Selfishness

Word Day 7 How’s Your Worship?: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out How’s Your Worship?!

The Questions

1) What are the benefits of following the Lord?

2) David repeats the phrase, “the fear of the Lord”; what does this mean?

3) Why does David write, “bless the Lord”? I thought God blesses us.

Psalm 103

My soul, bless the Lord,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 My soul, bless the Lord,
and do not forget all his benefits.

3 He forgives all your iniquity;
he heals all your diseases.
4 He redeems your life from the Pit;
he crowns you with faithful love and compassion.
5 He satisfies you with good things;
your youth is renewed like the eagle.

6 The Lord executes acts of righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He revealed his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in faithful love.
9 He will not always accuse us
or be angry forever.
10 He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve
or repaid us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his faithful love
toward those who fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed
our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
14 For he knows what we are made of,
remembering that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass—
he blooms like a flower of the field;
16 when the wind passes over it, it vanishes,
and its place is no longer known.
17 But from eternity to eternity
the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear him,
and his righteousness toward the grandchildren
18 of those who keep his covenant,
who remember to observe his precepts.
19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Bless the Lord,
all his angels of great strength,
who do his word,
obedient to his command.
21 Bless the Lord, all his armies,
his servants who do his will.
22 Bless the Lord, all his works
in all the places where he rules.
My soul, bless the Lord!

Original Intent

1) What are the benefits of following the Lord?

In this psalm, David lists a multitude of benefits for following the Lord. Just because David was the one anointed to become king (1 Samuel 16:1-13), didn’t mean he was isolated and protected. He was hunted down to be killed by more than one person, including his own son, Absalom. (2 Samuel 17) He faced death often, and even before he was chosen as the next king, he was viewed as insignificant. (1 Samuel 17:33) He was also far from perfect. David murdered (2 Samuel 11:14-18), lied (1 Samuel 21:2-3), and committed adultery (2 Samuel 11:2-4). He still suffered the negative effects of those sins. Yet, he penned this psalm of praise, encouraging everyone to follow the Lord because His way is wise, best and overflowing with benefits. When he committed adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:1-15), David experienced the benefit of the Lord’s forgiveness. (verses 3, 9-10) David knew firsthand what it meant to have his life saved from destruction as he was pursued by enemies. (verses 6, 8, and 13) Because David had experienced the many, gracious benefits of the Lord throughout his life, he confidently proclaimed how the Lord would continue blessing future generations who committed to following the ways of the Lord. (verses 15-19) We see one evidence of God’s generational blessing specific to David and his son, Solomon, in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:6.

 

2) David repeats the phrase, “the fear of the Lord”; what does this mean?

Fear in this case does not mean being afraid in the sense of terror, rather it means a humble recognition that God is all-powerful and the only One worthy of respect and glory. The fear of the Lord is reverential awe. David’s son, Solomon, would eventually write, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 9:10) Fearing the Lord in the Old Testament looked like sacrifices, but it also was tightly connected to the posture of the heart. (Psalm 51:16-17, Isaiah 1:10-15) Brothers, Cain and Abel, both offered sacrifices, but only one brother’s offering was acceptable. (Genesis 4:4-5) Sacrifices were commanded by God because He wanted His people to understand that sinning against Him breaks His relationship with them. Sin pridefully asserts ourselves against God’s righteousness. Because God wanted His people to understand the seriousness of sin, and the reality that sin comes at a price, He instituted the Sacrificial System. Depending on the type of sin, sacrifices were required to pay the penalty of sin. Doves, grain, sheep, and bulls (yes, an entire cow!) were offered as atonement for sin when they stepped away from following God and His law. (Leviticus 19) All of this was designed to help Israel understand that fearing the Lord meant realizing God is righteous and holy while we are sinners, separated from Him. There were a lot of laws to remember, and along the way, Israel’s focus shifted from fearing the Lord to simply managing their behavior with ever-lengthening lists of “how to’s and don’t do’s”. David’s words were a reminder to Israel that fearing the Lord is a good thing; the best thing. Revering the Lord is the right way to live because only in this context, we enjoy a close relationship with the Lord. By walking in the fear of the Lord, God pours out His blessings on generations to come. (verses 13 and 17)

 

3) Why does David write, “bless the Lord”? I thought God blesses us.

There are several types of psalms including lament, thanksgiving, and praise among others. While some psalms combine themes, Psalm 103 is full of praise as the psalmist, David, lists reasons to “bless the Lord, oh my soul” both individually and corporately with other believers. David knew how to praise the Lord because he had witnessed the Lord’s kindness in all aspects of life, whether difficult or easy and he wrote many psalms extolling God’s goodness. He literally danced in the street so great was his desire to bless the Lord. (2 Samuel 6:14-22) David’s “oh my soul” refrain springs from a desire to go deeper in his worshipful adoration of the Lord. In the midst of his praise, David speaks to himself. He isn’t content with merely singing, or even dancing or hand-raising as outward expressions of praise. David wants to praise the Lord from the depths of his being. He wants to be all in for blessing the Lord.   

Everyday Application

1) What are the benefits of following the Lord?

Because the Lord doesn’t change, the benefits of following Him are the same for us as they were for King David and the generations who followed him. (Numbers 23:19, James 1:17) When Jesus came to earth as God incarnate (in human flesh), those who followed God experienced a fuller manifestation of His benefits. After Jesus ascended back to Heaven, He poured out the Holy Spirit to dwell within those who trusted Him. (Acts 2:4) His presence brought a radical abundance of blessing to God’s people. For us today, His benefit may not look like a leper being cleansed (Mark 1:40-45), but it could look like a different diagnosis, being healed completely, or having minimal side effects from a treatment. (verse 3) The benefits in the 21st century may be evidenced as the exact provision we need precisely at the time we need it. Deliverance may not be a physical “parting of the Red Sea”, but it could look like your plans suddenly changing, later realizing the shift ended up being better than the original plan. Even running late could be the Lord’s protection and deliverance from a potential accident. The Lord’s benefits are as simple as a flower’s bloom or as grand as healing, but the most significant benefit from the Lord is forgiveness from sin and redemption from our past. These benefits didn’t end when Jesus died on the cross, they only started there. The price Jesus paid to cover our unrighteousness was for all time. Repent from your sin, believe on the Lord Jesus, and your sins will be washed away just as David wrote, “…as far as the east is from the west.” (verse 12)

 

2) David repeats the phrase, “the fear of the Lord”; what does this mean?

Even today many view God as angry and vengeful when His “rules” aren’t followed. We tend to miss God’s heart’s desire to have a relationship with us. Still, our sin separates us from Him. This is why Jesus came as God in the flesh! Christ came to earth, sacrificing Himself as the full payment for all sin, demonstrating once and for all that God is merciful and gracious. He loves each person. In the Old Testament, sin had a sliding scale of “value”. Different sins mandated different types of sacrifices, some more costly than others. There may have been instances of people not being able to provide the sacrifice required, which meant they were still under the burden of unremitted, unforgiven sin. But Jesus! Jesus paid for all sin, whether large or small, past or present. All sin is sin. There are still consequences to our sins, but if we trust Jesus as our Savior to make payment for our sin and we repent, we are forgiven. The effects of sin remain as long as we are on earth, but the eternal price has been paid at Calvary with Jesus’ blood sacrifice. In our modern age, fearing the Lord should still be the focal point of our everyday lives. His love for us leaves us awestruck! Even when we are deep in sin, we are still loved and can be rescued! A lifestyle drenched in iniquity, a vice we can’t seem to overcome, even a bad attitude can become like mire and keep us trapped in the pit of sin. When we repent and believe in Christ, choosing to follow Him and His ways, we are rescued from the Pit of Hell! (verse 12) We are no longer separated from God! In Jesus, God in the flesh mercifully gave Himself for us. Instead of angry judgement, He gives compassion, love and mercy. We should stand in reverential awe of this divine, selfless grace as He wraps us in His love.

 

3) Why does David write, “bless the Lord”? I thought God blesses us.

We know how to bless others, like family and friends, with kind gestures of generosity or a thoughtful phone call, but how do we, mere humans, bless the Lord God Almighty? In our modern culture we use “bless” and “blessing” to mean bestowing gifts or as a description for receiving good things. But blessing the Lord can stem from nothing less than a true heart of worship. The Lord owns all things and has authority over all things, but He has given us free will to choose whether we will worship Him or worship ourselves. Even as finite human beings, we can indeed bless the Lord by surrendering our hearts in adoring worship to Him. While outward gestures bless people, the Lord looks at our hearts. We can raise our hands, bow our heads, and sing vibrantly, but unless our hearts are humbled before the King of Kings, we aren’t truly blessing Him. David wanted to praise God from his innermost being, to be completely in for blessing the God who rescued him. Psalm 103 lists a whole slew of reasons (if we needed some help) to give the Lord worship and praise. Let’s tap into the very deep core of our spirit, turning ourselves over in genuine worship to give God the praise and blessing due His name!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with How’s Your Worship?!

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Ten Day 11 The Deceit Of Not Enough

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 6:25-34
Psalm 27:1-5
1 Peter 5:5-7
Genesis 3:1-6
Exodus 20:15

Ten, Day 11

“What’s in your hand?”, my mom asked as we walked out of the convenience store. I slowly unwrapped my seven-year-old fingers from the small pack of Now and Later candy I had stolen. The pit in my stomach told me I was in trouble and it was only going to get worse.

“You have to take it back and apologize.” My mom held my hand and led me back into the store. We walked up to the counter and I stared at the pickled pig’s feet in the jar on the counter.

“My daughter has something she would like to tell you,” Mom explained to the clerk. I stretched my hand out and dropped the candy on the counter.

“I’m sorry I took these without paying for them.”
I couldn’t make eye contact, I was so embarrassed. Immediately, I headed for the door.

Once we left, my mom explained I had broken one of the Ten Commandments. Stealing was on the same list as murder. I learned a valuable lesson and cemented an aversion both to pickled pig’s feet and stealing that has stuck with me to this day.

I have since realized my desire to take what isn’t mine goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. When the serpent convinced Adam and Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they were stealing from God.

One of Satan’s most deceptive strategies involves providing a short-term solution giving us something we want or need, but ultimately keeping us from God’s best. 

Though Eve lacked for nothing, Satan enticed her with the forbidden fruit. Just like Adam and Eve, we can be easily convinced God is holding out and we need to meet our own wants or needs.

For many people, our choice to cut corners and take what isn’t ours comes from
a fear God won’t give us what we want,
a sense of entitlement (we deserve what we are taking),
or just plain impatience.

Each of these motivations are based on pride.

Pride means elevating our needs and desires over God and other people.

When we act out of fear, we are choosing to listen to pride’s whispered lie we know more than God and can do a better job providing than He can.

A sense of entitlement elevates our needs and desires over the owner’s rights. Pride tells us our desires are THE MOST important. As Proverbs 16:19 reminds us, “Better to be of lowly spirit with the humble than to divide plunder with the proud.”

Impatience is often rooted in pride and fear, as well. Our pride falsely elevates our ability to know the future, and imposes a man-made deadline on the Creator of the Universe’s capacity to meet our needs. Rather than focusing on God’s unlimited resources and ability, we become focused on our scarce resources and opportunities.

Fear is a weapon Satan often uses to lead us away from God’s best. The best way to fight back is by studying and memorizing Bible verses. God’s Word is a double-edged sword we can use to defeat Satan’s attacks. Dwelling on Scripture builds our faith; faith provides a shield against the fiery arrows Satan uses against us.

At an early age, my mom helped me learn to use this verse to combat fear.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.”
(2 Timothy 1:7)

This promise breaks through the fear of unmet needs.

“And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

When the future looms ahead, murky in uncertainty, let’s remember:

“Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26)

“The Lord is my light and my salvation
whom should I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
whom should I dread?” (Psalm 27:1)

When pride begins to puff our chests and cloud our vision,
let’s pursue humility with His Word:

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7)

“When arrogance comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2)

Whether we’re tempted to pocket a stolen piece of candy, or steal our future from the hands of our loving Father, we’ve seen how God’s command to refrain from stealing addresses the true condition of our hearts.

And when we struggle with fear of scarcity, impatience, or pride, we can counteract Satan’s assaults with Scripture. When fear strikes, we can ask God to lead us to His truth from Scripture to counteract the lies. Let’s turn our focus to our Heavenly Father as we trust in His deep love, His unbounded resources, and His faithful provision.

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

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Open Week 1

Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Sit still, Bible open, pen ready. This could be harder, and more convicting, than we’d like to admit. Open to Luke 19:6-7. Read these two verses over and over, slowly, quickly, again. Pray over them as you read, asking the Spirit to stir your heart. The rejected, hated, outcast man was downright giddy to be welcomed in. The ‘righteous’ crowds? The despised Jesus’ actions. Disgusted. Angry. Who sits at your table? Who is on your ‘to invite over’ list? Who do you spend time, talent, and treasure loving on? Write down those names, they are important and Jesus loves them and how you invest! But is anyone offended by your willingness to love the ugly, outcast, hated, rejected? Beg the Holy Spirit to bring to mind those faces, because maybe you don’t know their names, who you could invite in, but very intentionally haven’t. Write down those names, they are important and Jesus loves them; He’s calling you to invest!

2) Radical, generous hospitality finds its roots in obedience. But not blind obedience to a cosmic being dictating morally good acts. Rather, truly loving hospitality stems from obedience grown from the bedrock of deep, abiding faith. The knowing who God is and trusting His heart. Is your openness towards generosity feeling a little rusty or maybe even stingy? How’s your faith? Who do you say God is? Is He faithful and trustworthy enough to provide for you? How stingy do you view Him?

3)  Yesterday, Parker challenged us to ask the Lord a question when we begin to interact with someone we find challenging to love, let alone like. “Jesus, show me what you love about them.” Challenge yourself to take this question to the next level this weekend by journaling out the names of the people in your closest circle. Maybe your closest friends, your spouse and children, or parents and siblings. One by one, pray over these names and ask the Lord this question, writing down what the Spirit brings to mind. Remember these aren’t qualities you admire, rather you’re asking the Lord for His vantage point. Then, take the opportunity when presented to share these small treasures with each person you named!

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 Matthew 25:40 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

“And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Prayer Journal
Lord, in brokenness I come to You. My total inability to love like You is so evident as I live out this precious life You’ve given me. I mis-prioritize, I choose my comfort over going beyond myself, I choose my schedule over loving intentionally because it’s costly, it’s difficult, and mostly because I am selfish. Lord, make me new. Not once, but over and over and over. Remind me that You are always on the horizon, arms spread wide celebrating when I return and ask You to fill me again. I want to love like you, Abba. Remind me that only when I sit here with You, like father and child, can I love others well and, in so doing, show You love. May my life declare Your love, Lord!

Worship Through Community

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

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

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Kaleidoscope Day 8 A Quick Trip to Isolation

2 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Numbers 12:1-16
Proverbs 12:18
1 Peter 4:7-8
1 John 4:7-11

Kaleidoscope, Day 8

To love is to commit to paying a costly price.
To love is to commit to messy, broken relationships.
To love is to commit to being hurt.

The alternative?
Isolation.

The on-ramp to safe isolation, far away from great cost, mess, brokenness, and excruciating pain?
Rudeness.

Extreme?
Well, I’ll let you decide.

Surely, there are other, more clear symptoms of isolation and lack of love, right?
Traits like anger, bitterness, and hatred seem pretty key in a successful journey to isolation.

True, these traits are clear evidences of having lived a life in attempt to keep a heart safe from the costly effects of love, but these are destination signposts, not on-ramps.
One who is perpetually angry, bitter, and hateful has already succeeded in staying away from love.

But rudeness.
There is the attractive little signpost flashing brilliantly along a benign highway, promising a quick detour to safety and self-justification.
“Just a little rudeness,” the lie begins.
“Just a little self-protection.”
“You deserve, no, you have a right, to be rude.”
One sweet little sampling of lies after another and our quick detour lands us far off course, well on our way to Isolation.

Not sure you believe me?
I present you with a true story….

A widely respected, deeply kind, and exceptionally humble man had been given the opportunity for a highly visible leadership position, despite his genuine objections. He had no desire for power or profit, but was compelled to take the position out of love and respect for authority above him.

While he made some mistakes, he genuinely loved the people he led, and continually sacrificed his own good for their own. From the outside, it was plainly obvious what a rare, and incredible leader this man was.

Like any leadership role, it came with its share of criticisms and complaints directed towards him, but the one to whom he reported was constantly watching his back. Often, the man overlooked the negativity, not allowing it to deter him from his strong, gentle leadership. Other times, it drove him absolutely batty to the point of near insanity, but always the one above him, protected him.

The man was in this specific leadership role for over 40 years and there was no end to complaints filed against him as he was constantly under attack for his extremely difficult position. Curiously, the records of his career carefully chronicle one specific incident out of the mass lump sum.
One incident with incredible detail.
One incident of blatant rudeness.
Ending with isolation.

The man had a deeply devoted sister whom he loved, but she was beginning to feel as if she deserved some of leadership’s limelight. Unlike her honorable brother, she wanted the attention and the power. She saw the neon flashing lights on the highway and she exited onto “Rude”. She tossed a handful of caustic words in the air, feeling quite justified. Her words were seemingly harmlessly, but undeniably drenched in rudeness. Her rudeness was heard and felt. As a result, she found herself granted a personal audience with the one in authority who had heard her curt remarks.
And it wasn’t pretty.
I’ll let you listen in…

“Listen to what I say:
If there is a prophet among you from the Lord,
I make myself known to him in a vision;
I speak with him in a dream.
Not so with my servant Moses;
he is faithful in all my household.
I speak with him directly,
openly, and not in riddles;
he sees the form of the Lord.
So why were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”
The Lord’s anger burned against them, and He left. (Numbers 12:6-9, emphasis added)

Sister Miriam’s words were intended to hurt. She wanted to make her point known. She set out to amplify her perspective even if it cost her being just a bit rude in order to justify her position against a man who was not only her leader, but also her brother.

The Lord heard, He saw her heart of arrogance, He felt her rudeness, and called her out on it. He took up the cause of Moses, fighting on his behalf, because God is a just and loving God. When it was all said and done, the Lord’s presence left Miriam and her sympathizing brother, Aaron, alone. What’s more, the Lord also gave Miriam a skin disease as He left her as further consequence of her rudeness. Moses, the loving leader, pleaded with the Lord for healing on behalf of his sister, which the Lord gave, but He also said, “If her father had merely spit in her face (as a consequence), wouldn’t she remain in disgrace for seven days? Let her be confined outside the camp (as a consequence to her rudeness) for seven days; after that she may come back.”  (Numbers 12:14)

Her rudeness was disgraceful.
Her rudeness was not loving.
Her rudeness was sinful.
Her rudeness brought isolation.

Miriam took the easy exit off the highway of genuine, authentic Love, and she ended up alone.
How often I’ve done the same!
Rudeness is like an arrow jutting into the people around us. (Proverbs 12:18)

The Lord is a God of unconditional love.
He is a triune God who Himself dwells eternally in community.
Isolation and rudeness have no place in His character,
and neither do they in ours as we take on the Name of Christ.

Maybe you can identify scenarios where you tend to take that quick trip to Isolation via the on-ramp of rudeness. Maybe you can identify people you’ve alienated or perhaps you’ve become familiar with that sense of distancing you feel when you choose to be rude.

Or maybe, just maybe, you know someone who habitually takes that glittery exit called Rude. You see them isolating themselves.
In fact, you want to be isolated from them because of their sharp, cutting habits.
But, I wonder, what if the Lord intended for you to love them with His love, drawing them back just as He did with Miriam. Just as He does for me when I’m rude, again and again.

Suppose He is equipping us to love those who are rude, and to stand at that exit sign,
pointing the way back to Love?!

To love another is worth the high price it will cost us.
It’s worth the mess.
it’s worth the pain of entering into the brokenness.

How do I know?
Jesus did it for me.

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 Kaleidoscope 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 Kaleidoscope!

Sketched V Day 3 Saul, The Persecutor

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 5:33-8:3
Acts 26:1-23
Psalm 110

Sketched V, Day 3

Somehow the prisoners had escaped!
Not only had they escaped, but they had literally returned to doing exactly what I had imprisoned them for in the first place: preaching in the name of Jesus.
Even now the guards were returning to the Temple to bring them back before the Council. What level of geniuses are we dealing with? Obviously, they are not in their right minds to disregard the commands of this authority.
We are the Council.
We are the teachers of the Law.
We decide if you are in good standing before God.

The more I thought about their disrespect of our authority, the angrier I became.
A few of the members of the Council laughed about a recent happening in the marketplace as we waited, and I caught the eye of the man facing me.
I’m not completely sure what my facial expression communicated, but the smile on the other man’s face dimmed and their conversation dropped several decibels. Maybe idiots aren’t only outside this group.
Scandalous disrespect for the Torah and our traditional laws is no laughing matter.

When the guards arrived with the prisoners in tow, I stared at the leader.
If I caught his eye, maybe I could convey a similar message to him as I had to my compatriot. I intensified my gaze and straightened my spine.

The high priest questioned them as to why they had disobeyed their previous orders to stop teaching in the name of Jesus and the leader had the gall to promptly reply that they were obeying God rather than man.
We are the authorities God put in place.
We are the teachers of the Law.
We are the ones who know the texts and are required to implement them.
Who is this man that implies he has heard from God and we have not?
Disgusting arrogance!

By now my temperature was rising and my hands were clenched tightly in my lap. I willed the leader to look my direction, but he continued to boldly meet the eyes of the high priest. It was a mercy he did not look my way. If looks could kill…

Suddenly Gamaliel stood and directed the guards to take the men outside. Once the doors were closed, Gamaliel addressed the group and suggested the men be released. He reasoned that in previous uprisings of this sort, incidents faded away once the leaders were gone. He instructed us to remain out of the scenario just in case they truly were speaking for the Lord.

Gamaliel is a well-respected, wise man, but my anger burned at his plan. These followers had already proven disregard for our authority, and I did not foresee that changing if we simply let them go. Thankfully, someone echoed my thoughts and agreement arose to flog the prisoners before releasing them. I barely controlled myself. Flogging? I scoffed under my breath, these traitors deserved nothing less than death.

Some time later, I found myself once again sitting among Council members as another follower stood before us. Stephen was his name. Accusations against him had been raised and we’d called him before us. The high priest asked him for the truth and suddenly I found myself listening to a history lesson. How degrading to have such a lesson from one so inferior. He covered the gambit from Abraham to Joseph to Moses to King Solomon.

My patience waning quickly, I hoped my distaste was clearly communicated each time I ignored his words and smoothed my robes, my every action mocking him with disdain. Every muscle tensed and my heart began to race as he closed his argument by saying, “You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit. As your ancestors did, you do also. Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become. You received the law under the direction of angels and yet have not kept it.”

The atmosphere in the room shifted.
Necks went red and white knuckles appeared.

Stephen continued as he stared to heaven, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

The first man stood up and growled low. He broke the floodgates and a wave of men drove Stephen to the city gates. I hurried along with them, grateful my thoughts paralleled those around me. Death was coming quickly for this heretic!
Once we cleared the city gates, the men began shedding the robes and entrusting them to me. If this enabled them to more accurately select their stones and aim well, I would gratefully take care of their robes. I would be a unifying player in the destruction of this uprising.

As the stones flew, meeting their mark. Stephen cried out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” He fell to his knees and cried once more, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” The thud of stones hitting soft flesh and others colliding mid-air lasted only minutes. As the rage lessened and the evidence of the stoning’s success was apparent, the men gradually returned to me and gathered their robes. They dusted them off, pulling them back on as though this was any normal day’s work.

As the last robe was retrieved and I found myself standing alone at the city gates, Stephen’s last words reverberated in my mind. “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
This sin?
Against us?
He asked God for forgiveness.

Forgiveness for me?

I shuddered at the thought, at all the thoughts that began swirling much too close to the surface, bringing a heaviness aching in my chest.
Hatred for Stephen and all followers like him silenced the thoughts.
Determined, I turned my steps back to the Temple.
Stephen would not be the last to learn their proper place at my hands.
Forgiveness? No.

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

A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

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 Sketched V 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 Sketched V!

Pause 2, Day 4 Putting On Life

Leave a Comment

Pause 2, Day 4

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  
For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:2  
 
Before crossing the line of faith, and asking Jesus to save us from eternal separation from God because of our sin, we had no choice but to obey the desires of our flesh.  
We were ruled by the Enemy.  
Chained by his death-grip.  
 
But, in God’s vast grace, we were transferred from the Kingdom of Darkness  
into the Kingdom of Light!  
In that transfer, sisters, our past life was crucified with Christ.  
That body, those passions, are dead.  
 
The way we used to walk with all the gossip, the lies, the lust, the self-focus, the jealousy… dead. Powerless.  
The only power it holds is the power we allow it.  
It’s like walking into a coffee shop with all of its sights, smells, and delicacies only to stand at the door acting as if we can’t have coffee.  
 
We are alive to Jesus and alive to the life He calls us to.  
Put off the flesh.  
Put on Life! 

Today's Challenge

1) Be a scribe and copy the precious words of Scripture down word for word. Make space in your journal to write down all of Colossians 3 today. As you copy, lookup a cross reference or two as you come to them (they are the small letters next to certain words in your study Bible or online at www.biblia.com). As you write, think of the incredible gift it is to be invited into God’s presence through His word!

2) Choose one of these options to walk into more with Jesus as you make the intentional choice to “Put On Life!”
a) Pitch in to do something extra at church. Whether it’s helping with cleanup, opening doors, trimming weeds, or offering to help in a child’s classroom, step up to loving deeper by serving in a new way.
b) October is Pastor Appreciation Month and a note of genuine kindness goes a long ways in showing love and giving encouragement. Consider sending your pastor an email or card!
c) Check out some local ministries in your area and make plans to serve with them for an afternoon. Maybe it’s organizing school donations, serving soup, or stuffing backpacks for kids. Even better, get some friends to join you!
d) Prayer walking is a simple way to begin shifting the eyes of your heart to truly see others. Walk around your neighborhood, some city streets, the aisles of your grocery store, or intentionally sit at a local coffee shop and pray, pray, pray. Pray for the people around you, pray for hearts to turn towards Jesus, pray for your own heart to be ready to share the full gospel if given the chance. Don’t worry about seeing results, that’s God’s job!
e) Strike up a conversation with a random stranger. It may move to spiritual topics, it may not, but showing love to those outside our immediate circles always begins with a simple conversation. “What have you been doing today?” “Do you live nearby?” “Where do you go to church?” “What are your favorite local restaurants?” “I love your top! Where did you get it?” These open-ended questions work well!

3) Share the exciting, bold ways you Put On Life today with the rest of the GT Community! Our Facebook community page is always open! Or snap a photo and tag us on Instagram @gracefully_truthful

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

Join the GT Community on Facebook!

Colossians 3

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, God’s wrath is coming upon the disobedient, 7 and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. 8 But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. 11 In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. 14 Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.19 Husbands, love your wives and don’t be bitter toward them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they won’t become discouraged. 22 Slaves, obey your human masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, 24 knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Pause 2 Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies
in Pause 2!

Dwell Day 15 Practicing This Gospel

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 103:8-10 
James 1:22-25
Philippians 2:1-11
Galatians 5:7-15 

Dwell, Day 15

Do not merely listen to the Word, Sisters, and so deceive yourselves.
Do what it says.
Anyone who listens to the Word and does not apply it
is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror,
and after looking at himself,
goes away and forgets what he looks like.
But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,
and continues to do this,
not forgetting what he has heard,
but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does!
(James 1:22-25) 

Beep, Beep, Beep! I swat off my alarm, stumble toward the bathroom and pause with my hand on the light switch, bracing for the onslaught of light.
With one eye open, I squint up at the mirror.
Ugh, there I am in all my morning glory; a sorry sight for even just one half-open eye!

Puffy eyes, pasty complexion– and that hair!
Wow, just wow!

This mirror is not my friend!
But wait, maybe it is.

Mirrors don’t lie.
What sort of friend would look at this mess, tell me I look gorgeous, and allow me to go to work this way?  I hate how it points out my mess, yet without the mirror’s truth-telling, how would I know I look like a fright?

The mirror simply shows me the truth.
It’s up to me to take corrective measures and fix the obvious problems.  

Just as my bathroom mirror points out my glaring physical imperfections,
God’s Word is a mirror for our souls. In His word, we encounter truth.

Like the mirror reflects our physical image, 
so the scripture reveals the contents of our hearts.
As we encounter truth, we see our error.
We are then confronted with the choice of taking corrective action through the help of the Holy Spirit, or ignoring the issue, hoping it will solve itself.  

Just like the mirror directly points out my obvious need for make-up and hair brushing, so Scripture points out where my attitudes and actions need adjustments.  

Scripture says, 
“Do nothing out of selfishness or vain conceit, 
but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 
Each of you should look not only on your own interests, 
but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)

Staring up at me from the mirror of truth is my selfishness.
A wild-eyed girl, hands on hips and stamping her feet, brazenly demanding her own way.  And I am ashamed that a daughter of the King should behave as I have done.

My spirit is broken, like the Father’s, over my sin.
I long for restoration, and I run to His open arms, knowing He is for me, ready to bring redemptive healing and a heart like His. 

Scripture says, 
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, 
but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, 
that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29)

However, sneering up at me from the mirror of truth are my harsh words and sarcasm.
A snaggle-toothed hag leering garishly, the sword of my words brandishing high.
And I am aghast at the ugliness of my soul.  

Scripture declares,
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. 
Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves 
be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Galatians 5:1

However, bondage to my flesh stares back.
A pitiful slave-girl gazing up with pleading eyes, begging for release, while clenching her own chains possessively.
My heart reaches for her in empathy, yet I’m powerless to lift her shackles.  

Yet scripture whispers:
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, 
abounding in love. 
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor His anger forever; 
he does not treat us as our sins deserve 
or repay us according to our iniquities.”
Psalm 103:8-10 

In this glorious mirror of Truth, we find Grace, with the name of Father, Son, and Spirit. Here we find our strong and compassionate Father,
extending the nail-scarred hand of the Son,
ready and able to lift us to freedom through the untamable power of the Spirit.
Rooted in truth, buoyed by grace, we are enfolded in His robes of righteousness.

In that moment, the selfish little girl
is transformed into a humble, compassionate princess.

The snaggle-toothed hag
morphs into a magnificent beauty with kindness on her lips.

The wretched slave-girl
rises to take her place among the redeemed royalty, shackles unleashed.

….and such is the beauty and kindness of truth and grace.  

“…you shall know the truth,” the Savior says, 
“and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

So, I bless the harsh realities the mirror of Scripture reveals,
for facing the truth is my only path to freedom through grace.
“…and whoever the Son sets free, is free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Dwell with Him, Sisters.
Dwell deeply and intimately with the King through His eternal Word,
then live free by His Word!

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

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Dwell  Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

Roads Day 13 True Hope In An Age Of Enlightenment

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 16:16-19 
Romans 5:1-11
1 Peter 1:13-25 

Roads, Day 13

As I researched New Age beliefs,
I pondered the draw of these religious practices.

The New Age religion is actually a mix of several religious mindsets that have been categorized under the umbrella of New Age.
The New Age category is identified by two main characteristics:
1) Unity that will bring about societal and spiritual transformation and
2) Practices that will bring about individual spiritual transformation as a precursor to a larger, corporate unity and breakthrough.
Enlightenment is said to come from practices involving (but not necessarily limited to): channeling, astrology, crystals, tarot cards, psychics, and even in some cases drug usage. This is a broad overview, so New Age practitioners may use a variety of methods with the main overarching goal of spiritually reaching higher as, individuals, in order to corporately become unified.

The more I read about the desires behind the beliefs,
the more I recognized those hopes within myself.
How I would love to see a world in which we walked in unity!
Can you imagine people all moving together as one to eradicate 
racism, 
hunger, 
human trafficking,
and so many other social injustices?
What a powerful force that would be!

There was another civilization who felt their cohesive unity could accomplish their own brilliant plans.
Their fatal flaw? Pride.
Blindsided by their own arrogant pride in thinking they, in their sinful humanity, could set out to accomplish their plans and make themselves their own god,
were ruined.
Just look at the outcome at the Tower of Babel. (Genesis 11:1-9)

The more I envisioned the power of unity becoming a reality
through the methods of my own individual enlightenment,
the more I recognized I was the flaw in the logic of this plan.
Or at least, the recognition of my own, fallen, sinful humanity, revealed the flaw.

The idea of working as one, unified group sounds great… until I actually think through what it would take in order for it to be an ongoing, success.
And there, the hope of success falls short.

How do I know? 
First, I am a people watcher.
This is one of the reasons that I love to travel. Airports and destinations thrill me as I get to observe and meet new people, places, and cultures. I have experienced beauty and growth; I’ve seen human nature shine in all of its glory, both good and bad.
I’ve witnessed the kind person helping the mom traveling with kiddos.
I’ve also seen the woman moving through the airport crowds as though she were a human battering ram. 

In all of my experiences,
I have never met a perfect person or a perfect team of people.

Even teams that gel for a season eventually fall short in some way.
If that weren’t the case, the same teams would consistently win the Super Bowl, World Series, or the NBA finals. All of those teams moved with a singular goal in mind of functioning to the best of their abilities as a team, in order to win the ultimate championship. 
Even so, there were errors and failures in the midst of those journeys, and that was with everyone agreeing to the same rules of the game and methods for winning! Putting players from different sports on the same team and expecting them to win the championship, likely won’t yield the desired results.  

Second, I know my inner thoughts.
I have walked with the Lord for several years, yet I still sin.
I’ve grown immensely through His Spirit making me new, and my struggle against certain sins are less, but I have not (nor will I ever, at least on earth) arrive at a point of perfect sinless living or attain godlike equality.
I know my failures and shortcomings.
I know my pet peeves that challenge me to work well with some individuals.
I know the times I have allowed my sin to fracture teams and hurt those around me. I know I am a sinner, and no effort on my part will ever make me good enough to reach a great spiritual enlightenment on my own.  

Third, I believe the Bible is true and that Jesus is alive.
I have experienced the impact of the Holy Spirit dwelling within me as He has made me new. His movement in my life, and in other Christians, have continuously proven the Word to be true. I have seen people encouraged by the Word of God and promises revealed through it coming to pass. I have walked through dark times, and been buoyed by hope solely found in my relationship with Jesus.
Because I have experienced all of this with Jesus,
I cannot comprehend a hope-filled life without Him.  

As we move through our days, may our walk with the Lord
be the defining hope of our lives.
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life,
and it is only through Him that we can experience fulfillment.
The journey will never be boring!  

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

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

Roads Day 7 Quest For Truth: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Quest For Truth!

The Questions

1) What would Jesus not give the Pharisees and Sadducees to prove He was God?

2) What did Jesus mean about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees?

3) What is the significance of the exchange between Jesus and His disciples about who they say that He is?

Matthew 16:1-6

The Pharisees and Sadducees approached, and tested him, asking him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He replied, “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be good weather because the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘Today will be stormy because the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to read the appearance of the sky, but you can’t read the signs of the times. 4 An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then he left them and went away.
5 The disciples reached the other shore, and they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus told them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
7 They were discussing among themselves, “We didn’t bring any bread.”
8 Aware of this, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves that you do not have bread? 9 Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand and how many baskets you collected? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand and how many large baskets you collected? 11 Why is it you don’t understand that when I told you, ‘Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees,’ it wasn’t about bread?”12 Then they understood that he had not told them to beware of the leaven in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Original Intent

1) What would Jesus not give the Pharisees and Sadducees to prove He was God?
Seemingly, a visible sign could have once and for all removed any false accusations that Jesus was fully God. But Jesus knew it wouldn’t because human beings without the Holy Spirit, will always choose to believe what they want to believe. He pointed out that these religiously righteous follow the signs they want to follow, like weather markers. Jesus knew the heart of these leaders, and they wanted nothing to do with following God in their hearts. Jesus spent His entire ministry giving “sign after sign” that He was God. He healed the sick, brought sight to the blind, mended the lame, and even forgave sin. (Mark 2:5-11) Yet, the self-righteous still refused to accept truth because it would radically shift their entire lives. Even the most incredible “sign” of all, Jesus’ resurrection after 3 days of being dead (likened to Jonah in this passage who was in the belly of the sea creature for 3 days), would not be enough to turn hard-hearted skeptics with no sincere desire to know truth to accept truth. Signs weren’t the problem, their hearts were.

2) What did Jesus mean about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees?
To get the full understanding here, we travel back to when the Israelites were being freed from slavery under the heavy hand of the Egyptians. Their exit would be quick, at a moment’s notice, and they had to be ready to leave. Of course, having no groceries along the way, they needed to quickly prepare bread for the journey, which meant not using yeast because it took so long to rise. The Israelites were commanded to remove all yeast as they hastily prepared to leave when the Lord said Go! Over time, yeast became a byword for evil or wickedness. Paul uses the same phrasing in Galatians, “This persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. A little leaven (or yeast) leavens the whole batch of dough.” Just as a small amount of yeast spreads quickly throughout the dough, so do distortions of truth. Jesus was warning His disciples to be on guard against evil teaching from the Pharisees and Sadducees, who, though they had the appearance of righteousness, they denied the Holy Spirit room to work in their lives. Both Jesus and Paul warn to “avoid these people” and their insidious deceptions. (2 Timothy 3:5)

3) What is the significance of the exchange between Jesus and His disciples about who they say that He is? 
Jesus and His disciples have crossed the sea of Galilee in this passage, and are walking together on their way to Caesarea Philippi, an ancient Roman city located at the base of Mt. Hermon. It’s a beautiful spot, lush and green as it was the chief source of water for the Jordan River. It’s also the historic location of idol worship for the then-current mythological Greek god “Pan” and, going farther back, to King Jeroboam, who led the entire Northern Kingdom of Israel into idolatry as they worshipped Baal here. The significance of the location wouldn’t have been lost on the disciples as Jesus posed His question, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”. The competing voices for worship were loud. The disciples gave several names the crowds were throwing around for who this Jesus really was, the spirit of John The Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or other prophets. All were important people, all carried the weight of respect with the people, but none of these were God. None deserved total life worship and surrender. Jesus presses in as He turns the question to them as individuals and Peter responds based on everything he has witnessed in his time with Jesus, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (verse 16)

Everyday Application

1) What would Jesus not give the Pharisees and Sadducees to prove He was God?
People will always excuse away evidence, even if it’s right in front of them and seemingly undeniable, in order to hold on to what they want to believe. That’s why being “free” to “choose our truth” is so dangerous. While it appears welcoming to all beliefs and safe from any judgment, having no “real truth” leaves us, and our lives, empty and meaningless, like waves tossed to and fro that are neither here nor there. Even Christians are susceptible to this precarious way of thinking. How often have you held to what you thought was a biblical perspective only to find out through careful study and conversation with another trusted Believer, that you were wrongly interpreting Scripture? We must be studying God’s Word for truth, aligning our lives with it, and constantly asking the Holy Spirit to convict us where our beliefs are out of line with His perfect truth! Check your heart as you seek truth; are you willing to sacrifice your beliefs if you discover truth?

2) What did Jesus mean about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees?
False doctrine and belief systems run rampant in our society. Even pastors claiming to be true and biblical have distorted the truth. We must always be on our guard, constantly comparing what we are taking in from leaders and teachers and friends to the truth of the Bible. It’s not enough to trust “someone else’s” study, we must know our Bible for ourselves! Paul says it like this, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, a curse be on him!” (Galatians 1:8) The people in Berea, who listened to the teaching of Paul and Silas, didn’t simply take their word for it. They poured over the Scripture to see if what they’d heard was true. (Acts 17:10-12) We would be wise to follow their example of faithfulness to truth! Despite how appealing it may seem to have the freedom to “believe whatever you want”, truth matters.

3) What is the significance of the exchange between Jesus and His disciples about who they say that He is? 
In yesterday’s Journey Study, Sara likens the Unitarian view of Jesus not being God, to Him being on an “all-star” team of super prophets. Jesus intentionally allowed the question of His true identity to sit with His disciples as they sorted through what others said versus what they had witnessed day in and day out. Owning that truth was a turning point for Simon Peter, as it is for each one of us that call Jesus Lord. Has there been a day, a moment, when you stood surrounded by other voices, other religions, other deceptions, and it became clear to you that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Son of the Living God? I pray so! If you ever find yourself in a conversation and feel the Spirit tugging you to turn it to spiritual matters, follow Jesus’ own example and ask, “who do you say Jesus is?”. It’s a great, open-ended, non-threatening way to give the other person a chance to talk and share freely. Listen closely, build the relationship, and when it’s the right time, don’t shy away from sharing who Jesus is to you!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Quest For Truth!

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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