Promises

Waiting Day 13 Not Yet, Not Now, No

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 1:1-14
Acts 2:1-12
Psalm 27:13-14

Waiting, Day 13

Waiting.
Waiting for it to come,
Not knowing what it is.

Hoping.
Hoping for more,
Not knowing what I want.

Dreaming.
Dreaming for things,
Not truly believing they will be.

Staying.
Staying where I am,
Not wanting to make the wrong move.

Stepping.
Stepping out in faith,
Not seeing where I am going.

Leaping.
Leaping into what I do not know,
Trusting what I do not see.

Often, the toughest part of waiting is watching everyone seemingly race past us in the meantime. To watch God move so actively and clearly everywhere, it seems, but in us.

I’ve historically been a pretty patient person. There’s something thrilling about living in anticipation. Waiting for it to come, letting the excitement build as time passes. I’m amazed by the joy that comes when I’m waiting for a big event, or for something to arrive in the mail, or for the next time I will see people I love.

This kind of waiting usually has an expiration date. We know when events will happen, and we can track our packages in the mail.

What about when we don’t know the deadline? When we don’t know when, or even IF something will happen? What does waiting look like then?

Before Jesus ascended, He told His disciples exactly what would happen. They would receive the Holy Spirit and become His bold witnesses throughout the earth. (Acts 1:4-7) What He didn’t explain, however, is precisely WHEN, or HOW. After Jesus returned to Heaven, the disciples retreated to the upper room, gathered with other believers, and prayed fervently as they waited.

What might have been different had the disciples taken matters into their own hands? If they’d grown weary of waiting for what Jesus had promised and, instead, began their own ministry without the power and direction of the Holy Spirit? While they may have spread the Good News about Jesus with fine intentions, their ministry certainly wouldn’t have been as effective. Without the indwelling, empowerment, and leadership of the Holy Spirit, their humanity would have left their efforts crumbling in inadequacy and failure. (Galatians 5:16-23)

In waiting on the Lord, as difficult and confusing as it surely was, their absolute surrender and attention to the Lord sustained them to the day Jesus fulfilled His promise and the Holy Spirit was given. The excitement that flooded through those present must have been palpable; Acts 2:5-11 describes how everyone heard the wonders of God in their own language!

The rest of Acts 2 describes how Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples, filled with the Holy-Spirit, preached to the crowd, telling them the Good News of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Around 3,000 people were added to the family of God that day! Without waiting on the promise of Jesus, their work would have most certainly not produced such God-sized results. 

Just as the disciples waited expectantly in the upper room, I too have been in a season of waiting. As I seek God’s heart, the answers to my prayers seem to fall into three main categories: “not now” and “not yet” and “no.” And while the waiting can be undeniably painful, it’s an ache laced with hope, potential, and possibility.

Life in its current state feels unstable, as though the slightest imbalance will cause an unstoppable avalanche. While there is goodness in the current moment, my heart cannot help but see the possibility for the future and reach out for it in desperate, yearning grasps.

Not Now
These are the things I’ve been doing that are good, rich, and God-honoring, but are not meant for this season. In these endings, we can find comfort in the often-quoted but still meaningful opening to Ecclesiastes 3.
“There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven.”
I pray that when one time passes, we can say good-bye with grace and wait on the Lord to guide us into the next season.

Not Yet
These are promises or desires I hold with an open hand, surrendered to God’s perfect will and timing. Like the disciples in the upper room, I wait expectantly for God’s guidance and empowerment. In these times, we can “commit [our] ways to the Lord; trust in Him,” believing that in His perfect timing, “He will act,” leading us into, and equipping us for, the next season. (Psalm 37:5)

No
Sometimes, the answer is simply, “No”, which can be incredibly hard to come to terms with. When our hearts ache for what will never be, we can be assured that our good Father wraps His arms around us, loves us unfailingly, and will walk with us through the hurt, confusion, and disappointment.

Jesus is certainly enough for me in this life. In fact, there have been moments in my life when I have clung to the Hope of Jesus alone.

But I fully believe God did not create us to simply acquiesce to the here and now. Hope and vision for the future are built into us. We wait expectantly for the coming of Jesus, while being faithful to the work He has for us today.

In our waiting, in our own upper rooms, may we follow the disciples’ lead, marrying hope of fulfillment with a determination to move into the next season only when released by God.
As we wait, I’d encourage us to be steadfast, friends, and look for Him in the here and now, and you will find Him. (Jeremiah 29:13)

Seek the next best step from Him, however small, and He will show it to you. (Psalm 32:8) Go to your upper room and pray steadfastly and fervently. (Psalm 63:1-2)
Wait on the Lord and He will show you the right time and place.

Most importantly, bask in the goodness of the now and in all of the richness that simply being with your Savior can bring.

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Waiting Day 10 Once Upon God’s Kairos

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
1 Peter 1:13-25
1 John 3:1-3
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
Isaiah 40

Waiting, Day 10

Almost a decade ago, I was introduced to the concept of KAIROS time.
Did you know ancient Greeks used two words, chronos and kairos to describe time?

Chronos time is linear and sequential, the timeline in which we live.

Kairos is a time when conditions are right for the accomplishment of a crucial action; the opportune and decisive moment. Throughout Scripture, kairos describes the time in which God exists and moves.

I was profoundly impacted by the reality that God is not limited by chronos time, yet He created a world functioning within it. From the very beginning, He established minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years. (Genesis 1) But we are told in 2 Peter 3:8, “With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.” God sees the past, present, and future simultaneously. He has orchestrated how ALLLLL the millions of puzzle pieces of history will come together; He is weaving a beautiful tapestry, a breathtaking masterpiece.

WE, however, see the back of the tapestry with strings tangled and knotted. WE get confused and frustrated, not understanding what is happening or why. Meanwhile, God confidently weaves away, working in His KAIROS time, to bring about plans He established BEFORE the creation of the world. (Titus 1:3)

Today, we have the advantage of looking BACK through the Bible and see all the clues God was providing as people looked FORWARD to Jesus, who would ONE DAY deliver us ALL from sin and death.

One of the most beautiful pictures of this promised redemption was when God rescued His people from Egypt after 400 years of slavery! Leading up to their miraculous exit, God sent 9 plagues to convince Pharaoh to free the Israelites; in the midst of the chaos and confusion of the final plague, the death of the firstborn sons, God foreshadowed what JESUS would one day do as the FINAL Passover Lamb. You see, God had told His people to sacrifice their best lambs and put the blood on the top and sides of their doors (forming a CROSS). As the angel of death went throughout the land, God would PASS OVER those covered in lamb’s blood. The sacrificed lamb would die in their place, and they would be saved. (Exodus 11-13)

Fast forward hundreds of years to another Passover festival. That night, Jesus was arrested and beaten, and mocked. (Luke 22:1-23:25) Yet, He remained silent, like a lamb led to slaughter. Jesus, the SACRIFICIAL LAMB, was nailed to a cross, dying in OUR place and paying the price for OUR sins. (Luke 23:26-56) Jesus’ death, precisely on Passover, was no coincidence. God was fulfilling generations of prophecies and orchestrating the tiniest of details at just the right time, His kairos time.

Right before Jesus breathed His last on the cross, He cried, “It is finished!”. (John 19:30) At that moment in the temple, the centerplace of Jewish worship, the curtain separating delineating the inner sanctuary, the Holy of Holies where God’s presence dwelled, split from TOP to bottom. (Luke 23:44-49) No longer was there a separation between God and people. Anyone could now enter God’s presence, because of JESUS.

For thousands of years, ONLY the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and ONLY on the Day of Atonement. On that day, Israel gathered together and the High Priest offered a sacrifice to pay for the sins of the entire nation. (Leviticus 16) On THIS Day of Atonement, Jesus became the FINAL sacrifice, paying for ALL sins for ALL time. (Hebrews 10:11-12)

Looking back through history all the way to the Old Testament Tabernacle (check out the Tabernacle Journey Theme!)God was giving us glimpses of His Son and the relationship we can now have with Him because of Jesus.

The tabernacle had ONE entrance, where people accessed an Outer Courtyard.
Jesus is THE DOOR, the ONLY way to God.
“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.”  (John 14:6)

In the Outer Courtyard was the bronze basin, where priests would wash before approaching God’s presence.
Jesus declared He is the Living Water (John 7:37-39); His blood cleanses us from sin. (1 John 1:7-9)

Within the tabernacle was a smaller tent divided into two sections, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. Only priests could enter the Holy Place, which housed 3 items made of pure gold: a table, a lampstand, and incense altar.

On the table was the Bread of Presence.
During His ministry, Jesus revealed He was the Bread of Life. (John 6:35)
During the Passover meal with His disciples on the night of His arrest, Jesus broke bread and announced, “This is My body, which is given for you.” (Luke 22:19)

The lampstand lit the Holy Place.
Jesus is the LIGHT of the world. (John 8:12)
He has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. (Colossians 1:13; 1 Peter 2:9-10)

Incense was to be continually burning, symbolizing the prayers of the priest, on behalf of God’s people, rising to the Lord.
Today, we have direct access to God, while Jesus, and the Holy Spirit within us, intercede for us! (Romans 8:26-27; Romans 8:34)

Every aspect of the tabernacle points to Jesus.
Glimpses of Jesus are revealed through the ENTIRE Old Testament.
Even during His silence from Malachi to the birth of Jesus, He was STILL working out His purposes in His KAIROS time.

Finally, “When the time came to completion, God sent his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5, emphasis mine)

God’s timing was PERFECT in sending Jesus to be born in Bethlehem.
His timing was PERFECT in having Him crucified in Jerusalem.

His timing WILL BE perfect once more when He sends Jesus to establish His eternal kingdom. He will make all things new again, restoring the perfection that was broken and lost when sin entered the world in the Garden. (Revelation 21:5)

We may feel God is slow in answering prayers, be it physical healing, adoption paperwork, financial provision, or His final return.

We may grow impatient as we wait.
When waiting seems too much to bear, we can look back through the Bible and see God at work, masterfully weaving a beautiful tapestry to bring about His plans at JUST THE RIGHT TIME.

Maybe not according to OUR chronos way of thinking, but rather in His sovereign, divine, PERFECT kairos timing!

So, as we watch and wait, may we trust and confidently declare with the Apostle John, “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)

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Waiting Day 8 The Anticipated Gift

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 2:21-38
Isaiah 55:8-11
Psalm 62:1-12
Psalm 25:1-22

Waiting, Day 8

Oh, the very goodness and faithfulness of the Lord!
Check in on how your heart responds to that phrase.

Celebratory? Enthused? Encouraged?
Or, perhaps, this Journey Study comes to you in a season where that sentence feels so very far from the truth. A season of waiting…maybe more accurately, painful waiting.

A season where more questions fall from your lips than victory cheers.
Where are You, Lord?
Why did You give this to me?
Why did You take this away?

Regardless of heart motives, I’m so thankful our “why” questions are embraced by God; He faithfully draws us close in our questioning. Still, nowhere in Scripture does He promise to reply in the manner we might hope.

Yet, even in this space of unknowns, we can praise the God who carries us through our uncertain seasons of waiting as He actively works to soothe our fears and cultivate our faith. His strength is endless, His power limitless, and His pen authors the best stories every single time.

Waiting is a vital part of any story.
How we choose to wait often determines the level of joy contained throughout our journey and, in many cases, it impacts the story’s end. Such was the case for Anna and Simeon, two faithful saints of the Lord who demonstrated faith-filled waiting. Though the waiting period yawned before them, they fixed their gaze on the unchanging Yahweh, Lord of All. They daily sought His presence, choosing to dwell with Him instead of the land of fear and doubt.

Anna and Simeon waited for the long-ago-promised Messiah. Finally, on a seemingly ordinary day, as they sat again in the Lord’s presence at the temple, their faith was turned into sight as they beheld the infant face of Christ Jesus. They beheld the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord God wrapped in wrinkly days-old skin.

Precisely because they had spent their waiting in worship,
they were familiar with the Spirit’s pressing.
Finally, here was the goal of their faithful waiting.

Though the whole nation of Israel had waited centuries, they missed the fulfillment of the Lord’s promise. They neither welcomed the wee Christ, nor did they worship as He performed miracles and declared Himself to be the Messiah. Israel waited, just as Simeon and Anna had, but the difference was their “how”.

Israel sought a king they could control; one who would fulfill their expectations.
The humble in heart welcomed the King they already worshipping while they waited.

Like Israel, like Simeon and Anna, we each can choose how we wait in our seasons of mystery, pain, and seeming endlessness. Will we focus our hearts more on receiving the promise or on worshipping the Promise Keeper?

Though I have much to still learn about waiting well, over many seasons of waiting, the Lord has faithfully taught my heart to worship in the waiting; He has shown me the joy to be discovered if we wait on Him.

I had been single for several years and sensed the Lord leading me to a specific man as my future husband. In a story that would take far longer than I could recount here, the Lord walked me through years of listening and obeying; these became my praise to Him. I continued praying for this man, and many fellow Christians prayed alongside me, until finally I asked the Lord for a clear answer the next time the two of us interacted. When I saw him again, I mentioned an interest in getting coffee, but he didn’t set up a date. As we turned to go, he exited through one door, and I turned towards a glass one, but realized too late that it was a pull exit instead of a push door. I walked full force into the see-through glass, but instead of feeling humiliation at my clumsiness and grief over losing this man, laughter bubbled out. After years of waiting and praying, I found myself filled with joy and laughter.

I had waited well, and the evidence was the Lord’s joy showing up against all odds. The outcome wasn’t what I had envisioned, but the Lord had given me the same gift He had given to Anna and Simeon and all who waited for the Messiah with humility, Himself.

In that specific season I had learned to know His voice better and lay my plans at His feet. I wonder how often Anna or Simeon doubted the Lord would show Himself to them as they waited, yet still, they came to Him each day at the temple, expectantly waiting with open hands to receive whatever He had for them.
These were sacrifices of praise.

I’m now married, with a little one on the way, to a man the Lord had been preparing for me all along. As I feel tiny kicks inside, I am reminded again that the Lord writes the best stories. His storyline taught my heart to trust and worship Him regardless of plot twists. He was faithful to Simeon, Anna, and even to Israel, though they rejected Him, and He continues to be faithful to all who humbly seek Him.

Delight yourself in the Promise Keeper, Sister.
Learn the rhythm of worshipping while you wait and joyfully discover His faithful goodness that will never fail!

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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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Waiting Day 6 Look, Listen, and Wait

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 3
Genesis 15:1-6
Psalm 27:7-14
Luke 18:1-8

Waiting, Day 6

From the beginning, humankind has been waiting. In one crushing moment, paradise and unbroken relationship with God were lost. As Adam and Eve trudged from the lushness of the Garden into the dust of everywhere else because of their decision to sin against the God who loved them, the waiting for a redeemer and rescuer began. (Genesis 3)

Eve held a promise her seed would crush the enemy. (Genesis 3:15) Then one son was murdered and the other and was exiled. (Genesis 4:1-16) Eve returned to waiting.

Abraham and Sarah were promised more children than the stars in the skies (Genesis 15:1-6), but they grew tired of waiting and took their own action (Genesis 16). The Middle East has been at war within itself ever since as one son (Ishmael/Islam) warred against the other (Isaac/Judaism).

Generations later, the nation of Israel continued to wait. As foretold to Abraham, God spectacularly and miraculously freed them from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12:29-42, Exodus 14:5-31), but it wasn’t enough.

While Moses received the Law from God on Mt. Sinai, the people decided Yahweh was no longer worth the wait, so they made their own god, a golden calf. Like Abraham and Sarah, Israel took matters into their own hands and disaster followed. (Exodus 32)

From Israel, we learn what not to do while waiting. Choosing to abandon the wait or wrest control from God always results in destruction.

Israel used their waiting in the wilderness as an opportunity to continue their rebellion rather than choose to grow in trusting Yahweh. (Numbers 16) Eventually, by God’s grace, they entered the Promised Land. However, humankind’s sinful nature continued to manifest through disobedience and rebellion in the face of God’s protection and generosity. Israel took God’s gift of land and, through selfish arrogance, their kingdom became savagely divided. They waited for rescue almost continually. Wait, rebel, endure captivity … repeat. Over and over and over. Israel ignored the signs of God’s provision and protection all around them.

Therefore, God appointed prophets to speak for Him, to admonish and encourage the Israelites to return to God. Still, Israel ignored the words of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, and other prophets who all pointed to The Only One who could rescue. (Micah 5:2)

Eventually, the prophets, too, grew silent.
400 years of silence passed without a word or a sign.

We likely haven’t waited 400 years to see God move on our behalf, but even waiting days or months seems like an eternity. It’s hard to hold onto the truth that God still sees us. It’s hard to wait for God to move without attempting to hurry the answer along.

Fast forward to early first century Israel. Rome was the ruling party while Israel still awaited rescue. The 400 years of silent, painful waiting was broken when a young woman was told she would birth the Messiah. (Luke 1:26-33)

Then the Savior was born . . . quietly, inauspiciously, in a stable. (Luke 2:1-7)

A few people knew. Local shepherds and Joseph were visited by angels. The Savior was finally here and they were drawn to worship. (Luke 2:8-20) Seers from the East noticed the star in the heavens mentioned in Numbers 24:17. Though they weren’t followers of Yahweh, they journeyed to Israel to worship this perfect King. (Matthew 2:1-12)

Some suspected. King Herod, who wasn’t the first ruler to order infanticide (Exodus 1:15-22, Matthew 2:16-18), attempted to murder the Promised One, albeit unsuccessfully.
He wasn’t the last to seek Christ’s death.

Still Israel waited thirty more years.

Some in Israel, like Abraham had once done, took matters into their own hands. Zealots began uprisings, fomenting insurrections in an attempt to gain control. They incurred the brutal wrath of Rome and the Sanhedrin (hypocritical and self-righteous religious leaders). Once again, rebellion in the waiting was deadly.

To this unrest, Jesus began His ministry unlike Israel expected, without army or militia. Instead, He revealed the heart of the Father, teaching, healing, and restoring. While the Sanhedrin’s authority felt threatened, and several thousand noticed the miraculous (Matthew 14:13-21), most of Israel completely missed their long-awaited Rescuer living among them.

Sisters, it’s so easy to judge Israel’s folly, but how often have we missed God moving in our lives because He didn’t show up as we expected? Like Israel, we become weary of waiting; we’d rather plunge headfirst into doing things our way. When the outcome is painful, and we open our eyes, we see God was present all along in unexpected ways.

Are you waiting?
I’ve been in a “How long, O Lord?” season.
No clear words from the Lord, and no peace to any direction I consider.

So, I wait.

Is it frustrating? Absolutely. I want clear answers and control.
I want to know “why.”
The uncomfortable call to trust, abide, and rest in Him isn’t easy!

Where do we begin?

Read His Word consistently.
Consider the Psalms where we find company in David’s laments and comfort in his decision to praise.

Put on worship music. Many genres are available!

Finally, let’s be honest with God.
Tell Him the wait is hard, even painful and confusing. Ask the Holy Spirit, our comforter, to teach us to wait with expectancy, ready for our Father’s fulfillment of His promises!

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Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Waiting Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Waiting Day 2 Not Abandoned: 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!
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The Questions

1) How did Joseph respond to the events he endured and what does this teach us about enduring hardship?

2) What ways does God use waiting?

3) What heart-attitude glorifies God in seasons of waiting?

Genesis 45:1-8

Joseph could no longer keep his composure in front of all his attendants, so he called out, “Send everyone away from me!” No one was with him when he revealed his identity to his brothers. 2 But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and also Pharaoh’s household heard it. 3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But they could not answer him because they were terrified in his presence.

4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please, come near me,” and they came near. “I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt. 5 And now don’t be grieved or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life. 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting. 7 God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. 8 Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Original Intent

1) How did Joseph respond to the events he endured and what does this teach us about enduring hardship?
Joseph’s story is one of the longest and most detailed in the whole biblical account spanning a full nineteen chapters from Genesis 37-50. His story gives us the history of God’s chosen people, the Israelites. At age 17, Joseph’s half-brothers sold him into slavery. Fueled by jealousy over their father’s favoritism, they intended to kill Joseph, but Reuben, the firstborn of the family talked them into selling him into slavery instead. As a slave, Joseph served Potiphar and was favored until Potiphar’s wife came on to him sexually and set him up to look like he had seduced her. At that point, Joseph went to prison. We don’t know his exact age at this time, but it is guessed he was around 27 or 28 years old. He had been in Egypt for over ten years. Then he spent two years in prison, all but forgotten. When he was thirty, he interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams and was promoted to the second highest position in power in Egypt. When his brothers arrive requesting grain during the famine (which came after seven plentiful years as predicted by Pharaoh’s dream), Joseph is 39 years old. He reveals his identity as their brother and responds by saying, “Don’t be grieved or angry with yourselves for selling me here…” He could have easily been resentful and attempted to retaliate or make them earn his trust. Instead, Joseph had a God-given perspective, “God sent me ahead of you to preserve life.” Joseph is able to extend understanding and a reconciling forgiveness because He saw God’s greater purpose in the suffering he endured. 

2) What ways does God use waiting?
Joseph waited 22 years to see his brothers and even longer to see his father. In the course of time, he never saw his mother again. How the pain of estrangement must have burdened him for those 2+ decades! The pain of injustice also plagued him as he spent two years in jail when he had done nothing wrong. His suffering wasn’t due to his own poor choices or his sin. And yet, he endured misunderstanding, mistreatment, and what seemed like being completely forgotten to rot in prison. But, God never wastes suffering and He used the painful periods of waiting to deepen Joseph’s dependence on God and show him His trustworthy character. In Psalm 105, when it speaks of Joseph’s time in slavery, it says, “The Word of the Lord tested him (Joseph).” This phrasing means that God’s Torah, His law and His commands refined Joseph. God used this critical period of waiting to lay out His plans to not only birth the nation of Israel, but also to preserve a remnant of His chosen people so they might be strengthened, increase in number, and made to be greater than their foes. (Psalm 105:24) While God had in mind the larger national picture of His people and His eventual rescue for them through Jesus, He also was mindful of Joseph’s individual life. The Lord masterfully crafted Joseph’s sufferable waiting to be used for His holy purposes of refining Joseph’s heart and faith.

3) What heart-attitude glorifies God in seasons of waiting?
Joseph remained connected to God despite the pain and uncertainty of his circumstances. Genesis 39:2 records, “The Lord was with Joseph, and He became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.”  Joseph refused to allow temptation to draw him into sin and away from God. In Genesis 39:8-9 Joseph tells Potiphar’s wife, “My master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has put all that he owns under my authority. No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do this immense evil, and how could I sin against God?” He refused to betray God and the favor he’d been given. Joseph continued to give God credit and glory whenever he interpreted dreams, instead of praising himself, “Don’t interpretations belong to God?” (Genesis 40:8) Joseph emphasized to Pharaoh, “God will give Pharaoh the answer…” (Genesis 41:16) Over time, Joseph leaned more and more on God’s sovereignty and goodness. Towards the end of our time with Joseph, he proves his surrender by declaring to his brothers, “Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.” (Genesis 50:19-20) He knew God was far greater and His purposes ran far deeper than his own. Joseph saw his life in the context of God’s plan for His people and endured hardship in the waiting seasons because he trusted God.

Everyday Application

1) How did Joseph respond to the events he endured and what does this teach us about enduring hardship?
Joseph’s response to his long years of hardship, rejection, imprisonment, and unfair treatment, including being forgotten and left to waste away in prison was to forgive those who harmed him. He chose to see their actions in light of God’s greater plan and goodness. He humbly allowed God to shape his perspective and he viewed his life through the lens of a greater picture. In each of our lives, we also will endure hardship. Some of us will endure broken relationships, misunderstandings, being overlooked, or persecuted and rejected. All of these injuries are similar to what Joseph endured. As we live through the excruciating pain of these trials, we can remember Joseph’s example of humble trust and ask God to reshape our own perspective. We can seek to see the bigger picture and remember that regardless of what we endure, God is with us and He will use every circumstance for ultimate good. Romans 8:28 reiterates the fact that God uses all things for our good and His glory. In James 1:2-4, we are reminded that God allows trials to accomplish His good work in us, making us mature, complete, and lacking nothing. Colossians 3:1-2 reminds us to lift our eyes above the things of this world and place them where our real life is hidden with Jesus. When we gain an eternal perspective, we can see our troubles and difficulty with the same patience and faith Joseph demonstrated. 

2) What ways does God use waiting?
As He did with Joseph’s life, God uses waiting seasons in our own storylines to deepen our dependence on Him. With our desire to control, we often want to ask God for a map and compass so we can set off on our own (thank you very much). He is not the God of the map; He IS the map. I heard the story of a man lost in a jungle. Eventually, he ran into a native living in the jungle. He asked the man to show him the way out of the jungle. The man replied, “There is no way out. I am the way. Follow me.” That is what Jesus says to us. He IS the way. (John 14:6) We would rather He give us vague guidelines and leave us to our own devices, avoiding surrender. Thankfully, God loves us too much for that; He is the God of relationships and He saved us that He might restore us to relationship with Him. He uses waiting seasons to teach us to lean on Him instead of ourselves, this is God’s wonderful refinement of our souls. James writes, “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 1:2-4) If we choose to let the Lord have His way with us, surrendering to the “full effect” of His work in our sufferable waiting, He will faithfully use us for the good benefit of others who suffer, just as He did with Joseph in restoring relationship and physically providing food for his family. (2 Corinthians 1:4-7) We never know what God is doing for both our good and the good of others while we wait in surrender to His ways. Let’s choose to surrender our will to His while we wait!

3) What heart-attitude glorifies God in seasons of waiting?
Not only does God promise to use our suffering for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28), He provides instruction on how to wait. He calls us to be “patient in affliction” (Romans 12:12), to “rejoice in the Lord always”, and “don’t worry about anything” instead choosing “prayer…with thanksgiving”. (Philippians 4:4-6) In the midst of our waiting, we are to “be strong, let your heart be courageous”. (Psalm 27:14) As we wait, He promises to renew our strength (Isaiah 40:31) and bless us (Isaiah 30:18). I associate the word “waiting” with waiters in a restaurant. What are they doing while they are waiting? Serving! As we wait on the Lord, we can serve Him with our everyday surrender. Seasons of waiting provide us with opportunities to “Trust in the Lord and do what is good.” (Psalm 37:3) If we humble ourselves before the Lord (1 Peter 5:6), He will strengthen our trust in Him, proving He will neither abandon nor forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:6) Like Joseph, we can remain connected to God despite the pain and uncertainty of our circumstances. We can resist temptation to sin and choose to give God glory for His work in our lives while trusting his sovereignty and goodness. God is far greater, and His purposes go far deeper than we perceive. We won’t always do these things perfectly in our waiting seasons. Our faith will falter. We will be tempted, and sometimes we will fall into sin. We may forget God’s goodness and even question His presence. These things happen, but we don’t need to stay here. We can acknowledge our doubt and bring it honestly to God, allowing it to be a bridge between us instead of a wall. Like the psalmist, we can tell God we are weary of waiting. (Psalm 6:6, Psalm 69:3) God is with us in our waiting!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Not Abandoned!

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 Waiting 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.

Alive Day 14 Dearly Loved: 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 Dearly Loved!

The Questions

1) If God is for us and sacrificed His son on our behalf, what does this say about God’s love for us? (verses 31-32)

2) Christ died, was raised, and now intercedes for believers, but what does His intercession entail? (verse 34)

3) How is the truth that nothing can separate us from Christ’s love intended to impact our everyday lives? (verse 35)

4) What does it mean to be put to death all day long and counted as sheep to be slaughtered? (verse 36)

Romans 8:31-36

31 What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? 33 Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. 34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. 35 Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.

Original Intent

1) If God is for us and sacrificed His son on our behalf, what does this say about God’s love for us? (verses 31-32)
From the beginning, God’s purpose for creating mankind was to have a relationship with them. When man sinned, purposefully choosing to love and pursue themselves and their selfishness over God, their relationship with God was broken. “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love for us” (Ephesians 2:4), made a pathway to reconcile that broken relationship by sending God the Son, Jesus, to take the punishment for our sin upon Himself. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Abraham’s story of sacrifice in Genesis 22 gives us a real sense of God’s deep love for us. “Take your (Abraham) son,” He (God) said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering…”. (Genesis 22:2) Notice God’s words, “your only son…, whom you love.” God knew how much Abraham loved Isaac; this was the ultimate test. Yet, Abraham obeyed without hesitation or protest. Abraham woke early the next day to carry out God’s command. When God saw Abraham’s willingness to love Him more than Isaac, He stopped Abraham at the last moment, “‘Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from Me.’” (Genesis 22:12) Consider how Abraham, a mere man, loved Isaac yet willingly sacrificed him for a Greater Love, God. Flipping this, consider God. His love boundlessly stretches beyond Abraham’s love for Isaac. In God’s case, however, His son, Jesus, actually died; His death was not stayed by God’s hand. He suffered a horrible death that through Him, we might be drawn back to God’s heart. This is magnificent love! God will never let go of those who place their trust in Him! (John 10:28) No matter who opposes the Reconciled Child, God will allow nothing to separate us from Him. He will do whatever is necessary to bring us to Glory with Him!

2) Christ died, was raised, and now intercedes for believers, but what does His intercession entail? (verse 34)
To help us study biblical words in their original languages, we can use well trusted commentaries as resources as we return to the original meaning of a word. Part of Strong’s definition for the Greek word translated as intercession is “to go to or meet a person, especially for the purpose of conversation, consultation, or supplication.” Intercession is the past participle of the verb, intercede. Dictionary.com defines intercede as: (1) to act or interpose on behalf of someone in difficulty or trouble, as by pleading or petition; and (2) to attempt to reconcile differences between two people or groups; mediate. Jesus’ death and resurrection reconciled us to God if we have placed the full weight of our trust in Him for our salvation and rescue from sin. Therefore, Jesus, as God the Son, our eternal interceder, discusses, deliberates, and prays to God the Father concerning us. Bible commentary author, Warren W. Wiersbe, states it this way, “Intercession means that Jesus Christ represents us before the throne of God and we do not have to represent ourselves.” One of the best examples of Jesus interceding for us is in His personal prayer recorded in John 17. In this prayer, Jesus prayed for Himself, His disciples, and all believers who would eventually come to know Him as their Savior through the preaching of truth. In His prayer for all believers (John 17:20-26), He prayed for their unity just as He and His Father are united as one. This unity would prove to the world that Jesus was sent by God. He continues now to pray for our unity, always declaring us as righteous in the sight of God because we have trusted Him as our Savior instead of relying on ourselves to be good enough on our own (which is impossible!).

3) How is the truth that nothing can separate us from Christ’s love intended to impact our everyday lives? (verse 35)
Paul knew firsthand what persecution and hardship felt like in real life. Paul experienced imprisonment, whippings, and humiliation many times; eventually preaching Christ cost him his life. He experienced persecution both from his own people, the Jews, as well as from Gentiles (non-Jews). He faced hunger, thirst, shivering cold, nakedness, and death. Read 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 for a full list of his hardships. Yet, in the face of all these things, Paul persevered not because he was physically strong, but because he had decided to surrender himself entirely to God. It was in his weakness, he most closely experienced the strength of God at work in him. (2 Corinthians 12:9) Before He ascended into heaven, Jesus encouraged His disciples with these words, “… I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) Paul persevered through his struggles because he knew Jesus loved him and was with him throughout every trial. Before his death, Paul wrote his final letter to Timothy and stated, “At my first defense, no one stood by me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that I might fully preach the word and all the Gentiles might hear it…”. (2 Timothy 4:16-17, emphasis mine) Paul fought a good fight and finished the work the Lord gave him, and he looked forward to receiving his reward, the crown of righteousness. (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

4) What does it mean to be put to death all day long and counted as sheep to be slaughtered? (verse 36)
This reference from Psalm 44 would have been very familiar to the first audience listening to the reading of Paul’s letter. They knew it spoke of a time in Israel’s history when they felt defeated on all sides by enemies too strong, fierce, cruel, and taunting. (Psalm 44:9-12) The current day believers would have felt they could relate to Israel’s suffering from the past. This psalm also carried a prophetic writing, “Because of You we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Psalm 44:22) The ancient Israelites faced defeat at the hands of their enemies because of their rebellion against God. They were oppressed and exiled as a consequence of their choice to ignore God as the One True God. Though we don’t know exactly which incident in Israel’s history brought on the writing of this psalm, we do know there were times in war when God did not fight with Israel because of their sin. (Joshua 7) In the case of this psalm’s description, Israel maintained they hadn’t broken their covenant and had been faithful to God. (Psalm 44:17-21) They begged God to help and redeem them. (Psalm 44:23-26) Suffering is nothing new for God’s people. Christians are expected to endure hardship and adversity once they follow Jesus. Philippians 1:29 states, “For it has been granted to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him.” In some cases that suffering may include death. Paul, in quoting this verse from the psalms in his letter, sought to explain that despite immense suffering, God still loves us, sees us, and is faithful to us in our suffering.

Everyday Application

1) If God is for us and sacrificed His son on our behalf, what does this say about God’s love for us? (verses 31-32)
John 3:16 states, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” God loves all of mankind. His wish is for everyone to be saved and be with Him in eternity, “The Lord…is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) But salvation can only come through belief in Jesus Christ, “Jesus told him, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Therefore, for believers, God will do anything to finalize the proof of our salvation by bringing us into eternity with Him. Nothing can thwart our chances of receiving eternal life, but only after we have surrendered our will to His. Earning eternal life is out of the question for ANY of us. We cannot be good enough to win God’s approval for even one small sin disqualifies us entirely. (James 2:10) It is by God’s grace alone that we are rescued from the nature and consequence of sin and its eternal consequences. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

2) Christ died, was raised, and now intercedes for believers, but what does His intercession entail? (verse 34)
Jesus intercedes, that is, brings requests to God, on our behalf. He always does so by presenting us as already fully righteous without sin because His righteousness has covered us. (2 Corinthians 5:21) All genuine believers in Jesus are declared righteous when we surrender to Him! Christ has called us to follow Him in all things, and interceding on behalf of others is an important Christian duty following His example. How do we intercede? Through prayer. “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone.” (I Timothy 2:1) I have the privilege to be on the prayer team for a few Ministries. The most common prayer requests are for healing, finances, and salvation for family members. I don’t know any of these people, but I trust God will hear and answer my petition on their behalf. Intercession also brings humility and perspective of God’s power. We are not focusing on ourselves alone, interceding puts us in the position of sharing each other’s burdens as Scripture teachers. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4) We are not only to intercede for fellow believers but for everyone. This includes praying on behalf of non-believers and our enemies! (Luke 6:28)

3) How is the truth that nothing can separate us from Christ’s love intended to impact our everyday lives? (verse 35)
Right now, we are living in a chaotic world, no matter where you call home. Climate change, political conflict, and a world-wide pandemic, together with our own personal battles, converge into a life of uncertainty. Yet Paul reminded us that nothing – no problem, persecution, danger, nor death – can separate us from Jesus’ love. Just like Paul, we too can persevere through our struggles knowing Jesus is present with us throughout. He will faithfully use all things in the life of a believer to point our hearts to knowing Him and using our lives to proclaim His glory. His love is unfailing! (Psalm 136) We too can fight the good fight, finish the race, and claim the reward that awaits us if we will choose to accept the free gift of life and eternal rescue that Christ holds out for us. Only with Christ, and His gain, do our worldly struggles and passions fade. “For I (Paul) consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed.” (Romans 8:18-19)

4) What does it mean to be put to death all day long and counted as sheep to be slaughtered? (verse 36)
The early church believers were witnessing Old Testament prophecies being fulfilled right before them in everyday life. With new understanding, old familiar words took on new meanings. Suffering was so closely connected with choosing to follow Jesus that new believers considered themselves as sheep to be slaughtered; they understood this decision could cost them their lives, yet they still chose Christ. Regardless of the era, no true Christian is immune to suffering. Paul’s words ring just as true for you and I as they did for his first audience, “For it has been granted to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for Him…”. (Philippians 1:29) Whether we are mocked for praying publicly, prioritizing worship, lose friendships for speaking of Christ, or even if our lives are threatened we are still guaranteed a home in heaven if we have trusted Jesus as our Savior and Forgiver. I recently read of a woman named Hannelie Groenewald whose husband and two children were killed in Afghanistan in 2014. The children were only 15 and 17. After killing the family, the Taliban set their house on fire. According to her testimony, what gives Hannelie strength is knowing they served God faithfully and her family is now with Jesus. With recent events in Afghanistan, we know Christians continue to be at risk of persecution and death. Let’s pray for one another around the world, but also take heart that God loves His Church, He is with us, and He will faithfully bring each genuine believer home to be with Him forever. Despite what happens, there is a crown of righteousness awaiting persecuted Christians in Heaven, and for all who have longed for His appearing! (2 Timothy 4:8)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Dearly Loved!

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 Alive Week Three!
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.

Alive Day 10 Hope Unseen

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 8:24-27
Hebrews 11:4-12:2
Habakkuk 2:3-4

Alive, Day 10

“Now in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? Now if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience. 

In the same way, the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:24-27)

Seeing is believing. What you see is what you get. Prove it. Show me.

When we are skeptical about something, we often seek ways to confirm its truth or error. We want evidence. Even Jesus’ own disciple, Thomas, said He would believe Jesus was alive after the crucifixion only when he saw the scars. (John 20:24-29)

Our Christian walk requires faith in what we do not and cannot see right now. Furthermore, it requires hope that Jesus is Who He claimed to be and is trustworthy. We are promised eternity with God and an end to all suffering and tears. We can trust His promise!

We are not, by nature, good at waiting. We seek the quickest way to the desired result.
Waiting can be excruciating.

During our adoption journey, we were first told our child would be joining our family about a year after we started the process. It wasn’t until two years later, however, we were able to hold her for the first time, welcoming her into our family.

The wait was painful. I prayed my daughter would be safe and cared for, having no idea of her condition. I wept for her as I wondered who was there to kiss her “ouchies”or wipe away her tears. Who was making sure she didn’t go to bed hungry? I wept because I missed her, though I didn’t know I could miss a person I’d never met. I longed to be with her, to hold her in my arms and tell her I loved her.

Though the wait was painful, we had hope that someday she would be with us. Until then, we prayed, we encouraged each other through the hard times while dreaming of what life would be like when she came home.

Our waiting for Jesus is similar. Waiting isn’t easy, as we long to be with Him, to have Him hold us and to tell Him we love Him, to marvel at the beauty and tenderness of His face, and to feel His loving touch.

We are not alone in our waiting! Romans 8:26-27 show us the Spirit knows what we need and is able to communicate with the Father in ways we cannot, because we do not know how to express our longing!

How comforting to know that though we cannot see, the Father planned in advance for the Spirit to guide us!
To comfort us and to remind us of the hope we have in Him!

This world has pain, sorrow, and struggle, but in the midst of it, God is faithfully caring for us while we await the completion of His plan! He not only left the Spirit, He also gave us His Word. There, we find examples of His faithfulness, as well as the faith-filled lives of those who have gone before us reminding us He is preparing a place for us! He has planned for our rescue before He even created the earth! (Titus 1:2)

Hebrews 11 tells of faithful believers who depended on God, clinging to their hope in Him. They were willing to set aside comfort, security, and their very lives, because they considered trustworthy the One who was doing the asking.

In Habakkuk, we find God’s people in captivity in Babylon.
The prophet has inquired of God, how long?
How long will Your people have to wait for rescue? (Habakkuk 1:1-4)

God answers, “I am doing something in your days that you will not believe.” (Habakkuk 1:5) In chapter 2, He urges Israel to wait for deliverance with endurance and hope, “Though it delays, wait for it, since it will certainly come and not be late [. . .] the righteous one will live by his faith.” (Habakkuk 2:3-4)

As God gave His word to Habakkuk, He has given us His word concerning our eternity. We labor in this world, looking ahead to the hope He has given us through Jesus, for we are assured, “He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)

How do we hold onto hope when life gets difficult?
We continue to join together with other believers, to encourage and remind each other of God’s goodness and the hope we have in Him. (Hebrews 10:23-25)

We live together as a body united in Christ,
praying for one another,
bearing each other’s burdens,
and rejoicing in the victories of other believers.
We continue to keep incorruptible hope before us, remembering from where we have come as sin-sick depraved souls, embracing the sacrifice of Jesus with grateful hearts.
In light of the Unseen Hope, we can live fully surrendered to His lordship and leadership, giving glory to the One Who has called us to Himself.

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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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Fruitful Day 12 Cultivating Faithfulness: 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 Cultivating Faithfulness!

The Questions

1) Why would the Israelites prefer to die or return to the land of their captivity rather than venture into the Promised Land? (verse 4)

2) Why were Joshua and Caleb so eager to go into the Promised Land when everyone else was so fearful? (verses 6-9)

3) Why did the glory of the Lord appear at the tent of meeting when the Israelites threatened to stone Joshua and Caleb? (verse 10)

Numbers 14:1-10

Then the whole community broke into loud cries, and the people wept that night. 2 All the Israelites complained about Moses and Aaron, and the whole community told them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to die by the sword? Our wives and children will become plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, “Let’s appoint a leader and go back to Egypt.” 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell face down in front of the whole assembly of the Israelite community. 6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who scouted out the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to the entire Israelite community, “The land we passed through and explored is an extremely good land. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us into this land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and give it to us. 9 Only don’t rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land, for we will devour them. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us. Don’t be afraid of them!” 10 While the whole community threatened to stone them, the glory of the Lord appeared to all the Israelites at the tent of meeting.

Original Intent

1) Why would the Israelites prefer to die or return to the land of their captivity rather than venture into the Promised Land? (verse 4)
The Israelites’ journey from slavery in Egypt into the freedom of the Promised Land highlights God‘s faithfulness at every turn. The Lord empowered Moses to demand Pharaoh’s release of Israel (Exodus 5:1), God parted the Red Sea so they could cross over safely when the Egyptians pursued them (Exodus 14:21), He sent food from heaven in the desert (Exodus 16), and ensured their shoes didn’t wear out (Deuteronomy 29:5). God provided in many miraculous ways; He faithfully kept His covenant with Israel to protect and treasure them if they obeyed Him. (Exodus 19:5) Even with such a rich history of provision and protection by God, the Israelites despaired when they heard the intimidating report of Canaan. They preferred to return to a life of bondage rather than trust God to defeat their enemies in the Promised Land. According to author David Guzik, “This was pure rebellion. They said they didn’t want God’s plan, God’s leaders, or God’s land. They believed they knew better than God.” The pride and rebellion of the Israelites caused them to see God’s blessing as a curse and despise the gift God promised them. To modern readers, their lack of faith and gratitude seem outrageous, but may we also be guilty of the same? Any time we refuse to embrace what God has for us because it seems too difficult or too painful, we are committing the same sin of rebellion as the Israelites when they refused the Promised Land. We can be thankful God is merciful and forgiving, and we can ask Him for grace to follow His plans, trusting in His steadfast love and unwavering faithfulness to help us obey Him.

2) Why were Joshua and Caleb so eager to go into the Promised Land when everyone else was so fearful? (verses 6-9)
In Numbers 14:1-10, the Israelites are bemoaning their fate because the long-awaited Promised Land of Canaan is filled with formidable foes they are afraid to face. Only Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb want to enter and claim the land as God commanded. Joshua and Caleb had spied out the land and were eager to lay claim to God’s promise. They had faith in God, believing that He would give the Israelites the land He had promised them. If God promised it, then it would happen, regardless of the circumstances surrounding the promise. Author G. Campbell Morgan notes that Joshua and Caleb “had clear apprehension of the goodness of the land; they were by no means blind to the formidable nature of the difficulties that stood between them and possession. But they saw God. They started with that vision, and saw everything else in its light.” Where the other spies saw the strength and number of the land’s inhabitants, Joshua and Caleb saw the land flowing with milk and honey, just as God promised. If the promise of an excellent land had proved true, so would His promise to give them the land also be true and trustworthy. Joshua and Caleb’s belief in God’s faithfulness was stronger than any fear caused by the strength and number of their adversaries. May we also see God first and view everything else through that lens, just as Joshua and Caleb did.

3) Why did the glory of the Lord appear at the tent of meeting when the Israelites threatened to stone Joshua and Caleb? (verse 10)
When the Israelites reached the Promised Land they were dismayed to find its inhabitants were numerous and strong. They began blaming God for their miserable circumstances, even declaring that returning to slavery would be better than dying in battle. After hearing their incessant complaints, God had heard enough from the rebellious Israelites and decided to act. Numbers 14:10 tells us, “The glory of the Lord appeared to all the Israelites at the tent of meeting.” The glory of the Lord had appeared to the congregation before as a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire to guide them through the wilderness. (Exodus 13:21) It was a visible reminder of God’s presence and activity. At this particular display of glory, God intended to dispel their whining and rebellion and reward those who believed in His Word and in His power. He stepped in just as the Israelites prepared to kill Joshua and Caleb. Author Joseph Benson points out, “When they reflected upon God, His glory appeared, not to silence their blasphemies: but when they threatened Caleb and Joshua, they touched the apple of His eye, and His glory appeared immediately. Those who faithfully expose themselves for God are sure of His special protection.” Israel’s rebellion ran so deep, God knew they wouldn’t choose faith over their fears. (Numbers 14:11) Moses interceded for Israel, God honored his prayers and decreed that from the nation, only Caleb and Joshua would be permitted to enter the Promised Land one day. (Numbers 14:30) God’s glory came down so His faithful servants would be spared and rewarded for their trust in Him, while also bringing consequence on Israel’s rebellion.

Everyday Application

1) Why would the Israelites prefer to die or return to the land of their captivity rather than venture into the Promised Land? (verse 4)
Have you ever seen a little kid so excited to go swimming but also too frightened to jump in the water? She knows Dad is right there to catch her. She knows all the other kids are splashing around in the water with no problems. Everything indicates it’s safe and enjoyable, but she just can’t overcome her fears and take the plunge. The Israelites in the Bible were a bit like this. They had longed to enter the Promised Land of Canaan for many years, but when they finally got there, after years of captivity in a foreign land, they were too scared of the inhabitants to lay claim to the land God promised them. When it came to choosing between fearing what they saw with their eyes or trusting the Unseen God, they chose their fears. The Lord promised to be with them and give them the land, but they chose to believe the fearful tales and not the covenant of their faithful God. Sometimes staying inside the pain we know is more comfortable than the unknown pain we are sure to endure on the way to our own Promised Land. This debilitating fear is why we stay in jobs and situations we don’t like, or sometimes even in relationships that are damaging. We fear the enormity of changes we would need to make, the unknowns of potential outcomes, and the pain we may encounter along the way. But God wants us to focus on His faithfulness and not our fears in every situation. (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18) He wants us to trust Him, even when our circumstances inspire fear. (Philippians 4:4-7) Isaiah 12:2 tells us, “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord Himself, is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation.” God promises to be our salvation and our strength in our tough times. The path will sometimes be frightening and difficult, but He will never leave us or forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:8) When we choose to surrender our lives to God, trusting Him for our rescue from sin, He promises to never leave or forsake us; we will never be alone!

2) Why were Joshua and Caleb so eager to go into the Promised Land when everyone else was so fearful? (verses 6-9)
In elementary school, my class learned a dance routine to a rock song for P.E. class, but my parents disapproved of the lyrics. So, I sat in the nurse’s office during P.E. for a month while my classmates rocked out in the gym. Missing my favorite class was bad enough, but dealing with my classmates’ teasing was awful. I didn’t make things worse by trying to explain my parents’ position. Instead, I played the martyr and became the poor kid with the kooky parents who hated rock n’ roll. I couldn’t imagine trying to defend my family’s moral objections to the song lyrics. Knowing how hard it is to go against the crowd helps my perspective on Joshua and Caleb’s plight. In verses 6-9, the two men stand firmly against the entire nation of Israel who didn’t want to enter Canaan. Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes, indicating their intense distress at the peoples’ distrust in God and disbelief in His promises. This wasn’t about their feelings of being “outcasts”, but about Israel’s heart-rejection of the God who had proven Himself faithful. They pleadingly reminded the people of God’s constant presence and ability to protect them and defeat their enemies if they trusted Him. Joshua and Caleb were full of faith in God’s faithfulness. The people, however, were not inspired by the exhortation from Joshua and Caleb. In fact, they were so angry with their unpopular message they picked up rocks to stone them! Only God’s intervention kept the two men safe. Forty years later, after most of the crowd got their wish and died before entering the Promised Land, Joshua and Caleb were found faithful and allowed to enter Canaan (Numbers 14:30) and enjoy God’s gift. May the Lord help us all to be as faithful and trusting as Joshua and Caleb!

3) Why did the glory of the Lord appear at the tent of meeting when the Israelites threatened to stone Joshua and Caleb? (verse 10)
There are many references to glory in church literature and Scripture. Sometimes glory means God’s presence (Exodus 24:16), a reference to Heaven (Psalm 73:24), or any place where God resides (1 Peter 5:10). It can also be used to mean radiant, divine beauty (Isaiah 6:3), or sometimes praise and adoration to God (Revelation 14:7). When God’s glory appeared to the Israelites in verse 10, glory references God’s presence. Here the glory of the Lord “refers to the reality of the LORD’s presence in a manifestation of his power and splendor. It showed to all that God was a living God. The appearance of the glory indicated blessing for the obedient, but disaster for the disobedient” (Preceptaustin.org) When God’s glory came to the Israelites, not only did God save Joshua and Caleb, but He allowed Moses to act on behalf of the shameful Israelites by interceding for them through prayer. Because of Moses’ prayer, God saved Israel from sudden destruction. They still received the punishment of never entering the Promised Land, but they experienced the power and mercy of being visited by God’s glory. It is awe-inspiring to think the Holy Perfect God would visit His people with His glory, yet the Scriptures are filled with such visits from the Lord. When God revealed Himself just in time to save Joshua and Caleb from being stoned to death by the angry mob of Israelites, He showed Himself to be Omnipotent (all-powerful) and Merciful. When God’s glory arrives, nothing remains the same. Nahum 1:5 tells us, “The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt; the earth trembles at His presence—the world and all who live in it.” We want to invite God’s presence to shake and shape our lives as we glorify His Name and seek to obey His commands through whole-life surrender.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Cultivating Faithfulness!

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 Fruitful Week Three!
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!

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Fruitful Day 7 Produce Or Consume?: 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 Produce Or Consume?!

The Questions

1) What do we learn in verses 8-9 about God’s relationship to time compared to our own experience?

2) What connection is made in verses 10-12 regarding how we should be living as we wait for the day of the Lord?

3) What does Peter mean when he writes in verse 13 about the “new heavens and a new earth”?

2 Peter 3:8-13

8 Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed. 11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness 12 as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming. Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat. 13 But based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Original Intent

1) What do we learn in verses 8-9 about God’s relationship to time compared to our own experience?
There is no underestimating the importance of context when studying Scripture. This is certainly true with this passage. When Peter compares a thousand years to one day, we must dig a little deeper to understand his purpose. The context of verses 8-9 is the return of the Lord to gather His Church, those who have placed their full trust in Him. Peter reminds the believers that scorners will come and mock the idea of the Lord’s coming return. (verse 4) Reading Peter’s letter gives us insight into what the Christians were facing as they waited for Jesus. The apostle Paul had also written letters to warn believers of those who would attempt to lead them away from trusting in Christ’s return. (verses 15-16) Peter cautions them to not be swayed by doubters and cynics. He reminds them that God’s timetable is not the same as our human timeline. Peter encouraged them to hold to faith and trust in God’s promises. Since we live in a physical world, we must be reminded that God works in another dimension beyond the perception of our physical senses. He is from the beginning and operates outside time. (Psalm 102:24-27) This in no way means God is not real, but it does mean He is unseen by human eyes because He is not limited by the physical realm as we are. (John 1:1-4) Because He is eternal, He sees eternity past and eternity future in a single view. From this timeless perspective, the time that passes on earth doesn’t limit Him as it does us. To God, writes Michael Houdmann, “A second is no different from an eon; a billion years pass like seconds to the eternal God.” (Questions about God page 20) Thankfully, in God’s patient and perfect “delay”, He is accomplishing His purpose of rescuing the perishing.

2) What connection is made in verses 10-12 regarding how we should be living as we wait for the day of the Lord?
God desires to live in close fellowship with His people. (Genesis 3:8, Exodus 29:45-46, Leviticus 26:11-13, Revelation 21:3) To understand the connection between His desire to be with us and our waiting for Him, we keep in mind the character of God. While there are passages of Scripture that are difficult to reconcile with Peter’s message that God wants “all to come to repentance” (verse 9), we must not fall prey to thinking God desires something other than salvation for all people. Since there is no easy way to tie everything together neatly that is taught in Scripture about God’s sovereignty, we simply must acknowledge the mystery. Therein lies the beauty of this passage. When humans contemplate patience, we think in human terms. Often in our waiting we begin to feel anxious and reactionary. Peter says God’s seeming delay is not “as some understand delay.” God-like patience helps us – beyond our own understanding – to have a sincere trust in God’s timing. (2 Peter 3:1-2) When God waits on something, it is rarely about how much time has passed or will pass. It is about His glory and our good. (2 Peter 3:15) This reality frustrated the prophet Jonah who knew God’s reputation for patience with sinful people. (Jonah 4:2) The mission of Christ’s followers is not to calculate the waiting time, nor is it to doubt or attempt to thwart God’s purposes. Our aim is to consistently live holy lives as we obediently follow Him (verse 11) with great expectation of the Lord’s coming. The specific Greek word (speudontas) in verse 12 for “hasten” occurs only once in Scripture. It indicates an urgency or earnest desire. (Strongs 4692) Based on Peter’s message, we understand that urgent does not constitute impatience.

3) What does Peter mean when he writes in verse 13 about the “new heavens and a new earth”?
If there was a theme for these verses, it would be, “The Promise of God: It’s Worth Waiting For.” Before John declared his vision regarding a “new heaven and a new earth” in Revelation 21:1, the apostle Peter reiterated Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 65-66) about the day our current heavens and earth will no longer exist as we know it.  In verse 13, Peter explains that after the destruction of our environment, a new place will be created in which “righteousness dwells.” From the context of the passage, we understand that our coming perfected holiness and godliness achieved through Christ will fit in perfectly in that newly created place of perfection. Our current waiting is painful because our righteousness as people of Christ looks and feels so different from those who live ungodly lives. (2 Peter 2:9-10) We long for the day we will live in uninterrupted harmony with all who love and worship Christ. “The history of this world has been almost entirely a history of sin – of its nature, developments, results. There have been no perfectly holy beings on the earth, except the Savior, and the angels who have occasionally visited. There has been no perfectly holy place – city, village, hamlet; no perfectly holy community. But the future world, in strong contrast with this, will be perfectly pure, and will be a fair illustration of what religion in its perfect form will do.” (Barnes)

Everyday Application

1) What do we learn in verses 8-9 about God’s relationship to time compared to our own experience?
You have likely heard the saying “only time will tell.” As I have grown older, this has become more obvious. Some of us (namely, me) are quick to respond to certain situations. Assuming too much, there have been times I’ve had to swallow my pride and admit that my initial reaction was unwarranted. These lessons taught me to wisely pause and zoom out of situations. Since humans operate on timetables, it’s often best to take a “wait and see” approach to many things we encounter. But God is not like us. He is timeless. He patiently waits because He knows His purposes are as good as done even when we have not seen them unfold yet. For humans, clocks mark change. Whenever there’s change of any kind we understand it indicates that time has passed. For God, there is no change and there is no passing time. Knowing God is eternal brings a profound sense of comfort to us mere mortals. Yet, though separated from time, God is not removed from our existence in this frail condition. Though He transcends time, He is with us now. He created a world that marks days and weeks and years to demonstrate to us that He does not ignore our daily cries or concerns. (Genesis 1:14-15) “Day by day and with each passing moment, strength I find to meet my trials here. Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment, I’ve no cause for worry or for fear. He whose heart is kind beyond all measure gives unto each day what He deems best. Lovingly, it’s part of pain and pleasure, mingling toil with peace and rest.” (Day by Day by Karolina Sandell-Berg)

2) What connection is made in verses 10-12 regarding how we should be living as we wait for the day of the Lord?
Waiting patiently is not my favorite thing. I am an instant gratification kind of gal. But waiting for something that is almost certain to be wonderful is in a different category. In fact, waiting for Christmas has always been much more fun than having it come and go. The beauty of waiting for the Lord to return and make everything new is that we can enjoy hope now and then! Though there’s a tension we must hold, believers should watch for Christ to come today, while planning as though He may not come for a thousand years. As Christ followers, we play a mysterious role in His coming. Jesus said in Matthew 24:14 that the gospel would be preached throughout the whole world before Jesus returns. While I do not understand all this means, it should spur the Christian toward fervency and urgency in taking the gospel to the world, meaning every people group. We should have patience while we wait on our future glory, because we know God is bringing more people into His kingdom all the time. Our endurance is not in vain! (Revelation 7:9-10)

3) What does Peter mean when he writes in verse 13 about the “new heavens and a new earth”?
I am so thankful Peter took the time to write to the dismayed believers in the early church. He effectively dismantled the arguments of the false teachers striving to confuse and frighten them. It’s a wonderful truth for those of us who wait even now. 2020 was a difficult year for many. It was one of those years that seemed to go on forever. But, dear Sister, we know God is never delayed! There WILL be a day when we live in a new heaven and earth. For now, the followers of Christ should live as if we believe this completely! We can rest assured that our timeless God will not forget His promise!
“I know the journey seems so long.
You feel you’re walking on your own.
But there has never been a step where you’ve walked out all alone.
Troubled soul don’t lose your heart, ’cause joy and peace He brings.’
And the beauty that’s in store outweighs the hurt of life’s sting.
But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings
that there will be a place with no more suffering.
There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain and no more fears.
There will be a day when the burdens of this place will be no more.
But until that day, we’ll hold on to Him always.” (There Will Be A Day by Jeremy Camp)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Produce Or Consume?!

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 Fruitful 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.