Fullness

Known Day 3 Christos

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Known Day 3 Christos

Katelyn Palmer

July 12, 2023

Alive,Fullness,gentle,God,Identity,Jesus

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 10:11-18
Revelation 19:11-16
Hebrews 1:1-14

Titles are telling.
Sr. Jr. Sir. Madam. PHD. Mrs. Master. Dr. CEO.
A few simple letters before a name can tell us who is in charge, a person’s qualifications, their relationship status, or their generational rank.

Your name and title matter. When someone misspells or mispronounces your name, a little flag goes up inside, waving around saying, “Hey! You don’t know me.”

More than a few letters, God’s titles and names preserved in Scripture reveal much about His character, His heart, His purposes, and His person.

To skip His name, is to miss out on truly knowing Him.

Christos is Greek for “anointed” and is the Greek equivalent to the Hebrew word Mashiach, meaning Messiah. It is also the origin of the English word Christ, which identifies Jesus as the one sent from God to be King and Savior. 

From the beginning of Creation in the Old Testament to the glorious return of the Lord Jesus in Revelation, God consistently points us to the Sovereign Savior who would come to earth as the wholly divine, wholly human, Jesus Christ.
Here is God as Christos in action!

Genesis 3:15 is the first foretelling of an Anointed Messiah.
“I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your (Satan) head, and you will strike His heel.”
The Christos.
The Mashiach.
He would conquer sin and death by killing it once and for all.

Psalm 22:16-18 and Isaiah 53:5-6 each prophesy in detail of Jesus’ future death that would pay the sin-debt we owed. (John 20:25, Matthew 27:32-50)

In Noah’s ark we see refuge from God’s holy judgment discovered only in Jesus. (Genesis 6:17-18, 1 Peter 3:18-22)

Joseph pictures Christ as he is unjustly persecuted yet raised to a position of honor. (Genesis 37; Genesis 41:37-45)

Abraham is called to sacrifice his son just as Jesus would be sacrificed on the cross. Isaac even carried the wood for the burnt offering like our savior carried His cross. (Genesis 22:1-14)

Moses, born into poverty, called to intercede on behalf of his people as he leads them by God’s hand out of bondage (Exodus 2:1-10; Exodus 3:4-22), also pictures Jesus.
Every story speaks of the promised coming of Christos.

Through the brilliant lens of Scripture, we come to understand the title of Christos more fully. Jesus is…
Anointed as Savior of the world (Luke 2:11, 1 John 2:2)
Conqueror of sin and death (Isaiah 25:8, John 1:29, John 3:14-15)
Mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 9:14-15)

The Promised Mashiach of the Old Testament is the Reigning Christos of the New Testament!

It’s breathtaking to see a prophecy fulfilled, let alone hundreds of them in a singular person of Christ, but lest we misunderstand His name, we must remember He is no mere man, no angelic being, no greatly glorified, almost God-man, but the full manifestation of God Almighty in flesh.

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:3)

Prior to Jesus’ physical arrival as a baby in Bethlehem, there are many Christophanies (an appearance or non-physical manifestation of Christ). One way we can spot these is through the designation of “the” Angel of the Lord, rather than “an” angel of the Lord as we read Old Testament passages. When reading, look for these distinctions between The Angel of the Lord and other created angels:
         1) The angel is identified as divine (Genesis 16:11-14; Exodus 3:1-6)
         2) The angel accepts worship (Joshua 5:13-15; Numbers 22:31; Judges 13:19-22)
         3) The angel speaks as God (Genesis 16:10; Genesis 22:15-18)

In understanding Christos, we are compelled to rightly respond to His distinct title as Promised Anointed Messiah who fulfilled every prophecy and rules and reigns today at the right hand of God.

We should respond to a Sovereign Savior with
Godly fear or awe,
obedience,
surrender,
deep gratitude and joy,
and adoring worship. 

Proverbs 1:7 tells us the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”
Godly fear is a reverence of God’s majesty, perfect righteousness, and sovereign grace. 

Obedience is a natural result of godly fear. (Philippians 2:12)
When we witness the majesty of our Lord, we recognize our own littleness; we are humbled that we might become holy as He is holy! (1 Peter 1:15)

In his book, “The Sovereignty of God,” A.W. Pink addresses the attitude of surrender we should all have toward God, “A true recognition of God’s sovereignty will avow God’s perfect right to do with us as He wills.” One unmistakable example of complete surrender to God’s will is found in 1 Samuel 3:11-18 when Samuel tells Eli the high priest that God will strike down his two sons for cursing Him. Eli responds in surrender, “‘He is the Lord. Let him do what he thinks is good.’”

Deep gratitude and joy is discovered as we intentionally choose worship while exercising our faith. A tested and steadfast faith (James 1:2-4) will give thanks for all things (Ephesians 5:20) and “rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4).

We should offer adoring worship to the Creator of everything, the One who is sovereign over all, including us! A.W. Pink says it exquisitely once more, “The mere fact that God’s will itself is irresistible and irreversible fills me with fear, but once I realize that God wills only that which is good my heart is made to rejoice.”

When we correctly position our eyes on Christos, our Sovereign Savior, we are removed of our own selves and filled with a reverent fear of the Lord, which leads to complete obedience and surrender, upon which we are able to worship the King with deep gratitude and a joyful soul!

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Christ,God,Jesus,rescue,salvation,Savior,Trinity
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Known Day 4
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Jesus knows each one of us by name. He calls us and gently leads us individually the way we need to go. He takes time with each one of us and knows everything about us.

I am so grateful that Jesus knows my name. He knows my actions and detects when something isn’t right, because He is faithfully watching over my every step.
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Worship XI Day 15 Shin & Tav: Digging Deeper

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Worship XI Day 15 Shin & Tav: Digging Deeper

Rebecca Adams

June 16, 2023

Attention,Captivating,Covenant,Freedom,Fullness,gentle

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

This DD Connects With "Shin & Tav"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 119:161-176

שׁ Shin
161 Princes have persecuted me without cause, but my heart fears only your word. 162 I rejoice over your promise like one who finds vast treasure. 163 I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your instruction. 164 I praise you seven times a day for your righteous judgments. 165 Abundant peace belongs to those who love your instruction; nothing makes them stumble. 166 Lord, I hope for your salvation and carry out your commands. 167 I obey your decrees and love them greatly. 168 I obey your precepts and decrees, for all my ways are before you.

ת Tav
169 Let my cry reach you, Lord; give me understanding according to your word. 170 Let my plea reach you; rescue me according to your promise. 171 My lips pour out praise, for you teach me your statutes. 172 My tongue sings about your promise, for all your commands are righteous. 173 May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. 174 I long for your salvation, Lord, and your instruction is my delight. 175 Let me live, and I will praise you; may your judgments help me. 176 I wander like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commands.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What is to be consumed in “Shin”? (verses 161-168)

The Hebrew letter “Shin” denotes “consuming, devouring, or eating” as the shape of its letter “resembles flames of fire and teeth”. (Tanya Remkiv)

Unique from the other octets of Psalm 119, Shin records no specific prayerful pleas whatsoever. In the absence of requests, we glimpse the beauty left in the wake of our desires being consumed by the God who is Himself Satisfaction and Delight.

Shin is marked by the quiet, calm, yet firmly decided insistent knowing and shared intimacy with the One for whom every octet has been written.

Listen for this sweetness in the psalmist’s carefully chosen words, “…My heart fears only Your Word.” (verse 161) “I rejoice over Your promise like one who finds vast delight.” (verse 162) “I love Your instruction.” (verse 163) “I praise You seven times a day.” (verse 164)

Go read the remaining 4 verses of this octet and see the pattern the psalmist models of quiet, decided delight! Fear, anger, anxiety, pride, the desire for control, insistence on one’s own way, complaint, and all other forms of self that actively fight against perfectly satisfying love have been consumed and drowned out by the Lord’s ways, wisdom, and good presence.

Praise, rejoicing, adoration, peace, and delight have taken their place; there is secret joy here!

The Everyday Application

1) What is to be consumed in “Shin”? (verses 161-168)

In reflecting on these delightful verses of praise, I recognize four responses in myself.

1) I feel drawn in to the intimacy found between the psalmist and the Satisfying Savior.

2) I feel encouraged and urged forward to continue seeking the depths of relationship available to me in the Lord.

3) I’m convicted to use my prayers not only for pleading and interceding, but also for praising and rejoicing.

4) I’m reminded of the pure delight and peace found in simply basking in knowing and trusting the goodness of the Lord.

One of my favorite verses in the psalter is little known and rarely quoted, but it speaks volumes of the relationship that is readily accessible to all who would give themselves to knowing the Lord God through His Word. “I do not get involved with things too great or too wondrous for me. Instead, I have calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like a weaned child.” (Psalm 131:1-2)

This level of depth in trusting relationship with the Lord does not come overnight or by reading snippet verses on social media or even regularly attending church or listening to excellent biblical podcasts. It is only slowly discovered over time of intentioned pursuit of the Holy One by meeting regularly, daily, yes, but moment by moment, in the secret place of the soul known only to the Holy Creator and the Beloved Creation.

Have you met Him here? He’s waiting to be known and consume your fears, your sin, your vile things, and draw you into blissful satisfaction that knows no bounds!

The Original Intent

2) What is the theme of “Tav”? (verses 169-176)

“Let my cry reach You, Lord; give me understanding according to your word. Let my plea reach You; rescue me according to Your promise.” (verses 169-170) Do you hear the psalmist’s urgent fervor in his pleading? Do you feel his desperate longing for the One he has learned to love and trust with all that is within him?

Read his plea again until you’ve connected with his prayer in a way that mirrors some part of your own desperation. Have you ever felt as if your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling? Have you ever begged the Lord for His ear and attention while sobbing on the floor or screaming at the sky or with shoulders shaking and fists clenched? The psalms are filled with moments of raw honesty when the one praying is pleading for justice, begging to be seen, grasping at Hope that the Lord will be faithful to answer, but this is not the theme of this octet.

It isn’t desperation that drives the author’s words, it’s trusting dependence. The author knows exactly what is on the other side of the door on which he bangs, and he can’t wait for it to open because of the deep love he has found in knowing the Lord God.

There is none who satisfies, as the previous octet declares, but there is none other in all creation on whom the psalmist would rather lean for utter dependence in every season the Lord God, His Word, and His wise ways. On the heels of his pleas, “Let my cry reach You… Let my plea reach You…”, (verses 169-170) the author can’t stop the grin spreading across his face or the joy shooting from his hands, “My lips pour out praise… My tongue sings…”. (verses 171-172)

The Lord and His ways have proven a faithful anchor and steady harbor in which to moor his life and he chooses praise and worship for the gracious goodness of the steadfast Lord.

The Everyday Application

2) What is the theme of “Tav”? (verses 169-176)

Where does your heart lean when you think of the Lord? How have you seen Him prove faithful, steady, and true? When was the last time you banged in His “door” just to shout His praise and declare His goodness and pour out your heartfelt praise? When was the last time you shared His praise on whatever platform the Lord has given you whether it’s social media, friendships, or simply standing in line at the check out stand?

Jerry Bridges is quoted as saying, “And yet who of us are fit to praise, except those whom God has taught? The ‘new song’ ill accords with the old heart.” The psalmist spent 176 verses declaring what he had been taught by the Lord’s Word, commands, statutes, precepts, and ways. The end result was a giddy tongue that delighted in singing of spontaneous praise that could not be held back.

Herein is rich encouragement for each of us regardless of where we are in our faith journey. If you’re looking for more joy and delight, no matter how much you have or have not already experienced, the answer is found in allowing the Lord to teach you more of His ways.

How to begin? By reading His Word! (Psalm 119:9) Want an excellent place to start? Try Psalms! Read 1 to 150 and then start again!

The Original Intent

3) What tension exists in the final verse of the psalm? (verse 176)

Have you ever felt caught between “both and” or the often difficult and murky “time between”? For me, I most often find myself in the “now and not yet” where I often cry out “I believe! Help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

This tension was also the dwelling place for the psalmist of 119, and as he closed his alphabet song intended to teach and train and remind himself and his son of truth, he grew reflective of this reality.

He had penned 175 verses declaring the kind, gracious goodness of the Lord and His ways, but also spoke frequently of his own passionate desire to follow those ways and be forever marked by them. He often boldly declared how much he loved the Lord and His wisdom while others spurned God. (verse 161)

Yet, in the very last verse, in keeping with the Tav theme of utter dependence, the psalmist states, “I wander like a lost sheep.” He recognized his own very desperate need for a shepherd God.

No amount of love for God, no matter how great or impassioned, could keep him from straying from the Lord. He was human. He erred. He wandered. Though claiming a love that would outlast all others, he knew in his heart, he was still prone to wander.

His final plea is stunning, “seek Your servant”. He cast himself wholly upon the Person of God. Not even God’s laws could seek him out and bring him home to the heart of God, only the Shepherd could seek what was lost.

Turning full circle, knowing with confidence that he would surely wander, but would certainly be sought after and brought home, he penned his final words in light of his assured reinstatement and continued growth in deepening relationship with the Holy One, “for I do not forget Your commands.”

The Everyday Application

3) What tension exists in the final verse of the psalm? (verse 176)

Doesn’t this raw, tender testimony give you hope and comfort?! It surely does for me, because, sisters, I know I’m a wanderer.

Oh, I’ve learned there is nothing sweeter or better than my Jesus. I will trust Him for all my days and want nothing more than to sit and know Him more and more; He is that precious. But, like the psalmist, I also wrestle grievously.

With doubt. With fear. With lust for (perceived) control, or (my version of) perfection, or worshiping my schedule, or my children’s wants, or the stability of my marriage relationship or 100 other idols that deserve absolutely nothing compared to the Lord God. Still, I know I will wander, chasing them down only to be left empty handed, disappointed, and frustrated.

How encouraging it is to know my status with the Lord, and the stability of our relationship doesn’t heave and sway based on my ability to follow all the magnificent, wonderful ways of the Lord I truly love so much.

The Lord knows I will leave Him. He also knows I will long to be back at His side, but not as much as He longs for me to be more fully His. He loves me enough to chase me down, not recklessly mind you, for nothing the Lord does is reckless, but with a passionate pursuit that refuses to relinquish His relationship with me.

With Yahweh, Sisters, breathe this gracious truth in with me, I am safe. You are safe.

Every single time I’ve wandered away and the Lord has brought me home, I’ve sung His praises all the louder and decided a little more firmly that He alone is worthy of my worship and, like the psalmist, I’m intent to “not forget Your commands”!

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forgiveness,joy,peace,prayer,rejoicing,relationship
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Worship XI Day 15
Journey Study

Faithful and dedicated servant.
A wandering sheep needing rescue, understanding, and assistance.

Which one am I?
Both.

Though redeemed, my flesh still wins some battles. This makes me grateful for God’s Word, which is “profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
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Worship XI Day 13 Qof & Resh

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Worship XI Day 13 Qof & Resh

Sara Cissell

June 14, 2023

Deep,Enough,Forgiven,Freedom,Fruitfulness,Fullness,Holy Spirit

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 119:145-160
Isaiah 43:1-4
Romans 8:28-29

“I think earth, if chosen instead of Heaven, will turn out to have been, all along, only a region in Hell; and earth, if put second to Heaven, to have been from the beginning a part of Heaven itself.”  –C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce

This quote from C.S. Lewis brings to mind my last year of college. Praise God that Heaven awaits me, and my eternity will not carry the pain of that year. To this day, I reflect on the thoughts and emotions of that season, and my stomach rolls. 

The vividness of my memories has not diminished, but the lens of truth through which I view them has shifted, thank the Lord! 

What would a personal hell on earth look like for you? 

For me, during my senior year pursuing an elementary education degree, I was told by authority figures I would never be a good teacher. Miscommunications, spiritual warfare, my lack of confidence, and personality differences all were at play. For years, I’d worked toward my degree, and as the journey neared the finish line, I received deep criticism rather than encouragement. 

For a people-pleasing perfectionist with a strong desire to be part of a team, the slow and bitter rejection and injustice of my senior year created physical, mental, and social torture. I lost weight. I battled fear. I understood how the devil could make the lie of suicide solving all problems so very palatable when life clenched a stranglehold on hope. I cried myself to sleep most nights. 

I was miserable. 
I was also desperate for the Lord in ways I had never been before. 

Many nights, as tears streamed down my face, I clutched my Bible to my chest. John 1:1 says the Word was with God and the Word was God. In those moments, I was literally holding Him close.

During that year, I was devoted to reading the Word and expecting the Lord to speak to me. Countless times, I started my Bible reading time begging for the Lord to bring His Word to life. I knew how desperately I needed His voice of authority covering me.

My heart-cry echoed the psalmist’s words:

Qof
“I call with all my heart; answer me, LORD.
I will obey your statutes.
I call to you; save me,
and I will keep your decrees.
I rise before dawn and cry out for help;
I put my hope in your word.
I am awake through each watch of the night
To meditate on your promise. 
In keeping with your faithful love, hear my voice.
LORD, give me life in keeping with your justice.”
(Psalm 119:145-149)

He proved faithful. He provided His manna for the day, and I left nothing behind for the next day. (Exodus 16:31-35)

By the time I graduated and became a certified teacher, I was no longer the same person. Much healing still needed to take place, but I walked away from my college years with much more than a degree. 

It has been years (*cough* decades) since that year of struggle, and in preparation for this Journey Study, I pulled out my journals from that long-ago season. 

What I found made me weep and fall face down before my King. 

10/22/03 “Lord, I am struggling. I feel weighed down, overwhelmed, and lost. I cannot carry this burden. I can’t. I lay my stress, concern, anger, hurt, shame, and defeat at Your feet. I want Your peace and Your joy. I need Your strength alone, Lord. My strength is so weak, unbelievably weak, and yet I still try to do it on my own. Forgive me.” 

11/8/03 “God, I need You desperately. I want You to use me, grow me, keep me humble. Lord, I do not know how to deal with this year. What is its purpose, Lord? Please help me obey and remove my pride. Please, Holy Spirit, teach me. Turn this struggle into a growing and refining time.”

11/12/03 “Lord God, You are awesome. This has been the hardest week thus far of this semester. I praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and amazing grace.”

12/10/03 “Lord, increase my faith that You are in control. Turn this negative experience into a positive one. God, use this experience to make me a better teacher, person, and Christian. Thank you, Father, for the growth I have experienced this semester. I have learned how to cling to You in a new way. Glory be unto Your name!!”

As I read through countless journal entries, prayers of thankfulness filled my heart. The Lord has faithfully answered those prayers. Clinging to His Word, His promises and His precepts, have brought about good fruit in my life. 

Resh
“Consider how I love Your precepts;
Lord, give me life according to Your faithful love.
The entirety of Your word is truth,
each of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”
(Psalm 119:159-160)

He used that prolonged, hard season to uproot what could not remain in my life. He provided time for my heart and mind to begin to consistently search for Him and His perspective, to bring about a humility resulting in fertile heart ground, and to teach me to trust His voice of authority over all others. 

In essence, He took a year that felt like hell and planted seeds that drew me closer to Heaven.

I declare with the psalmist,
Your compassions are many, Lord;
give me life according to Your judgments.
(Psalm 119:156)

For indeed, He HAS!

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Bible,embrace,hope,love,Truth
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Worship XI Day 14
Digging Deeper

But God doesn’t connect to humanity because He needs something from us. He draws near out of the abundance of who HE is.

The psalmist understood something important: he had an ongoing relationship with His creator because of God’s coming near! The psalmist continually called out to God from his heart. Through the day and the night, he walked with God by obeying His word, putting hope in His word and meditating on His word.
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Worship XI Day 6 Khet, Tet, & Yod

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Worship XI Day 6 Khet, Tet, & Yod

Rebecca Adams

June 5, 2023

Adoring,Faith,Freedom,Fullness

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 119:57-80
Psalm 42
Psalm 103:1-5
Romans 15:17-21

Khet ח
The eighth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, known as the “letter symbolizing life”.

Tet ט 
The ninth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, known as the “letter of goodness”. The form of the letter is inverted, suggesting a “hidden goodness”.

Yod י
The tenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, known as the “letter of God’s hand”. It’s the smallest Hebrew letter, is used often in Hebrew language, and symbolizes the concentrated power of God.

We are quick to conjure up dreams and definitions for life, then spend our existence chasing that illusion with exasperation under the delusion we have rightly defined
the true goodness of life.

Home.
Family.
Career.
Laughter.
Trophies.
Vacations.
Relationships.

Gradually, over time, one by one, flaws become pronounced in every dream. We try all the harder, spend all the more exasperation, anxiety, and frenetic energy to achieve what we have no power to build, Khet Tet, a good life.

Wisely, the psalmist offers a sure and certain alternative by casting himself wholly upon the very Author of Life Himself as reflected in Yod. With this understanding, we begin our journey through the octets of Khet, Tet, & Yod.

“The Lord is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words.” (Psalm 119:57)
I grew up learning the stories and perfect holiness of Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, to whom the Psalmist sang, but I was also keenly aware of my imperfections. Verses like Psalm 119:57 perpetually stuck like a burr in my heart.

“I promise to keep Your words”, the Psalmist declared,
but over and over I wondered, “What good is a promise you can’t keep?”.

One verse alone summarizes my life, with all my attempts at good kindness and sweet deeds, as an utter failure at attaining righteousness.
“Be holy, because I the Lord your God, am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2)
Be holy as the LORD is holy?! Impossible!

If I need further evidence of this Holy God’s declaration upon my attempts at goodness, the prophet Isaiah spoke, “…all of our righteous acts are like menstrual rags.” (Isaiah 64:6, Common English Bible)

Within the first two verses under the octet designated “Life”, we find the New Testament Gospel story peering back through cloaked shrouds, waiting the perfect time to burst forth with freedom.

“I have sought Your favor with all my heart, be gracious to me according to Your promise.” (Psalm 119:58)

The only way we have access to Life is through the favor of Yahweh (John 14:6), made evident when He appeared in the flesh, was killed as a sacrifice to pay for our sins, then raised to life to conquer our Death forever through His blood.
This is the favor on which the psalmist knew he must rely.

Regardless of my wish to fulfill my promise to “keep His ways”, my only hope is Christ, Christ alone through faith alone. What was, for the psalmist, a future Hope yet unknown, it is for me a reality of what was fully accomplished on my behalf and for all who trust in Yahweh’s favor. (Acts 16:31)

Because of this rich favor, we hurry with earnest to keep to His ways (verse 60), rising in the middle of our darkest fears, dashed dreams, and deepest nights to praise Him (verses 61-62).

For me, it wasn’t the sunny seasons that proved the depth and breadth of Yahweh’s favor, it was the long nights, stretching for years, where it seemed the light of my life was extinguished.

Dissolved Dreams.
Purposelessness.
Stripping Bare.
A Dearth of Hope.

It was in the desert of perpetual brokenness, I began to truly see, and be warmed by, the essence of true Life known as the Pure Goodness of God. A hidden goodness. A goodness I would need to uncover, explore, and return to again and again while living in the dark.

As I watched trauma grip my marriage, leaving its inky fingerprints on my children, my husband, myself, and dash the dreams I’d once lived for, I ceaselessly cleaved to a tiny sentence situated firmly amidst the octet of Tet, “You are good, and You do what is good.” (Psalm 119:68)

The anguish of my heart dashed all hope, but one small, relentless flame of truth refused to be snuffed out, the goodness of God. When I could barely breathe for pain, when all seemed lost, when I watched suffering perpetuate its cruelty, I muttered the words my heart taught my tongue (Proverbs 16:23), “You ARE good. You DO good.”

In the darkness, groping my way through the desert, suffering again and again the anguish of loss, the Lord renewed my mind, teaching my soul to trust the Goodness of God and filter all pain through it before casting judgment on whether it was good for me or not. (Romans 8:28)

This is precisely the place the psalmist landed,

“Before I was afflicted, I went astray,
but now I keep Your word. […]
It was good for me to be afflicted,
so that I could learn Your statutes.”
(Psalm 119:67 and 71)

At the “hand of God”, Yod, the Author of Life continues to work out His perfect purpose in my suffering to align my life, my mind, my dreams, and hopes with His heart. My lips will tell of this magnificent goodness of God, “Those who fear You (with reverential awe) will see me (my story) and rejoice, for I put my hope in Your Word.” (Psalm 119:74, commentary mine).

To the God of my LIFE (Psalm 42:8),
Who is good and does good (Psalm 119:68),
“Your instruction is my delight!” (Psalm 119:77)

Tags :
fullness,goodness,joy,life,worship
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Worship XI Day 7
Digging Deeper

Affliction should deepen our relationship with God, so that we find an amazing joy that is so intense we join the psalmist in singing, “At midnight I will rise to thank you for your righteous judgements…”.

Being afflicted no matter the pain, agony, or distress, there is peace in God when we know HE is for us. Who can be against us! (Romans 8:31)
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Steadfast Day 12 To Be Revealed…: Digging Deeper

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Steadfast Day 12 To Be Revealed…: Digging Deeper

Dr. Leslie Umstattd

April 11, 2023

Alive,Faith,Fullness,God,Gospel,Hope

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

This DD Connects With "To Be Revealed"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 15:45-50

45 So it is written, The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 Like the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; like the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Who is Paul referencing in writing, “first man Adam” and “the last Adam”? (verse 45)

In this verse, Paul is referring to the first man, Adam, whom He created in Genesis 2 (Genesis 2:7) and Jesus Christ, the son of God who was fully God and fully man as the “last Adam”. (Matthew 3:16-17, John 1:14)

Through the first Adam, sin entered the world (Genesis 3) and through the last Adam, being Christ, sin and death were defeated. (2 Timothy 1:9-10)

The Everyday Application

1) Who is Paul referencing in writing, “first man Adam” and “the last Adam”? (verse 45)

The first Adam, in his sin, ushered in a series of consequences that impacted creation for all of eternity. Fear, shame, hurt, disappointment, death, disease, toil, and strain became part of creation marring it. (Genesis 3:8-19)

If you’ve felt these, you’ve experienced the effect of sin. These are not evidences of God and His goodness, but are weaponry from the enemy, Satan, who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10)

Jesus Christ, the second Adam, with His death and resurrection, set in motion a redemption plan that broke the chains of bondage that surrounds creation. (Acts 2:24) Our blessed hope as believers (Titus 2:13-14), is knowing that one day He will return and complete the redemption plan He started by redeeming the whole of creation for all of eternity. (Romans 8:18-27)

The Original Intent

2) What comparisons does Paul make between the two Adams? (verses 46-47)

The first Adam was created from dust by God. (Genesis 2:7) This is also referenced as the “natural” man, meaning following the way of humanity (ie: not divine).

The second Adam, Jesus Christ, was God’s son sent from Heaven to Earth, who humbled Himself by putting on humanity. (Philippians 2:7) He was fully God and fully man so as to make complete restitution for humanity by dwelling in flesh and offering perfect atonement for sin because He is also fully righteous and without sin. (Hebrews 1:1-3, Hebrews 2:9, 17)

The Everyday Application

2) What comparisons does Paul make between the two Adams? (verses 46-47)

The origin of both “Adams” is important to understand. The first Adam was the first human created by God for the purpose of populating the Earth and having dominion over creation. (Genesis 2) He was a sinful man who chose his way rather than God’s way and perpetuated every human after him to also be born in sin. (Romans 5:12)

The second Adam came from Heaven, having existed for eternity prior. (John 17:5) Jesus was not created, rather He was both fully God and fully man. (John 8:58) God’s son existed at creation. (Colossians 1:15-19, Colossians 2:9) This matters because it means, unlike the first Adam, Jesus had the ability to not sin; a feat impossible for anyone but God Himself.

Christ was able to fulfill the law and perfectly stand in the judgment of God, taking on all sin, past, present and future. (Romans 8:1-3) (Matthew 5:17) He fulfilled the law perfectly, but being fully human, He is a Savior who knows the temptation and weakness of humanity.

He knows sorrow and loss. He knows the hurt of betrayal and disappointment. (Hebrews 4:14-16, Luke 4:1-13, John 11:33-35, Matthew 26:36-46) He is a Savior who understands. 

The Original Intent

3) Who are “those” Paul references in verse 48?

As humans we, like the first Adam, are born of dust (Genesis 3:17-19) and will return to dust because of the sin that entered the world. Though we are made in God’s image to reflect His glory, we have no divinity in our human makeup and no ability to become righteous. (Genesis 1:27, Romans 3:23)

However, when we choose to follow Christ by repenting of our sin and trusting Jesus, the final Adam who abolished death and sin by physically rising from the dead, we are given spiritual redemption. We now have direct access through His indwelling Holy Spirit to take on “the image of Heaven” made manifest in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:21) We die to our sinful “natural man” and are raised to new life just as Christ died and was resurrected to new life. (Romans 6:10-11)

The Everyday Application

3) Who are “those” Paul references in verse 48?

Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, all of humanity has been offered access to be transformed from an image of the first Adam to an image of the last! (John 3:16-21)

Moving from “those” who are of dust to “those” who are of heaven means confessing Christ as Lord of your life, repenting (intentionally turning away) from sin and your “natural” ways, and submitting to Christ as your personal Savior. (John 5:24) 

The Original Intent

4) What is the difference between “the image of man of dust” and “the image of the man of heaven”? (verse 49)

“The image of the man of dust” is born of the seed of corruption, which is sin. Any thought, action, or heart attitude that runs counter to God’s perfect standard of holiness is sin. Lust, pride, gossip, sharp words, selfishness are all manifestations of the sinful nature existing at the core of “the image of the man of dust”.

The image of the first Adam belongs to our earthly nature and is corruptible, easily destroyed, and eternally separated from God. (Colossians 3:1-17) “The image of the man of heaven”, the second Adam, Jesus Christ, is our new self that is created when we seek Christ and have a relationship with Him. We take on Christ’s image when we submit to Him. (Philippians 2:5-8, 2 Corinthians 5:1-10)

The Everyday Application

4) What is the difference between “the image of man of dust” and “the image of the man of heaven”? (verse 49)

There is a dichotomy in the “image of the man of the dust” and “the image of the man of heaven”. Dust reaps death, is hostile towards God, and does not submit to the law of God. The man of the dust is eternally separated from God and has a mind set on things of the flesh because of the innate sin-nature.

The eternity of those who continue in the image of the man of the dust are excluded from God forever. (Ephesians 4:17-22) 

The man of heaven seeks God first, submits freely to the Lord, and seeks to please Him. The man of heaven seeks righteousness and lives in the power of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:17-23, Romans 8:1-11)

The man of dust has an eternity apart from God and a resurrection of condemnation, whereas the man redeemed into the image of heaven has full assurance of a secure future with Christ, a resurrection of Life. (John 5:24-29)

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Steadfast Day 11
Journey Study

Friends, if the Spirit of God lives within us, we are living in the in-between.

Here on earth, we live in our physical bodies, which are passing away, much as a seed planted in the ground appears to die. (1 Corinthians 15:42-44)

Yet we look forward, with great joy and anticipation to the day when new life springs forth from that dead seed. This is the hope (read: solid assurance) of our resurrection to incorruptible, spiritual bodies as heirs to the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 15:50)
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Philemon Day 5 For Glory

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Philemon Day 5 For Glory

Sara Cissell

February 17, 2023

Broken,Faith,Fullness,Holy Spirit,Journey

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philemon 6-7
Psalm 92:1-4
1 Kings 17:1-16

In 1 Kings 17, the prophet Elijah is sent to a widow’s home during a multi-year drought. He asks her for bread. Her reply captures her desperation: 

“As the Lord your God lives, I don’t have anything baked–only a handful of flour in the jar and a bit of oil in the jug. Just now, I am gathering a couple of sticks in order to go prepare it for myself and my son so we can eat it and die.” (1 Kings 17:12)

Elijah urged the woman to bring him bread, declaring the flour and oil wouldn’t run out until it rained again. 

Day after day, her jars never remained empty.
The Lord persistently filled the vessels.
Neither the flour jar nor oil jug wrought their own provision;
the Lord was their miraculous provider.

Why bring this Old Testament story into the midst of a Journey Study about an early church pastor? Philemon’s New Testament challenge, and perhaps your own circumstances, share similar threads with this long-ago widow, her lack, and her faith. 

Daily, the widow who fed Elijah removed “that last bit” of oil and flour from their containers and experienced afresh the Lord’s provision. Philemon, as a believer who carried the Holy Spirit inside him, had the opportunity to do the same, look at his lack and experience the Lord’s Presence. 

Paul prayed over Philemon, “I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective through knowing every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ.” (Philemon 6)

Paul’s prayer summons Philemon to become an active participant in walking out His surrender to the Lord while reminding him that effective faith is possible only through Christ. 

As Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15:10, his work on behalf of the kingdom was effective only through “the grace of God that was with me.” The widow’s vessels were lacking, and as we look inside, or around us, we may come to much the same conclusion: lack. Philemon was already demonstrating faith, but the becoming effective of faith required a deeper knowing, a real-life, ongoing experiencing, of every good thing already set out for him through Christ.

Did God know, since the beginning of time, He would continuously satisfy the widow’s lack with His infinite supply? Abundantly, yes.

He knew the same for Philemon when He sent Christ to satisfy the debt Philemon owed for his sin. Just as surely as the Lord God knew He would give enough to the widow, He knew He would one day deposit His own Spirit of Holiness inside Philemon to lead and guide him into knowing Himself deeply.

Sister, take a breath with me, He offers the same for us.

How do we know more of the Almighty?
By reading His Word, empowered by the breathing of the Spirit of God in us.

Psalm 92 focuses on praising the Lord for what He has done and who He is.
The psalmist testifies of an experiential walking with and knowing of the Lord God.

“For You have made me rejoice, Lord,
by what You have done;
I will shout for joy
because of the works of Your hands.”
Psalm 92:4

“You have lifted up my horn […] I have been anointed with the finest oil.”
Psalm 92:10

“The Lord is just;
He is my rock…”
Psalm 92:15

In keeping our eyes focused on “the glory of Christ” (verse 6), our growth will be cultivated by Him and defined by His character, enabling us to fulfill the Lord’s purposes, effectively living out our faith in the everyday. 

As we practice tuning the ears of our hearts to know His voice through His Word, we will be drawn deeper into worship, which naturally leads to a life fully surrendered to the Love of Christ. Working like an ever-deepening spiral, the more we know Him, the more we will worshipfully surrender, the more our faith grows, and by the Spirit’s work, our effectiveness for the Lord increases exponentially.

This surrendered life resulting in effective faith, deeply refreshes the hearts of our “fellow ones”, brothers and sisters in Jesus. Joy floods and encouragement abounds from this rich well of surrendered following of the Lord Jesus.

“For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.”
Philemon 1:7

Paul observed the impact of Philemon’s life on those around him, and documented it in the pages of Scripture. May we live worthy of similar description by those in our spheres of influence! 

The widow in 1 Kings 17 obeyed the Word of the Lord, offering up her lack to the God of infinite Supply.

Her act of faith-filled worship brought refreshment physically and spiritually while ensuring her survival and increasing her faith.

Paul prodded Philemon and, by extension, us, to do the same.

Suppose we chose to lift our lack to the Supplier in faith, listening attentively to learn His voice in ever more intimate ways through His Word, and allow Him to make our offering effective to not only His kingdom, but usher in refreshment to the Church?! 

Dear sisters, I pray our hearts are captivated by the glorious Gospel:
Having conquered sin through His death and resurrection,
Christ has sent His Spirit to live within us.

May we recognize that on our own, we are ordinary earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7), as incapable of sustaining life as the widow’s hollow jars. Like Philemon, may our faith become effective as we embrace the Spirit’s leadership, surrendering every part of us to be used for His glory.

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Philemon Day 5
Digging Deeper

Philemon refreshed the saints through his acts of kindness, which should encourage all who claim to love Jesus to follow Philemon’s example. We never know when a simple act of kindness will refresh those who were directly impacted as well as those who have witnessed the kindness.
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Pause VI Day 14 Whole Life Generosity

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Pause VI Day 14 Whole Life Generosity

Melodye Reeves

January 19, 2023

Faith,Fullness,Provider,Security

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philippians 4:15-20

15 And you Philippians know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone. 16 For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account. 18 But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Read More Of His Words

Do you ever wonder why so many people suffer from lack of food, clothing, or money? In light of this passage, it’s especially difficult to believe God always provides when it appears to us that believers may not have everything they need.

“And my God will supply all your needs …”

Sweet friend, ponder this: perhaps it is because our greatest needs are not material. If you haven’t meditated on the previous passage (Philippians 4:11-13), I encourage you to pause now and look back. Spend a few minutes reading, re-reading, and prayerfully allowing these God-breathed words to seep into your soul. Paul mentioned his ability to be content in every circumstance. His secret was understanding that his joy wasn’t found in gifts themselves, but in the Giver.

“… according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Let’s reflect on these things from God’s perspective. He is a gift giver. Paul knew the supply of our needs comes through Jesus Christ, and his joy was found in that reality. The most important thing to Paul was not the gifts themselves. How beautiful is this kind of joy! What deep love Paul demonstrated through his own thankfulness for the spiritual reward they would receive because of their financial investments in his ministry. (verse 17) He knew God’s spiritual resources are endless.

Paul had faithful friends and supporters, but we know he did not believe Christ followers would never experience lack. Paul endured many hardships, including being without. (Philippians 4:12) What we are promised is God’s faithfulness to fully supply us with what we need to continue to serve and glorify Him. (2 Peter 1:3-4)

Paul’s secret was knowing God is trustworthy to be generous in every way we need Him!

Today's Pause Challenge

1) Be a scribe and copy the precious words of Scripture down word for word. Make space in your journal to write out Philippians 4:15-20 today. As you copy, lookup a cross reference or two as you come to them (they are the small letters next to certain words in your study Bible or online at www.biblia.com). 

2) Take time to read through all of chapter 4. Copy down onto notecards the verse or verses about Paul’s joy that inspire you or maybe even convict you. Share them with someone and why they touched your heart.

3) Continue to memorize Philippians 4:4-5

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Pause VI
Day 13

Paul had a secret.

But it was a different kind of secret. It was a “sacred secret” that wasn’t to be kept from public knowledge. It was his explanation regarding his previous instruction to the people in Philippi. He had stated and repeated: Rejoice … always.

“In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content.” (verse 12)
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Champion Day 2 The Barren And Broken: Digging Deeper

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Champion Day 2 The Barren And Broken: Digging Deeper

Dr. Leslie Umstattd

May 31, 2022

Constant,Digging Deeper,Encourage,Faith,Faithfulness,Fruitfulness,Fullness

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

This DD Connects With "Barren And Broken"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 1:27-31

27 Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 28 God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world- what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, 29 so that no one may boast in his presence 30 It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom from God for us—our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption 31 —in order that, as it is written: Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) In verse 27, what is Paul referencing by beginning with “instead”?

Practicing reading backwards to understand a verse or set of verses is extremely important in studying Scripture, but especially when we encounter a word like “therefore” or “instead” signaling how the previous writing ties directly to the next passage. Every time we open His Word, we should practice this study habit so it becomes our natural response to rightly understanding God’s Word.

Prior to this passage, in verse 18-26, Paul compares the world’s wisdom with God’s wisdom. With tongue-in-cheek, he speaks of God’s “foolishness”, which of course doesn’t exist, for nothing about God is foolish, but he uses this linguistic tool to make an emphatic point. Even if God did have a hint of foolishness about Him, it would still be infinitely wiser than humanity’s best wisdom. (verse 25) When Paul reaches verse 27, he intended the reader to recognize that God doesn’t follow the course of earthly wisdom. He turns worldly wisdom on its head, proving that only by divine wisdom and perspective, could it be conceivable for a holy God to rescue sinful humanity.

The Everyday Application

1) In verse 27, what is Paul referencing by beginning with “instead”?

God’s ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8-9) The beauty of the Gospel is that it simply does not make sense to us. God calls the barren and broken of the world to serve as His champions of grace. Instead of calling the best and strongest, He invites the heavy laden and the weak to come to Him. (Matthew 11:28, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

During His earthly ministry, Jesus actively chose to speak and live in unconventional and counter cultural ways. He ate with tax collectors and hung out with prostitutes to transform not only their earthly lives but also their heavenly position before God. (Luke 19:1-10, Mark 2:13-17) He touched the forbidden and unclean lepers and, although a very real physical healing took place, spiritually healing was at the heart of His encounters. (Matthew 8:1-4) He intentionally sought out the outcast, the lonely, and the ostracized of society in order to minister to them, saying, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick…”. (Mark 2:17)

In God’s wisdom, He sacrificed His own Son to make a way of salvation for sinners who neither deserved mercy nor could earn righteousness. He designed for Holiness to take the punishment for the wretched in order that light could enter the darkness of this world, and that none could boast, insisting they had somehow contributed to their salvation. (John 3:14-21) The lost in the world, those without the Light of Christ living inside them, stumble over God’s righteousness and wisdom out of rebellion, rejecting it as ludicrous. But when we submit to His wisdom, we recognize God and the rightness of His ways (Hosea 14:9), which brings about our humility and repentance.

The Original Intent

2) What does God view as important and how is it described by Paul in verses 27-30?

Paul explains that God has chosen what seems foolish in this world to shame the wise and He’s chosen what is weak to shame the strong for the purpose of humanity to realize they cannot save themselves. (Romans 3:10)

No amount of worldly wisdom, strength, generosity, or human ability can save us from our sins. Yet, in our own pride we assume we can save ourselves. (Psalm 10:3-4) But, God’s definition of wisdom and strength points all glory and boasting to Himself because Only He can save; our rescue comes from Christ alone. (1 Corinthians 1:21)

The Everyday Application

2) What does God view as important and how is it described by Paul in verses 27-30?

God intentionally chooses what the world views as weak to share His truths. In one encounter found in the Gospel of Luke, the rich leaders of the city were dropping money into the offering by the bag full. Then a poor widow gave what little she had, and Jesus noticed. 

Human convention would watch that scene and applaud the leaders for their generosity because the amount they gave was seemingly so significant. Yet, Jesus commended the widow for her small amount, because her sacrifice was more significant than the surplus of the wealthy. He called on the people of the city to emulate her, a poor widow. (Luke 2:1-4) Jesus did not look at the amount given but the heart behind the gift. (Psalm 51:16-17)

Throughout history, God chooses the smallest, the weakest, and what the world sees as incapable to champion His purposes. (Matthew 18:1-5)

The Original Intent

3) According to verses 28-31 what is the purpose of God’s different perspective?

God desired to bring what the world deemed as nothing into a place of honor and glory. Paul describes the heart and mind of humanity in this passage by highlighting our tendency to boast about our knowledge and our strengths. Paul pits this against Christ’s entrance into the world and the incredible humility He displayed. Christ, being both fully God and fully man, having all wisdom and knowledge and power, defied all human logic by laying it down, putting on flesh, and dwelling with humanity.

Jesus embodied the pure wisdom that comes from above (James 3:13-18) which stands in stark opposition to human wisdom; this humble manner of living by God’s wisdom is to be imitated by all who are in Christ. (Philippians 2:5-11) He became our standard from which to boast. If we boast, we boast about Him and how He saved us. (1 Corinthians 1:31)

The Everyday Application

3) According to verses 28-31 what is the purpose of God’s different perspective?

Ultimately. God wants His people to be set apart and accomplish His purposes in His power, wisdom, and strength. God’s grace is sufficient for this work, and as Paul says in his second letter to the Corinthians, God’s power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Only in our brokenness, and our recognition of it, are we positioned to fully rely on God. In our self-sufficient world full of self-promotion, self-ambition, and self-centeredness the idea of humility and sacrifice is foolishness, but in that foolishness God’s purposes are championed. Our spiritual barrenness requires reconciliation with the one true God and Jesus provided a way for this as He gave Himself up for us. (2 Corinthians 5:16-21)

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Champion Day 1
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The Bible is full of weak, foolish, sinful people God used to fulfill His plan of redemption. God didn’t choose Abraham in order to give him a platform to be a hero. Rather, God chose Abraham to show God is the Hero. To show God is able and wise and loving. He alone could redeem His children; just as God alone traversed the split animals in Genesis 15, Christ alone could fulfill the requirement of the law and bring us salvation.
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Kneel Day 8 Believing The Best Of God

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Philippians 4:5-7
Psalm 139
Colossians 1:3-14
Ephesians 3:14-21

Kneel, Day 8

Have you ever told someone a story, only to have them remind you they were there? Sometimes, while we’re talking, we forget to whom we are speaking: of course we remember their identity at a basic level, but we might also assume something of them inaccurately . . . like their presence or absence on a particular occasion!

The same thing happens in prayer.

We might pray, “Father,” and then speak, assuming God is distant, cold, and uninvolved. There are times when we tell Him all about a problem and how to solve it, grateful He knows every detail, but forgetting He also has power over every detail.

While there are many powerful insights to glean from the apostle Paul’s many prayers as recorded in the Bible, I am most often struck by Paul’s assumptions, or beliefs, about God as he prays.

“[I]n everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6, emphasis mine)

Everything.

Paul believed God wants to hear it all. In Psalm 139, the psalmist reveals God knows us intimately, even knowing our thoughts before they reach our tongues. If He’s aware of everything anyway, why not share everything with Him?

Paul’s prayer life demonstrates this reality. A quick perusal of all prayers recorded by Paul in the Bible show his prayers cover a wide variety of topics. Similarly, all the spheres of our lives – physical, social, emotional, work, etc – are fair game for prayer.

For example:
Paul prayed for healing and relief from suffering. (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)
He prayed for God to make him fit for his work and to enable him to share the gospel well. (Ephesians 6:19-20)
He thanked God for the fellow believers God placed in his life. (Philippians 1:3-6)
He prayed for others’ spiritual lives. (Colossians 1:3-14)

When we read Paul’s prayers for other believers, we also find Paul believed God wants us to know Him better. 

To the Ephesians, Paul wrote, “I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)

Similar words are echoed throughout his letters, as Paul prayed for other believers to be filled with ever-increasing knowledge of Christ, to be one in the Lord, to keep growing in God. Through his prayers, we learn Paul fervently believed God delights in filling us with His fullness, and He wants us to know His love.

Another hallmark of Paul’s recorded prayers is thanksgiving; gratitude is closely tied to the Biblical command to pray.
For example, let’s revisit Philippians 4:6 (emphasis mine): “[I]n everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Paul believed God was good at giving good things. If Paul was praying about a good gift, he assumed it came from God, which he lived out time and again, in thanking God for the very people to whom he was writing. If Paul was petitioning God for something, he believed God’s answer would be for his good. He thanked Jesus for strengthening him and working through him, even though Paul was a sinner. (1 Timothy 1:12-14) In everything, God’s good provision meant prayer could coincide with thankfulness.

I don’t know about you, but reading Paul’s prayers convicts me that too often, I believe less of God than I should when I pray. Afraid of being demanding, or getting it wrong, I don’t pray about everything. Concerned with things of the world or not being spiritual enough, I pray as if I should already know God thoroughly, and not as though He wants me to know Him more and more. And it’s easy to fall into the trap of praying, especially petitioning, without thanks!

But one of Paul’s go-to prayers, which marks many introductions and conclusions in his letters, offers encouragement, “Grace and peace to you.“ (1 Corinthians 1:3)
Today, as we engage with God in prayer, believing the best of God, we can also pray assuming we will experience His grace and peace as we learn.
Thanks be to God!

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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 Kneel 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 Kneel!