Sacrifice

Reveal Day 4 Heartache’s Hope: 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 Heartache’s Hope!

The Questions

1) Who has been anointed and sent in these verses?

2) What needs rebuilding, restored and renewed in verse 4?

3) Who is Isaiah addressing in these verses?

Isaiah 61:1-4

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.

Original Intent

1) Who has been anointed and sent in these verses?
There is speculation on who the speaker of these verses could be, but what is clear is their connection to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. Isaiah 6:1-8 paints the remarkable picture of Isaiah’s calling. He was willing to go and speak as the Lord’s mouthpiece to His people, Israel. God had anointed Isaiah to go and do the work of the Lord because Isaiah was willing. In the first half of Isaiah the prophet foretells the judgment to come against Israel, but this section of Isaiah provides flourishing hope. The prophecy proclaims a time yet to come when Israel would be taken captive by Babylon, but then delivered from their captivity. However, Isaiah’s good news does not end there; He is also telling of a time when Jesus would walk on earth and forever release God’s people as captives through His sacrifice on the cross as He would take the penalty of our sin on Himself. Centuries later, Jesus quoted Isaiah’s words in Luke 4:18-19 proclaiming that the fulfillment of Isaiah’s words had finally transpired. Regardless of whether the speaker is actually Isaiah, the hope-filled message declaring a coming Rescuer is certain. There is a promise of a future blessing for God’s people, and Jesus adds a new layer of promise to these verses when He comes in fullness as God and man.

2) What needs rebuilding, restored and renewed in verse 4?
Isaiah prophesied of the coming destruction of both the Northern and Southern Kingdom of Israel. The Assyrians would take Israel, the Northern Kingdom, captive in 722 BC and Babylon would conquer Judah, the Southern Kingdom, in 586 BC. Jerusalem would be destroyed, and God’s people would be dispersed. However, captivity and destruction were not the final destiny of God’s people. God had no intention of abandoning His promise to Abraham generations before, but instead uses the destruction and captivity to usher in a time of spiritual renew for His people. Isaiah tells of a time when Israel would be restored to glory both as a city and as His people. They would no longer be a place of ruin and destruction but a thriving people chosen for His purpose. Nehemiah tells the story of a portion of this rebuilding as he leads the re-building of Israel’s wall and the city begins to be reestablished. Later, the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) tell of the ultimate restoration when Jesus is born through the promised bloodline of Judah and King David.

3) Who is Isaiah addressing in these verses?
Isaiah was a prophet to the Southern Kingdom. He prophesied the punishment coming to Judah because of their sinful rebellion against God. The entire book, not just this section, is a call for Judah to return to God as His people while also telling of the coming Messiah through His people just as He had long ago promised to Abraham. These verses continue to be aimed at this audience who, yet again, strayed from their True Love, Yahweh, and would face destruction so God could lovingly regain their attention. God would use their redemption to continue moving history towards His ultimate purpose of redeeming all of Creation.

Everyday Application

1) Who has been anointed and sent in these verses?
Isaiah’s calling and anointing in Isaiah 6 has always been amazing to me. God gave him a vision and Isaiah was immediately willing to go and proclaim God’s words. God uses Isaiah to proclaim judgment Israel would soon face, but the promise of redemption was also included. Isaiah’s glimpse into the coming salvation of all people through the person of Jesus, the anointing of our Savior is astounding! We have the blessing of living on the side of history after both of these events, Israel’s captivity and Jesus’ coming to earth. Jesus fulfilled God’s promise through Isaiah to “set the captives free”, and it is now our calling to proclaim the same good news Isaiah so willingly declared. While the redemption work of Jesus was completed on the cross, there is still work to be done until He returns. Will we echo Isaiah’s words with a willing heart, “Here am I. Send me!”?  (Isaiah 6:8)

2) What needs rebuilding, restored and renewed in verse 4?
Jerusalem is in ruins from Babylon captivity and is no longer a place of prominence. The city, and the hearts of the people, are desperately in need of restoration to the One to Whom they belong. While Jesus was the fulfillment of the restoration for Israel, God’s plan did not end there. Jesus came to redeem and restore every human heart’s broken relationship with the God of the Universe because of our sinful choices. When our faith is in Jesus, and we accept Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, we are restored, and made righteous, in His sight. However, even this is not the end! There is still a coming renewal promised in the return of Jesus. He will come again in all His glory to rebuild, restore, and renew humanity. He will establish His Kingdom in the perfection it was intended to be from the beginning. Isaiah’s prophecy is a multi-layered-prophecy. Just as it has been fulfilled in part, we can trust the ultimate fulfillment is indeed coming. The destruction we see in our current world is not forever. There is the promise of a day when “every tear will be wiped away and death will be no more… and everything will be new” (Revelation 21:4-5); what a glorious day that will be!

3) Who is Isaiah addressing in these verses?
While Isaiah’s prophecy was originally addressed to the people of Judah, his message is just as important and relevant for us today. We are a people who, time and again, choose to live for ourselves instead of for Him. No matter how long I walk with Jesus, my heart is prone to stray. I am never immune to thinking I can do it on my own, and I need redemption just as much as ancient Israel did. Thankfully, God doesn’t leave me, or any of us, on our own or stuck forever in our sin without providing a way out. He offers each of us eternal redemption and forgiveness through Jesus and gifted us His Holy Spirit to empower us to walk this journey of life as beacons of Jesus’ hope for others. There will be consequences when we go astray, but Jesus always offers redemption and grace when we choose to trust 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!

Digging Deeper Community

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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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Beloved Day 13 Catching Foxes

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Read His Words Before Ours!

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

Beloved, Day 13

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

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

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

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

Beginnings.
We love them.
We dream about them.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Beloved Day 3 Radical Love of Marriage

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Song of Solomon 1:1-11
Song of Solomon 5:2-8
Song of Solomon 8:5-14
Genesis 2:18-25
1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Beloved, Day 3

Studying the Song of Solomon gave me a fuller perspective on marriage. The book describes the relationship between a man and a woman from its beginning, into marriage, and thereafter. All along, their relationship was marked by romance.

Their love was radical; it was original.
It was God’s kind of love, which is unconditional.
The couple compared the strength of their love to fire, saying many waters cannot quench it nor can rivers drown it. (Song of Solomon 8:6-7)
No force, or condition, would alter their decision to love one another.

This is a picture of the marriage relationship God wants His children to enjoy.
He desires marriage relationships soaked in a deep friendship, emotional bonding, and physical pleasure; this is an enduring marriage. Though misunderstanding and disagreement arise, these cannot quench the love of a husband and wife who are committed to the perfect plan of God.

Marriage, we know, was instituted by God Himself with the command for two becoming one flesh. God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.” (Genesis 2:18) When the man saw the woman, he exclaimed, “This one at last is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh; this one will be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken from man.”  Therefore, Scripture says, a husband leaves his parents to be united to his wife. Here within the mystery of radical love, God binds two into one. (Genesis 2:23-24)

God’s handiwork is marvelous! He made them two kinds, one man, one woman, but one pair with one intention. Our differences as individuals help us acknowledge we are fearfully and wonderfully made by our Creator. (Psalm 139:14) Though two kinds, we complement each other, and our union achieves something altogether unique.
Oneness doesn’t mean sameness!
Within the context of marriage, God designed individuals to create a single bond together. We can celebrate our Maker God and His creativity on display in marriage!

Unfortunately, sometimes we fail to appreciate
the beautiful combination of our differences crafted by God,
instead elevating ourselves over our spouse.

We wish our spouses were more like us, so we could get things done our own way.
We want them to think our thoughts, follow the direction we go, and do what we want.
We forget our Maker crafted us as individuals to complement each other and fulfill His perfect plan for us in marriage, as opposed to our plan in our way! The apostle Paul told the Corinthian church regarding unity, “If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?” (1 Corinthians 12:17)

If we want all things done our way,
we miss the beauty of the union.

Furthermore, it’s difficult to celebrate God’s creativity in crafting us as individuals
unless we first pursue a deep relationship with Christ.
Only in Christ, can we find our true identity and deepest delight.

We were once in darkness, following the inclinations of our sinful nature. Our Plan. Our Way. God the Father sent Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God. Our faith in Christ has made us new creatures in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17-21); this is our new and true identity.

Finding our identity in Christ is one thing, choosing to remain in Him is another. The Lord Jesus said we must remain in Him, because without Him, we can do nothing. (John 15:5) When we fail to remain in Him, we hold on to our old, selfish nature of sin.
This selfish nature is all about having our way, even if it is wrong.

But if we choose to remain in Christ, He fills us with His radical, sacrificial love.
This is the love that drove Him to the cross to pay for sins He did not commit.
He willingly put Himself in our place, receiving the punishment meant for us,
so we may have fullness of life in Him.

We must learn sacrificial love from Him.
According to 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, His love is patient and kind,
it is not jealous or boastful, proud, or rude.
It does not demand its own way, neither is it irritable nor keeps a record of wrongs.
It never gives up, never loses faith, but is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance.

This is the love expected of us whose Master is the Lord Jesus.

As I was preparing to write this study, I spoke with my husband, and he said something that hurt me deeply. I almost reacted negatively, but immediately the Holy Spirit reminded me love is patient and kind, and not easily provoked. I was humbled and quickly refrained from being angry. The Bible says love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)

When we surrender our control to the Holy Spirit, our pattern of thinking changes.
Radically, we begin appreciating one another as individuals. When we look at our spouse through the lens of a lovingly handcrafted being with unique gifts, talents, and insights, our appreciation for God and our spouse both broadens and deepens.

When we firmly root our identity in God,
appreciate our spouses as individuals,
and share a common aim of pursuing and honoring the Lord together,
our relationship allows radical romance to thrive in our marriages!

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

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Worship VII Day 6 Sweet By And By

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 14:1-7
Revelation 14:1-5
Revelation 21:3-4

Worship VII, Day 6

“There’s a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar;
For the Father waits over the way
To prepare us a dwelling place there.

In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.

We shall sing on that beautiful shore
The melodious songs of the blessed;
And our spirits shall sorrow no more,
Not a sigh for the blessing of rest.

To our bountiful Father above,
We will offer our tribute of praise
For the glorious gift of His love
And the blessings that hallow our days.”

I adore hymns.
They surround my earliest memories of church and worship. The words and melodies introduced a solemnity to the service and carried a sacred whisper when I sang them.

As a child, I didn’t always understand the hymns, but somewhere along the way, a transition happened. The songs I sang by rote for years have now become sources of strength and help, holding me up in various challenging situations. I find myself singing them often, especially now, when face-to-face church fellowship isn’t possible in the way it once was because of Covid-19.

In the Sweet By and By has a special place in my heart because of the longing it creates for heaven. When did you first learn about heaven? I remember hearing about it as a little child. Though I wasn’t able to process the full scope of heaven at a young age, my vivid imagination envisioned it as THE BEST place a child’s mind could create. To be honest, it probably looked more like a gigantic toy store than the Biblical description of heaven. (Revelation 21:9-27) Regardless of age, as we read the Bible, we begin to understand no matter what picture of heaven our earth-bound minds have imagined, it doesn’t compare to the real thing.

“But, as it is written,
‘What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived–
God has prepared these things for those who love him.’”
(1 Corinthians 2:9)

What makes heaven so special?
There are an infinite number of reasons for an infinite number of believers, but one of my favorites is God preparing a place in heaven specially for us. (John 14:2-3) God loves us so much He designed and built a place for us beyond comparison! (Hebrews 11:10) Heaven is a city of gold with foundations made from precious jewels. (Revelation 21:18-21) I cannot fathom what such magnificence must look like!

Composer Joseph P. Webster was well-known for his performances and patriotic songs in the antebellum (pre-Civil War) and Civil War period. But by the end of the war, he lost his ability to perform and, instead, turned to compositions, mainly ballads and hymns. It was during this time he met Mr. Sanford Bennett, who wrote the lyrics to what would be Mr. Webster’s most popular and widely known hymn, In the Sweet By and By.

After such a dark period in our nation’s history, I can imagine there was a need for hope, a call to place the longing for home in an enduring location. (Hebrews 13:14) The amount of grief, loss, and separation experienced during that time was unparalleled . . . until now. The news echoes the tragedies faced by millions not just in our nation, but also across the globe because of the rampant coronavirus. The second stanza of this hymn reminds us there is a place where sorrows will be extinct.

Revelation 21:4 gives us this promise:
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
Grief, crying, and pain will be no more,
Because the previous things have passed away.”

What hope! We won’t even remember our pain. (Isaiah 65:17)

When we get to Heaven, among many other things, there will be the glorious sound of singing. It will be the song of those who know Who their Savior is and how He has redeemed them. (Revelation 5:9-10) The gift of God’s love is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins so we can return to our heavenly home. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 6:23; John 3:16)

This is the sweet by and by.

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

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

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Worship VII Day 4 The Wonderful Cross: 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 Wonderful Cross!

The Questions

1) Who is Isaiah describing in these verses and what event is he foretelling?

2) Why is there a comparison to a sheep in verse 7?

3) What is the beautiful promise made in verse 11?

Isaiah 53

Who has believed what we have heard?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a young plant
and like a root out of dry ground.
He didn’t have an impressive form
or majesty that we should look at him,
no appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of suffering who knew what sickness was.
He was like someone people turned away from;
he was despised, and we didn’t value him.

4 Yet he himself bore our sicknesses,
and he carried our pains;
but we in turn regarded him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced because of our rebellion,
crushed because of our iniquities;
punishment for our peace was on him,
and we are healed by his wounds.
6 We all went astray like sheep;
we all have turned to our own way;
and the Lord has punished him
for the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth.
Like a lamb led to the slaughter
and like a sheep silent before her shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
8 He was taken away because of oppression and judgment,
and who considered his fate?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
he was struck because of my people’s rebellion.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
but he was with a rich man at his death,
because he had done no violence
and had not spoken deceitfully.

10 Yet the Lord was pleased to crush him severely.
When you make him a guilt offering,
he will see his seed, he will prolong his days,
and by his hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished.
11 After his anguish,
he will see light and be satisfied.
By his knowledge,
my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will carry their iniquities.
12 Therefore, I will give him the many as a portion,
and he will receive the mighty as spoil,
because he willingly submitted to death,
and was counted among the rebels;
yet he bore the sin of many
and interceded for the rebels.

Original Intent

1) Who is Isaiah describing in these verses and what event is he foretelling?
It is important to note this section of Scripture actually begins in Isaiah 52:13-15 and continues in Isaiah 53. Isaiah, through divine inspiration from God’s Holy Spirit, provides an incredible picture of the promised Savior, Jesus Christ. Isaiah paints a picture unlike anywhere else in Scripture of what Christ would endure as He took upon the sins of the world in all of His innocence. These verses describe the mission Jesus came to accomplish in dying sinless in order to offer rescue to sinners.

2) Why is there a comparison to a sheep in verse 7?

The reference to a sheep, or lamb, would have been a familiar one for Isaiah’s Israelite audience. From the first sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, God has required the shedding of innocent blood for atonement. Genesis 3:21 describes how God made garments of skins to clothe Adam and Eve. He sacrificed the first animal and innocent blood was shed, as He made clothing to cover their shame. Later, God called Abraham to sacrifice His son, Isaac, and at the last moment God provided a ram for the sacrifice instead. (Genesis 22) During the plagues in Egypt, the final plague required an innocent lamb’s blood to be shed. This blood was to be painted on the doorposts, allowing the angel of death to pass over their homes sparing the life of the eldest son. (Exodus 11-12) During the days of the temple, the high priest entered the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement, and presented blood from an animal sacrifice to atone for the sins of the Israelites, a practice established in Leviticus 16:11-14. Isaiah uses language familiar to his audience to tell of a day coming when animal sacrifices would no longer be needed. There would be a day when the perfect, final sacrifice would come in the form of the promised Messiah. He would take the place of the innocent animal sacrifice; He would be led to slaughter for all sins.

3) What is the beautiful promise made in verse 11?
These verses are filled with an incredible promise. The Israelites likely didn’t grasp the entirety of this promise as they lived centuries before its fulfillment. However, Isaiah tells of a time that would indeed come when the promised Messiah would fulfill what God had put into action in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 3:15) Isaiah tells of a coming time when Jesus would take the sins of  the world upon Himself and exchange them for glorious salvation and restoration for His people through the work only He could accomplish. Isaiah tells of the Suffering Servant who would “justify many” (verse 11); this is the hope-filled promise Isaiah describes! Through Isaiah, God promises that one day, animal sacrifice would no longer be necessary because the final price would be paid in full. At that time, all who choose to accept His sacrifice would finally be justified before the Holy God because their sin would be paid for in Jesus.

Everyday Application

1) Who is Isaiah describing in these verses and what event is he foretelling?

Isaiah, hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth, describes Jesus for us with vivid imagery of all He would endure as He took my sins and yours to the cross where He would die in our place. Because of our sin, we deserve death and eternal separation from God. We are utterly incapable of becoming righteous on our own; our sin is too great, so we are stuck in eternal death. But Jesus, in magnificent love, took the punishment we deserved and offers us His righteousness in place of our sin, if we are willing to trust Him. None of us are deserving of this gift! God chose to lay all our guilt for all of our sin on Jesus as He went to the cross for us. (Isaiah 53:6) Isaiah’s words in these verses lead us to a new understanding of exactly what Jesus did for you, me, our neighbor across the street and across the world, all those years ago. As we read Isaiah’s God-inspired prophecy, we can sense the anguish Christ lovingly chose to endure for all of us so we might be in right relationship with Him.

2) Why is there a comparison to a sheep in verse 7?
Atonement for sin has always required bloodshed. Since Adam and Eve first sinned in the garden, God has required innocent blood for those sins, but He has also faithfully provided a way for sin to be atoned. Even the Old Testament sacrificial system of bloodshed from an innocent animal was given by God as a grace gift. During Passover in Egypt, God provided lamb’s blood to spare lives, painting a clear picture of His provision that would one day come as Jesus poured out His blood in exchange for our eternal souls. We have the privilege of living on the other side of Isaiah’s prophecy foretelling a coming Messiah because Jesus has already fulfilled this promise. We are no longer called to sacrifice an animal to present as atonement for our sins. Jesus became flesh and offered Himself as the perfect Lamb who sacrificed Himself for all sins of all people on the cross. He willingly went to the cross of suffering although He was innocent. We have been given the opportunity to receive the gift of salvation because of the incredible sacrifice of Jesus’ life as He became the final, perfect sacrifice to atone for all sins. (1 John 2:2)

 

3) What is the beautiful promise made in verse 11?
“This verse tells of the enormous family of believers who will become righteous, not by their own works, but by the Messiah’s great work on the cross”. (NLT Study Bible) There is nothing you or I can do to be justified and become righteous on our own, but Christ willingly carried our iniquities to the cross, taking our punishment and, in return, providing us with His righteousness and forgiveness. He did what we could never do on our own account and permanently intercedes for us. This means, in Jesus, every one of our sins, past, present, and future, has already been paid for in full by the perfectly innocent Lamb of God! What an incredibly beautiful promise! When we choose to accept the gift of forgiveness and salvation offered to us in Christ, we agree to turn from our sin and are fully washed by the blood of Christ, becoming a new creation and part of the family of God forever!

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

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 VII 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.

Worship VII Day 3 The Wonderful Cross

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Philippians 3:1-11
Isaiah 53
John 15:6-17
Mark 15:6-37

Worship VII, Day 3

Dichotomy
Such a fancy-sounding word, simply meaning a contrast between two differing or opposing ideas. Why is this word important for today’s journey into worship? As we explore the hymn The Wonderful Cross, we uncover the incredible dichotomy of the cross of Jesus, simultaneously wonderful and horrible. Come, discover with me.

“When I survey the wondrous Cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My richest gain, I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride.”

In Biblical times, there was nothing wonderful about a cross. It meant crucifixion, which was excruciatingly painful, while also publicizing the victim had committed a crime deserving a penalty of death.

Except Jesus committed no crime.
There was no sin to attribute to Him. (1 John 3:5)

However, human beings have sins to spare, and Jesus took every last, ugly, despicable one of them to that cross of death and shame. (Isaiah 53:5-6)
His holiness took on our sinfulness.
His righteousness was willingly offered in exchange for our unrighteousness when we embrace the cross. This place of death offers a slaying of our sin as we submit to His rule and reign! Anything we give up in this life to follow Him is a loss so we can gain eternity. (Philippians 3:7-9) Praise Him, the Prince of Glory!

“See from His head, His hands, His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did ever such love and sorrow meet?
Or thorns compose, so rich a crown.” 

Jesus’ cross experience was filled with pain and suffering. Can you imagine being beaten with a whip laced with metal? (Mark 15:15) Picture a crown of thorns beaten into your head. (Mark 15:17-19) Then carry a cross beam on your wounded back, only to be nailed to it, and hung to die. Every drop of blood, from His head, hands and feet flowed from joyful obedience to the Father. He could have focused on the pain of the cross. Instead, He focused on the joy of it, because He was winning our salvation.

In the face of hatred and jealousy, He expressed love.
In response to the envy of the chief priests (Mark 15:10),
His fellow Jews yelling, “Crucify Him!” (Mark 15:12-14),
Roman soldiers mocking Him (Mark 15:20),
and crowds scoffing as He hung on the cross for their sins (Mark 15:29-32),
He offered His life for them all.

This was pure love.

John 15:13 says, “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.”
Jesus, however, went beyond this definition. Romans 5:8 says,
“while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

While they were not His friends.
While we were not His friends.
He still laid down His life, because He loves us! Does it ever bring you to tears to think about someone, anyone, loving you so much? I can scarcely handle the thought of the most holy God loving sinful me that much. Yet He does! Glory!

“Oh the wonderful Cross, oh the wonderful Cross
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live
Oh the wonderful Cross, oh the wonderful Cross
All who gather here by grace, draw near and bless Your name.” 

The chorus mentions “gathering to bless His name.” This is what we do on Sundays at church, at Bible study, in small groups, and as we pray together throughout the week. We bless Him.
When we lay our problems down so He can handle them, we bless Him.
All made possible because of the wonderful cross that brought His brutal death and our freedom.

On the day Jesus died, people gathered at the foot of His cross, but their intention was not to bless. They drew near to mock the very One who could save them. Today, in light of what Jesus finished for us, we metaphorically gather at the foot of the cross to bless the very one who did save us. (Isaiah 53:5 and Isaiah 53:11)

“Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all.”

How do we respond to this costly, sacrificial love? In His horrific death, we find the most profoundly extravagant act of love and selflessness ever displayed.

I can think of three actions we can take in response.
First, accept the gift of salvation. Jesus paid a high price for us to spend eternity with Him. Let’s not leave His gift unaccepted and unopened.

Second, since Jesus died for us, we should die for others in sacrificial love. On a daily basis, we work toward dying to self and to our sin. Philippians 2:3 explains it best, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.” In a nutshell, dying to self means:

  • Operating in humility
  • Considering others before ourselves
  • Placing others’ needs before ours

I warn you, it will feel like death. I’ve tried it!
But it’s nothing compared to the cross of Christ. So, let’s just do the thing, and live in the love of Jesus as we follow Him, okay?

Third, we can take hold of the life Jesus died to give us.
Let’s read our Bible and do what it says.
Let’s use our gifts for His glory, not ours.
Let’s press on toward the goal for the prize of following Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)
We can do this in honor of the wonderful cross and our beautiful Savior!

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

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Worship VII 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 Worship VII!

Worship VII Day 2 Be Still My Soul: 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 Be Still My Soul!

The Questions

1) How has God justified us, as believers, so no one can condemn us? (verses 33-34)

2) What does it mean that Jesus is sitting at God’s right hand interceding for us? (verse 34)

3) How can we be more than conquerors despite the troubles we face? (verses 35-39)

Romans 8:31-39

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

Because of you
we are being put to death all day long;
we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Original Intent

1) How has God justified us, as believers, so no one can condemn us? (verses 33-34)
Paul wrote to the persecuted Christians in Rome so they could confidently know that no one could condemn them because they were justified by God. (Romans 8:33) The Greek word for justification, dikaioo, “describes the act by which a man is brought into a right state of relationship to God. Dikaioo is a legal term connected with the law and the courtroom, where it represented the legally binding verdict of the judge.” Paul wanted his readers to be confident that God, the highest authority and Judge, justified them through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. No one else had the power to say differently. God freed those who trusted in Jesus from all condemnation that Satan, or any person, could charge against them. As author Stephen Cole puts it, “No one can go above God’s head to change His decision to justify the sinner who has faith in Jesus. If God has justified you, you’re justified! He’s the Supreme Court of all Supreme Courts!” When Paul asked who can accuse or condemn (Romans 8:34), he didn’t mean no one would attempt to condemn Christians.  Satan would still lie and accuse, and enemies of Christ would still hurl accusations and persecute believers. Paul emboldens his readers by teaching them that none of those condemning words matters to our standing with God. Every sin is covered by the blood of Christ, and no guilt or shame can attach itself to anyone covered by the blood of Jesus.

2) What does it mean that Jesus is sitting at God’s right hand interceding for us? (verse 34)
Paul makes this bold statement about Jesus interceding for us; author David Guzik helps us understand this by noting, “The right hand was the place of status and favor. This is because in the thinking of ancient cultures, most people being right handed, the right hand was the hand of power, skill, and strength. To be at someone’s right hand was more prestigious than being at the left hand.” Jesus is seated at this place of honor at God’s right hand in Heaven, but He isn’t there to rest.  He is actively praying for us! Not only did Jesus save us by dying on the cross to cover our sins when He came to earth, but He prays for each of us now while in the position of the Father’s right hand in Heaven.  Hebrews 7:25 also tells us Jesus always lives to intercede for us.  The Holy Spirit, co-equal with God the Father and God the Son, also intercedes for us according to Romans 8:26. This is such an affirmation of the love of God! Not only did He secure our salvation by His sacrifice on the cross, but He helps us and cares for us by praying for, and on behalf of, us. Author Gavin Ortlund asserts, “The intercessory work of Christ is invaluable to every Christian, for it makes clear that our ongoing acceptance before God is finally grounded in the utter sufficiency of the cross.”  It is almost too much to believe that the Savior who paid the price for our sin also sits in Heaven interceding for us.  He didn’t stop at rescuing our souls. He lives to intercede for us, showing us His love in yet another incredible act of service.

3) How can we be more than conquerors despite the troubles we face? (verses 35-39)
In verses 35-37, Paul connects with his persecuted brothers and sisters by querying, “Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” As Paul describes the various troubles Christians walk through, he quotes from Psalm 44:22, which would have been quite familiar to his original audience. This passage is a complaint by the nation of Israel that God seemed to have forgotten them. The Psalm ends with an outcry for God to redeem them on account of His faithful love. (Psalm 44:26) This is also Paul’s message to the Roman Christians. God’s love is so strong that nothing can separate us from His love.  Paul is even so bold as to say that in every scenario he mentioned, we are more than conquerors through Jesus. He asserts that believers go beyond just conquering! Author Ray Stedman suggests one who is more than a conqueror “actually takes the very things that are designed to destroy him, and they become stepping stones instead of stumbling blocks.”  How does God take these dire circumstances and make us more than conquerors?  Author David Guzik notes how one “overcomes with a greater power, the power of Jesus.  He overcomes with a greater motive, the glory of Jesus.  He overcomes with a greater victory, losing nothing even in the battle.  He overcomes with a greater love, conquering enemies with love and converting persecutors with patience.”  It is the power and love of Jesus in us giving us victory over every affliction and helping us come out victorious. Jesus loved us so much He died on the cross for us, and that love not only saved us, but makes us more than conquerors in every trial we face.

Everyday Application

1) How has God justified us, as believers, so no one can condemn us? (verses 33-34)
Nothing has sent me searching the Scriptures for wisdom, praying and proclaiming the promises I find in the Bible more than being a parent of teenagers. My teens haven’t even been particularly troublesome or rebellious!  They just live in a world that wants to hurt them and tear them down while I am working to build them up and help them heal. In the midst of the fight, I find myself vulnerable to the lies of the enemy when it comes to my parenting.  Any hurt or struggle my kids face is an opportunity for Satan to highlight my failures and shortcomings.  “You had one job…to protect them!  And you couldn’t even do that,” I hear ringing in my ears.  I constantly second guess our parenting choices. Are we too strict? Maybe too permissive?  Do we not listen enough, or do we hover too much?  It’s easy to lose sight of what Paul tells us in Romans 8:33, “Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies.”  Even though Satan hurls accusations at me, the finality of God’s word says my sins are washed away and I am forgiven, saved by Jesus. (Titus 3:5)  He loved me and sacrificed His life for me before I ever knew Him or loved Him. (Romans 5:8) He knew when He redeemed me that I would still make mistakes and sin (1 John 1:8-10), but His voice never condemns me. (Romans 8:33) He gives me grace and helps me recover from the natural consequences of my sin. (Hebrews 4:16) Amazingly, He uses all my failures to mature me and shape me more like Him, working everything together for my good and His glory! (Romans 8:28) He gently reminds me He is continuously doing all these things for my kids, too. They are also saved by His grace, not their works, or mine! He is for them, and nothing the enemy tries can separate them from God’s love. (Romans 8:39)

2) What does it mean that Jesus is sitting at God’s right hand interceding for us? (verse 34)
I believe in the power of prayer.  I believe prayer works because I have seen answered prayers in my own life and in the lives of others, not because prayer is “magical”, but because the God who answers prayer lives and moves and loves for our good and His glory! The Bible tells us in James 5:16 that the effective, fervent prayers of righteous people really do make a difference!  If the prayers of the saints can be effective, then what must the prayers of Jesus do?! It is almost unfathomable that my Savior is in Heaven praying for me, yet this is the reality Paul describes in Romans 8:34. I almost can’t wrap my head around the concept of Christ interceding in Heaven for me. What an amazing act of love and care.  Author John Murray suggests, “Nothing serves to verify the intimacy and constancy of the Redeemer’s preoccupation with the security of his people, nothing assures us of His unchanging love more than the tenderness which His heavenly priesthood bespeaks and particularly as it comes to expression in intercession for us.” His intercession is such a sweet outpouring of His deep love for us. I wonder how different I would feel and behave if I remembered at least once each day that Jesus was praying for me.  Surely, I would feel safer and happier knowing He was pleading to God on my behalf!  I invite you to join me each day in pondering the truth of Scripture’s declaration, Jesus intercedes for us! Holding to this truth will make us less fearful and more secure in His boundless love than ever before!

3) How can we be more than conquerors despite the troubles we face? (verses 35-39)
It should greatly encourage every Christian when the apostle Paul says “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37), especially since he was referencing some major difficulties like persecution, famine and other dangers. (Romans 8:35-37) To read that God declares me as more than a conqueror over struggle is awesome!  However, there are many days when I feel like a loser, far from a conqueror, and my only foe was an unruly toddler or a snarky lady at the post office. When I lose sight of God’s love and power and try to do things in my own strength, I lose the battle pretty quickly. The good news is I am never separated from the love of God and the help He gives. Paul tells us he is convinced there is not one single thing able to keep us away from the love of Jesus. (verses 38-39) Paul is not just being a flowery writer or exaggerating to make a point in these verses. He has first-hand experience of many of the afflictions he describes, yet he has overcome them all through the power of God.  None of the hardships Paul faced have caused him to turn away from God. God’s love was with him in every circumstance, and he knew God is faithful to keep loving us and helping us no matter what.  I purpose in the days ahead to see myself as more than a conqueror, strengthened and protected by the love of Christ in me.  I may not be able to avoid afflictions, but I can overcome them with God’s help.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Be Still My Soul!

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 VII 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.

Ten Day 8 Worth Of One

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 20:13
Genesis 1:26-27
Exodus 21:22-25

Ten, Day 8

Be honest, sister.
Have you ever tried to earn God’s favor?

I’ll be the first to admit I have!

Entrapped in a multi- year-long season of legalism, I believed the Ten Commandments, as well as God’s instruction to the church in the New Testament, were provided as means for pleasing God with our behavior . . . to earn His favor. I subconsciously viewed my obedience as a means to control God. If I obeyed His commands, then surely God would love and protect me and no harm would come my way . . . right?

Wrong.
My limited perspective was nearsighted and false. As I have grown in my understanding of the Word, I’ve learned the commands of God reflect His character. They reveal His nature, His righteousness, His love, His goodness, and His desire for us to be holy, as He is holy. As we live in obedience to Him out of a heart of gratitude for His glorious gospel, we are transformed into His image and reflect Him to the watching world.

In our series on the Ten Commandments, we’ve reached God’s commandment, “Do not murder” (Exodus 20:13). Most everyone agrees murder is wrong, but have you ever pondered why? What makes murder so grievous? Today, we’ll unpack why murder is such an affront to the heart and nature of God.

Our conversation starts at the beginning of time, in the garden of Eden. As God created mankind, He proclaimed,
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26)

We see the result of this proclamation in the very next verse:
“So God created man in his own image;
He created him in the image of God;
He created them male and female.” (Genesis 1:27)

This is precisely why murder so terrible; when someone murders a fellow human being, they are snuffing out the life of an image-bearer of God Himself.

The sacred nature of human life is further illustrated in this Levitical law:
“When men get in a fight and hit a pregnant woman so that her children are born prematurely but there is no injury, the one who hit her must be fined as the woman’s husband demands from him, and he must pay according to judicial assessment.  If there is an injury, then you must give life for life,  eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,  burn for burn, bruise for bruise, wound for wound.” (Exodus 21:22-25)

This law clearly illustrates the importance God places on a human life,
even the smallest and most vulnerable!

For believers living after Jesus’ death and resurrection, who live everyday with the gift of the Holy Spirit within us, this commandment takes on new meaning and a higher level of accountability. As Jesus teaches in Matthew 5, our abstention from murder should extend to unrighteous anger, insults, and denigrating or slanderous speech.

In fact, Scripture explains, such treatment of a fellow image-bearer reveals a heart of hatred. Hatred of another human, even our enemies, stands in direct opposition to the example set by Jesus’ sacrificial death.

Instead, Jesus calls us to love our enemies and offers us a living demonstration: even in the midst of His agony on the cross, He didn’t spew judgement or hatred. His heart of mercy triumphed over the pain of injustice His body suffered as He interceded for His tormentors.

“Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

God’s command to preserve life, working in concert with the other passages we’ve discussed, creates a beautiful picture of the Father’s fierce heart of love for His children. The command truly comes alive and we see, for perhaps the first time, just how highly God esteems us as His creations. We bear the image, the breath, and the Spirit of Almighty God. Therefore, rather than taking a life, we are called to willingly lay down our own lives, in gratitude and love for the One who gave Himself to rescue us.

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

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

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

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

The GT Weekend Ten Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Idols come in all shapes and sizes. Maybe it’s the little “harmless” Buddha statue you leave food and water for. Maybe it’s a statue of Mary, or even Jesus, that you make the sign of the cross in front of, or give a little bow towards. While the motivations may be genuine, the Lord is clear about idolatry; it has no place in the life of a believer. The Lord is infinite and vast, much too magnificent to be represented by an object made by human hands. Idolatry doesn’t stop at objects, however, it seeps into our hearts through a love of anyone or anything more than the God of the Universe. He will not share His glory with anyone or anything else, because none, beyond Himself, are worthy of worship. Make some space this weekend with a pen and paper and God’s Word, praying for the Lord to reveal your idols. Lay these before the One God of all, and ask Him to quicken your heart to love Him most and best!

2) On Wednesday, Merry challenged us to reconsider the depths of taking on the Lord’s holy name. She picked up on the theme of marriage as Paul does in his letters about Christ and the Church. When we consider our daily walk with the Lord as being a marriage partnership where we are living under His Name and for the purpose of glorifying His Name, where might we be taking His Name in vain? Calling ourselves Christ-followers or walking through the doors of a church building, but not allowing His Holy Spirit to remake us from the inside out is taking the Lord’s Name in vain. We may appear as if we are working for the Lord, but really the inside hasn’t been remade. Live up to the calling you have been given in Christ! Live worthy of the high price of sacrifice and love Jesus has lavished upon you, and follow Him in full surrender! Take His Name, and live it out!

3) The idea of sabbathing is largely a foreign concept within the Church, and practically unheard of outside of the Church, which results in a tragic neglect of this precious, life-giving commandment from the heart of God. Many believers think, as I once did, that honoring the Sabbath equates to going to church on Sunday. While it can certainly include this, it isn’t the whole! Kendra beautifully shared, and challenged, us yesterday to begin incorporating Sabbath into our everyday rhythms of life. You can begin this weekend! The value doesn’t lie in a specific day, or a specific set of rules, but in setting aside time to truly rest and worship. The rewards are rich and deep; come see for yourself!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Ephesians 4:4-5 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call — one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Prayer Journal
Father God, Your word is so rich and full of intricacies, deeper than I often am willing to see at first glance. Holy Spirit, teach me the depth of your majesty, the lavish love You have for mankind, and the work You have prepared for me as I follow You. Use this study of Your commandments to shake my heart and unveil my preconceived ideas about who You are! Take me deeper into truth, Lord God. Wrap me in grace as You show me Yourself. Convict me of sin, and fuel me with passion to pursue You with everything I have!

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