Pursue

Waiting Day 3 Valuable Lessons

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Samuel 16:1-13
1 Samuel 24:1-22
Psalm 13
Romans 5:3-5

Waiting, Day 3

As David hid in the darkness at the back of the cave, it must have seemed like the perfect opportunity. His enemy was alone and unarmed.

With the whispers of his men urging him forward, David crept behind the unsuspecting Saul. For years, Saul’s jealousy drove him to relentlessly pursue David, seeking to kill him.

Surely, this was the moment to finally put a stop to it.

What’s more, the prophet Samuel had anointed David as king, and yet, years later, Saul remained on the throne.
Surely, this was the ideal opportunity for David to claim his destiny.

But, to the surprise of his men, while David cut a piece from Saul’s robe, he chose not to harm the man himself. He knew this was not God’s way.

This was not how waiting was supposed to end.

David had plenty of practice at waiting. From the day he was unexpectedly marked out as the future king, he waited approximately fifteen years until he was finally crowned.

We may question why.
Why did God make him wait so long?
Was there any purpose behind the delay?

It’s common to ask similar questions in our own times of waiting. It can feel as if God has forgotten us, and we wonder why He is making us wait.

David’s story encourages us to see there are valuable lessons to be learned during times of waiting. Delay is not merely something to endure, but a time God can use.

Often God has to first work in us, building our character, so He can later work through us. We certainly see this truth reflected in David’s story.

David’s anointing was not something he had sought or expected. He was not of royal birth, and he was the most unlikely choice as the youngest of eight brothers. Though often disregarded by his brothers, God looked at his heart, knew his potential, and chose David.

Straight after his anointing, we see David learn humility and service. While he knew he would one day be king, he was first called into service of the current king, Saul, working for him as musician, armour bearer, and later, an army commander. He showed great loyalty and respect to Saul, even as Saul’s behaviour became increasingly unreasonable and angry.

We see David learn to trust in God and His power. He had already learned this as a shepherd boy when God helped him fight off bears and lions attacking his flock. This gave him the confidence to tackle the giant Goliath, and that remarkable victory must have boosted his faith even more.

This faith was surely tested as Saul’s jealousy grew, leading him to attempt to kill David on multiple occasions. David must have wondered why waiting on the Lord was so hard. But we also see a remarkable trust that God was still sovereign and, in the midst of the seeming chaos, He had a plan.

This is shown in David’s words to the king of Moab as he asks if his parents can find refuge there, “Please let my father and mother stay with you until I know what God will do for me.” (1 Samuel 22:3)

He didn’t yet know what God would do, but he trusted God would do something, and that God was still for him.

We also see David grow in integrity, continuing to strive to behave well towards Saul and respect his position as king instead of retaliating in anger, as shown by the choice he made in the cave.

In his refusal to take matters into his own hands, we see his trust in God’s timing. He knew God’s plan would prevail, and becoming king was not something he had to make happen by himself.

“As the Lord lives, the Lord will certainly strike him [Saul] down: either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. However, as the Lord, is my witness, I will never lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed.” (1 Samuel 26:10-11)

Finally, the obvious lesson to learn in a time of waiting is patience, and David certainly had plenty of opportunity to develop this.

It may be encouraging in our times of waiting to know that while David waited well and learned a lot along the way, he didn’t always find waiting easy.

The specific situation Psalm 13 references is unclear, but it is a helpful example for us of a prayer in a time of waiting. Four times David asks, “How long?” as he wrestles with the wait, but the Psalm ends on a mark of hope as he chooses to trust God’s goodness.

Maybe this is the key to waiting well.
We can trust God’s character even when we can’t understand our circumstances, holding onto the sure hope He is still working even when we struggle to see how. Ultimately, we can trust that, in His own perfect timing, His purposes will prevail.

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Worship VIII Day 4 Everyday Praise: 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 Everyday Praise!

The Questions

1) Why did Paul interrupt a logical discussion of God’s plan of salvation to break out in praise?

2) Why does Paul refer to both God and the Lord in this passage?

3) What is the significance of the phrase “To Him be the glory forever?” (verse 36)

Romans 11:33-36

Oh, the depth of the riches

and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! 

How unsearchable his judgments

and untraceable his ways!

34 For who has known the mind of the Lord? 

Or who has been his counselor?

35 And who has ever given to God,

that he should be repaid? 

36 For from him and through him

and to him are all things. 

To him be the glory forever. Amen.

Original Intent

1) Why did Paul interrupt a logical discussion of God’s plan of salvation to break out in praise?
These three verses at the end of Romans 11 stand as unabashed praise. In contrast, most of Romans is a logical explanation of salvation that includes questions and answers intentionally designed to explain God’s grace and Jesus’ fulfillment of Scripture through His death and resurrection. Chapter 11 begins with the question, “Has God rejected His people?” Paul quickly answers his question with a resounding “Absolutely not.” Paul explains that God used the transgressions of the Jews, his chosen people, to bring salvation to the Gentiles (non-Jewish people) so that the Jews would want to experience God’s grace in mercy in Jesus. In verse 11 Paul asks, “I (Paul) ask, then, have they (the Jews, God’s chosen people) stumbled so as to fall (to be forever separate from God)?” (parentheses mine) Continuing into verse 12, Paul answers with certainty, “Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous. Now if their transgression brings riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness bring!” He explains that Gentiles have been grafted into the family of God just as a wild olive branch is grafted into a cultivated olive tree, but Jews are the native branches designed to bear fruit when connected to the root. God’s gifts and calling for the Jews are irrevocable. (verses 16-29) As Paul ponders God’s mercy and plan of salvation for both Jew and Gentile, he can’t help but celebrate “the depths of God’s wisdom and knowledge.” This chapter’s tone changes from logical explanation to unrestrained joy at the realization of God’s mercy and wisdom as He lavishes His love on all people.

2) Why does Paul refer to both God and the Lord in this passage?
Scholars believe that Romans 11:33-34 draws from passages in Isaiah and Job, which are quite similar. Isaiah 41:13-14 says, “Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or who gave Him counsel? Who did He consult? Who gave Him understanding and taught Him the paths of justice? Who taught Him knowledge and showed Him the way of understanding?” Job 11:7 asks, “Can you fathom the depths of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?”
In the Bible, the name “Lord” is used to denote the sovereignty and reign of God as king or master. The general term “lord” means someone who has control and authority based on their position. Isaiah’s words highlight the sovereignty, authority, and understanding of the Lord. Paul restates Isaiah’s phrasing in verse 34, to underscore the reality that only the One True God is all-knowing and all-powerful. “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” The Hebrew word for God is Elohim, meaning “Creator.” It is first used in Genesis 1, “God created the heavens and the earth.” As Paul marvels at the Creator’s plan, he can’t help but praise “the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God.” We can see God’s creative ability in His generosity and provision for all humanity. Even though He alone holds all power and authority, He still shows mercy and kindness to all people and pursues them with love. What love!

3) What is the significance of the phrase “To Him be the glory forever?” (verse 36)
This phrase is often used in the New Testament at the end of letters. (See 1 Timothy 1:17 and 2 Peter 3:18) Paul’s words are not random, rather they are a clear reminder that all glory belongs to God for ever. The initial proclamation of God’s glory in the New Testament is in Luke 2:13-14, “And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!” Glory is a word of magnificent depth that reflects God’s presence, grandeur, and splendor in infinite ways. The angels broke out in song as they rejoiced at God’s plan of salvation coming to fruition in the birth of Jesus. In the Old Testament, the glory of God is obvious, often accompanying tangible signs as evidence of the unseen God. For instance, the arrival of manna in Exodus 16:7 was evidence of the glory of the Lord. At Mt. Sinai, God’s glory was apparent to everyone thick clouds covered the mountain and the earth shook with His presence. (Exodus 24:16) As the Lord rested His glorious presence on the Tabernacle, Israel stood in awe of the Lord’s magnificent glory! (Exodus 40:34)

Everyday Application

1) Why did Paul interrupt a logical discussion of God’s plan of salvation to break out in praise?

As I read this passage, I identified with Paul’s desire to worship in response to God’s grace and His plan of salvation for all people. His mercy and kindness to all of humanity is amazing. His ability to work all things (even rejection by His chosen people) together for good is evident when I ponder that Gentiles, like me, are now able to experience the abundant blessings of being grafted into His family.  I am amazed by the depths of God’s wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. As a writer, when I study a topic deeply, I sit and marvel at God’s design and His plan, as it is all so far beyond my imaginings. I marvel at the intricacies of nature from the tiniest atom to the vastness of space. A beautiful day leads me to focus on God’s goodness to all of creation. Even my inability to understand God’s inscrutable and untraceable ways contrasts His glory to my finite understanding. Worship fills my heart in response to understanding even a little bit about God. Challenge yourself to view your everyday life through the lens of worship. Where is the Lord giving you opportunities to understand and worship Him more clearly because of ordinary life happenings?

 

2) Why does Paul refer to both God and the Lord in this passage? 

Paul was a well-learned Hebrew scholar, so his choice to use both “God” and “Lord” is a clue to help his readers understand this passage. He wasn’t merely trying to throw in extra words to make himself sound better; these were both intentionally chosen to communicate the vastness of God better. As I read Paul’s words, I thought about God, the Creator, and the exceedingly abundant wisdom and knowledge He used when creating the universe­­; every element, cell, plant, and animal all have a divine purpose to declare His glory and point us to knowing Him. When we come face to face with God’s unexpected and extraordinary wisdom, it is astounding! Understanding Jesus as our Lord keeps us from elevating our knowledge and experience above Him, as He holds all rule and reign. Paul asked, “Who could know the mind or the Lord or be his counselor?” This Greek word for “counselor” has a similar meaning to “consultant.” The Lord doesn’t need our advice. Everything we have, our resources, wisdom, and breath has been given to us by His grace. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.” When I remind myself of the Lord’s resources, I start praising and stop worrying. 

 

3) What is the significance of the phrase “To Him be the glory forever?” (verse 36)

The word doxology comes from the Greek doxa, which means “glory, splendor, grandeur” and logos, which is translated “word” or “speaking.” When we write, sing, or speak of the glory and splendor of God, we are sharing His glory with others. Just as the angels burst forth in celebration at the birth of Jesus Christ by proclaiming, “Glory to God in the highest,” we have this same opportunity to praise God before others. Our days are rich with chances to offer our own doxology whether privately between us and God, or publicly for others to hear as well. We can bring glory to God by acknowledging His vast riches, wisdom, and knowledge as we see evidence of them in our everyday life. Even in difficulty, our struggles to understand God’s plan for our lives, or when we are amazed at the unfathomable depths of God’s wisdom and judgement, we can reflect His unchanging glory and goodness to those around us.

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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Our Current Study Theme!

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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Follow Day 1 Trust Through Tears

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Job 1-2
Job 42
John 9:1-7
Romans 8:26-39
Romans 9:14-24

Follow, Day 1

Conventional wisdom says following God is easy when life is going well. We can trust Him when our circumstances seem to confirm God is good.

But what happens when life doesn’t go as we expect?
What happens to our faith in God when our circumstances seem to push back on our idea of the “goodness” of God?
Can we still trust Him?
Can we still follow God in the midst of suffering?

Job and his friends wrestled together with these questions (sometimes well, and sometimes poorly) throughout the Biblical book of Job. Job’s experience can be difficult for us to read; I find myself asking uncomfortable questions.

Why did God allow all of these terrible attacks against Job?
Why did Job lose everything after he had lived a blameless and upright life?
Didn’t Job deserve better treatment from God?

Job and his friends asked these same questions. Job maintained he was innocent of any wrongdoing, while his friends insisted he must have sinned to deserve the suffering to which he was subjected.

While I am often too afraid or embarrassed to ask these questions, Job was not. He asked and asked why he was suffering. He asked his friends to help him see his wrongdoing, but they could not.

Finally, Job was so discouraged by his circumstances that he began questioning God directly.
“I will say to God, ‘Do not declare me guilty! Let me know why you prosecute me. Is it good for you to oppress, to reject the work of your hands and favor the plans of the wicked?”
(Job 10:2-3)

Overwhelmed by his suffering despite his innocence, Job began to question God’s character. He was honest before God about his struggles, and sought to find answers. He never denied God, but he did question His plans.

When life beats us down, and we wonder where God is, it can be tempting to think we have done something wrong to deserve this hardship. We might consider suffering as a “sign” we have gotten off-track, just as Job’s friends believed his suffering to be a punishment for secret sin.

But this is not how God has revealed Himself. In fact, centuries later, Jesus and His disciples have a conversation about this very idea! The disciples see a man born blind and assume his condition is a direct result of someone’s sin. Jesus corrects their thinking, explaining, “This came about so that God’s works might be displayed in him.” (John 9:3) Jesus reveals the man’s blindness was not a punishment for sin, but a tool God was using to declare His glory.

This is where we can get uncomfortable again.
We ask those troubling questions.

Is God unjust?
Does He inflict pain just because He can?

Of course not! Paul addresses these questions in Romans 9.
“What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! For He tells Moses, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy.” (Romans 9:14-16)

When Job questioned the purposes and wisdom of God, God Himself came down to speak to him. The Lord answered Job, but with more questions. He revealed to Job his own limitations and ignorance.

God asked Job, “Would you really challenge my justice? Would you declare me guilty to justify yourself?” (Job 40:8) He asked Job to explain the whole of the universe, from the stars of the sky, to weather patterns, to the behavior of the animals. God did this, not to be cruel or harsh, but to remind Job of the vastness of His knowledge and power.

We have a limited view of the world. We only see, know, and understand a sliver of His plans, but the Lord knows all. He purposes all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28), and we can count on this truth.

So, when life is confusing, and doesn’t seem to be going our way, we have a choice. We can choose to question God and wonder if He cares about us. Or we can choose to follow the Lord, trusting His ways are good, even when we can’t see how.

As wise followers of the Lord, we can maintain our devotion to Him even when life seems unfair. God’s vast wisdom is far superior to our own plans.

In the end of the story, Job repented of his self-righteous questioning. Job did not suffer perfectly, but he continued in his faithful pursuit of God’s character, even in his brokenness and despair. Job knew how to follow, because he knew the character of God.

Finally, God not only forgave Job, but also restored to him his fortunes, wealth, and position in his community. While we are not guaranteed a “happy ending” in this life, if we faithfully serve the Lord, we can trust we will receive our reward of eternal life with the Father.

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Beloved Day 8 Intimacy

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Song of Solomon 4:1-7
Song of Solomon 7:1-13
Proverbs 5:15-23
Ecclesiastes 9:7-10
John 14:8-11

Beloved, Day 8

Intimacy.

There’s no other way of saying it: sexual intimacy within marriage is a gift hand-crafted by our incredible Creator God for the people He made in His image.

Throughout the Bible, there are countless examples of God’s created beings enjoying and participating in the gift of physical union. Early in Genesis, the Lord affirms the goodness of sex for the purpose of procreation. (Genesis 1:28) Just a little later in Genesis, we see Isaac comforted in his grief by physical union with Rebekah, which affirms the great comfort of sex in times of grief and loss. (Genesis 24:61-67) In Proverbs, Scripture also asserts sex for the purpose of physical pleasure and enjoyment is good. (Proverbs 5:15-23)

The entire book of the Song of Solomon extols the heady pleasures of physical desire and fulfillment found in the physical act of sex. Vivid descriptions, expressions of love, and honest dialogue about the emotional and physical experiences which accompany physical intimacy were poured over, examined, tested, and ultimately included in the canon of Scripture for a specific purpose. God gave us sex, and sex within the context of marriage between a man and a woman is a good, good thing.

Song of Solomon is a depiction of the literal joys of physical intimacy, but there are some traits we see exemplified in the two young lovers which warrant further exploration in the context of our own marriages.

They are transparent.
The two young lovers are obviously desirous for each other, but they are also completely transparent with others about the one to whom their thoughts, emotions and desires are drawn. They aren’t hiding the way they feel about their beloved; they are practically shouting it from the rooftops. There is no mistaking how they feel, what they want, and to whom their heart belongs.

They are honest with each other.
There’s no question the two are each in pursuit of the other. There is no sub-text and no veiled references. Neither is playing “hard to get.” There’s no competition, no game, no “prove your love to me.” They are each completely, totally, all in.

They are vulnerable.
Nothing is too intimate to share. No expression too outlandish, no description too flowery. There’s no thought of looking foolish, or saying something silly. Each feels completely safe with the other, and as a result they are unashamed to share their thoughts, emotions and desires.

They are purposeful.
They are willing to do practically anything to steal away for an encounter with the one they love. They talk of slipping away to a vineyard, to a quiet room, to his chambers. They are not embarrassed to say exactly what they want, and their actions support their words.

For a moment, let’s set aside all our expectations of our spouse and take a look at where we are.

Beloved, when we examine how we operate in the context of our own marriage, can we say the same? Are we transparent with our spouses? Do we create space for them to be transparent in return, without fear of us shutting down or refusing to respond? Are we honest? And if we aren’t “all in,” is that an area we need to confess to our Father and allow Him to touch? Are we vulnerable in sharing the intimate spaces of our bodies, yes, but even more importantly, our hearts and minds? Are we purposeful in our marriage? Do we choose to pursue our spouse every day, even when we don’t feel like it?

Let’s take it a step further. Are those traits present in our relationship with our Father? Are we transparent about the condition of our hearts and lives with the One Who holds the power to change us? Are we honest with Him about our thoughts and feelings? Do we surrender them to Him? Do we allow ourselves to be open and soft to His conviction, to His healing? And do we pursue radical intimacy with the God Who is with us? Do we consistently prioritize placing ourselves before Him, in all our humanity?

These are hard questions, aren’t they? I can’t say yes to all of them. 

Maybe you can’t, either.

So what do we do from here? Where do we go from this place of knowing we aren’t where we’d like to be, and recognizing we can’t move forward on our own?

We start with confessing where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’d like to be to our Bridegroom King. We acknowledge our definition of intimacy falls woefully short of the intimacy He designed for us to experience with Him, and we ask Him to show us the way. He alone is the Author of intimacy; we can trust Him to lead us into the fullness of all He created!

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Sketched VIII Day 3 Zacchaeus

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 22:1-4
Leviticus 6:1-7
Luke 19:1-10
Luke 15:1-7

Sketched VIII, Day 3

The crowds were thick on the day I first met Yeshua Maschiach.
Jesus, the Messiah.
I craned my neck this way and that, but I couldn’t even catch a glimpse of Him.

To be honest, I didn’t understand why we were all pressing in to see this mysterious man from Nazareth. Sure, I’d heard the murmurs whisper through the town, but the stories I’d heard…
The King we had all been waiting for…the ones the prophets foretold…a carpenter?
Well, it just didn’t seem very likely.

I tried to squeeze between two burly men in front of me, but they didn’t budge an inch. Pfft.
Exasperated, I exhaled noisily.
One of them glanced over his shoulder and down at me, and I felt ire begin to rise in my chest as he chuckled under his breath.
I crossed my arms and caught his gaze boldly, daring him to speak. He turned forward again, and the moment slipped away.

What am I even doing here? I wondered, silently. Just then, my gaze drifted across a nearby sycamore tree.
Why, I could climb up there in no time, I realized.
Swiftly, I strode to the trunk and began to climb. Higher and higher, until finally, I found a somewhat comfortable spot to rest and watch. I peered through a wide opening and scanned the people below until I spied the source of all the ruckus.

He moved with a fluid, uncommon grace that somehow felt completely out of place, while also exactly right. Dozens of people surrounded him, but He seemed…unshaken. It was almost as though He walked in a bubble. Set apart, but also fully present. I watched His face as He interacted with those closest to Him. His eyes were warm; His expression compassionate. Goosebumps rippled through my skin. This man loves. He loves each one. EVERY one. 

I sat up straight at the thought. Might it all be true? Something like fear and wild hope tangled in my chest and started up my throat. Could He really be the Messiah we’ve been waiting for? Blood rushed in my ears, and my heart skipped and thrummed at the thought.

“Zacchaeus.”
The syllables were uttered at barely more than a whisper, but everything in me came to sudden, total silence.

He was speaking to me. But, how could He even see me?
I leaned forward to peer through the opening again, but He was nowhere to be seen. He must be right below me.

“Hurry and come down here, because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house.”
His voice pierced through my internal dialogue and drew me with more than a command. Before my mind had even processed the words, my hands and feet propelled me from my vantage point and plopped me right at the feet of the very man everyone was desperate to see.

I stood quickly, brushed off a few stray leaves, and straightened to my full height as my gaze traveled up to meet His. His face was broad and kind, and His dark eyes warmer than I had first surmised. His mouth hinted at a curve as we stood there, inspecting one another. Surely, He couldn’t be serious. This man? Stay at MY house? 

He nodded, almost imperceptibly, and my heart swelled nearly to bursting. Joy blazed through every inch of my body, and I nearly shouted at Him. “YES, my Lord! Come to my house!” He could stay anywhere, but He chose ME. I don’t have quite the words to explain what happened inside me in that instant, but I knew I’d never be the same again. Even as the realization registered in me, murmurs of disgust and disappointment rippled through those standing all around us.

“He’s going to stay with a sinful man!” one woman hissed.
“Doesn’t he know who Zacchaeus IS?” another queried.

Tears filled my eyes. They were right. But I couldn’t allow this moment to pass. I wouldn’t.
I blinked a couple of times, then squared my shoulders and raised my eyes to meet his.

“Look, I’ll give half my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.” Please, Lord. Please choose me, still.

Yeshua stepped forward and rested a rough, tanned hand on my shoulder. An expression I couldn’t quite define crossed His strong profile, and He turned and spoke to those gathered. “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”

And my friends? That’s exactly what He did. I was lost. I didn’t even know I was lost until I encountered Jesus, but when He called my name, I was utterly, irrevocably changed. He could have chosen anyone. There were dozens of others present who were more righteous and less sinful. But He chose me. And when I realized Who He was, I chose Him, too. 

I gave away half of everything I owned, and I was a rich man. Half of my livestock, my riches. Half of my land, my clothing, my belongings. I returned four times what I stole from others.

I climbed a tree that day to see the man everyone claimed was the Messiah. I never expected my whole life to change in that instant. I never expected Him to pay for my sin and shame on another tree, along with everyone else’s, too. But He did. And I know He would do it all again.

For me. For you.

I am Zacchaeus.

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

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

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Ten Day 3 The Name

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 20:1-17
Leviticus 19:11-12
Matthew 5:33-37
Matthew 16:24-28

Ten, Day 3

“Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God, because the Lord will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses His name.” (Exodus 20:7)

Even at a young age, I thought the ten commandments were . . . weighty. In particular, the commandment to not misuse the Lord’s name felt so trivial when paired with the commandments not to covet, or kill.

As a child, I understood this commandment to mean we should never use the Lord’s name when cursing. That’s not incorrect, exactly, but as I’ve walked with the Lord, I have come to realize I did not truly grasp the heart and gravity behind the words.

In the book of Matthew, Jesus spoke plainly with His disciples about what it means to follow Him: to deny self, pick up his individual cross, and move forward in pursuit of His example. In other words, Jesus was saying the choice to follow Him has nothing to do with word, and everything to do with deed. 

Don’t miss the message here, Love. This is the very crux of our walk and in wild opposition to all the enemy longs for us to believe.

A life fully surrendered to God is a life poured out as an offering.

The way of the cross guarantees rejection from the world and all those still clinging to it. It’s a life bound by Kingdom Truth, rather than what we perceive as our own “truth.” A life of faith, regardless of feelings.

Jesus didn’t utter one word carelessly. Every word He spoke held all the authority and fulfillment of the Kingdom of Heaven. He wasn’t saying salvation would be made possible through works. Instead, He was illustrating the trajectory His own earthly life would take. He was giving the disciples a roadmap. 

Jesus was teaching them what it would look like to take up the name of the Lord and become a follower of Jesus Christ.

When I think about taking the name of the Lord in that manner, it’s hard not to think about what happens when a man and woman enter into a marriage.

Of course, there is a ceremony of some kind. Family, and sometimes friends, join together to celebrate and witness the couple exchange vows. The couple will move into a home together. Most of the time, the bride will assume the groom’s last name. A bride who takes her husband’s last name still retains her identity, but something is added to her.

From now on, when she writes her signature, or meets new people, she is known by her new name. She becomes a “Mrs.,” rather than a “Miss.” She resides in a different home. She has new responsibilities, and a new family role. There are new blessings, and new challenges.

Literally everything about her life is changed. 

But what would it be like if she married her betrothed, and changed her last name . . . but still signed her unmarried name? What if she never updated her driver’s license, or never moved into a new home with her husband, or didn’t step into her new role at all? What if she continued to live as an individual, and did not enter into the spousal partnership which accompanies marriage? What if she remained exactly the same as before she married?

The marriage would be pointless, powerless, and a sham, right?

Beloved, this is what Jesus was illustrating to His disciples and us!

He was showing us that when we choose to surrender our lives to Him and follow Him, we must recognize He wants to transform us into the likeness of Christ. 

God’s heart has never changed.
Not from the beginning, when He hovered over the surface of the deep,
to when He gave Moses the ten commandments and the rest of the laws,
to when He gave His life for us on the cross,
to when He was resurrected and defeated death and the grave,
to right now, this very minute.

He invites all of us to take His name, and be transformed by the work of Scripture and the Holy Spirit. To live a life worthy of our calling, and to uphold the Name above every other name. 

The only Name by which we are saved!

Abba, You are worthy of all glory, honor and praise. I repent of holding on to areas and things You are calling me to release. Today, I lay __________ at Your holy feet. Forgive me for my sin, and wash me clean. Help me to change my mind and behavior in response to the work You are doing in my heart, mind, and life. I don’t want to be Yours in name only. I want my life to be a place where You can move freely. My heart, mind, life, and everything I have belongs to You. Thank You for all You are doing. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.

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He Day 5 Yahweh

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 33:13-23
Exodus 34:5-9
Psalm 20:1-7
Isaiah 30:27-33
John 17:1-19

He, Day 5

Yahweh. YHWH. The moniker God claimed as His own is most commonly translated as “LORD,” out of respect for the very holiness of the name. “Yahweh” is used many times throughout Scripture, including in the account of creation. However, the emphasis God placed on the name when He first revealed it to Moses, personally, on two separate occasions, reveals much about His character.

In Exodus 6, God spoke to Moses about how He would deal with Pharoah’s resistance, and told Moses who He was with great intention. Through the context of the words He spoke, we know the Lord places great value in His name. He reminded Moses He had appeared to other men before him, but He pointed out how this interaction with Moses was different from previous experiences.

God is unchanging, but there will always be more to his character than we have previously known, because he is God. In this moment, He wanted to reveal more to Moses, and to us. In this moment, He chose to reveal the tangible reality of His immediate presence. His very nearness. From the beginning of creation, God has always invited His people into personal relationship with Him.

We see His heart for mankind evidenced in every page of Scripture…

He walked through the garden in the cool of the day,
and He spoke to and cared for Adam and Eve (even when they chose self over submission).

He fulfilled every promise He gave Abraham (even when he chose his way over God’s way).

He provided for the Israelites (even when they were griping and complaining in the wilderness).

He called David a man after His own heart (even after he succumbed to lust and killed a man).
He sent His very Son, Jesus Christ, to live a sinless life and be crucified on the cross as payment for all sin (even though not all will choose Him).

But what sets this name apart and above the rest?
In “Yahweh,” God reveals personal relationship has always been and will always be His heart for us. It may be tempting to try to divorce the God of the Old Testament from the God of the New Testament, but nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus is often referred to as Emmanuel (God With Us). This is true, but we can’t ignore the truth that God has always been “With Us.”

Over and over throughout the course of Scripture, we see His pursuit of mankind. He has never merely wanted our obedience, or our tithes, or our actions, or our words, or our praises.

As a young woman, when I turned and walked away from Him, He pursued me. When I walked far and long, and turned my back on all the things I knew to be true and right, He never left me. He called me, and He kept calling me. He never closed His eyes, or turned to look away.

Even when I didn’t answer.
Even when I couldn’t answer.

Even when I didn’t face him.
Even when I couldn’t face him.

And the same is true for you, too, Love.

He’s after our hearts. He’s always been after our hearts. And because He’s after our hearts, when we surrender our hearts and lives to Him, He loves to show us He alone is both Yahweh and Emmanuel to us.

In our broken relationship,
and our broken heart,
and our broken home.

In our sickness,
and our loss,
and our grief.

In our waiting,
and our longing,
and our not enough.

He is right here with us in it all. 

Steady and sure. Whether we know Him already, or haven’t yet given our lives to Him, He waits for us to turn.

Away from our sin,
and our reasons,
and our distractions,
and ourselves,
and to the only One who will ever be able to fulfill our great need.

To Yahweh!

Father, you alone are Yahweh. Your nearness is my good. Today, I repent of attempting to meet a need only You can fill in my own way. You know my needs, and I trust You will provide. I want to see Your kingdom come in my life and here on earth. Help me to yield to what You’re doing in my life and heart and mind. Everything I have is Yours. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Questions Day 11 Why Pray?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 3:8-13
Jeremiah 29:12-14
Jeremiah 33:2-3
Psalm 145:14-21

Questions, Day 11

What is the point of praying if God already knows everything?
The simple answer?
Relationship.

As early as the Garden of Eden where God handcrafted humanity and set them in Beauty itself to enjoy each other, their surroundings, but most of all Himself, we see God inviting His creation into relationship with Him.

How do we know?

Even though He knew the answers (because He is all-knowing (Psalm 147:5)), He still asked Adam and Eve questions.

The Scene in Eden….
“And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. (because they had sinned)

God Asks….
But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”

Adam’s Reply…
And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

God Asks….
He said, “Who told you that you were naked?
Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”

Adam’s Reply….
The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”

God Asks….
Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?”

Eve’s Reply….
The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”” Genesis 3:8-13

Intentionally, carefully, with precise accuracy, the Lord engages Adam and Eve.
Not to shame them.
Not to flaunt His holiness before them.
Not to smite them with thunderbolts.
But to show them who they were in relationship to Himself.

God is omniscient.
Meaning He knows everything. (Psalm 139:1-6)
He knows the present, past and future. (Isaiah 46:9-10)
He knows what each person thinks and feels. (1 John 3:20)

Despite knowing every detail, He intentionally asked questions of Adam and Eve.
He asked questions to engage their hearts, stirring them to depth and intimacy with Himself, the only One who could ever satisfy them.

I recently celebrated my first wedding anniversary with my husband.
Marriage has been a very humbling journey thus far. I have learned a lot about myself and my husband, but the biggest lesson we’ve learned is how to communicate.

Before getting married, we thought we knew all about communicating with each other, but as our marriage began, we struggled with significant miscommunication and misunderstanding. About 4 months into marriage, clarity broke through when my husband was diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). Shortly after his diagnosis, a counselor helped us learn how to communicate with each other. In these sessions, we discovered we both spoke entirely different languages because we process language and social interaction quite differently. In order to make our marriage work, we would need to learn the other’s language.

While my husband and I both had to work hard and pursue each other to improve our communication, God is, and always has been, the One doing the pursuing.

In Eden, Adam and Eve didn’t walk around the Garden calling out for God, trying to get Him to talk to them and maybe forgive them. No, they ran and hid because of their sin and shame, but God, the Holy One, lovingly pursued and invited them to build a relationship through communication.

They were fully loved,
fully known,
and sought after as precious treasures.

Today, my husband and I are more deeply connected than ever before because we are finally able to talk.

That is what prayer is like!
It may feel strange at first, as if I was trying to learn Mandarin and my husband was trying to learn Portuguese, but the more you invest (because God first invited you! (1 John 4:19)), connection is built, and relationship deepens.
We know God, and we know too, that we are fully known by Him!
This is why we pray!

Prayer is a conversation with God, where He is completely present and fully engaged at all times, creating safety in being known.
It is unbridled.
It is unbarred.
It is untamed.
It is the place where we learn who God is, and who we are in light of Him.

In Jeremiah 29:12, He says He will listen to us.
In Jeremiah 33:3, He says He will reveal what we do not know.
In Psalm 145:18, He says He will be close to all who call on Him in truth.

Sisters, we take time out of our days to reach out to our friends and families via text, phone calls, email, or speaking face to face. These relationships are vitally important, but how much time are we investing in response to Our Heavenly Father’s invitation for relationship? Let’s choose today to begin deepening our communication with the One who has pursued us more than any other!

Know that the “why” behind prayer is solidly anchored
in His unconditional pursuant love for us!

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Pause 3 Day 1 The Majesty

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Pause 3, Day 1

Like nothing you’ve ever experienced. 
Like nothing you’ve ever dreamed.
Indescribable beauty.
Unfathomable wisdom.
All-consuming in every aspect.
Resplendent in glory.
The Majesty

Far from being unknowable, the Majesty longs for us to know Him, love Him, and find our own fullness in Him.
Because of who He is, we are both welcomed and adored.

No, He does not seek after us because He is needy, bored with His own glory, or desperate for relationship.
The Majesty already enjoys perfect community, ensconced in flawless love, and has for all eternity past, present, and future.

So why seek after us?

Neither does the Majesty zealously chase our hearts because we are especially marvelous and would complement His radiance.
Rather, we are fallen, sin-wrecked, putrid in our own sin, and utterly incapable of becoming glorious on our own.

So why give chase?

To be loved for an eternity by the all-knowing, all-power, everywhere-present, radiant Majesty?

The air leaves our lungs at the thought of such a reality.
Because if it is true, then this love fills us with purpose, with identity, and with an insatiable desire to know and love this Majesty.

And here is why He pursues.

No words of ours will ever suffice to enable us to understand Him.
Only His Words through His Spirit.
So, Pause with us GT Sisters, and read His Words Only.

Grab your Bible, a journal and pen,
and open your heart to bask in the presence of the Almighty!

Today's Challenge

1) Read Hebrews 1 and Hebrews 2 and answer these 3 questions in your journal:
a) What do these verses tell me about God and His character?
b) What do these verses tell me about others and the world around me?
c) What do these verses tell me about me and my heart?

2) Close your time by praying for these truths to take root in your heart and for the Holy Spirit to remind you and teach you more about these things today. Be sure to write out any questions you have as you read! If you’d like to send your questions to us, we’d love to study with you!

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Hebrews 1

Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. 4 So he became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs.

5 For to which of the angels did he ever say,
You are my Son;
today I have become your Father,
or again,
I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son?

6 Again, when he] brings his firstborn into the world, he says,
And let all God’s angels worship him.
7 And about the angels he says:
He makes his angels winds,
and his servants a fiery flame,

8 but to the Son:
Your throne, O God,
is forever and ever,
and the scepter of your kingdom
is a scepter of justice.
9 You have loved righteousness
and hated lawlessness;
this is why God, your God,
has anointed you
with the oil of joy
beyond your companions.

10 And:
In the beginning, Lord,
you established the earth,
and the heavens are the works of your hands;
11 they will perish, but you remain.
They will all wear out like clothing;
12 you will roll them up like a cloak,
and they will be changed like clothing.
But you are the same,
and your years will never end.

13 Now to which of the angels has he ever said:
Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies your footstool?

14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve those who are going to inherit salvation?

Hebrews 2

For this reason, we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away. 2 For if the message spoken through angels was legally binding and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment, 3 how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation had its beginning when it was spoken of by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 At the same time, God also testified by signs and wonders, various miracles, and distributions of gifts from the Holy Spirit according to his will.

5 For he has not subjected to angels the world to come that we are talking about. 6 But someone somewhere has testified:

What is man that you remember him,
or the son of man that you care for him?
7 You made him lower than the angels
for a short time;
you crowned him with glory and honor
8 and subjected everything under his feet.

For in subjecting everything to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. As it is, we do not yet see everything subjected to him. 9 But we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace he might taste death for everyone—crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death.

10 For in bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God—for whom and through whom all things exist—should make the source of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, 12 saying:
I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters;
I will sing hymns to you in the congregation.

13 Again, I will trust in him.
And again, Here I am with the children God gave me.

14 Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death. 16 For it is clear that he does not reach out to help angels, but to help Abraham’s offspring. 17 Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 For since he himself has suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

How Does “Pause” Work?
1. Each day, Monday through Friday, for 2 weeks, we will provide you with a simple challenge. Each challenge is designed for you to engage with the Almighty in a deeper way and perhaps in a new way than you have been recently.

2. Having a journal is a must! You’ll want to take notes as you walk this special Journey of Pause.

3. Each week focuses on one or two passage of Scripture and we walk with you as you study and flesh these out for yourself. As you write your thoughts, read His Word, and pray, questions might come up. That’s Perfect! Ask a trusted fellow believer, a pastor, or send us an email as you work through them!

4. Jumping in at the middle? No problem! Here is the entire Journey Theme.

5. Connect with others on Facebook by visiting our GT Community Group!

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 Pause 3 Week One!
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 Pause 3!