Fruitfulness

Pause V Day 12 Instruction

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Pause V, Day 12

When my kids were younger, my husband and I would leave instructions for them when we went out. We gave the dos and don’ts, the exceptions, and the consequences if rules weren’t followed.

As Jesus was preparing to finish His earthly ministry by dying on the cross to sacrifice Himself for us, He gave instructions for His disciples, as well as consequences if those instructions were ignored. They really didn’t realize what was about to happen. We have the benefit of knowing, so His words should hold more gravity for us on this side of His resurrection.

Jesus instructed us to remain in Him so we could produce much fruit and we will be rewarded. But if not, we’ll be cast aside. (John 15:5-7)

We’re told to love one another like Jesus loves us. (John 15:12-13)

Prepare for persecution as you follow Jesus, remembering the world hated Jesus too, and more importantly, first. (John 15:18-19)

These are not easy things, but we don’t need to worry about how we’ll persevere through them. Jesus reminds us we will always have the Holy Spirit to help us, and He reminds us of a sweet, anchoring truth in our closing verse for today’s reading in John 16:33.

“I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

Have courage, dear Sisters. When we are loved by the Merciful Father, rescued through the sacrifice of Jesus, and preserved by the Holy Spirit, we can survive hard things. More so, our inner spirits can thrive! We can stand boldly in the face of fear-inducing situations because He who has gone before us has paved the way for us, already attaining our final victory!

Today's Invitation

1) Pull out your Bible and read John 15 and 16 fully through 2 times. Then focus in on reading John 15 verses 9-17 several times through. Go slow. Emphasize different words each time you read it. Savor the message, and pray as you read. Write out verses 9-17 in your journal.

2) Each time you re-read verses 9-17, write down everything that pops out at you, makes you curious, or wonder “why?”. When you’re finished, go back through and you’ll be amazed at the new things the Spirit is leading you into knowing about Him!

3) Pay special attention to each instruction Jesus gives. Note how each is connected to an aspect of your relationship with Him. Pray over how these can be more connected in your life.

4) Memorize John 17:23

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John 15

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.

9 “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love.
10 If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

11 “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.

12 “This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.

17 “This is what I command you: Love one another.

18 “If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own.
However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it,
the world hates you. 20 Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

21 But they will do all these things to you on account of my name,
because they don’t know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 The one who hates me also hates my Father. 24 If I had not done the works among them that no one else has done, they would not be guilty of sin. Now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But this happened so that the statement written in their law might be fulfilled: They hated me for no reason.

26 “When the Counselor comes, the one I will send to you from the Father —the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 You also will testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.

John 16

“I have told you these things to keep you from stumbling. 2 They will ban you from the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 They will do these things because they haven’t known the Father or me. 4 But I have told you these things so that when their time comes you will remember I told them to you. I didn’t tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going away to him who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Yet, because I have spoken these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment: 9 About sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; 11 and about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

12 “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 15 Everything the Father has is mine. This is why I told you that he takes from what is mine and will declare it to you.

16 “In a little while, you will no longer see me; again in a little while, you will see me.”

17 Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this he’s telling us: ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again in a little while, you will see me,’ and, ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They said, “What is this he is saying, ‘In a little while’? We don’t know what he’s talking about.”

19 Jesus knew they wanted to ask him, and so he said to them,
“Are you asking one another about what I said, ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again in a little while, you will see me’? 20 Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. 21 When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world.

22 So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.

23 “In that day you will not ask me anything. Truly I tell you, anything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. 24 Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

25 “I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. A time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 On that day you will ask in my name, and I am not telling you that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

29 His disciples said, “Look, now you’re speaking plainly and not using any figurative language. 30 Now we know that you know everything and don’t need anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.”

31 Jesus responded to them, “Do you now believe?
32 Indeed, an hour is coming, and has come, when each of you will be scattered to his own home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace.
You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

 

How Does “Pause” Work?
1. Each day, Monday through Friday, for 3 weeks, we will provide you with an invitation to get away with the Savior. Each one is designed for you to engage with the Almighty in a deeper way and perhaps in a new way than you have been recently.

2. Having a journal is a must! You’ll want to take notes as you walk this special Journey of Pause.

3. Each week focuses on one or two passage of Scripture and we walk with you as you study and flesh these out for yourself. As you write your thoughts, read His Word, and pray, questions might come up. That’s Perfect! Ask a trusted fellow believer, a pastor, or send us an email as you work through them!

4. Jumping in at the middle? No problem! Here is the entire Journey Theme.

5. Connect with others on Facebook by visiting our GT Community Group!

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

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

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

Alive Day 13 Dearly Loved

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 1
Genesis 22:1-19
Psalm 44:17-22
1 Corinthians 4:1-5
Romans 8:31-36

Alive, Day 13

“What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
Because of you
we are being put to death all day long;
we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Romans 8:31-36)

When I became a believer, I selected a life verse (a passage of Scripture I especially wanted my life to embody) reflecting my limited understanding of the Gospel as I felt I had to “live up” to a standard of “gospel” in order to keep God’s favor:

“Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (Philippians 1:27a)

As I grew in my understanding and the Lord unpacked the legalism I carried, He gave me Romans 8 as my new life passage. This shift has been monumental in my understanding of who God is, how I interact with Him, and how He cares for me. I pray that as we walk through this chapter today, you will allow Him to lead you deeper in relationship with Him! 

Verse 31: Is any enemy greater than our ally, our God?

The Creator of the entire world has called us unto Himself. He is Elohim, the only One who has ever created something from nothing. He has given us an eternal inheritance as His children and conformed us to the image of His Son. Nothing in the earth, physical or spiritual, is more powerful than our Great God. No one can remove what He has so graciously given.

Verse 32: Having given us THE greatest gift, Jesus, would God then withhold anything we need for a transformed life?

In Genesis, Abraham was willing to give up his precious son, Isaac, with unshakable faith in and love for God; how much more astounding is God’s sacrifice of His own perfect Son, Jesus, because of His love for us? Out of that same love, He promises to equip us, carry us, and sustain us until we reach our eternal home.

This doesn’t mean, “If I pray to win the lottery, God must give it to me.” Our Heavenly Father has so much more than money or other temporal items to give us, if we embrace His gift of a Spirit-led life!

Verses 33-34: Who is qualified to justify, judge, save, and intercede before God for us?

A joy of mine is using Scripture to interpret Scripture, for the Lord’s letters to us are consistent and true! In 1 Corinthians 4:1-5, I found a similar theme: only the One who sets the standard for righteousness can justify, judge, and save.

God gave the law to demonstrate our need for a Savior.
Jesus, fully God and fully Man, came to fulfill the law.
Therefore, we can have right relationship
with God
through Jesus.

Jesus is sitting next to the Father, speaking to Him on behalf of you and me (also known as interceding). Because Jesus bore the wrath of God in His death and then showed ultimate victory over Satan’s limited power in His resurrection, we can have new life! Only the One who designed this plan of redemption can justify or condemn. 

Verse 35: Can anything separate us from God’s love?

Isn’t it kind of the Lord to set these verses in this order?
He affirms our adoption.
He offers us everything we need for a God-filled, Spirit-led life.
He justifies us.
And now in verse 35, He reminds us nothing can steal any of those gifts.
Sometimes, when we walk through a serious trial, we wonder if God has left us alone.
Take heart, my sisters, He hasn’t left. Nothing can separate us from His perfect love. 

Verse 36: Does ridicule or persecution or suffering mean God has abandoned me?

At first glance, this might seem like a strange reference! However, King David was writing of Israel’s hardships. He was lamenting that Israel had walked away from God and was experiencing His judgement. The enemies of Israel were mocking and taunting them; they were “being put to death all day long.” And yet, throughout all their hardships, the Lord God cared for His people by continuing to redeem them.

We can take heart in our current sufferings, for the Lord God will not abandon us, but will redeem us! Our sufferings do not change the realities and truths of God’s love for us. We can rest in His promises and walk forward confidently in His love! 

Lord, as we study this passage verse by verse, show us Your heart. We want to build on these foundational truths so when we fall, we land on Your truth. Would You make clear Your desire for relationship, and show us Your great love? Let us respond to You with humility and a longing to know You. You are our good God and we praise Your holy name! 

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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!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Alive Week Three! 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 Alive!

The GT Weekend! ~ Fruitful Week 3

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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) Faithfulness is something I struggle with. With every good intention, I commit to do something, but when it comes time to follow through, I find it challenging to keep my word. God, on the other hand, is perfectly faithful, regardless of how often I’m unfaithful. The whole story of human history is full of people falling short of God’s standards, yet God keeps His promises to them nonetheless. God is the perfect picture of faithfulness, and, as God’s children, those who believe in Him are being shaped into His likeness by the power of the Holy Spirit. As we live by God’s Spirit, we are being changed, day by day, month by month, year by year. Joshua and Caleb looked back on a promise God had given them and were strengthened to remain faithful to Him because of God’s continued faithfulness. What are the promises God has made to you if you’ve trusted Him for salvation and turned from your sin? (Consider Exodus 34:6-7, Matthew 7:7-12, and Galatians 5:16) How do God’s promises help you grow in your faithfulness as you learn to trust His faithful heart? Write a prayer of response to God thanking Him for His constant faithfulness and asking for His help to be a faithful Christ-follower.

2) If you could imagine a perfect response from God if you were to talk to Him face to face, what would it be? Would He be transactional like a bank teller and hand over whatever goods you requested, calling out “next” to the person behind you? Would He reach for your hand and invite you to walk with Him while His eyes danced as He listened intently? Considering this scene is important; it reveals how you truly see the heart of God. Sit for a few minutes with eyes closed, in a quiet space if possible, and ask the Lord God to show you His perfect response to you as you come to Him. Slow down and concentrate on the images the Spirit gives you. Walk with Him, asking Him about them. What does He want you to know about God’s heart? Christ tells us in Scripture that His first, gut-reaction, go-to, immediate instinct response will always be gentleness. (Matthew 11:29) Here, we find shelter in the embrace of compassion. Here, we find the truly with us God. What does it mean for you to solidly know that God’s perfect response to you, in all times, is first and foremost gentleness?

3) As we wrap up our discussion about the fruit of the Spirit, I am struck by how all these attributes work together to radically change us into a new kind of person. How would your life look different if you practiced each of the fruits perfectly? I can only imagine how peaceful and glorious such a life would be. But, the works of the flesh are so deeply ingrained in each one of us; we will choose them every time if we do not first access the power of God dwelling within us as believers. We must rely on God’s help in every area. There is a saying, “you cannot pour from an empty cup.” On Friday, we were reminded of the Source Who fills our cup. When we are lacking in self-control, we are revealing we are not in tune with the Holy Spirit in our lives. Consider an area in your life where you would like to be more self-controlled. (It could be a spiritual discipline, your finances, how you use technology, how you treat the people around you, or something else entirely.) Pray specifically for the Spirit to pour His fruit of self-control into your life, then keep watch to see how He fills your cup. For a week (or month, or longer) make a note at the end of each day, expressing how He taught and empowered you to demonstrate self-control. Thank Him for His work in your life!

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 1 Thessalonians 5:23-25, 28 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will do it. Brothers and sisters, pray for us also. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Prayer Journal
God, our Father, I am awestruck by Your great faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. You always keep Your promises for the sake of Your great name. You have revealed Your nature through Jesus Christ our Lord, who walked on this Earth, gentle and lowly. You have demonstrated Your self-control over and over by withholding the judgment due humanity and taking the punishment for our disobedience on Yourself. Oh, that we would walk by Your Spirit. Oh, that we could be transformed by Your work in our lives. Lord, I no longer wish to carry out the works of my sinful flesh. I desire to walk by the Spirit that I may bear fruit in step with You. Empower me, Oh gracious God, to crucify my own desires and walk humbly with my neighbors. May we see the greatness of Your Kingdom here on Earth. Forgive me when I fall short, and bring me quickly back into relationship with You. I have asked all these things, knowing You delight to give good gifts to Your children. I believe You will do it! Praise be to God!

Worship Through Community

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Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Terrain Day 9 Bethlehem & Nazareth: 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 Bethlehem & Nazareth!

The Questions

1) Why were the people looking for Jesus? (verse 25)

2) What is the difference between “the works of God” in verse 28 and “the work of God” in verse 29?

3) What does the statement in verse 35, “I am the bread of life” tell us about Jesus?

John 6:22-35

22 The next day, the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea saw there had been only one boat. They also saw that Jesus had not boarded the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone off alone. 23 Some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal of approval on him.”28 “What can we do to perform the works of God?” they asked. 29 Jesus replied, “This is the work of God—that you believe in the one he has sent.”30 “What sign, then, are you going to do so that we may see and believe you?” they asked. “What are you going to perform? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”32 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, Moses didn’t give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”34 Then they said, “Sir, give us this bread always.”35 “I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again.

Original Intent

1) Why were the people looking for Jesus? (verse 25)
The events in this passage take place just after Jesus miraculously fed five thousand people with a young boy’s “five barley loaves and two fish”. (John 6:1-13) The people were determined to make Jesus king over them and had spent the night and part of the morning looking for him. They knew Jesus did not leave in the boat with his disciples and were confused about how he got to the other side. According to the Bridgewater Bible Commentary, “the people wanted him to be king not because they felt any spiritual need, but because they thought he had magical powers that could supply all their daily needs.” Jesus had done a great sign pointing to Himself as the long-awaited Messiah. But the “ people missed it. In John Piper’s sermon, “Do Not Labor For the Food That Perishes”, he states, “What they did was fixate on the product of the miracle, not the person of the miracle. And so the sign ceased to be a sign for them.” How tragic to be graced with the wonder of the Messiah you’ve read about all your life only to singularly focus on the wonders done by the Messiah. Would that they were more like the shepherds in the field who simply worshipped Jesus, the Messiah when he was born.

2)  What is the difference between “the works of God” in verse 28 and “the work of God” in verse 29?
When Jesus told the people to work for spiritual food instead of food that perishes (Verse 27), they were still focused on how they might get what they were looking for. Enduring Word Commentary explains their response as “Just tell us what to do so we can get what we want from You. We want Your miracle bread and for You to be our Miracle King; tell us what to do to get it.” The works of God to them was a checklist that, when completed, would result in the reward Jesus spoke of. “The work of God” Jesus refers to is not work at all. Eternal life was not something they could work for. Romans 6:23 boldly proclaims, “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” You can’t work for a gift. It’s freely given. The work of God was “simply believe in Him that God sent.” One verse that sums it up is John 3:16, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” The Jesus they were conversing with was offering Himself, the Son of God, the work of God. All they needed to do was believe in Him. Not His works, Him. Jesus was ready and willing. But again, they missed it because they misunderstood who He was.

3) What does the statement in verse 35, “I am the bread of life” tell us about Jesus?
I am. God reveals himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14 with the title, “I AM WHO I AM’. And Jesus starts this statement declaring He is God, I AM. He was the Word walking around in flesh, dwelling with the people (John 1:14) But Jesus also gets specific. In response to the Israelites reminiscing about the manna “Moses” gave to fulfill their hungry bellies, Jesus let them know God was concerned with providing for their spiritual hunger, by giving bread from heaven. “The true bread from heaven gives eternal spiritual nourishment. It is infinitely superior to the manna provided in Moses’ day, which met only physical needs.” (Global Study Bible) Jesus that bred from heaven, the Bread of Life.  This “I am” statement tells us that Jesus is loving and merciful. Only a loving God would provide salvation for such sinful, selfish, self-centered people. We also learn that Jesus is sufficient  to provide what the people needed, even though they didn’t realize what that was. Jesus, the Messiah, willing to be “poured out like water”, thirst, and be pierced for their sins so that they could have eternal life (Psalm 22:14-18) What a Savior!

Everyday Application

1) Why were the people looking for Jesus? (verse 25)
We often read the Bible and criticize the Israelites. But aren’t we often guilty of the same things we fault them for? I can raise my hand here because sometimes I seek the gift more than the Giver. I anticipate the treasure from God more than the treasure that is God. There is even false doctrine that is centered on this very concept. It has fooled many people into the same thinking the Israelites had. But unlike them, we should be like the Psalmist who praises God and thanks Him for who He is, thereby pleasing God. As believers, we should always check our motivations. David Guzak instructs, “Often we can learn more from understanding the reason we ask God a question than from the answer to the question itself.” Let us make a daily habit of determining if our desire is for the Lord or for what He can provide. May it be that our heart echoes King David’s in Psalm 27:4.

2) What is the difference between “the works of God” in verse 28 and “the work of God” in verse 29?
Works based salvation is the idea of our salvation being tied to works. If one were to believe this you would be embroiled daily in a list of “the works of God” you need to do so that you can “earn” eternal life. This is not how you gain salvation. There is one way to be saved, Ephesians 2:8-9 says it best. “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” We are saved by faith in Jesus’ redeeming work on the cross, “the work of God”. There is no set of tasks we can do, no amount of good deeds we can perform that will allow our names to be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. It is by faith alone, in Christ alone. The second part of this is that when we are saved, we begin a new life. This life, Ephesians 2:10 tells us, will include good works, not for salvation, but as the fruit of faith in Christ. Even after we are saved, we can get caught up in doing works because we think God will love us more. God loves us the most already. God loved us and Christ died for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8) There’s not much more love than that! One way we can keep ourselves grounded in “the work of God”, is to daily acknowledge God as the source of our salvation while also asking Him to lead us to the good works He has planned for us. God will never steer us wrong!

3) What does the statement in verse 35, “I am the bread of life” tell us about Jesus?
On this side of the cross, we know that Jesus is the Messiah. We have the Gospel accounts and the story of Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. But there are still things to learn from verse 35. Christ is our satisfaction. There are so many opportunities for “pleasure” as the world defines it. We can indulge in as much or as little as we want. Not all of it is bad, but one thing is universally true. Nothing we engage in will keep our appetites quenched. Chuck Smith puts it this way: “…though a person pursues after the pleasures, the excitements, the thrills of the world, one thing about them is that they’re just not lasting. It isn’t long before you’re thirsting again. But Jesus said, “I’m the bread of heaven. God has sent Me. And if you eat of Me you’ll never hunger again, and if you believe in Me you’ll never thirst again.” What glorious good news!” Glorious indeed! We also learn Jesus is our refreshment. In the blazing summer heat, a cool drink of what is so refreshing. It makes us feel revived. Well Jesus is our perpetual source of refreshment. No matter what situation, when we feel the heat, He is available to refresh and restore us (Revelation 21:6-7) He is the One who will never forget or forsake us. Be prepared for those times when it feels like life has turned up the heat and you’re fading fast. Have your list of scripture verses ready to draw upon. Think back on all the times God has sustained you. The Lord will refresh you. He will be all you need.

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Catch up with Bethlehem & Nazareth!

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

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Terrain Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

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.

If Day 15 End Of Evil

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 8:22-23
Genesis 3:15-19
Ephesians 2:4-5
Romans 6:17-18
Revelation 21:3-4

If, Day 15

It’s been a hard eighteen months, hasn’t it? A pandemic (and accompanying struggles), social unrest, tragic loss of life, a divisive election cycle, personal attacks and online debates, and the list continues. Right about now, I think we can all relate to Paul’s words in Romans 8:22-23,

“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in labor pains until now. Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits– we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.”

Something within each of us longs for peace and a perfect world. We long for justice, righteousness, and love to prevail. Whatever our background, personal theology, faith, or lack thereof, this desire reveals the truth of the Bible when it cries that the broken world in which we live – fraught with so much sin and heartache – isn’t the way it was supposed to be. And – praise the Lord! – one day it won’t be like this any longer.

The first two chapters of the Bible are so beautiful. They present a perfect world just as God designed it to operate; a world without sin, heartache, trial, loss, suffering, or sadness of any kind. But by the third chapter, perfection is lost when sin enters the story, and all manner of brokenness quickly ensues. In fact, read one chapter beyond that, and murder takes place!

In Genesis 3:16-19, God lays out the initial consequences faced by men and women as a result of their sin (toil, increased pain in childbirth, etc.). But humankind’s spiritual condition as a result of the fall is far more grave. From the moment of the first sin, throughout all of history, humanity as a whole are “dead in our trespasses” (Ephesians 2:5) and “slaves of sin” (Romans 6:17). We are leading lives we were never meant to live, suffocating in a brokenness for which we were not designed, and so we groan.

In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis illustrated this truth well when he asserted, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”

We were made for another world, and another world is precisely what is offered to us! All human efforts throughout history to construct utopian societies, to return to the Garden, to reach perfection, tranquility, or peace on our own, have failed.
Imperfect humans simply cannot create perfection.

But God, in His grace and mercy, constructed a plan that has never, and will never, fail. His plan was one He promised way back in the Garden of Eden, when sin first entered the world! Revealing His great love for His people, even in the midst of their sin, He says in Genesis 3:15, “I will put hostility between you [Satan] and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. [Jesus] will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

The entire rest of the Bible unfolds God’s grand plan to restore the world to what He originally intended, an obliteration of sin and a restoration to righteousness in Christ, a destruction of heartache and pain and a return to peace in the Lord.

This plan looked like God sending His Son, Jesus, to be the sacrifice for our sins so we might take on His righteousness as our own and be granted eternal life in Him forever. What glorious news!

Romans 6:17-18 says, “But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over, and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.” This is the promised change we undergo when we “confess with [our] mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in [our] heart[s] that God raised him from the dead.” (Romans 10:9)

Just as the first two chapters of the Bible are beautiful in their perfection and peace, the final two chapters of the Bible are just as beautiful (if not more so!) as we see the promised perfection and peace we anticipate! May you embrace these words from Revelation 21:3-4, and may they bring you hope and peace!

“Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.”

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Redeemed Day 2 Once Upon A Time: 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 Once Upon A Time!

The Questions

1) What time period is “the judges” and why does that detail matter? (verse 1)

2) Why would we care about the detail of this family being “Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah”? (verse 2)

3) Why would the Lord allow such hardship for Naomi if He truly loved her? (verses 4-5)

Ruth 1:1-5

During the time of the judges, there was a famine in the land. A man left Bethlehem in Judah with his wife and two sons to stay in the territory of Moab for a while. 2 The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife’s name was Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They entered the fields of Moab and settled there. 3 Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 Her sons took Moabite women as their wives: one was named Orpah and the second was named Ruth. After they lived in Moab about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was left without her two children and without her husband.

Original Intent

1) What time period is “the judges” and why does that detail matter? (verse 1)
Historical dates feel cumbersome to many, but they play an important role when studying Scripture as they help provide context and cultural norms based on the timing. For this book, we don’t get a specific date, but a general time period. The time of the Judges lasted 400 years and was post Joshua (who succeeded Moses who led Israel across the wilderness and out of Egypt), and pre king. The prophet Samuel was the transitionary figure between judges and the kings, so Ruth’s story happened before him. We also have another clue to determine the timing. Boaz! Boaz was the grandson of Rahab the prostitute who married the Israelite, Salmon, after Joshua led Israel to victory against Jericho and the city walls collapsed. (Joshua 6) When we read the book of Judges (which is extremely fascinating! We even wrote a Journey Theme for it!), Othniel is the first judge who dies after 40 years as judge, so we are getting close to the approximate age of Boaz. The best guesses for Ruth’s timeline fit within the period when King Eglon ruled Moab, which is after Othniel’s death. (Ah! Moab is Ruth’s native homeland and the location Naomi and Elimelech moved during the famine in Israel. (Verse 1)) In reading Judges 3:12-14, we discover how the Lord handed Israel over to King Eglon of Moab for eighteen long years as a result of their rebellion against God. It’s somewhere in these nearly two decades, we find our characters living out their “Once Upon A Time”.

2) Why would we care about the detail of this family being “Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah”? (verse 2)
When God freed Israel from slavery in Egypt, He promised to lead them into a land flowing with milk and honey, a land of great abundance and prosperity. As long as they walked in the ways of the Lord, Yahweh promised to bless them; if they rebelled against Him, He would remove their prosperity and bring consequences upon them as a reminder to return to the Lord who loved them. (Joshua 1:8, Deuteronomy 31:29) The Promised Land was inhabited by the Canaanites, but when Israel finally arrived, the Lord handed over Canaanite cities one by one as Israel followed the Lord into battle. (Deuteronomy 7:22) Often, but not always, Israel would rename Canaanite cities as they overtook them. During this time period, names carried weighty significance. For example, Naomi means “good and pleasant”, but when Naomi returned empty-handed to Bethlehem, she told everyone to call her Mara, which means “bitter”. (Ruth 1:20) Scholars believe a renaming of cities is what happened with Bethlehem. In Scripture, every time Ephrath, the Canaanite name, is mentioned, it is in conjunction with Bethlehem, the Israeli renaming. By calling out Naomi and Elimelech as Ephrathites, which means “fruitful”, and Bethlehem, which means “house of bread”, it was a blatant reminder of judgement from the Lord. The Promised Land, meant to flow with milk and honey, even in Bethlehem, the city of “bread” and “fruitfulness”, was now barren without food because of willful disobedience by its inhabitants.

3) Why would the Lord allow such hardship for Naomi if He truly loved her? (verses 4-5)
No one would blame Naomi for how she felt towards God. Later in chapter 1, she voices, “I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” When troubles wash over our lives, leaving us feeling swamped and broken, it’s easy to blame God, but we do have two heart responses available to our choosing. Naomi chose to cut herself off, resigning her heart to being empty and broken the rest of her days. Job, on the other hand, chose to bless the Lord, even after he lost his children, his livelihood, his wealth, his friends, and his health. (Job 1:20-22) When extreme suffering hit them, both Job and Naomi did share one similarity between them, they both gave themselves permission to grieve. Worshipping the Lord in the midst of tragedy does not negate our need to process our grief, but it does the critically important work of shifting our hearts off ourselves and onto the Author of life. This shift made all the difference between Job and Naomi. Naomi’s grief grew steadily into cold bitterness. Because he responded first, and over again, with worship, Job’s grief, though deep, eventually gave way for Job to lift his head, and realize how God’s character was vastly wiser than his own. In response to this humble act of worship, the Lord graciously ushered in a sweet, intangible peace. (Job 42:4-3) We may never know the answers to all of our “whys”, but we can always grow deeper in knowing the God who does indeed love us!

Everyday Application

1) What time period is “the judges” and why does that detail matter? (verse 1)
The historic timeline paints a fuller picture as to why Naomi and Elimelech fled their hometown of Bethlehem nestled in their homeland of Judah. They lived in a period of great moral decay. Their culture, though only two generations removed from Moses and the giving of the Ten Commandments, had become exceedingly stubborn in their rebellion against the Lord. The author of judges describes their rebellious heart attitude like this, “everyone did whatever seemed right to him.” (Judges 17:6) How closely does this seem to fit our own culture today?! In a world where right and wrong are only relative to the person making a moral decision, we have an entire culture acting in whatever way seems best to them. Israel experienced many consequences from the Lord as a result of their rebellion because He loved them and wanted them to live with abundance and fullness. However, they continued to consume the lie that their ways would bring better happiness over dwelling within the loving boundaries of the Lord in sweet relationship with Him. Any deviation from how the Lord calls us to live detracts from a truly full life of increasingly deep joy and satisfaction. Where might you be pushing away from His ways to choose your own?

2) Why would we care about the detail of this family being “Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah”? (verse 2)
When Elimelech decided to move his family out of the region of famine, he could have chosen another Israelite city that was not experiencing such severity. Perhaps a region closer to the Jordan river was more fertile than Bethlehem. Instead, he chose Moab, a city clearly outside of the land God had given Israel as an inheritance. It was as if Elimilech had decided God could no longer provide for him. God administered the consequence of famine to direct Israel’s attention back to God’s heart as the Giver of all good things and remind them of Who He was and His heart for the people He had rescued from slavery. Recognizing this, however, necessitated one to self-reflect, then repent of rebellion, then return in humility to God. Elimelech, however, took his family and left the entire land God had given as an inheritance. Going further, he allowed his sons to marry Moabite women, which was also strictly forbidden. (Deuteronomy 7:3) Elimelech decided God was not good enough for him. He would rather depend on himself than face sin and repent. Perhaps, as a further consequence of his rebellion, this is the reason for Elimelech’s death and those of his sons. Choosing to keep ourselves as the final judge of God’s character based on our circumstance, instead of the truth of Scripture, is always a dangerous position to take. Consider your own beliefs about God and His heart-attitude towards you. Do your beliefs match up with what the Bible says is true of Him? Are you tender to the Lord’s rebuke in your life, ready to return to Him in humility?

3) Why would the Lord allow such hardship for Naomi if He truly loved her? (verses 4-5)
It’s an age-old question each of us have likely wrestled with from time to time. “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Or, said a different way, “Why does a good God allow suffering?” Few answers to these questions give us peace in our hearts. In the end, it’s much about our willingness to acknowledge God’s supremacy, linked inextricably with His wisdom, goodness, tenderheartedness, and His love, over our own shortsighted understanding. (Isaiah 55:8-9) Only the Lord knows all things. (Psalm 147:5) Only the Lord has the power to work beautiful things out of our smoldering ashes. (Isaiah 61:1-4) Only the Lord loves us deep enough to use His power for good, even when we can’t see through the smoky haze of our brokenness. (Romans 8:28) If we trust His heart, over ours, if we choose to worship Him with thanksgiving for Who He is, then He will safeguard our hearts and our minds with His peace which passes all understanding. (Philippians 4:6-7) Where can you begin to choose worship over worry, trust over fear, and humility over the need to control or understand?

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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

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Redeemed Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

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.

Relentless Day 8 Relentless Love

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Judges 6:19-7:1
Matthew 26:69-75
John 21:15-18
Jonah 3:10-4:11

Relentless, Day 8

Determined. Unstoppable. Persistent. Relentless.

Those words describe God’s love towards us.
He is determined. He is unstoppable. He is persistent. He is relentless.

In our weakness, He is still relentless.
In our doubt, He still pursues.
In our failings, our running away, and our questions, He still gives chase.

I’ve often questioned God’s love. 
“Maybe this has happened because I messed up and God is punishing me.”
“God is proving to me that I don’t measure up.”

I’ve run from Him in anger. 
I felt God failed me, so I went the other way.

I have failed to follow Him. 
In my pain, I’ve focused on my hurt and my situation, choosing to ignore the truth about God.

Yet.
He still relentlessly loves.

How do I know?
The easy answer is “The Bible tells me so.”
It does say how much God loves us, but even better,
it tells stories of those who questioned, failed, and ran.

Of whom, Gideon is one.
His story is full of adventure as a “nothing” became one of God’s great warriors. One weak man is lavishly loved as a result of God’s relentless pursuit!

Gideon’s story unfolds while his people were being punished for their continued rebellion against God. False gods and lies were everywhere. His own father had built idols to the pagan god Baal. He had grown up hearing about this all-powerful God, but had never seen Him do much, if anything, in his own lifetime.

As Gideon was working, doing his ordinary low-honor job of threshing wheat, an angel appeared telling him he would save Israel from their oppressive enemy.
Gideon started asking a bunch of questions, kind of like we do sometimes.

How?
Why me?

Then Gideon asks for a sign.
To which, God responds with three signs, proving He is God and His word is trustworthy.

I’ve heard the debates.
Gideon shouldn’t have questioned God.
He shouldn’t have asked Him to prove Himself with the fleece (again!).

But see our God?!
Did God walk away from Gideon saying, “Oh forget it, I’ll get someone else.”
Or
“You are too weak for this, never mind.”
No.
He answered the questions, He gave the sign.
God met Gideon where he was!

Today, His sign is His Word and His confirmation the transformed lives of ordinary people who have taken Him at His word, trusted His faithfulness, and seen the incredible!

Many times, I’ve questioned God.
Recently, I was at a loss, confused and questioning everything, but I knew His Word was the medium He used to speak.  I randomly opened my Bible to Psalm 94 and His voice faithfully spoke:
“When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheers my soul.” (verse 19)
“But the LORD has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge.”  (verse 22)

Did God get mad and turn His back?
No, He reminded me Who He is.

Gideon had never heard God speak or seen His miraculous works.
His faith was weak.

The Lord called Gideon to do two jobs, tear down his father’s idols and save Israel. God miraculously showed Himself to Gideon by burning up Gideon’s offering sitting on a rock and covered in broth. He experienced God firsthand, so he obeyed and tore down the idols.

Again, God proved Himself with Gideon’s fleece, once being wet and once being dry.
Gideon’s encounter with the Almighty, gave him the faith he needed to go off to war and defeat his enemies in the face of insurmountable odds stacked high against him.
Each time God showed Himself, the stronger Gideon’s faith grew.
The easier it became to follow without question.

I am like Gideon, my faith grows as I see God working in the living testimonies around me and speaking actively through His Word.
The more I choose to trust Him, the easier I follow without hesitation.

I’ve questioned.
I’ve run.
I’ve failed.
Holding onto lies, believing God has failed me, I might decide not to open my Bible or worship as I could.  I isolate myself from others because of the hurt I believe God caused.

But His grace found me in in the pit!
“He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.”
(Psalm 40:2)

God did not let Gideon go, desert him, or turn His back in anger, neither will He do for us! His unending love will never end, always giving chase.

He is Determined.
He is Unstoppable.
He is Persistent.
He is Relentless Love!

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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!

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

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

Focus Day 9 Make Peace: 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 Make Peace!

The Questions

1) How can I cultivate peace?

2) What is the fruit of righteousness?

3) How do I get wisdom from above?

James 3:13-18

13 Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense.18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.

Original Intent

1) How can I cultivate peace?
The Greek word for peace, Eirene, means “right relationships between man and man.”  Author William Barclay suggests that in James 3:18, James is saying “we are all trying to reap the harvest which a good life brings. But the seeds which bring the rich harvest can never flourish in any atmosphere other than one of right relationships between man and man.”  Barclay also suggests that “in the Bible peace means not only freedom from all trouble; it means enjoyment of all good.”  The book of James suggests we can make peace not only by avoiding unnecessary conflict with others, but also by treating them with love and kindness.  John W. Ritenbaugh also asserts, “peacemaking involves not only mediating but also everything the person is, his attitude and character as well as what he intends to accomplish. Peacemaking is a package dominated by the godliness of the person.”  When we treat others with the love of our heavenly Father, we are cultivating peace with them.  It is not something we can do without the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.  But when we let God’s saving grace and love permeate our actions, we become peacemakers.

2) What is the fruit of righteousness?
Author Rhoderick D. Ice notes that the original audience for the book of James believed that “Goodness = righteousness. The Greek-speaking Jews put great emphasis on the ethical side of religion, and were very proud of their relationship to God. Goodness is the goal here, and it grows out of the seeds the peacemakers plant in peace.”  Isaiah 32:17 also relates righteousness to peace, stating “the result of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever.”  The apostle Paul also connects the two when he writes how the Kingdom of God is “righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17)  Paul also teaches in Romans 5:1 that our faith in God has made us righteous, which gives us the peace of God through Jesus Christ.  The righteousness of God works peace in our lives, and having God’s peace allows us to live a righteous life.  When we live a life of peace, love, gentleness, and faith, we draw and encourage others to know Jesus and enjoy the fruits of righteousness in their own lives.

3) How do I get wisdom from above?
The book of James was probably written by Jesus’ brother, James, to Christian Jews around AD 45-48.  It was probably the first New Testament book written.  One of the main topics in the book of James is wisdom; Charles Swindoll notes that James “looks a bit like the Old Testament book of Proverbs dressed up in New Testament clothes.”  According to Professor Robert W. Wall, the Hebrew word for wisdom, hokma, “suggests using our God-given intelligence to pursue the insight and know-how we need in order to negotiate life in the public square.”  James was instructing Jewish Christians how to live wisely with help from God.  Robert Chaffin, Jr., points out that James teaches “the ethical life flows as the fruit of God’s divine gift of wisdom.” James instructs Christians to seek wisdom from God to live the life God desires.  It is not the same as the earthly wisdom of humans, which is selfish and unholy.  True wisdom is a gift from God, given by God to those who seek Him to help them live a holy life.

Everyday Application

1) How can I cultivate peace?
I notice that when I argue with my loved ones, I am usually at fault.  I am not saying (or at least not admitting) that I am usually wrong, but I recognize how I often refuse to be the peacemaker I know I am called to be.  Sometimes I care more about being right, or getting what is rightfully mine, than I care about being like Christ.  Author Stephen J. Cole observes, “If you see a church or a home where there is peace, it is because the members have worked to cultivate peace.  They have listened to one another, respected one another, judged their own selfishness and pride, and sought to live in accordance with godly wisdom, not ‘worldly’ wisdom.” In the Bible, Paul also notes this in Romans 2:9-10:  “There will be affliction and distress for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek;  but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.”   When I can focus more on doing what is good than on getting my own way, I am making peace with those around me and walking in the wisdom of the Lord.

2) What is the fruit of righteousness?
Author John W. Ritenbaugh suggests, “some of the fruit of righteousness are the qualities James mentions in James 3:17. Righteousness is therefore the seed from which these things grow.” Author John MacArthur concurs with Ritenbaugh saying, “Righteousness is equated with true wisdom because wisdom is righteous living.”  Author Andrew Murray says, “being right with God is followed by doing right.  ‘The righteous shall live by faith’ a righteous life.”  So, if I am peaceful, gentle, merciful, faithful and genuine, I am displaying the fruits of righteousness.  The more I let God’s saving grace work its power in my life (Titus 2:11-12), the more I will experience and display the fruit of righteousness.  Being saved and transformed by God enables me to live a righteous life that will show other people the life-changing love of Jesus.

3) How do I get wisdom from above?
The book of James tells us that wisdom from God is “pure and gentle, peace-loving and
compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, and without pretense.” (James 3:17).
This wisdom sounds amazing, but how do we access it?  One thing we can do is follow the counsel of James to those seeking wisdom.  He tells them to “ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him. (James 1:5) This truth is also found in Proverbs 2:5: “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”  We can also follow the advice in the book of Proverbs to “Listen to counsel and receive instruction so that you may be wise later in life”. (Proverbs 19:20) Wisdom also comes in knowing Jesus.  I Corinthians 1:24  states, “to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.”  Concerning Christ as the wisdom of God, author Thabiti Anyabwile asks, “Can there be a greater display of the intricate and exquisite wisdom of God than the simultaneous punishment of sin and clemency of the sinner through the crucifixion of God’s perfect Son?” God, who is wisdom, offers us wisdom through His beloved Son, Jesus, who took the punishment for our sins on the cross so we could be blameless before Him. So, if we want godly wisdom, we can ask God to give it to us, we can learn from wise friends, and we can find it in the person of Jesus.  We are truly blessed to have such ready access to the wisdom that comes from God!

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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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Kaleidoscope Day 6 Strength Of Humility

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 13:4
Nehemiah 9:16-19
Philippians 2:5-8

Kaleidoscope, Day 6

“I’m not staying in this tiny town!”, I declared, my voice full of hurt and anger.

“And I’m not leaving,” my husband responded with just as much conviction.

We stared at each other, feeling every inch of the emotional chasm separating us. We had only been married eight months, yet we had already hit a wall strong enough to break us up.

I had grown up in a big city and always imagined raising my children near my parents. But, I married a boy from East Texas, with roots as deep as pine trees are tall. His family owned land and cattle in a small town and one week after we were married, we moved there, five hours away from my family.

While I could see the cracks forming in our young marriage with every stance I took, my pride kept me from letting up. I wanted to move to my hometown and live near my parents, and if my husband wouldn’t agree to that, then maybe we weren’t meant to be after all.

.   .   .   .   .

It pains me to look back at that time in my life. I couldn’t see how tightly the vine of pride had wrapped around me, squeezing the life out of my marriage.
Pride has no place in love.
This is what 1 Corinthians 13 teaches us.
To be proud is to be self-reliant, self-preserving, and self-focused.

Pride leaves no room for an “other”.
If your world is consumed with making sure
your needs are met,
your rights are not trampled,
or your kingdom is being built,
then you have no time to meet the needs of others, to speak out in their defense, or to build them up. Blinded by pride, one can never experience true love, nor can you extend it.

The antidote to pride is humility. C.S. Lewis once said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” By this definition, to be humble, is to be focused on others. As a Christian, it means to be focused on God. And in humility, we have no better example than Love incarnate: Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:5-8 beautifully depicts the humility of Christ:
“…who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be explained. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death- even to death on a cross.”

The love of Christ is unlike any other precisely because it is humble.
He did not seek His own best interests, or His own desires, or His own will.
He did not “puff himself up” or think himself too good to die for us.
He laid every right aside for the good of the world, in obedience to His father.

We see God’s selfless love throughout Scripture, not only on the cross, but also in the desert. As a “stiff necked” people, the Israelites rejected Him time and again, but God remained faithful.
He always sought them out.
He always won them back.
He never stopped loving them, no matter the cost.

And that’s the heart of it, isn’t it?
True love always costs us something.

In fact, true love costs us everything; it costs us our selves.
We see this everywhere from motherhood and marriage to friendships. We see it in our relationship with God. To truly love God is to lay down our will and humbly submit to His.

In the world, selfless love is a dangerous proposition.
In Christ, there is no safer bet.

The world warns that no one will care for you if you don’t care for yourself. But Christ’s perfect love drives out that fear. Wholly taken care of by His perfect love, we are free to love others without thought for ourselves.

.   .   .   .   .

After some time had passed, my husband broke our silence. This time, the anger in his voice was gone, leaving only sadness and desperation.

“I’m doing everything I can to make you happy here, don’t you see that? Why won’t you just give it a chance?”

As tears filled his eyes, my heart began to break. I loved this man. What was I doing? He was doing his best to make me happy in our new home. My pride was the only thing standing in our way to a strong marriage and a new life together.

In that moment, I chose to let go of my plans and trust God. It was a decision I had to make every day for the next year, as God faithfully worked in my heart to help me choose our future over my past.

Pride threatened to destroy my marriage, but humility saved it; taking my eyes off of my pain and setting them on God’s plan.  Though it was a difficult time in our marriage, we experienced the truth of 1 Corinthians 13 first-hand.
Love is not proud, it is humble and fully rests on His love for us.

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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!

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

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