Paul couches this precious exposition in the context of harmonious unity. This experience of Christ’s love explodes when the Global Church (all believers) live and grow together, going steadily deeper into understanding who Christ is through the Holy Spirit’s revealing power.

3) How are these lofty purposes realized?
In verses 14-19, Paul points to the source of a believer’s growth being the strength-imparting Spirit of Christ who dwells within every Christ-follow as teacher (John 14:26), comforter, and counselor (John 14:16). The Holy Spirit enables believers to flourish in an ever increasing, never complete, realization of the love of God the Father. The pathway of growth is discovered through prayer, faith, and submission to God’s revelation found in Scripture. The more we are willing to go deeper in trusting the Spirit of God living and active within us, the more we will discover, with awe and wonder, the glorious riches of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord! None of Paul’s prayed for purposes are possible apart from the work of God the Spirit; we cannot do it on our own strength or determination. He works in the believer’s heart and, in the process of our growth, obedience, and humble submission, He brings glory in the Church and to all generations for the sake of His Name! (verses 20-21)

Everyday Application

1) Who are the persons referred to as “Every family in heaven and on earth” in verse 15?   
The physical family is the most important building block in human society and should be nurtured and protected. When we are born again in Jesus, we are birthed into a spiritual family and are adopted as God’s children and He is our Father. (Romans 8:15)
The spiritual family is not bound or described by ethnicity, gender, or social standing. As Paul says, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed , and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:26-29)

2) In this intercessory prayer, what purposes is Paul praying for the Ephesian believers?
New Testament scholar and author of several commentaries, William Hendriksen, writes, “God is glorious in all His attributes, His power, His infinite Love, His mercy, His grace, His wisdom (…) Paul prays that all of God’s attributes be richly applied to those who are followers of Jesus Christ”. Hendriksen emphasizes how God’s character is embedded, nurtured, and grown to flourish within the heart of every believer through the work of the Holy Spirit when a person chooses to accept Christ as Lord of their life.
Just as Paul prayed for the Ephesians, so should we pray for one another within this family called Church as brothers and sisters, all children of our Father God. To know Christ deeply and experience His love, we begin with simple faith. Faith to receive Christ, faith to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit as He leads us deeper, and faith to continue leaning into the character of this God who calls us Beloved.
Let the Spirit of Christ transform in glorious ways!
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good, acceptable, and perfect.” (Romans 12:2) Be made new! “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature, the old has passed away; behold the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

3) How are these lofty purposes realized?
EASY! Well, probably not easy, but the process is simple and uncomplicated; the choice rests on us whether we will follow or not.
We begin with the knowledge that God’s Word, the Bible, is what we hang on to daily for wisdom and guidance and is the means by which the Holy Spirit transforms us and makes us new. The psalmist writes, “Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105) This Word of God is for real, everyday life!
In verse 14, Paul notes, “I bend my knees to the Father”.  It is in honor to be welcomed into the presence of the Almighty God! Submission and worship to God the Father is the heart attitude allowing us to draw close to Him through faith. The more we give ourselves over to studying His Word and listening to the Spirit, the deeper faith will root our lives. As we lean into the Father, He grows our understanding of just how deep, high, wide, and long is His love for us as His children. His love is limitless!
Don’t let another day pass before becoming more intentional in your faith walk with God. Whether you have never asked Jesus to be your Lord, or if you’ve been trusting Him more every day for the last 80 years, keep on growing! There is more the Lord wants you to discover about His love! Read His Word. Pray continuously, all day in all situations. Worship God as Father, Son, and Spirit, praising Him for His plan to grow us, root us, and delight to show us His love! “Therefore, be imitators of God as beloved children; walk in love just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” (Ephesians 5:1-2)

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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!

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 :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.