Shepherd

Beloved Day 5 Beloved’s Pursuit

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Song of Solomon 3:1-5
Proverbs 15:3-10
1 Timothy 6:6-14
Philippians 1:25-30
Ephesians 5:22-33

Beloved, day 5

Pursuit.

The mere word evokes images of a hunt, doesn’t it? It brings to mind words like… desiring, chasing, overtaking, capturing, conquering. 

There’s a reason such great emphasis is placed on “playing hard to get” in current culture. The human race has placed immense value on being the individual who is sought after, regardless of the situation or relationship dynamic. Whether we are interviewing for a new job, foraying into a new friendship, floating a corporate merger, or attempting to infuse “life” into our marriage, we have bought into the belief that the individual who is not easy to “win” holds a loftier, more powerful status.

But what if that narrative doesn’t exactly line up with what our Father shows us?

Song of Solomon is a beautiful portrayal of the joy, desire, and intimacy God has given the human race in the form of sex. We witness the intense desire, breathless longing, and yes, pursuit, of each party, laced across every page of the book. Physical pleasure aside, what do we see here?

I see a woman who longed for intimacy with her lover, but she didn’t merely pine away for him; she pursued him. She roamed city streets, looking for her love. She asked passing guards if they had seen him. When they told her they hadn’t, she kept looking. She didn’t give up until she’d found him. 

And when she found him, she did not let go.

The words are stirring, because we each long to be pursued like that, don’t we? We long to be so passionately pursued, so sought after, so desired, so wanted.

Before marriage, pursuit is mainly surface-deep. We show our beloved we are interested in all kinds of little ways. We learn more about the things they are interested in. We communicate many times, each day. Sometimes we choose clothing, or makeup, or jewelry, or hairstyles we know are appealing to them. We pursue their interests and desires, and in that pursuit, we assist them in pursuing us.

When we enter into marriage, the dynamic shifts. The “newness” begins to fade, and it’s easy for us to believe the pursuit actually ended with marriage.

Beloved, this isn’t so! Throughout the New Testament, marriage is repeatedly held up as the embodiment of Christ and His Church. Husbands and wives are exhorted to mirror Christ in the way we love one another. To submit to each other in love, not so one can lord their power over the other, rather, in this loving deference, Christ alone is glorified.

But what does this look like, five, ten, fifty years in? What does it look like beyond spontaneous romantic encounters and flowers for no reason?

Sometimes, it looks like waking up early to make him coffee.
Sometimes, it looks like showing up for his parents in their time of need.
Sometimes, it looks like slipping a hand in his when his voice wavers.
Sometimes, it looks like reminding him who he is when it seems he’s forgotten.
Sometimes, it looks like going to marriage counseling.
Sometimes, it looks like driving him to every treatment.
Sometimes, it looks like being silent when you want to scream.
Sometimes, it looks like recounting all the times the Lord has seen you both through, when it feels like all is lost.
Sometimes, it looks like following him down a dark road you never expected, taking him by the hand, and walking back into the light together.

Sometimes, it looks like staying when you want to leave.

Beloved, how many times has your Shepherd Bridegroom carried you back when you’ve wandered far? Has He found you, when you’ve tangled yourself in all the places you never belonged? Has His voice been gentle as He quieted your fears and brought you back to His fold?

He invites us to love our husbands this way, too. To pursue them, gently, completely, guilelessly.

Marriage is not an end to an exciting pursuit; it’s an open invitation into the lifelong adventure in the pursuit of our lover, and to being pursued in return!

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The GT Weekend! ~ Sketched VIII Week 2

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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) Lazarus had a story to tell. Back from the dead! Talk about the very best come-back-story! The truly radical part of Lazarus’ story, however, wasn’t found in his silent heart beginning to beat again, it was in how Jesus had changed his heart his sisters forever. One day, Lazarus’ body stopped working again, and it didn’t start back up, but his soul was safe forever in the presence of the Lord. Because Lazarus had trusted Jesus with much more than his body, the radical part of his story was that one day, Lazarus would live forever with Jesus Christ in fullness and sweetness. You and I weren’t buried in a tomb and brought back to life, but this picture is the same for our souls. Before trusting Jesus with our everything, our souls were chained up in sin and death. After Jesus, we are free, alive, radically made new! Is this you?! Made new? Tell your radical story!! Pick one person to share with this week! If you aren’t absolutely certain you have a “death-to-life” story with Jesus, send us an email (contact@gracefullytruthful.com) or connect with a friend who loves Jesus. Don’t wait another day!!

2)  Naaman’s skin disease was miraculously healed, but the greater healing was his prideful heart being dramatically humbled before God. It’s easy for us, as human beings, to only focus on the physical instead of the spiritual. We pray for bodies to be healed. We pray for hurts to be made whole. We pray for financial pitfalls to be reversed. We pray for many physical or relational things, and while we are invited by the Lord to pray about all things, the Lord is most interested in our spiritual condition. How He loves to use the physical realm to point us toward the spiritual one! As we come to the Lord this weekend, let’s ask Him to heal our hearts, to root out our sin, to teach us to worship Him in fullness, and for our minds to be renewed by His gentle, Shepherd hand! Expect Him to heal!

3) Disappointment. Loss. Grief. We’ve all walked these roads and felt the depth of emotion associated with these struggles. For Tamar, her disappointment seeped through her entire life. One by one, those who were supposed to protect her and stand up for her, not only let her down, but put her down. They demoralized her. They cheated her. They used her. They abused her. They mocked her. Yet, the Lord heard her, He saw her, and He moved on her behalf to bring about His wonderous glory! While few of us have experienced the severity of circumstance like Tamar, we each walk our own difficulties. Sister, if the Lord used the extreme brokenness of Tamar, grafting her story into the very lineage of Jesus Christ, who extended radical grace to all peoples through His sacrifice on the cross, how greatly will He work in your brokenness?! Sit for a few minutes in total quiet (or as much quiet as you can manage to ascertain!), hold open your hands, and speak to the Lord as you surrender your broken places and sharp, cutting edges. Ask for redemption and wait as He moves!

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 Isaiah 63:7 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

I will make known the Lord’s faithful love
and the Lord’s praiseworthy acts,
because of all the Lord has done for us—
even the many good things
he has done for the house of Israel,
which he did for them based on his compassion
and the abundance of his faithful love.

Prayer Journal
Lord God, You have done unfathomable things! My tongue can testify endlessly of Your mighty power and I will never tire of sharing the incredible things You have done in my life, Lord! “You have made me rejoice, Lord, by what You have done! I will shout for joy because of the works of Your hand! How magnificent are Your works, Lord! How profound Your thoughts!” (Psalm 92:4-5) Lord, give me more opportunities to share what You have personally done in my life, for none can argue with my personal experience with You. Take my story of redemption and bring others near to Your heart through it! Give me courage, Abba. Courage to share, wisdom to follow Your leading, and tenderness toward those hearts who are utterly lost and condemned without hope in You. Stir my heart to tell of Your healing in my life!

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

He Day 9 Yahweh M’Kaddesh: 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 Yahweh M’Kaddesh!

The Questions

1) Why did God say in verse 23, “I will save them from all their apostasies by which they sinned and I will cleanse them?”

2) What Did Ezekiel mean when he wrote in verse 24, “My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them?”

3) What does the phrase in verse 28, “I, the Lord, sanctify Israel” mean?

Ezekiel 37:23-28

They will not defile themselves anymore with their idols, their abhorrent things, and all their transgressions. I will save them from all their apostasies by which they sinned, and I will cleanse them. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God. 24 My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow my ordinances, and keep my statutes and obey them.

25 “‘They will live in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your ancestors lived. They will live in it forever with their children and grandchildren, and my servant David will be their prince forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be a permanent covenant with them. I will establish and multiply them and will set my sanctuary among them forever. 27 My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 28 When my sanctuary is among them forever, the nations will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel.’”

Original Intent

1) Why did God say in verse 23, “I will save them from all their apostasies by which they sinned and I will cleanse them?”
This section of Ezekiel 37 starts with a phrase in verse 15, “The word of the Lord came to me.” Scholars estimate Ezekiel started writing his book before the fall of the Southern Kingdom of Judah and, we know from his own writings, that he continued recording prophecies after he was captured and moved to Babylon. God gave Ezekiel this prophecy to encourage the exiles in Babylon after the fall of Jerusalem that was coming in 586 B.C. Long before Babylon invaded Jerusalem, many prophets, including Isaiah and Micah, warned the people of Judah to stop worshiping other gods. But the people persisted in their idolatrous ways. As the fall of Jerusalem drew closer, God called Ezekiel and Jeremiah to warn King Zedekiah, and the people of Judah, of God’s coming judgment for their sinful choices. This passage contrasts the past sinful actions that led to the Fall of Jerusalem, and the resulting Babylonian captivity, to a glorious future with an eternal king. In Ezekiel 37:23, “apostasies” refers to the abominable and filthy things. Throughout the Old Testament, “apostasies” is combined with the word “idols” to describe the idol’s filthy sin nature.  This passage provides hope even in captivity. God said He would save His people from their sins and cleanse them. God’s people needed to be cleansed because their destructive and idolatrous choices had defiled them. After God saved them and cleansed them, He would restore their relationship, they would be His people, and He would be their God. This reference goes back to a promise God gave Moses in Exodus 6:7, “I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from the forced labor of the Egyptians.” It is restated again in Leviticus 26:12, “I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.”

2) What Did Ezekiel mean when he wrote in verse 24, “My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them?”
This prophecy about King David is fascinating because Ezekiel lived nearly 500 years after David was king of Israel! This phrase mirrors verse 25, which says, “My Servant David will be their prince forever.” Often phrases or words are repeated in the Bible to give extra emphasis to a point. God wanted to grab the attention of the people of Israel who were listening to this prophecy, underscoring its importance by pointing to the past, while also pointing forward to the future. King David was a shepherd of sheep when he was chosen to lead the people of Israel and anointed as their next king. David was the model of a godly king, a man after God’s own heart. (1 Samuel 13:14) Under David’s rule, the nation of Israel was unified and successful in battle. Ezekiel’s prophecy pointed to a time yet to come when God’s people would be unified under a perfectly righteous leader who would lead His people as a compassionate shepherd. They would be successful in battle and live in peace. This Good Shepherd could only be God Himself wrapped in human flesh, Jesus Christ.

3) What does the phrase in verse 28, “I, the Lord, sanctify Israel” mean?
The word “sanctify” relates to being made holy. The NIV translation of the Bible uses the phrase, “I the LORD make Israel holy,” and the Good News translation explains, “I, the LORD, have set Israel apart as holy.” The word “holy” means “set apart.” Being holy is a characteristic of the Lord God. In Leviticus 19:2, God commanded Moses to “Speak to the entire Israelite community and tell them: Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” In order to be in relationship with a holy God, the entire community was required to be holy. However, it was impossible for the people to sanctify themselves because they were unholy. They were defiled by sin, so being sanctified required action from the Lord. As Ezekiel 37:28 illustrates, it was the Lord Himself who would sanctify the people of Israel. In Exodus 31:12-13, “The Lord said to Moses: ‘Tell the Israelites: You must observe my Sabbaths, for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, so that you will know that I am the Lord who consecrates you.’” Keeping the Sabbath wasn’t a way to become holy, but a way to be reminded it is only the Lord who made them holy. On Sabbath, the people were commanded to do no work, as a reminder that only God’s work could purify them. Leviticus 20:8 states, “Keep my statutes and do them; I am the Lord who sets you apart.” 

Everyday Application

1) Why did God say in verse 23, “I will save them from all their apostasies by which they sinned and I will cleanse them?”
God has always desired to have a relationship with His people. Contrary to what we may feel, God is not carrying a big stick, waiting for us to mess up. He isn’t looking for us to be perfect before He gives His nod of approval, because we will never reach perfection! He wants to be our God and for us to be his people. He isn’t looking for performances put on like a mask, He wants our hearts knit with His in oneness of deep relationship. Alas, He is holy and set apart. We are corrupted by sin, just as the people of Judah were defiled by their apostasies and idol worship. Our efforts cannot save us, only God’s redeeming work through the cross of Jesus Christ can save us. As Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast.” Look at your sin head on for what it is without sugar coating it as a “mistake”, call it out for the apostasy and idolatry it is, then turn to God, Yahweh M’Kaddesh, who promises to make us holy, even in spite of our sin!

2) What Did Ezekiel mean when he wrote in verse 24, “My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them?”
Ezekiel’s prophecy was looking forward to a time when a descendant of David, an eternal king would rule. As the genealogy in Matthew 1 shows, Jesus is a descendant of King David. As a Rabbi and teacher, Jesus was familiar with this prophecy in Ezekiel. He explained to his followers that He was the fulfillment of the prophecy in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” In John 10:14-16, Jesus continues, “I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.” The people listening to Jesus would know that “sheep” often referred to Israel. However, Jesus added a new dimension by stating, “I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen.” Jesus was referring to those who were not descendants of the tribes of Israel. King Jesus would shepherd people from all over the world to encompass every nation, every tribe, and every tongue. One glorious day, all who trust Him as their Shepherd, will live at peace for eternity! (Revelation 7:9-10) For all to live together in beautiful unity, restored to a righteous relationship with God, His people would need to be made righteous. Jesus magnificently exemplifies Yahweh M’Kaddesh as the God who makes us holy so we can all dwell with Him!

3) What does the phrase in verse 28, “I, the Lord, sanctify Israel” mean?
Just as Israel couldn’t sanctify themselves, none of us can make ourselves holy. Even one single sin disqualifies us from ever becoming holy on our own. This is bad news for all of humanity, but the good news is that Jesus came to sanctify all people and make us holy for us! Hebrews 10:10 says, “By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.” The nation of Israel was given the Law, the Ten Commandments, to make it abundantly clear what holy righteousness looked like. Israel proved over and over they couldn’t keep the whole law, and neither can we. Any deviation from the Law makes us a sinner, and the punishment for sin is death and eternal separation from God. It is only through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who took that punishment on Himself, that we can be made right with God. In John 17:17, Jesus asks God to sanctify His disciples, making their lives reflect His holiness, “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. I sanctify myself for them, so that they also may be sanctified by the truth.” God will use His word and truth to sanctify the believer to make us holy. It is not our efforts that will make us more like God, but the Holy Spirit’s power through the word of God that sanctifies us.

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

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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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Sola Day 4 The Ordinary Man: 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 Ordinary Man!

The Questions

1) Who is Paul addressing in this passage and how do they relate to the “disobedient” ones being described? (verses 1-2)

2) What does it mean to be “under God’s wrath”? Isn’t God love? (verse 3)

3) What are the benefits of being saved by grace? (verses 7-10)

Ephesians 2:1-10

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us,5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

Original Intent

1) Who is Paul addressing in this passage and how do they relate to the “disobedient” ones being described? (verses 1-2)
Paul is writing his letter to the house churches in the city of Ephesus. Paul had visited Ephesus several times on his missionary journeys throughout Asia, and had worked hard to plant and develop the churches in that area. Paul had left a husband and wife team, Priscilla and Aquila, in charge of shepherding and leading the Ephesian believers. (Acts 18:18-21) This letter would have been circulated to all the homes where churches were gathered and would have been read aloud many times. Ephesus was an epicenter for worship of Greek gods and goddesses, even businesses thrived on the worship of these false deities. (Acts 19:21-41) Paul countered false worship by pointing people to Christ, the only One worthy of worship, as he preached the gospel to the Ephesians. As he writes this letter, Paul is reminding the now-believing Christians in Ephesus to remember their own story of coming to Christ. Once, before hearing of Jesus and surrendering to Him as Lord and Savior, they were dead in their sin. Pau writes how they once lived “according the ways of this world” (verse 2), which would have quickly reminded them of the empty belief system they had once held onto as they followed the popular culture crowd of worshipping statues. Paul reminds them of their personal history in order to refresh their eyesight in how they viewed the people the living around them in Ephesus. Worship of Greek gods and goddesses was still the popular norm for their neighbors and friends (the disobedient ones). Instead of looking at them with condemnation, Paul urges them to remember they were all enslaved to Sin before Christ.

2) What does it mean to be “under God’s wrath”? Isn’t God love? (verse 3)
Yes! God is love. Verse 4 describes God has having rich mercy and great love. It is His essence, His core. In fact, Scripture defines God as love. (1 John 4:19) The writer of 1 John goes on to describe how, for those who have trusted Christ, they now are given the magnificent grace of continuously abiding (think: living every moment) within that wonderful, rich love of God. (1 John 4:16) They never need to fear being removed from that sweet, all-encompassing love of God, because every believer is embraced in God’s love precisely because God is love. We aren’t wrapped in love because of any good deed or perfect strategies we have devised. Yet, to be loving necessitates wrath. At first, you’re curious, as it seems counterintuitive. However, consider the relationship between parent and child. Anyone who threatens the life and happiness of a child, is at great risk of experiencing the passionate wrath of that parent. The child molester, the murderer, the kidnapper. Each of these titles make our insides angry, as they should. To love perfectly, requires wrath to be present to keep out evildoers. John writes in his letter that it’s because of this great love of God wrapping endlessly around His rescued ones that they can have supreme confidence on the day of judgement. (1 John 4:17) Those who have trusted Christ, know they are safe in the love of God. Those who haven’t, are the objects of God’s wrath. (verse 3) His wrath is purposely necessitated because He so radically loves. There must be a distinct line drawn. For God to create a haven where no sin would mar it, and no evil would invade it, and no pride would arise, there must be magnificent love to create this safety, but there also must be significant wrath vehemently raging against all evil to keep it out. This is the love, and the wrath, of God.

3) What are the benefits of being saved by grace? (verses 7-10)
The benefit of being saved, rescued from the wrath of God because it was poured out on Jesus Christ instead of us, is obvious. Everyone who calls on the Name of Jesus (Romans 10:13), now has the opportunity to be made alive in Christ and saved for eternity, forever enjoying the sweetness of relationship with God as He originally intended. Death for eternity is now banished for the these who trust Christ fully. The wrath of God has forever been removed, and in its place, Christ’s righteousness now covers us where ugly sin once stained us. The sweetest part, however, of being “saved by grace through faith” is that while we couldn’t manufacture our own righteousness in order for God to extend His grace to us, neither are we expected to maintain a certain level of righteousness for God’s grace to remain upon us. There is nothing we can do to earn our salvation, and there is nothing we can do to keep it. Salvation begins and ends with the triune God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit without a single performing act on our part. As Paul writes, “no one can boast”. (verse 9) We are saved from death, we are raised to life, and we our eternity is secured because in the grand timeline of God Almighty, we are already seated with Christ in the heavenlies. Nothing can steal away our inheritance, not even ourselves! (verses 5-6) This! This is just the beginning! More grace, boundless and free, will define our new reality as we live out eternity with Christ, as He forever displays His loving kindness towards us! (verse 7)

Everyday Application

1) Who is Paul addressing in this passage and how do they relate to the “disobedient” ones being described? (verses 1-2)
Martin Luther’s prevalent culture, while religious, was deeply anchored in Catholic traditions that were entirely unbiblical. He made bold statements and acted bravely to advance the full truth of the gospel of Jesus as declared through Scripture alone without the additions of manmade traditions. However, critically important to his success, was for Luther to remember the same truths Paul reminded the Ephesians. Those in power and working against Luther, where held captive by the ruler of this world (verse 2). The arch-enemy, Satan, was working to actively shut down the advancement of truth coming from Luther. The people were not Luther’s real enemies, Satan was. Luther was once just like the religious zealots of the Catholic church, chained to sin and stuck in disobedience apart from the freedom of Christ. This mindset is exceptionally important to us as well as we each seek to share the hope and freedom of Jesus to our own neighbors in our current cultural setting. Ask the Lord to remind you often as you speak with those who are not believers, that you were once all trapped by sin’s deadly power. This should increase our compassion for our friends, neighbors, and strangers who haven’t surrendered to Jesus yet!

2) What does it mean to be “under God’s wrath”? Isn’t God love? (verse 3)
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is meant to remind them they were all stuck in sin, right along with their neighbors who mocked the One True God, and who, in turn, mocked them for worshipping Him. But Paul goes farther in his writing to reveal a deeper identity for those who are separated from God. Paul defines their reality as being “under God’s wrath”. (verse 3) Further, this is a natural state of existence where Paul states, “we were by nature under wrath as the others were also.”  We are born with a sin nature. Just as sure as an infant will cry when he is hungry, he will inevitably sin. Want further proof? Find a single person who has never once told a lie, or never once lusted in their heart after another person, or never once stolen just one item. Each of these make us less than righteous, which defines us as sinful, which means we are under the wrath of God. The only way to have a restored relationship with Him is the for the sin nature to be removed. Impossible? How can someone be born again with a new nature? A fellow named Nicodemus asked the same question to Jesus (John 3:4), and Christ’s loving response was this, “unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” (John 3:5) When we surrender our everything to Christ, acknowledging there’s no way we can possibly attain our own righteousness, He kills our old sin nature because of His death on the cross and His resurrection three days later. He then makes us alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:5) and places the Spirit of God within us to awaken our hearts to the life available in Christ alone. He literally moves us from death to life when we surrender to Him! Only by this method, through the death and resurrection of Christ on our behalf, and our willing acceptance of this truth by faith, can we enter the Kingdom of Heaven and be wrapped eternally by God’s love, never again to fear His wrath coming upon us.

3) What are the benefits of being saved by grace? (verses 7-10)
When we compare the glorious richness and unfathomable freedom of being made alive in Christ to the immoveable chains of Sin and its consequence of eternal death and separation from God, who is Love, the benefits aren’t even worth calculating! Are you able to celebrate with confidence knowing you have been eternally freed from sin and your debt to God because of your sin has been forever paid in full?! Every sin. Across all time. There is nothing you have already done, and nothing you could ever do to remove you, believing and trusting Christ-follower, from the extravagant love of God. The Christian can whole-heartedly celebrate with the apostle Paul, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 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.” (Romans 8:38-39) You are saved, raised, and seated with Christ! Nothing can defeat you! (Romans 8:37) Though every believer still faces trials and difficulty, loss, and pain in this life, we know with full assurance that this world is passing away. One day, it will be replaced with a new heaven and new earth that will never fade or be tainted by sin. In Christ, victory is ours!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with The Groom &His Bride!

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 Sola 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.

Sola Day 2 I Am A Hussite!: 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 I Am A Hussite!

The Questions

1) What does it mean to be “ashamed” in this context? How can we not be ashamed? (verses 8, 12, and 16)

2) How does the phrase “not according to works” impact both saving and calling? (verse 9)

 

3) What has been “entrusted”, what is the “good deposit”, and how do we guard them? (verses 12 and 14)

2 Timothy 1:8-18

So don’t be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me his prisoner. Instead, share in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God. 9 He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. 10 This has now been made evident through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has abolished death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 For this gospel I was appointed a herald, apostle, and teacher, 12 and that is why I suffer these things. But I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day.

13 Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who lives in us. 15 You know that all those in the province of Asia have deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he diligently searched for me and found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he obtain mercy from him on that day. You know very well how much he ministered at Ephesus.

Original Intent

1) What does it mean to be “ashamed” in this context? How can we not be ashamed? (verses 8, 12, and 16)
The book of 2 Timothy is Paul’s second letter to Timothy, his “dearly loved son in the faith”. (1 Timothy 1:2, 2 Timothy 1:2) Paul had invested deeply into Timothy since he met him, bringing Timothy along on his travels across Asia Minor as he planted churches and encouraged believers. Timothy was Paul’s investment for a new generation of gospel proclamation and he cared about him immensely. Paul had left Timothy at his first official church assignment at the important church hub in Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3) where Timothy was to step into leadership by pastoring and shepherding the people there. The letters to Timothy are hemmed on all sides with tender love and strong encouragement. This second letter begins with the opening paragraphs dedicated to reminding Timothy he is not alone. He is not working for the Lord in vain, and his tireless hard work is worth it as he continues building God’s Kingdom. Paul bolsters Timothy and also calls him out in a fatherly manner by insisting, “so don’t be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me his prisoner. Instead, share in suffering for the gospel…”. (verse 8) Paul urges Timothy to keep on pursuing truth, to hold tightly to it, and continue teaching by it, and leading faithfully towards it. To be “ashamed of testimony of the Lord” in this context, would have been for Timothy to walk away from his calling as preacher and teacher, sweeping it under the rug and turning his life toward other pursuits. Instead, Paul encourages Timothy by reminding him that God has a specific call on his life, He has equipped him for Kingdom work (verse 6), and, on a personal note, Paul adds how brilliantly he has witnessed God’s Spirit working vibrantly through Timothy. (verse 5)

2) How does the phrase “not according to works” impact both saving and calling? (verse 9)
We, in our humanity, had absolutely nothing to do in attaining our salvation or giving ourselves a divinely appointed purpose in life that furthers God’s Kingdom growth. The very idea that we could somehow manipulate God or bring some merit or ability or wisdom into the equation of either our salvation or our purpose is entirely laughable. Paul writes passionately in his letter to the Galatians how foolish they are to even consider these thoughts! (Galatians 3:1-3) It is by grace alone we are saved through faith; this is God’s lavish gift towards us! (Romans 3:23-24, Romans 6:23) While we were still adamant sinners, arrogantly insisting on our way and our own means of being “good enough” and our own distorted scale of how “good” was defined, even then, Christ died for us. As we rebelled, He surrendered Himself so we might turn from our sin, recognize our own inability to save ourselves, and hold out our hand to Jesus for rescue. Timothy already knew all of these truths because he had traveled with Paul for years; he understood what Paul wrote inside and out, up and down, backwards and forwards. But oh, the encouragement when he read those words! To be reminded of those truths again and again. Paul knew a secret to being effective, and it began and ended with the gospel preached over and over to everyone, believer and unbeliever alike!

3) What has been “entrusted”, what is the “good deposit”, and how do we guard them? (verses 12 and 14)
Paul sums up his encouraging discourse to Timothy on why he does not need to be ashamed of the gospel by reminding Timothy of God’s unchanging character. God is always faith and will never become unfaithful; He can be trusted! (Hebrews 10:23) Because God is perfectly trustworthy, we can know for sure that He will guard our souls for eternity once we surrender them in faith to His hand. From the moment we take our hands off of our own life, admit we are ruined sinners in need of redemption, while recognizing that the God of the Bible is the only One who can offer that redemption, we are forever saved. God entrusted our souls to us, giving us the invitation to wisely hand them back to their author, God Himself. When Paul says God is “able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day”, Paul is referring to his own soul. (verse 12) As with all Scripture study, it is vitally important to remember we must study in context of the whole, which is evidenced when we read of the “good deposit” in verse 14. In verse 13, Paul exhorts Timothy hold tightly to sound teaching, which is right doctrine that comes from correctly studying Scripture in the context of biblical community. This sound teaching is guarded through the Holy Spirit, who, as Jesus says, is the One who reminds us of all truth and leads us into truth as we study. (John 16:13)

Everyday Application

1) What does it mean to be “ashamed” in this context? How can we not be ashamed? (verses 8, 12, and 16)
We all experience discouragement in different seasons of our lives, but for the committed Christ-follower, discouragement can be a tool the enemy uses to swerve our eyes off of the mission and calling God has given us. We can feel inadequate. We can feel like we aren’t achieving the results we should be.  We might even wonder if we ever really heard God calling us into this specific form of ministry, or if it was just an emotionally hyped response. This is when we desperately need the anchor of truth and the strength of biblical community surrounding us as Paul demonstrated so beautifully to Timothy. If you’re feeling discouraged as you follow Jesus, take some time to sit with this passage from Paul to Timothy and soak in its truths for yourself. Remember God’s grace (verse 2) is what saved you and by His grace you’ve been given a calling and purpose. His grace, not your abilities. God is merciful (verse 2, verse 9) towards you. He understands your discouragement and He is present with you, never leaving you. You are prayed over! (verse 3) Satan wants you to feel isolated like you are ministering alone, this is a lie! Reach out to another believer and ask them to pray or email us (prayer@gracefullytruthful.com); we would be honored to pray over you! Because God is so merciful, He puts people in our lives who are cheering for us and want to walk alongside us; this is biblical community! (verse 4) Even if you feel as if you don’t have anyone to reach out to, the fact you are reading this study means that if no one else is for you, the Lord God IS, and He holds every tear in a bottle and knows the depth of your heart. Reach out to those who have witnessed your love for Jesus, be honest as you transparently share of your discouragement and allow them to speak life and truth over you. (verse 5) You, who have surrendered your heart and life to God, have within you the gift of God which He IS using to fulfill HIS purposes; rest in that! (verse 6) His Spirit inside you is not based in fear, but is overflowing with power, love, and wisdom. (verses 7-8) Remember, fellow Christ-follower, you know in Whom you have believed and trusted for eternity. You know His heart. You know of His love for you. You know He is able to guard your soul for eternity, so of course He is able to continue working through you to build His kingdom now. (verses 11-12) Don’t be ashamed and walk away from what He has called you into!

2) How does the phrase “not according to works” impact both saving and calling? (verse 9)
When we sit in the boat of everyday life, amid turmoil, grief, loss, discouragement, or even happiness, good times, and enjoyment in our relationships, we need the constant safety rails of knowing God saves for eternity and gives us divine purpose simply because HE has decided to do so. Not because of us. If our salvation depended on complete obedience to only a single command, we would still be damned forever. We are utterly imperfect. If you have been trying to follow Jesus, and do all the right things, and say all the good things, and stop saying or doing the wrong things, but still find yourself failing. TAKE HEART! God knows. He knows you will absolutely never be able to save yourself, become more like Him, win another soul to Christ, speak truth over another sister or brother, love your spouse like God loves them, stay away from lust, or cease from your own pet sins, HE KNOWS YOU CAN’T!!! Because He is so kind and good, merciful, and full of grace, He equips us with His own powerful Spirit to live inside of us and shape us to do His work and be saved for eternity. The more we read, study, and apply God’s Word to our lives, the more we open ourselves up to God’s Spirit working within us!

3) What has been “entrusted”, what is the “good deposit”, and how do we guard them? (verses 12 and 14)
Jesus poignantly asked, “For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his soul?” Every human life has been entrusted with a soul by the very author of Life, God Himself. What we do with that soul is our decision. As Jesus says in Mark 8:35, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it.”  Meaning, if we give over our life, our very soul, to God, it may seem like we are losing it, but in reality, it is being saved for eternity. Only the Author of a soul has the ability to maintain it and preserve it. The question we must ask ourselves is, “Who owns my soul”? If it is any other than the Lord Jesus Christ, our soul is currently in a state of lostness. The second question we must ask ourselves is how are we guarding what has been deposited in us? Maybe even taking time to assess, and ask ourselves, what “good teaching” has already been deposited in us. What do we think about God? Who do we believe Him to be? How do we view our lives? Who defines truth? What does love look like according to the Bible? We must line up our beliefs with the plumb line of Scripture, holding fast to truth, and discarding what is out of line with God’s Word. We guard this investment by continuing to pursue truth through Scripture study, and by prayerfully asking the Holy Spirit to teach us and lead us deeper into greater understanding of truth. Look for podcasts, sermons, books, and friends who consistently preach the gospel and expound the truths of the Bible, then guard those deposits!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with I Am A Hussite!

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 Sola 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.

Sketched VII Day 11 My Shaping Moments

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Timothy 1:12-20
John 12:23-28
1 Corinthians 15:35-49

Sketched VII, Day 11

I can feel my coffee cooling as time passes between us. I fix my gaze on Billy, hunched across the table from me, head hanging low and shame creeping up his neck. He has every right to be upset: his home life is a mess and his girlfriend just broke up with him.

This. This moment is everything to me as a youth pastor. And yet, during my training, I never saw it coming.

In high school, I developed a deep, lasting friendship with my youth pastor. He called out the best in me, challenged me, and saw something in me I’d never seen in myself.

Following an abrupt change in pastoral leadership during my senior year, I volunteered to help lead a mission trip. Thus, I became the first unofficial youth ministry intern.

As I served under the discipleship of my youth pastor, my faith became real. I began to long for others to experience the magnitude of God, as I had. I am most alive when I see others take steps forward in their faith, steps from death to everlasting life. It is my life’s devotion.

I’m brought back to the present by Billy’s shaky sigh. He’s on the verge of speaking. I wait, allowing the silence to penetrate his soul. I’m in no rush. This moment in time is just for Billy. 

These moments, teetering on the cusp of breakthrough, are pivotal. My best days in student ministry have never been behind a desk, prepping for a catchy Wednesday night message. No, my best days have always been at a table shared with a kindred or hurting spirit.

It took me a while to learn this. I landed a job at Living Stones Community Church before my college graduation.  On my first day of work, I rolled up in my car with a backseat full of textbooks and the latest and greatest resources.

With my pride-puffed chest and irremovable smile, I approached the lead pastor as he watered flowers and we began chatting. “Adam,” he remarked a few minutes later, “you’re going to find out ministry is more than just sermon prep.”

My face remained attentive while I silently scoffed, “That’s what you think. People are going to be changed because of MY convicting sermons. Just you wait. Living Stones isn’t going to know what hit it.”

I began spending my days preparing my sermons. I would sit and dream, praying about what God wanted me to teach my students.

And yet, I was working completely alone. It was lonely, isolating, and depressing.

Then, a mentor told me, “If you want to shepherd but hate sheep, you need to go home.” 

BOOM.

It was the punch-in-the-gut conviction I needed.

I couldn’t just sit behind a desk preparing sermons,
or change the name of the youth group to make it sound catchier,
or buy the latest youth packages available,
and call my efforts discipleship or even pastoring.

I needed to love the students where they were, in hospitals, schools, at basketball games, and school performances. God began giving me a Gospel-ache to help other student pastors love their sheep well. 

Eventually, I began a Student Pastor Network in our area. Once a month, we pray for one another and share ideas.

I also began getting a little dirtier with my students.
I sat in their mess with them.
I stopped preaching at my sheep and began loving them.

I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for the transformation He’s worked in my heart. If I’d remained unchanged, I wouldn’t be sitting with Billy, helping him navigate hard questions and confusing times.

“But, Adam?” Billy says. “All of this mess, all of the hard times and sad nights and even loneliness, it’s all worth it for one life, isn’t it? If I get to see my dad come to know Jesus because of everything I’ve been through, it’ll be worth it, right?”

I understand his question; we ask our youth group, “Who is the ONE LIFE you’re praying will come to know and trust Jesus? What is your role in the process?”

I wonder if Billy is also asking if he’s worth it to me. Billy joined our youth group in the midst of my chaotic personal life, and came to know Jesus when I shared the messy truth even pastors are faced with tremendous losses and life-altering, hard decisions.

“Billy,” I say, “it is completely worth it. You are the one life who’s made my struggles worth the pain. My trials aren’t easier, and my messes aren’t cleaner. But God used you to remind me I have hope and purpose.” Billy’s eyes soften as truth settles over him and soothes his heart.

As Billy and I wrap up our time together, I pray over him and ask if I’ll see him at FCA the next morning. I’ve learned connecting with teenagers doesn’t just look like chatting with them when they’re at church, or sharing memes during my sermons, or even trying to use their slang when interacting.

The truth is, I’m going to grow more “out of touch” as I grow older, and it’s ok! I don’t need to be one of them, I need to be with them. I work hard to become a student of my students.

Teenagers are charting new waters, ones many of us have never faced. They are learning to navigate the world not only in person, but digitally. These days, students are bolder with their thumbs than with their mouths, and they need help ensuring what pours from their mouths and their devices reflects what’s inside their hearts. That’s just one of my jobs as their pastor.

I strive to unite all of the roles I fill behind my ultimate calling to preserve the bride of Christ. The Church is certainly not perfect, but she is beautiful, and I want to live and pastor as He leads.

I pull into the church parking lot and give our lead pastor a little wave as I head back inside; he’s watering the flowers again.

It’s been eight years since I began working at this church, and I’m a different man. Our pastor knows I’m heading inside to prep my message. But he also knows I came from meeting with Billy.

It turns out, he was right. There is so much more to ministry than sermon prep.

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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 VII 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 Sketched VII!

Treasure Day 11 Treasure In The Mirror

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Deuteronomy 26:16-19
1 Peter 5:1-11
Ephesians 2:1-10
James 4:1-10
Hebrews 12:1-13

Treasure, Day 11

We are God’s most treasured possession.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God Himself. And yet, we find ourselves struggling to believe this truth.

The enemy whispers “unworthy” in our ears. He tells us we are no good and pulls us down into the depths of depression.

It’s a fight, my friend. Satan goes about the earth like a lion seeking whom he can devour. We must resist him with all our strength.

He uses any tool he can find to defeat us.
It could be society telling us we are worthless,
our bathroom mirrors,
or what we read or watch (like social media).

It’s a spiritual battle and must be fought daily, hourly, or even by the minute.

This fight is nothing new. The Bible is full of men and women wrestling to discover their true worth.

Moses fought when God called him to rescue the Israelites from Egypt (Exodus 3:7-4:13). He told God he just couldn’t do obey because he was too flawed.

Oh, the excuses!
His failures of his murderous past.
His faltering speech and slow tongue.

Been there, sister?

God can’t possibly mean me.
My past can’t be overcome.
My failures define me.
My flaws are too big and too public.

Truth?
God can use anyone.
Together with his brother, Aaron, and empowered by God Himself, Moses confronted Pharaoh and eventually led the Israelites to their freedom.

Even our spiritual leaders might tell us we aren’t good enough, or overlook us because others are better looking, or smarter, or________ (fill in the blank). For example, when the prophet Samuel was tasked with anointing a new king, he looked at a family of strong and ruddy men and assumed one of them would be the obvious choice.

Yet, God highlighted a shepherd boy, the most unlikely of candidates, reminding Samuel people look at outward appearance, but He sees our hearts. (1 Samuel 16:1-13)

In the New Testament, we meet Timothy, who was also disparaged because of his appearance, specifically because he was young. The Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy not to be deterred, or discouraged, by society claiming he was too young to lead and teach.

Like a father, Paul urged Timothy to be an example to all believers through his speech, lifestyle, and godly love for others. He encouraged Timothy to stay strong in his faith and steadfast in his purity (1 Timothy 4:12-16), so God’s character would be made evident within Timothy.

Similarly, God calls each of us, setting us apart with a purpose, to mirror His glory by reflecting His attributes to those around us.

Mirrors.
For many years, I lived in a virtual house of mirrors.
These carnival-style mirrors distorted the truth,
leaving me trapped in a maze of lies.

I struggled to grasp the treasure God had placed within me through His own Holy Spirit when He freed me from sin, shame, and chains of condemnation. Though God had gifted me with many talents and was growing His character in me, I could only see my weakness and incapability.

I did all the negative self-talk, embracing and repeating Satan’s lies to myself instead of the beautiful truths Christ had died to wrap around me like a royal robe. The evil one tries to beat us down and destroy us. He wants to keep our eyes turned away from our gifts and abilities and onto our weaknesses.

But God works through our weaknesses
to make us strong
and bring glory to Him.

So how do we fight the good fight? How do we defeat the enemy Satan, who is constantly whispering in our ears that we are no good?

We follow Paul’s instruction to Timothy.
We train ourselves for the fight.
We focus on reading the Scriptures,
and on stewarding the gifts God HAS INDEED given us.
We put on the full armor of God as defense against enemy attacks.

Begin listening to what God says about you. When negative thoughts come, and they will, resist them, rather than dwelling on them.

Look to the Lord (your wonderful and perfect mirror).
Let His likeness shine on you (Psalm 105:4-11).
Think on whatever is true, honorable, right, pure and lovely, and admirable.
Think on His words, which are excellent and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8-9).

Make a list of Scriptures that remind you of your righteousness in Jesus Christ,
which He purchased for you when He shed His blood and paid for your sin.
Write them out with your name inserted in them.
Stick them wherever you will see them every day.
On your bathroom mirror. Your fridge. In your pocket.
Set them as reminders on your phone.

Recite these Scriptures over and over, especially when the enemy attacks. You’ve got this, friend. You can renew your mind just as God has transformed your heart!

 Here’s a short profession to help you get started:
I look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith. He created me in His perfect image. I am His masterpiece. I am fearfully and wonderfully made, His treasured possession.

Even before I was born, He knew me. He died on the cross and rose again to redeem my life. I will seek His face and His strength, always. I will live as a daughter of the King.
Daughter of the King. Wow!
If you aren’t 100% sure you are a true Daughter of the King, having been washed and forgiven and freed from all those chains of condemnation, will you please reach out to someone who knows and lives that truth deeply? Email the Sisters at Gracefully Truthful or drop a comment here. Choosing to become the King’s Daughter is the single most important decision you will ever make; it will last for eternity!

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 Treasure 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 Treasure!

Here Day 7 Shepherds: 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 Shepherds!

The Questions

1) Why is Bethlehem so important in this passage?

2) Why are there so many references to shepherds?

3) How would the Promised One be our “peace”?

Micah 5:1-6

1 Now, daughter who is under attack,
you slash yourself in grief;
a siege is set against us!
They are striking the judge of Israel
on the cheek with a rod.
2 Bethlehem Ephrathah,
you are small among the clans of Judah;
one will come from you
to be ruler over Israel for me.
His origin is from antiquity,
from ancient times.
3 Therefore, Israel will be abandoned until the time
when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of the ruler’s brothers will return
to the people of Israel.

4 He will stand and shepherd them
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majestic name of the Lord his God.
They will live securely,
for then his greatness will extend
to the ends of the earth.
5 He will be their peace.
When Assyria invades our land,
when it marches against our fortresses,
we will raise against it seven shepherds,
even eight leaders of men.
6 They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,
the land of Nimrod with a drawn blade.
So he will rescue us from Assyria
when it invades our land,
when it marches against our territory.

Original Intent

1) Why is Bethlehem so important in this passage?
Micah was delivering this prophecy from God 700 years before the birth of the Messiah. Bethlehem was a relatively small village with only about 300 people during a high season, yet we see that a great and glorious event would take place sometime in Bethlehem’s future. That is the thing with a prophecy; it could take place the next day, a week later, or even several hundred years from that point. Scripture reminds that a prophet is known if he is false or true by whether their prophecies come true. (Deuteronomy 18:22) The true prophets of Yahweh were known for prophesying correctly, because Yahweh, our God, is completely trustworthy. The reliability of God’s prophets even made King Herod Herod (of the New Testament) fearful because he felt his throne would certainly be threatened by a “new king”. When wise men, the Magi from the East, came to Herod as they were following the star, the King told them to go to Bethlehem, find the Messiah, and report back to him. (Matthew 2:8) It’s also interesting to note that though Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph later fled to Nazareth for his growing up years Matthew 2:20-23. So, some later dismissed Jesus as being the Messiah because they only knew Him as a Nazarene.

2) Why so many references to shepherds?
Throughout the Bible, shepherds were plentiful as tenders of livestock. Culturally, it was a major occupation, but it was also one of the lowliest, humble, and “least of these” types of occupations. It was also a role everyone understood and had a mental image of; everyone knew what a shepherd did, how they smelled, and how impoverished they were. Standing in contrast, we read in Luke that shepherds were highly esteemed by God to be the first to hear of the birth of the Messiah Luke 2:8-14. In this passage in Micah, verse 4 and verse 6 utilize “shepherd” as a verb giving the image of delivering, protecting, and actively bringing into the sheepfold. This depiction speaks of God as He actively shepherds His people.There are several names and character traits of God, one of which is Yahweh Roi, meaning the Lord is My Shepherd. (See King David’s imagery of Yahweh Roi in Psalm 23!) Micah’s prophecy to the Southern Kingdom of Israel, called Judah, told them that while their sins were many (corruption and evil had infiltrated every level of society), and they would have to face God’s judgement, God wouldn’t leave them. He would return as the Shepherd-King, deliver His people from their enemies, and gather them as a remnant, and bring them back into His sheepfold.

3) How would the Promised One be our “peace”?
The people of Micah’s time were constantly in bondage to sin and continually attacked by enemies. Conflict and invasion from enemy nations were regular, ongoing occurrences that God allowed because of their perpetual sin against Him. Israel continued to choose their sin over the Savior, running from Him, even as He held out life and hope and redemption to them. They did not deserve peace, nor did they deserve God’s kindness towards them, but they did longingly ache for the day when they would live in peace. While they knew that God, Jehovah, was Yahweh Shalom (God of Peace) they neither saw nor experienced that peace because of the rightly deserved consequences for their sin. The peace Micah talks about in verse 5, however, is more than simply having freedom from invading neighbors and the violence those enemies perpetrated. This peace means wholeness, completeness, and signifies an eternal peace that could come only from Yahweh Shalom as the God of all peace restores the brokenness existing between Himself and His people.

Everyday Application

1) Why is Bethlehem so important in this passage?
We often think of small towns and villages as places where nothing happens. We treat the towns themselves, and the people from them, as having little to no value or worth. Rarely are great or famous people from a small town. We generally hear most often about the great and glorious things that a large metropolis has to offer.  Like so much of the Christmas story, God chose the small, insignificant, and seemingly unimportant to bear the greatness of the arrival of God the Son. Shepherds. Peasant parents. Aging prophets in the temple. A town that barely made the map. These are the delight of God to use as He showcases His glory! In the same way, He continues to do the same with the people of His kingdom. Paul writes, “For consider your calling, brothers:  not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-27) If you are feeling weak and insignificant, let the story of Bethlehem remind you that God loves to use the “least” to declare the greatest story ever told to a world desperate for His love!

2)Why are there so many references to shepherds?
Because the visual image was so clear for shepherds in Jesus’ time and culture, He used the role often to help make His point as He explained Who He was to His followers. Jesus even referred to Himself as the Good Shepherd John 10:11-18. In this reference He wasn’t just saying He was really great at tending physical sheep, He was saying He was THE shepherd who was coming in fulfillment of Micah’s prophecy. Since Jesus is the Good Shepherd, we are given free access to know and experience Him as our Shepherding Savior where He actively cares for us and provides for us. He lovingly shepherds us, as His people. We, as His sheep, can run to Him for protection, for nurturing, and deliverance. We also have the eternal, assured Hope of being included in His new sheepfold when He returns. Where do you see evidence of the Good Shepherd in your life? Celebrate and praise Him for shepherding you! If you are feeling bereft and alone, know that your Good Shepherd is here, simply draw near to Him! (James 4:8)

3) How would the Promised One be our “peace”?
We often think of “peace” as the cease fire after a military battle, that moment when striving between two people or parties has stopped. Or maybe it’s simply trading the chaos of the everyday hustle and bustle of life for a vacation to a cabin in the woods or a quiet beach. The peace Micah was prophesying about, however, is much deeper than outward circumstance, it’s about peace with God. This peace can only be found when we wholly submit our lives to Jesus by accepting what He did on our behalf by dying the death we deserve because of our sin. Israel’s sin separated them from God, and ours does too. There is only one way back to having peace with God, and that’s through the blood Jesus spilled on our behalf. When we admit to God that we are indeed sinners deserving eternal death apart from Him and His holiness, and ask Him to forgive us, and give us His own righteousness in place of our filthiness, Yahweh Shalom gives us His Peace! Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and He came to bring peace to us. The peace Jesus offers isn’t necessarily going to stop the outside chaos that often surrounds us, but it will anchor us amid that chaos. Cling to the unshakeable peace of Jesus!

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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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Here Day 6 Shepherds

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 2:8-20
Micah 5:1-6
Revelation 7:9-17

Here, Day 6

The room was dim as the sun began setting, and the smell of smoke lingered in the air from the simple meal. Anna began preparing the children for bed and their giggles filled the home. Joshua listened carefully to each squeal, able to pair the sound with the mouth it came from. His eyes were weakened from years of working in the glaring sun, but his ears were sharp. Listening to his grandchildren giggle filled his heart to overflowing.

“Lydia, come along,” Anna spoke gently to her littlest, but Lydia’s chubby feet toddled towards Joshua instead. He heard her voice, “Up!”, and knew tiny arms reached towards him. He wrapped his hands around her squishy little belly, hoisting her onto his knee. “Story!”, Lydia pipped into his ear as she snuggled into his chest, feeling his beard on her head.

Joshua chuckled and pulled her close, “You and your stories, Lydie. Just one before bed.”

The words were invitation to the other four children, as they flew to the floor around Grandfather. Each pair of eyes transfixed on his, ready to watch the story dance in his eyes as it filled their ears.

Well, children, you all know I was a shepherd for decades, just as my father and his father was. You know, King David was a shepherd, and before him, Father Abraham. Shepherding is an honor, but many forget that noble men once began as poor shepherds like me. 

Then one night, everything changed. 

The day was warmer than usual, and our stench revealed the work we’d done in the heat of the day. There were three other shepherds, Jacob – your great uncle, and Levi and Micah, our cousins. We ate and laughed our way through our late supper, and settled in for the night by the fire. The cool evening descended quickly, and soon an endless array of shining stars filled the dark sky as far as we could see.

Just as our eyes grew heavy, a brilliant light flooded the sky. Micah and Jacob shouted with fear. Levi and I shielded our eyes in stunned, blinding silence as we fell to the ground. What was happening!? My heart raced as I saw the form of a man take shape in the midst of dazzling white. Mighty wings unfurled on either side of him. The light effervesced around him, filling the space between us making our firelight appear as dim shadows compared to the light swirling around us. It was as if the light itself was alive.

Children, there is nothing as terrifying as seeing something huge and magnificent while being entirely unsure of it. My mind raced, “Am I dying? Is this Heaven? Is it an enemy’s attack? Is it Abraham’s ghost? Do we run? Do we shout? Defend ourselves?”

Suddenly, like the blast of a trumpet mingled with gentle swirls of frolicking kindness, the powerful being spoke, “Don’t be afraid! I am heralding good news to you!” 

Stunned, the words flew around us like a rushing wind while our hearts were tenderly warmed and flooded with excitement.

“Today, in the city of David, a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be the sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.” 

In the space of a blink, the single angelic herald was joined by hundreds, no, thousands! The entirety of the sky’s expanse was filled with brilliant light. They were as far as we could see, yet near enough we felt the wind from beating wings.

And Oh! The music! 

Joshua paused for a moment, closing his eyes while the children sat enraptured with anticipation. “Go! Go! Singing!” shouted Lydia, bouncing on his lap and clapping her dimpled hands together. Joshua shook his head to clear the enchantment that had taken over his mind. He smiled and looked upward, as if still seeing angels, but proceeded with deep emotion…

The music was magnificent.
I’ve never heard music like that before or since, but I’ll never forget their words,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven! And peace on earth to people He favors!”

My goose pimples had goose pimples and the tears streamed down my face, but I felt nothing but awesome glory. We were captivated in worship.

As quickly as they appeared, they left, and darkness dropped heavily on our eyes as we could only hear our own quickened breathing in the astounding quiet.

Only a moment passed before we realized with astonishment that we were still alone. No one from Bethlehem had run down to listen and watch… it was just us. 

That entire proclamation was just for us. 

Us. Small, poor, and humble shepherds. 

God had sent those angels to proclaim the birth of the Messiah to us. 

“Let’s go!” whispered Micah, but I was already moving to chase Levi as the sheep followed.  Before we knew it, we were running as fast as we possibly could. As quickly as we moved, the questions pecked inside, “A Savior born for us? The Messiah? Was this the promised rescuer of Israel? But a Savior lying in a manger? What Lord was this humble?!”

We entered Bethlehem, and kept running, the cobblestone roads cold under our bare, weathered feet, but we didn’t stop. It didn’t seem to matter that none of us knew exactly where to go, but our feet flew nonetheless in a single direction as if intentionally led.

And then. 

We stopped. 

A small light cast a warm glow off of hollowed-out walls of a cave, tucked into the side of a hill. Here. Messiah was here.

We called out before entering, and as we did, that same all-consuming feeling we experienced as the angels sang, powerfully surrounded us again. Our breath caught with awe as we slowly stumbled further into the stable, smelling the hay warmed by animals.

Time itself seemed to stand still as our eyes paused on an image I’ll never forget.
There He was, the tiny babe, just as the angel said, wrapped tightly in strips of rags and lying in a manger. 

We all quickly fell to our knees, the tears falling afresh.
The Savior. Our Savior.
Here. With Us.

Children, that was nearly fifty years ago. That baby grew into a powerful man. He performed many miracles and taught His followers what it actually means to love your neighbor. Thirty- three years after that spectacular night, came another night.
The darkest night.
The Messiah hung lifeless on a cross innocently murdered.
I wept when I heard the news… that precious baby we had worshiped… dead. 

But, my children, you know that’s not the end of the story!! 

The children shouted, “No!” all at once, the excitement and glee filling their faces and bodies as victory screamed within them.

No! Because three days later, our Messiah rose from the dead! He didn’t stay dead, He conquered Death for us! 

My little ones, I have lived every day of my life telling of that wondrous first night, my job may have been humble shepherd, but my real job was proclaiming the Messiah’s arrival, our deliverance from sin, and our call to worship Him. I’m sharing my story with you, because one day, I won’t be alive to share it anymore. And oh! What a day that will be! On that day, I will fall on my knees and worship our Messiah again, this time forever! 

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Here’s a link to all past studies in Here!