Righteousness

Known Day 9 Jehovah Tsidkenu: Digging Deeper

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Known Day 9 Jehovah Tsidkenu: Digging Deeper

Melodye Reeves

July 20, 2023

Power,Praise,Reveal,Righteousness,Sin,Worship

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Jehovah Tsidkenu"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Jeremiah 33:14-16

14 “Look, the days are coming” — this is the LORD’s declaration — “when I will fulfill the good promise that I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

15 In those days and at that time I will cause a Righteous Branch to sprout up for David, and he will administer justice and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely, and this is what she will be named: The LORD Is Our Righteousness.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What promise did the LORD make concerning the house of Israel? (verse 14)

These had not been good days for God’s people. In the previous chapters (1-29), the prophet Jeremiah has proclaimed primarily a negative message. Jerusalem and the temple had been destroyed; the people have been in exile in Babylon. But God continued to reach down to His people by raising up prophets to let them know of His willingness to forgive them if they called out to the LORD. (Bible Project)

Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel were among those prophets who called the people to repent of their sins and return to the LORD. In Jeremiah 30, the words of the prophet are like a breath of fresh air from the previous gloom and despair. A new day is on the horizon, and this revelation brings hope to the house of Israel.

In the previous passage of this chapter, verses 1-13, we read that the word of the LORD comes to the prophet Jeremiah. This good promise includes the future restoration of Judah and Jerusalem, as well as the rebuilding of Jerusalem. (Jeremiah 30:2-3) A previous description of the downfall of human civilization in Jeremiah 7:32-34 is now being replaced with a redemptive picture. The people would once again live in peace and safety and joy. This passage, beginning in verse 14, includes almost identical wording to Jeremiah 23:5-6. “Look, the days are coming” is a phrase Jeremiah uses at least 15 times as he shares the message of God.

Though these words brought warning in the previous chapters, “the days” now tell of a future filled with goodness and blessing. (netbible.org) God’s good plan for Israel was still in the works. He would bring to pass what He promised, not because of their righteousness, but because of His.

The Everyday Application

1) What promise did the LORD make concerning the house of Israel? (verse 14)

With his Israelite community, Jeremiah finds himself in a hard place. Hundreds of years later, the imprisoned apostle Paul found himself in the same place of bondage.  (Acts 27:21-25) Yet, here in the darkest of places, the LORD came to Jeremiah with words of hope.

This is the second revelation given to Jeremiah in his confinement (Jeremiah 33:1). In these challenging days of 2023, what word do we more desperately need than hope?!

Dear Sister, I’m sure you’ve heard the gloomy talk as I have, “It’s never been this bad. We are doomed as a country.” We read and hear of political upheaval. We are bombarded with horrific news forecasts. Oh, my sweet Friend, who are we going to believe? The word of deceptive messengers or the word of the LORD of all creation?

I find it interesting how secular prophets falsely declared all was well even when it wasn’t in Jeremiah’s time. (Jeremiah 6:13-14) As history unfolded, and God’s righteous justice unfolded, it really wasn’t well for them! The people of God had exchanged the spiritual prosperity and security of their God for a human prosperity and security, leaving their souls desolate.

Jeremiah 33 repeatedly reminds the people what “the LORD says.” In our age of the 24-hour news cycle, believers need to constantly evaluate our listening habits.

Sister, who sets the tone of your outlook in life? As believers, children of the Light, who are we going to trust in the dark times? The God of Israel, our God, made a promise carrying great implications for our world today, “I will fulfill the good promise that I have spoken!” (verse 14)

The world may tell us there’s peace, even when there’s not, but we know one day there will be true and forever peace for the child of God! (1 Thessalonians 5:3-5)

The Original Intent

2) How will a “Righteous Branch” administer justice and righteousness? (verse 15)

The word “branch” is used as a Messianic title in Zechariah 3:8 and Zechariah 6:9-15, meaning it points forward to the coming King Jesus who would free His people from sin if they called on Him for salvation. The imagery indicates new growth from dead roots, only possible by a creative act of God.

It refers to the promise God made to David in 2 Samuel 7 and was reiterated in David’s last words in 2 Samuel 23:1-7. (I don’t have space to tell you those stories, so here’s your opportunity to go dig deeper for yourself!)

The Israelites had been taken into captivity and their rule as a nation was over; it appeared the promise of Yahweh meant nothing. Those observing their plight likely taunted the Israelites with words of accusation toward their God. Still, in the darkest of dark, the Lord tells Jeremiah of a bright future that is yet to come. The LORD would raise up “a Righteous Branch to sprout up for David, [who] will administer justice and righteousness in the land.” (verse 15)

The prophet Isaiah also said, “Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him.” (Isaiah 11:1-2) This branch/stump, metaphorically speaking of the Messiah to come (Isaiah 42:1-9), will do what the ineffective kings could not because of their sinfulness. (Jeremiah 22:1-5)

Unlike them, there would be a king who would do exactly what God-ordained rulers are supposed to do, act righteously and justly. Deuteronomy 10:17-18 tells us of the justice and righteousness of Yahweh. These characteristics represent the standards for legal and ethical conduct in all leaders, but there is only One who can perfectly fulfill these roles, the Messiah, Christ Jesus! (Revelation 21:22-24)

The Everyday Application

2) How will a “Righteous Branch” administer justice and righteousness? (verse 15)

As students of Scripture with access to the complete revelation of God (Genesis to Revelation), we understand the “Branch” as a clear symbol of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 22:16) I love the beauty of the symbolism here! The LORD of all creation is also a fruit of His creation. Jesus Christ came in the flesh, He is both Godkind and humankind.

From our human perspective, Jesse’s youngest son (1 Samuel 16:10-113 ) was unexpectedly chosen by God to reign over Israel, but ultimately, the Lord was setting the way for the future King of all kings. (verse 15)

Oh Sister, do you see it?! Both of Jesus’ human parents were of the line of David (Matthew 1:1-6). Even during His ministry, Jesus was referred to as the “son of David.” (Matthew 1:1-6, Matthew 15:22, Matthew 21:9)

As He rode into the city on a donkey, Jesus’ followers spread palm branches at His feet and shouted praise, a custom reserved for a King. Palm branches were considered symbols of victory and triumph at the time. The crowd understood that Jesus was declaring Himself to be the Messiah, the promised Branch Himself!

Only days later, many people would turn on Jesus and demand the Romans crucify Him. They rejected Him because He did not restore the prosperity and power of Israel in the way they expected. But this Branch could not be destroyed! Instead, by His resurrection, Jesus restored the Kingdom of God to the whole world. (2 Timothy 2:8-11)

God’s promise includes all who put their hope in Him. In Christ, we become a branch of the Branch! (John 15:4-5) He brings about a kingdom for us filled with His righteousness and justice, something only He can perfectly achieve. Friend, this promise of the LORD is for you and for me! Sing with me, “Hallelujah to the Righteous Branch!!”.

The Original Intent

3) What is the LORD declaring through the prophet Jeremiah regarding the future of Judah and Jerusalem? (verse 16)

In previous passages (Jeremiah 21:7-14), the Lord challenged the wicked and disobedient King Zedekiah to live up to his name. (2 Kings 24:16-17, 19) The name Zedekiah means “righteousness of Jehovah.” (biblestudytools.com) But neither he, nor most of Israel’s kings, had been righteous rulers. (Jeremiah 21-22)

Through the prophet Jeremiah, the Lord applies the meaning of His own name, Jehovah Tsidkenu, to a promised future king who will fulfill everything that is right and perfect about a ruler. Because He does what is right and just, it is this Branch who will save His people.

Originally, their request for a king was against God’s desire for them (1 Samuel 8:6-9), but they now needed one who would rightly render judgments and direct the affairs of the people, ultimately leading them back to a heart of worship toward God. What they needed was a king who WAS righteousness.

The promise of God through Jeremiah was not limited to Israel’s future prosperity and security, but was a promise to David and his line, that is, to all who put their hope in the Branch. Israel was hoping for a restored nation that resembled what they had under David’s reign, but God would continue to remind them it was He Alone who was their only righteous ruler, perfect in goodness and greatness!

One day, there will be a kingdom of righteousness that comes in the LORD Himself; His rule will know no end! (Romans 3:21-23)

The Everyday Application

3) What is the LORD declaring through the prophet Jeremiah regarding the future of Judah and Jerusalem? (verse 16)

The Israelites were more focused on a restoration of their nation as a powerful and wealthy people. Many saw their land as a symbol of their blessing instead of recognizing God as their source of that blessing. In our day, I’ve witnessed a focus by believers on our heavenly dwelling that has little to do with this earth.

Oh Sister, don’t miss the glorious promise of the “days that are coming”. (verse 14) In the new heavens and the new earth, we will not only be perfectly reconciled to Jesus, but also to each other and all creation. For all eternity, we will be one people forever dwelling in the presence of our Righteous King. (2 Peter 3:13) We will reside in the city of “The LORD Is Our Righteousness.”

Previously this was the name of a ruler (Jeremiah 23:6), but it will also be the name of our future dwelling place. Maybe you’ve lived in a city with a name denoting a positive characteristic in which the city didn’t live up to it. This new city will certainly live up to its name! Since God Himself is righteousness, wherever He dwells there will dwell righteousness. (Ezekiel 48:35)

The glorious fulfillment of verses 17-18 is seen in the book of Hebrews describing Jesus. (Hebrews 7:20-25) Only God can bring about such transformation! I’ve never witnessed a dead, broken-off branch grow into a living tree, but that is just how Israel looked to the observers of Jeremiah’s day.

Only a prophet who connects with the living LORD could come up with the incredible promise, “I will cause a righteous Branch … to save Israel!” As our GT journey sister wrote yesterday, “And praise God for this good news! Having God as our Provider and Source of righteousness changes everything.”

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Jehovah,known,names,righteousness
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Known, Day 8
Journey Study

I often say knowing the character of God is of paramount importance to trusting God – after all, we can’t trust someone we don’t know! One of my favorite ways of getting to know God is by studying His names.

Through learning about the various names of God, we are able to receive a rich glimpse into Who God is by seeing His character in action.

The name we are looking at today is particularly near and dear to my own heart. Jehovah Tsidkenu means “The Lord Our Righteousness.”
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Sketched XI Day 12 Wearied, Worn; Rested, Revived: Digging Deeper

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Sketched XI Day 12 Wearied, Worn; Rested, Revived: Digging Deeper

Rebecca Adams

July 4, 2023

Christ,Faith,Gospel,Grace,Holy Spirit,Prophecy,Reveal,Righteousness,Safe

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Wearied, Worn; Rested, Revived"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 45:1-13

The Lord says this to Cyrus, his anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him and disarm kings, to open doors before him, and even city gates will not be shut:

2 “I will go before you and level the uneven places; I will shatter the bronze doors and cut the iron bars in two. 3 I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches from secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord. I am the God of Israel, who calls you by your name. 4 I call you by your name, for the sake of my servant Jacob and Israel my chosen one. I give a name to you, though you do not know me. 5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God but me. I will strengthen you, though you do not know me, 6 so that all may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is no one but me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. 7 I form light and create darkness, I make success and create disaster; I am the Lord, who does all these things.

8 “Heavens, sprinkle from above, and let the skies shower righteousness. Let the earth open up so that salvation will sprout and righteousness will spring up with it. I, the Lord, have created it. 9 “Woe to the one who argues with his Maker— one clay pot among many. Does clay say to the one forming it, ‘What are you making?’ Or does your work say, ‘He has no hands’? 10 Woe to the one who says to his father, ‘What are you fathering?’ or to his mother, ‘What are you giving birth to?’”

11 This is what the Lord, the Holy One of Israel and its Maker, says: “Ask me what is to happen to my sons, and instruct me about the work of my hands. 12 I made the earth, and created humans on it. It was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded everything in them. 13 I have stirred him up in righteousness, and will level all roads for him. He will rebuild my city, and set my exiles free, not for a price or a bribe,” says the Lord of Armies.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Who was Cyrus and why is he called God’s anointed one? (verse 1)

We can read of the same Cyrus mentioned here in Isaiah’s prophecy in our history books. Perhaps you recall learning of Cyrus the Great, a Persian ruler dating from 539-530 BC, in your world history class. If recalling his exploits is a bit challenging, the important aspect for this passage centers around his decision to free the Jewish exiles from Babylon.

Just as prophesied, Israel would remain in exile seventy years (Jeremiah 25:11) as punishment for their continued rebellion against the Lord their God who had freed them from slavery in Egypt and birthed them into a nation to fulfill a covenant He had cut with Abraham. (Genesis 15)

Contrary to how it may have seemed during exile, God had not abandoned them. His love for them, and His righteous jealousy that called them to worship only Him, was still actively present, guarding and protecting them while He arranged history to set His people free to return Home to Jerusalem at exactly the right time.

Who would free them? Ironically, a foreign Gentile king who didn’t know or worship the Lord God (verse 5), namely Cyrus the Great. God’s sovereignty and complete authoritative rule and reign over all things, peoples, and time as poetically described in verses 6-7, would anoint Cyrus to free His people from captivity.

The scene is one more “impossible” in a long string of “impossible-for-man” scenarios where the Lord’s arm of strength would be made known despite all apparent odds for He alone is the God of all possibility (Luke 1:37); nothing escapes His dominion.

The Everyday Application

1) Who was Cyrus and why is he called God’s anointed one? (verse 1)

It’s easy to wake up each day with narrowed tunnel vision of our existence, forgetting we are only one strand of the magnificent tapestry the Sovereign One is weaving. Lovingly, He who cares about every sparrow that falls and every strand of hair we’ve ever worn on our heads, deeply and intricately knows every aspect of our lives. He provides both free will and exercises sovereign control over all things; nothing escapes His dominion.

Like He used an unsuspecting foreign ruler to bring freedom to His people, speaking these prophetic words through His appointed mouthpiece of Isaiah 150 years before it would come to pass, the Lord uses us, our circumstances, and people and events and even creation and inanimate objects to point to His authoritative rule and reign. (Psalm 19:1-4, Luke 19:37-40) Bible teacher, R. C. Sproul, taught that there are no maverick molecules in the universe because the Lord is supremely sovereign.

This reality insists we re-examine the lens through which we view our everyday lives, our struggles, and our joys. Truth about God presses us to hold every aspect of our lives up to the Light of the God who is supremely powerful and all-loving as He guides both our individual daily stories as well as those of the ones around us.

Your “impossible” situation is just one more opportunity to evidence the power of the Lord God who used an unbeliever to make His name known to the ancient world and our own. (verse 6) How might He use your “impossible” to point others to Him, or maybe, even just you? Keep waiting on the Lord, Sister; He will never cease to be both sovereign and loving! (Psalm 27:13-14)

The Original Intent

2) What key message is revealed in verse 8 about God’s purposes?

Verse 8 acts as an anchor for the passage, providing an open window to peer into the mission of God’s heart. Yes, He holds all sovereign rule and reign over all things, but He never acts from a place of cruelty or self-seeking lusts for He alone is the God of all Righteousness.

Like the cloud of God’s presence descended to Mt. Sinai in order to commune with His people (Exodus 19:9-11), like the fire that fell from Heaven at Elijah’s faith-filled prayer (1 Kings 18:20-45), so God provides another reminder of the only Source of pure righteousness: Himself. He comes from above and descends like gentle, life-giving rain upon the world.

The result of soaking in the “rain” of His righteousness is salvation and, because of it, our sprouts of righteousness reflect God’s original righteousness back to Him. This is the “rain cycle” God intended!

He knew we would never be able to “climb the mountain of God”, for only those who are blameless and perfectly pure, being without sin, are able to accomplish this, which eliminates all of us. (Psalm 24:3-4)

Humanity will always chase itself and its own lusts and fleshly desires, eagerly sacrificing to “gods” we believe we can control, just as the 400 prophets of Baal did on Mt. Carmel where Elijah led a standoff between the One True God and the false “deity”. But this “competition” is no competition at all, for who can stand against the Lord God, the Holy and Righteous One? (Nahum 1:1-8) He will put all other false idols, and their worshippers, to shame! (verse 16)

The Everyday Application

2) What key message is revealed in verse 8 about God’s purposes?

The physical soil of the earth doesn’t have the freedom to choose whether it receives or rejects nurturing rain. It is a grace gift from the Lord for this rain to fall, a grace that was withheld for three years because King Ahab had led Israel into idol worship.

Christ was the fullness of God’s righteousness coming down from above, descending to offer us salvation. He offers eternal rescue from the just penalty of eternal death we deserve because we are a people of unclean lips and hearts; we are filthy with our sin. (Isaiah 64:6) Whether we’ve told a single white lie or committed murder, every sin qualifies us for eternal death because we are not perfectly righteous. (Romans 3:23)

While we earn death, Christ paid our death penalty by surrendering His life that we might be “bought back” from death to life! (Romans 6:23) Unlike the dry dust of the earth that simply must receive the gift of falling waters, we are given the freedom to choose grace. We may either accept or reject Christ’s righteousness for ourselves. If we agree with the Lord that we are sinners worthy of death and come to Him ready to turn away from a life of sin, His Spirit is deposited in us as a promised seal that we are His forever; none will be able to snatch us away. (John 10:27-30)

This Spirit of God cultivates our hearts, shaping us to be like Christ as He prunes away sin and whets our appetite for the things of God. (Romans 8:29, John 15:2) As we respond to the love God has poured out into our hearts by His Spirit (Romans 5:5), we sprout righteousness that reflects God’s righteousness back to Him. Like fresh blades of spring grass signal newness of life, so do our acts of righteousness signal to the world of a God who graciously gives new life. (verse 23)

The Original Intent

3) What prophecies are revealed in verse 13?

Verse 13 is pregnant with prophecies of the coming Cyrus, but beyond Him, to the coming Christ, carrying even jewels of our purpose as a Church as we follow Christ. Though Cyrus the Great had no intention of honoring and worshiping Israel’s God or walking justly in His ways, the Lord “stirred him up in righteousness” . (verse 13)

The Lord’s heart motives were righteous as He sought to free His people from exile and bring them Home to Jerusalem. The Lord used His righteousness to stir up Cyrus to act righteously. (Proverbs 21:1) In the same way, His Righteous Holy Spirit stirs us up to follow Him and walk in His ways together with all believers in Jesus in whom the Spirit dwells. This same Spirit was the Righteous motivation that fueled the Father to send the Son as a perfect sacrifice to offer for the sins of the world. (1 John 2:2)

Keep in mind, this prophecy from Isaiah was spoken 150 years before Cyrus decreed Israel could return to Jerusalem and nearly 700 years before Christ would come to earth. Israel hadn’t even been captured yet, and her temple was still intact, but her heart was desperately far from the Lord. Isaiah’s prophetic words pleaded with the people to return to the Lord that His judgement wouldn’t fall on them.

Verse 13 says the Lord would level the path before Cyrus so he would accomplish the Lord’s will. Hundreds of years later, another prophet, John the Baptist, was sent to fulfill more of Isaiah’s words that spoke of one (John the Baptist) who would come to prepare the way of the Lord by making a “straight highway for our God in the desert.” (Isaiah 40:3, Matthew 3:3)

The Everyday Application

3) What prophecies are revealed in verse 13?

Before John the Baptist came on the scene, the Lord used Cyrus the Great to foreshadow what would come right before “the glory of the Lord [would] appear (That’s Jesus!), and all humanity together will see it, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:5) Through Isaiah, the Lord said of Cyrus, “He will rebuild my city and set My exiles free, not for a price or a bribe[…]”. (verse 13)

Cyrus would send supplies and treasures to rebuild the temple, even returning items that had been taken during Israel’s capture. (Ezra 1:2-7) Cyrus would send Israel Home and would freely do it without being bribed or forced; he would respond to the stirring up of the Lord’s righteousness and would choose to act righteously.

In the same stunningly beautiful way, Christ, the jewel of Heaven, would give Himself by freely laying down His life to build the True Jerusalem, the Church, made up of believers from every generation and every nation in the world. Christ would come to set His people free from sin and death, freeing them to go Home and dwell with Him forever! (John 10:17-18)

When the Church lives out God’s heart on earth to point people to Him by using our lives to reflect His righteousness, we have joined with God Himself as co-laborers in His kingdom to bring the Lost without Jesus Home to be with Him in His family! (1 Corinthians 3:9)

Respond to God’s call of righteousness on your life, embrace His grace gift and reflect His righteousness to the people around you that they might see Christ in you!

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forgiveness,freedom,holy,life,perfect,righteousness,salvation
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Sketched XI, Day 11
Journey Study

My hope has been crushed; I can no longer walk among the land of the living.

“I have had enough!” I wail to the cloud-laden heavens. Collapsing into the dust, I murmur a final prayer of despair.

“LORD, take my life, for I’m no better than my ancestors.” (1 Kings 19:4-5) I am wearied and worn. Let me sleep and not wake up.
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Steadfast Day 1 Of Epic Importance

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Steadfast Day 1 Of Epic Importance

Sarah Young

March 27, 2023

Alive,Gospel,Resurrection,Righteousness,Sacrifice

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 15:1-7
2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
Psalm 16:9-11
1 John 1:1-4
1 Peter 1:3-12

Although I’ve never been in a courtroom during a trial, I know that in the US, when a witness takes the stand, he or she promises to tell the truth, “the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” 

In 1 Corinthians 15:1-7, Paul begins as if he is taking the witness stand and declaring his testimony about the Gospel to be absolutely, positively, 100% true. 

The veracity of Paul’s words is of utmost importance because what he states constitutes the core of Christian faith. 

Sometimes Paul’s writings can be complicated, with winding sentences that seem to go on and on.  Here, however, he breaks down the message into a very simple, straightforward summary of the Gospel. I can feel the sense of urgency as he writes, outlining the Gospel with absolute clarity and longing for his brothers and sisters in faith to firmly hold on to these truths.

Not only does Paul want them to believe the Gospel message, but to live it out boldly, confidently, and consistently. He begins the chapter with the foundation of our faith and ends in verse 58, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

For us to live in such a radical way, we must be deeply committed to what we believe. We see this commitment in the lives of the disciples, the men and women who walked with Jesus during His ministry. Many of these first believers were also the first martyrs, dying for their faith in horrific ways, courageously choosing to endure pain and eventual death rather than recant. 

Before Peter was crucified, he wrote a letter to believers scattered as exiles because of severe persecution. (1 Peter 1:3-12) He first reminds them God has “given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3) With this in mind, Peter then urges them to hold onto their faith even as they “suffer grief in various trials.” (1 Peter 1:6)

Though they may not have seen Jesus personally, these believers could hold steadfastly to the reality of the Gospel and the certain hope of eternity with God. This hope changed their perspective as they waited in eager anticipation for the “revelation of Jesus Christ.”  (1 Peter 1:7)

Thousands of years later, the same is true for us.  
As believers, we too receive “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading[.]” (1 Peter 1:4) For now, we “are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:5)

Paul further solidifies the truth of the Gospel by emphasizing that HUNDREDS of people saw Jesus following His resurrection. (1 Corinthians 15:5) Gospel-writer Luke confirms this with an account of how the risen Jesus shared a meal with His disciples and invited them to touch His nail-scarred hands. (Luke 24:36-43) 

Luke goes on to share some of Jesus’ final words to His followers:
“‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you – that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:44-45)

Shortly after His ascension, just as Jesus had promised, He sent His Holy Spirit to dwell within His followers. (Acts 2:1-4)

He is still here, filling and empowering each and every person who puts their faith in Jesus Christ.

Yet, thousands of years later, we are still waiting for Jesus to fulfill the promise of His final return.  

The apostle John was exiled to the island of Patmos, where he diligently wrote letters to encourage fellow believers to stand firm in their faith. John also penned the book of Revelation, in which we are given the glorious promise of what is YET TO COME. John shares how one day God will make a new heaven and a new earth, restoring all that has been broken, making all things beautiful once more. (Revelation 21:1-5)

I don’t know about you, but I am eagerly waiting for that day when I can join the hymn of heaven as people from every tongue, tribe, and nation come together to praise God for all eternity. (Revelation 7:9-10)

Until then, in the midst of all the chaos and confusion of this world, may we hold firmly to the wondrous hope of our future. For Paul assures us, “the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you, after you have suffered a little while.” (1 Peter 5:10)

With this in mind, may we, like those first disciples, boldly bear witness to all God has done in our lives and courageously share the good news of the Gospel. They have gone before us, and are now a “large cloud of witnesses surrounding us” (Hebrews 12: 1-2) and cheering us on as we keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, running the race He has set before us until He returns or takes us home.

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alive,Easter,faith,gospel,hope,resurrection
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Steadfast Day 2
Digging Deeper

I love a good courtroom drama! Especially the climax moment during the trial when the attorney is making his closing statement and you know he has proven his case. It all comes down to the evidence and testimony of the witnesses.

Concerning Jesus’ resurrection, we have historical evidence and the testimony of eyewitnesses preserved for more than 2000 years!
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March 27 - April 14, 2023 - Journey Theme #116

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Whole Day 13 The Hope Of Wholeness

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Whole Day 13 The Hope Of Wholeness

Marietta Taylor

July 6, 2022

Believe,Blessed,Broken,Cross,Daughter,Forgiven,Freedom,Righteousness,Sacrifice

Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Corinthians 5:1-7
Revelation 22
Psalm 34
Luke 11:33-36
Psalm 19:7-14

Hope.
Trusting in, waiting for, and looking for.

Those who are broken hope for wholeness.
And aren’t we all broken in some way, big or small?

In seeking wholeness, we easily find ourselves looking for healing from wrong sources.
The Bible talks about our misplaced gazes so we can recognize them and reject them.

We look to idols such as
money (Luke 16:13),
popularity (Galatians 1:10),
politics (Matthew 22:21),
and possessions (Luke 12:16-21).

We try to heal ourselves through things like
willpower (Romans 7:19-20),
sex (Hebrews 13:4),
ambition (1 Corinthians 8:2),
and a host of others (Colossians 3:5).

Do any of these actually heal our brokenness?
Absolutely not. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

We look everywhere but the one true place to fix our eyes and be made Whole.

Only one place exists where our hope for wholeness can be perfectly fulfilled. 

The apostle John described it like this,
“Then he [an angel] showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the city’s main street. The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, and there will no longer be any curse.” (Revelation 22:1-3)

Of this place where Wholeness knows no end, Jesus said to His disciples,
“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me.In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?  If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also. You know the way to where I am going.” (John 14:1-4)

Where was Jesus going?
Do we know the way to where He went?
Absolutely!

He was going back to His Father, Our Father God, in heaven.

Heaven, where we will be…
wholly united with God.
wholly worshiping Him.
wholly free from fears, tears, and suffering.
wholly unbroken.
(Isaiah 25:8-9)

This is the place we long for as we suffer many things in our “earthly tents”.
2 Corinthians 5:2 says, “Indeed, we groan in this tent, desiring to put on our heavenly dwelling.” We groan because here we are broken and not whole.

Yet, we are not without hope for Jesus is our Living Hope.
(1 Peter 1:3)

Through His sacrifice on the cross we are able to enter Heaven, despite the load of brokenness and sin we carry. His blood paid the price for our sin, cleansing us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior is the key to turning over our brokenness and allowing Him to usher us into wholeness.
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.” (Revelation 22:14) Our dirty robes of sin and death are washed clean by the blood of Jesus, “Though your sins are scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are crimson red, they will be like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)

We live today with our brokenness while focused on the guarantee of wholeness in Heaven. But how do we live today, while longing for eternity? Scripture gives us direction, if we’re paying attention.

Truthfully, I’m not always paying close enough attention. It’s easy to get wrapped up in your own brokenness and the sharp edges of those around you. Add in the broken world we live in and we become even more distracted from Scripture’s clear commands that light our paths. (Psalm 119:105) But the Bible is our lighthouse, our beacon, our “you are here” map with the star planted squarely on heaven as our destination.

Psalm 19:7-14 tells us these things about the Word of God, the Bible:

  • The perfect Word of God revives our souls
  • The reliable Word of God makes us wise
  • The “rightness” of the Word of God should cause us to rejoice
  • The pure Word of God enlightens us
  • The fear of the Lord (as we read the Word of God) is cleansing and proves eternal
  • The rules of the Lord (found in the Word of God) are true and righteous
  • The Word of God is worth desiring more than anything on earth
  • The Word of God should cause us to read, study, memorize, apply it to our lives and share it with others

This is what we desire so deeply at Gracefully Truthful. We want every one of those statements to be true for everyone’s life. We take this verse to heart as we study alongside you, “If, therefore, your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be entirely illuminated, as when a lamp shines its light on you.” (Luke 11:36)

We want the Word of God to shine so brightly in and through you that people are drawn to it and gain their promise of wholeness through faith in Christ. We want it for ourselves, for each person in our ministry, each of you reading this today, and for every person we encounter.

God came to save all (2 Peter 3:9) and He invited us to be part of that effort. (Mark 16:15-16) What a privilege that He would make us co-laborers with Him in His redeeming work. (1 Corinthians 3:9) We cannot neglect this incredible opportunity!

Bless and praise Him always.
Boast in Him, not ourselves.
Proclaim His greatness, not ours.
Seek Him when we need rescuing.
Have reverential awe of Him.
See that He is good.
See that He is Provider.
Keep our tongue from evil and deceit. (Psalm 34:1-13)

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

Do all these things, not alone, but by the power of the Holy Spirit living within us.
This is how we live broken with an eye on wholeness.
We boldly share this Hope with others so the nations, each incredibly broken on earth, can be healed by the leaves of the tree of life in Heaven.

I want us all to rejoice on that day. So, shine forth your light from your beautiful, broken lantern and give His light to the world!

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broken,eternity,hope,Sin,whole
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If we have a loved one or know someone living with a disability, illness like cancer, or suffering of any kind, we can take heart knowing this is only temporary for those who trust Jesus as their Savior. My own mother has dementia, and it is heart-breaking knowing she was once a vibrant woman who loved to sing. But I take comfort knowing that one day, she will become whole again at the resurrection with a new spiritual body.
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Whole Day 9 Identifying The Oppression: Digging Deeper

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Whole Day 9 Identifying The Oppression: Digging Deeper

Shannon Vicker

June 30, 2022

Deep,God,Humility,Justice,Love,Righteousness,Scripture,Shepherd

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Identifying The Oppression"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Jeremiah 22:3-5

3 This is what the Lord says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from his oppressor. Don’t exploit or brutalize the resident alien, the fatherless, or the widow. Don’t shed innocent blood in this place. 4 For if you conscientiously carry out this word, then kings sitting on David’s throne will enter through the gates of this palace riding on chariots and horses—they, their officers, and their people. 5 But if you do not obey these words, then I swear by myself—this is the Lord’s declaration—that this house will become a ruin.’”
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Who is Jeremiah addressing in these verses as he relays the Lord’s message?

Context matters significantly when studying Scripture and it keeps us “in bounds” for making follow-in right application to our lives. Studying a whole passage by considering its surroundings keeps us tied tightly to Scripture, allowing truth to shape our understanding instead of our own biases. Asking questions like who, what, why, and when helps broaden and deepen our understanding of any passage.

In order to know who Jeremiah is addressing in this passage, we must look backwards just a couple of sentences to Jeremiah 22:1-2 where we read of God sending Jeremiah to speak to the king of Judah. This king would have been a descendant of King David and sat on David’s same throne. Jeremiah was a prophet, speaking as God’s mouthpiece to God’s people; in this instance his message was directed to the reigning king of Judah.

The message also extended beyond the king of Judah to the Israelites under his rule as they were directives on what it looked like to “be” God’s people. These words were spoken to the king so he would model God’s justice and all of Judah would also walk in the Lord’s ways.

The Everyday Application

1) Who is Jeremiah addressing in these verses as he relays the Lord’s message?

Jeremiah’s message to Judah’s king on how to live in a way that reflected God’s righteousness and justice is ancient to us in the 21st century. Still, its meaning and significant implications are just as relevant to God’s people today as they were in ages past. The Word of the Lord is always relevant, enduring for eternity! (1 Peter 1:25)

God’s message through Jeremiah carries meaning for believers today where they live out being Christ’s Body in every culture in every nation and city around the world. Everywhere oppression and injustice exist, Jeremiah’s words still carry the authority of the Lord God. We are not exempt simply because we live in 2022.

How will we live out the rest of today differently because of Jeremiah’s relevant message? How will we shift the direction of our lives tomorrow? Not sure? Commit to reading just these brief verses every morning and praying for the Lord to convict and shape you as you take in His living and active words. (Hebrews 4:12)

The Original Intent

2) What does verse 3 mean?

Jeremiah began by telling the king he must administer justice and righteousness; the burden of wisely leading and shepherding God’s people fell to Judah’s king. This administration aligned not only with God’s heart, but also mirrored how King David had led God’s people. (2 Samuel 8:15)

Judah’s kings had drifted far from the pattern of righteous justice modeled by King David, and Jeremiah’s message was a clarion call to return to the ways of the Lord which He had manifested in David’s kingship. Jeremiah then instructs all Israelites to actively come to the aid of the vulnerable. In specifically calling out resident aliens, fatherless, and widows, the Lord was shining a spotlight on the weakest, neediest group of people of Judah. Israelites knew exactly how they were to treat resident aliens as God had addressed this issue centuries prior during the time of Moses in Exodus 22:21-22. 

By including this group of people in His message, the Lord emphasized how far Judah had strayed from His instructions and was calling them back to what they already knew. He reminded them to carry out righteous justice with the essential component of humility as Israel herself had once lived as resident aliens in Egypt.

Next, the Lord reminds Israel to protect the fatherless and widows, another group of often overlooked and neglected people which God had also addressed in Deuteronomy 14:29 during Moses’ leadership. God had commanded Israelites to diligently care for and give special attention to the widow and orphan.

These weren’t new commands, but they were instructions Israel had long ago disregarded and set aside. God’s deep compassion is revealed by his firm call to the king and his subjects of their duty to care for the vulnerable, ensuring that all were protected and given care.

The Everyday Application

2) What does verse 3 mean?

Just as Jeremiah’s message to administer righteous justice is relevant to us today as Christ-followers, so also are the carefully selected recipients of this protective care. Jeremiah specifically called out the weak and vulnerable in Judah, and we must consider who these groups of people are within our own cultures and cities. Here is where we are to begin our work of administering righteous justice.

It should not come as a surprise to us that these same groups are among the most vulnerable in our modern time as well. Single moms, orphans, and immigrants are among the neediest and vulnerable of our world and should be the first ones the church humbly runs toward to protect and love. Regardless of our location on the globe, I’m confident we each know someone who fits one of these categories. Our call is to refuse to exploit them or ignore reality when they are exploited or overlooked. We must not puff ourselves up and think less of them because of society’s label.

Christ calls us, just as He did to Judah’s king, to love and care for those who cannot care for themselves, for in so doing we are loving and caring for Christ. (Matthew 25:35-40) 

All over the world, people are displaced from their homes, children grow up without parents, and widows struggle in many cultures to provide for themselves. Our call toward each of these is to extend justice, act righteously, and love them with the humility of Christ. (Micah 6:8, James 1:27) When we actively live out this kind of love, we are reflecting Christ’s humble, generous sacrifice when He gave His life for us.

Living with justice for the oppressed is one way we live out of the overflow of Christ’s love for us.

The Original Intent

3) What house will come to ruin in verse 5?

Jeremiah’s message was a warning of God’s coming judgment against Judah’s king and the Israelites if they chose, again, to disobey God’s command and reject His ways of justice. They would be found in ruin. Sin’s rule would continue oppressing them while they continued oppressing the weak and vulnerable, even if it was simply by ignoring that a problem existed. Sin’s gravitational pull would continue increasing until eventually they would lose everything.

This was not a quiet, casual command that was really more of an optional activity, this was a matter of life and death.

Jeremiah continued to describe their ruin in verses 6-9. If they chose to ignore the Lord’s command, Judah (and Jerusalem) would soon lie in ruins. A direct result of their choice to place something else, anything else, before the Lord would be their fall. Judah, and therefore Jerusalem, would cease to be an amazing nation and city and would be turned over to an enemy.

Graciously, God, through Jeremiah, not only provided the Israelites a choice, but He also provided a clear call to return. Life and death were in their hands, and their choice carried significant, wide-sweeping consequences.

The Everyday Application

3) What house will come to ruin in verse 5?

Just as Judah was unable to prosper if they did not heed the Lord’s call we will never prosper as the Church if we do not heed His same call to leave our sinful patterns and embrace His ways of living righteously. The Global Church is the hands and feet of God, intended to actively show love to those often seen as the least lovable, most-likely outcast, and exceptionally vulnerable. When we do not choose to take on His mission in our everyday lives as believers, our lives end up in ruin, wasted and ineffective for the Kingdom. We allow sin and conflict to gradually take the place of love in our lives and it poisons everything. (James 1:14-15)

We can never live up to our calling in Christ if we allow sin and disobedience to fester instead of humbly pouring out the love Christ has demonstrated to us. (Romans 5:8)

If I am honest with myself, I can think of people I interact with daily who fall into these categories of unlovable, outcast, and vulnerable. I must ask myself if I am heeding the call of the Lord toward each of these individuals. I challenge each of us to think carefully about those we interact with regularly, and those around us who need to be seen and loved by us; are we pouring out the same love Christ has lavished on us? (1 John 3:1)

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compassion,Enduring,eternity,God's People,King David,Oppression,questions,whole
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The snarls of a sinister enemy snaked through the goodness of Eden, deviously plotting the downfall of the Almighty who had cast him from His glorious presence. How the enemy loved himself. How he loathed the Almighty.

Humanity would pay the price of the enemy’s sickening self-love by carrying his pride in their hearts, grooming it, making it their own, then calling it righteousness by justifying their selfish pride to the Almighty. Perfectly mimicking the enemy’s craft which had earned him ejection from The Presence.
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Champion Day 14 The Unexpected Presence: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

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

The Questions

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

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

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

1 Timothy 2:3-7

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

Original Intent

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

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

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

Everyday Application

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

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

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

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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Champion Day 9 Fearful Made Fierce: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

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

The Questions

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

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

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

Philippians 1:3-11

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

Original Intent

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

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

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

Everyday Application

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

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

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

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Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
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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

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
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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 :-))

Memorize It!

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Champion Day 1 The Barren And Broken

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Champion Day 1 The Barren And Broken

Kaitlyn Wright

May 30, 2022

Believe,Birth,Blessed,Love,Righteousness

Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 15:1-6
Genesis 15: 17-18
Genesis 18:1-15
1 Corinthians 1:27-31
Galatians 3:1-9

Abraham is introduced in Genesis 11 as Abram, the son of Terah. (Genesis 11:26) He is a descendant of Shem, residing in the land of Ur of the Chaldeans. Abram and his relatives did not know the Lord, yet the Lord called to Abram and told him to go to the land of Canaan. God promised He would make him a great nation and give his descendants the land of Canaan as their possession.

“I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you […] all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you [. . .] To your offspring I will give this land.” (Genesis 12:2-3, 7)

God’s promises of blessing, land, and offspring pointed toward a hopeful reversal of the curse of sin. (Genesis 3) The true Hope and true Champion of this story is not Abram, but Christ. Jesus is the Promised One through whom all the peoples on earth will be blessed. (Galatians 3:14)

God chooses ordinary people to fulfill His plan of redemption. At the time God called Abram, we aren’t told why he was chosen, but we are told Abram’s obedience was credited to him as righteousness. 

God said to Abram, 
“‘Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ Then [God] said to [Abram], ‘Your offspring will be that numerous.’ Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” 
(Genesis 15:5-6, Galatians 3:6) 

To establish this promise, or covenant, it was custom for animals to be cut in half and the two persons of the covenant could walk between the halves, binding them to the terms of the covenant lest they become like the animals. Rather than Abram walking between the split animals, God put Abram into a deep sleep, and God himself passed between, assuming the full burden of fulfilling the terms of the covenant. (Genesis 15:7-21)

God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, meaning “father of many,” and expounded on the promises and requirements of the Abrahamic Covenant. (Genesis 17) Although God’s intent to establish Abraham’s lineage was clear, Abraham’s wife, Sarah, was old and barren, so she doubted, “But the LORD asked Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, saying, “Can I really have a baby when I’m old?”’” (Genesis 18:13)

Abraham and Sarah were only human. They saw limitations. They feared. They doubted. For example, when Abraham let Pharaoh believe Sarah was his sister, he essentially gave her as a sex-slave to Pharaoh to protect himself, proving he still had much to learn about fully trusting God and His promises. (Genesis 12:10-20)

Furthermore, Abraham and Sarah assumed that since she was barren, the promised offspring must come through a different woman. 

“Sarai said to Abram, ‘Since the LORD has prevented me from bearing children, go to my slave; perhaps through her I can build a family.’ And Abram agreed to what Sarai said.” (Genesis 16:2) Their attempt to fulfill God’s promise themselves caused immense suffering.

Abraham and Sarah aren’t the heroes of the story here. There is One Hero, the Almighty One. “Is anything impossible for the LORD? At the appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year [Sarah] will have a son.” (Genesis 18:14)

God did not choose Abram to be the father of the nations because He saw Abram as capable, wise, and strong. 

No, quite the opposite. 

Abraham was old, his wife was barren, and he was incapable of fulfilling the covenant requirements. 

No human is. 

“Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world–what is viewed as nothing–to bring about what is viewed as something, so that no one may boast in his presence. 

It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom from God for us–our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption–in order that, as it is written: Let the one who boasts, boast in the LORD.” 
(1 Corinthians 1:27-31)

The Bible is full of weak, foolish, sinful people God used to fulfill His plan of redemption. God didn’t choose Abraham in order to give him a platform to be a hero. Rather, God chose Abraham to show God is the Hero. 

To show God is able and wise and loving.

He alone could redeem His children; just as God alone traversed the split animals in Genesis 15, Christ alone could fulfill the requirement of the law and bring us salvation. 

Galatians 3:8 tells us the gospel was preached to Abraham when he was given the promise. This is the Gospel: on our own we are weak and foolish, but God has sent us His Own Son to be our strength and wisdom. We, the Gentiles, are blessed in Him if we repent of our sins and have faith in His finished work on the cross. 

Let that sink in. 

Thousands of years ago, God declared His Gospel promise. If we become His daughters through faith, we will be redeemed through Christ, the Promised Seed of Abraham. 

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chosen,Lord,love,righteousness,Strong
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Worship X Day 4 Unshaken & Secure: 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 Unshaken & Secure!

The Questions

1) What is the significance of the three names of God in verse 3?

2) Why were the Israelites told not to fear? (verse 5)

3) Why did God create us? (verse 7)

Isaiah 43:1-7

Now this is what the Lord says— the one who created you, Jacob, and the one who formed you, Israel—“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and the rivers will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, and the flame will not burn you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, and your Savior. I have given Egypt as a ransom for you, Cush and Seba in your place. 4 because you are precious in my sight and honored, and I love you, I will give people in exchange for you and nations instead of your life. 5 Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west. 6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back!’ Bring my sons from far away, and my daughters from the ends of the earth— 7 everyone who bears my name and is created for my glory. I have formed them; indeed, I have made them.”

Original Intent

1) What is the significance of the three names of God in verse 3?
Isaiah 43 begins as a continuation of chapter 42, where we read of Israel’s disobedience to the Lord (Isaiah 42:21-24) and of His righteous anger regarding that disobedience. (Isaiah 42:25) Chapter 43 begins with the signal word “now” indicating a transition from spelling out the reality of Israel’s sin to the reality of God’s character, which He provides like a resume. He created and formed these people He called His own, (verse 1) He had redeemed them (verse 2), and rescued them from Egypt and the likes of King Sihon of the Amorites, King Og of Bashan (Numbers 21:21-35), and the Midianites (Judges 8:1-21) to name a few. God was always with them, even when they did not honor Him as they should. God promises to protect them in every situation (verse 2), and then He reminds them of His character and authority by which He can make these statements. “The three titles for God in verse 3 give a comprehensive understanding for the people. The term YHWH (Lord) evokes the exodus, the burning bush of Moses, and the giving of the teaching at Sinai (Exodus 20:2). The title “Holy One” refers to God’s distinctiveness. The first part of Isaiah uses this title (Isaiah 1:4). “Savior” alludes to God’s protection for Israel and Judah.” (Working Preacher) It was the One True God, the God who claimed Israel as His people and who Israel had claimed as their God and the Savior who had saved and would save, who was making these promises. Despite what Israel had done, God would rescue and protect His people, His prized possession, because He loved them.

2) Why were the Israelites told not to fear? (verse 5)
It’s important to note that this passage was written before Israel went into captivity in Babylon. This was a prophetic message to the Jews who would be in captivity, afraid the Lord had abandoned them. But God promised long before this, through Moses, “The Lord is the one who will go before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) In Isaiah’s prophecy, God was telling the Israelites He would not only be with them, but He would ransom them with other nations! (verse 4) “To prove His love for His people, God was willing to give Egypt, Cush, and Seba as a ransom for Israel.” (Enduring Word) God had promised the Israelites their own land. (Deuteronomy 1:8) Here, He was reiterating that this promise still stood. They had no reason to fear, but every reason to hope. Because God loved them so dearly, He would gather the people from every far corner of the world to be with Him and to live out His promise to them.

3) Why did God create us? (verse 7)
When we bear someone’s name it means we are part of their family. God has created us and called us to be adopted into His family. But why? “For My glory”, says the Lord. The Israelites were created for God’s glory. He had a plan and a purpose for them right from the start, even before they knew Him. John Piper says, “…He created us to display His glory, that is, that His glory might be known and praised.” For the Israelites that played out by Him bringing them out of captivity in Babylon and returning them to their land. It was God who sent them there to discipline them and it was God who would free them. “God uses everything, even human sin, for his own glory” (Global Study Bible) Israel was created for God’s glory to be displayed to all the nations. In their sin and subsequent rescue and redemption, God showed His love for them and His power over all to utterly save.

Everyday Application

1) What is the significance of the three names of God in verse 3?
When we are in trying or dark times, it’s hard to see a way out. We wonder how things will get resolved. Isaiah 43:3 gives the solution. In the original context, God was reminding Israel He was their rescuer, their Savior. “God referred to Himself as a Savior in the Old Testament before Jesus arrived and became our Savior to forgive our sins.” (Never Thirsty) Now, as adopted daughters of God’s family, through the blood of our Savior Jesus, we too are rescued and redeemed. (Ephesians 1:5) We think of this on a spiritual level, but it is practical as well. God is more than able to help us in every situation. When He lists His names, they show the fullness of His capabilities to do what He says He can do. The first name, The Lord Your God, is listed as Yahweh in other translations. Yahweh is God’s holy name, evoking profound reverence. “Most Jewish people decline to pronounce this name lest they accidentally profane it.” (Sermon Writer) Beginning with this name alone, we know we are dealing with the same God who spoke to Moses from the burning bush. (Exodus 3:1-17) He is the same God who parted the Red Sea, the River Jordan, and brought down the walls of Jericho. The Holy One of Israel is the same God who promised to redeem not just Israel, but all people who would believe in Him. (2 Peter 3:9) It is this same God who became our Savior by sending His son Jesus to die for our sins and then resurrect Himself to conquer the grave and set the stage for His return to gather His people (Matthew 24:30-31) and establish the New Heaven and the New Earth. (Revelation 21:1-5) Whatever we face, this God can handle it. Trust Him.

2) Why were the Israelites told not to fear? (verse 5)
The Israelites had a history of forgetting Who was with them and for them. (Numbers 13:25-14:10, Judges 6:11-24, 1 Samuel 12:6-15). Even though God had demonstrated His power and His unfailing faithfulness and love for them, they still forgot. We are much the same. Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, who is against us?” Instead of pressing into fear and doubt, we should focus on the faithfulness of God. Gill’s Exposition puts it this way, “The Lord is the covenant God of His people, holy in Himself, and the sanctifier of them, and their Saviour in time of trouble; and therefore need no doubt of His presence and support amidst all their afflictions; and besides they should call to mind past experiences of his goodness, to encourage their faith in him, as to present help and assistance” Has He been faithful before? How did He come to your aid, your rescue? Did He carry you through deep waters or the fire? If He has, which I am sure is true, then what have we to fear of the future? God has been faithful through the ages (Psalm 119:90) and He never changes (Malachi 3:6). So we lay down our fear and hold fast to the faithful love and care of our God.

3) Why did God create us? (verse 7)
The Westminster Shorter Catechism says, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” God created us with a purpose in mind. We were made to glorify God. But make no mistake, this is not about God being vain. It is about us reflecting His glory to others. “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1), but God’s people are expected to make it known as well.  Joshua said to Achan, “My son, please give glory to Yahweh, the God of Israel. (Joshua 7:19) David ordered, “Declare His glory among the nations, and His marvelous works among all the peoples.” (1 Chronicles 16:24). (Sermon Writer) Cooperating with the Holy Spirit within us (God with us), we are able to reflect His glory to those around us by serving, praising, worshiping and sharing the Word, and we, in turn, benefit. “..[W]hen we are glorifying God, we are fulfilling the purpose we were created for, and will therefore be the happiest and fulfilled.” (Enduring Word) When we operate out of God’s faithful love for us, we offer that love to others so they too may glorify the One True God. This is the purpose for which we were created!

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

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 Worship X 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.