Journey

Enough Day 5 Prophet & Priest

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 28:7-8
Jeremiah 5:21-31
Ecclesiastes 7:20
Romans 3:10-12
Ephesians 2:1-3

Enough, Day 5

“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)

At the moment of choosing self over God in the Garden of Eden, mankind’s sweet and intimate communion with God was shredded to tatters. Rebellious thought became disobedient action, and instantly, horrifyingly, a gulf of sin yawned eternity-wide between Father and children.

But God.

In His unbroken love and unending mercy, He designed a way to remain in relationship with His children, a system that left His justice undefiled.

The sins of the people required payment, and so He established the priesthood, a lineage set apart to approach a holy God on behalf of a sin-riddled nation.

Descendants of Aaron (Moses’ brother) would dedicate themselves to upholding meticulously stringent rules for offering countless sacrifices to cover countless sins.

Aside from sin offerings, priests would oversee
burnt offerings,
grain offerings,
guilt offerings,
and fellowship offerings, to name a few.
The people of Israel would now relate to their God at a distance, through ritual.

Sin would separate their spirits.

The tabernacle, maintained by the tribe of Levi, would separate their physical presences. The people would remain outside, while God’s presence resided within the Holy of Holies, the tabernacle’s innermost sanctuary. Only the high priest, after strenuous cleansing rituals and offerings to cover every possible sin, was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies as a shadowed, hollow mediator between God and man.

“You must distinguish between the holy and the common,” God directed the priests, “and the clean and the unclean, and teach the Israelites all the statues that the Lord has given to them through Moses”. (Leviticus 10:10-11)

But the priests were not immune to mankind’s legacy of sin, and almost immediately, they became corrupt, continuing in their sinful nature of grubbing around in darkness rather than living holy before the Lord God.

Leadership roles, including that of high priest, were sold to the highest bidder or, later, appointed at the whim of foreign political leaders. Priests either taught from their own wisdom or put their authority up for sale (Micah 3:11), leading the people astray and violating their covenant work. (Malachi 2:8)

Finally, even before the dust of Egypt could fall from their shoes, Aaron commanded the Israelites to fashion and worship a golden calf as their one, true God. Again and again, priests sanctioned the casting of idols and the worship of false and foreign gods over the One True God. (2 Kings 17:16-17)

The cycle was unbroken, endless, despairing. No sacrifice made by man could provide permanent absolution; no spilled blood of an animal could transform the people’s sinful nature. (Hebrews 10:4)

God’s judgement was unequivocal, His words condemning their sin as a tragic echo of His commission:

“Her priests do violence to my instructions and profane my holy things. They make no distinction between the holy and the common, and they do not explain the difference between the clean and the unclean. They close their eyes to my Sabbath, and I am profaned among them.” (Ezekiel 22:26)

Moved to action by a generation of priests who stole offerings meant for the Lord, threatened violence against the people they were meant to lead, and sexually abused women who served in the tabernacle (1 Samuel 2:12-17, 22), God called a young boy to serve as His voice to Israel.

Thus began the age of prophets in Israel’s history, men and women who were called to approach a sin-riddled nation on behalf of a holy God. Some were people of incredible faithfulness, honor, and endurance, whose own words foreshadowed the Word made flesh.

In fact, much of the Old Testament has been dedicated to prophets’ exhortations.

But even prophets were not immune to the gnarled fingers of sin curling around their spirits.

Like the Israelites all the way back to Adam and Eve,
like the priests before and alongside them,
like every single human after them, some began to choose self over God.

What “prophetic” message would garner the most political favor?
What message would bring financial gain, or community stature?
What message would bring physical satisfaction, pleasure, or ease?
Then surely, that message was intended for God’s children . . . regardless of whether it bore any resemblance to His words.

As with the priests, God spoke out against false prophets:
“Because you have disheartened the righteous person with lies (when I intended no distress), and because you have supported the wicked person so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life, therefore you will no longer see false visions or practice divination. I will rescue my people from your hands. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 13:22-23)

. . . and eventually, the true prophets fell silent. For hundreds of years, Israel heard nothing from God. Never before had He seemed so distant, so separate.

No man, hopelessly bound in the sticky, spidery web of sin and death could free himself, save his people, and stand blameless before God (Ephesians 2:1-3).

Not priests.
Not judges, or kings, or elders.
Not prophets.
Not you, or me.

Where, then, does our hope lie? What sacrifice, what true High Priest, could be enough to break, once and for all, sin’s death-grip on our spirits?

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Enough Day 3 Promised Land Lost

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ecclesiastes 6:7-12
Psalm 106:1-48
Isaiah 53:1-12

Enough, Day 3

Have you ever rolled thoughts around in your mind, trying to sort them out? Almost like shifting the sides of a scrambled Rubik’s cube one way, and then another, until panels of solid color appear?

Last night, my thoughts were in just such a jumble as I’d begun praying over this Journey Study. My mind had verses, biblical concepts, and personal experiences scattered everywhere, and my heart cried out to the Lord for wisdom and direction.

Lord, what do You want to speak to me about promised lands? How are they connected to Your redemption story?

His answer arrived while brushing my teeth before bed. Oh, the Lord’s timing.

You’ve made an idol of your promised land. 

My mental Rubik’s Cube clicked into completion, and I stared at myself in the mirror, all brushing ceased.
Toothpaste crept towards the corner of my mouth as the truth of His words echoed powerfully within me. I couldn’t deny it.

I’d been so focused on seeing His promise come to fruition that it had become an idol in my mind and actions.
I’d taken my eyes off the Lord.
Instead, setting them squarely on what I desired to receive from Him.
All without realizing it. 

My body on autopilot, I finished brushing my teeth and climbed into bed. I lay staring at the ceiling, recognizing the proverbial ball was in my court in my conversation with the Lord.

Oh Lord, how did I get here? How did I take my eyes from You? I didn’t mean to. I thought it was faith to hold on to that promise so tightly.

The Israelites and their relationship with the literal Promised Land came to mind. They wandered in the wilderness for 40 years after doubting the Lord would give them the land. They doubted, even though He had miraculously freed them from slavery in Egypt, slavery that lasted 400 years.

Once they finally entered the Land God had covenanted to give them, their history became a tale of repeated rebellion, repeated reliance on self, and repeated failure.

My lips began to turn up as I remembered the self-righteous anger I felt when I first read and understood how the Israelites had so messed things up. Irony then flattened my smile as truth settled into my spirit: I had walked solidly in their footsteps.

The outcome of my sin was no different than the outcome of their sin, separation from the Lord. They failed to be obedient in settling their promised land, taking their eyes off of the Lord as Provider and Securer of their promise, instead relying on their own faulty ideas, wisdom, and schemes.

“Thanks, God, we’re good now,” I imagined them saying. “We’ve got our promise, and it’s enough. From here on out, we are enough.”

Similarly, I had so tightly gripped my promise that I exchanged it for the Lord.

“Thanks, God, I’m good now.” I recognized the echo of the Israelites in my own thoughts with sudden, gut-dropping clarity. “I’ve got my promise, and it’s enough. From here on out, I am enough.”

Tears welled up in my eyes. I could feel the water tension threaten to spill over, and I knew the tears would slip down my temples and into my ears. I hate that feeling, but I knew the tears were justified.

Ultimately, the Israelites’ promised land would be lost, forfeited in rebellion and self-aggrandizement as they turned their hearts from the Giver of their promise.

They rejected His leadership, demanding instead a human king, like the pagan nations surrounding them.
They rejected His words and murdered His prophets.
They reveled in what was abhorrent to Him, prostituting themselves and sacrificing their children to false gods.
While they occasionally repented and returned to the Lord, their devotion never lasted. The seeds of sin embedded in the core of human nature in the Garden always, always, called them back to their own way.

Always, always call us back to our own way.

And so the fulfillment of their promise was lost
through repeated exile, occupation, and oppressive foreign rule.

Thus, we are left with a loving and generous Father, who has stretched out His miraculous hand to provide for and guide His children . . . and His children, slapping His hand away and snarling as they huddle in fear and self-sufficiency and oh so ironic scarcity.

Us, slapping His hand away and snarling.

Where lies the road back to the Father’s embrace?
When we have embraced the darkness, from where will come our light and life and hope?

“Without You, what am I to myself but a guide to my own self-destruction?”
–St. Augustine, Confessions

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Follow Day 13 Faith To Stay

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Mark 5:1-20
Matthew 16:24-28
Luke 14:25-35

Follow, Day 13

“What’s holding you back from following Jesus?”

It’s a question I sometimes pose when I’m deep in a conversation about spiritual things with someone who isn’t sure if they really want to trust Jesus with everything. Sometimes we just need to talk it out and lay everything in the open with raw honesty in order to gain real perspective.

More often than not, the reply is either “I don’t know,” which requires more prodding, or some variation of “I’m afraid of what He will ask me to do.”

We can probably all raise our hands to that fear. I’ve carried it myself at several points in my faith journey. This “all in surrender to the Living God” thing is, well, all-inclusive. The cost of following is high and we are right to consider the cost before we commit the whole of ourselves to Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “…every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33)

While we wrestle with our fears of “what it will cost,”
we must also consider the risk of not following Him.

Jesus pointedly asks, “For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life?” (Matthew 16:26)

In essence, Jesus asks, “Your life is so valuable! What could possibly be worth your life?” and in the very same dialogue, He answers by pointing us to Himself: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it.” (Matthew 16:25)

The counterintuitive solution to our desire to save our lives is found in complete surrender to the One offering our rescue.

Surrender is indeed a high cost.
However, the cost of rejecting the Savior of our souls is infinitely higher.

A Jesus-follower named Mark recorded the story of one man, deranged, chained, essentially dead to his family and friends, a danger to himself and his community, a laughingstock and a shameful outcast.
This is the man Jesus chose to have compassion on, lovingly heal, and set free from himself.
This is the man who wanted to follow Jesus as far away from everything he knew as he could get.

He was all in for following Jesus on his terms.
Oh, that hits close to my heart; does it for you?

I do want to follow, Jesus, but not to Asia.

I do want to follow, Jesus, but please, I can’t live in a smaller house.

I do want to follow, Jesus, but give me someone else to tell about You besides my family.

I do want to follow, Jesus, but let me live my life first for a few years.

One deranged man, his arms now healed where he had cut himself.
His body now clothed, where he had once run naked through the tombs.
His mind now clear, where minutes before it had been owned by demons.

This man’s healing was visibly dramatic, touching his mind, body, emotions, and heart,  making him new in every way. With such a story of redemption to tell, Graveyard Man was ready to follow Jesus wherever He went . . . as long as it was away from his past.

“As He [Jesus] was getting into the boat,
the man who had been demon-possessed begged Him earnestly
that he might remain with Him.” (Mark 5:18, emphasis mine)

But Jesus’ response begs us to pause, listen in, and sit in the moment, for here is the climax of the story. As the man would go forward, it was surely this moment that was the turning point in his life, even overshadowing his incredible healing. For here, Jesus turned kind eyes of compassion to the man’s and gently refused his request.

Wait, what?! Jesus said the redeemed man couldn’t follow Him?!
Yes.

“Jesus did not let him but told him, ‘Go home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how He has had mercy on you.’” (Mark 5:19, emphasis mine)

It would have been easy to flee his hometown and start over walking right beside Jesus, but Christ prompted him into deeper waters. This man would follow by staying.

Surely, it was intimidating to turn away from Jesus’ boat that afternoon and walk back towards the villagers who had fled at his healing, but the man’s newfound faith was flourishing as Jesus led him deeper.

Our historian, Mark, says, “So he went out and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed.” (Mark 5:20)

Following Jesus wasn’t what the man expected, but as he obeyed, he found the faith to follow, even if it meant staying. The Lord was faithful and as the man shared his story,
all who heard were amazed.

Count the cost.
Find redemption.
Follow in Faith, even if it looks different than you expect.

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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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The GT Weekend! ~ Follow Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Nehemiah was coasting along in life with a good job, popularity, and respect in the kingdom, but God’s call on his life changed everything. How did it begin? Lesley showed us on Monday that Nehemiah’s journey in following God began with his heartbreak over his people’s dire situation. Social justice is bubbling up all over the world lately with people on all sides of various issues. Racism, life in the womb, minority groups, politics, sex trafficking, and much more are each providing us opportunity for our hearts to break with the compassion of God. Have you considered how these social issues are offering much more than the chance for you to either voice your opinion or tuck quietly away? For Nehemiah, God used a social justice opportunity to take Nehemiah deeper in his walk with God and stretch him in leading God’s people. Ask God to open your eyes to the injustices happening around you, your neighborhood, your city, and your part of the world. Even seemingly small things like having honest conversations, listening well, or showing genuine compassion to those with different views than you can be the beginnings of following God into your next steps!

2) Surrender in following God rarely, if ever, happens in our timeframe. Rather, it’s over time, and small instances of simple surrender, that we learn the discipline of full life submission to the Savior. No one wakes up one morning and decides to be mature in their walk with God; steadfastness in following is built one step of faith at a time over a lifetime. True surrender is always accompanied with a heart of humility that bends to Jesus before ourselves, loving Him most. In what scenarios in your everyday life do you most easily find yourself elevating self over someone else? For me, I love control. Whether it’s the flow of my household, how I spend my time, my vision for our family, or even the way I fold my towels, I am quick to push my ideals over anyone else’s. Humility is hard fought on the battleground of my heart, and it always begins with a willingness to surrender. Write a gut honest prayer to the Lord about your own wrestling match with humility and surrender, then ask the Lord to remind you, moment by moment, that surrender is worth it.

3) Yesterday, Parker profoundly shared, “When we come to face our reflection, we do not often see ourselves as beloved daughters of the Most High God.” Each of us wake up in the morning for one more day ahead of us. Whatever fills our days or how it looks in our current season of life, it meets us again on repeat when we pull back the covers and step into the shower. Passing by the mirror on our way into the day, what is your common heart response? If you aren’t sure, make a mental note to linger tomorrow. Do you see a woman worthy of descriptors such as captivating, beloved, chosen, delighted, dignity, and strength? The Lord God does. Whether you have surrendered the whole of yourself to Him or are pushing the boundaries of real faith in Jesus, the Lord God views you as worth the price He paid with His life to offer you total freedom from sin and salvation for eternity. He sees beauty. As Paul crossed from death to life on the day when he finally met the Lord face to face, so the same Jesus waits to meet with us, face to face. Deliberately choose this weekend to reframe your reflection and see what the Lord God sees in your mirror!

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 Psalm 1:1-2 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

Prayer Journal
Oh Father God, Your way is beautiful. Your precepts are pure and true. Your law brings delight and joy to my heart, my steps, and my relationships. In You is life and only in following You am I found free to dance in endless delight. Jesus, I praise You that True Abundant Life is discovered without end in You! To find You, and know You in deeper ways, always results in fullness. Oh Yahweh, joy of my desire, to dwell with You forever, to understand You, to gaze upon Your beauty, to walk in the ways You have carved, this is joy. Beckon my heart back to You.

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Follow Day 10 Transformed Follower

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 9:1-9, 17-25
Jeremiah 17:9-10
Romans 6:1-11
Acts 3:19-20

Follow, Day 10

Saul is walking along the road to Damascus, on a journey with the goal of persecuting those who follow the teachings of Jesus, claiming they are part of “The Way.”
In this place of unadulterated hatred, Saul has a radical encounter with God.

God speaks, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
Saul is completely blinded, asking, “Who are you, Lord?” (Acts 9:4-5)

He is given instruction to head into the city of Damascus. Although physically blind, disoriented, and unsure where this path would lead, he knows the Lord is directing him. Days later, Saul is approached by Ananias, who was sent by God to pray over Saul, to help him “regain [his] sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit”. (Acts 9:17-18) His name is changed to Paul, symbolizing the death of his past and the freedom of his future in Christ. He speaks boldly, claiming Jesus is the Messiah.

In Paul’s conversion story, we see a complete transformation from the life he was living before Christ to the life he is living knowing Christ. After salvation and adoption into the family of God, Paul’s purpose is radically altered.  He spends the rest of his days preaching and teaching to the Gentiles of the Jesus he once loathed.

Paul rejects the power of sin over him, living into his new identity with total surrender.
“For I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”
(Galatians 2:20)

How many of us live beneath the truth and promise we are utterly new creations if we have truly surrendered to Christ’s transformation?

When we come to face our reflection, we do not often see ourselves as beloved daughters of the Most High God. Instead, we focus on all the areas where we do not measure up, desperately striving to be better.

One of the biggest implications of the truth that we are a new creation is that there is no room for shame in the presence of God. The Lord has redeemed us; all of our past, present, and future sins were fully and finally paid for on the cross by the sinless son of God. Hebrews 10:10 declares, “we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.” Not only were our sins forgiven on the cross, but all of the favor and merit of Jesus was placed upon us.

The reality of sin still exists and wreaks destruction in our lives and in our hearts. Yet as believers, we are not identified as sinners; rather, we are given the identity of saints and coheirs with Christ. These two realities can be held in tandem, that we are still inclined to turn our affections to directions other than the Lord, but the sin in our hearts does not have the final word on who we are.

We are instructed to “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33) and to keep “our eyes on Jesus.” (Hebrews 12:2) This is good news and there is freedom here! The Lord pursues us and is constantly welcoming us back to Himself, reminding us of His goodness and grace.

The Lord is gracious to show us our sin and to redirect our attention. I have experienced this process in my own life, year after year. The Lord has faithfully used mentors to beautifully model how to live in the reality that we still sin, yet are called saints and daughters. When I have brought sin struggles to some of the women in my life, they have met me with incredible grace, which I believe reflects the grace of God and has brought much healing to my life.

He has been so near on this journey, constantly refining me in the fire to look more like Jesus. I truly desire to walk in a way that honors Him, but I know even in my weakness He is glorified. (2 Corinthians 12:9) He beckons me to His heart, showing me His plans are higher than my own.

“Turn away from evil and do what is good; seek peace and pursue it.”
Psalm 34:14

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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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Reveal day 13 We Have This Hope

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 71
Psalm 130
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
1 Peter 1:3-7

Reveal, Day 13

Wars and rumors of wars . . . that is our life these days. One king after another has slaughtered us, starved us, kept us in confusion, unsure of the truth. Unsure of whom to trust.

At a loss, I try to remember the reassurances of my grandmother. “Remember Yahweh’s words,” she would say. “Listen for the prophets.”

But even Grandmother knew the prophets were long dead.

Their words of promise, of hope, are a distant, fading memory. A King to save us? That’s what they all say. Hundreds of years later, there is still no salvation from the bare existence we scratch out day . . . after day . . . after day.

They used to talk about David’s line, his descendants. From his family would come a new King, a Messiah. Ha! David’s line has not been seated on the throne for generations.

What good is Yahweh’s word when it simply isn’t?

It seems no one mentions Yahweh anymore. Not even a whisper.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My father has taken to reading the Torah and the writings of David again. Pulling dusty scrolls from forgotten back shelves, he reads aloud Psalm 130 and Psalm 131.

Hope.
Yahweh.
“Wait on the Lord.”
I can’t see it. But if it makes him feel better, I will listen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tikvah. HOPE. Why are people suddenly talking about this?
Today at the well, one woman was even singing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AND THEN IN THE HEAVENLIES —

“Now. It’s time.”

To the Earth below, there appeared a star, shining brighter than all others in the sky, and the sound of a baby’s first breath.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have you ever had a falling out with someone and not heard from her again?

I’ve been there.

What if you relied on someone to coach you, to give you good counsel, warn you of unwise plans on your part . . . but then suddenly she drops out of touch, just stops communicating with you?

How do you sit with that silence?

Israel sat in silence for 400 years. Generation after generation. An entire nation depended on hearing God’s voice, either directly or more typically, through His prophets, those He called to be His mouthpiece. Whether the prophets delivered words of encouragement and salvation, or chastisement and judgment, at least Israel heard from God.

But then came those 400 years of silence. As if Jehovah, God, locked tight the door of heaven. Silent.

It wasn’t as if they experienced 400 years of prosperity, of great economic growth and health, and stopped pursuing Him. No, they still had their cycles of corrupt governments, of wars, of pestilence.

Of hopelessness.

Maybe after so long without hearing from God, they simply gave up.

After being invaded and taken over by the world power of Rome and living under strict authoritarian rule, they wanted rescue. They wanted to hope in a King, a ruler who would come in like a warrior, defeat the Roman tyrannical rule, and bring prosperity and safety.

Have you ever felt that hopeless, that desperate?
Have you ever felt like God has left you, or you wonder if He was even there at all?

Even in the desperation, the questions, the loneliness, we can have hope.

We have hope in Christ, our God-made-flesh Who came to Earth and was born of a virgin.

Fast forward 30 years. Messiah begins His ministry of Hope. Not as the warrior or ruler Israel thought they wanted, but as a Savior, a Rescuer, and the Hope they needed.

He promised life abundant and life everlasting.
But like Israel, when we are in a hopeless situation, we can’t always see His promises.
We know we want out and want out now.
We want the answer to our hopelessness to be tangible. But it isn’t always.

Having faith in God, putting our hope in Jesus Christ, means trusting in the intangible. (Romans 8:24-25)

And yet, that intangible Hope is a very real anchor for our souls. (Hebrews 6:19)

We no longer need to strive within ourselves. We are free to admit we need something beyond ourselves; we need a Savior.

And so, our GOD OF HOPE gave of His very self to meet our desperate need. Jesus, the same babe born that first Christmas night in a Bethlehem cave, is our Hope. The God-man who gave His life on the cross, was buried, and rose again so we would be free and have eternal life is our living, breathing Hope.

He is your Hope. You only have to ask, to surrender yourself, your needs, and your heart to Him. Our journey in this life will still have challenges and struggles and hardship and hurt, but the One who sustains and controls everything in the Universe can and will be by our side through it all. (John 16:33)

Jesus Christ, our living hope. (1 Peter 1:3-9)

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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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Beloved Day 13 Catching Foxes

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Song of Solomon 2:15
Galatians 5:22-26
Philippians 4:8-9
Deuteronomy 6:5-9
Matthew 22:37-40

Beloved, Day 13

“I now pronounce you husband and wife . . . and now present to you, Mr. & Mrs. Brad Daniel.”
[Audience applause as we joyfully exit the church]

Oh, how sweet are the memories of that day! We believed the best in each other, couldn’t imagine what could possibly ever come between us, had no idea that someday we’d have to actually work to make time for each other. And we certainly couldn’t imagine we’d ever be so angry with, indifferent toward, or deeply wounded by one another. We were embarking on a journey full of mystery, knowing and becoming known, memories, and the true meaning of the vow, “til death do us part.”

Marriage is a gift.  How sweet that our Father has established a relationship so intimate, it provides a glimpse of the most intimate relationship of all, God’s relationship with His people, His Church.

I don’t remember the night I met Jesus as my savior as clearly as I’d like, but I do recall wanting to make sure I knew Jesus. I didn’t understand a lot of the Bible at the age of 10 or 11, but I knew Jesus loved me and had sacrificed Himself for my sins. As a child, I couldn’t grasp the gravity of my sin and the costliness of my salvation, I knew I wanted to follow Him with all I had . . . I just didn’t know what that meant.

Beginnings.
We love them.
We dream about them.

Everything seems fresh and fun as we begin to learn something new, whether it’s in marriage or our relationship with Jesus. We start off with stars in our eyes as we experience new love and speak of “forever” as if it’s clearly visible to us.

One of my favorite ways to serve with my husband is to meet couples for pre-marital counseling. It is an honor to walk with an engaged couple, helping prepare them for marriage.

In counseling sessions, we work through various areas in the relationship possessing the potential for conflict, and provide tools to navigate those areas well. We encourage intentional communication and potential resolution before little problems become big ones. We also affirm areas of strength and encourage the couple to keep communicating and working together.

Song of Solomon paints a picture of two lovers, completely enthralled with one another and willing to do whatever it takes to be together.  Song of Solomon 2:15 advises them to “catch the foxes” before they ruin the vineyards. Foxes are known for being cunning, sly, and destructive, an enemy to the vineyards, not only eating the grapes, but gnawing and digging, destroying an entire vine.

What a great analogy when applied to the marriage relationship! In the beginning, everything is new and fun and effortless. It is then we should begin to prepare for the possible “foxes” to creep in, small and seemingly innocent at first, taking just a few minutes of our time or attention, but if left unattended, potentially destroying the relationship.

Relationships require quality time and attention. My husband and I encourage engaged couples to find a recreational activity they both enjoy, and to use its intentional pursuit to provide relaxation and something different to look forward to doing together.

To sustain any relationship requires time. Our culture tends to value busyness, so our spouses . . . or Jesus . . .  can get the leftovers of our day if we are not intentional in planning and honoring our time together.  We all need time alone together to remember the specific reasons we love each other, and to nurture the unique friendship marriage brings.

Distractions come in all forms, including electronic devices, children, and careers, as well as our own pursuits or selfishness. Most of these are not inherently evil; we just have to hold them in proper perspective.

One of the most familiar distractions in our society is the cell phone. I know I am guilty of mindless media scrolling, as my husband is in the room with me, neglecting prime time together. Instead of pursuing genuine connection, I look at the lives of others, comparing myself, my life, and my marriage to those on the screen. This has the potential to evoke jealousy, insecurity, and irritability.

In addition, our scrolling habits tend to rob us of time we could be spending with Jesus, allowing His presence to guide our thoughts and actions. Paul instructs us in Philippians 4:8-9 to think about what is true, honorable, lovely, and worthy of praise.  When we begin comparing and focusing on what we lack, we abandon lovely thoughts toward our spouses, or the truth about ourselves.

Marriage was created by God and is GOOD. Good marriages serve others and each other, out of the overflow of being strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit.  As we spend time with Jesus, we are filled with His perspective, strengthened by His Word, and able to bear good fruit. (Galatians 5:22-26)

Empowered by God, we see the needs of our spouses, and set aside the time necessary to invest in and nurture the relationship. We are able to prevent cute little fox kits from destroying an entire vineyard. With vigilance and intentionality, prioritizing time with both God and our spouses, we can help the vineyards of our relationships to flourish!

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Worship VII Day 9 By Faith: 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 By Faith!

The Questions

1) What is the proof we cannot see? (verse 1)

2) What is true faith according to this passage?

3) What benefit do obstacles and struggles have on our faith in everyday life?

Hebrews 11:1-12:2

11:1 Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. 2 For by this our ancestors were approved.

3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.

5 By faith Enoch was taken away, and so he did not experience death. He was not to be found because God took him away. For before he was taken away, he was approved as one who pleased God. 6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

7 By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents as did Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11 By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the one who had promised was faithful. 12 Therefore, from one man—in fact, from one as good as dead—came offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and as innumerable as the grains of sand along the seashore.

13 These all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. 14 Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. 16 But they now desire a better place—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He received the promises and yet he was offering his one and only son, 18 the one to whom it had been said, Your offspring will be traced through Isaac. 19 He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead; therefore, he received him back, figuratively speaking.

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and he worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones.

23 By faith Moses, after he was born, was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn’t fear the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter 25 and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin. 26 For he considered reproach for the sake of Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since he was looking ahead to the reward.

27 By faith he left Egypt behind, not being afraid of the king’s anger, for Moses persevered as one who sees him who is invisible. 28 By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites. 29 By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after being marched around by the Israelites for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed.

32 And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received their dead, raised to life again. Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. 38 The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

39 All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.

12:1 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Original Intent

1) What is the proof we cannot see? (verse 1)
To see our Savior face to face! To enjoy His in-person-company forever! To be freed forever from the entanglement of sin! This is the coming hope for every believer! This is yet unseen and un-experienced, but we wait with anticipation, knowing it is indeed coming. No matter our everyday trials, we can choose to focus on His promise that heaven is our eternal home for all who have trusted in His name. It is our place to be with Him. The Christian life is purposefully moving toward certain hope. Hebrews 12:1-2 paints a beautiful picture, “Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus.” For the early church believers who received this letter of Hebrews, the imagery of finishing a race was easily understood as the Greek Olympic games were in high gear. In their race towards hope, their finest example of endurance was Jesus whose goal was to purchase our freedom from sin. He endured horrific suffering in order to win the restoration of our souls. If Jesus could endure for the prize of a relationship with us, so are we to run with endurance towards the Hope He died to give us! Christ is the goal of our journey and through the power of His Holy Spirit, we are strengthened to press on towards the unseen victory coming ahead. We are surrounded by saints who have gone before us and we are urged to reject the pull of sin while reaching toward Hope. Jesus encourages us, “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:1-3) The goal of our faith is God Himself who waits to welcome us at the end of our race on earth. Keep running! It’s worth it!

2) What is true faith according to this passage?
The word faith in the New Testament has many definitions based on the context of that passage. For example, when Judean Christians, whom Paul had sought to kill, spoke of their belief in Christ, they said “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy” (Galatians 1:23) Here, faith is meant as a confession or belief statement, similar to what believers have long held to in the Apostles’ Creed, which summarize the Christian beliefs. However, the author of Hebrews is conveying something different than a creedal statement of belief held by faith. As theologian Guthrie, notes, “For the evangelists that wrote the gospels, Jesus Christ is the object of faith.” John describes this aspect of faith in his gospel when he writes his summary mission statement for his letter, “That you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31) A personal faith in Jesus is the hallmark of Christians. The writer of Hebrews provided true, historic examples of Christians who lived out their everyday lives from a place of faith. (Hebrews 11:4-38) This faith is firmly anchored in an unchanging hope that transcends the current struggles. This faith is gained by claiming for ourselves the salvation Jesus offers to everyone. His salvation is freedom from the condemnation of sin, complete forgiveness for every offense, and the sweet promise of eternity with Him. Faith in Jesus is the doorway by which we gain access to God Himself. “The righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” (Romans 3:22) The heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 had one thing in common, their undivided confidence in God. The writer of Hebrews wants his readers to witness and experience that which cannot be seen by witnessing the faith of believers who trusted in Jesus. Their testimony brilliantly paints the definition of what it is to truly live by faith, even though their faith is fully in the God who cannot be seen and in His faithful promises, which are equally unseen. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and for certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)

3) What benefit do obstacles and struggles have on our faith in everyday life?
If we follow the world’s standards we may have short term ease and comfort, perhaps even prosperity. If we follow God’s standards we are guaranteed suffering, loss, and unpopularity. Astoundingly, it is the conviction of Christians it is better to suffer with God than to prosper with the world. The book of Daniel tells of three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who were confronted with the choice of public worship to King Nebuchadnezzar, or obeying God. The men chose to worship God alone, which earned them the consequence of being thrown into a fiery furnace. Yet, without hesitation, these men chose to fear the Lord God over fearing a human man.  Human experience tells us seize the moment and experience everything good we possibly can, but the Spirit of God, active within every Christian, teaches us only the Lord God is worthy of our worship and following His ways are always best. The Lord allows struggles in life so we can see how faithful HE is in spite of our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) James instructs believers to “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:2-3) Paul says we can actually boast in our afflictions! For the Christian, God uses trials to “produce endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5) Our coming Hope of real life with Jesus gives us a raised platform by which we can see how even trials can be considered pure joy. Every struggle has been allowed by God for a purpose; they are not random.  Abraham was called to sacrifice his son Isaac, Samson was crushed by the Philistines, Sarah was barren, heroes of the faith were sawed in half, slain by the sword, and the list continues, not just here in Hebrews 11 but, throughout God’s entire Word. These fiery, heavy burdens are producing faithful maturity in us as we learn to trust our God, His character, and look with eyes upon the coming “unseen” glory that is still to come and will last forever. Our trials here are merely temporary. “For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

Everyday Application

1) What is the proof we cannot see? (verse 1)
Like those who first received the letter of Hebrews, we too are Jesus’ disciples and we are urged to run the race of faith. Similarly, the apostle Paul said we are to “fight the good fight”. (1 Timothy 6:12) The battle is arduous, but worth it! We don’t need to look far into our everyday lives and schedules, our hurry and our deadlines to find distraction everywhere. Keeping our eyes on the unseen goal of Christ is difficult! If we keep our focus on the countless distractions, we quickly grow weary in our everyday battle. We must renew our minds to stay in the fight (Romans 12:2), to focus on the unseen coming reward of dwelling with our God! We are urged to remain faithful to Him by “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2) Finally, when our race in this life is over, we will be able to say together with the apostle Paul and all who have trusted Christ, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8) Ahhh! We will finally SEE the proof of the unseen! Here is the moment we, as believers, have eagerly waited for, the mighty, in-person presence of the Holy God! Suddenly, the unseen will be made tangible as eternal life begins and peace-filled joy is made perfectly complete. Fear will have no place as we stand immoveable in His magnificent love. As blissful as this coming hope will one day be, He offers us access to these gifts of peace, joy, love, and life without fear even now in our everyday. How? By fixing our eyes on what is to come. He is our Savior, Sustainer, Healer, and Redeemer in eternity, yes, but also in the now. Let’s fix our eyes on the unseen, and run with endurance for the hope set before us as we fight the good fight!

2) What is true faith according to this passage?
Simply put, true biblical faith is a personal trust in Jesus and His work on the cross. This faith is proven in our everyday obedience to God’s Word as the Holy Spirit renews us, making us more like Jesus, who is “the author and perfector of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2) This faith is exercised in everyday life quite simply. God speaks through Scripture, we hear His Word, trust Him, and act upon His teaching. Those who have true faith are both “hearers and doers of the Word”. (James 1:22) The author of Hebrews provides us with three descriptors of biblical faith, substance, evidence, and witness. Faith is to a Christian what the foundation and framework is to a house. Faith provides the substance and essence of what it looks like to follow Jesus. The faithfulness of God is our blessed assurance and confident hope, to which we cling through faith. “Faith is the reality of what is hoped for…” (Hebrews 11:1) True faith will produce convincing evidence in the believer’s life, proof that what is coming (eternal life with Jesus) is both worth it and the One promising it is worthy of our faith. What God has promised, He will indeed bring to fruition. We evidence this faith when we live out faith-filled lives that point towards the true genuineness of God’s unchanging character. Finally, faith is described as having a witness, which is referenced in Hebrews 12:1, “…a great cloud of witnesses….”. These witnesses are those whose lives testify of God’s faithfulness in the storyline of their lives. God has redeemed their lives, renewed their hearts, and saved them from separation from God, and their lives now give witness to this remarkable change! Faith enables us to accept salvation through Jesus, makes us wise in how to live out our lives, and gives us hope for a coming glory where we will dwell with God and other believers forever. Dr. Oswald Sanders puts it perfectly, “Faith enables the believing soul to treat the future as present and the invisible as seen.” We can cling to our certain “for sure” future life with God because we can trust Him at His Word. This kind of faith can only truly be experienced or understood by those who have chosen to place their faith in Jesus Christ and what Jesus did for us. On the cross, Jesus took our identity of “sin” upon Himself and gave us His identity of “righteousness” instead. As a result, we cannot brag about what we have done to earn salvation because we know only Jesus could make us righteous, trading our identity for His.

3) What benefit do obstacles and struggles have on our faith in everyday life?
Think of trials as training! God trains His troops, where the highest end goal is to trust Him, love Him supremely, and enjoy Him forever. When we walk in faith, God is always building us up to become more mature in Him even when it seems we are broken or our circumstances are impossible. (1 Peter 2:2-5) HE never leaves us! Psalm 138:8) Sometimes we suffer because we followed the wrong voice, doing our will instead of God’s will. Hosea 4:6 tells us we will be destroyed by insisting on our way, rejecting God’s ways and His knowledge. We cannot blame God for our wrong choices, but as we submit our lives to His hand and His ways, He will take even our erring ways and use them to teach us to trust Him, love Him, and enjoy Him. Many times, struggle happens even when we aren’t choosing sin. We may not understand the “WHY” of our trials, but we CAN trust God’s unchanging character of love towards us. Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us the Lord has always been faithful to show kindness towards His people; He has always given them hope. The heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 understood that no matter the trial, they could be anchored firmly in faith in God, knowing “for sure and for certain” He was in control. They confidently knew their trials were achieving for them something far greater than temporary happiness would. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) The Lord declares to His people, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways. (…) For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9) Wow! Obviously, God is in control and we can trust Him! We must not throw away our confidence in Him, His promised hope is coming and it is certain! (Hebrews 10:35-38)

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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This is Worship VII Week Two!
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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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Worship VII Day 1 Be Still My Soul

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 46
Isaiah 43:1-7
Romans 8:31-39

Worship VII, Day 1

I’ve always loved the beautiful hymn, “Be Still, My Soul” by Finnish writer Veikko Antero Koskenniemi. In studying the rich Scriptural truths behind these inspired lyrics I’ve discovered deep theological waters. Journey with me into cavernous springs of solid truth and sweet grace as we unpack the foundational truths behind one Finnish man’s heart cry.

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side;
bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
leave to thy God to order and provide;
in ev’ry change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heav’nly Friend
thro’ thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

While Veikko’s lyrical melodies wash over us,
ancient truths from the heart of God are reborn within us.

“If God is for us, who can be against us?” ~ Romans 8:31b

“For He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘the Lord is my helper; will not fear; what can man do to me?’” ~ Hebrews 13:5b-6

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” ~ Romans 5:3-5

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” ~ Romans 8:28

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
to guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
all now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice, who ruled them while He dwelt below.

“Be still”, Veikko croons as he quotes from King David.
How strenuously our bodies, minds, and souls push against this gift of slowing to stillness and silence before the God of the Universe! Yet, He continues washing us with truth…

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” ~Proverbs 16:9

“The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.” ~Proverbs 16:33

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” ~Jeremiah 29:11

“And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” ~Mark 4:39

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
and all is darkened in the veil of tears,
then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
from His own fullness all He takes away.

Deep, dark waters of loss threaten to pull us under with gripping physical force, but Hope sings low and clear with growing intensity, “I have defeated death!”

“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’” ~ Job 1:20-21

 

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~Romans 8:38-39

Be still, my soul: the hour is hast’ning on
when we shall be forever with the Lord,
when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,
all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

One day, time will cease, we will breath our last, and with our very own eyes, we will behold the mysteries that have eluded us for so long. At long last, we will be face to face with the Lover of our souls, the Great Rescuer of our hearts. We will be Home, and forever, we will dwell with the Lord of All. Oh, come Lord Jesus!

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” ~Revelation 21:4

Both the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let anyone who hears, say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life freely. ~ Revelation 22:17

Come away and drink deeply of the sweet waters of truth and feel the embrace of grace by the Father who loves you without end! The next time you hear this hymn or sing it yourself, remember just how much truth from God’s Word you are meditating on and memorizing, and may it encourage you in your walk with the Lord!

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

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Here’s a link to all past studies in Worship VII!