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Advent Day 7 Immoveable Anchor: 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!
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The Questions

1) What is the context of Isaiah’s warning? (verse 12)

2) What competes for worshipping the Lord God that Isaiah calls out the instruction of verse 13 to “regard only the Lord of Armies as holy”?

3) How is it possible to stumble over the Lord of Armies? (verses 14-15)

Isaiah 8:13-15

You are to regard only the Lord of Armies as holy.
Only he should be feared;
only he should be held in awe.
14 He will be a sanctuary;
but for the two houses of Israel,
he will be a stone to stumble over
and a rock to trip over,
and a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15 Many will stumble over these;
they will fall and be broken;
they will be snared and captured.

Original Intent

1) What is the context of Isaiah’s warning? (verse 12)
God’s people, the Jewish nation, had split into two nations long before Isaiah came as the Lord’s prophet. Each split portion of the kingdom had her own king, who was generally wicked, not only rebelling against God for himself, but also leading God’s people into great rebellion and sin. The Northern Kingdom retained the title “Israel”, while the significantly smaller portion, the Southern Kingdom, was called Judah. At the time of this writing in chapter 8, Ahaz was king of Judah. Though his father, King Jotham, mostly followed God (2 Chronicles 27:1-2), Ahaz furiously rebelled against Yahweh. It’s recorded Ahaz even sacrificed his own son to a false god and, with an interesting description, “walked in the ways of the kings of Israel”. (2 Kings 16:3) While Ahaz has been wrecking Judah with his horrendous leadership and adulterous worship against the One True God (2 Kings 16:4) for twelve years, Hoshea assassinates the king before him, Pekah, in order to steal the throne. (2 Kings 15:30) For over 200 years, the Lord had sent prophets to the Northern Kingdom, warning them of judgement for their insistent idolatry and adultery, but they refused to return to love Him only. As just consequence, the Lord was sending the cruel Assyrian empire to defeat Israel. Jumping back into Isaiah 8, King Ahaz of Judah has heard the war cries of Assyria and fears that, following Israel’s destruction, Judah (and Ahaz) will be next. To Ahaz’s panic, the Lord responds through the prophet Isaiah, “Do not call everything a conspiracy that these people say is a conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear; do not be terrified.” (verse 12) Judah’s judgement was coming, but it wouldn’t be from the Assyrians. God instructs Ahaz to wait on Him, to return and worship Him, and not give in to fear.

2) What competes for worshipping the Lord God that Isaiah calls out the instruction of verse 13 to “regard only the Lord of Armies as holy”?
Ahaz had grown accustomed to worshipping everything BUT the Lord God Almighty. The book of Kings records, “He (Ahaz) sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.” (2 Kings 16:4) He closely followed the idolatrous actions modeled by Israel’s kings, and was quick to follow suit. The disease of peer pressure haunted Ahaz. Thinking he could “use” God to win him favor by bribery, Ahaz stole the holy, set apart treasures from God’s temple in attempt to buy Assyria’s aid. (2 Kings 16:8) He looked to his most-feared enemy as a source of help when he feared attack from other kings! (2 Kings 16:7) When Assyria did help Ahaz fight his enemies in the city of Damascus, Ahaz met Assyria’s king face-to-face, yet Ahaz’ lusting pride drew him ever farther away from true worship of Yahweh. While visiting Assyria’s king, Ahaz noticed their altar for sacrifices to their false gods and decided it was far superior to the one God had specifically given instructions for His people to build. (2 Kings 16:10) Not to be outdone, Ahaz gave instruction to duplicate the Assyrian altar.  He then had the bullish audacity to move the Lord’s holy altar aside so he could place the Assyrian altar in its place; he ordered the Lord’s priests to sacrifice on the Assyrian alter instead of Yahweh’s. (2 Kings 16:14-15)

3) How is it possible to stumble over the Lord of Armies? (verses 14-15)
There is no doubt when examining Ahaz and his choices as king of God’s people that his decisions were major missteps. He was stumbling around in the darkness of his sin because he refused to acknowledge the Light of God. Despite the warnings from prophets and the clear consequences the befell the Northern Kingdom because of their own rebellion, Ahaz still insisted on living his way instead of building Judah on the solid cornerstone of God, His Word, and His perfect ways. The more God gave His righteous commands, the farther Ahaz moved against Him in arrogant rebellion. The more he fixed his attention on his peers and fostered his fears instead of giving the whole of himself to worshipping Yahweh and following Him, the deeper into darkness he rushed. God said to worship Him only for only He was worthy (verse 13), but Ahaz stumbled against this life-giving command over and over to the point he slaughtered his own son in pursuit of self. The God who had every power to save Ahaz and restore Judah was more than willing to forgive Ahaz and teach him how to love the Lord God alone, but Ahaz rejected Yahweh endlessly. Eventually, Ahaz’ rebellion cost him the throne and his life.

Everyday Application

1) What is the context of Isaiah’s warning? (verse 12)
When we consider the whole of Ahaz’s timeline and heart motivations, we should be urged toward two main applications for our own everyday lives. One, God takes sin seriously. Yes, there is grace and forgiveness as evidenced by the centuries that passed before God finally ushered in His consequence, but He absolutely cannot, and will not, turn a blind eye to sin. This wasn’t true for Israel or Judah, and it’s certainly not true for us today. The gossip, the biting words, the harsh body language, the lusting second glances, the covetous heart that wants what is “hers”, the willingness to give in to anxiety and fear instead of surrender to the God of peace; Sisters, all of these are rebellious sins. Every sinful act earns us the just payment of eternal death, meaning separation from God and His loving mercy and kindness for the rest of eternity. (Romans 6:23) Either we can turn away from our sin and toward the God who loves us enough to sacrifice Himself and pay our sin-debt for us, or we can continue spurning the Almighty like Ahaz and Hoshea. Two, what the Lord has declared, we can most assuredly trust. (Isaiah 40:8) It was not time for Judah’s destruction; Ahaz had no reason to fear Assyria. Ahaz insisted on surveying his circumstances and choosing fear when he could have chosen to look at the God of Armies, surrender to Him in faith, and received perfect peace as a result. We don’t have prophets telling us God’s Word, we can read it ourselves and understand it through the aid of the Holy Spirit if He lives within us. Will we read His Word? Will we choose to trust the One who sees all and knows all and loves perfectly? Or will we live in fear?

2) What competes for worshipping the Lord God that Isaiah calls out the instruction of verse 13 to “regard only the Lord of Armies as holy”?
Everywhere Ahaz cast his eyes, there were more opportunities to give his worship to something utterly unworthy of his praise. How foolish Ahaz’ worship attempts look when tossed before “gods” that neither had any means of delivering what Ahaz pleaded for, nor were they even remotely worthy of the adoration he gave. How foolish we look when we do the same! Take a quick physical glance around your house or a metaphorical glance around your life, and take note of where your heart pulls. Do you look at the mirror and loathe the reflection staring back as you nitpick on your image? Idolatry is here as you are drawn to worshipping self over Creator God. Do you become angry at the piles of dishes or laundry? Or maybe the décor, or lack thereof, as you are tempted to compare yours to hers. Do your “eyes” land on your relationships? Where is jealousy lurking underneath the “longing for better and deeper”? Sister, you are not alone as you look around and take stock of the idols preying for your undying love. I’ve encountered mine on all sides today, and I know I will do the same tomorrow. Sin doesn’t happen because temptation exists, it’s how we respond to this seemingly sweet invitation to satiate ourselves. Eve wrestled with it just as surely as you and I. She gave in, as have I many times, but the Lord says we don’t need to live in the grasp of sin’s deadly allure. (1 Corinthians 10:13) James writes that, while giving into temptation eventually leads to death and destruction (James 1:15), humbling ourselves under God will have the opposite effect as He draws us ever closer to Him, raising us up to know Him better. (James 4:10)

3) How is it possible to stumble over the Lord of Armies? (verses 14-15)
We often don’t see past the enticing allure of sin to the pit of darkness behind its seemingly harmless lust. Satan dresses up our desires, making us feel like we are missing out if we don’t have what we want, when we want it, and then uses us against ourselves to shackle us to destruction. Like a pied piper, Satan’s deception tactics insist that the God we claim to follow is stingy while Satan wants to give us everything we could dream. Instead of waiting on the Lord, we begin thinking we should step in and take over. We become trapped into thinking we can arrive at our desired destination more effectively by sinning than by humbly obeying the Lord. A simple, but common for my heart, example is evidenced by my desire for my children to obey my voice. My sin? Arrogant anger when they don’t behave as I want or accomplish what I expect. Instead of choosing love, the enemy seizes an opportunity to destroy, and says I will accomplish my goal faster if I become angry. Don’t I deserve their obedience anyways? How quickly one deception leads to another! Jesus’ half-brother, James, picked up Isaiah’s prophecy about God as a stumbling stone and applied it to Jesus. (1 Peter 2:5-8) In the greatest act of humility, God coming to earth in the form of a human, living a perfect life of love, and surrendering Himself to death that we might have our sin-debt forgiven, He becomes a stumbling block to many. Either we reject this extravagant love and keep living for self, walking around in darkness like Ahaz, or we fall in adoring worship, rejoicing to accept His lavish forgiveness. Either Christ remains our stumbling block, and we continue choosing deadly rebellion, or we embrace Him as Cornerstone and build the rest of our lives upon Him, knowing our eternity is perfectly secure as it rests on Him.

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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Advent Day 6 Immoveable Anchor

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 8:13-15
Isaiah 28:14-18
1 Peter 2:1-10
Matthew 12:9-14

Advent, Day 6

For over a decade, I was a raging legalist, complete with judgmental heart and nose turned up in the air. I grieve over the condition of my heart and my harsh view of others during this season, but I praise the Lord for the testimony I now have, by His grace, of just how much He truly can change a person’s heart and life.

Why do I specifically share this as we walk through the season of Advent?
Well, there are two common ways of perceiving Christ:
either as the Cornerstone He truly is,
or as the stumbling stone the enemy wants Him to be.

As we Journey Into Advent, our minds turn to the purpose of Christ’s first coming. We ponder the Old Testament prophecies concerning a coming Messiah, and we meditate on how those prophecies were fulfilled in the God-man, Christ Jesus.

While these Advent musings, perused in front of a roaring fire or twinkling Christmas tree, may feel rather warm and cozy, some of them hit harder and a little closer to home the more we dive into them. Take, for example, Christ’s purpose of being Chief Cornerstone.

We first hear this description in the Old Testament in passages such as Isaiah 28:16,

“Therefore the Lord God said, ‘Look, I have laid a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will be unshakable.’”

Jesus is to be the Chief Cornerstone in our lives,
our firm foundation,
the One we rely on and hope in,
the One in Whom we find our salvation, rest, and peace.

Salvation – and our heart-felt gratitude for it! –  then inspires us to live a life of obedience, in a right relationship with God. At peace with God, we experience His presence as the Cornerstone, a firm foundation to build upon as we journey through this life.

But what if we don’t joyfully rest in salvation and wholeheartedly pursue obedience?
Then, we often fall into one of two other camps.

The first is residence for those who are willfully disobedient. If we are living in willful disobedience, Christ then becomes a stumbling stone in our lives, something we get tripped up on as we experience ongoing guilt over sin.

Isaiah 8:14 explains, “He will be a sanctuary; but for the two houses of Israel, He will be a stone to stumble over and a rock to trip over, and a trap to snare the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”

We see this confirmed in 1 Peter 2:4-8 following the first Advent (coming) of Christ,

“As you come to Him, a living stone–rejected by people but chosen and honored by God–you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:

See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and honored Cornerstone,
and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.

So honor will come to you who believe, but for the unbelieving,

The stone that the builders rejected–
this one has become the cornerstone,

and

A stone to stumble over,
and a rock to trip over.”

The second group of people who experience Jesus as a stumbling block rather than a cornerstone are the legalists (this is where my experience comes in!). We read throughout the four gospels of the Pharisees who were self-righteous, hypocritical religious leaders constantly stumbling over Christ’s teachings. He didn’t fit their mold; He challenged their legalistic, man-made rules (an example of this can be found in Matthew 12:9-14).

If we are in either camp, it is incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to experience Christ as He is meant to be experienced – as our Chief Cornerstone, our sanctuary, our place of hope, rest, peace, and sanctification.

If we find ourselves experiencing Christ as a stumbling block (or know someone who is!) I urge us to examine our hearts with honesty and humility. Let’s commit to asking Jesus to reveal the heart issue at the root of our stumbling, and to be consistent in praying for ourselves and others. Let’s ask the Lord to work in our hearts if we need to be drawn out of sinful living or legalism. Let’s ask Him to use us in the lives of others who are stumbling still, to share how Jesus is our Cornerstone and desires to be theirs as well.

Beauty can be found here, for Christ does not need to remain a stumbling block in our lives or anyone else’s! He longs to be our Cornerstone, our Rock of Defense, and our Immoveable Anchor. As we continue to Journey Into Advent, let’s invite Him to be our Chief Cornerstone!

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The GT Weekend! ~ Sola 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) Sometimes, it takes a simple question to make us stop and wrestle with what we actually think. Wrestling with truth is rarely enjoyable, almost always making us uncomfortable, but it’s extremely necessary for maturity. What do you actually believe about how someone is saved? Or maybe it’s asking, “what do you believe happens after death?”. Or perhaps, “can you lose your salvation?”. If we are comfortable with our answer, we must ask ourselves the follow up, “how do you know that’s true?”.  These questions should make us squirm in our chairs until we can do the hard work of study and understanding the why behind what we believe. Will our belief system hold up? Keep in mind that truth remains true, regardless of whether we assent to it or not. When it comes to salvation and life after death, what do you know to be true? Explore it out until you find good answers!

2) How does it make you feel to know Scripture teaches we can be saved through faith alone? Nothing we can do can earn extra favor with God. We can’t manipulate the “smile of God” on our lives. Further, Scripture says even the ability to have that faith is itself a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8) Knowing there is nothing we can do to win God’s glance or blessing, does this evoke feelings of being incredibly loved, or do you feel angry frustration at being faced with inability? If you feel offended, that’s okay, and natural, as humans we are offended when we are told our work isn’t good enough. What would it look like for you to explore a love so vast it would encompass you if you simply surrendered to it? Where do you need a love like that in your life? Where are you pushing against it?

3) Have you ever wondered if there are many roads to God? Suppose Jesus was just a good man? What if Joseph Smith is equally valid as Jesus when it comes to prophecy? What if Jesus is close to God, but not quite as powerful as God? If the apostle Paul, who saw the resurrected Jesus with his own eyes, were sitting with us today, he would expound with excited animation, “If Christ has not been raised, our faith is worthless and we are still in our sins!” (1 Corinthians 15:17) He would further say, “If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him!” (Galatians 1:9) He said these things because there simply is no other gospel! Only a perfect being who was fully human, lived the human life absolutely perfectly could be offered as a sacrifice. The only way to live that perfect life was if the Being was fully divine. Only God Himself could atone for the debt of payment owed because of sin. There is only one who fits this description, Jesus Christ. What do you believe about Jesus? Get a sheet of paper and set a timer for 90 seconds then write as many beliefs about Jesus as you can get out before the timer goes off. Commit to studying the Bible more in depth to better know this human man who was God Himself!

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 2 Timothy 3:16-17 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Prayer Journal
Lord God, I admit that I get tossed around in my thinking when it comes to lining up what I say I believe, with what I actually believe. It’s easy to say You are good all the time, but when difficulty hits, do I still live like I fully believe You are good? Lord, how deeply I need the anchor of truth in my everyday life so I will not be swayed by other’s powerfully stated opinions, or even by own feelings. Teach me Your Word, Lord. Tune my ear to listen to Your voice. Teach my hands and lips and life choices to reflect the truth You’ve made clear through Your Word. As I learn more, Lord, make me more bold to speak truth and live it out in everyday life!

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Shielded 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) “We are to cover our hearts with God’s righteousness”. Day in, day out, morning, noon, night. All the messy moments, the angry ones, the wounded ones, the weeping ones, the celebratory ones, and the overwhelmed ones. Every moment is exactly, perfectly, the right moment to tuck ourselves behind the breastplate of God’s righteousness. The natural response to well, everything wrong, is to fix it ourselves, or maybe hide it under a rug, or even off load it to someone else insisting it isn’t our problem. But our hearts themselves have a problem we can never solve or run from. Sin. We are each in desperate need of God’s righteousness to cover and protect our hearts. Spend some time quietly reflecting on the last few days or weeks. Consider your relationships and your own heart and ask the Spirit to open your eyes to your sin. Then ask Him to cover you with His righteousness and rejoice in that safe place of freedom!

2)  How prepared do you feel to share the gospel with someone? I know, most of us are slowly backing away right now. Or maybe you’re running! Put up the walls and change the subject because sharing the gospel? What am I supposed to say? What if I offend them? What if I push them farther from God? Or, what if I don’t know the answers to their questions? All good questions to wrestle through, and, Sister, you are not alone in those wrestlings! But, hear this! God’s armor for sharing the gospel isn’t found in a vast treasury of knowledge and seminary training. It begins with humble willingness to put on the shoes and go. What are we bringing? A sword to win every argument? No, we bring peace. Make no mistake, the God who rescued your heart is calling you to share His hope with others. In place of fear, put on shoes of peace! Who is He tenderly prompting you to invest in a little deeper in order to share peace? Connect with them this weekend!

3) Faith is all about taking God at His word, whether we can see it with our physical eyes or not. This isn’t about blindly believing whatever other people tell you about the Bible. There is solid, abundant proof for the truth claims of the Bible. Don’t be afraid to explore those! God certainly isn’t afraid of your doubts and poking questions! The Faith of God’s armor, however, is about looking into what our eyes cannot see, while our hearts are firmly anchored in the truth of Scripture, and declaring, “I am taking You at Your word, God. I trust You.” Assess your relationships and circumstances around you, taking stock of the places where you are unsure, afraid, or anxious. Carve out some time this weekend and in the days ahead to explore God’s Word and see what HE declares about you and Himself and how you can apply battle-ready faith to your everyday life!

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 Psalm 3:5-8 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

I lie down and sleep;
I wake again because the Lord sustains me.
I will not be afraid of thousands of people
who have taken their stand against me on every side.
Rise up, Lord!
Save me, my God!
You strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.
Salvation belongs to the Lord;
may your blessing be on your people.

Prayer Journal
Ah, Lord, I remember the exact time in life when I memorized these verses, choosing to intentionally anchor myself in Your truth and hide myself here under the protection only You can provide. It was a messy battle all around me, and I was drowning in the waves around me. Peace was hard to come by. I was running ragged trying to sustain myself. But Your Spirit spoke over me, beckoning me away with You. You, who holds my heart, fought for me while You shielded me, protecting me with Your radiant love. You rose up, and walked with me. Salvation is yours, in every situation, Abba, and because it is Yours alone, and because I am Yours, You gave to me generously. So, I will forever sing Your praise for being my Victorious Shield and Salvation!

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

Worship IV, Day 4 Holding Us Together: 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 Holding Us Together!

The Questions

1) How are theses verses tied to the sections before and after it? 
 
2) Was Jesus both created and creator?  
 
3) On what specific facets of Christ does Paul focus his worship?

Colossians 1:15-20

He is the image of the invisible God, 
the firstborn over all creation. 
16 For everything was created by him, 
in heaven and on earth, 
the visible and the invisible, 
whether thrones or dominions 
or rulers or authorities— 
all things have been created through him and for him. 
17 He is before all things, 
and by him all things hold together. 
18 He is also the head of the body, the church; 
he is the beginning, 
the firstborn from the dead, 
so that he might come to have 
first place in everything. 
19 For God was pleased to have 
all his fullness dwell in him, 
20 and through him to reconcile 
everything to himself, 
whether things on earth or things in heaven, 
by making peace 
through his blood, shed on the cross. 

Original Intent

1) How are theses verses tied to the sections before and after it?
A critical component to studying Scripture is learning and re-learning again, and being reminded again, that Scripture was designed to tell one, grand cohesive story and it was originally written without chapters, verses, and the paragraph breaks we find in our copies. It’s easy to think that where we see a bolded heading in our Bibles, it has always been like that, but it hasn’t. This letter was originally written by Paul to deeply encourage and firmly anchor the church at Colossae in the rich knowledge and understanding of Christ that went farther and deeper than an elementary understanding of “Jesus died on the cross to save us.” (Colossians 1:9) We need to see all of it as one letter. Just before Paul begins expanding on the richness of Christ in verses 15-20, he first starts off with deep gratefulness to God as he describes the glorious grace of being given salvation through Jesus. Then Paul pens a beautiful, doctrine rich hymn of Christ as Supreme Being, finishing it out as if with a glorious bookend, describing again the excellencies of reconciliation and peace with God through the precious blood of Christ.

2) Was Jesus both created and creator? 
The wording in verses 15-16 can definitely twist up an English speaking, western culture reader. Which, again, is why understanding the original language and culture is utterly important to correctly understand and apply Scripture in our modern day. The Greek phrasing referencing Christ “the firstborn of all creation” is, get ready for it: “prototokos pases ktiseos”. Don’t you feel cool now (or dope or or lit or whatever kids say these days…)?! This means begotten before all creation, not created before all creation. It denotes all the rights and privileges of being firstborn without actually being ‘born’ first. (Think of Jacob in Genesis who was the second-born twin of Esau, but was given all the rights and privileges just as if he were born first. This is prototokos pases ktiseos). If you were created before creation, the sentence itself is meaningless because you would be created and therefore a part of creation. Rather, this type of phrasing of “before all” is found throughout Scripture to mean “eternity”. Specifically here, eternity before creation. This understanding fits perfectly with the following phrases and descriptions of “all things being created through Him and for Him”. (verses 16-17) Again, “all” really does mean “all”. Angels, dominions, powers, authorities, all created things were created through and for the Lord Jesus Christ. God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit, all equaling the sum total Beings of God, were never created.

3) On what specific facets of Christ does Paul focus his worship?
While there may indeed be more, each of these aspects are profoundly rich, being deep enough to study for a lifetime without ever plumbing their full depths, here are 7 specific facets of Christ Paul addresses:
1> His deity as a member of the triune godhead. 
Pastor Timothy says this about the Lord God, “To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17) Paul, Timothy’s mentor pastor, says Jesus Christ is the exact image or precise representation of this invisible God. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were “created in the image of God”, but this Jesus who walked and talked and lived among humanity simply is the image of God.  

2> Christ as creator. 
All things were created by Him and for Him. (verse 16) There is nothing made that was not intentionally designed and allowed and held together through Christ.
3> Christ as sustainer. 
In Him all things hold together. (verse 17) Yes, nothing was created without Christ, but one step further, nothing continues to exist without Him holding and sustaining all things. 
4> His supreme authority. 
By being supreme creator of all things, all rulers, all authorities, and all dominions, there simply is no higher authority than that of the Lord Jesus Christ, an authority he shares co-equally with God the Father and God the Spirit. (Philippians 2:9-11)
5> His headship over the church
Being the “head” of the church, doesn’t just mean He holds all authority and we as believers follow only Him. Paul expounds in Ephesians 1:23 that as head of His Bride, the Church, it also means that Christ, who is the fullness of God (verse 19), fills the Church with that very fullness!
6> His authority over resurrection from the dead. 
Just as Christ holds pre-eminence over all of creation, the same is true for the resurrection. Paul isn’t saying Jesus was the first one to rise from the dead, rather He is the only One to rise from the dead by His own power. Because of this powerful resurrection, with victory over death firmly in hand, we have hope for our own resurrection just as He promised. He is the evidence for all who will be resurrected by placing their faith fully in Him. He is the “firstfruit” of the resurrection. (1 Corinthians 15:20)
7> Christ as reconciler and redeemer. 
Verse 20 holds the climaxing purpose of Christ’s coming, which is made possible because of all the reasons Paul has clearly laid out previously. Jesus Christ, Lord of all, Creator of all, authority over all, came to rescue us, a sinful and rebellious people, through the shedding of His precious blood on the cross. (Colossians 1:20)

Everyday Application

1) How are theses verses tied to the sections before and after it? 
Paul takes great delight in detailing out the wonder of our salvation, but one can nearly hear him singing at the top of his lungs with tears running down his face as he declares with incredible awe of the majestic, eternal authority of the Lord Jesus Christ! Our salvation is tied absolutely and inextricably with precisely this description of Jesus. If He is not eternal, if He is not Lord of all, if He is not co-equal with God, if He did not have intentional purpose in creating and sustaining all of life, then He is not able to carry the weight of all sin for all mankind for all eternity. The 2 “bookend” descriptions of salvation that Paul eloquently describes are utterly impossible if they do not hang the entirety of their weight upon the fullness of God the Son, co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. The fact that Paul began this section with thankfulness begs the question, “are we praising Him in the same way? For the same thing?” When was the last time you stood in absolute stunned awe at the glorious majesty of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit? How worthy He is! How stunning and beautiful our triune God is! Sit with Him, revel in Him, worship Him! Take a pen and paper right now and dwell on His glories! 
 
2) Was Jesus both created and creator?  
The idea of “eternally existing” is incredibly difficult for our minds to comprehend. But when we dig in a little deeper into the meaning and implications of the fullness of Jesus being absolutely eternal, we find solidity and safety, a safe harbor to anchor our souls. Our eternity after death is securely held in the everlasting arms of the Lord & Savior when we surrender to His free gift of grace. Our everyday existence is also seen and intimately known by the One who sees and knows all things. He Himself holds us up with His righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10), sustaining us for His own glory and delight. This is what it is to be cherished! This is what it is to be eternally loved by an endlessly everlasting God Almighty! As Moses said, “The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” (Deuteronomy 33:27)  
 
3) On what specific facets of Christ does Paul focus his worship? 
1> His deity as a member of the triune godhead. 
Through Jesus, we see, touch, feel, sense, and relate to the God of the Universe exactly because He is the image of the Invisible God. Unfathomable! Yet, each day, in every moment, that opportunity exists for you and me through the Holy Spirit! (Hebrews 4:16)  
Our God is always available.  
2> Christ as creator. 
For me, this truth lets me hold fast to peace and lets fear drop effortlessly away. When Christ sees all, knows all, made all, there is nothing left to fear. (Romans 8:31) 
3> Christ as sustainer.  
This truth really puts my own self-proclaimed “authority” to shame. I can’t keep anything together! But Christ. Christ is the eternal sustainer of all things. Knowing He is a good and gracious God, sets my heart to rest in His character and reminds me to turn to Him for big things and the ridiculously small.  
4> His supreme authority.  
It can be easy for us to look around at the visible powers of our nation and our world that we forget Who the true and final Supreme Being is who holds all authority. Don’t let your hearts be troubled, He has overcome this world! (John 14:1) 
5> His headship over the church 
This filling headship translates to our everyday lives as the only source we need for life and godliness as we pursue Christ in the mighty and the mundane. (2 Peter 1:3) He is our fuel, He is our center, He is our divine strength.  
6> His authority over resurrection from the dead.  
With Christ as our Victor over death, we have eternal, incorruptible hope through our death and the deaths of those we love who have trusted Jesus for their own eternities. With Christ as Savior, we are eternally held secure. Not even death shall separate us from His love! (Romans 8:38-39) 
7> Christ as reconciler and redeemer. 
Yes, Christ came as Reconciler and Redeemer to “buy us back” from the grip of Sin and Death, but this gift is not ours simply because we read about it, have heard about it, or grew up in a good family. At birth, we inherit Death and Sin, but Christ offers to buy us back from these fatalities. His offer is extended to you, are you absolutely certain you’ve surrendered everything to Him and His authority? (Romans 6:22-23) 

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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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Dwell Day 8 Come Away

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 46  
Isaiah 6:1-8 
Exodus 34:29-35 

Dwell, Day 8

The chaos screamed louder with every shrill screech of my 3-year-old.  
He flung his body violently backwards despite my attempts to hold him.  
My water cup flew as his foot knocked it from the counter, its crash adding to the epic disaster of my kitchen.  
I was exhausted, frustrated, and knew I was quickly losing it.  
I was too far behind, in too many things, the hurricane wave-like pressure to be more than I was, crashed down on me fast.  
 
“Come away with me.” 
The whisper in my heart offered an oasis, cool water in the tornadic fury of my hot emotions.  
No, it wasn’t an audible voice, but it was one I had been learning ever more steadily to listen to. It was the voice of One who loved me, who delighted over me, and in that moment of supreme chaos that bordered on insanity, He called me away.  
 
Not to more stuff.  
Not to remind me of the important things I hadn’t done yet.  
Not to chastise me for being angry.  
He called me to come away.  
With Him.  
 
With water dripping from the counter, the dog eating scraps on the floor, a dirty dish tower threatening to topple, smelly laundry spilling from the washer, crackers crunching under my feet, and 4 other children continuing to play in their shocking oblivion,  
I obeyed the voice of my Savior.  
 
Gathering my still shrieking preschooler, I turned a blind eye to it all, and with laser focus on the face of my Jesus, I ran upstairs, not caring in the slightest who called out after me for more snacks. I knew exactly where I was going.  
 
As I hurried through my still messy bedroom, I grabbed my “pretty candle”, the one no one is supposed to touch, and a hidden matchbox. By the time I shoved my closet door closed behind me and the darkness quickly enveloped us, my little boy was still mad, but intrigued.  
I struck the match, breathing in the acrid scent, my soul already quieting. 
I knew Who was waiting for me and Whose presence I was entering.  
 
“Look! Look!” I whispered to my dry-sobbing boy.  
His eyes wide, tears gone, I held him as I began praying simple phrases.  
I had learned that here, in the silence and solitude of this meeting place, short phrases packed with truth kept my heart and soul in the moment rather than wandering.  
Truth anchored me in His presence.  
 
“You are good. You are good. You are good.” 
“You are for me. You are for me. You are for me.” 
“You are glorious, Yahweh. You are glorious. Glorious.”  
“Oh Majesty, Majesty, how breathtaking You are.” 
“Majesty. Beauty. Grace.”  
“Grace. Grace. Grace.” 
“Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.” 
“Lord Jesus. My Lord Jesus.” 
 
Sometimes my words whispered, sometimes they flowed quickly as the Spirit moved, sometimes my tongue was still as I drank in the exquisite beauty of His presence.  
Silent and still, holding my son, watching the light,  
my soul was swept away by the Supreme Lover of my heart. 
 
There was no magic in the candle, no extra-ordinary spiritual experience of my closet location, there was simply an invitation to sit in silence and behold Majesty.  
 
Time seemed to stand still for both me and my son.  
Eventually, like every mama-story, a knock beckoned from the other side of my closet door.  
But my spirit didn’t sag in response, peace pervaded. Joy swept in.  
Truth anchored my soul as my eyes had re-focused on the Glorious One.  
 
The idea of Silence and Solitude as an actual discipline of the Christian walk had never ever occurred to me.  
Quiet time where you sit and read Scripture, yes.  
Journaling your prayers and thoughts during quiet time, yes.  
But no one had ever taught me to practice Silence & Solitude.  
 
The discovery literally revolutionized my entire walk with Jesus, taking me from the playful shores of Christianity into the deep-sea dive of intimacy with the Love of my Soul.  
Practicing regular silence and solitude changed the entire trajectory of my life.  
I can absolutely guarantee you that where I am today, how I see people, the ministries I’m involved in, and the way I commune with Jesus is a direct result of silence and solitude.  
Yes, it’s that critical!  
 
After reading selections from Ruth Barton’s book, “Invitation to Solitude & Silence”, I was flabbergasted that I had never heard of this aspect of Christianity and began adopting it immediately.  
It wasn’t always my closet, it wasn’t always using a candle, but those became my favorites.  
I’ve shared intentional silence with the Savior, glorying in His presence, in my car before driving to “next”, in my “God Time Chair” as my pen has stilled and all else fades as I simply sit with Him, listening and responding to His Spirit, or in bed before I fall asleep. This isn’t just being quiet and restful, it’s intentional prayer-focused intimacy as we are drawn in to deep worship! 
 
In words on paper, it’s utterly indescribable.  
Astoundingly, the invitation comes again and again as He invites me to know Him deeper, delight in Him more intimately, to call Him Abba Father, to sit with tears streaming at His all-surpassing glory, and to live in light of that glorious encounter. 
 
Here’s the sweetest thing, Jesus longs for all of this with each of us!  
It doesn’t matter what your doubts are, how long or how short you’ve believed in Him as Savior, or whether you’ve ever crossed the line of faith in the first place, His invitation beckons right now, right here, in the middle of your crazy, busy, messy everyday life.  

Will you go to Him?! 

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Inheritance Day 3
His Abundance Is Waiting For You

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 1:3
Ephesians 3:7-11
Colossians 2:8-10
Psalm 65  

As a believer in the corporate world I often find myself daydreaming of being out on the mission field again. My first two years out of high school I traveled to Africa three times, totaling around a year.

Most often I remember those days vividly, and other days I can’t believe that was my life. I spent a month in the desert of Kenya, living in my tent with no running water, no bed, no privacy, and no Internet.

It was normal for me to walk miles upon miles to the local watering hole, gathering enough liquid to wash my clothes and boil for cooking dinner, all the while staring at the giraffes, monkeys, ostrich, and hyenas stopping for a quick drink before continuing to roam the land.

I felt as if I was living a Biblical fairytale as I met real life shepherds herding their cattle from place to place during the day and getting them back in their pens at night.

Yet, my life is so vastly different now.
I currently reside on the 26th floor of a skyscraper, in a cubical.

I would be lying if I told you that I don’t miss that lifestyle. I felt alive. I felt free. I felt like I was living in the now, with no distractions. I felt as if I could reach out and touch heaven as my relationship with the Lord was growing and my longing for Him was what fueled my every move.

Now don’t get me wrong, I still feel that way, it just looks so different now.  

As part of the inheritance Jesus has given us, we receive the freedom to live in His abundance. Whether it’s in the middle of nowhere Kenya, or in my cubical at work,
I still have His freedom inside of me.

The Lord has taken me on quite a trust journey the last few years. Right after my husband and I got married, it was almost as if a switch went off and hard life situations started happening.

Job loss, unexpected surgeries, miscarriage, being unable to pay the bills and moving back in with my parents, getting pregnant again, being put on hospital bed rest, having a preemie, job loss again, and to top it all off, serious marital problems. It seemed as if it wouldn’t ever stop. But you know what?

Never once did Jesus abandon us, and never once did we lose hope.

It was through the darkest of nights where Jesus showed up in my life and told me to lean in and trust the process of His plan.

David writes in Psalm 65:11, “You crown the year with a bountiful harvest;
even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.”

I needed that harvest.
I was waiting, hoping, and praying that God was going to overflow my life with the abundance that He has promised us as heirs to His kingdom.

Although my timeline and God’s aren’t the same, I was able to grow in my relationship with Him during that season of “hard pathways”.
To be honest, I’m still kind of there.

One of my favorite verses is Ephesians 3: 20, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”

I’m continuing to learn that Jesus is at work in all things, and that while I may not have asked or even begun to think of answers to situations, He’s already in it all.

My husband recently began work at a hospital. When we were praying about finding a job, and this one came up, we knew it was from the Lord. Yet when he went in for his interview, they told him the only spot open was for overnight 12-hour shifts. We immediately dropped to our knees, as we felt like God was trying to tear us apart.

Why are we so quick to to point fingers at the things that God ‘hasn’t done’,
rather than praise Him for the work He’s already accomplished?

Not 24 hours later, Jeremy got an e-mail saying that as of that morning there was a full-time, day-time position available immediately. He even gets weekends off!

We once again dropped to our knees, but this time we praised God the Father for providing for His children, just like He said He would.

The physical things, the relationships, and the people we love are not guaranteed gifts from God. Death happens, brokenness happens.
But the spiritual gifts.
The inheritance we have through Jesus.
The freedom to hope and trust and live in peace.
He wants us to walk in that with our head held high through every situation,
leaning into all He’s given us.

So I ask you dear friend, what is limiting you to live in His abundance now?
Grab onto the hope and anchor your soul; He’s waiting for you!

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Worship Day 8
It Is Well With My Soul

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 40:27-31
Romans 8:18-39
Psalm 62
Revelation 22:12  

Four-year-old boys are full of magical whimsy and outlandish creativity.
Giggles and smirks, mischievous grins and twinkling eyes.
Dirt smudged faces, pockets full of treasures, tongues that can’t say their “R’s” and “L’s”, pudgy arms that squeeze super tight, and warm little bodies that snuggle as close as they can to yours.

Horatio’s 4-year-old little boy stopped doing all of those things as an uncontrollable bacterium overtook his body. He fought hard with as much bravery as his four years could muster, but the infection was too intense, leaving Horatio’s strong arms holding a lifeless boy in the end.
His heart was broken, his wife and daughters shattered by their grief.

Two years passed and, though the ache of his son’s passing was always tucked in his heart, Horatio still had a family to love on and lead well. A vacation was in order, a much needed get away to play and enjoy each other, so passage was booked and plans were made for a trip to England.

Excitement ran high as the arrival date drew near. The girls had been packed for weeks, eager for the time away and the adventure of travel. Even Anna, his lovely wife, had been more engaged lately and was anticipating the trip just as much as the girls.
How they needed this time away to re-connect!
Alas, as life often would have it, his work as a lawyer would detain him for a few days, so the decision was made for his family to go ahead of him to England and he would catch up as soon as possible.

Departure day came and he swung his littlest girl, Tanetta, high into the air, thrilling in the sound of her delighted squeals. He teasingly pulled the braids of his oldest, 11-year-old Annie, danced with Maggie who was 9, and laughed with Bessie, 5, who couldn’t stop talking about all they would see and do.
But it was the last time he would see his precious daughters.
All four of Horatio’s beauties would tragically perish before they reached England.

“Saved Alone” were the words Horatio read in Anna’s telegram.
Grief swept over him. Sorrow was his companion. His loss was so devastating. Yet, as he wrestled with his anguished soul, he ran to the One who held life and death.
The One who promised that nothing could ever separate Him from the ones He loved.
He ran to the Father because Horatio knew the truth of the Son,
“In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

This was Horatio’s act of worship!
Turning to his Savior proved the depth of Horatio’s love, the authenticity of his faith, and the hope of his eternity.

Was his heart shipwrecked by grief?
Absolutely.
Would he always carry the ache of loss etched deep in his soul?
Without a doubt.
But there was more.
There was hope.
It was well with his soul.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers,
nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Truth was his anchor.
Worship was his overflow.
Love was his beautiful redemption.

Horatio and Anna’s losses were great,
but their God was greater.

After their tragic loss, the Spaffords did more for Jesus than ever before.
Rather than let their grief overwhelm them,
they allowed God’s love to overrun them.

Horatio penned the words to “It Is Well With My Soul” as his boat passed over the waters where his girls died, and he could write them with authenticity, despite the magnitude of loss, because he knew the end.
He knew Who held his victory!

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

His words echoed the truth Paul writes about in Romans 8.
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

What about you, Beloved daughter of the King?
You.
Your sufferings.
You aren’t alone.
You aren’t unknown.
Your cause has not been disregarded by your God.
Take the tumultuous waves of your anguish, let Truth sink its anchor into your sea.
Pour out your heart before your God, let that be your worship.
Then let His love redeem you.
The very same love that sacrificed His son for you.
The very same love that holds you even when you want to walk away.
The very same love that will preserve you until the end of time.

Worship Him, Daughter.
Because you know the end.

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul!

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

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