Love

Whole Day 5 Breaking the Bonds

Leave a Comment

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

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey! Comment Here!

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!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

Whole Day 4 See The Sickness: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

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.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with See The Sickness!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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

Our Current Study Theme!

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Whole Day 2 The Broken & The Cure: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

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 Broken & The Cure

The Questions

1) What did the serpent ask the woman? (verses 1-6)

2) What did the man and woman hear that caused them to hide? (verses 7-13)

3) What was the result of their choice? (verses 14-24)

Genesis 3:1-24

1 Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. 3 But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “No! You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So, she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. 8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 So the Lord God called out to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” 11 Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from? 12 The man replied, “The woman you gave to be with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.” 13 So the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”14 So the Lord God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, you are cursed more than any livestock and more than any wild animal. You will move on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life.15 I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.16 He said to the woman:  I will intensify your labor pains; you will bear children with painful effort Your desire will be for your husband, yet he will rule over you.17 And he said to the man, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘Do not eat from it’:  The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life.18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.19 You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust.”20 The man named his wife Eve because she was the mother of all the living. 21 The Lord God made clothing from skins for the man and his wife, and he clothed them. 22 The Lord God said, “Since the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, he must not reach out, take from the tree of life, eat, and live forever.” 23 So the Lord God sent him away from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove the man out and stationed the cherubim and the flaming, whirling sword east of the garden of Eden to guard the way to the tree of life.

Original Intent

1) What did the serpent ask the woman? (verses 1-6)
Could there be a more cunning question to ask someone than “did they really say that!?”. It begs for a skeptical answer and is meant to stir doubt in the mind of the hearer. The impact in Genesis 3:1 is that the question was referring to the command of God. Though we don’t have clarity how it happened, we do know the serpent who was speaking was Satan himself. (Revelation 20:1-2) So brazen is he that he refers to God as “Elohim” rather than the personal covenant name “Yahweh.” Eve falls for his trickery and responds using Elohim instead of Yahweh Elohim in verse 3. (Bible.org) Whether Satan possessed the serpent or deceived Adam and Eve into believing the serpent was talking to them, snakes do not have the ability to speak. And neither do donkeys. (Numbers 22:22-31) Yet in some circumstances, God allowed the words of animals to be used in His unveiling story of redemption. Considering himself to be wiser than God, Satan devised a scheme to destroy the good which God had created. (Genesis 1:31) The Hebrew word for “cunning” carries two meanings: negative implications are found here in verse 1, while more positive renderings of the word are found in the book of Proverbs referring to those who are “shrewd”. (Net Notes) Sadly, Satan knew just enough about God to be dangerous! Though he underestimated the ultimate authority and character in the nature of God, it was in Satan’s nature to devise wickedness. By faking ignorance, Satan demonstrated the depth of his appetite for crushing us and consequently throwing creation into chaos. (1 Peter 5:8) Four very sad words appear in verse 6, she saw, she took, she gave, and they ate.  Devastating! The world’s spiral into complete brokenness had begun. (Romans 5:12)

2) What did the man and woman hear that caused them to hide? (verses 7-13)
“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze […].” (verse 8) The somber reality of their depravity arises within the senses of the humans. They heard the sound of the Lord’s walking, but the debilitating volume of the guilt pounding in their hearts was what they feared most. They had believed the lie of their enemy and now the loveliness of the evening breeze was ruined by the awareness of their nakedness. They had shared the forbidden tree’s fruit. And the aftertaste was bitter. It was true that they now knew the awfulness of sin. (verse 5) Instead of being like God, they were terrified to be near Him. What Eve thought would bring delight brought dread. The wisdom she obtained was not glorious but horrifying! Her eyes were now opened to her humanity in light of God’s deity. This revelation brought something they had never experienced, deep shame! God had commanded them to refrain from eating from one tree. (Genesis 2:16-17) But Satan put a different spin on God’s words and motives, and Adam and Eve choose to resort to hiding. It’s a dreadful scene. The Lord calls out for His created companions, the ones He made in His image to bring Him glory. (Genesis 1:27) The prophet Isaiah spoke of the Lord’s desire for people in Isaiah 43:6-7. They were created to delight in Him and worship Him. Satan’s desire was to destroy that relationship and bring glory to himself. (Luke 4:5-7) He was clever enough to use the curious nature of humans to convince them he had their best interest in mind. As they turn on each other, it appears Satan’s goal to ruin them might very well be accomplished.

3) What was the result of their choice? (verses 14-24)
Before Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the forbidden tree, they were allowed to eat from any tree, including the tree of life. Choosing to disobey God caused them to be banished from the garden, including this tree. The New Testament Bible writer, James, wanted his readers to understand the consequences of being drawn into sin. James 1:14-15 gives us an understanding of how temptation works. It is exactly how it worked in the garden. Adam and Eve were “drawn away and enticed by [their] own evil desire” to know more than knew. (verse 6) When they became aware of their guilt (nakedness), they hid in shame. God questioned them about what happened, but they knew they had been deceived and had chosen to disobey God. Because of their wicked choices, the God who had created them needed to punish their sin. As the consequences were being explained, I wonder if Adam and Eve remembered what God did say to Adam, “On the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2:16-17) Though Eve misquoted the Lord, it is evident Adam had told Eve what God said. (verses 2-3) They were both responsible for what was happening to them as they faced their day of reckoning. No matter how much they tried to place blame, Adam nor Eve had a defense. Yet the Lord showed compassion. In His kind omniscience, denying access to the tree of life was for their good. God chose to cover their shame rather than leave them in the garden trying to cover themselves and struggle to live forever in their present sinful state. Living endlessly without the Hope of Redemption by the gracious God would mean only misery for humanity with no hope of relief, not even in death.

Everyday Application

1) What did the serpent ask the woman? (verses 1-6)
Partial truths are the worst kind of lies. They are filled with subtleties that play tricks on our hearts and minds. A clock that reads 5:15 AM when it’s really 5:15 PM is so clearly off that we wouldn’t consider using it to tell time. But a clock that reads 5:15 AM when it’s 5:35 AM could make the difference in us being on time or late. It may seem later, but we convince ourselves the clock is right. Subtle lies tell us enough of the truth to make us curious, but we can become too lazy to seek the whole truth. Sin begins to take root in our hearts when curiosity turns to doubt followed by wrong choices. God has given us His word that is sufficient instruction for our lives. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) He has also provided for us everything we need to enjoy life to its fullest. (1 Timothy 6:17) God has not left out anything. As Creator, He ultimately provides us life itself in every breath we breathe. (Acts 17:24-25) Yet, you and I still fall for the enemy’s greatest lie: you need more. As Mandie wrote, “In a way, aren’t we still falling for the lies that make us believe there must be more for us than everything God has already provided?” Oh Sister, I’m right there with you crying out to our good Father. He has said we are valuable to Him. He wants to provide for us if we would just turn from sin and rely on His goodness! (Matthew 6:26)  Lord, help me believe YOU alone are good and truthful. Help me to trust YOU alone for everything I need.

2) What did the man and woman hear that caused them to hide? (verses 7-13)
We’ve all been there. That moment when our wrong choices catch up with us. Maybe it’s the sound of a siren and the sight of blue lights behind us. Maybe it’s the sight of the checking account balance that’s lower than it should be because of an ill-timed and unnecessary purchase. Maybe it’s the gut punch we feel after a juicy conversation we had that should have ended long before it did. Shame can be so loud! Especially brutal is the shame that comes when we’re guilty and we know it. Adam and Eve weren’t afraid of God’s footsteps. They had obviously heard them before as they basked in the wonderful evening breezes. But this time was different. We get it, don’t we? I’ve been relieved to see the lights of the policeman’s car when there was an accident. I have been delighted to open my bank statement and see the ways in which the Lord has provided. I’ve been filled with hope as I’ve had conversations with friends that stir me to kind deeds and encouraged me to find the good. Why did they hide? It was their guilt and shame! Oh, how wonderful that God sought them, knowing what He knew. Our shame is not the end of our story, sweet friend. We have a Father who calls out for us to admit our failure and find forgiveness and restoration. It is so tempting to hide in fear and shame. But it’s unnecessary. We can be restored, and God wants nothing more than our sincere humility and repentance. He is faithful and kind. (1 John 1:5-9)

3) What was the result of their choice? (verses 14-24)
The enticement to sin comes not only from without (the devil), but from our own nature as well. James says we are drawn away by our evil desires. We think wrongly, leading to wrong beliefs, then we act wrongly. The opposite is also true. We are stirred to choose the right thing by believing it is best. Paul writes that all who have believed in Jesus must renew their minds. (Romans 12:1) Adam and Eve hid because they had acted sinfully based on their belief that God might be wrong. Jon Bloom provides this example, “When my two oldest children were younger teens, they did what most younger teens do. They ransacked the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer for empty, sugar-based carbohydrates. If they didn’t find them, they would run to fast-food restaurants and convenience stores. My wife and I would urge them toward more balanced diets and cite the science-based negative effects of such foods on the body and mind, but with little success. Then, around ages 17 or 18, suddenly they began to eat healthy, nutritious food and eschew junk food. What happened? It wasn’t that they went from being ignorant to being informed. What they lacked was a belief that eating veggies would really make them happier in the long run.” The most wonderful news is that our hearts can be changed and set on God’s purposes when we surrender to His work in us through His Spirit. We can believe Him and trust His Word. By limiting the lifespan of humanity, God gave us time to come to know Him and His provision for eternal life through Christ. We have been spared from the misery of an endless existence in a sinful condition. Praise be to the God of creation and redemption; our brokenness has a cure!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with The Broken & The Cure!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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

Our Current Study Theme!

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

The GT Weekend! ~ Champion Week 3

Leave a Comment

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

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Champion Day 15 He’s The Hero

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 5:1-11
Luke 6:12-16
John 18:16-27
John 21:15-19
1 Peter 2:1-17

Champion, Day 15

For as long as I can remember, my husband has contended the fictional comic book character Batman is the only plausible superhero. When asked why, he will happily explain: unlike other illustrated literary superheroes, Batman doesn’t have any special powers or alien origins.

Immeasurable wealth and influence? Sure.
Mad ninja skills and physical prowess? Check.
Insanely cool superhero lair and technological marvels to help him fight crime? Yup.

But aside from the seemingly endless supply of money and inner torment,
Batman is basically just a regular guy with excellent resources. 

This might seem an unusual way to introduce a journey with Peter, but stay with me.

When we study the radical accounts of miracles God performed through Peter, it’s easy to see him as a spiritual giant.

He boldly exhorted those in Jerusalem following the Holy Spirit’s outpouring on Pentecost (Acts 2:14-36).
He miraculously healed (Acts 3:6-8),
raised the dead to life (Acts 9:38-43),
was the first to witness the unveiling of God’s complete plan of salvation for all people (Acts 10:9-33),
was imprisoned for his faith and proclaiming the gospel (Acts 4:1-4),
was freed from jail. by angels (Acts 12:6-19),
and people were healed simply by his very shadow (Acts 5:12-16).

With a resume like that, anyone would assume Peter was basically a Biblical beast. In a way, he was, but if we only examine the miracles and remarkable eternal impact of Peter’s life, without acknowledging Peter’s colorful humanity and frailty, we miss the best things about Peter’s story.

Just like the overarching account of Scripture and every vignette therein, Peter’s story points to God, His plan for salvation through Jesus Christ, and the redemption He alone brings.

Peter was a man of humble beginnings. His work was essential to the economy, but could hardly be considered illustrious. Brash and outspoken, Peter was impulsive, rough around the edges, and often ruled by his emotions.

When the disciples saw Jesus walking on water, they were frightened. (Matthew 14:22-33) Jesus comforted them; when He was tested by an impulsive Peter, Jesus invited him to step onto the waves. Peter initially fared well, but became afraid and began sinking.

Peter failed. 

When Jesus told His disciples He would be killed, and raised to life on the third day, Peter “caught feelings” and again tested Jesus, rejecting what He said outright. (Matthew 16:21-22)

Again, Peter failed. 

When Judas betrayed Jesus, Peter was overcome by his emotions, drew his sword, and cut off a man’s ear. (John 18:1-11)

Jesus also prophesied Peter would deny Him three times. Vehemently, Peter objected and declared he would never. When Jesus’ words came to pass and he heard the rooster crow, Peter was broken. (John 18:16-27)

Failure.
Again.

It’s heartbreaking, isn’t it?
Separated from the Messiah, Peter carried the weight of his personal betrayal of the Master he loved while Jesus was persecuted, crucified, and buried. Even after He was resurrected to life three days later, Peter’s actions undoubtedly haunted him.

Time and again, Peter messed up,
and doubted,
and hurt others,
and didn’t believe Jesus,
and argued with the very Son of God,
and failed.

Over, and over, and over.

Oh Peter. I can relate. On every. single. count. 

But then.

“When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’

‘Yes, Lord,’ [Peter] said to him, ‘you know that I love you.’

‘Feed my lambs,’ [Jesus] told him.”
(John 21:15)

Three times, Peter had denied Jesus.
Three times, resurrected Jesus asks this question and commissions Peter, restoring him to full relationship and ministry.

Herein lies the beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the trajectory of salvation!

Peter wasn’t enough. Yet, Jesus called him.
Peter failed, many times. Yet, Jesus disciplined him in love.
Peter denied Jesus. Yet, Jesus died for him.
After all that, Jesus offered him redemption, commissioned him, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, transformed Peter to be a living demonstration of the work of the Gospel. 

The most important part of Peter’s story is that
he
wasn’t
enough.

In fact, Peter was basically just a regular guy, with excellent (read: supernatural) resources.

When we look at the accounts we see in Scripture and compare ourselves to the people we read there, we miss the point completely. Throughout all of Scripture, no one was ever enough, except Jesus Christ.

When faced with that reality, Peter put his faith in Jesus. He allowed himself to be transformed completely. Because of that surrender, the Holy Spirit was freed to work through him.

Beloved, the truth is, we aren’t enough, either.

If we were, then we would actually BE God.
We wouldn’t need salvation, because we wouldn’t sin.
We wouldn’t need sanctification, because we would already be completely holy. 

Just as He saw Peter, Jesus sees us as we really are, in all our frailty and failure and not enough. Because He IS enough, He transforms us into a new creation! Praise be to God!

Jesus, thank You for being enough, for filling every gap and showing Your strength in my weakness. Teach me to walk in Your ways and help me to remember that You are the real Champion in all of Scripture, and in my life.

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

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 Champion Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

Champion Day 13 The Unexpected Presence

Leave a Comment

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.

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!
Join our Facebook Community!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

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

Champion Day 10 Casting Out The Shadows

Leave a Comment

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)

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

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 Champion Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

Champion Day 9 Fearful Made Fierce: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

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)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Fearful Made Fierce!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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

Our Current Study Theme!

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Champion Day 6 Behind The Scenes God

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Esther 4:8-17
Deuteronomy 30:1-11
1 Thessalonians 5:14-18
Hebrews 11:1-13
1 Peter 3:1-9

Champion, Day 6

Esther.
An orphan becomes queen and saves her people.
Sounds like a fairy tale, doesn’t it?

But this was no fairy tale. It was certainly not some glorious dream-come-true for Esther. She had many obstacles to overcome, but her faith in God sustained her.

She came from a humble background, born into the Jewish lineage of Benjamin during their Babylonian exile. Her father and her mother died when she was very young, leaving her to be raised by her cousin, Mordecai. (Esther 2:5-7) However, her faith radiates through her humility; she is obedient to her cousin as if he were her father.

I like to think her humility was one character trait that attracted the favor of Hegai, the overseer of the house of women, when she was taken from her home and forced to participate in the king’s search for a new queen. (Esther 2:8-9) Think how it would be to live in a house of 400 beautiful women vying for the attention of the king. Yikes!

As Esther’s story progressed, she was selected to be the new queen (Esther 2:17), but she remained in contact with Mordecai (Esther 2:10-11). Therefore, Mordecai was the person to inform Esther of the king’s decree (made at the urging of Haman, a wicked, high-ranking official) that all Jews should be massacred on a future date. (Esther 3:5-4:7)

Though her faith is never mentioned, Esther’s integrity and faithfulness to God shine through her responses. Her utmost goal was to glorify God in all things.

When she needed wisdom and protection regarding the annihilation of the Jews, she requested prayer and fasting. (Esther 4:8-17) Long before letters to the New Testament church in Philippi would be written, Esther lived out their exhortation:

“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, make your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
Certainly, this reveals she loved the Lord and desired to follow His plan, even in a life and death situation.

Only after she (and the community) had fasted and prayed did she approach the king. Wise and brave, risking death by approaching the king unsummoned, she stood in the inner court of the palace. When the king saw her, he invited her in.

“‘What is it, Queen Esther?’ the king asked her. ‘Whatever you want, even to half the kingdom, it will be given to you.’” (Esther 5:3)

In her wisdom, Esther was patient. She didn’t immediately complain about Haman. Instead, she invited the king and Haman to a series of banquets. How clever to come bearing gifts, you might say, with no obvious intent other than to please the king.

At the second feast, the king again assured Esther, “Queen Esther, whatever you ask will be given to you.” (Esther 7:2) At this pivotal moment, she pleaded for her life, and for the lives of all Jews, accusing Haman as her adversary.

Wow! What courage! I’m sure she experienced fear, but God bolstered her courage, demonstrating how His power is perfected in our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Interestingly, the Name of God is never mentioned in the Book of Esther, although we clearly see Him at work.

Why? One theory is that this bit of history was written by either Esther or Mordecai for the archives of this pagan nation (Esther 9:32); therefore, mention of God was left out. But certainly, we can see the hand of God weaving His plan through every step.

Though the life Esther had imagined was shattered the day she was abducted to the palace harem, God was with her, and she found favor with Hegai.
Though her future seemed to hinge on a single, forced sexual encounter with an unstable, arrogant king, God was with her, and she found favor with the king.
Though Esther grappled with danger, and fear, and the unknown and powerlessness, God was with her, bringing the salvation of His people from the silt of men’s evil plans.

God, as Master Author working behind the scenes, placed each person in the right place at the right time “for such a time as this”.

God is still working in the events of our day. At times we may wonder, “Where are you, God?” and struggle to understand why evil appears to win. Years before Esther, the Jewish prophet, Daniel, told King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon,
“He [the Most High God] changes times and seasons;
He removes kings and establishes kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those
who have understanding.
He reveals the deep and hidden things;
He knows what is in darkness
and light dwells with Him.”
(Daniel 2:21-22)

When we arrive in Heaven and look back, our eyes will be opened to all the things God has done. We will turn and observe the “Behind the Scenes God” like Jacob did, “Surely the LORD was in this place, and I did not know it[!]” (Genesis 28:16)

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!
Join our Facebook Community!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

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