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Whole Day 5 Breaking the Bonds

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Read His Words Before Ours!

James 4:7-10
1 Peter 5:6-11
Galatians 5:13-14
Isaiah 58:5-14
Romans 12:1-2

Whole, Day 5

When a wave of depression knocks me down or anxiety cripples me,
my body responds with intense chest pain, stealing my breath.
My muscles and bones are weighed down by sudden exhaustion.
My stomach churns and forces bile into my throat.
My thoughts flash back and forth, from slow-motion to frenzied.

Our world is broken, rife with oppression. Living under oppression is like living under the weight of heavy chains; for me, oppression has taken the form of struggles with mental health. For others, oppression may occur through social injustice, religious persecution, or even literal chains.

Yet in the midst of oppression, we have hope in God; the One True God, who is fully capable of healing my mental health and breaking every chain of oppression. As we partner with Him in His freedom work, we must choose to humbly submit ourselves to God, trusting He provides for and sustains us during the struggle.

One of my favorite Scriptures is the book of James, because his words read like a practical guide to Christan living, even in the midst of oppression. I’m grateful for a “road map” to help us access godly lives!

James 4:7-10 provides five ways to worship God as we fight the bondage oppressing us and keeping us from wholeness in Christ.

Verse 7: Submit to God
Verse 8: Draw near to God
Verse 8: Wash your hands & cleanse your heart
Verse 9: Grieve, mourn, and weep
Verse 10: Humble yourself before the Lord (1 Peter 5:6-11)

These acts of worship lead us to the beautiful promise of 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (emphasis mine):

“[B]ut whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil [of separation between God and His children] is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

What a beautiful image! Let’s take a closer look at the transformative acts of oppression-shattering worship listed above.

First, submission and humility (verse 7 and verse 10) are interwoven into our relationships with God and others. Submission requires humility, and we must have humility in order to submit to God.

Recently, I slipped into an old destructive habit of hidden self-harm. I knew my first step in submitting to God in humility was confession. I needed to let the Light of Jesus in by confessing to God and a trusted friend. Having a safe place to engage in confession brings godly, gentle conviction, which helped me make major life changes toward healing and wholeness. Conviction is both humbling and holy; it helps us walk in freedom and is not meant to cause us shame. God wants us free from sin, so we can draw close to Him. (verse 8)

How can we practice submission and humility in relationships with others? To begin, do you have at least one trusted, safe, Jesus-loving person in your life? If not, jump into the comments or join a group here at GTC! The internet can be a wonderful resource for building relationships: I am introverted and slow to trust, but I have found two treasured, Christ-loving, and encouraging friends online.

As you get started, consider looking for a church with an active online chat group during service (I host two nearly every Sunday), give someone a compliment, and go from there! Growth and change can be uncomfortable and require intentional action steps, but wholeness in Christ and healing are so worth it!

Next, verse 8 exhorts us, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Three of my favorite ways to draw near to God are found in spiritual disciplines. I regularly fast from distractions and time wasters (fasting from food isn’t an option for me), I practice a weekly sabbath,
and I journal Scripture daily.

What about James’ seemingly-odd instruction to “cleanse your hands”?

According to the NIV Cultural Background Study Bible, “In this period [A.D. 40 and 50] Jewish people washed their hands before prayer.” Learning the cultural and historical background of God’s Word is vital to living it out! I’m going to start washing my hands before I begin prayer and meditation time with God; the physicality and intentionality of this small action will help remind me I am getting still before the Lord!

Finally, grieving, mourning, and lamenting (verse 9) before the Lord helps us embrace sorrow over sin. Sharing in the lament of another’s oppression builds empathy and moves us to compassion and the pursuit of God’s freedom and justice. (Galatians 5:13-14) In your own grief, we encourage you to seek support through counseling, and bring your honest pain to your Abba. (Romans 8:15) God knows we are hurting and meets us in our sorrow.

God calls us to wholeness in Christ and complete dependence on God. The book of Jeremiah contains God’s pleas for Israel to turn back to Him, and I believe His call is for us as well.

“Stand by the roadways and look.
Ask about the ancient paths,
‘Which is the way to what is good?’
Then take it and find rest for yourselves.”
(Jeremiah 6:16)

Start small, dear ones, turning toward God and the path He has laid out for us by implementing our acts of worship in your life today. Respond to God’s invitation to follow Him, finding freedom from oppression for ourselves and others as we journey toward wholeness!

*Written by Melis Chambers

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Whole Day 4 See The Sickness: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out See The Sickness!

The Questions

1) Why does Jeremiah ask if the Lord is no longer in Zion? (verse 19)

2) Why does Jeremiah say that he is broken, he mourns, and horror has taken hold of him? (verse 21)

3) What does Jeremiah mean when he asks, “Is there no balm in Gilead?” (verse 22)

Jeremiah 8:18-22

My joy has flown away; grief has settled on me. My heart is sick.
19 Listen—the cry of my dear people from a faraway land, “Is the Lord no longer in Zion, her King not within her?” Why have they angered me with their carved images, with their worthless foreign idols? 20 Harvest has passed, summer has ended, but we have not been saved. 21 I am broken by the brokenness of my dear people. I mourn; horror has taken hold of me. 22 Is there no balm in Gilead?
Is there no physician there? So why has the healing of my dear people not come about?

Original Intent

1) Why does Jeremiah ask if the Lord is no longer in Zion? (verse 19)
For centuries, God warned the people of Judah of the dire consequences of disobedience. (Deuteronomy 28:49) Judah disregarded the prophets God sent to correct them until finally God allowed Judah to be taken captive. (2 Kings 24:14) When the prophet Jeremiah lamented the oppression of his people in Jeremiah 8:19 he cried, “Listen—the cry of my dear people from a faraway land, ‘Is the Lord no longer in Zion, her King not within her?’” Matthew Henry explains, “The common cant was, ‘Is not the Lord in Zion? What danger then need we fear? […] Surely we shall do well enough, for have we not God among us?’ But, when it grew to an extremity, it was an aggravation of their misery that they had thus flattered themselves.” Jeremiah grieved because his people wondered why God did not deliver them from oppression if He was still their Lord and King. God countered Jeremiah’s question with, “Why have they angered me with their carved images, with their worthless foreign idols?” (verse 19). Jeremiah lamented that his people had forsaken God to worship worthless idols. As David Guzik notes, “The problem was not that God had abandoned the land of Israel; the problem was Israel had abandoned God.” The Lord mercifully gave Judah many opportunities to return to Him before allowing His people to face consequences for their disobedience. (2 Kings 17:13) But just as God demanded justice, He also promised hope. In Deuteronomy 30:2-4, God assured Judah that once they returned to the Lord with obedience and repentance, He would gather them and restore them. What a blessing that we can rely on the goodness and mercy of God to carry us through trials, even the ones we bring upon ourselves.

2) Why does Jeremiah say that he is broken, he mourns, and horror has taken hold of him? (verse 21)
God called a very young Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:5) to prophesy to His people, telling them to change their sinful ways or face God’s wrath. This was unwelcome news. In verse 21, Jeremiah accepted that God’s impending judgment was coming and he cried out, “I am broken by the brokenness of my dear people. I mourn; horror has taken hold of me.” W.A. Criswell explains, “This is a lament, a sad and sorrowful cry of the prophet Jeremiah as he saw the proffered grace of our Lord refused by the nation, and as he looked upon the armies of the bitter and hasty Chaldeans as they destroyed Judea, destroyed the city of Jerusalem, destroyed the holy temple. (2 Chronicles 36:19) Jeremiah faithfully served God from childhood by urging His people to return to the Lord, warning them of the dire consequences of rejecting God, and it broke his heart to watch his people choose their own destruction. Alyssa Roat tells us Jeremiah was known as the “weeping prophet” and he “lived at a truly terrible time in history. Not only did he experience the horrors of war, starvation, siege, and captivity, he was called upon to tell the people of it, urging them to repent. Worst of all, they didn’t listen.” The Dutch artist, Rembrandt, made a famous painting titled Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem, depicting Jeremiah’s great sorrow over his people’s sin and destruction. The book of Lamentations is filled with Jeremiah’s poetry describing his sorrow over Judah’s desolation. Because Jeremiah loved the Lord intensely, the brokenness of God’s people grieved him. It was for broken people like these that Jesus suffered and died. (Isaiah 61:1) May we be like Jeremiah and carry God’s love to others, inviting them to find healing in Him.

3) What does Jeremiah mean when he asks, “Is there no balm in Gilead?” (verse 22)
When Jeremiah lamented the oppression of his people by the Chaldeans (also called Babylonians) he queried, “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? So why has the healing of my dear people not come about?”. (Jeremiah 8:22) Philip Ryken writes, “Gilead was the land just east of the Jordan River. It was known for its healing balsams. […] Scholars have been unable to determine how the balm of Gilead was made, but it seems to have been a soothing, aromatic resin made from a tree or a plant. It might be compared to aloe vera.” Since Gilead was well-known for its healing balm, obviously this was not an actual inquiry. Jeremiah’s rhetorical question emphasized that God had forewarned His people and allowed Judah’s oppression because of their sin and disobedience. Charles Ellicott suggests “The question of the prophet is therefore a parable. ‘Are there no means of healing, no healer to apply them, for the spiritual wounds of Israel?’ The prophets were her physicians, repentance and righteousness were her balm of Gilead.” Because God’s people chose not to avail themselves of the remedy God provided through the warnings of the prophets, despite the many opportunities God offered, they experienced oppression, subjugation and exile. The people had multiple invitations to avoid catastrophe, just as Gilead was replete with healing salve. Judah had the promises of God to protect and guide them if they obeyed Him (Joel 2:18-21), yet they turned towards worshipping other gods and idols instead. My prayer is to recognize how the Lord provides the “balm of Gilead” in my times of trouble and readily accept His grace and forgiveness whenever I falter.

Everyday Application

1) Why does Jeremiah ask if the Lord is no longer in Zion? (verse 19)
For centuries, God warned the people of Judah of the dire consequences of disobedience. (Deuteronomy 28:49) Judah disregarded the prophets God sent to correct them until finally God allowed Judah to be taken captive. (2 Kings 24:14) When the prophet Jeremiah lamented the oppression of his people in Jeremiah 8:19 he cried, “Listen—the cry of my dear people from a faraway land, ‘Is the Lord no longer in Zion, her King not within her?’” Matthew Henry explains, “The common cant was, ‘Is not the Lord in Zion? What danger then need we fear? […] Surely we shall do well enough, for have we not God among us?’ But, when it grew to an extremity, it was an aggravation of their misery that they had thus flattered themselves.” Jeremiah grieved because his people wondered why God did not deliver them from oppression if He was still their Lord and King. God countered Jeremiah’s question with, “Why have they angered me with their carved images, with their worthless foreign idols?” (verse 19). Jeremiah lamented that his people had forsaken God to worship worthless idols. As David Guzik notes, “The problem was not that God had abandoned the land of Israel; the problem was Israel had abandoned God.” The Lord mercifully gave Judah many opportunities to return to Him before allowing His people to face consequences for their disobedience. (2 Kings 17:13) But just as God demanded justice, He also promised hope. In Deuteronomy 30:2-4, God assured Judah that once they returned to the Lord with obedience and repentance, He would gather them and restore them. What a blessing that we can rely on the goodness and mercy of God to carry us through trials, even the ones we bring upon ourselves.

2) Why does Jeremiah say that he is broken, he mourns, and horror has taken hold of him? (verse 21)
God called a very young Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:5) to prophesy to His people, telling them to change their sinful ways or face God’s wrath. This was unwelcome news. In verse 21, Jeremiah accepted that God’s impending judgment was coming and he cried out, “I am broken by the brokenness of my dear people. I mourn; horror has taken hold of me.” W.A. Criswell explains, “This is a lament, a sad and sorrowful cry of the prophet Jeremiah as he saw the proffered grace of our Lord refused by the nation, and as he looked upon the armies of the bitter and hasty Chaldeans as they destroyed Judea, destroyed the city of Jerusalem, destroyed the holy temple. (2 Chronicles 36:19) Jeremiah faithfully served God from childhood by urging His people to return to the Lord, warning them of the dire consequences of rejecting God, and it broke his heart to watch his people choose their own destruction. Alyssa Roat tells us Jeremiah was known as the “weeping prophet” and he “lived at a truly terrible time in history. Not only did he experience the horrors of war, starvation, siege, and captivity, he was called upon to tell the people of it, urging them to repent. Worst of all, they didn’t listen.” The Dutch artist, Rembrandt, made a famous painting titled Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem, depicting Jeremiah’s great sorrow over his people’s sin and destruction. The book of Lamentations is filled with Jeremiah’s poetry describing his sorrow over Judah’s desolation. Because Jeremiah loved the Lord intensely, the brokenness of God’s people grieved him. It was for broken people like these that Jesus suffered and died. (Isaiah 61:1) May we be like Jeremiah and carry God’s love to others, inviting them to find healing in Him.

3) What does Jeremiah mean when he asks, “Is there no balm in Gilead?” (verse 22)
When Jeremiah lamented the oppression of his people by the Chaldeans (also called Babylonians) he queried, “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? So why has the healing of my dear people not come about?”. (Jeremiah 8:22) Philip Ryken writes, “Gilead was the land just east of the Jordan River. It was known for its healing balsams. […] Scholars have been unable to determine how the balm of Gilead was made, but it seems to have been a soothing, aromatic resin made from a tree or a plant. It might be compared to aloe vera.” Since Gilead was well-known for its healing balm, obviously this was not an actual inquiry. Jeremiah’s rhetorical question emphasized that God had forewarned His people and allowed Judah’s oppression because of their sin and disobedience. Charles Ellicott suggests “The question of the prophet is therefore a parable. ‘Are there no means of healing, no healer to apply them, for the spiritual wounds of Israel?’ The prophets were her physicians, repentance and righteousness were her balm of Gilead.” Because God’s people chose not to avail themselves of the remedy God provided through the warnings of the prophets, despite the many opportunities God offered, they experienced oppression, subjugation and exile. The people had multiple invitations to avoid catastrophe, just as Gilead was replete with healing salve. Judah had the promises of God to protect and guide them if they obeyed Him (Joel 2:18-21), yet they turned towards worshipping other gods and idols instead. My prayer is to recognize how the Lord provides the “balm of Gilead” in my times of trouble and readily accept His grace and forgiveness whenever I falter.

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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Whole Day 3 See The Sickness

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Whole, Day 3

Jeremiah 8:18-22
Acts 2:29-42
Matthew 5:10-12
1 Peter 4:12-14

Oppression: an unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power. (Merriam-Webster) Often, oppression includes a cluster of feeling heavily burdened and mentally or physically troubled, which may lead to adverse conditions and anxiety.

Oppression has existed since sin first entered the world. As we read the works of Old Testament writers, we find their lament of the suffering humanity experiences.
“My joy has flown away;
grief has settled on me.
My heart is sick.
Listen–the cry of my dear people
from a faraway land,
‘Is the LORD no longer in Zion,
her King not within her?’ [. . .]
I am broken by the brokenness
of my dear people.
I mourn; horror has taken hold of me.
Is there no balm in Gilead?
Is there no physician there?
So why has the healing of my dear people
not come about?”
(Jeremiah 8:18-22)

Over time, some people throughout the world have fought oppression, providing fundamental rights to others and organizing to work for the protection of those suffering unjustly. Yet sadly, people in many countries are still oppressed today.
Today, I’m going to share about oppression in my home country, Pakistan.
In the midst of our struggles, we strongly believe God has good plans for Pakistan and He cares for His people here.

The Pakistani Christian community has been an important part of Pakistan since its creation, but remains a minority in the predominately Muslim country. While the white stripe on the hoist end of the Pakistani flag is meant to represent those of minority faiths, Pakistani Christians face significant oppression.

Challenges include finding jobs and providing quality education to our children. While the education system of Pakistan was rooted in Christian missionary schools, current literacy rates remain very low in Christian communities.

Furthermore, in some areas, our churches are under threat of sudden attack at all times.

In 2005, a mob set fire to churches and Christian schools in Faisalabad, forcing Christians to flee.
In 2009, a mob set fire to about 40 houses and a church in Gojra, burning eight people alive.
On 22 September 2013, a twin suicide bomb attack took place at All Saints Church in Peshawar, Pakistan, in which 127 people were killed and over 250 injured.

On 15 March 2015, two blasts took place at a Roman Catholic Church and Christ Church
during Sunday service in the Youhanabad area of Lahore. At least 15 people were killed and seventy were wounded in the attacks.

A church in Quetta was bombed and 9 people were killed. The Islamic State took responsibility for the attack.
According to an Open Doors claim in November 2017, Pakistan had the highest number of Christians killed in the world during the 12 months from 1 November 2015 to 31 October 2016. Pakistan also topped the list of most documented church attacks during the same time period.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan, reports emerged that rations were being denied to minority Hindus and Christians in the coastal areas of Karachi. Thankfully, several organizations, including Edhi Foundation, JDC Welfare Organization, and Jamaat-e-Islami, are reported to have stepped forward to provide relief to the minorities.

As you can see, recent years have seen an intensification of violent persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan.
The Lord Jesus told us Christians would face tribulation, and we must stand firm in our faith, knowing our sacrifices are right before God and will increase His Kingdom.
“If anyone wants to follow after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Mark 8:34)

Christ made it very clear the road to which He is calling us is full of trials and challenges. As Pakistani Christians suffer for their faith, sometimes imprisoned and tortured for years, they are sustained by God’s promise there is a reward kept for them and they are sharing in the sufferings of Christ.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven.” (Matthew 5:10-12)

No stranger to suffering for the Gospel, the Apostle Peter confirms,
“Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you. Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you also may rejoice with great glory when his glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:12-13)

Today, if you are oppressed, remember 1 Peter 4:16,
“But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God[.]”
God bless each one of you.

*Written by Neriah Khan, whose name has been changed to protect her identity

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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 Whole Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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The GT Weekend! ~ Champion Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) As we are reminded in the picture of Mary’s life through her encounter with the angel Gabriel (my what an occasion that must have been!), we are each commissioned for a purpose. Though it looks a little different for each of us, every Christ follower is to spread the gospel of truth about salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. We share this commission together as believers in Jesus, all working for the same goal, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the way in which we accomplish our mission will look the same. Mary had the unique privilege of birthing and raising Jesus as His human mother, but your calling may involve touching lives through song or by volunteering at a local shelter; it could involve ministering to lost souls overseas or starting a Bible study in your neighborhood. Just as there are multiple ways to get the same result in a math equation, there are many ways God calls us to spread the gospel and to emulate His light in our lives. Don’t be discouraged if you haven’t fully uncovered His path for you yet, but don’t get caught waiting for tomorrow, either. He is calling you to do something right where you are, right now, just one step of obedience at a time. You are never anywhere by accident, for He has gone before you and placed you just where He needs you to follow Him faithfully. (Acts 17:24-27)

2) Saul is a man we love to hate, and Paul is a man we revere as his love for the Lord is exceeded by few. We are all Saul and we are all Paul. Our flesh wages war against our spirits daily (Galatians 5:17) and thus we see these two versions of Paul in each of us as our fleshly selves fight against the Spirit of Christ within us. This is the great connecting thread amongst all the biblical heroes and the very reason we can derive hope for ourselves from each of their stories. Even from the beginning of Paul’s story, we see that God used his upbringing to prepare him for his ultimate path: ministering to gentiles all over the world about salvation through Jesus. This is yet another reminder that God chooses the season, the year, the place in which we live with purpose. Ladies, God wastes nothing in our lives. In fact, it is the very misguided nature of Saul’s own spiritual blindness that shines the brightest spotlight on God, because if he can turn Saul into Paul, then He can transform you into the woman He has created you to be.

3) We’ve heard about Peter, Mary, Daniel, David, and more in the Champion Journey Theme. We’ve heard about great feats and greater shows of faith, but if you only take one thing from this Journey Theme, I hope it’s this: you are not enough. I know that sounds counterintuitive but understanding this reality is the necessary starting point for every single “hero” we read about in the Bible. That is the foundation for a blossoming relationship with Jesus and ultimately a life that points directly to God. We must recognize our weakness and frailty, as each of our Champion characters did, while also recognizing the resounding strength, love, and fullness of the God we worship. Then choose to surrender our “not enough” to the Only One who IS Enough. When we do, the Holy Spirit empowers us and shapes our lives into beautiful reflections of God’s glory. Peter failed countless times, even when Jesus told him it would happen beforehand. Despite his failures, Jesus still called on Peter to be the rock on which Jesus would build His church. (Matthew 16:18) So I implore you, the next time you find yourself in a situation where you can’t, meditate on the fact that Peter couldn’t either and Jesus still called on him because Jesus could. He was, and is, and always will be, enough. He is our Champion!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from 1 Peter 2:11-17 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

“Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul. Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day He visits. Submit to every human authority…For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. Submit as free people…Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God”.

Prayer Journal
Yahweh, our Heavenly Father who has gone before us, You are the Artist Who has painted the beautiful world around me, and the Author of the most incredible story known to man, and within that story, You wrote me a part to play. I ask You, Lord, teach me to trust Your direction and rest in Your fullness. I ask You to change my heart posture so that when You commission my work, I will respond like Mary with humility (Luke 1:26-38); like David with passion for Your heart (Psalm 51); and like Daniel with absolute confidence in your power (Daniel 6:10-24). Shape me into a living stone for Your church (1 Peter 2:4), oh God, and rid me of the things that fight against the Holy Spirit inside me (1 Peter 2:1). Provide me with a net, Lord, and provide me with so many fish that my net breaks. Let me walk in your provision and become a fisher of people in Your name, God, so the world may know Your face and bow at Your feet, for You are our Champion, Lord. In Jesus’ name I pray this, Amen.

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Champion Day 14 The Unexpected Presence: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out The Unexpected Presence!

The Questions

1) Why is Jesus called the mediator between God and people? (verse 5)

2) Why does Paul refer to Jesus as a testimony at the proper time? (verse 6)

3) Why does Paul need to assert that he is telling the truth and not lying? (verse 7)

1 Timothy 2:3-7

This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a herald, an apostle (I am telling the truth; I am not lying), and a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Original Intent

1) Why is Jesus called the mediator between God and people? (verse 5)
Paul, writing to his disciple, Timothy, declared “there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” (verse 5) In this passage, Paul explains the reason God sent His Son, Jesus, to the world, calling Him our mediator. Jesus came as a bridge to bring people to God after sin separated them from God in the Garden of Eden. (Galatians 3:19) Matthew Henry asserts, “Sin had made a quarrel between us and God; Jesus Christ is the Mediator who makes peace.” (Ephesians 2:14) It is Jesus who made a way for sinful man to access a Holy and sinless God (John 14:6) by coming to earth as a man and taking our sins upon Himself, though He Himself was sinless. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Erik Raymond explains that “Jesus had to be a man so that He could identify with us, suffering in our place and sympathizing with us in our weakness . . . [and] Jesus had to be truly God so that He could satisfy God’s wrath and secure for us true righteousness and life.” When Jesus came to earth and died on the cross for our sins (1 Peter 2:24), He made direct communion with God possible by becoming the “mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance, because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.” (Hebrews 9:15) Because Jesus mediated a new covenant between man and God, we are able to stand before God with the righteousness of Jesus (Romans 3:22) and cleansed of our sins because of His sacrifice.

2) Why does Paul refer to Jesus as a testimony at the proper time? (verse 6)
Paul claims in verse 6 that Jesus “gave Himself as a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time.” He refers to Jesus as a testimony to God’s redemptive plan for humans. (John 3:16) God sent Jesus to earth to reconcile humans with God by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. (2 Corinthians 5:18) It was this testimony of the Good News of Christ as Mediator and Redeemer that Paul was appointed to share with both Jews and Gentiles for the remainder of his life. (2 Timothy 1:11) The proper time to share this message of salvation to all had come. (Romans 5:6) Albert Barnes explains that the testimony was “a doctrine of revelation that redemption was to be provided for all people, and that it was intended that the testimony to this should be afforded at the proper time. It was not fully made known under the ancient dispensation, but now the period had come when it should be communicated to all.” God’s people had been waiting to hear this Good News for generations (Isaiah 9:6), and now that Jesus had come to earth and fulfilled God’s plan (Galatians 4:4), it was time for Paul and other believers to spread the Gospel message to everyone. God wants us to do the same by sharing God’s message of love and forgiveness with those we encounter in our daily lives. (Matthew 28:19) It is our joy and privilege to share Jesus and spread the Gospel to those within our reach.

3) Why does Paul need to assert that he is telling the truth and not lying? (verse 7)
Paul’s letter to Timothy declares that God appointed Paul as an apostle and teacher of the Gospel, punctuating the statement with the assertion of his veracity, “For this I was appointed a herald, an apostle (I am telling the truth; I am not lying), and a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth”. (I Timothy 2:7) He may have wanted to support his claim as a preacher of the True Gospel because he had formerly persecuted Christians until God compelled him to follow Jesus and preach the Good News. (Acts 9) Albert Barnes suggests it “probable that there were those in Ephesus who denied that he could be an apostle, and hence his solemn declaration affirming it.” God chose Paul because of his formerly violent treatment of Christians so he could testify of the life-changing power of God’s Son. Not only was it hard to believe that the staunch Pharisee could become a genuine Christian, but the content of the message was also hard to accept. (1 Corinthians 1:23) Matthew Poole emphasizes, “it was not easy to persuade the Jews that God had sent any to reveal the way of salvation to the Gentiles.” Paul makes it very clear in his letters that the freedom and forgiveness of Christ is for everyone, Jew and Gentile alike. (Romans 10:11-13) Charles Ellicott asserts that Paul’s words “were uttered solely in view of the surpassing magnitude of the message with which he was charged—solely to bear a weighty and imposing testimony to the truth of his assertion, which so many were ready and eager to dispute—the assertion that the gospel of Jesus Christ was a message of glad tidings, was an offer of salvation, not to a people, but to a world.”

Everyday Application

1) Why is Jesus called the mediator between God and people? (verse 5)
A friend of mine was embroiled in a property dispute with a family member over how to use land bequeathed in joint ownership to two parties. Eventually, the relationship was strained by the conflict and all communication was at a standstill. They were forced to call in a third party to mediate the terms of their dealings with the property, agreeing to accept the mediator’s recommendations. Through his work they were able to compromise about the property, repair their relationship and move forward. The apostle Paul tells us that Jesus came to earth in a similar capacity to act as Mediator between God and humankind. The sin of God’s people made a separation between God and humanity that could only be repaired by God’s Mediator, His Son. (Hebrews 8:6) Because our sin keeps us from God, Jesus made a way for us to reach the Father, taking our sins upon Himself so we could be presented as blameless before God. (Colossians 1:22) Because God’s perfect Son took our place, exchanging our sins for His holiness, He sees us as holy (Hebrews 10:10) for He has imputed His righteousness upon all who trust Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21) God still wants us to be perfect (Matthew 5:48), but not in our own strength. Kristen Wetherell suggests “God expects you to be perfect, yes. But not because you can be—because Jesus has been, is, and always will be perfect. He imputes his holiness to you as a beloved child of God.” Jesus took our punishment for sin, but not so we can continue to sin freely without consequence. He desires us to “be holy as He is holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16) He gives us the grace and power to obey His commands. He does not leave us to struggle in our own strength; God Himself makes us holy as He shapes us into the image of His Son! (1 Thessalonians 5:23, Romans 8:29)

2) Why does Paul refer to Jesus as a testimony at the proper time? (verse 6)
In one of my favorite novels, Sense and Sensibility, the main character, Elinor, hides a difficult secret. She learns that the man she loves, Edward, made a regrettable engagement at an impressionable age to a woman he does not love, but his integrity compels him to honor the engagement. Elinor cannot relieve her heart by confiding in her mother or sister because she promised Edward’s fiancée to keep their secret. When Edward’s family discovers the unsuitable betrothal and publicly disinherits him, the time has finally come for Elinor to seek solace from her family for her broken heart. While she desperately wanted to discuss her pain with someone who could comfort her, she had to wait until the proper time. The apostle Paul discusses a long-awaited event that finally could be shared with the world when he declared that Jesus “gave himself as a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time”. (I Timothy 2:6) The coming of the Messiah and His kingdom had been long anticipated by God’s people (Isaiah 53), and Paul was appointed to share with everyone that Jesus fulfilled the prophecies and the law as the Son of God, the Savior of the world. (Romans 8:4) Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection was the testimony Paul preached to anyone who would listen. Ephesians 1:9-10 tells us God “made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ as a plan for the right time—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.” (emphasis mine) God chose just the right time in history to send His Son to earth to bring freedom from sin to the whole world, and He wants everyone who knows the Truth to share this perfectly timed message!

3) Why does Paul need to assert that he is telling the truth and not lying? (verse 7)
I started a new high school my senior year. Coming from a small Christian school to a large public school, I looked like a bewildered freshman instead of a confident senior at new-student orientation. Unaware that class officers circulated to help students, I was surprised when a gregarious young man offered his assistance. He introduced himself as the senior class president, but I was incredulous. I assumed the class president would look more official, but he was just some guy in blue jeans, cracking jokes and swigging a soda. I voiced my disbelief, assuming he was joking. Flustered, he sputtered, “No, really, I AM the Senior Class President! I’m here to guide you around campus.” I declined his help that day, but it turned out he was, indeed, who he claimed. The Apostle Paul likely faced significant disbelief when he announced that God chose him, who had fiercely persecuted the Church, to proclaim the truth of Jesus to the world. (I Timothy 2:7) Paul had once “intensely persecuted God’s church and tried to destroy it. [He] advanced in Judaism beyond many contemporaries among [his] people, because [he] was extremely zealous for the traditions of [his] ancestors.” (Galatians 1:13-14) When God revealed Jesus to Paul so he could preach Christ among the Gentiles (Galatians 1:16), Paul’s entire life changed direction. Instead of persecuting Christians, He was preaching Jesus and converting people to Christianity. Some people doubted God could do this. (Acts 9:26, Acts 22:19-21) Paul wanted to convince people that He genuinely encountered the Jesus he preached, and his encounter had changed the course of his life forever. As true as this was for Paul, it is just as true for us today. We are forever changed when the Savior reveals His Truth to us and we surrender to following Him!

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1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
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3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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Study Tools

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

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Champion Day 13 The Unexpected Presence

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Timothy 1:15-16
1 Timothy 2:3-7
Acts 7 
Acts 9:1-21
Isaiah 66:1-2

Champion, Day 13

When we think of Paul the apostle, we might be in awe of his ministry. He traveled throughout the ancient world, teaching, preaching, and planting churches in the name of Christ. Much of his ministry was to Gentiles; he wanted everyone to hear and receive the Gospel of Christ.

Along the way, he endured many hardships. (2 Corinthians 11:24-29) He was imprisoned and placed under house arrest several times. He was beaten and stoned and finally martyred for the cause of Christ. His intense suffering for and dedication to the gospel could elevate him to hero status in our books.

But Paul didn’t start out so passionate for Jesus. He began life as Saul, the son of a tent maker in Tarsus (part of modern-day Turkey). A Roman citizen by birth, he was raised in a Jewish household, but his father’s tents were sought after throughout the known world, so Saul was exposed to and learned how to engage with people from all over the world. This skill set later served him well as a servant to Christ.

He was intelligent enough to earn a coveted spot in religious training with Gamaliel, a learned Hebrew scholar. Through his training, the Law and Torah became Saul’s life. He went on to join the Pharisees, the strictest sect of the religious groups in Jerusalem.

Saul had studied the prophets, but when he encountered word of a slain and resurrected Messiah, his devout practice of the Law and the strict traditions of the faith spiritually blinded him to the reality of Jesus. He joined with other Jewish leaders and Rome, the ruling government, in attempting to put a decisive and violent end to the gospel and followers of Jesus.

He became so vehement in his opposition to Jesus and His followers that when the opportunity arose, he began to hunt down the disciples of Jesus. Saul was instrumental in the death of Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

After proclaiming Jesus as the fulfillment of Jewish Messianic prophecy, Stephen was stoned, “[a]nd the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.”  (Acts 7:58)

This was a sign of respect and acknowledgment of the leadership of Saul. That incident seemed to fuel the anger and violence in Saul, “[who] was ravaging the church. He would enter house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison.” (Acts 8:3)

At this point in Saul’s story, I think we’d readily agree with his assessment of himself as the worst of sinners. (1 Timothy 1:15) There’s nothing good or godly about this villain, we’d mutter as we disgustedly scratch his name off our list of Bible heroes. Champion of the faith? I don’t think so.

And we’d be right.
There was nothing special or heroic in Saul, only a heart bent toward self-righteousness, and the status and power to widely enact his cruelty.

The champion of his story is Someone else entirely.

For then came a trip to Damascus.
“Now Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 

As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’

‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul said.

‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting,’ he replied. ‘But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’

Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing.”
(Acts 9:1-8)

It took a literal blindness to open his spiritual eyes to the Truth.

As was custom following a significant life event, Saul changed his name to Paul. His name wasn’t the only thing that changed, though. After his encounter with Jesus, the trajectory of Paul’s life shifted radically.

He’d met his Champion, and with the Spirit of God living and breathing inside of him, nothing would stop him from spreading the very Gospel he once despised . . . not those shipwrecks or beatings or even the threat of death.

In Paul’s story, we find hope for ourselves.

Throughout his letters to early churches, he reminds his listeners where he came from and if he can come to know Christ and be saved, so can they.

“‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’—and I am the worst of them. But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:15-16)

I imagine Paul’s words echoing across the generations to us, beckoning us to meet our Champion, encouraging us no one is beyond the reach of His mercy and grace.

There is much to commend Paul for, and much to learn from him.

Whole libraries could be filled with books written about Paul, both the parts of life that serve as a cautionary tale, and the parts that reflect a dedicated servant of Christ.

For today, we’ll close with this simple invitation, the same Jesus who loved and transformed Paul is reaching out to you. Come, your Champion awaits.

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Champion Day 11 Just An Ordinary Girl

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Micah 5:1-6
Luke 1:26-38
Luke 2
John 2:1-11

Champion, Day 11

“Mary, did you know,
When you kiss your little baby,
You kiss the face of God?
Mary, did you know,
Your baby boy is Heaven’s Perfect Lamb
The sleeping Child you’re holding
Is the Great I Am!”
(Mary, Did You Know? Mark Lowry)

Just a girl. Young. Uncertain. Fearful.
An ordinary girl. Chosen. Faithful. Qualified.
As we continue to study God as our champion, we’ll see Him at work in Mary, an ordinary Hebrew girl.

Common.
Just a common girl from the “fork in the road” city of Nazareth, Mary was not well-known among her people, but was seen by her God. She was like us, sometimes fearful, very uncertain, but chosen by the One Who created her in His image. (Genesis 1:27)

When she was visited by Gabriel and informed she would bear the long-awaited Messiah, Mary was “deeply troubled.” (Luke 1:29) How could this be? Me, chosen by God, to carry the Messiah? 

While she was most likely familiar with God’s promise of a Rescuer, could Mary truly understand how God would work through her, an ordinary girl, to save the whole world?

Birthed in Bethlehem and nurtured in Nazareth, Jesus was also raised in a very ordinary way. He was common among His people, but soon would be rejected by His own. But Jesus already knew what those around Him could not; His death was the plan of the Heavenly Father! Jesus was chosen to fulfill God’s plans to save the world.

Like Mary, we may not be well-known, but sisters, each one of us is seen by our God!
The One who has promised us “a future and hope” in Him! (Jeremiah 29:11)

Commissioned.
The custom in Mary’s time was for mothers to teach their children at home. Mary was taught not only household tasks, but also about Scriptures and the long-awaited coming of the Messiah. She knew of and believed in God’s promises, including His promises to her through Gabriel. God had appointed her to be the virgin who would carry His Son. (Isaiah 7:14)

Mary’s acceptance showed her love for Messiah and her true surrender to His plan. Mary’s embrace of her commission led to Jesus’ Greater Commission of discipling and teaching the Eleven to share salvation’s story to all who would listen. (Matthew 28:16-20)

Competent.
Only through God was Mary capable of fulfilling God’s promise. She was to be the vessel to birth the Promised One, Immanuel (Luke 1:31-32). The Holy Spirit would come upon her, and the child born would be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35). When Mary surrendered to God, He made her competent.

Even with Mary’s uncertainty, she did not waver in saying, “May it happen to me as you have said.” (Luke 1:38) In just nine verses (Luke 1:30-38), she surrendered her life and her fears to God’s plan, replying, “I am the Lord’s servant.” Her willingness to be obedient to God was EXTRA-ordinary!

Even knowing what awaited Him at the cross, Jesus also chose surrender to the Father.
“Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.’”(Matthew 26:39)

With His life, He surrenders unto His Father, so we could have eternal life. His willingness to go to the cross was extravagant!

Committed.
From birth to death, Mary was devoted to her Son. She treasured and meditated on her experiences around His birth in her heart (Luke 2:19), and she watched Him grow in stature and wisdom throughout His childhood. (Luke 2:52)

During His earthly ministry, Mary naturally walked beside her Son. She was at the wedding of Cana where Jesus turned water into wine. (John 2:1-5) The obedience of His own mother was evident as she instructed the disciples to do whatever He asked. Finally, she looked on as her Son suffered on the cross. She remained committed to the end. Or was it the beginning?

Mary was obedient to God’s call. She was willing to do all God said, despite uncertainty.
She fully surrendered her fears, and her life, to the One Who created her.

Mary’s life drastically changed with Gabriel’s declaration over her life, but even so she praised her God for His faithfulness. (Luke 1:46-55) Her life was interwoven with one distinct and very important variable, God! The Same God Who chose Mary is the same God Who chose her Son, Jesus, to go to the cross.

In like manner, God chooses us. Even in our ordinary lives, God is the One Who makes all things possible! (Matthew 19:26) He can take the ordinary and make it extraordinary when we surrender our everything to Him!

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Champion Day 10 Casting Out The Shadows

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Samuel 17:16-50
2 Samuel 5:1-5
2 Samuel 11
Psalm 51
Romans 8:38-39

Champion, Day 10

A repentant, handsome poet, and songwriter with charm, intelligence, and swagger – a man after God’s own heart.

An adulterer, polygamist, and murder conspirator with a tendency to ignore important issues, and do whatever it takes to get what he wants – even at the expense of others.

These descriptions sound like two completely different men, and I don’t know about you, but I am more interested in being associated with the first guy than the second.

But all of those characteristics describe one real, historical person, King David.

Most of us are familiar with David. He spent his early years shepherding as the youngest of 8 brothers, bravely taking down the menacing giant Goliath as a teenager, and eventually rising to power as king of the Isrealites. It’s common for us to uphold David as a hero and shining example of who we should be as God’s people and gloss over the corruption of power, flagrant misconduct, and general carelessness that also characterized this Biblical man.

In a way, I understand the value of seeing David through grace-filled eyes, as this is how God sees us, thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

However, without discussing the full truth of David’s wrongdoing, we falsely believe David possessed innate righteous heroism, and, in comparison, we have nothing to offer because we could never be as brave, upstanding, or godly as David.

In reality, David was a complex, complicated human just like you and I, yet God still called him a “man after his own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14) and chose him as the king of the Israelites. The hero of David’s story is not David, but God.

David’s story seems like the plot of a movie.
A shepherd boy who defeated a giant and was anointed as the next king at a young age.

A musician and songwriter who gained the favor of King Saul, only to be hunted by him soon after when jealousy took root in King Saul’s heart.
Taken with one of his men’s wives, he called for her, had an affair with her, and
got her pregnant, then had her husband killed to cover it up.
Married multiple women and did as he pleased.
Refused to discipline his children which led to turmoil and trauma within the family.
And woven throughout each of these moments are David’s prayers of repentance and psalms of praise to God.

David’s story is not linear or straightforward. It is complicated and wrought with bad decisions, devastating loss, incredible favor from God, humility, and repentance. He wasn’t redeemed from a tragic past before God chose him to lead. His sordid stories and the ups and downs of his life happened alongside his journey from shepherd boy to anointed king to warrior to leader of Israel.

What matters about David and his story, and what is the most compelling, is that over and over, God redeems his story. God relentlessly pursued David’s heart, and continued to use him to unfold God’s plan for Israel.

As I reflect on my current lot in life, I am in a valley moment, where David found himself countless times. (Psalm 23:4) I feel far from God and hope has become overgrown with loss and disappointment and unmet expectations. I feel like David, hiding away in a cave wondering if God will rescue me, or turn me over to my enemies.

If I am honest with myself, the darkness feels safer.
In the darkness, no one expects me to be more than I am. Nothing changes for worse or for better. Simply existing on my own seems like the best possible option.

Without looking at the entirety of David’s life, we miss the significance of how each moment prepared him for the next and how God’s sovereignty and mercy covered every transgression.

We have the advantage of seeing David’s life from a young boy until he dies. We can see the arc of God’s Sovereignty made clear through his stories and psalms. We can see how God chose him and worked through him to accomplish salvation for all people through David’s lineage. We can see how, in spite of and because of David’s scandals, God showed us His unyielding pursuit of our hearts. We can see how much God desires a relationship with us – children after His own heart.

We don’t get to see the full picture of our own story, but God already knows.

And so, in the midst of our valleys, or when we feel safer in our darkest moments than in the light of day, we can rest assured that God is not finished with us. There is no barrier too big, no sin too wicked that can separate us from the love and power of our Champion.

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ our Lord.”
(Romans 8:38-39)

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

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Champion Day 9 Fearful Made Fierce: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Fearful Made Fierce!

The Questions

1) How do we “keep on growing” in knowledge and discernment? (verse 9)

2) How do we “approve the things that are superior”? (verse 10)

3) What is the “fruit of righteousness” that comes from Christ? (verse 11)

Philippians 1:3-11

3 I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, 4 always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 Indeed, it is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart, and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, 10 so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

Original Intent

1) How do we “keep on growing” in knowledge and discernment? (verse 9)
In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, we recognize warmth and respect shared between author and recipients. Writing to thank them for support of his ministry and to commend a fellow laborer, he admonishes them to continue to press on to be ever more like Christ. What then was he speaking of as he referred to growing in knowledge and discernment? He was encouraging them to focus on the teaching of Jesus and knowing Him deeply, which would result in growing in His love apart from a performance tied to keeping the Old Testament law. The Bible is divided into two central teachings, Old Testament and New Testament. All Scripture is God-breathed, meaning it is inspired by God and is useful for teaching. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Before Christ, the instructions were centered around the prophets’ Old Testament laws and instructions. After Christ’s resurrection, the laws concerning sacrifices and rituals around cleansing and food restrictions were no longer relevant for Christ came to perfectly fulfill the law. (Matthew 5:17) Paul encouraged the Philippians to grow in their knowledge of Christ, but how were they to do this if all they knew were Old Testament laws? He urged them to watch out for those who claim the old laws were the only way to salvation. (verses 2-3) He instructed them to recall the new knowledge they had learned about Christ. (verse 10) Finally, Paul directed them to grow in wisdom and discernment by increasing their love for Christ and one another, which naturally comes from knowing Him more fully. (verses 9-11)

2) How do we “approve the things that are superior”? (verse 10)
Christ came to fulfill the law on our behalf because it’s impossible for sinful humans to be perfect or somehow attain righteousness on our own (Romans 3:23); we need Someone Perfect to be righteous for us. (Matthew 5:17, 2 Corinthians 5:21) In Jesus’ day, all the laws found in the Old Testament, including the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-21) and animal sacrifice, were regularly practiced by the Jewish community. Until the ministry of John the Baptist, the Law was the guidepost, or guardian, for what holiness looked like, but when Jesus came, He opened the door to access God through faith in Christ. (Galatians 3:22-26) From that point, the gospel of freedom from sin and eternal hope has continued to be shared. (Luke 16:16) Christ was the perfect sacrifice who died and was resurrected from the dead in order to save sinners from the eternal condemnation of death deserved for sin. (Romans 3:21-26, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 Timothy 1:15) How does all this relate with approving the things which are superior in Philippians 1:10? Later in his letter, Paul names the superior thing as knowing Christ, “I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. […] My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death […].” (Philippians 3:8, 10) Christ is the fulfillment of all things superior. Everything of excellence carries His mark, which is why Paul closes his letter with the reminder, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8)

3) What is the “fruit of righteousness” that comes from Christ? (verse 11)
Jesus often taught by using parables, which were stories His audience could easily relate with because of common knowledge and cultural norms. Christ cursed a fig tree (Mark 11:12-25), spoke of winnowing wheat (Matthew 3:12), and the true vine and vinedresser (John 15:1). While some parable-language may not carry much significance to our modern ears, the idea of farming and fruit still resonates with us. To help His audience understand how righteousness is evidenced in a person’s life, He used the analogy of fruit. The tree bears fruit, and so do our lives, but we must not miss the small details, “[T]he fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.” A Christian’s righteousness cannot come from themselves, only Christ, and it is grown by the work of the Spirit who lives within all who belong to Christ. Paul purposed in his letter to explain this cultivating work of the Holy Spirit and what it looks like. The fruit, although displayed in various “flavors” or attributes in life, are each a manifestation of the Holy Spirit who is given to all who have trusted Christ as their personal Savior. The Spirit’s fruit “is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control”. (Galatians 5:22) Christ perfectly lived out each of these evidences of the Spirit of God throughout His earthly ministry.

Everyday Application

1) How do we “keep on growing” in knowledge and discernment? (verse 9)
When Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins, there was no longer a need to sacrifice animals to absolve transgression. Christ took the punishment, which is death and separation from God, for each of our sins on the cross. To grow in knowledge and discernment is the goal of every Christ-follower. Those new to the faith should seek wisdom from Scripture and from other believers who have long walked with the Lord. Those who have lived many years with Jesus in their heart should continue to grow in their understanding of Scripture and engagement in biblical community. First, we must recognize we are new creatures when accepting Christ; the old ways of thinking have gone, and new life has appeared through Christ. (1 Corinthians 5.13) Next, we must learn to study the Bible correctly. (2 Timothy 2:15) In studying the Bible’s context, we learn how to worship (Psalm 100), why we have forgiveness for our trespasses in Jesus (1 John 1:9), practical ways for living in God-honor ways (Psalm 1:1-2), how to prepare for battle against Satan, our enemy (Ephesians 6:10-17), and much more! The Bible is the inspired Word of God and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16), containing everything we need to grow up in Christ (2 Peter 1:3). We were once held in the bondage of sin’s slavery, but in Jesus, we are called to walk in the freedom offered us by the love of Christ. We can only do this as we study the One who was the Word (Jesus) so that we may know Him and that He may dwell in us. (John 1:1)

2) How do we “approve the things that are superior”? (verse 10)
The Bible describes the human heart as deceitful above all things. (Jeremiah 17:9) If we use our hearts, emotions, or fleeting desires as the measure by which we approve what is superior, we will constantly be in error. We must choose to look to Christ, not the heart, to determine not simply “better”, but to clearly understand what is “best”. This kind of discernment is the wisdom James writes of in his letter, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5) As Paul taught the Philippians to think about things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable, there is no more excellent example of superiority than Jesus. (Philippians 4:8) Jesus, the Word, is Truth. (John 17:17) His actions were honorable, His reasons just, His motives pure, and His actions commendable. Jesus moved men’s hearts from obeying the law for the sake of obedience to showing love to all peoples no matter their gender (John 8:1-11), ethnicity, (John 4:7-39), or economic status (Mark 12:41-44). The more we lean into knowing the Lord Jesus Christ through studying His Word, prayer, and engaging in biblical community, as Paul modeled for us, the more we view everything through the lens of the Superior One, Christ Jesus!

3) What is the “fruit of righteousness” that comes from Christ? (verse 11)
At the click of a button, the television comes on. With the swipe of our fingers, we can find almost any piece of information we desire. We can purchase items and have them delivered with the tap of a finger. Satellites take pictures of places on earth where we will never travel. It seems we can have our wants satisfied and our desires fulfilled, yet many live with loneliness and despair. None of the convenient pleasures mentioned above were meant to bring joy. For a time, they may bring happiness, but to find joy, we must learn to live like Christ, whose delight was doing the will of his Father through the work of the Holy Spirit. (John 5:19, Hebrews 9:14) We can follow in the steps of Jesus in three specific ways. First, we must desire to be covered by Christ’s righteousness, which requires us to acknowledge our state as sinners eternally separated from God. (Matthew 5:6, Romans 3:23) When we ask God to cover us with the righteousness of Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us, beginning His work of making us new. (2 Corinthians 5:21, John 14:26) Secondly, we must offer our bodies as living sacrifices as we surrender to the Spirit who cultivates His life in us! (Romans 12:1-2) Finally, we must never be lacking in zeal as we follow the Lord; He is to be the focal point of our everyday lives. (Romans 12:11-13) All of this is impossible on our own merits and efforts. Jesus came to perfectly fulfill the law on our behalf, so that He can now fill us with all the fullness of God and His power. (Matthew 28:18, Ephesians 3:19) Then, we are free to live for Christ based on love, not laws. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

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1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
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3) Write down your questions
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4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
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Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

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Study Tools

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

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

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