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Fruitful Day 4 Lasting Joy: 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 Lasting Joy!

The Questions

1) How can God be the psalmist’s “portion and cup of blessing?” (verse 5)

2) What does it mean for “the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places”? (verse 6)

3) What does abundant joy look like? (verse 11)

Psalm 16

Protect me, God, for I take refuge in you.
2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have nothing good besides you.”
3 As for the holy people who are in the land,
they are the noble ones.
All my delight is in them.
4 The sorrows of those who take another god
for themselves will multiply;
I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood,
and I will not speak their names with my lips.

5 Lord, you are my portion
and my cup of blessing;
you hold my future.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me
in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

7 I will bless the Lord who counsels me—
even at night when my thoughts trouble me.
8 I always let the Lord guide me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad
and my whole being rejoices;
my body also rests securely.
10 For you will not abandon me to Sheol;
you will not allow your faithful one to see decay.
11 You reveal the path of life to me;
in your presence is abundant joy;
at your right hand are eternal pleasures.

Original Intent

1) How can God be the psalmist’s “portion and cup of blessing?” (verse 5)
Psalm 16 is a thankful prayer to the Mighty God from David, the youngest son and lowly shepherd-turned-king of Israel. David declares, “Lord, you are my portion and my cup of blessing; you hold my future.” (Psalm 16:5) Author Joseph Benson describes David’s allusion of “portion” and “cup” to “the ancient manner (…) in feasts, in which each had his portion of meat and of wine allotted to him.” In this case, David is pleased to have Jehovah as His portion because to have God is to have the source of all things. Author David Guzik notes, “God said to the priests in the days of Moses: ‘I am your portion and your inheritance.’ (Numbers 18:20) David understood this was a promise (…) to all who would trust God to be the portion of their inheritance.” To have the Lord as one’s portion was to have everything one needed. If David could choose from any potential portion, he would choose the Lord only His cup is full of blessings. Author Charles Ellicott cites Psalm 11:6 to demonstrate that the figure of cup “had already become a synonym for “condition in life””. David was thanking God that his condition in life was blessed because he trusted in the Lord God. The same is true for us today, if God is the Lord of our lives. No matter what we need or what we face, God as our portion is more than enough for us. His cup of blessing is all we need or could ever want.

2) What does it mean for “the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places”? (verse 6)
David understood God was the Author of his life and he described his joy by saying, “the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places”. (Psalm 16:6) Author Charles Ellicott explains, “The allusion is to the ‘measuring cords’ by which allotments of land were measured, and they are said to ‘fall’ possibly because after the measurement the portions were distributed by ‘lot.’” (Joshua 17:5; Micah 2:5) In ancient times, land was measured and divided among inheritors by casting lots (similar in concept to modern dice) to determine who would receive which portion of land. Author David Guzik notes that “David was the youngest son [who] could expect no inheritance from his family; yet he took joy and comfort in the fact that God was the portion of his inheritance . . . The lines that marked out his inheritance had fallen to him in pleasant places.” David rejoiced that God had given him a blessed life with God as his inheritance. The Lord, in His goodness, had provided fellowship with God Himself as the pleasant boundary lines marking David’s life. David knew this was better than inheriting the choicest fields or the largest estate for a life lived with God meant rich joy! He declared, “You reveal the path of life to me; in Your presence is abundant joy; at your right hand are eternal pleasures.” (Psalm 16:11) When we invite God to be Lord of our lives, we also experience the same good inheritance David celebrated. We rejoice because God made a place for us with Him. Our boundary lines couldn’t have fallen more wonderfully!

3) What does abundant joy look like? (verse 11)
In Psalm 16:11, David declared to the Lord, “In your presence is abundant joy”. He did not follow up with descriptors to embellish his meaning, instead, his description of abundant joy preceded his declaration. The entire chapter describes what it looks like to have abundant joy because it describes life in God’s presence. David writes of God’s presence as a refuge. (Psalm 16:1) He also described the joyless, sorrowful life of those outside God’s presence. (Psalm 16:4) David discovered the unspeakable, all-satisfying joy of choosing God as his portion, cup, and inheritance. (verses 9-11) God counseled David when he had troubling thoughts and guided him (verses 7-8), which was part of the joy of being in God’s presence. David’s confidence came from knowing he would never be shaken if he remained with God; what great joy! (verse 8) Because God was with him, David had confidence in the Lord; this confident, experiential knowing of God made his heart happy and brought him peace. (verse 9) David knew God would neither let him waste away nor abandon him. (verse 10) He was joyful in knowing God would lead him where he should go; again, what peace! (verse 11) Not only did David experience the joy of God’s presence on earth, but he was confident in experiencing eternal pleasures at God’s right hand. (verse 11) Author Alexander Maclaren suggests, “First, life here may be God’s presence with us, to make us steadfast. And secondly, if so, life hereafter will be our presence with God to make us glad.” For David, and us, abundant joy comes from being in God’s presence and realizing He is our All. He provides for our needs and cares for every issue we face. Thank You, Lord, for the joy of Your presence!

Everyday Application

1) How can God be the psalmist’s “portion and cup of blessing?” (verse 5)
As little kids, we would always bicker about who got the bigger piece of cake or who rode in the front seat. With my own kids, I learned someone will always complain about the sibling who received the “better” triangle of PB&J sandwich. Why are we so often dissatisfied with what we have, comparing it to everyone else’s and finding it lacking? David did just the opposite. He took one look at the portion given to him in God Himself and rejoiced! He knew that those who served other gods would have sorrows multiplied (Psalm 16:4), but those who served God had a pleasant “portion and cup of blessing” (verse 5) David realized that God was supremely the best he could possibly receive. It wasn’t about his circumstances, which varied from his life being hunted down to being celebrated as King. His blessing was found in the Lord God. In Him alone was found everything! Author John Piper asserts, “Nothing satisfies — nothing nourishes and sustains — the way [God] does. He is my greatest good. My treasure of all treasures. My highest pleasure. My chosen portion of sirloin. My cup of finest wine.” It is so easy to look at someone and envy what they have or feel disappointment in what you have by comparison. However, if we recognize, like David, that God’s Kingdom is more than the temporary, finite things we see, we can appreciate the Lord as our portion. He is our inheritance! (Ephesians 1:3, 11) Because of the “cup of blessing” we have from God, we have the counsel, guidance, protection and provision of the Almighty God at every moment of our everyday lives! Our portion is Him who holds everything together (Colossians 1:17), knows everything (1 John 3:20), and loves us without end (Psalm 100:5). When we have all of this in abundance, we have need of nothing else. In fact, we have so much that, instead of envying others, we can share our “cup of blessing” with everyone by sharing Jesus with them!

2) What does it mean for “the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places”? (verse 6)
My friend owns some farm land, and often finds his neighbors subtly encroaching on his property. One put up a fence a few feet over the boundary line, and one built a little shed on a shared dirt roadway. If things get contentious, a surveyor comes out to prove the boundary line, so he can get his land back. I think of my friend when David writes about “boundary lines” in Psalm 16:6. For David, however, there was no arguing or contention. He was not scheming to get more or lamenting his lack. He was pleased with the Lord’s boundary lines, His blessings and providence. Keep in mind that David’s life was neither easy nor trouble free. In fact, his life was often filled with military battles, personal conflicts, and sadness so deep it would qualify as depression today. Despite his hardships, David rejoiced in God being on his side. (Psalm 56:9) He could turn to God when his soul was troubled (Psalm 16:7); he confidently knew he would not be shaken when God was for him. (Psalm 16:8) With this deep trust in God, His peace prevails. David said his whole body could rest securely knowing God was in control. (Psalm 16:9) David also experienced joy and gladness from remaining inside God’s boundary lines and not pushing beyond. (Psalm 16:9) My prayer is for each of us to fully recognize the blessing it is to have boundary lines from the Lord that fall in pleasant places regardless of circumstances. God Himself is our good inheritance. I hope we live like David did, completely aware that God is for us, He is blessing us and providing for us daily, no matter our circumstances.

3) What does abundant joy look like? (verse 11)
People spend a lot of time, money, and energy pursuing joy. We try new fads and buy pricey gadgets we hope will bring happiness. We explore new hobbies, build bigger houses, purchase fancier cars, and adopt pets. Whatever promises to fulfill our longing for joy, we pursue it. This looks different for each of us. C.S. Lewis wrote, “I sometimes wonder whether all pleasures are not substitutes for Joy.” None of these pursuits are bad or wrong in themselves, but they won’t bring us lasting joy to satisfy our deep longings. True joy only comes from God. In verse 11, David tells the Lord, “In Your presence is abundant joy.” In Psalm 43:4, the psalmist calls God his “greatest joy”. Romans 15:13 says God fills us with joy. Jesus tells us if we keep His commands and remain in His love, His joy will be in us and our joy will be complete. (John 15:9-11) Sometimes we get frustrated because knowing God and being in His presence doesn’t mean that we are exempt from sorrow. How can our joy be complete if we still feel sadness? Author John Piper says, “fullness of joy in this life does not [mean] that all competing emotions are excluded. We rejoice, and we weep, even simultaneously. But in the resurrection, this won’t be the case anymore.” We experience joy here on earth even while we still experience painful emotions, but when we are eternally in God’s presence everything changes. With God, there will be no more tears. (Revelation 21:4) We can experience the joy of the Lord even now, on earth, and live in joy forever with God in Heaven. This joy doesn’t require purchasing the latest, greatest gadget, we simply accept it as a free gift from God (Romans 3:24) when we put our trust in 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!

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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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Nations Day 13 Created To Participate

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 12:3-8
1 Corinthians 12:24b-13:7
Acts 2:41-47

Nations, Day 13

The Church is God’s people.
But it’s often misconstrued as an experience.

In truth, the Church cannot be confined to our experience or perspective. It is something larger than ourselves, in which we get to participate. We see this in Scripture, and I have had the blessing of learning it through experience. Therefore, I’d like to encourage us to live with zealous love for God by loving the Church, Christ’s bride.

A little back story, I grew up traveling. Our family lived in a trailer in the United States, going from church to church, doing old-school revivals. My parents helped churches reach the communities around them with the message of God’s love through Jesus. My “normal” was meeting new people every week, adapting to each church’s practices, and participating however I could.

Church wasn’t about me. Church was about sharing with others Who Jesus is.

Additionally, my dad pastored. We settled for a few years in Illinois and then Florida. In both settings, I entered into an environment where people had known each other their whole lives. As an outsider, I integrated into their programs and cultural norms. I went to Sunday school class, children’s church, and a mid-week mission class. For us kids, the main goal was to have fun while learning about the Bible.

Church wasn’t about me, but most of the time I thought it was.

Before I started high school, our family moved to West Africa as missionaries. My experience of church and its culture expanded dramatically. During school years, I attended a church comprised of more than 13 denominations and over 20 nationalities. During breaks, I attended Nigerian churches. I wore a wrapper (skirt) and head tie, sat on hard benches with the other females, listened to sermons in a language I didn’t speak, and hummed along with songs I didn’t understand.

Church wasn’t about me. Church was people relating to God, together.

Since then, I’ve gathered with believers on four continents and have worshipped in more languages than I can recall. I have met with God’s people in stadiums and under the stars. I have danced to the rhythm of homemade drums, stood still in the choral of magnificent pipe organs, and wept silently while listening to a man behind me praise the Lord in brokenness after the death of his son.

My experience of church has been broad.  My experience of God’s people has been beyond description. 

As we move into Scripture, it’s important to have a working definition of the word Church. In Greek, the word for church is ekklēsía, which means “people called out from the world and to God, the outcome being the Church.” Often, in North America, people think of church as a weekly event, which is understandable. When God’s people assemble, the Church is gathered, so we can legitimately say we’re “having church.” God’s people are the Church and the gathering of His people is church. 

Paul talks a lot about being the church in Ephesians.
He wrote, “God’s multifaceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavens. This is according to His eternal purpose accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Ephesians 3:10-11)
Extraordinary! God’s age-long plan is to reveal His multifaceted wisdom through the Church.

You see, through His own blood, Christ redeemed us. (Titus 2:14)
He has cleansed our consciences from dead works to serve the living God
(Hebrews 9:11-14)
Now, He has given us His Spirit! (1 John 4:13)

How should we, the Church, respond to our God’s stunning mercy and love?
“Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we must also love one another.” (1 John 4:11)
Simply put, we are to love one another, because He has loved us, because His Spirit is in us, and because when we do, His love is perfected and fulfilled. (1 John 4:7-16)

This is why Paul implores the Church “to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3)

According to 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, showing God’s love to one another means we are to be patient and kind. We should abandon arrogance, jealousy, and predetermined agendas. We are to forgive, bear with one another, rejoice with each other in truth, and to hope. Finally, we are to endure.

Notice, NOTHING in all of these verses talks about what we can expect to experience when we assemble together as the Church. Instead, every verse commissions the believer to live and love from the Spirit at work in her. This wildly unnatural, selfless love will be powerful witness to a lost world.

Sisters, do you hear Scripture’s call to both gather at church and BE the Church?
To commit to community with other believers?
To accept the responsibility to love and build up, according to the Spirit of grace at work within us?
The Church exists for a reason, and we get to be a part of it!

Grow well, my sisters.

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Worship VIII Day 15 There Was Jesus

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Deuteronomy 31:1-8
John 16:31-33
James 1:2-3

Worship VIII, Day 15

Have you experienced times when you couldn’t see Jesus?
When the fog of confusion or pain cloaked you in isolation and fear?

I have. Recently, I was in such despair, I was blinded to Jesus standing right next to me, holding my hand and walking with me.

To be completely transparent, I am in a season of fighting for my marriage. At one point, I wanted to give up and call it quits. In my pain, I flung my questions to Heaven.
“God, why is this happening to me?”
“God, where are you?”
“God, I feel so alone.”

It is one of the hardest seasons I have ever experienced.
My heart was broken, crying out for God’s presence and His promises to reassure me.

Because God is so good, He gave me exactly what I needed.

One day, during a devotional time at work, my boss shared the song There Was Jesus, explaining how its message of truth had supported her like a rock through difficult times.

“In the waiting, in the searching
In the healing and the hurting
Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces
Every minute, every moment
Where I’ve been and where I’m going
Even when I didn’t know it or couldn’t see it
There was Jesus”

I sang to Jesus and cried my eyes out, letting the very present truth of my God-with-me soothe the raw, jagged edges of my heart.

But I did something else, too.

I prayed for God to take the blinders off of my eyes, so I could see Him clearly through this season. Searching for something to cling to, I asked Him to reveal His promises to me.
Because He is kind, He did exactly this.

“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33)

He reminds us life will be difficult and painful.
Yet, in the midst of our confusion and struggle, He promises we have access to His eternal, transcendent peace through Jesus because He has overcome the world.

“The Lord is the one who will go before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)

He promises to go before us, never abandoning us regardless of our attitude, our circumstance, or our level of emotional control.
Never. He will never leave us.
In our darkest moments, when we feel most alone, we have only to reach out our hands to discover He is right there beside us.

“Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” (James 1:2-3, emphasis mine)
We can have joy through our trials, because our God is both good and kind.
When we cling ever tighter to God in the midst of our hardship, we grow closer to Him and our character becomes more like His. Our pain will not be in vain.

“On the mountain, in the valleys (There was Jesus)
In the shadows of the alleys (There was Jesus)
In the fire, in the flood (There was Jesus)
Always is and always was
No, I never walk alone (Never walk alone)
You are always there”

Circumstance in our lives change; God does not.

Whether we fling our arms wide atop a mountain, reveling in the blaze of unbroken sunlight, drinking in crystal clear air, unwaveringly certain of our place in the landscape stretched out before us . . .

Or we huddle in the shadowed and rocky valley, hungry and bleeding, too exhausted to take one more trudging step, fighting desperately against the enemy whisper that we are lost forever in this mire of suffering . . .

His promises remain true (scroll back up and read them again!).
His Spirit remains with us, for always. (Matthew 28:20)
His goodness remains unchallenged. (Psalm 31:19)
His kindness remains for all who turn to Him. (Titus 3:4-7)

Therefore, in any circumstance, we can fix our gaze upon Him,
and find a God worthy of our authentic worship.

In joy or in pain, our spirits can declare,
“Blessed be the Lord, for He has heard the sound of my pleading.
The Lord is my strength and shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.
Therefore my heart celebrates, and I give thanks to Him with my song.” (Psalm 28:6-7)

Sisters, how well I know the challenge of seeing God’s hand in the midst of trials. I pray in those trials, we draw faith from His past provision, proclaiming in chorus with today’s song, “There was Jesus.” I pray our faith gives us eyes to see through the chaos swirling around us to the One who is greater than all else, enabling us to say, “And here is Jesus.”

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Follow Day 4 Entering The Extraordinary: 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 Entering The Extraordinary!

The Questions

1) In studying the Bible, repetition is significant. Abram is mentioned 9 times in this passage, the most of anyone. What is significant about him?

2) Who called Abram?

3) What was Abram called from? What was he called to?

*Note: In Genesis 17, Abram’s name was changed to Abraham. Both names will be used in this study.

Genesis 11:24-12:4

11:24 Nahor lived 29 years and fathered Terah. 25 After he fathered Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and fathered other sons and daughters. 26 Terah lived 70 years and fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran. 27 These are the family records of Terah. Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran, and Haran fathered Lot. 28 Haran died in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans, during his father Terah’s lifetime. 29 Abram and Nahor took wives: Abram’s wife was named Sarai, and Nahor’s wife was named Milcah. She was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milcah and Iscah. 30 Sarai was unable to conceive; she did not have a child. Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (Haran’s son), and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they set out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there. 32 Terah lived 205 years and died in Haran.
12:1 The Lord said to Abram: Go from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you. 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.

Original Intent

1) In studying the Bible, repetition is significant. Abram is mentioned 9 times in this passage, the most of anyone. What is significant about him?
Genesis 11:26 contains the first reference to Abram. Abram/Abraham is mentioned 312 times in 272 verses in the Bible. He is the most notable man of the Old Testament and, except for Moses, no other Old Testament character is mentioned more in the New Testament than Abraham. Moses gives us the record of the lives of three early Jewish patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But Abraham’s son, Isaac, serves mainly as a transitional figure rather than a prominent one. Therefore, the early patriarchal record divides history between the two lives of Abraham and Jacob. The New Testament authors signify for us Abraham’s importance and impact in Scripture’s redemptive history. Believers in all generations are called Abraham’s sons (Galatians 3:7), and the Bible author James refers to him as “God’s friend.” (James 2:22-23) Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, James reiterates the Lord’s message to the prophet Isaiah regarding Abraham as his friend. (Isaiah 41:8) This specific title is used of no one else in Scripture, although Exodus tells us Moses and the LORD spoke face to face as friends do. (Exodus 33:11) While we don’t meet Abram until he’s 75 years old, his role in the story of our own redemption is pivotal.


2) Who called Abram?
Abram’s story begins in Ur, an ancient Chaldean city. Joshua describes his earlier history for us in his record. Before God called him, Abram had no knowledge of the one true God. (Joshua 24:2) He had no idea the God of the universe would choose a special people for Himself, nor that He would bring Abram into His plan to redeem mankind. Like He often does, God called an unlikely man from a family of idol worshippers, who himself was probably one. Following the information regarding Abram’s lineage, we are introduced to the first part of God’s call to him. In Genesis 12:1, several translations aptly translate the verse as “the Lord had said” instead of “the Lord said.” This is important because according to Acts 7:2-4, Abram received his call in Ur before his father died in Haran. We see in these Genesis verses it was God who called Abram to go to a land where the promise would be fulfilled for him and his descendants.

3) What was Abram called from? What was he called to?
Abram was called to leave his home and was called to go to an unknown place. God called him to this unseen promise as an example for those who would come after him, choosing to follow Christ though we cannot yet see our eternal promised hope in Heaven. “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.” (Hebrews 11:8) God was not only calling Abram to a land, but to a promise. In verses 2-3, God says “I will” five times. In chapter 11, we see man’s plan, but in chapter 12, we see God’s. (blueletterbible.org) God’s plan was bigger than Abram could ever have imagined! God called Abram to blessing in three ways: He would make him into a great nation, He would give Abram and his descendants a great name, and He would prosper and protect him. The apostle Paul offers insight into the promise God gave Abram as he guided the Galatians to understand that the blessing of righteousness in Jesus comes from faith, even for the Gentile, just as it had for Abraham. (Galatians 3:7-9)

Everyday Application

 

1) In studying the Bible, repetition is significant. Abram is mentioned 9 times in this passage, the most of anyone. What is significant about him?
According to Old Testament scholar Gordon Wenham, no section of Genesis is more significant than this passage. Abram was called by a God he had never known to leave his familiar environment and go to a land he had never seen. Since the beginning of history with Adam and Eve, man’s sin had resulted in God’s curse. Yet now God promises to redeem humanity and call out a people for Himself who would experience blessing and hope. Abram’s extraordinary faith is a foundation for all those after him who will enter into the story of God’s redemption with him. The significance of Abraham’s obedience is that it links every believer to Abram’s faith; all those after him who would trust God for salvation are impacted by Abraham’s obedience tied to his faith. (Acts 13:26). The birth of Christ was the culmination of that faith. Abraham was a living example of faith and hope in the promises of God, though unseen (Hebrews 11:8–10). Dear sister, may our lives so reflect this kind of faith in the unseen future that we pass on to those who come behind us a lasting hope.

2) Who called Abram?
It is the LORD who called Abram! It is Yahweh, the divine Creator who desired to have a relationship with His people. God’s call and promise to Abram in Genesis 12 focus on the hope that secures our sure future through His grace. It is the LORD God who called him out, and it is this same God who has called us out from our sin and saved us from death. (2 Timothy 1:9-10) The kind of faith God blesses is the kind willing to leave everything behind for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as God called Abraham to leave, He calls us to leave the familiarity and comfort of sin and enter to the promise of eternal life. Jesus called people to follow Him, but some were unwilling. (Matthew 19:16-22) Paul reminded the believers in Philippi that it was God who called them to salvation and they were to only believe and obey, “Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to His good purpose.” (Philippians 2:12)

3) What was Abram called from? What was he called to?
Abram’s call from God reminded Moses and the Israelites that God had a plan for Abram’s life long before Abram had done anything for God. God had called Abraham as His humble servant simply because it pleased God to do so, thus revealing the amazing grace of God! God’s rich grace towards us is a theme woven throughout the life story of Abraham. God showed mercy to the patriarch at every moment of his life because he needed God’s mercy all the time. Abraham’s saving righteousness was a gift of mercy from the God who called him.  “Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6) As heirs of Abraham’s faith, we can follow his example. We are called out of sin and into God’s promise of eternal life. We are called out of disobedience and into the abundant life of Christ. We are called out of our temporary dwelling and into an eternal and better one; an extraordinary one!! (Hebrews 11:13-16)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up withEntering The Extraordinary!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Follow Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Calling Day 2 Into Inheritance: 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 Into Inheritance!

The Questions

1) What important truths do we miss if we rush through the greeting of the writer? (verses 1-2)

2) What significance does the theme of “blessing” in verse 3 have on the rest of the passage?

3) In the context of this whole letter to the church at Ephesus, why does Paul begin chapter 1 by repeating the phrase “in Him” so often?

4) How is the Holy Spirit a down payment of our inheritance as saints? (verses 13-14)

Ephesians 1:1-14

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will: To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus. 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. 5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ 10 as a plan for the right time – to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him. 11 In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, 12 so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory. 13 In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. 14 The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.

Original Intent

1) What important truths do we miss if we rush through the greeting of the writer? (verses 1-2) Rebecca writes in yesterday’s Journey Study regarding Paul’s introduction, “in just the first 14 verses, we, the Church, every saved-from-sin-rescued-from-death believer, are hereby declared…”
What a wonderful word description and declaration for the Church! In his greeting, Paul identifies three important aspects of this letter: 1) he identifies himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ by God’s will; 2) he identifies the Ephesian recipients (both Jew & Gentile, 2:11-13) as the saints of Jesus Christ; 3) he identifies that his message is from God. This declaration of identity is then fully enlarged in the following verses. We do not skim the greeting because its significance is essential to our understanding of the remaining verses. Once we know the writer (Paul), the audience (Christian Jews & Gentiles in Ephesus), the message (grace & peace), and the original author (God), we can appreciate Paul’s enthusiasm in the following verses. As blessed saints, we are showered with grace and peace from God. For those who are in Christ, this grace and peace is lavished on us through endless blessings from the One and Only God of blessing.

2) What significance does the theme of “blessing” in verse 3 have on the rest of the passage?
Simply stated, it is everything. The word “blessing” is a translation of the Greek word eulogy, and it means “to speak well of.” All these verses (3-14) are focused on Paul’s charge to the Church to bless the Father. We declare God blessed by praising Him “with worshipping love.” (HCG Moule, A Commentary on Ephesians) It is essential to note that this passage comprises one long sentence in Greek. (enduringword.com) It appears that Paul is writing from such an overwhelmed condition that he hardly takes a breath between thoughts. It is as if Paul breaks out in a song of praise that he does not quite know how to end! When he considers all the spiritual blessings he has received from God, he cannot contain his worship. Pastor John Piper helps us understand what Paul is expressing, “When God blesses men they are helped and strengthened and made better off than they were before; but when men bless God He is not helped or strengthened or made better off. Rather, it is an exclamation and expression of gratitude and admiration.” The faithful saints of God, including Paul, bless Him by recognizing His glory and goodness which were demonstrated in the way He has blessed the believer with every spiritual blessing. Wow!

3) In the context of this whole letter to the church at Ephesus, why does Paul begin chapter 1 by repeating the phrase “in Him” so often?
Every believer has available to him or her certain, eternal spiritual resources. All those who are in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, are on the receiving end of God’s blessings.  What does Paul mean when he writes we have been blessed “with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.”? (verse 3) It has been expressed like this, “Contrary to some beliefs, [blessings] are not some mysterious power or cosmic connection reserved for a select few. They are the key benefits of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.” (Primary Source Unavailable) Although some Bible translations (NIV, ESV) leave out the two expressions from the original Greek  (“in him” and “into him” in verses 5 and 10), likely because they appear unnecessarily repetitive, I agree with New Testament Professor Kenneth Berding, “Union with Christ (‘in-Christ-ness’) is crucial to Paul’s thought and is repeatedly snuck in by Paul. Union with Christ can be viewed as a web that extends into the rest of Paul’s theology and holds it together. Perhaps Paul isn’t simply being redundant. It could be he is being intentionally repetitive, even in-your-face repetitive, because the idea of being united with Christ is so significant to him.” (The Good Book blog, Talbot School of Theology)
(2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

4) How is the Holy Spirit a down payment of our inheritance as saints? (verses 13-14)
Of all the spiritual blessings listed in the previous verses, perhaps the blessing of the Holy Spirit is the one that best ties them all together. When we become the daughters of God through Christ, He places His stamp of ownership on us, promising us a never-ending guarantee of salvation. Union with Christ means: We are chosen (verse 4), we are adopted (verse 5), we are accepted (verse 6), we are redeemed (verse 7), and we are forgiven (verse 8). It also means we gain wisdom (verse 9) and a guaranteed inheritance (verse 11). God reveals the genuineness of the believer’s relationship with Him as the Holy Spirit testifies through our lives when they look more and more like Christ. This guarantee, this assurance, acts as “the down payment of our inheritance.” It is God who holds us fast. It is our union with Jesus Christ the Son, by the power of His Holy Spirit, that we are kept safe until the day Jesus returns for us and brings us into His eternal kingdom. This is all done to the praise, and for the glory, of God. We return full circle to verse 3, “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!”

Everyday Application

1) What important truths do we miss if we rush through the greeting of the writer? (verses 1-2) “Paul, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed), by the will of God [that is, by His purpose and choice],To the saints (God’s people) who are at Ephesus and are faithful and loyal and steadfast in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (AMP (amplified) Version) Oh, friend, do you see the good news Paul was greeting the church at Ephesus with? As a chosen representative of the Messiah, by God’s choosing and for God’s purposes, he proclaimed grace and peace to them and upon them. It is this ‘grace and peace’ that is always available to all the people of God who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:27-30) It is this ‘grace and peace’ that brings spiritual blessings too numerous to count and too wonderful to fathom!
“Grace and peace, oh how can this be?
Let songs of gratefulness ever rise, never cease.
Loved by God and called as a saint, my heart is satisfied in the riches of Christ.
Oh, what an amazing mystery that Your grace has come to me!” (Grace &Peace by Sovereign Grace Worship)

2) What significance does the theme of “blessing” in verse 3 have on the rest of the passage?
If you follow any sort of social media, most likely you have seen it: Hashtag “blessed.” (#blessed) Though I have never personally used the hashtag sentiment, I would be less than honest if I did not admit my own tendency to equate the good things in my life as being a reward for my good works. It is way too tempting these days to post pictures of parties, or décor, or gatherings, or vacations as a way of picturing my blessings for all to see. After all, I really AM #blessed. Dear sister, testifying of our blessings is certainly not the problem. Paul was so overwhelmed by his blessings he created the longest run-on sentence in the New Testament. James reminds us that every good thing the believer has is indeed a blessing from God. (James 1:17) The problem lies with confusing the spiritual with the material. Too often, we allow our perspective to be hindered by the obstacle of discontentment. It simply does not matter if we are rich or poor, healthy or sick, powerful or weak by the world’s standards. Paul reminds us we are all #BLESSED in Jesus!

3) In the context of this whole letter to the church at Ephesus, why does Paul begin chapter 1 by repeating the phrase “in Him” so often?
John Stott says, “The expressions ‘in Christ,’ ‘in the Lord,’ and ‘in Him’ occur 164 times in the letters of Paul alone. To be ‘in Christ’ does not mean to be inside Christ, as tools are in a box or our clothes in a closet, but to be organically united to Christ, as a limb is in the body or a branch is in the tree. It is this personal relationship with Christ that is the distinctive mark of His authentic followers. What distinguishes the true followers of Jesus from false pretenders is neither their creed, nor their code of ethics, nor their ceremonies, nor their culture, but Christ. What is often mistakenly called ‘Christianity’ is, in essence, neither a religion nor a system, but a person, Jesus of Nazareth.”
In Christ, we are blessed with “every blessing”. We have them all within our reach. Read through these verses again as a prayer, and thank God for blessing you beyond what you could ever ask or imagine. Close your prayer in intercession (praying for others) and doxology (praising God for His blessings). (Ephesians 3:14-21)

4) How is the Holy Spirit a down payment of our inheritance as saints? (verses 13-14)
The Greek word for “down payment” is used only in the New Testament in regards to the Holy Spirit. He is our only down payment of coming glory; nothing else is provided or needed. (biblehub.com) The saints of God have an assurance that there will come a time when we will take possession of our full inheritance. John Calvin wrote, “We do not have the full enjoyment of it at present. Seeing that the Holy Spirit reigns in our hearts, we have something for which to give praise even in the midst of all our temptations. [So] we should rejoice, mourn, grieve, give thanks, be content, wait.” (Ephesians Sermon, 1558—59). When we fully grasp in our hearts the inheritance that awaits us, we are better able to sincerely give God praise even during trials. No matter what you are facing, friend, I believe Paul would remind you we have God’s guarantee of eternal glory, through His Holy Spirit that dwells with us. The God who validates our relationship with Him by His own Spirit, will absolutely keep us until the big reveal. That will be the day He testifies of our redemption and takes final and forever possession of His inheritance – US! (Romans 8:16 1 John 3:1-3)

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

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Calling Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Sketched VIII Day 2 Hagar And Ishmael: 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 Hagar And Ishmael!

The Questions

1) Why did Sarai and Abraham try to fulfill the promises of God in their own power?

2) Why would God ask Hagar to submit to the mistreatment of Sarai?

3) Why did it mean so much to Hagar to be seen and heard by God?

Genesis 16

Abram’s wife, Sarai, had not borne any children for him, but she owned an Egyptian slave named Hagar. 2 Sarai said to Abram, “Since the Lord has prevented me from bearing children, go to my slave; perhaps through her I can build a family.” And Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So Abram’s wife, Sarai, took Hagar, her Egyptian slave, and gave her to her husband, Abram, as a wife for him. This happened after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan ten years. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When she saw that she was pregnant, her mistress became contemptible to her. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for my suffering! I put my slave in your arms, and when she saw that she was pregnant, I became contemptible to her. May the Lord judge between me and you.”

6 Abram replied to Sarai, “Here, your slave is in your power; do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai mistreated her so much that she ran away from her.

7 The angel of the Lord found her by a spring in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. 8 He said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?”

She replied, “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai.”

9 The angel of the Lord said to her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her authority.” 10 The angel of the Lord said to her, “I will greatly multiply your offspring, and they will be too many to count.”

11 The angel of the Lord said to her, “You have conceived and will have a son. You will name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your cry of affliction. 12 This man will be like a wild donkey. His hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand will be against him; he will settle near all his relatives.”

13 So she named the Lord who spoke to her: “You are El-roi,” for she said, “In this place, have I actually seen the one who sees me?”  14 That is why the well is called Beer-lahai-roi. It is between Kadesh and Bered.

15 So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, and Abram named his son (whom Hagar bore) Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him.

Original Intent

1) Why did Sarai and Abraham try to fulfill the promises of God in their own power?
In Genesis 12:2, God told Abram He would bless him with many descendants. Abram and Sarai waited ten years for God to give them a child and fulfill His promise. They were already very old, so Sarai figured God must want them to use a surrogate woman to start a family. (Genesis 16:2) While the exact circumstances of the surrogate arrangement are not known, author David Guzik explains, “According to customs of the day, Hagar would actually sit on the lap of Sarai as Abram inseminated her, to show that the child would legally belong to Sarai, as Hagar was merely a substitute for Sarai.” Abram and Sarai believed God’s promise, but they took it upon themselves to fulfill it since it seemed as if God wasn’t coming through. If they had waited for God to fulfill His word (which He did over a decade later,) they would have saved themselves much suffering. By using Sarai’s slave, Hagar, to give Abram a son, Ishmael, they caused strife and heartbreak for everyone, including our own world as Islam came through Ishmael. The preacher Charles Spurgeon notes that, “Very likely Hagar was one of the slaves given to him by Pharaoh when he dismissed him and Sarah; and you know what trouble Hagar brought into the family. If Abraham had lived the separated life, and hadn’t fallen into the customs of those around him, he would not have had that sin and sorrow concerning Hagar; nor would he have had that righteous rebuke from Abimelech, the king of Gerar, when again he had acted deceitfully with regard to his wife.” (Genesis 20:1) Sarai and Abram were desperate to make God’s promises come true, but their intervention was not part of God’s plan.  John Piper notes, “God will not settle for anything less than the path of impossibility: He aims to show that nothing is too difficult for the Lord. (Luke 1:37) His purpose in all He does is to magnify His sovereign grace and keep us in our humble place.”  May we all cling to God’s promises while patiently trusting in His plan to bring the best results.

2) Why would God ask Hagar to submit to the mistreatment of Sarai?
When Abram and Sarai decide to use the slave woman, Hagar, as a surrogate so they can have a son, tensions rise. (Genesis 16:3)  Hagar is proud of carrying Abram’s child, and Sarai is enraged by her attitude.  Encouraged by Abram, Sarai mistreats Hagar and causes her to run away. (Genesis 16:5-6) God stops Hagar in her desert flight and urges her to return and once again submit herself to Sarai. (Genesis 16:9) While it may seem harsh for the Lord to send Hagar back to where she had been mistreated, God instructed her to return, not for harm, but for a blessing. According to the Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, “The counsel was given in kindness as well as wisdom; for, by continuing to penetrate further into the wilderness, she must inevitably have perished, and all her prospects of maternity been blasted.” God had plans for Hagar and her baby, even though she was not carrying the child of promise. Every life is important to the Lord, regardless of the circumstances surrounding conception! The angel of the Lord, which was “Jesus pre-incarnate,” according to Dr. Tony Evans, told her she would have a son and he too would be the beginning of many descendants. Scholar Elizabeth Tracy emphasizes “God focuses on Hagar’s future; she won’t return defenseless or with the same status.  She will return with strong promises received directly and personally from God.” As David Guzik explains, “The Angel of the Lord told her to repent. If she changed her direction, there was an inherent promise – obey Me and I will protect you. Jesus didn’t tell Hagar to return to abuse; He made an implied promise of protection.” After encountering Jesus, Hagar calls the Lord “El Roi,” which translates to “the God who sees”. (Genesis 16:3) Hagar does not fear returning to live with Abram and Sarai because she knows God has heard her, seen her, and promised her blessing through her son.

3) Why did it mean so much to Hagar to be seen and heard by God?
When the angel of the Lord, Jesus in the flesh before He came as a baby, appeared to Hagar, He told her some remarkable things as well as some hard things. (Genesis 16:7) One of those hard things was for her to return to living with Abram and Sarai, the place she had just escaped. According to author Beth Moore,  “Hagar is a name that means stranger — that she’s a stranger. Now I want you to please note that the angel of the Lord has sought out the stranger. This is making me think of Ephesians 2 which says you are ‘no longer foreigners and strangers, but you are citizens with the saints of God, members of the household of God, that he seeks out strangers.’” Because her very name means stranger, the fact that God would seek her out was meaningful to Hagar. Not only did God seek her out, but she is the first person in Scripture to whom the angel of the Lord appears. David Guzik notes how God “didn’t first appear to Noah or Enoch or Abram. The Angel of the LORD first appeared to a single mother-to-be who had a pride problem and was mistreated by the woman who put her into the whole mess.” Because she was a stranger, far from home with no resources or support, she had nowhere to turn. The fact that God heard her anguish and saw her situation was life-changing. Author Joni Eareckson Tada observes, “Her circumstances didn’t miraculously change, but she had experienced the miracle of a changed perspective. Knowing that God is real, and He was really involved in her life story, gave Hagar renewed vision for what otherwise looked like a desperate situation.” Knowing she had been seen and heard by God meant Hagar could keep going. She could return to the household of Sarai and wait for the birth of her son without fear, because she knew God was protecting her, watching over her, and had promised her the blessing of many descendants.

Everyday Application

1) Why did Sarai and Abraham try to fulfill the promises of God in their own power?
I have ruined many things because I couldn’t wait. I have served under-baked cookies and smudged my finger nail polish on more than one occasion because I was too hasty. Impatience proved to be even costlier for Abram and Sarai when they decided to fulfill God’s promises in their own way by having a son born of Sarai’s Egyptian slave, Hagar. (Genesis 16:3) They thought that since they had waited 10 years for God to provide with no results, God must want them to take the initiative. Surely their solution to make God’s promise come true would work, they reasoned. As quickly as Hagar discovered her pregnancy, problems with their scheme became evident. Hagar soon felt pride in giving Abram what Sarai could not, which made Sarai angry. Soon Sarai began mistreating Hagar so badly that Hagar ran away. (Genesis 16:6) Even after Hagar’s return, when her son, Ishmael, was born, there was still tension and strife. Eventually Sarai, now Sarah, would have the pair sent far away from Isaac, the actual son of promise. (Genesis 21:10) We do this, too!  We get tired of waiting on God. We figure He has forgotten us or that He must want us to take matters into our own hands since He hasn’t made a move to fulfill His promises to us in the way we think best. We become good at reasoning and rationalizing. We even grow angry that God hasn’t acted in the ways we assume He should.  Sometimes we figure the ends will justify the means. If God wants something for us, then it doesn’t matter how we get it.  This is not God’s way! We may not understand His ways or His timing, but His ways are always perfect. (Psalm 18:30) If we wait for Him and trust in His promise, we will see God do what only God can do. (Isaiah 30:18) If we attempt to muster up a way to make His promises happen, we miss out on His perfect plan, or we make a huge mess of everything. Instead, we can trust that God is a promise keeper. (Deuteronomy 7:9) When God promises to do something for us or in us or through us, He will make it happen. (Philippians 1:6) Though He sometimes uses us to fulfill His plans and purposes, He does not need us to come up with plan B when we feel His plan is off track.  His plans, and His ways, can be trusted! (Proverbs 3:5)

2) Why would God ask Hagar to submit to the mistreatment of Sarai?
It is pretty clear to me by now that God doesn’t do things the way I would. If something is hard or causes me pain, my plan is to avoid it.  Seems pretty logical, right? More often than not, however, God uses the pain I experience as an integral part of my growth process. (James 1:2-4) Scripture even tells us if our suffering is for God, it brings favor with God. (1 Peter 2:18-20) When God told Hagar to return to the household of Abram and Sarai, the thought of returning to the misery she just left must have been overwhelming. (Genesis 16:9) This is how I feel when God asks me to stay in a season of hardship, or stick with a difficult relationship. I feel overwhelmed by the thought of staying with what causes me pain, even though running away has its own perils. When Hagar encountered God in the wilderness, He gave her hope by telling her He heard her, He saw her, and He had better things in store for her. (Genesis 16:7) If she endured by His strength, she would see reward.  I have seen this same reality in my own life and the lives of others. I know a young person who has endured painful physical issues his entire childhood and now waits for a heart transplant.  He could be bitter and hopeless, but instead God has made him grateful, humble, and compassionate. Through the pain and hardship, he has learned to trust God and rely on Him for everything. My young friend understands that all things, even the painful ones, work together for our good if we love God and are called by God. (Romans 8:28) My prayer is that I don’t run from God, but rather turn towards Him when I experience hurt and pain, so He can use it to mature me and make me more like Him.

3) Why did it mean so much to Hagar to be seen and heard by God?
When Hagar ran away from Sarai and Abram’s household and fled to the wilderness, presumably heading back to Egypt, she must have felt invisible. (Genesis 16:7) She was a slave, a pregnant, unmarried woman, and a foreigner in a strange land.  She was mistreated and abused by those who chose her to be their surrogate child-bearer even though she was carrying Abram’s heir. (Genesis 16:6) She couldn’t have expected God to find her and call her name. (Genesis 16:8) She couldn’t have imagined He would see her in anguish and hear her despair.  How amazed she must have been when the angel of the Lord called her name and asked for her side of the story. She may have expected Him to chastise her for being prideful with Sarai or for running away.  (Genesis 16:4) Instead, God gave her good news that her child was a son and he would bring her many descendants. (Genesis 16:10-11) He gave her a way to safely return, be provided for, and raise her son.  After she spoke with God, she called Him El Roi, the God who sees. (Genesis 16:13) She recognized God saw her, knew her, and cared about her situation. It didn’t matter she was a runaway slave. It didn’t matter she had been mistreated or angered Sarai. God saw her, and extended mercy and love. God saw her, the woman Hagar, and not all the things she had done or had been done to her. He heard her heart and saw her need for Him, and He came through for her! He became her hope for a future.  He became her ever present help in trouble. About the story of Hagar, Ann Voskamp says,” For the women forgotten and for the women discouraged and the women lost, there is water in the wilderness and He is our well and all. is. well.” Through Hagar’s story, God is telling each of us, no matter who we are, where we are, or how we got there, He sees us, He loves us, and He has love and mercy for us, too.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
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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 :-))

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Redeemed 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) Whether you are gleefully looking into the face of your future with bright eyes and high hopes, or you have weathered many storms of loss, heartache, and grief, the Lord has a storyline for you. Regardless of where you are in your journey, whether beginning, middle, or end, the Lord’s pen has not yet halted, leaving you alone. He, the maker of our stories, invites us deeper, moving beyond the surface to see the woven fabric underneath. The tale He weaves touches more lives and carries deeper significance than we can fathom. Will you surrender your pen to His hand and allow His fullness to overwhelm you or will you keep holding onto the myth of control, attempting to navigate the pages of your story on your own? Take some time to journal out what it looks like to surrender your happily ever after to the Lord.

2) How often have you felt deeply that the Lord was indeed against you just as Naomi felt? She voiced her feelings, her beliefs, clearly. Yet, God did not hold this gut-wrenching honesty against her; rather, He walked beside her in her grief. Naomi felt alone, but she was not alone. She felt abandoned, but God had never left her side. He was intimately involved with every detail surrounding Naomi’s situation, even her agony. Can you relate to Naomi? When have you walked a pathway of grief so painful you have wondered aloud if the Lord had left you alone? Feel the freedom to express your fears and your feelings, but don’t sink your teeth into them so firmly you’re unwilling to hold onto truth. To help you practically remember the truth of God’s nearness and love this weekend, click for a free printable you can download and print for your bathroom mirror or kitchen wall!

3) Often, we find it most easy to look back over the plotline of our lives and see our struggles, our lows, and see the landscape which caused pain or loss. As you reflect on these periods in your own life, where do you see the goodness of the Lord showing up and being present with you? As Naomi, full of grief and loss, left all she knew and returned to a homeland with empty hands instead of full, the Lord provided for her. She did not see the fullness God would bless her with. She could not know the redemption that was coming, but still, He was faithfully walking beside her. His proof was Ruth. Take time to reflect on your own proof of the Lord faithfully showing up and walking alongside you. Praise Him for never abandoning! Share those moments of victory with someone else who might need encouragement to keep trusting the Father! If you don’t readily see His hand, pray and ask Him to show you! He is near!

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 Joel 2:25-27 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

I will repay you for the years
that the swarming locust ate,
the young locust, the destroying locust,
and the devouring locust—
my great army that I sent against you.
26 You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied.
You will praise the name of the Lord your God,
who has dealt wondrously with you.
My people will never again be put to shame.
27 You will know that I am present in Israel
and that I am the Lord your God,
and there is no other.
My people will never again be put to shame.

Prayer Journal
Ah Lord God, that You would love me enough to plan for my salvation and my rescue from my own sin before the beginning of time is profoundly radical; I could think of this amazing love and never grow tired of it! But Your love is more pervasive still, intent on redeeming all things! God, this love is too magnificent for me to grasp! I am so unworthy of such divinely intimate love! To walk beside me in my brokenness, and point my eyes forward to the hope of redemption is amazing! Thank you for loving me so deeply, Father. How wonderful you are! Remind me of these truths and teach my heart to worship You in good times and in difficult!

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

Neighbor Day 6 Seeing Beyond The Service

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 7:36-50
Colossians 3:23-24
Isaiah 43:1-4

Neighbor, Day 6

I currently spend my working hours at the front desk of a doctor’s office. I am the voice answering the phone and seeking to assist the person on the other end. I am the one who schedules the next appointment and wishes individuals a good day as they leave. I am the face welcoming them to the office as they arrive for appointments.

For the most part, I love my job, because I am able to serve patients and my fellow staff members from my role at the front desk. The position enables me to be a blessing in a scenario where anxiety may be high and tensions may be mounting. My ability to multitask, function in a fast-paced environment, and think quickly on my feet increases the effectiveness of my service.

I prayed a great deal during the interview process for this job. Was this the job for me? It was not a logical choice in light of my degrees or the jobs I had previously held, but I knew I wanted a place where I could serve the Lord and those around me while also healing from the previous toxic work environment I had left.

Repeatedly, I sensed the Lord confirming this job choice. Several years later, I have discovered multiple reasons for my presence in the office, including the chance to write this Journey Study on loving the neighbor who provides a service!

For clarification, everyone, regardless of job title, provides a service: the stay-at-home mom, the CEO, the custodian. We all have the invitation to serve wherever we are with a mindset of working unto the Lord.

In the last several months, I have heard Beth Moore and Christine Caine reference the story in Luke 7 of Jesus asking Simon if he sees the woman before Him. Both highlighted the reality of Simon not truly seeing the woman, in contrast to the Lord seeing her, knowing her, and loving her.

The Lord demonstrated an intentionality Simon sorely lacked. Simon was blinded by the woman’s reputation and (in his eyes) inappropriate display of wastefulness. Yet, the Lord saw her as His precious child, looking past her sordid history and culturally unacceptable display of worship to the heart behind them.

We are invited to do the same.
To pursue intention.
To truly see the people before us and invite Christ’s love to guide our interactions.

Now, if you are like me, you could use some examples of what intentionality might look like. Below are a few suggestions of ways to truly see those providing a service.

Names are significant.

More often than not, people in the service industry wear name tags. While this is a useful tool in getting their attention, it is also an excellent reminder they are unique individuals. Throughout Scripture, the Lord highlights the importance of names. (Genesis 17:3-16) Therefore, when possible, use the name of the person with whom you are interacting.

We can honor individuals with our awareness of their dignity as human beings, rather than simply valuing them for the service they are providing. I am always surprised when people use my name when interacting with me, and I feel the interchange took place between two people, rather than simply patient to staff.

Express gratitude.

Regardless of the service being rendered, express gratitude to the individual providing it. This creates value for that role and honors the person at the same time.

Let’s remember in order to complete their jobs, even people performing what might be considered the most menial of tasks still carry a level of authority and access higher than our own. For example, a server at a restaurant has access to the kitchen. Let’s recognize and acknowledge, with gratitude, workers are walking in the authority granted to them in order to meet our needs.

Learn from examples of excellence.

For a season of life, the Lord consistently drew my attention to examples of excellence. More often than not, these demonstrations were observed in the service industry. I observed people doing their jobs with high levels of integrity, attention to detail, and positive, uplifting attitudes. Each person challenged me to do the same. I remember truly seeing those individuals in a deeper way as they taught me to live my life better.

The Lord created us to fellowship with others. While it may be easy to do this with those with whom we have a deep connection, we also may fellowship with those who provide a service when we truly see them.

The Lord is a good author, and our neighbors in the service industry are living His beautiful stories.
Let’s celebrate them and love them well! 

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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 Neighbor 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 Neighbor!