Healing

Shofar Day 10 Dear Believers In Sardis

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Shofar Day 10 Dear Believers In Sardis

Candy Trosper

January 30, 2026

Broken,Confession,Courage,Fervent,Follow,Healing

Read His Words Before Ours!

Revelation 3:1-4
Matthew 24:36-44
Matthew 26:36-41
Daniel 7:13-14
1 Timothy 6:20-21

As we begin to read Revelation 3, Jesus calls Himself, “the One who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars[.]” (Revelation 3:1) Earlier in Revelation, we learned these names reference both the perfect work of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ life, as well as His ultimate authority over angels and the Church. (Isaiah 11:2, Revelation 1:20)

Sardis was a powerful society, playing a prominent role in the ancient world as the capital city of Lydia. They are credited with pioneering coined money. The technological, economical, and cultural innovations developed in this town influenced everything around them.

So, it would have shocked the ancient world for Jesus to call them out! Sardis was thriving culturally and looked alive and vibrant; however, they were dead spiritually and Jesus was calling them into life.

Jesus’ call to repentance demonstrated both His wise, all-knowing insight into their true spiritual condition and His deep care for the people. In loving kindness, He was pointing out their sin so they could return to Him. (Romans 2:4) Overflowing with mercy and grace, God wasn’t executing immediate judgement but offering a chance to repent and surrender themselves and their ways to the King.

“Be alert and strengthen what remains,” their Savior urges. “Remember, then, what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you have no idea at what hour I will come upon you.” (Revelation 3:2-3)

The idea of active watchfulness in anticipation of Jesus’ return is woven throughout the New Testament. For example, early Church apostle and preacher Paul tells his fellow Gospel worker, Timothy, to guard what was committed to his trust: the Gospel of Jesus. (1 Timothy 6:20-21) Paul warned Timothy to be mindful of what he was allowing to influence him. 

Value fidelity to the Gospel, Paul encouraged his friend, above the empty praise of people and the siren songs of wealth and status. (1 Timothy 6:17-19) Such temptations would be especially hard to overcome for the inhabitants of Sardis, a city renowned for accomplishment and affluence. 

During His earthly ministry, Jesus Himself instructed His followers to watch and pray so we don’t fall into temptation and so we can be ready for His return. (Matthew 24:36-44, Matthew 26:36-41)

When He comes, He will bring judgement to those who have rejected Him; the opportunity to repent and follow Him will no longer exist.

However, we still have time right now!! 

In order to heed the call to watch, we must first heed the call to surrender our lives to Him.

We do this by believing He came to earth from heaven to die on the cross, taking onto Himself the punishment our sins deserved. As a result, He gifts us His righteousness so we may be reconciled to our Father. (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

The story gets even better; several days after His death, His disciples discovered His empty tomb! (Matthew 28) In recent years, some have suggested that even the way His burial linens were arranged in the empty tomb point to His intended return. Soon after, the resurrected Jesus appeared to many of His followers before ascending into heaven. Friends, He is alive and coming back!

Jesus won victory over the powers of sin and death, and now we have the privilege to walk with Him in victory when we confess with our mouth and believe in our hearts He is the Son of the living God! (Romans 10:9) We then need to repent (turn away from our sin), ask His forgiveness, and actively follow Him. 

When we do this, we are adopted into the family of Christ! This makes YOU a child of the living God! Once we are His, we can heed the call to watch for His return and guard our hearts. I encourage you to spend time with Him. We have the privilege to participate in a deep and intimate relationship with the One Who was dead and is now alive!

As I read God’s words to the church in Sardis, I was reminded of a friend who appeared to be spiritually alive, doing “all the right things.” However, my interactions with this friend revealed a heart depending on works, rather than faith in Jesus. I don’t want this for my life, or for yours, sisters! I want us to live secure in our salvation by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9), so we can heed His call to guard our hearts as we actively await His return!

“Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches!” 
(Revelation 3:6)

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church,death,Good Works,life,Revelation,righteous
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Shofar, Day 10
Digging Deeper

Christ’s indictment of the church as having a reputation for being alive but being dead is reminiscent of His condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees. In Matthew 23:27, Jesus called the religious leaders whitewashed tombs.

“Whitewashed tombs means […] tombs or mausoleums that have been covered with white paint, so they ‘look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean’ (Matthew 23:27).
Dig Deeper!

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Worship XIII, Day 15 I Will Sing: Digging Deeper

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Worship XIII, Day 15 I Will Sing: Digging Deeper

Rachel Jones

April 11, 2025

Adoring,Healing,Know,Relationship,Trust,Truth

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 "I Will Sing"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 77:1-13

I cry aloud to God, aloud to God,
and he will hear me.
2 I sought the Lord in my day of trouble.
My hands were continually lifted up
all night long;
I refused to be comforted.
3 I think of God; I groan;
I meditate; my spirit becomes weak.
Selah

You have kept me from closing my eyes;
I am troubled and cannot speak.
5 I consider days of old,
years long past.
6 At night I remember my music;
I meditate in my heart, and my spirit ponders.

7 “Will the Lord reject forever
and never again show favor?
8 Has his faithful love ceased forever?
Is his promise at an end for all generations?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”
Selah

10 So I say, “I am grieved
that the right hand of the Most High has changed.”
11 I will remember the LORD’s works;
yes, I will remember your ancient wonders.
12 I will reflect on all you have done
and meditate on your actions.

13 God, your way is holy.
What god is great like God?
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Why was the psalmist so distraught? (verses 1-6)

Asaph, the psalmist and worship leader for Israel, sings a song of lament in Psalm 77:1-6 where he models humility by crying aloud to God, seeking God in his day of trouble, continually lifting his hands to God through the night, sharing honestly how he refuses to be comforted, groans, can’t sleep or speak, and feels his spirit is weak. Through all of his heart-rending prayer, he gets no reply from God. No help, no relief, no comfort, no solace, no reproach or rebuke. Just silence.

The longer the silence extends, the deeper his distress grows. Asaph begins to worry God has forgotten him. Jon Bloom suggests that Asaph was so disturbed “Because from his perspective it appeared God had decided to abandon his promises to Israel. And if God doesn’t keep his word, those who trust in him build the house of their faith on the sand — a very disturbing thought.” Asaph wonders where God is and why He doesn’t answer his anguished prayers.

Most believers have had these dark nights of heart wrenching petition and despair. Even Jesus experienced fervent, anguished times of prayers that were so intense He sweat drops of blood. (Luke 22:44) God allowed Asaph to question, grapple, and struggle in his pursuit of God. His Spirit led Asaph to record his wrestlings in the Psalms for future generations who would experience the same struggles, so we could have the assurance that wrestling with doubts, depression, and sorrow do not preclude us from pursuing the Lord.

Challenges, pain, griefs, frustration, and sorrow beyond human words are a natural part of working out our salvation with fear and trembling when we bring them to the Lord as an act of surrendered worship. (Philippians 2:12) For even in the bringing, we demonstrate faith that our God still hears and cares.

The Everyday Application

1) Why was the psalmist so distraught? (verses 1-6)

I have had a few horrible times when I was so sick and upset that I became distraught. Once, I experienced vertigo that wouldn’t go away. The more I prayed, and my situation didn’t change, the more troubled I became. I started worrying I would never be able to walk or drive my kids anywhere ever again. This spiraled into worry about being a burden to my family, and then I became so agitated I couldn’t sleep.

I tried to pray between the panicked moments, but every minute that passed without relief ratcheted up my anxiety. As distraught as I was, I was not as miserable as Asaph in Psalm 77:1-6, who cried out, groaned, lost sleep and petitioned God for help that didn’t come quickly.

Jon Bloom argues that “Something happens that shakes our confidence in what God has said, causing us to waver over what we’ve understood to be true about Him or His character. This uncertainty produces anxiety and fear.” When bad things happen, we tend to panic, and then doubt if God is really in control or really has good plans for us. One negative thought breeds another until we are swimming in anxiety.

Nathaniel Gray Sutanto notes, “Depression creates feelings that contest our identity and cleansing in Christ—but the Spirit within us calls us to defy those feelings. The feelings might be real, but they do not indicate reality—Jesus does.”

It is important to remember the reality that God is always good, no matter what our circumstances tell us (Romans 8:38-39), and He is with us in our troubles (Psalm 46:1).

The Original Intent

2) Why would the psalmist question God’s goodness? (verses 7-10)

When the Lord did not seem to be answering Asaph’s prayers, he questioned God, “Will the Lord reject forever and never again show favor? Has his faithful love ceased forever? Is his promise at an end for all generations? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” Selah So I say, ‘I am grieved that the right hand of the Most High has changed.’” (verses 7-10)

When God seemed far away, Asaph let doubts creep in. He questioned if God was really who He claimed, and he questioned if God’s promises were even true. Though Asaph’s questions might seem harsh, author Joni Eareckson Tada asserts, “These questions honor God because they show […] you are being honest before the Lord, and you are looking to Him for honest answers.”

Esther Smith concurs, arguing that “Only when we speak aloud the thoughts we actually have—not the thoughts we want to have—can we work through them and get to a place where we’re seeing clearly and believing rightly. What better place for thoughts to be transformed than in prayer? When we pray, God is present to help us.”

God used these intense, earnest inquiries birthed from pain to lead Asaph toward the truth of His love, mercy, and faithfulness. (Nehemiah 9:17) God allowed Asaph to ask these difficult questions about God so he could realize that the answer to each doubt was that God is still the same as He always has been. (Malachi 3:6)

The Everyday Application

2) Why would the psalmist question God’s goodness? (verses 7-10)

My mother spent almost two years in a hospital, nearly dying several times. Some days, her situation changed hourly, and I constantly juggled work and childcare schedules so I could be with her or help my dad flex his schedule. When she was home, there were medications to give and routines and procedures to learn for her care.

Eventually I found myself questioning God. I wondered why He didn’t seem to care about my mom’s suffering or our constant state of upheaval. Was He really as good as I’d always thought He was? How long would he let this go on? I had some things in common with the Psalmist Asaph, who cried out, “Will the Lord reject forever and never again show favor? Has his faithful love ceased forever? Is his promise at an end for all generations? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” Selah So I say, ‘I am grieved that the right hand of the Most High has changed.’” (verses 7-10)

John Starke proposes, “These complaints are God’s gifts. He knows how we are. When we are at the end of our rope, these words are His way of lengthening the tether. . . God has inspired words of complaint and protest to say to Him when we are confused and sad, angry and desperate. He gave us words to say into our pillow as we drink our tears.”

Like Asaph, eventually my questioning of God helped me realize all the answered prayers I was overlooking because of my distress, and all the ways God was good to us in the midst of our trouble. My troubles tested my faith, but God used my doubts and distress to remind me of His endless love and provision. (Jeremiah 31:3)

The Original Intent

3) How does the psalmist find hope for his troubled heart? (verses 11-13)

When Asaph the Psalmist lamented that God had changed and no longer loved or listened to him, he started to remember the truth about God, “I will remember the Lord’s works; yes, I will remember your ancient wonders. I will reflect on all you have done and meditate on your actions. 13 God, your way is holy. What god is great like God?” (verses 11-13) The Lord, in His kindness, led Asaph to remember all the answered prayers, the goodness, the miracles of old, and the kindnesses and victories of God in his own life.

John Piper calls Asaph’s strategy “remembering, meditating, and musing on the deeds and wonders of God in history. . . This is the way to live the Christian life. This is what I mean by living on the Word of God.” After considering his circumstances and lamenting his condition, Asaph looked at the reality of God in his life and found hope.

Ann Voskamp suggests, “Get down on your knees in prayer and that’s where you begin to find slivers of hope. . . And hope isn’t about getting what you planned, but getting to be in the presence of Hope Himself, prayerfully aligning our heart with His . . .” Asaph worked through his doubts, fears and sorrows in prayer and meditation to see the truth of God in his life and the lives of his people. He realized that God was his refuge and his strength (Psalm 46:1) the One who hears and answers (Jeremiah 33:3).

God has His own timetable that didn’t match Asaph’s, but the worship-leader remembered he could trust God’s perfect timing and choose to sing while He waited. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

The Everyday Application

3) How does the psalmist find hope for his troubled heart? (verses 11-13)

My friend’s father, a retired minister, was diagnosed with an extremely aggressive form of bone cancer that took him from healthy to bed-ridden in a matter of three months. My friend went to be by his dad’s side during the last few weeks of his life. His dad was in significant pain and deteriorating quickly, but what brought him solace was the reading of Scripture and the singing of hymns.

His last days passed more peacefully because his family surrounded him, praising God in song and reading God’s Word aloud to him. We learn in Psalm 77:11-13 that remembering and meditating on God’s Word is indeed the way to restore hope when hope has been lost. Asaph turned his crisis of faith into a celebration of God’s goodness by reflecting on the mighty works and words of the Lord.

Nathaniel Gray Sutanto notes that Asaph “turns away from himself and points upward and into a deeper contemplation of the character and works of God.” When we are in distress, experiencing physical or emotional pain, it’s hard not to focus on the negative and turn our eyes on God and His truth. But when we do, we find the hope we need to navigate the darkness and find the answers we need in Him alone. (Matthew 7:7)

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Lament,praise,prayer,trust,worship
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Worship XIII, Day 15
Journey Study

Oh Lord, I scream.
I cry aloud until I have no more tears.
My eyes hurt, my body aches.


Where are You?
Why has cancer attacked our sweet little girl?
Abba Father, I yearn for Your arms to hold me, but You seem far away.
I can’t pray; I simply cry to You,
the One who counts my tears. (Psalm 56:8)

Selah
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Pause VIII, Day 8 A Collect On The Wildness Of God’s Grace

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Pause VIII ~ Day Eight

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His Words Before Ours

Ephesians 2:8-10
Numbers 6:22-27
John 1:14-18
Titus 2:11-13

The wildness of God’s grace.

Let the phrase sit with you for a moment.
Form its words with your mouth, and listen to their sound as you say them aloud.
Invite your imagination to the conversation; what does your mind’s eye see as you contemplate these words?

Earlier this year, my pastor coined this phrase in a sermon. The language arrested my attention in the moment; then, in the end-of-service bustle, it faded into the background.

But it didn’t stay there, and when I next sat down to write, it quickly beckoned my attention once more.

The wildness of God’s grace.

In faith communities, grace is often thought of as God’s unmerited favor. Scripture teaches us it’s an integral part of God’s character (Psalm 145:8), and foundational to our salvation. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Yet, to be honest, I think I’ve made God’s grace pretty small and pretty safe.

Can you relate?

Sometimes, we believe God’s grace is only for people who look like us. Think like us. Sin like us.

And sometimes, we shrink His grace even more, believing He extends to us (or others) a dollop of grace buried under a truckload of disapproval.

A little grace, and a whole lot of disappointment.
A little grace, and a whole lot of qualifications and stipulations.
A little grace, and a whole lot of “only if you ________.”

Well, that’s not really grace at all, is it?

If we must fulfill a checklist to receive grace, it’s no longer unmerited.
Sisters in Christ, the way of the Creator of the universe is not small and safe.
The way of Jesus, the way of the cross, the way of an empty tomb is not small and safe.

Will you link arms with me, leaving behind small and safe, following Jesus into the wildness of God’s grace?

A Collect for the Wildness of God’s Grace
Gracious God,
whose boundless love for all people births a grace incomprehensible:
gentle our death-grips on the boundary markers we’ve staked around Your grace,
that we might abandon the safety of our judgements–against others and ourselves– and step into the wilds of an upside-down Gospel 
overflowing with grace for the soul-sick, the weary, the desperate,
through Jesus Christ, grace personified, amen.

Today’s Collect Components
Address: Gracious God,
Doctrine: whose boundless love for all people births a grace incomprehensible:
Petition: gentle our death-grips on the boundary markers we’ve staked around Your grace,
Aspiration: that we might abandon the safety of our judgements–against others and ourselves– and step into the wilds of an upside-down Gospel 
overflowing with grace for the soul-sick, the weary, the desperate,
Mediation: through Jesus Christ, grace personified, amen.

Meditate & Reflect

1) Today, we’re going to be very, very honest with ourselves. Begin by re-reading Ephesians 2:8-10 and Titus 2:11-13.

2) Grab your journal and write out your thoughts on the following questions:
• What role does God’s grace play in your salvation?
• What areas of your life have been redeemed by His grace?
• What areas are you keeping outside the reach of His wild grace?

3) Now check out Numbers 6:22-27, and journal your reflections on these questions:
• Why is it important for us to embrace and bless others with God’s grace?
• To whom is it easy for you to show His grace?
• To whom is it hard for you to show His grace?

4) Next, fill in the blank, as many times as necessary: I receive/show a little bit of grace and a truckload of __________________.

5) Finally, let’s spend some time in prayer. Bring your responses to the above prompts to God, thanking Him for the wild grace He’s shown you. Let’s ask Him to guide us courageously into wildness as we both receive and share His grace!

Worship

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Sketched XII, Day 10 Property To Precious: Digging Deeper

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Sketched XII, Day 10 Property To Precious: Digging Deeper

Rebecca Adams

April 26, 2024

Healing,Jesus,Justice,Love,Mercy,Power,Redemption

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 "Property To Precious"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

2 John 1:1-6

The elder:
To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth—and not only I, but also all who know the truth— 2 because of the truth that remains in us and will be with us forever. 3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

4 I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, in keeping with a command we have received from the Father. 5 So now I ask you, dear lady—not as if I were writing you a new command, but one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.

6 This is love: that we walk according to his commands. This is the command as you have heard it from the beginning: that you walk in love.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What can we learn about Jesus and the Church from verses 1-2?

In an entirely patriarchal society where women were viewed as property without a voice or value, it was shockingly obvious, and uncomfortable for onlookers, when Jesus elevated women to a place of honor.

Always one to press against norms for the sake of justice, this was Jesus’ normative mode of operation. He regularly sought the lowest of the low, those caught in shame from sin, society, or oppression, and raised them up to enjoy fellowship with Him, find purpose, and be graced with honor. He didn’t do this out of pity or a hand-out, but because He valued the least and desired to honor them as His crowning creation. All human beings, regardless of social status, have innate value because they are created in the image of God. Imago Dei. (Genesis 1:27)

Jesus set about to bring attention to that glorious image and right the wrong that sin and society had forced upon His image bearers by demeaning and shaming them. This is a perfect picture of God’s righteous justice.

Centuries before Jesus would take our death on the cross in the greatest act of justification by raising the sinner to saint through faith in His work, the prophet Isaiah told of the Lord’s view of justice, “The sons of your oppressors will come and bow down to you; all who reviled you will fall facedown at your feet. They will call you the City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Instead of your being deserted and hated, with no one passing through, I will make you an object of eternal pride, a joy from age to age.” (Isaiah 60:14-15)

Christ’s overarching mission is to seek the lost and the oppressed, and offer them grace, mercy, forgiveness, and, the unimaginable, a place of honor! (Ephesians 2:6-7)

The Everyday Application

1) What can we learn about Jesus and the Church from verses 1-2?

Scholars disagree as to whether “the elect lady” recipient was a leading woman within a local church that gathered in her home, or if “lady” was meant to represent the church at large, giving her a personified gender. Either way, the ancient reader simply could not overlook the justice of God in elevating what was viewed in society as impotent and unimportant (a woman) to a place of honor with responsibility in God’s Kingdom on earth.

Whether the recipient was a woman, reviled and demeaned by society, or whether “she” was personified as “church”, persecuted for following Jesus, John’s words are meant to embolden and encourage. “She” is loved, not only by God, but by John, a fellow believer, who loves that local church or “her” as a fellow sister and saint in Christ. Because the same Spirit indwells both of them, the Spirit binds them together in love and truth, which John encourages “her” to continue holding steadfastly.

God’s love sees the least and the lowly and sets them firmly upon the solid rock of truth, freeing them to be found in fellowship with Him and other believers as they all abide together in God’s Spirit. In Christ’s love, we are Home!  

He is the God who daily stoops to bear our burdens. (Psalm 68:19) The Infinite Deity who chose to exhale His life so that life for the Lost may be made accessible. (Mark 10:45, Psalm 68:20) We are the shamed. He is the honorable. And He is at work, just as He always been, to seek the lost that they may be found and honored in His sight. (Luke 19:10 and James 4:10) See the breathtaking justice of God and participate in it to act justly toward the “least” in your world! (Matthew 10:42)

The Original Intent

2) How is John’s freshly written command an old one? (verse 5)

Jesus is quoted as saying, “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another.” (John 13:34) But this was an old command! Dating back to the giving of the law!

Leviticus 19:18 says, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”, finishing off with giving the reason why His people were to love, “I am the Lord”. Because the Lord is a God of love, and He is our Lord, we are called to uphold His name by loving as He loves. Period.

When Jesus said He was giving a new command, He was filling up the “old command” with a fuller definition. The Levitical command instructed God’s people to love simply because they were God’s people. Now, as Jesus prepared to lay down His life to rescue sinners, He expanded the motivation behind the “old law” and making it a “new command”.

Just as He would love His people by laying down His life, so were His followers to “love one another” by laying down their lives in sacrifice to all people. […] Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another.” (John 13:34)

When John wrote in verse 5, “So now I ask you, dear lady—not as if I were writing you a new command, but one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another”, he was reminding “the elect lady”, that we obey the “old command” (Levitical) with the new, broader definition of Christ. In succinct language, John was hemming together the grand story of the whole of Scripture, bringing Old and New Testaments together because of Jesus!

The Everyday Application

2) How is John’s freshly written command an old one? (verse 5)

God has always been a God of love, justice, and compassion as He has unveiled truth through His people. Now, after Jesus’ model of sacrificial love that made the “mystery of the gospel” plain to the Jews and available to the Gentiles (1 Corinthians 2:1-2), living out the old command takes on new life.

Paul provides clarity in Romans 9:31-32, “Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not achieved the righteousness of the law. Why is that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were [possible] by works.”

We cannot simply “do the things” that check a box marked “love”, we must love from the roots of faith in Jesus, who loved us and gave Himself up for us. (Ephesians 5:2) We are to love like Him through faith at work in us to make us love others in the same way. (James 2:12-14)

Jesus’ love brings transformation. Counterfeit, man-made “love” brings only emptiness, a façade for the real thing. When we are loved by Christ’s sacrifice, accepting Him in all truth, we are made new to love others like He loves us. By this, “everyone will know” we belong to Jesus if we “love one another” in God’s way of love. (John 13:35)

If you’ve been remade by Jesus’ love, accessible by repenting of sin and accepting His forgiveness, you will find yourself loving others like never before. If you’re “forcing yourself” to “try to love” others on your own strength, you will quickly run out of “love”. Only those who have embraced Jesus’ love for themselves are fueled to love others like Jesus loves us!

Have you welcomed His love by confessing your sin and giving up control of your life to Him?

The Original Intent

3) With such a short letter, why does the author spend so much ink on “truth” and “love”? (verses 1-6)

Most scholars credit this letter to the apostle John who wrote the gospel of John, likely 1st and 2nd John, and Revelation as well, but there is some debate. One thing, scholars do agree on regarding authorship is that 2 John wasn’t written by the apostle Paul. We have many samples of Paul’s writing and his consistent marks are obviously missing from this letter. He doesn’t name himself and his handling of the gospel spelled out on repeat, his most common trademark, is also missing.

Though Paul’s style of explaining the gospel isn’t present in 2 John, the gospel still takes center stage by expounding on “truth” and “love”, which, by way of authorship connection, is very closely connected to John’s narrative which describes Jesus as “full of grace and truth”. (John 1:14)

The gospel story begins and ends with truth and is woven through with a wondrous pairing of boundless grace, all held together by indescribable love. John’s note about unity among all believers resulting from this truth, “that remains in us and will be with us forever” (verse 2, emphasis mine) is a clear nod to John’s record of Jesus’ words in John 15:3-4, “You are already clean because of the word (Truth) I have spoken to you. 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.” (emphasis mine)

Flourishing happens when we are bound tightly by Truth, choosing to saturate ourselves with us, letting it renew our minds and lead us on paths of righteousness. All truth is God’s truth, but the Truth John wrote of, and the Truth that both transforms us and binds fellow believers together is the truth of the gospel!

The Everyday Application

3) With such a short letter, why does the author spend so much ink on “truth” and “love”? (verses 1-6)

What is the “gospel” and how does it connect with truth, grace, and love? I’m so glad you asked! The author opens with confident rejoicing, and the binding unity provided, by Truth. Not any truth, not “your truth” or “my truth”, but the Truth.

1) We are sinners, eternally separated from God because of our sin. (Isaiah 59:2)
2) Only perfectly righteous beings can fellowship with God and receive adoption as His children. (Isaiah 59:15)
3) We are forever unrighteous because even our good deeds are stained with sin. (Isaiah 64:5-6)
4) Christ Jesus took the punishment for all sin, which is eternal death and separation from God, upon Himself when He laid down His life at the cross. (1 John 2:2)
5) Because Jesus is the perfectly holy God, it was impossible for Death to win over Him. By God’s Spirit, Christ was raised to life after three days, never to die again. (Acts 2:23-24)
6) Because Jesus will never die again, and holds eternal victory over Sin and Death, He has the right to give this victory to whoever willingly comes to Him. (Romans 6:9)
7) When we agree with God about the truth of our sin, come to Him with true repentance, He will faithfully forgive every sin, adopt us as His children, and give us His righteousness in exchange for our filthy rags of sin. (1 John 1:9, Ephesians 1:5, 2 Corinthians 5:21)
8) When this grand exchange happens, God deposits His Holy Spirit in us as a mark of authentic adoption. (Romans 8:9, Romans 8:15) The Spirit gives us life and shapes us to become like Jesus, walking in truth. (Romans 8:29)
9) Our life on earth, and in eternity, will never be the same for the Great God has Rescued and Redeemed us from Death, transferring us to His kingdom of Life forever! (Colossians 1:13-14)

This is the gospel!

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justice,love,Old Testament,sacrifice
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I am full of the broken-made-whole,
repentant and redeemed humanity.

The beautiful truth is that despite their flawed humanity, each of these women described above have a seat at God’s table.

But the story is grander than just theirs, as a place is held for all who draw breath if they surrender lordship of their hearts to our Head, Christ Jesus.
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Table Day 11 Faith & Fellowship

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Table Day 11 Faith & Fellowship

Rebecca Adams

April 7, 2024

Captivating,Dwell,Freedom,Healing,Heart

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 6:22-40
James 3:13-18
John 1:1-5
Exodus 16:1-12

A few years ago, we made the transition from chairs at the family table to solid, cherry-wood benches that gleam in the sunlight coming through the dining room windows. With a family of nine, plus the frequent addition of friends coming through the door at just the right time to eat, long benches created a welcome space for more bodies to feel at home. Whether it was gourmet dinners with plenty of sides, or some chicken nachos built with random leftovers, the benches give space for family and friends saying, “You’re welcome here.”

Rough hewn beams, once finished, crafted, and treated, became the shining, tangible signpost for, “Come eat; you’re family here.”

In a similar fashion, the Old Testament provides the solid foundation of the New Testament to explode with color, it also provides the framework, the stabilizing beams, and even the drywall. The New Testament paints the walls with vibrant paint, ignites the fireplace with the fuel from the Old Testament, and makes House a Home.

Come in, you’re welcome here!
Sit at the Table crafted intentionally for centuries with a meal prepared for you!

As we read the New Testament, it is essential we remember the disciples and Jesus were actively living IN Old Testament times while Jesus taught. Temple sacrifices were made, Old Testament law was being taught and adhered to, the Torah, Prophets, and History scrolls were read aloud in the Temple complex, and the priests studied the Old Testament. Every. Day.

For Jesus to tie His teachings to the Old Testament made sense. (Matthew 5:17) When He pointed to the Old Testament, Jesus built an unshakeable bridge to span the gap between the familiar “what was” and the fulfilled “what is to come” reality. Jesus was painting the walls He, as God the Son, had built through the ages.

In John 6, however, the disciples are coming at Jesus with a pressing agenda. They are set on determining what they need to do in order to have the power to do the works Jesus did, which they understood to be works of God. “What can we do to perform the works of God?” they asked.” (verse 28)

Jesus’ answer didn’t satisfy them. Believing in God was not the answer they wanted; after all, they already “believed” in God since they were children. They were Jews! Believing in God was core to being Jewish. It made no sense why Jesus would call out “believing” as the foundational work of God. They wanted to have Jesus’ power, which would have been reasonable for any disciple of a Rabbi to assume they would be able to act just as their Teacher. But this particular Rabbi was God the Son!

Intent on achieving their goal of possessing Jesus’ power to perform miracles, the disciples persist, ““What sign, then, are You going to do so that we may see and believe you?” they asked.” (verse 30, emphasis mine)

Jesus had confronted the disciples in verse 26 calling them out for not “seeing” Him with the Greek definition of “seeing with recognition and heeding”, so perhaps with a bit of exasperation, the disciples push the ball back to Jesus. “Okay; Jesus. You say this is on You, so what are you going to do so we can catch what we apparently missed and transition to the right kind of saving belief?”

Their defensive mindset is revealed here when they follow with an example from the familiar territory they’ve grown up with, ““What are You going to perform? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”” (verses 30-31)

They felt confident they had surely pinned Jesus into telling them the secret to success they sought. They had Moses and Miracle Manna on their side, could Jesus top this?

With bated breath, they awaited Jesus’ reply. Would He finally reveal how He performed these works so they could do them also?

Jesus exposes the beauty of Old Testament wooden beams by clarifying what the disciples were missing. It wasn’t Moses who provided the manna, it was God. The same God, in fact, who was now providing Jesus as the Bread of Life, ready to eat and sustain all who believe in Him. “The one who believes in Me will never be thirsty”. (verse 35)

See the truths of the Old Testament and Believe that Jesus had come to fulfill it all.
Jesus is the completed House, filling the Table space and inviting all to come and feast with Him forever.

Jesus wanted the disciples to understand the distinction between a belief that “acknowledges” God and a belief that “entirely trusts” God for rescue from sin.

There is a belief in God that doesn’t save us for eternity. We must be certain this kind of belief is not what we possess! (James 2:19)

Jesus makes it abundantly clear that only a belief that trusts God to be exactly who He says He is, and actively feasts on Christ as the Bread of Life and His Word.

Come and sit at the Table, friends! It’s open to all!

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Easter,faith,Feast,fellowship,relationship,trust
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Table, Day 12
Digging Deeper

The entire Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 

The Israelites said to them,
“If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat and ate all the bread we wanted.

Instead, you brought us into this wilderness to make this whole assembly die of hunger!”
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Table Day 6 Repeated RSVP

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Table Day 6 Repeated RSVP

Farah Isbell

April 1, 2024

Faith,Fear,Fellowship,Follow,Healing,Ordinary,Relationship

Read His Words Before Ours!

Judges 6
Romans 12:1-2
2 Peter 3:8-9

Who was gathered at the Table?
In Judges 6, an intriguing scene unfolds as an angel of the Lord (a phrase often used in Scripture to refer to God Himself!) meets Gideon, an Israelite man who is hiding from oppressive enemies. (Judges 6:1-6) As a consequence of the evil Israel committed, Scripture tells us the nation of Midian attacked repeatedly to “devastate” Israel (Judges 6:1-6, the Message); yet into this result of Israel’s evil choices, their Heavenly Father issues a patient invitation to restoration. 

As He joins Gideon, the pre-incarnate Christ first listens to Gideon both mourn and question the circumstances (Judges 6:12-13), then replies, “Go in the strength you have and deliver Israel from the grasp of Midian. I am sending you!” (verse 14)

This is one of my favorite phrases while reading this passage today! In essence, God invited Gideon to join Him in rescuing Israel, promising to add the might of His presence to Gideon’s small strength! 

Who was invited to the Table?
While Gideon prepares a food offering for the angel of the Lord, God has initiated this gathering and acts as ultimate host. Throughout their interactions, we see God respond with patience and reassurance as Gideon struggles to reconcile God’s message to his real-life-reality under Midianite oppression. (Judges 6:17-24)

Following miraculous, fiery consumption of the food offering, God invites Gideon, and through him, all of Israel, to return to a devoted relationship with Himself, as evidenced by tearing down places of worship for other gods. (Judges 6:25-26) 

As the story continues, God’s ability to see His child’s heart is on display. (1 Samuel 16:7) He remains patient and engaged as Gideon’s fledgling faith wars with fear and he obeys God’s instructions . . . but under the cover of darkness. (Judges 6:27)

Soon, the situation grows more dire as Israel’s enemies join together and prepare to attack. (Judges 6:33) Facing such a grave threat, Scripture tells us the Spirit of the LORD envelops Gideon and moves him to summon men to fight for Israel (Judges 6:34-35). Still, in spite of these unquestionably divine experiences, Gideon asks for more assurances of God’s promise to bring victory for Israel. (Judges 6:36-40) As a person who has struggled with fear, I am astounded by God’s continued presence and patient acquiescence to Gideon’s requests!

Of course, Gideon isn’t the only person in Scripture who questions the word of the Lord. (Luke 1:5-25, John 20:24-29) Beautifully, in each of God’s responses, we see His intimate knowledge of each person leading Him to interact in a profoundly personalized fashion. 

2 Peter 3:9 explains, “The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” 

Recognizing the humble posture of Gideon’s heart (Judges 6:39), his Heavenly Father takes his hand and walks him, one clumsy step at a time, through fear to the “valiant warrior” God has destined him to be. (Judges 6:12)

What are we invited to remember and proclaim?
In Scripture, God invites His children to be secure in asking sincere questions (Luke 11:9-13) AND He invites us to trust His response, even when we don’t understand. (Proverbs 3:5-8) May we take both invitations seriously! 

Sisters, have you ever found yourself in a situation where, like Gideon, you’ve felt faith and fear co-existing within your heart? In those moments, may we echo the prayer of the father desperately seeking healing for his son in Mark 9:24, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”

When our circumstances and culture tug us away from God and toward hopelessness or the idol of self-reliance, help us to fix our hearts on “the mercies of God [. . .] Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2) 

Journaling Prompts:

  1. List moments God has led you with gentle patience.
  2. List ways He has transformed you through the renewing of your mind.
  3. Let these testimonies move your heart to praise!

We thank You, God, for Your patience! Help us to rest securely in Your patient love for us, never being afraid to bring our sincere questions before our Father. As we grow in trust, help us to follow You, even when we don’t understand! 

May we resolve all the more to accept Your regular invitations to meet with You, 
knowing we will find You to be patient and kind, 
tender toward our weakness and wise in Your shepherding of our heart!
Amen!

Tags :
doubt,faith,fellowship,hope,invitation,relationship,rescue,table
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Table, Day 7
Digging Deeper

When I consider what we know to be true of Roman culture and the historical happenings of Paul's period, it is impossible to ignore the parallels in our current age.

No matter the culture or age, sinful people do sinful things. Throughout history, humanity has not failed to choose sin and self even once.

The only one who could ever refuse all temptation to sin is Christ Jesus. Fully God, yet fully man, He alone lived a sinless life. He withstood every temptation known to man, yet he did not sin.
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Devoted Day 15 Worthy Healer: Digging Deeper

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Devoted Day 15 Worthy Healer: Digging Deeper

Rebecca Adams

March 22, 2024

Adoration,Digging Deeper,Fervent,Forgiven,Healing

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 "Worthy Healer"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 15:22-27

Then Moses led Israel on from the Red Sea, and they went out to the Wilderness of Shur. They journeyed for three days in the wilderness without finding water.

23 They came to Marah, but they could not drink the water at Marah because it was bitter—that is why it was named Marah. 24 The people grumbled to Moses, “What are we going to drink?” 25 So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he threw it into the water, the water became drinkable.

The Lord made a statute and ordinance for them at Marah, and he tested them there. 26 He said, “If you will carefully obey the Lord your God, do what is right in his sight, pay attention to his commands, and keep all his statutes, I will not inflict any illnesses on you that I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”

27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy date palms, and they camped there by the water.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What was important for Israel to know about God in this scene?

At the start of this scene, Israel was just three days removed from the Lord victoriously winning their astonishing freedom from their Egyptian slave owners of 430 years. (Exodus 12:40) Their victory was, without question, impossible from a human standpoint.

Make no mistake, the Israelites were in dire need. Three days without water, while walking in a desert, is a deadly scenario. Their need was a true need; it was absolutely essential for Israel to receive water at this point in order to live. Even having witnessed the impossible rescue of an entire nation through the Red Sea, it would be natural to wonder, after three days without water, that the Lord had saved them only to watch them die in misery.

At this point, their thinking had been led astray from the good character of God, having been sabotaged by the Deceiver, Satan. The Lord is good. The Lord provides. The Lord rescues. Because these are true, there is simply no room for panic or fear, only faith as we bring our requests to the Lord with praise for Who He Is.

For Israel, who was only beginning to know the Lord through His working of the 10 plagues and parting the Red Sea in addition to the promises He had given Abraham and Joseph, God treats them with gentle, gracious compassion. The Lord’s words tie what they already know of Him personally and experientially from witnessing His power in Egypt and plainly tell them what kind of God they can expect Him to be towards them. (verse 26)

He would prove His goodness by protecting them from disease, healing them, and staying His hand of wrath against them unlike what He had done to the Egyptians for their faithlessness. The key was Israel needed to practically live out their growing faith in the God they were coming to know.

The Everyday Application

1) What was important for Israel to know about God in this scene?

For our imaginative purposes, suppose Israel’s freedom had been won with an un-rivaled display of God’s authority on Sunday. By Wednesday, the people were complaining to Moses, for their death seemed certain again. In the span of 72 hours, their physical need for water surpassed the spiritual maturity of their faith to rely on the Lord. It’s easy for us to roll our spiritual eyes and judge harshly, but let’s look closer.

We can feel refreshed on Sunday, or even that very morning from prayer and Scripture, only to forget the steadfast character of the Lord hours later.

Mature faith is marked by knowing the character of the Lord and clinging steadfastly to it despite the circumstances we encounter. From this foundation of knowing the Lord, we confidently come to the Lord with every need, assured of His good answer and certain sustenance. (Philippians 4:4-7) He has never failed from the beginning of time, and He will not suddenly slip now.

What do you know is true about the Lord God? How do you know that’s true? Does Scripture support your claims? If so, how does your life, whether in calm or in crises, prove the beliefs your lips claim? I urge you to spend time pursuing more understanding of the Holy One. He longs to be known and has revealed Himself in His Word. Come humbly to the pages of the Bible, ask the Lord to teach you, and He will be faithful to do it! (Jeremiah 33:3) Our Journey Theme, Known, is a great resource to pair with your Scripture exploration of God and His character! Invite a friend to Know the Lord deeper with you and study together!

The Original Intent

2) What was important for Israel to know about themselves?

Up to the point of freedom won by the Hand of God alone, every Israelite in this scene had lived the entirety of their life in slavery dating back 430 years. There were no grandparents or great grandparents or great-great grandparents who could recount personal experiences of living outside of slavery. Everything they knew was total dictatorship by an arrogant, prideful Pharaoh who merely used Israel for his purposes. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and every aspect of their rich, faith history was exactly that: history.

These Israelites had no tabernacle around which to gather and worship, as it didn’t exist yet. The Lord’s holiness didn’t govern them, for His commandments had not yet been given. They had only old stories of Abraham, a free wealthy man, who was given a grand, impossible promise. That impossible promise was fulfilled, through the son of promise, Isaac. Another generation passed, and the promise continued through Isaac’s son Jacob. Yet another generation passed, and a convoluted mess later with multiple wives and concubines and so much sin, a nation was birthed through 12 sons from Jacob who would eventually become the twelves tribes of Israel hundreds of years later.

But what did any of that matter to a nation of slaves? Their bodies were scarred from the relentless whip of the Egyptian task master, their hands were calloused, and their minds were shaped by slave-mentality. Who could free them from the tyrant hand of Pharaoh? Joseph, the hero of Israel’s 12 sons and their families, had died four generations prior. His bones were boxed up, bound by a promise that when Israel was free once more, they would carry his bones to freedom. (Genesis 50:25)

Called to live free while trapped in slavery feels just as impossible as being trapped between Egyptian armies and the impassable Red Sea.

The Everyday Application

2) What was important for Israel to know about themselves?

Stepping, even slightly, into the soles of the slaves, we can’t fault them for their lackluster faith in God’s provision for water when it seemed death was, again, their victor. All they had known was slavery dating back 4 generations; they were owned by cruelty.

When you are shackled by Slavery, your default mindsight is to never trust anyone or anything and you are motivated to rely on yourself and no one else.

When we sit with this understanding, then zoom out to see the cross of Christ and recognize Him as the One who frees from the sin’s chains, we see the kindness of God to give such a clear picture of slavery’s tyranny sewn into the fabric of Israel’s history. We see God as the slave-freer across the generations, for not even the Tyrant of Death can defeat Him.

As Israel flees captivity, with its twisted perceptions and not yet clear understanding of Who this God of their forefathers really is, we see God as tender, compassionate, and gracious, holding them by their toddler hands as they learn to depend on Him and release their slavery mentality.

By understanding who they were as slaves, they could begin to embrace their new identity as freed people who lovingly belonging to the Eternal God.

Every human being was either at one time enslaved to Sin or still remains its prisoner. Apart from accepting the freedom Jesus offers us through complete forgiveness of our sin, we remain slaves of sin. (Romans 6:1-10)

But in Him! Sisters, it’s a new life, every day! To embrace this abundance, we must diligently practice renewing our mind according to His Word and living by faith in His ways, so we not only know Him, but make Him known! (Romans 12:1-2)

The Original Intent

3) Where could Israel find Hope on which to solidly anchor their faith?

Contrary to popular opinion, biblical faith is far from blind; it’s anchored in the everlasting truth that neither fades nor grows outdated. Like God, who is eternal (Isaiah 40:28), and His character that does not change with time, culture, or circumstance (Psalm 119:142), so His Word remains true regardless of any outward influences (Isaiah 40:8).

Where was hope for Israel in the midst of seemingly hopeless bondage that neared a thousand years from the call of Abraham? Hope was hidden in God’s stalwart character and His steadfast promise.

While Israel would have known by heart the stories of the God of their forefathers because of oral tradition, their only personal experience was the familiarity of the Egyptian whip against their skin and their scourge against their livelihood, and even their families as their children were thrown to the Nile.

The Lord knew Israel’s faith would be lacking when He led them across the Red Sea, but He met them where they were and began to teach them His character as faithful provider, righteous judge, and compassionate father.

Despite their lack of faith, God’s character and His promise remained. Genesis 15:13-14 holds a stunning proof as God speaks to Abraham, the man He chose to begin the nation of Israel, “Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know this for certain: Your offspring will be resident aliens for four hundred years in a land that does not belong to them and will be enslaved and oppressed. 14 However, I will judge the nation they serve, and afterward they will go out with many possessions.” (emphasis mine)

Despite the seeming “forgetfulness” of God while His people suffered, He would hold fast to His promise to free Israel so they, and the world, might know that He alone was worthy of their worship.  

The Everyday Application

3) Where could Israel find Hope on which to solidly anchor their faith?

The Lord met Israel with the faith they had, which was small and tenuous, and preserved them for still another generation as He patiently led them and cared for them in the Wilderness, teaching them to trust Him one step at a time. They bitterly complained and blatantly defied Him no matter how much He provided for them with unconditional love and care. Still, He remained true to His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to bring forth a nation through whom, the whole world would one day be offered eternal rescue from eternal slavery of sin and death.

One day, thousands more generations removed from the Israelites who fled Egypt’s shackles, Christ would allow Himself to be nailed to a cross, taking on every drop of consequence for our sin. He would take on our sin and offer us to take on His righteousness if we would give up our slavery from sin and be set free.

Wherever you are in your faith journey, the same Lord God who tenderly led the newly freed nation of Israel, is walking beside you as you wrestle with faith. He has not left you alone to wander aimlessly, and neither has He left you without a Source for trustworthy hope. His Word endures to this day and His character remains steadfast, readily available for you to anchor your life upon if you’re willing to surrender your sins and its cruel taskmaster.

Open your Bible, explore who this God, for He promises to answer all who truly call on Him. Whether you’ve walked with Him for 50 years or 5 days or you’ve never exchanged your sin for His righteousness, He is ready to show you even more of who He is and where True Hope lies.

Tags :
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Devoted, Day 15
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Staring our lustful idols in the face, naming them, then bravely choosing to reject them to worship the Only One Worthy isn’t easy.

This action requires a heart made whole by the God of healing. (Psalm 103:3)
A God whose Name is healing. (Exodus 15:26)
A God whose Name is a safe shelter. (Proverbs 18:10)
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Devoted Day 15 Worthy Healer

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Devoted Day 15 Worthy Healer

Michelle Brown

March 22, 2024

Adoration,Broken,Character,Excuses,Faith,Fullness,Good,Healing

Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 15:22-26
Psalm 103:1-12
Psalm 147:1-3         
Luke 4:16-21
Psalm 51:7-10

Staring our lustful idols in the face,
naming them,
then bravely choosing to reject them
to worship the Only One Worthy
isn’t easy.

This action requires a heart made whole
by the God of healing. (Psalm 103:3)
A God whose Name is healing. (Exodus 15:26)
A God whose Name is a safe shelter. (Proverbs 18:10)

If we would truly tear down the idols of our hearts, we must deeply know the God who heals the empty places we’ve tried to satisfy with lesser loves. The more deeply we know and understand the God who heals, Jehovah Rapha, the more fervent our desire becomes for us to wholly love Him and others!

The Hebrew word rapha means “to heal, to restore or mend.” The Lord called Himself by this name following His miraculous rescue of His people from Egyptian slavery. (Exodus 7:1-5) When God began to teach His newly liberated children how to live in freedom, devoted to their One True God, He paired His previously revealed Name “I Am” (Exodus 3:14) with “LORD” (Jehovah) “who heals” (rapha).

“If you will carefully obey the LORD your God, do what is right in his sight, pay attention to His commands, and keep all His statutes, I will not inflict any illnesses on you that I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.” 
(Exodus 15:26, emphasis mine)

When the Israelites, faced with a desert sojourn, murmured against Moses instead of trusting in God’s faithfulness, the faith and focus they had previously experienced wavered. (Exodus 15:22-27) Collectively, they chose to prostrate themselves before the idols of their immediate and temporary lusts over whole-heart worship to the God who had already proven to be a faithful rescuer. 

Therefore, implicit in this passage is a warning: devotion to their own way, hardening their hearts, and abandoning the LORD’s loving guidance would lead to the kind of disaster the Israelites had just witnessed the Egyptians experience. 

Yet in that moment, demonstrating His unfathomable love, God concluded this warning by revealing Himself as the LORD who heals, calling His people to devotion to Him alone. As they sought God with single-minded devotion and He healed their hearts, the outward evidence of such healing would be lives of careful obedience to the LORD, pursuing righteousness and holiness with their whole hearts. 

In Psalm 147, we see a declaration of the LORD our healer at work (verse 3)
within the context of His vast omnipotence.

Lay down your idol of self-reliance, we might hear the psalmist call, for the LORD alone is your Rescuer. (verse 2)
Lay down your idols of lesser things and even your own knowledge, for the LORD’s greatness, power, and understanding are unmatched. (verse 5)
Lay down your idol of earthly power, for the LORD will move on behalf of the oppressed. (verse 6)
Lay down your idols of the gods of rain, of harvest, of war, of love, for the LORD alone holds all of creation in His hands. (verses 7-10, 13-20)
Lay down your idols and devote yourselves to Me, the LORD invites His people, for “[t]he LORD values those who fear him, those who put their hope in his faithful love.” (Psalm 147:11)

As we look to examples of Jehovah Rapha in the New Testament, we see Jesus, led by the Spirit, Jehovah Rapha incarnate, repairing our brokenness, freeing and healing from sin, ministering by the Word of God. (Luke 4:18-21) The living embodiment of wholehearted devotion to God the Father (John 15:9-10), Jesus’ desire for us is wholeness; His ultimate concern is spiritual healing.

If I’m honest, this topic has touched some raw places in my heart.

Recently, my best friend’s only child died. We prayed earnestly for God to heal her, and my heart shattered when I realized He would not. Thy will, not my will, was His plan and I had a choice to either trust His heart to still be good, or insist my plans would be the idol to which I bowed. (Matthew 26:36-46)

When Paul pleaded for the Lord to remove the thorn in his flesh, the Lord of Healing responded, no, in good kindness, for, “My grace is sufficient for you.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

We lean upon God’s grace with our full weight, surrendering our idols to be crushed and our hearts moved to whole-life worship of the Savior who heals.

“Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 
Turn your face away from my sins
and blot out all my guilt. 
God, create a clean heart for me
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Psalm 51:7-10

Such joy is found in knowing God is mending our broken hearts; He is the God who takes our crushed spirits, whether from sin, idolatry, or the pain of grievous loss, and proves Himself to be Jehovah Rapha.

How do we respond to this kind of God?
With praise! Let’s glorify the God who tears down idols and heals us from the inside out; He is worthy to be praised!

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healing,hope,idolatry,idols,worship
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Devoted, Day 15
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Make no mistake, the Israelites were in dire need. Three days without water, while walking in a desert, is a deadly scenario.

Their need was a true need; it was absolutely essential for Israel to receive water at this point in order to live.

Even having witnessed the impossible rescue of an entire nation through the Red Sea, it would be natural to wonder, after three days without water, that the Lord had saved them only to watch them die in misery.

At this point, their thinking had been led astray from the good character of God, having been sabotaged by the Deceiver, Satan.
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Devoted Day 13 Blinded To See

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Devoted Day 13 Blinded To See

Sara Cissell

March 20, 2024

Adoration,Captivating,Christ,Excuses,Forgiven,Healing

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 9
Isaiah 55
Proverbs 3:5-12

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight. Don’t be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” (Proverbs 3:5-7)

Odds are high that most of us have seen this verse on a poster, a graduation card, a tea towel, or a water bottle sticker. It is a great verse and worthy of keeping front and center in our sight. 

That being said, what exactly does living this verse LOOK like? Could you describe what trusting in the Lord looks like in your life today? What does it feel like to not lean on your own understanding? 

In John 9, Jesus heals a blind man. The religious authorities are angered and interrogate both the healed man and his family. In this story, we see both an example of relying on God’s truth and a few non-examples, as well. 

Let’s start with the non-examples, those who relied on their own understanding. Jesus’ disciples, who witnessed the healing, assumed the blind man’s lack of sight must be a result of sin, a direct consequence for an action in the past. (John 9:1-5) Jesus, however, explained that the purpose of the blindness was to show God’s work, and this story definitely displays the glory of the Lord. 

Another example of those relying on their own understanding is the Pharisee and their response. Their focus centered around Jesus healing on the Sabbath, a day of rest prescribed by their religious laws. The law had become the Pharisees’ security blanket and the basis for which all their decisions were made. The first portion of Proverbs 3:5-7 did not exist in their worlds. In the process of leaning on their own understanding, they completely missed all the Lord did before them AND they rejected the Lord in the process. 

However, one man did succeed in living out this verse: the blind man. 

I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure what I would have been thinking in his position. What might have been your thoughts? You hear the disciples ask the Lord about your sin. Maybe you were wondering the same thing? Why were you being punished, or did you know you had been living a blameless life but were powerless to convince others? Did hope unfurl within you at hearing the Lord validate your entire existence thus far? 

How might you have processed the sound of Jesus’ spit hitting the ground, the slight crunch as the mud was mixed, and then the strange sensation of the mud being placed on your eyes? (John 9:6-7) Would your first thought be to get it off your face as quickly as possible, or would you have just enough curiosity to leave it alone in order to find out what Jesus did next? 

When Jesus gave the directive of where to wash your face, would you have doubted, or hesitated? Would you have believed your life was changing, or would it not be until the first glimpses of light appeared as you washed your face? 

None of the internal processing is recorded in Scripture, but the blind man’s actions speak. He did just as the Lord commanded and he received his sight. 

Not only did he receive his sight, he stood up to the Pharisees when questioned about his experience. (John 9:13-34) He shared exactly what happened and let its weightiness rest in the air. He did not try to sugar coat it or explain it away in an effort to enable the Pharisees to save face or lessen any potential conviction they may have felt. 

I know it is easy to read Scripture with the benefit of hindsight and think the Pharisees were so blind. They truly were. 

The reality is we are not so far removed from the Pharisees. When we rely on our own understanding without seeking the Lord’s direction through His Word, prayer, and wise counsel of other believers, we are likely to walk the same path as the Pharisees. 

They had become so comfortable with their construction of truth that they missed the literal, physical Lord standing in front of them. 

We can do the same thing. When we start basing all of our decisions on the truth we know or understand and disregard what the Truth, Jesus, is saying, we are walking in the footsteps of our Pharisee friends and making our wisdom an idol since we are putting it before the Lord in our lives. (John 14:6)

How can we combat this? How do we live more like the blind man than the Pharisees? 

By actively looking for the Lord (Bible reading, prayer, Holy Spirit nudges, etc.) and obeying, even when it does not make sense or challenges us to move beyond our comfort zones. 

Lord, please open our eyes to see where You are working and fill us with boldness to obey. May we be like the blind man who gained his sight rather than those who saw You and remained blind. 

Tags :
blind,forgiveness,hope,idols,light
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Devoted, Day 14
Digging Deeper

Trust the Lord. Don’t rely on your wisdom. Know the Lord. Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord. Turn away from evil.

Sisters, if we take these six actions and commit to filtering every aspect of our everyday lives through them, our lives will be rock solid and immoveable for it will be built on Jesus Himself who IS Wisdom. (Matthew 7:24-27)

When we wake up and thoughts begin stirring, let’s take them captive, holding them hostage until we call to mind these six actions and begin holding each thought up to Wisdom.
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