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Sketched IX Day 10 Peter’s Pursuit

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 10:1-43
Galatians 2:11-14
John 14:1-31

Sketched IX, Day 10

I did it again, Lord. Why can’t I seem to get this? Why do I so desperately want to follow You, only to fail miserably?

Over and over, You have loved me when I have passionately succeeded at the wrong thing. Instead of lashing out at me when I cut off that servant’s ear, You healed him and let them lead you away. All I wanted to do was serve and protect You. But that wasn’t Your plan. (John 18:10-11)

It was never part of Your plan.
It all makes more sense now. Well, most of the time.
I still think about all You spoke to us while You walked with us. You told us over and over You were showing us the Father. (John 14:1-11) You told us You would be going to the Father, but the Holy Spirit would be coming in Your place.

At the time, I subconsciously categorized Your words into my mental folder tagged, “Sure, Jesus.” That folder held Your teachings I partially understood, but weren’t urgent for me to completely figure out. You would always be with us. You were the Christ. Er, You are the Christ. I assumed You would be walking with us into victory, instead of into what felt like such a depressing defeat.

After You died and reappeared to us in your resurrected body, I understood an entirely different level of victory. You had defeated death! Not even Lazarus did that permanently.
When You ascended, You were lifted up, fulfilling Your words about going to the Father.

I miss You, Jesus.
Don’t get me wrong. I love the gift of the Holy Spirit and am so thankful for His presence. I just wish, sometimes, I could see Him. I could watch You love the unlovable and understand how I could do the same. I could sense the tone of Your words and feel the peace emanating from You.

Now I need to navigate each day without You physically beside me. I know the Holy Spirit guides me, but sometimes He’s not easy to understand.

Like when I had the vision about the sheet of unclean animals and was told to eat them. It was repeated three times and a voice told me to kill and eat. When I replied that I would not eat anything unclean, the voice responded, “What God has made clean, do not call impure.” (Acts 10:15)

Lord, that was very confusing. Yet, as soon as those men came to the gate of the house where I was staying, I knew it was the Holy Spirit telling me to go with them. When we arrived at our destination and I found myself being honored in the midst of God-fearing Gentiles, the words from the vision came back to me.

Who was I to call these people impure? If God orchestrated this meeting, He had a purpose, a clean one. A holy one.

Lord, You showed up when I began to speak. I shared of Your love for them and then You unleashed the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, You. Poured. Out.  (Acts 10:44-46)

We were all dumbfounded. I thought for sure I would never forget the lesson I’d learned over those few days. You came for anyone and everyone. Jews and Gentiles alike, You welcome us all.

Yet, here I am again, Lord. I feel the same sinking feeling I had when I began to flounder out on the waves. I so valiantly tried to serve You, and I am once again in need of rescuing. (Matthew 14:22-33)

Paul called me out. Paul, the one who previously persecuted Christians and never physically walked with You the way I did. He reminded me of the truth I preached to Cornelius on the day I thought I’d never forget.

Well, I forgot.

It became easier to add a few conditions to the truth of Your love to make it more palatable for my Jewish brothers to embrace the Gentiles. I know You never loved us with contingencies, Lord, but it felt easier for me to keep the peace.

But Paul is bolder than I. He declared the expectation of circumcision was not part of Your criteria for entry into the Kingdom. As Paul likes to remind us, we are saved by grace, through faith. How did I forget this important truth? (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Oh Lord, forgive me. Once again I ask You to catch me, helping me find my solid ground again. Help me live and love as You did, Jesus. Help me know the Father as You do.
Holy Spirit, guide and lead me on.

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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!

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!

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Follow Day 11 Question, Follow, Faith

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 1:26-56
Isaiah 55:8-11
1 Corinthians 3:18-23
1 Corinthians 1:20-31

Follow, Day 11

Questions are a part of our worlds. At the restaurant, it is “How may I help you?” At the doctor’s office, it is “What are your concerns today?” In school, it is “What are you learning?” At home, it may be “What’s for dinner?” Or if you have a young toddler it may even be the beloved “Why?” question.

Throughout a day I find myself asking questions often. Sometimes they are to myself and sometimes they are verbalized to others. Occasionally they are rooted in frustration as I try to figure out why I just made a choice I did or what a coworker was thinking in hers.

Most recently I have found myself echoing the toddler’s cry in talking with the Lord as I have asked the “Why” question regarding His timing and plans in my life, especially in light of the reality that is the year 2020.

Oh how grateful I am that the Lord made us to question. We are made in His image and the Lord first introduces His use of questions in Genesis. I believe the Lord welcomes our questions, especially when we are truly seeking to know Him and His character better. For anyone who has been told that asking God questions is a sin I would encourage you to ask the Lord His thoughts on that.

That being said, questioning the Lord CAN lead to sin. They way in which we ask the Lord, our heart postures in the process, and our response to the outcome of our questions are all arenas in which we can find ourselves running rampant in sin. In my own life I have found myself sinning when lashing out at the Lord in my questions and asking the Lord for answers and then rejecting the one I receive because it was not the one I wanted. Questions are a sweet gift the Lord has given to us to build relationship with Him. They are also a solid litmus test for the status of our hearts.

A prime example of a woman who succeeds in questioning the Lord and honoring Him in the process is Mary, the mother of Jesus. I can picture the look on Mary’s face and the tone of her voice as she asks the angel how exactly she, a virgin, would bear a child. This was a childlike inquisitiveness and a subsequent response filled with obedient submission. After asking her question, Mary’s next words accepted the role she would play.

She said yes and began a journey that would simultaneously wreck her life and reward it with life beyond her wildest imagination. Because Mary said yes she experienced earthly rejection; more than likely days of doubt; the battering only a mother’s heart could experience as Jesus Himself grew, faced rejection himself, and ultimately was crucified; and countless other details that could be inferred by imagining her life.

However, at the very onset of the story, as Gabriel, the angel of the Lord, speaks to her, Mary’s ability to follow the Lord’s leading shines through. She asks how this would become reality and her next words were ones of acceptance. Jump ahead a few weeks and Mary’s words have moved from acceptance to thankfulness for the part she would play in this love letter the Lord was writing to the world. Scripture does not show that Mary heard directly from Gabriel again nor were we told that a manual for navigating the upcoming days, weeks, and months was provided for Mary. She accepted her role, celebrated the blessing that it was, and walked closely with the Lord.

Isaiah 55 declares that God’s ways are not our ways. More often than not, His ways require levels of faith that challenge us. Mary was no different. Where Mary stands out from so many of us lies in her posture to say yes and rejoice in all that yes included. How often have I failed to experience the fullness of what the Lord has for me since I refused to say yes, did so with grumbling, drug my feet in obedience, allowed the fear of man to paralyze me, or treated the entire process as a trial to endure rather than an entrustment to find joy in throughout?

Mary demonstrated the effectiveness and freedom of using questions in her relationship with the Lord. She also displayed the beauty of following the Lord with a surrendered and humble heart. She modeled the faith and fortitude required to follow when the path leads into counter-cultural regions, through hard seasons of many kinds, and with rarely more than the next step to take illuminated. I pray that I can live my life with a similar grace, joy, tenacity, and contentment.

Let’s use our questions to draw closer to the One who knows all the details and writes the best stories. Let us also respond well to the answers to those questions, dear sisters, for His glory and our gain. When we follow His guidance, we may just discover immeasurable joy and adventure amidst all the unexpected twists and turns.

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Reveal Day 6 Filling The Empty

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 1:1-5
Romans 15:8-13
John 1:1-13
Luke 2:8-11

Reveal, Day 6

When I was growing up, Christmas was always my very favorite time of year. It was also my Daddy’s favorite season, and his excitement automatically spilled on us all. Christmas is still magical to me, even at the age of 28. Now, I also experience it through the eyes of my children, witnessing their wonder and curiosity, which increases my own anticipation.

While my love for Christmas hasn’t abated, my childhood naivety has. With my own aging has come the subsequent aging, and then passing, of so many with whom I celebrated Christmas as a child. The loss of these special people creates an undercurrent of grief and sadness when I think on Christmas. Add to this, the reality of being a mother of two and often falling prey to the lie I must be all things to all people in December. Here in the wake of hurry and loss, Christmas joy quickly wanes. What was once so tangible and easy as a child is complex and difficult to grasp as an adult.

Maybe you feel this way, too? Perhaps you’re grieving a loved one this Christmas. Or maybe, like many of your fellow sisters-in-Christ, you feel hurried and harried, busy and overwhelmed by all you feel you must do to make Christmas special.

You’re not alone!
Amazingly, in studying the first Christmas, we find a beautiful mystery experienced by all who welcomed the Savior.
Great joy.

And yet, it’s important to remember that those who welcomed Christ at the first Christmas battled their own churning chaos.

Jewish persecution ran high. Rome increasingly took more and more control of land, of taxes, of daughters as sex slaves, of food, and of morale, as Jews were pressed on all sides to serve the wealthy.

After 400 years of silence from any prophetic voice from Yahweh, the Lord God, it was easy for Jews to look around in fear at the swirl of chaos, wondering if joy had slipped away forever.

And finally, there were those who stood in direct opposition to a Messiah. King Herod certainly was not interested in welcoming a Newborn King, and so for him, there was no joy. Herod was bent on destroying Him so he could continue relying solely on himself, his own capabilities, and his own glory. Herod rejected the Savior, and the result was a complete lack of joy. He found only death, fear, and a reliance on self that never satisfied, but instead destroyed himself and others.

Do you find yourself reflecting Herod’s harried attempt to protect self and somehow attain happiness? Instead, does it feel like stress and hurry persistently steal away any elusive joy that might be found? What if our lack of joy reveals something about the focus of our hearts?

It’s shockingly easy to rely on ourselves to be the savior of the season as we purpose in our hearts to bake all the cookies,
watch all the Christmas movies,
attend all the parties,
complete all the shopping,
do all the crafts,
send out all the Christmas cards,
say “yes” to all the requests,
and decorate our home to the Pinterest max.

The chaos beckons with glitter and lights and peppermint drizzle,
while joy quietly waits to be delighted in.

If Christmas is feeling a bit more chaotic than cheery, is it time to consider that maybe self is the idol we’re trusting? Is it any wonder joy feels out of reach?

Scrolling all the way back to the beginning of time, when God spoke His voice into the mass of nothing, bringing forth all of everything, we find a God who delights in bringing His joyful presence into the chaos of emptiness.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Now the earth was formless and empty (…).”
(Genesis 1:1-2)

From nothing, His voice filled the chaos, bringing forth a creation He delightedly declared “Good!”

“Then God said,’Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good (…)”.
(Genesis 1:3-4, emphasis mine)

As darkness drew nigh that first Christmas and one girl’s laboring screams filled the night, followed by the shrill cry of a newborn babe, delight was filling the dark once more.  The very same Word was going forth from the Father once again.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

“I came from the Father and have come into the world.” (John 16:28)

His light was shining in the darkness as He Himself took on human flesh.

“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” (John 1:9)
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5)
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (…).” (John 1:14)

The Joy of Jesus had come to rescue His people,
drawing them out of eternal night into eternal day. 

If your Christmas season is feeling heavy with sorrow and rising stress, cling to the same Living Hope around Whom angels and shepherds hovered as they welcomed the light of the world, and the Joy whose presence promised unending delight.

Our emptiness, our longings, our stress, and our sadness all point to our need for the fullness of God and our souls’ longing for Immanuel, God with us. As C.S. Lewis once said, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”

Focus your eyes on that other world this Christmas, friend. With eyes of faith, see the One Who came to offer His life for you, His light in exchange for your darkness, and watch your Christmas joy surge and swell!

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

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

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Reveal Day 2 Until He Appears: 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 Until He Appears!

The Questions

1) What should we do when we call out to the Lord, but He does not save? (verse 2)

2) Why would God tolerate wrongdoing? (verse 3)

3) How can justice come out perverted? (verse 4)

Habakkuk 1:1-4

1The pronouncement that the prophet Habakkuk saw. 2 How long, Lord, must I call for help and you do not listen or cry out to you about violence and you do not save? 3 Why do you force me to look at injustice?  Why do you tolerate* wrongdoing? Oppression and violence are right in front of me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates.  4 This is why the law is ineffective and justice never emerges. For the wicked restrict the righteous; therefore, justice comes out perverted.

Original Intent

1) What should we do when we call out to the Lord, but He does not save? (verse 2)
The prophet Habakkuk had a problem. Commentator J.M. Boice describes his scenario like this, “He had lived through a period of national revival followed by a period of spiritual decline.” Under King Josiah’s reign, the nation of Judah followed God, but under successive kings, the country fell into sin.  Distressed by the immorality and injustice all around him, Habakkuk called upon God to save His people. He implored, “How long, Lord, must I call for help and you do not listen or cry out to you about violence and you do not save?” (Habakkuk 1:2) Habakkuk grew frustrated that His holy God was not stepping in to rescue the faithful from their broken situation. He wanted the Lord to swoop in and restore His people, but that was not God’s plan. When God told Habakkuk His plan included letting the Babylonians (or Chaldeans,) attack and conquer the nation as part of His judgment, Habakkuk was horrified (Habakkuk 1:6-12) This was not salvation! This would be the end of the world as he knew it. Habakkuk wondered, and pressed back, at God’s plan, so he went up into a watchtower to seek and wait on the Lord for a better answer. (Habakkuk 2:1) God patiently answered Habakkuk, explaining His plan and telling His prophet that the righteous will live by faith. (Habakkuk 2:4) Eventually, Habakkuk was reconciled to the fact that God is sovereign. As a result, Habakkuk was able to rejoice in God and the strength He gives (Habakkuk 3:18-19) For a long time, God seemed unwilling to save the nation of Judah, and when His plan finally came to Habakkuk, it seemed worse than the current situation, but the prophet pursued God and His ways. God granted him this clarity, not in full, but in part, along with peace about God’s design over Habakkuk’s. God welcomed Habakkuk’s questions as he struggled to understand God’s plan, and He encourages the same from us. God promises if we call to Him, pray to Him, and seek Him with all our heart, we will find Him. (Jeremiah 29:12-13)

2) Why would God tolerate wrongdoing? (verse 3)
The prophet Habakkuk is heartsick at the sin and injustice he sees all around him. He wonders why a just and holy God would put up with such wickedness. In Habakkuk 1:3 he asks, “Why do you force me to look at injustice?  Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Oppression and violence are right in front of me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates.” When Habakkuk discovered God’s plan for dealing with Judah’s wickedness was to hand them over to the Babylonians, he was shocked and dismayed. (Habakkuk 1:12-13) Author R. C. Sproul explains, “Habakkuk couldn’t understand how God could use the evil Babylonians to chastise His people, when it seemed from a human perspective that the Lord’s purposes for Israel had failed and His faithful servants would not be vindicated. God responded that those He regards as righteous live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4).” God taught Habakkuk he could have faith in Him regardless of the situation.  Often, it seems like God is letting the bad guys get away with evil and it’s hard to accept that His plan isn’t to wipe them all out or bring them all down.  Sometimes, like in the days of Habakkuk, evil seems to go unchecked and God’s plan to deal with it seems slow and difficult to accept. We wonder, “Where is God?” or “When will He act?”  Author Ravi Zacharias assures us, “It is not that God has absconded or is absent; it is that there is a divine purpose behind His visibility or invisibility. If one can rightly read the clues, the mystery is opened up in profound ways. Just as evil can be understood only in the light of the ultimate purpose, so also must God’s presence or seeming absence be judged on the basis of His purpose.”  We can trust that God has a purpose for what He is doing and what He allows, even when we can’t envision it at the time.

3) How can justice come out perverted? (verse 4)
Habakkuk 1:4 reads from the prophet, “This is why the law is ineffective and justice never emerges. For the wicked restrict the righteous; therefore, justice comes out perverted.” The prophet Habakkuk abhorred the fact that God’s laws were being ignored and His people were flagrantly sinning and injuring one another. He watched in despair as those in authority either did nothing or participated in the abuses. Author Jack Arnold explains, “In all of Judah, the Mosaic Law was of no effect. Literally, this says the law was “frozen” or “chilled.” Wickedness numbs the Word of God. Law was on the books, but it was not enforced. Law had no authority. Because of unrighteous judges, the Law was made ineffective.” There was no justice in the land, only a perverted version bearing no resemblance to the righteousness laid out by the laws of God. When Habakkuk asks God why He doesn’t intervene, the answer God gives brings even more distress because He plans to send the wicked Babylonians to conquer the disobedient people of Judah. (Habakkuk 1:6) God eventually helps Habakkuk see His punishment as just. As author Chuck Swindoll notes how the story of Habakkuk “reminds us that while God may seem silent and uninvolved in our world, He always has a plan to deal with evil and always works out justice . . . eventually. The example of the prophet Habakkuk encourages believers to wait on the Lord, expecting that He will indeed work out all things for our good (Romans 8:28).”  Even when it seems like everything around us is wicked and falling apart, God has a plan for true justice to be enacted. It may not be on the timetable we want or in the manner we prefer, but God will always bring about true justice.

Everyday Application

1) What should we do when we call out to the Lord, but He does not save? (verse 2)
My friend struggles daily with physical ailments. She stays strong for her family, but she grows desperate for relief from her pain. Remaining hopeful is hard when no end is in sight. She longs to know why God hasn’t yet answered her prayers for healing. We have all been in similar situations, desperate to break free from persistent struggles with no coming relief.  Habakkuk experienced this enigma as well. He continually called on God to save his wayward nation, but instead of the hoped-for rescue, God revealed a plan that would greatly devastate Judah. (Habakkuk 1:2-11) Habakkuk struggled to accept God’s decision and questioned His drastic plan. (Habakkuk 1:12-17) Author Jennifer Rothschild notes, “because God loved His prophet perfectly, He didn’t give His prophet the perfect answer that Habakkuk wanted to hear, He gave him something better. He lifted Habakkuk’s spirit and gave him perspective.” This truth can be hard to accept, as it was for Habakkuk. No one wants to go through hard things that will undoubtedly bring pain and will forever change us. Habakkuk knew God’s plan would mean hardship and suffering, but he also recognized God requires the righteous to live by faith. (Habakkuk 2:4) Habakkuk knew he could trust his life and his nation to God because of His faithful, unchanging character. Jesus had this same experience in the garden of Gethsemane as He prayed deeply before being turned over to His accusers. Matthew 26:38-39 tells us, “He said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.’  Going a little farther, he fell face down and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.’” How remarkable that Jesus Himself prayed for a resolution He wanted, but accepted the will of the Father instead! God cares about our situations and our desperation. We can trust He is in control even when He seems not to answer, or when He gives an answer that we don’t like. Though we may neither agree nor understand, we can always trust His perfect will and faithful character.

2) Why would God tolerate wrongdoing? (verse 3)
If God controls everything, why allow tragedy and sickness? Of course, even acknowledging there is evil supposes there is also good, and this is where God comes in! Author Ravi Zacharias points out, “Transcending value and justice must come from a Person of transcending worth and an ultimate law or value-giver. The only reason people have intrinsic worth is that they are the creation of One who is of ultimate worth and the perfect lawgiver. That person is God.” So, we only know about good because God is good.  But why does He allow evil in the world? Evil entered the world when Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God. (Romans 5:12) As a result, the world came under the sway of the evil one (I John 5:19, Luke 4:6) and humans became objects of attack from the devil (1 Peter 5:8). God’s plan to save fallen humanity from the eternal consequence of their sin was the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. This work of Christ on the cross destroyed the power of sin and death, thwarting Satan’s plans for those who trust and believe in the Name of Jesus. (Hebrews 2:14) However, we still live in a sinful world, which Satan still rules for now. He still wages war against us, tempting us to give in to sin. At the second coming of Christ, evil will be vanquished forever when Satan is bound and thrown into the abyss of Hell. (Revelation 20:1-3) Pastor Tony Evans  explains, “God is holy; He can’t skip over our sin. He can’t tolerate evil, and we are all evil because of our sins. So for us to be able to draw near to God, Jesus’ death on the cross had to take place.” God’s plan for us involved a loving relationship with Him in a world without evil. Though sin kept us from God, He lovingly provided a bridge between Himself and humankind, this is Christ Jesus! Though we live in a world where evil exists, we hold tight to the hope of a future with Jesus where evil is no more (Revelation 21:3-4)

3) How can justice come out perverted? (verse 4)
I was a substitute teacher before having a full-time teaching job. I learned a lot about classroom discipline in those few months! Kids tested how far they could push the rules. It was obvious which classes had no rules and were confident they would face no real consequences when the teacher returned. I soon arrived at every job assignment with a backup lesson and rules of my own, just in case. I’ve had days in the classroom (even under my own management), when I was nearly as dismayed and distressed as Habakkuk when he watched the laws of God being flouted and justice being perverted making it unfair and ineffective. (Habakkuk 1:4) I have felt frustrated with God when it appears He is doing nothing about injustice. (Habakkuk 1:1) I wondered how I was supposed to teach grammar to kids hungry from poverty or neglect, who were under house arrest for serious crimes, who suffered with addiction, were victims of abuse, or were pregnant and scared. Why would God let such bad things happen to these kids? Why didn’t He stop the evil? Author Margaret Manning writes, “In our world of unanswered questions or in the difficult places where the answers are not what we want to hear, we are called to rest in this wordless place beyond answers . . . we can rest in God’s faithfulness from ages past. The wordless place can be for us the place of trust, instead of fear.” When I took my worries about my students to the Lord, I realized He could be trusted with my burdens for them. In the waiting, I understood He had provided each child with teachers, counselors, and coaches who cared, including myself! Some of us were just doing our jobs well, but some of us were also trying to be the hands and feet of Jesus to our students. We could not proselytize, but we could pray for them and speak truth over them. We could provide respite from the cruelties of the world every day by extending Jesus’ comfort. God saw their distress, and he sent people to help them. He brought true justice through His people.

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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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Sketched VIII Day 4 Zacchaeus: 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 Zacchaeus!

The Questions

1) Why is there such a dichotomy between verses 6 and 7 where there is joy and complaint?

2) What is significant about Zacchaeus’ response in verses 6-8?

3) What does it mean to be a “son of Abraham” (verse 9) and how is this tied to Jesus’ mission statement in verse 10?

Luke 19:1-10

He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man. 4 So running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus, since he was about to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house.”

6 So he quickly came down and welcomed him joyfully. 7 All who saw it began to complain, “He’s gone to stay with a sinful man.”

8 But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.”

9 “Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus told him, “because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”

Original Intent

1) Why is there such a dichotomy between verses 6 and 7 where there is joy and complaint?
Jesus extends the invitation of hope to Zacchaeus, even calling him by name. You can almost hear the rich welcome in Jesus’ hearty greeting as He called aloud to the rich man in the tree. Zacchaeus’ heart was ready to welcome Jesus, not just in his house, but in his heart and life. Joy is the inevitable, always consistent component of welcoming Jesus into one’s heart and life. Peace flows and joy abounds every single time; it’s simply part of the delight of being made new! God does not call us to Him only for us to respond as if we had been coerced; genuine repentance always results in genuine joy because we are being welcomed by the God of the Universe! However, to those hearts who aren’t ready to repent, who are still stuck in themselves and their own prideful arrogance, this “good news” of forgiveness and new life, repels them. Follow Jesus and give away their wealth? No, thanks! Follow Jesus and become an outcast in their family or society? No way! Follow Jesus and live His way instead of my own? Insanity! Paul illustrates this reality by using the imagery of a wonderful fragrance lingering on the clothes of a redeemed, Christ-following heart. (2 Corinthians 2:14-15) To those who are also ready to welcome Jesus, this fragrance is a beautiful, sweet invitation to new life! To those who still want to serve themselves, this fragrance carries the strong reminder of their own soul-death. Paul bluntly states it as “the aroma of death leading to death”. (2 Corinthians 2:16) While Jesus and Zacchaeus rejoiced, the Pharisees around them complained because their hearts still stubbornly clung to their own attempt to rule their own lives.

2) What is significant about Zacchaeus’ response in verses 6-8?
First, it’s important to note that Zacchaeus’ actions are indeed a response, not an initiation. Often, we think we have “found God” as if He were working to hide from us, waiting for us look in the right place. Long before Zacchaeus climbed that sycamore tree, his heart had been stirred to curiosity about Jesus as the Spirit of God wooed his heart to hunger for depth and truth. On our own, we will never seek for God, instead, we will all choose to go our own ways. This is exactly why Jesus came! He knew we would never seek Him out, so He came to choose us, to lovingly sacrifice Himself for us, and to call us to be in relationship with Him. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him (Jesus!) for the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6) He does, however, still give us the choice to accept or reject Him. He calls us to Him, willingly holding out forgiveness and hope, but it’s our decision to either humbly accept with joy, as Zacchaeus did, or to reject Him. (Romans 10:13) Jesus called Zacchaeus by name, and commanded him to hurry, to which Zacchaeus wastes no time scurrying down the tree. His heart was awakening to new life! He further responds to Jesus by declaring full repentance from his past way of life and making choices to live out his new redeemed life in new, radical ways.

3) What does it mean to be a “son of Abraham” (verse 9) and how is this tied to Jesus’ mission statement in verse 10?
God promised Abraham he would become the father of many nations. He would have so many offspring they would be too numerous to count, even more than the sand on the shores or the stars in the sky! (Genesis 22:17) God gave Abraham a son, Isaac, as his son of promise. From Isaac came Jacob, whose name was changed by God to Israel and who fathered 12 sons who became the patriarchs for the 12 tribes of Israel. This is the beginning of the nation Israel, the Jews, God’s chosen people. A “son of Abraham” was common lingo among Jews for a traceable bloodline that extended back to “Father Abraham”. This was strictly for Jews and would never be associated with a Gentile who had zero physical connection to Abraham. While Zacchaeus was a Jew, he was easily the most hated man in the Jericho region for his swindling and collaboration with the Roman government. To call this man a “son of Abraham” was offensive and despicable! In this heart-transformative moment, however, Jesus wasn’t referencing Zacchaeus’ physical heritage. When God promised Abraham he would become the father of many nations, God wasn’t limiting his promise to physical children, He went far beyond flesh and bone to include spiritual offspring. Abraham’s son of promise was more than the first Jewish boy, rather, Isaac became the first offspring through whom would eventually come Jesus Christ. All who trust in Jesus’ saving work on the cross becomes a child of God through their faith. Instead of physical genetic code being passed down generation to generation, God had always intended for His people to understand it was Abraham’s faith that saved him and set him apart. (Romans 4:23-25) When Jesus said Zacchaeus was a “son of Abraham”, He meant Zacchaeus also believed Him with faith just as Abraham had done centuries earlier.

Everyday Application

1) Why is there such a dichotomy between verses 6 and 7 where there is joy and complaint? We look at the scenario in these verses and it may seem happenchance. Jesus was walking through the area, which happened to be in the vicinity of a certain tax official. This official also happened to have already heard of Jesus, and his curiosity about Him happened to be so intensified he climbed a sycamore tree, which also, by the way, happened to be on the route where Jesus was walking. Then, Jesus happened to know Zacchaeus’ name and his exact location. Good luck, right? Because Jesus is fully God, and walked in full unity with God the Father, there was absolutely nothing circumstantial about Jesus meeting Zacchaeus on the road that day. In fact, in His infinite knowledge, God foresaw this divine appointment when He planted the seed that would one day grow into that very sycamore tree! As Jesus walked the road that day, He knew He would meet Zacchaeus. He knew He was about to reach a lost soul and rescue him for all eternity. He knew of the impact Zacchaeus’ renewed life would make for the kingdom, and He was excitedly anticipating “meeting” Zacchaeus. Play out this divine perspective in your own life. Where have you experienced God deeply? Imagine how He eagerly waited for those moments! Embrace this joy, then walk confidently in the calling He has prepared for you! God rescued you on purpose to live for Him with intentionality. It isn’t always easy, in fact, like Zacchaeus, you will be met with sneers, complaints, and mockery for following Jesus, but to others, you will be extending the fragrance of life that was extended to you through Jesus! Following Him is always worth it!

2) What is significant about Zacchaeus’ response in verses 6-8?
Jesus called Zacchaeus to hurry down, which he hastily and joyfully obliged, then he took another step and declared a turning away from his past life. He simultaneously admitted to his sinfulness, while also actively moving in a new, opposite, direction from how he was previously living. He moved from deceptively stealing to generously giving following his heart shift from arrogance to repentance. This pattern is significant because we see it all over Scripture. The disciples immediately left all their material possessions and followed Jesus when He called them. (Matthew 4:19-20) The demon-possessed man begged to follow Jesus after being healed spiritually and physically. (Mark 5:18-20) In the Old Testament, Abraham left his hometown and his family of origin to follow God. (Genesis 12:1-4) This same pattern should show up often in our own lives. Hear God’s call to obedience, joyfully embrace His grace, then waste no time moving into following Him and living it out!

3) What does it mean to be a “son of Abraham” (verse 9) and how is this tied to Jesus’ mission statement in verse 10?
For centuries, Jews had missed the point that it was Abraham’s faith, not his bloodline, the Jews were to emulate. They focused so heavily on pure heritage and traceable ancestors they missed the whole concept of saving faith in God. It was never Abraham’s work, or even the heir he produced, it was always and only about trusting the God of the Universe who brought life and miracles out of dead things. (Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:22) In their late 90’s, Abraham and Sarah were far past the age of child-bearing. Their bodies were “dead to heirs”, (Romans 4:19) but God brought life just as He said He would. What a beautiful illustration of our own souls! Apart from Jesus, we are dead to the “real life” we could have in God! (Ephesians 2:1) We are bound as a slave to sin and completely incapable of pleasing God and earning a right standing with Him. The author of Hebrews says, “without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6) This is the key! Only through faith alone, can we find peace with God and abundant life. When we trust Jesus and repent from our sin, trusting Him with our everything, God uses our faith as a “seed” to make us new and call us into life from the dead way we had been living. (Romans 4:23-25)

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

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!
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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Sketched VIII Week One!
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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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The GT Weekend! ~ Blessed Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) When hitting the very bottom is your reality. When you’re barely holding on to the very last thread, or maybe you’ve already let go. When you have absolutely nothing left to go on and you’re at the uttermost end of yourself. When everything seems lost. This is where hope enters. This is poor in spirit. When we have finally laid aside every defense possible, because there is nothing left, and we are left utterly destitute of our own abilities. THIS is when the Almighty God whispers, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” Only when we lose our grip on all things, most of all our control, are we in a position to look up and see the face of God welcoming us with outstretched arms. It is in the giving of our poor spirits, in the desperate poverty of ourselves, that we find the richest abundance available within the very heart of a God who loves to love us. Where are you ready to surrender in poverty and weakness so you can welcome His strength and fullness?

2) Lori shared on Wednesday, “Weeping, by no means removes our grief, but at least for me, it allows a necessary purging of bottled up emotion.” Perhaps weeping doesn’t release your deep grief, but it’s important to identify what is a good release for you. Maybe it’s a good work out, a good cry in the closet, an afternoon walk outside in nature, or time spent talking with good friends. Whatever it is, take a few minutes to consider how you handle grief, and how you can intentionally allow space in that process to welcome the comfort of Christ in the midst of your pain. Grieving is important, but equally so, is holding onto truth about God in that grief. Every tear that falls is held by Him. Every broken heart is known by Him. Those who weep, will be blessed because the Father will bring His comfort!

3) We hear “meek”, and generally, we immediately think, “weak”. Merry reminds us that “meek” is neither weak nor passive; it’s not a doormat. Jesus used “meek” because it is defined by an intentional choice to lovingly, gently defer in order to esteem and value another. As you roll around with this definition, letting it settle into your mind, think of specific instances when someone displayed meekness in their interaction with you. Maybe it was a spouse, a good friend, or even a stranger you observed in a public setting. How did their humble strength make you feel? Were you encouraged to also live with meekness characterizing your interactions? Think of your upcoming week, pray over it, and ask the Lord to show you how you can live with the strength of meekness!

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 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

Prayer Journal
In honesty, Lord, the list of the beatitudes is not very inviting. Poor in spirit, mourners, and the meek who lay themselves aside in gentle strength to elevate another are the first three in a line of nine. While I don’t find myself raising my hand to be poor in spirit and grieve deeply, I know Your wisdom far outshines my own. Catch me up in my own thinking, Lord, and show me Your ways. Turn my thoughts upside down so I can see You more clearly! Thank You for welcoming me when I am at my lowest. I praise You for never neglecting me or tossing me aside because I am not who everyone wants me to be. Teach me to surrender to You, perpetually, so I may become wise by You!

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

Pause 3, Day 10 By Faith

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Pause 3, Day 10

Hebrews was intended to grab our attention and make a clear, concise, logical claim for why Jesus is exactly Who He claimed to be as fully God and fully man, the only possible sacrifice available to cover our sins and welcome us into a restored relationship with Himself as God.

Because we have been granted 100% full-time access to the presence of God by accepting, through faith, exactly who He is and what He came to do for us, we are given the rich blessing of leaning into Him and learning from His precious character on a continual basis.

As we discover Him, surrendering to Him moment by moment as we learn to trust Him more fully, He transforms us, renews us, and fills us, not only with His purposes for our existence, but also with His Spirit to live vibrantly through us in everyday life!

His Spirit works His purposes out in the messy mayhem of our real lives, and in the process, His kingdom is built on earth as it is in Heaven. What an incredible life!

Be encouraged today as you read the mini-faith stories of believers who set their eyes on the face of the God who loved them and called them into more, and know you too have been called and welcomed into much through faith in Jesus!

Today's Invitation

1) Read through Hebrews 11 out loud today twice. Slowly. Linger over that verse (or verses) that stick out to you, slowing and listening as God’s Spirit speaks to your heart! Choose 1 or 2 to write out on notecards and post them around your house – then post a picture of your reminder cards on Instagram or on our Facebook Community Page. Take the weekend to memorize these and forever hide them in your heart!

2) If you’ve journeyed with us all the way through Pause 3, you’ve almost read the entire book of Hebrews together in community with other sisters across the globe!! Finish well today and carve out some extra time to read chapters 12 and 13, being sure to record your thoughts, prayers, and questions in your journal!

3) Don’t forget about our hand-crafted Spotify playlist! We created it as we prayed over *you*. Put this playlist on repeat this weekend and be reminded of the rich truths God has shown you this week in Pause!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
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Connect with our community on Facebook!

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Hebrews 11

Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. 2 For by it our ancestors won God’s approval.
3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.
5 By faith Enoch was taken away, and so he did not experience death. He was not to be found because God took him away. For before he was taken away, he was approved as one who pleased God. 6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

7 By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents as did Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11 By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the one who had promised was faithful. 12 Therefore, from one man—in fact, from one as good as dead—came offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and as innumerable as the grains of sand along the seashore.

13 These all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. 14 Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. 16 But they now desire a better place—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He received the promises and yet he was offering his one and only son, 18 the one to whom it had been said, Your offspring will be traced through Isaac. 19 He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead; therefore, he received him back, figuratively speaking.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and he worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones.

23 By faith Moses, after he was born, was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn’t fear the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter 25 and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin. 26 For he considered reproach for the sake of Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since he was looking ahead to the reward.

27 By faith he left Egypt behind, not being afraid of the king’s anger, for Moses persevered as one who sees him who is invisible. 28 By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites. 29 By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after being marched around by the Israelites for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed.

32 And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received their dead, raised to life again. Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. 38 The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

39 All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Pause 3 Week 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 Pause 3!

Pause 3 Day 3 Living Word & High Priest

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Pause 3, Day 3

It is a mercy to be cut by the Word of God.  
The beginning of Hebrews 4 is spent pleading listeners to not miss this opportunity of grace. Eternal rest is offered freely, but the offer will not last forever. Only while it is called today; only while breath is in our lungs do we still have the rich grace to be welcomed into His arms of rest.

The chapter closes with the sweetest of invitations to those who have entered His forever rest from the burden of working hard to attain our own salvation. The doors of Heaven’s throne room are flung wide as we are welcomed with lavish love into His presence where we are known and tenderly loved, cared for, and empathized with.

Sandwiched in the middle of these abundant graces, lies the sharpness of God’s Word, fueled by His own Spirit. His Words are alive, quick, and adept at its task of penetrating our souls and exposing our hearts. A pastor once shared, “if we allowed God’s Word to cut us more often, perhaps we would be spared the pain of greater discipline.”

Is His Word so precious to you that you hold it close enough to allow it to cut your heart and pierce the sins you love so dearly? Is it close enough to allowing His surgeon hands to heal you, and bring you life by His Spirit through the same Word?
It is a mercy to be cut by the Word of God.

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

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 every word of Hebrews 4:12-16 today. And 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 answer the invitation of going deeper into biblical community! 
a) Take a photo of your journal time this week and share it, or share a quote from it.
            b) Do a Facebook Live on the GT Community group and share how God has been working in you.
            c) Leave a comment here about it.
            d) Share something God has been showing you in a comment at the GT Community Group 
            e) Plan a coffee or lunch date with a friend and share what you’ve been learning and soaking in as you have hit Pause.
            f) Write a note of encouragement to a sister who has been through the nitty-gritty of real life with you. Let her know how deeply she has impacted your walk with Christ.
            g) For some of us, having a “2am friend” to build biblical community with is a new concept. If that’s you, this is an exciting, fresh place to be! Connect with our Facebook Community, send us an email, reach out to your local church body, seek out a small group and plug in! 

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
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Hebrews 4

Therefore, since the promise to enter his rest remains, let us beware that none of you be found to have fallen short. 2 For we also have received the good news just as they did. But the message they heard did not benefit them, since they were not united with those who heard it in faith. 3 For we who have believed enter the rest, in keeping with what he has said,
So I swore in my anger,
“They will not enter my rest,”

even though his works have been finished since the foundation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in this way: And on the seventh day God rested from all his works. 5 Again, in that passage he says, They will never enter my rest, 6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news did not enter because of disobedience, 7 he again specifies a certain day—today. He specified this speaking through David after such a long time:
Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. 10 For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.

12 For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Pause 3 Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies
in Pause 3!

Sketched Day 15 Shannon

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 7:36-50
Mark 5:24-34
Psalm 18:1-19

Sketched VI, Day 15

I used to be deeply ashamed of my past,
but I’ve learned God has used every part of my journey to shape and mold me into the woman I am today. Although there were many dark moments, I wouldn’t change them. These have become part of my testimony to the faithfulness and hope found only in God.

Growing up, I was taught to attend church on Sundays, pray at meals, ask forgiveness and then we are good. So that’s pretty much how I lived my life.  I went to church, messed up, prayed, asked forgiveness and repeat.
I checked every “good Christian” box, but I had yet to experience or know Jesus.

I was raised in a loving home with parents who were always present for dance recitals, plays, and piano concerts.  What I never realized, however, was how hurtful missing out on three little words from your daddy could be: my dad has never told me he loves me.
He has always been there for me, hugs me, and is active in my kids’ lives, but I’ve never heard those three words from him.
Their absence left a lasting impression on me.

Starting in middle school and moving into high school and college, I began believing lies that I was fat, ugly, and no good. In order to push those words behind me, I would seek male attention in any way that I could.

Then, I hit college and was on my own.
I found myself in places I shouldn’t have been,
doing things I shouldn’t have done.

I believed that, as long as I could get a guy to like me, I had worth.
During this season, I often had thoughts of suicide, but I could push those thoughts away by finding male attention. That lifestyle stuck with me until after I graduated college, came home, and met Ryan.

I slowed down my crazy lifestyle and we began dating. Not long after, Ryan and I were married, and pretty soon I was pregnant with our first daughter, Alexis.

Since Ryan’s story is similar to mine, neither one of us had ever been taught how to live our lives for Jesus and our marriage suffered.
We argued a lot, and I sank back into my familiar dark thoughts and self-hatred.

Being pregnant, we decided it was time to find a church.
Because that’s what we do: we go to church on Sundays.

We visited Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Liberty, MO and began attending. For quite a while we sat in the back, stayed quiet, and the familiar cycle continued.
Then I started working in the church nursery, because I love babies and
things started to change.

The lady I worked with took me under her wing and started teaching me about who Jesus really is.  We made decisions to follow Jesus and Ryan and I were baptized together.
“Normal” was changing and old cycles were breaking!
The beginnings of new life were taking root in us, but we had much growing to do.

One Sunday, I found a community group for Law Enforcement Officers.  Being a law enforcement family, I immediately thought we needed to go.  Later, I realized it was God nudging me, but at the time, it was my own brilliant plan. I dragged Ryan to the group.

Initially, we were two of the quietest introverts anyone had ever met.
We arrived at the home of Steve and Robin Wright, who are now dear friends and missionaries in Ecuador.  They greeted us, welcomed us, and for the first six months we sat in the corner and didn’t say a word.

We eventually started coming out of our shells, and it was undoubtedly the community I found within that group of genuine Christ-followers that encouraged me to grow in Jesus as He has shaped me into the person I am today.

Robin also struggled with self-worth and identity in Christ, and she drew on her experiences to teach me how to love myself as Jesus loves me.  She taught me how to live every day for Jesus, and how to recognize the source of my pain, truly forgive, and put it behind me.  Steve did the same for Ryan and our marriage prospered.

The Wrights also introduced us into the student ministry at church.  I went from saying, “I hate middle schoolers,” to becoming a middle school small group leader and eventually high school group leader. Today, I’m discipling and leading young women, teaching them how to love themselves and let go of believing dark thoughts and lies in their own minds.

Because of the struggles in my own journey,
I understand their hurt.

Because God met me in my pain and rescued me,
I can share of the comfort and hope I’ve found.

Through the student ministry, Ryan and I took our first mission trip to Haiti together where God opened our hearts to adoption.  We have since taken many more mission trips and adopted our son, Mason, from China in June of 2017.

Although I’ve made many mistakes throughout my life and experienced some dark times,
I know God was with me every step of the way.
Because of Jesus’ transformation, I know how to love myself the way Jesus loves me,
and I am freed to help other girls to do the same.
Only because I’ve experienced Christ’s love is this new life of love and ministry possible!

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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!

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 VI Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Sketched VI