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Sacrifice Day 7 The Blood Path: 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) Why would Jesus say the bread is His body? (verse 22)

2) Why would Jesus refer to the wine as His blood of the covenant? (verse 24)

3) What does Jesus mean that the blood is poured out for many? (verse 24)

Mark 14:22-24

As they were eating, he took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.

Original Intent

1) Why would Jesus say the bread is His body? (verse 22)
Mark 14 depicts two Jewish feasts, The Feast of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, commonly celebrated together as one 8-day holiday. Passover commemorates when God “passed over” the homes of the Hebrews who covered their doorposts with the blood of a lamb, saving their firstborn children from death. (Exodus 12:12-13) The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:17-20) commemorates Israel’s exodus from slavery in Egypt. David Guzik explains, “When the bread was lifted up at Passover, the head of the meal would say, ‘This is the bread of affliction which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Let everyone who hungers come and eat; let everyone who is needy come and eat the Passover meal.’” At the Passover just before His crucifixion, which we call the Last Supper or the Lord’s Supper, Jesus “took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to them, and said, ‘Take it; this is my body.” (Mark 14:22) Jesus explained the bread of Passover as representing the sacrifice He was about to make in taking the world’s sins upon Himself at the cross. Jesus associated the bread with His body to symbolize what we learn in Colossians 1:22, that “now He has reconciled you by His physical body through his death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him.” Kenneth Wuest suggests “the bread symbolized Him as the spiritual nourishment upon which a sinner may feed and have eternal life.” Jesus called Himself “the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:51) Whenever you take bread at Communion, remember the incredible sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for us all!

2) Why would Jesus refer to the wine as His blood of the covenant? (verse 24)
As part of Jesus’ observance of and participation in the Passover, He lifted a cup of wine. Brian Bell explains that Passover “requires 4 cups of wine, 2 before the meal and 2 after. (…) The cup of wine that would have been raised during the meal that is now remembered when one commemorates the Lord’s Supper was the cup of redemption.” Raising the cup, Jesus said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” (verse 24) The “blood of the covenant” referred to the way the Jews made covenants with one another and God. (Exodus 24:6-8) Kevin Williams explains, “In the [first five books of the Bible] and throughout the ancient world, covenants were sealed and confirmed with blood. This is no less true in the Gospels. Symbolically with the cup and literally through His blood shed at the crucifixion, the Messiah proclaimed the beginnings of a new covenant predicted by the Jewish prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34)” Jesus’ shed blood on the cross would mark a new covenant with those who would place their full faith in Him. Through faith, Christ forgives sins (Ephesians 1:7), indwells believers with the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) and guarantees eternal life (John 3:16). His blood poured out in sacrifice demonstrated the loving commitment He made to redeem the world. Hebrews 9:22 declares, “According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” By shedding His own blood to make a new covenant with us, Christ paid the price to cleanse us from our sins and present us blameless to His Father. (Ephesians 5:27)

3) What does Jesus mean that the blood is poured out for many? (verse 24)
When Jesus raised the Passover wine and stated, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many” (verse 24), He was signifying the sacrifice He was about to make for the whole world to be reconciled to God. Just a short time after this declaration at the Last Supper, He would hang on a cross, pour out His blood, and take on the sins of all humanity. ”The idea of poured out implies a violent outpouring as did in fact occur on the Cross. For many speaks of the millions and millions of souls who have placed their faith in Christ and His fully atoning blood shed on Calvary” (Preceptaustin.org) Father God’s rescue plan to vanquish sin and death was to make Jesus the sacrificial lamb, effectively atoning for the sins of every person on the planet. (John 1:29) However, only those who embrace Christ as their personal Lord by faith and surrender can experience the benefits of total atonement and eternal forgiveness. The prophet Isaiah foretold that God would punish Jesus for the “iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6) and the Messiah would bear the sins of many when He came (Isaiah 53:11-12). Jesus said of Himself that He came to seek out the lost and save them by giving His life as a ransom for many. (Luke 19:10) 2 Corinthians 5:15 tells us, “Christ died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.” Jesus’ blood was shed so we could live a life free from sin and death! (Romans 6:23) I rejoice to be “one of the many” set free by His sacrifice, and I purpose to let others know the Good News!

Everyday Application

1) Why would Jesus say the bread is His body? (verse 22)
In my childhood church, the Lord’s Supper consisted of grape juice and tiny wafers, passed down the pew by an usher. I looked forward to taking communion from the shiny silver tray as it passed by me. I understood we were thanking God for dying on the cross for our sins, but the idea of the little square of bread symbolizing Christ’s body (Mark 14:22) didn’t really impact my young mind as we gave thanks for the elements. Once I grew older I would grapple with the concept of the Word (Jesus) becoming flesh and dwelling among us. (John 1:14) It’s astounding that God would send Jesus to earth as fully God and fully man (Colossians 2:9), especially knowing the pain and suffering Jesus would endure in His body and spirit when God’s plan of salvation unfolded at Calvary. (Luke 23:44-49) D. Edmond Hiebert notes, “The bread which had been given them, after being broken, stood symbolically for His body, or rather the sacrificial giving of Himself for them.” Understanding more about this sacrifice, this willingness of Him who knew no sin to be made sin for us (Romans 8:3) makes taking communion more impactful for me as an adult. Author Ann Voskamp, in her book One Thousand Gifts, says of the Lord’s Supper, “In a very tangible, physical act, aren’t I enacting my thanksgiving for His pain? In a very real way, in a digestible, consuming-oneness way, I’m celebrating greater gain through great loss”. (pg 37) Though I may never fully comprehend the depth of God’s love and the greatness of His sacrifice on this side of Heaven, these days I give deep thanks for His saving grace when I stop to observe the Lord’s Supper.

2) Why would Jesus refer to the wine as His blood of the covenant? (verse 24)
I am a bit squeamish about blood. I cover my eyes when there is a surgery on TV, and I look away during blood draws for lab work. I feel blessed to buy meat at the grocery without needing to butcher animals myself. Given my aversion to blood, reconciling myself to the idea of a blood covenant in the Bible proves challenging. I sing about the blood of Jesus, but do I understand what it signifies? In the Bible, making a blood covenant was a serious matter. “In covenant, the shedding of blood demonstrated as nothing else could the intensity of the commitment. By cutting covenant the two parties were bound for life. Thus, the shedding of blood in the cutting of covenant established the gravity and binding nature of this transaction.” (Preceptaustin.org) By pouring out His blood for us, Jesus evidenced His great love and enduring faithfulness. Making this sacrifice was no easy thing. Twice Jesus asked His Father to “let this cup pass from Me”. (Matthew 26:39) Not only did He know the physical horrors He would face on the cross, but the perfect, sinless Savior was about to be made sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21); this was the real agony of the cross. However, Jesus chose God’s will over His own and embraced God’s plan of sacrificing His only Son to reconcile sinful people to God. (John 3:17) That precious blood He spilled was given out of a love so deep I cannot fathom. I can only happily and humbly accept the grace He gives, love and trust Him in return, and share about His great gift with those I encounter.

3) What does Jesus mean that the blood is poured out for many? (verse 24)
One criticism against Christianity is that it’s too narrow with too many rules and requirements. The argument is that all roads (should) lead to Heaven, not just the narrow way of the Bible. (Matthew 7:14) I argue that Christianity is probably the least narrow religion because literally everyone is welcome. Jesus poured out His blood to save many, not just a select few. True, not all will accept His offer of total forgiveness and new life, but their decision doesn’t negate His offer. While there are commandments and directions on how to live like Jesus in the Bible, salvation is a free gift to anyone who believes the message of Christ. (Ephesians 2:8) Acts 10:34 tells us God doesn’t show favoritism. He doesn’t invite just one gender, race, or nationality to become children of God, but He gives that right to all who receive Him and believe His name. (John 1:12) 2 Peter 3:9 assures us the Lord “does not want any to perish but all to come to repentance.” Romans 10:13 promises salvation to everyone who calls on the name of the Lord. Ann Voskamp suggests “Christ rises with His scars because your name is written right into His scars and He can’t bear to leave you behind—He means for you to rise too.” Besides inviting anyone and everyone to follow Him, maybe the most amazing thing is that Christ gave His life for us to become His children while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8) He died to redeem every person on the planet, whether or not they would ever choose to accept His amazing gift. This kind of love is staggering and should be shouted from the rooftops!

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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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Advent Day 15 The Beginning

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Hebrews 2:14-18
Genesis 3:13-15
Philippians 2:5-8
Revelation 1:7-8

Advent, Day 15

I know, most people finish their story with the ending, right?

It’s Christmas Eve, Jesus is here!

Angels are singing and stars are twinkling as new parents take in their freshly birthed son… Of The Living God. God Himself wrapped in a 6-pound bundle of wrinkled newborn skin, dark eyes, cheesy vernix, baby poop, and blood.

None would look at this tiny babe and proclaim He is the Great Almighty by Whom and through Whom, the Universe exists.
Yet He Is.

None would kiss His silky head and press their finger to curly toes and consider He is God sent to die as a criminal for humanity’s rescue.
Yet He Is.

None would feel His feeble fingers curl around their thumb and declare Him to be the One sent to crush the head of Satan.
Yet He Is.

He is…
The Arrival of Satan’s Defeat
The One Foretold
The Great Light
Our Immoveable Anchor
The Suffering Servant
Our Perfect Priest
Our One True Shepherd
The Carol of Abraham and Isaac

Jesus is all of these and He always has been. In fact, while today we celebrate the beginning of His life on Earth, the truth is, Jesus has been with us since the beginning of time. If you’ll allow me, I’d like to take you from the side of Christ’s makeshift cradle to the Garden, where it all began.

In Genesis 3, the unbelievable has occurred. God’s perfect garden, His perfect world, has been marred by sin, ushered in by a single act of disobedience. In these verses, God listens as Adam and Eve play a round of the blame game, ultimately pointing their fingers at the serpent, Satan. We can sense God’s heartache and righteous anger as He delivers a curse to each of the guilty parties: first to the serpent, then to the woman, and finally, to the man.

Yet, in this heartbreaking moment, we also find a seed of hope: the first prophecy of a Savior. As swiftly as the curse is given, the plan of redemption is promised. Jesus will come. He will set this wrong to right. There is no hesitation from God. No, it seems in the very moment His creation rejects Him, He chooses to pursue us.

Surely as God, there were infinite paths He could have chosen to save us. Say the word! Snap His fingers! Scrap the whole “Earth project” and start again (this time without the snakes).

But He chose none of those paths. Instead, as Philippians 2:6-8 tells us, Christ chose to humble Himself by taking on the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.
So the Christ was born as a defenseless child to penniless parents.

What kind of God chooses to become one of His creations?
What kind of God chooses to come as an infant instead of a king?

God promises the serpent will one day bruise the heel of Adam’s offspring, as Satan does in Christ’s death. But He also promises this Child will utterly crush the head of the serpent, as Jesus does through His resurrection. The reason Christ came to Earth as a baby was to fulfill this very prophecy in Genesis.
He came to crush the serpent’s head.
He came to break Satan’s power over us.
And He will come again.

Friend, we stand in the glorious in-between of two advents: Christ’s birth and Christ’s return. While much of Christ’s story lies behind us, we are invited into the anticipation and longing for the next chapter of His great unfolding when He will come as Victorious King, riding on a cloud, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.

So you see, the Beginning we celebrate on Christmas Eve merely points us to another Beginning . . . the beginning of a Kingdom that will never end. In this kingdom, there will be no more tears, no more sickness, and no more shame. (Revelation 21:3-4) Just as in the garden, all those years ago, we will experience perfect fellowship with our God. Finally, we will experience the beautiful, yet mysterious union of the divine and those declared righteous because of the precious blood of the Only Begotten Son of the Living God.

No, I don’t imagine anyone gazing into his sleepy, newborn eyes could believe this child to be the Promise fulfilled and Everlasting King.

Yet He is.

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Advent Day 11 A Shepherd’s Heart

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ezekiel 34:1-16
Isaiah 40:9-11
Psalm 23
1 Samuel 17:34-37
John 10:11-18

Advent, Day 11

As you read these words, we find ourselves once again in the midst of the Advent season, and in this particular Journey Theme, we turn our eyes backwards from the first nativity to see what came before.

This truly is my favorite time of the year (followed, of course, by fall and all things pumpkin spice – yes, I’m one of those people!). As much as I love this time of year, I’m also quite well-acquainted with the stress associated with all the holiday hustle and bustle. We as women (and especially if we’re also moms) may find ourselves believing we must be all things to all people during Advent. We burden ourselves with unrealistic expectations and over-the-top standards of making all the cookies, hosting all the parties, partaking in all the activities, doing all the crafts, and more.

Eventually, we find we are no substitute for the One Who truly is all-sufficient, Christ Himself, Whose first coming we celebrate during Advent.

Just as we realize we are a shoddy substitute for the King of the Universe, so, too, Israel realized what a shoddy substitute human “shepherds” can be for the One True Shepherd!

The prophet Ezekiel proclaimed, “The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy, and say to them, “This is what the Lord GOD says to the shepherds: Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who have been feeding themselves! Shouldn’t the shepherds feed their flock?”’” (Ezekiel 34:1-2)

Those whom the Lord had given positions of leadership (metaphorical shepherds) had instead turned on the people of Israel and done everything but protect and shepherd them. Contrast this with the prophet Isaiah’s words describing the Messiah, whose coming Advent commemorates:

“He protects His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them in the folds of His garment. He gently leads those that are nursing.” (Isaiah 40:11)

Even as Israel waited with great anticipation for the coming of this true and tender Shepherd, the Israelite David,  who ultimately identified Yahweh as his personal shepherd, was raised up by God to shepherd His people in an earthly sense. As king of Israel working in God’s stead to shepherd His people, David relied on the One True Shepherd for the ability to perform this important task. Instead of trusting himself and his ability to care and guard Israel, He trusted the Father God to lead him as he led Israel. David knew he alone could not possibly be all things to all people.

When faced with an enemy who seemed unconquerable, David proclaimed,
“Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine
will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” (1 Samuel 17:36)

When the going got tough and trial upon trial came up,
David repeatedly relied upon the One whom He referred to as
“The Lord, my Shepherd.” (Psalm 23:1)
King David understood his position, a God-given one, was under God’s protection and authority, even as he lived in anticipation of the One True Shepherd, King Jesus.

When King Jesus came, He proclaimed of Himself,
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)

The One Whose coming we commemorate and celebrate this month is not only a shepherd. He is a good shepherd and, as a good shepherd, He lays down His life for each of us.

As the promised One True Shepherd, Jesus sacrificed His own life for the sheep.
While we celebrate the joy of Advent as a Babe in the manager, the ultimate purpose of this Advent was yet to come at the empty graveside which Christ’s once-dead body had abandoned to life. Christmas Advent is beautiful because it leads us to an empty tomb, a defeated enemy, and a restored eternity with our Father!

Easter is possible because of Christ’s obedience and deference to the Father in full submission. He was a good shepherd because He did as the Father instructed. Just as David, king and shepherd of Israel, relied on God to shepherd his heart, so we see this perfectly fulfilled in Christ as He submitted to the Father. In the meantime, though, while we still find ourselves months away from Easter and smack dab in the hustle and bustle of the Advent season, I want to remind us of something: it isn’t all on us, just like it wasn’t all on David or Jesus.

Yes, we all want to make this season special for our loved ones, but let’s avoid stressing ourselves with all the things we’re “supposed to do” that we set ourselves as the One True Shepherd, the ultimate One to care for and tend to our people in this season. Reserve that seat for the only One who can truly fill it, the Christ Whose advent we celebrate.

After all, our calling is not to break ourselves in the process of shepherding others. Rather, we are called to point others to the One True Shepherd Who was already broken for them.

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

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

Advent Day 10 Bridging The Gap

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Hebrews 9:6-15
Isaiah 53:4-6
Romans 3:10-26 
John 14:1-3
Romans 5:12-21

Advent, Day 10

“There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away; all alike have become worthless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one [. . .] For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:10b-12, 23)

After the first man made the crushing choice of self over God, mankind became warped in their sinful selves, unable to truly stand before a righteous and holy God. They became objects of God’s wrath, and so there was nothing left for mankind except condemnation.

But while man was grubbing in darkness and hopelessness, One came who perfectly fulfilled the role of a mediator between God and man. He was God in the flesh, come to take our punishment and to cover our sinfulness with His righteousness. The Scripture says, “For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” (Hebrews 7:26)

As we celebrate the coming of God in the flesh with our Advent series, today, we journey further back still to examine how the priesthood foreshadowed our Savior’s arrival, generations before His birth.

Consider Jesus, our perfect Priest, Who sacrificed Himself to put away the sin of mankind. As it is appointed for man to die once, and after that judgement, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of the many. (Hebrews 9:26-28) He bore our sins in His own body on the cross, that we, having died to sin, might live for righteousness. (1 Peter 2:24)

What lavish love! What priest would dare love like this?
In His humble coming, He provided access to the Father never before known,
to not just a select few who could enter the holy of holies,
but for all who believe in Him.

In fact, Scripture says of those who have believed in Christ,
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10)

No other blood can save except the blood of our Perfect Priest. While the priests in the Old Testament offered animals’ blood for the atonement of sins, their sacrifice could not grant complete access to God’s presence. In fact, it was offered as many times as sin was committed. The perfect Priest, however, offered Himself willingly and freely,
as a sacrifice for our sins once and for all.

The prophet Isaiah expounded,
“Yet he himself bore our sickness, and he carried our pains; but we in turn regarded him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished him for the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6)

Jesus Himself said, “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

We may not appreciate this demonstration of great love by our perfect Priest if we do not understand the awful and grievous nature of our sinfulness.

In Ephesians 2:1-3, apostle and preacher, Paul, provides a sobering elucidation:
we were dead in our trespasses and sins,
following the course of this world, according to the ways of the prince of the air (Satan)
fulfilling the desires of our flesh and of our minds,
by nature children of wrath.

By following the course of this world,
we become servants of Satan.
We follow his dictates and crave evil rather than good. 

But this perfect Priest obtained for us eternal redemption with His own blood; He became sin that we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21) The payment price to buy us back from the slavery of sin, under the dictatorship of Satan, is His blood.

What love!
What mercy!
Our redemption is in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

When I recall I was an object of God’s wrath, and consider the saving grace of my Redeemer, I shed tears of joy.

When I reflect on my awfulness, and how I deserved eternal death, but Jesus, the perfect Priest, died in my place, I know I owe Him my all.

Willingly, Christ died for us even when we were God’s enemies. (Romans 5:8) Now, He has provided access to God for whoever believes in Him, welcoming all to be reconciled to God. One day, coming still, we will leave our own sin-wrecked selves and find solace in Christ, face-to-face.

Scripture confirms,
“[T]here will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads [. . .] and they will reign forever and ever.” (Revelations 22:3-5) Oh, what great joy awaits those who believe in Christ, the perfect Priest!

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

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

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

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

Fervent Day 7 The Zealous Prayer: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out The Zealous Prayer!

The Questions

1) What are Paul’s reasons for thanking God for those reading his letter? (verse 4)

2) What does it mean for the testimony of Christ to be confirmed in people? (verse 6)

3) If the author Paul were summarizing this section, what would he want his audience to never forget?

1 Corinthians 1:4-9

I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus, 5 that you were enriched in him in every way, in all speech and all knowledge. 6 In this way, the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you, 7 so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful; you were called by him into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Original Intent

1) What are Paul’s reasons for thanking God for those reading his letter? (verse 4)
You have to slow down to answer this question, re-reading the sentence that begins in verse 4, “I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus…” Even once we find the answer “because of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus”, it still doesn’t feel like much of an answer. This means we slow down even more (a good study habit for exploring Scripture!). Paul had experienced “the grace of God…in Christ” when he was radically transformed from Christian-hater to Christ-preacher after literally meeting Jesus on the street one day. His whole world shifted with new purpose, new love, and we still feel the shockwaves of his whole-life obedience to Jesus even today. Paul understood in deep ways what it meant to partake of this rich grace of God in Jesus. Through his experience, and because he knew the Corinthian believers also had taken in this indescribable grace gift (2 Corinthians 9:15), his heart was deeply stirred to rejoice often and with great fervency over them. Those who gathered in house churches in Corinth, many of whom he hadn’t even personally met, shared in the same grace of God in Jesus Christ that Paul experienced. This thrilled Paul’s heart and he spent precious time in prayer reveling in this sweet, sacred joy. Going further, he verbalized this genuine thankfulness for them in his letter.

 2) What does it mean for the testimony of Christ to be confirmed in people? (verse 6)
Paul’s letters are abundant with the gospel, it’s transformative power, reasons it is trustworthy, and a pleading urgency to fully surrender to life-saving message that Jesus, promised One from centuries past, came in human flesh as God Himself, to buy back a sinful and rebellious people, dead set against Him. Paul celebrated this gospel message and gave his life to preach it, calling himself a “servant” to it. (Colossians 1:23) God not only used Paul to preach Christ crucified, risen, and coming again (1 Corinthians 15:1-8), but the Spirit of God also inspired Paul to write down clear evidences for the transformed life. Jesus said good “trees” bore good “fruit” (Luke 6:43-45), meaning that lives having been made new by God’s Spirit take on the pattern of good, spiritual growth in everyday life. As Paul penned this letter to the Corinthian believers, he encouraged them by noting some of these “evidences of true faith” that could only result from real transformation. Because they had willingly received God’s grace available through Christ, they had been “enriched in Him in every way” (verse 5). This means that both in outward ways and internal heart ways, Christ Himself was fortifying them, strengthening them, and making them more like Him. Then Paul specifically calls out the Spirit’s transformation in their speech and their knowledge. (verse 5) It’s by these “proofs” Paul recognized the transformative work of God’s grace in the life patterns of the Corinthians. First they were transformed by the renewing of their minds by undertaking to know and understand God better, and this resulted in their speech being transformed. 

3) If the author Paul were summarizing this section, what would he want his audience to never forget?
Unity and fellowship are the undercurrents woven in and out of Paul’s letters, standing up as the purpose behind the beautiful gospel Paul gave his life for. Every letter speaks of their sweetness and strength, painting a picture of the church so stunningly wrapped in unity and fellowship that it’s breathtaking to behold. We, the wretched, the sinful, the ones who have earned a just rejection from God because of our supreme unholiness, are so deeply sought after by God Himself precisely because He desires oneness with us just as He experiences in full within the godhead of Father, Son, and Spirit. Jesus’ own fervent prayer speaks of this desire so beautifully, “May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe You sent Me.” (John 17:21) The reason Jesus came was to restore unity and oneness between the beloved (human beings) and God. Astounding! Because of this passionate desire for sweet fellowship far removed from the stain of sin, all believers are now magnanimously ushered in to enjoy the wonderous gifts of unity and fellowship with each other just as they enjoy them with God Himself. Surely, this is a truth so precious it defies description! As he begins his letter, Paul names himself and “Sosthenes our brother” (verse 1) as the senders of these God-inspired words. Paul did nothing alone in his mission to preach Christ, always calling others into fellowship and unity, with the purpose of sharing Jesus. There was no hierarchy in Paul’s mind as he wrote the words “our” and “brother”. They were one team as they lived out unity and shared fellowship made possible because of the grace they were united in from Christ.

Everyday Application

1) What are Paul’s reasons for thanking God for those reading his letter? (verse 4)
We don’t generally spend much time considering the depth of the simple words “the grace of God given to you in Christ”, but Paul hinged the majority of his letters on this easily overlooked concept. If you’re like me, you likely haven’t given prayerful attention to others who have also been rescued from eternal death and separation from God because of their sin as a result of this same, wonderful “grace of God given to us in Christ.” Fervent prayer isn’t made up of long prayers with many religious words or pious actions, rather it’s built upon the simple building blocks of our faith. The more we are familiar with them, the deeper and richer our prayer life becomes. Just in studying today’s text, let’s slow down, all together as sisters, and consider the magnificence of being freely given God’s glorious grace so lavishly in Christ. What does this mean for you? From what have been rescued? For what purpose have you been given this radical grace gift in Jesus? As you look at your day today, right now, what are you freed from and for because of Jesus’ grace in your life? Then turn your thoughts to others who have been given this sweet gift of grace. Start making a list of sisters who you know have trusted Jesus as their Savior and now are free to dance in the same grace you both share. Pray over these names, celebrate them, and let the Lord stir your heart to rejoice over them just as He did for Paul!

 2) What does it mean for the testimony of Christ to be confirmed in people? (verse 6)
Paul described a foundational truth of being transformed by the Holy Spirit when he wrote in his letter to the Roman believers. “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you… Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2, emphasis mine) First, the Corinthians were transformed by the renewing of their minds by undertaking to know and understand God better, then this resulted in their speech being transformed. (verse 5) Throughout his letters, Paul teaches that the steps to depth and intimacy with God begin with surrendering our hearts in full to Him and allowing His Spirit to renew our thoughts and what we know of God. This results in a transformed life! The more we know our Savior, the greater our prayers will reflect that depth, and the fuller the effect of the Spirit’s work will be felt in the overflow of our everyday life choices. The question for us isn’t, “how do I change this behavior to be more like Jesus”, rather we should come to the Lord and ask Him to help us know Him better. When we do, He will radically transform how we view Him and our sin, resulting in real, genuine life change! 

3) If the author Paul were summarizing this section, what would he want his audience to never forget?
Paul’s introduction not only includes the Corinthians who would hear his words read as the precious words were passed around from house church to house church, but he flings wide his welcome by writing, “to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called as saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord—both their Lord and ours.” (verse 2) How inclusive he is! “All those in every place”! That’s me! That’s you! It’s your pastor and your spiritual mentor and your friend and all those who have trusted Jesus with everything they have, entering into fellowship with Christ and one another. Such a lavish gift is not to be downtrodden, overlooked, or taken lightly. Yet, oh sister, my heart is convicted as I write, for I know with all certainty I have done all of these. I have enjoyed my time with God, attended church, smiled at my Christian friends, and passed over or skirted around those I didn’t want to be with. I have most certainly not welcomed “all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.” Maybe you’re feeling the Spirit’s conviction call as well? Not the shame of guilt, but the invitation to sit with Him, to know Him, to be renewed by His truth, and to be transformed in how we love and welcome and view our brothers and sisters in Jesus. Such a sweet oneness of fellowship we are missing out on by skipping over this grand welcome! Lord Jesus, humble my heart as I sit with You. Show me how You love Your church, of which You have welcomed me into. Increase my love for You that I might extend it more generously to those around me. For Your sake, Jesus, amen.

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

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Reveal 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) When the angels announced the birth of Jesus, they declared “good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Jesus’ birth was, and is, good news! We have the privilege of celebrating this good news every year at Christmas. Just as the Word of God went forth to fill the emptiness at creation, so also Jesus went forth from the Father to fill the emptiness of our broken world. His birth brought us the hope of Immanuel, God with us. As you consider the Christmas season, think about your traditions and rituals around Christmas. Are they filled with the presence of Christ, or are they empty motions to just “do”? What might be some ways you can celebrate the fullness of Christ as you celebrate His birth. What is one way you can incorporate others into your celebration, revealing to them the fullness of “God with us?” Consider inviting someone to join you for a meal or your church’s Christmas Eve service who may otherwise be alone. Or consider writing cards to residents of a local nursing home or members of your church who are unable to leave their homes. Share the Good News of great joy with all the people!

2) We live in a world of constant chaos. We don’t need to look far to see all the things causing the world to worry, fret, and fear. As people who trust Jesus, we do not need to be bound by chaos. We serve a God who chose to come down and experience the chaos for Himself, and then to make it right. Our God is in the business of bringing order from chaos. The world tells us we need to be in control, but God tells us He is in control. The world shows us we have every reason to fear, but God proves we can trust Him. We work endlessly to try to create our own peace, but God offers each of us true, lasting peace. As we anticipate the “busy” of the holiday season, there is a tendency to rush to complete every “to do” and “to purchase” list while forgetting where our peace comes from. Write down one or two ways you attempt to manufacture your own peace in stressful times. Consider how effective you have found these strategies in the past and whether they point toward the God of shalom or toward your own strength. Then write down two more strategies that would help you remember where true peace comes from and ask God to help you implement these new mindsets in your chaotic seasons.

3) There’s a popular saying you have probably heard, “Jesus is the reason for the season.” It’s likely supposed to remind us that while there are many trappings surrounding Christmas, from the music and decorations to gifts and great food, ultimately our celebration should focus on Jesus and His coming to earth. Yesterday’s Journey Study reminds us our fullness, our peace, and our joy ultimately do not come from this world, but from the Creator of this world. What would it look like if we truly believed Christmas was about more than giving gifts and decorations? Suppose we were to truly celebrate Jesus in this season? There is nothing wrong with enjoying the celebration of this holy day, just as Nehemiah and Ezra told the people of Israel to celebrate their holy days. But we must remember to turn our eyes to the author and perfecter of our faith in the midst of it all. Ask the Lord today to give you grace to remember Him during this season. Ask Him to give you opportunities to share your joy with others. As you celebrate and feast this holiday season, ask God to remind you in fresh ways of His “good news of great joy.”

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 Romans 15:10-13 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Again it says, Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people!
And again, praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
let all the peoples praise Him!
And again, Isaiah says,
The root of Jesse will appear,
the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;
the Gentiles will hope in Him.
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer Journal
Immanuel, God with us, a very present help in times of trouble, You alone are the source of peace and joy. As I turn my thoughts to Christmas, I am so quickly overwhelmed. I want to do everything perfectly and please everyone around me. I know I become busy and distracted from the whole reason we are celebrating much too easily. I confess I work hard to look good for others, while also neglecting to worship and remember You. I admit my concern is often more tied to temporary pleasure than everlasting hope. Lord, help me when I am distracted! Thank You for Your gentle patience toward me. Thank You for giving us seasons of rejoicing in a broken world. Thank You for reminding us of Your great love for us. Teach us to find peace, joy, and comfort in Your goodness when chaos threatens to undo us. Guide us in the ways of true joy and lasting peace. Help us remember You are the reason we celebrate, and Your presence dwells among us because of the work You have done to rescue us from our sin.

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

Reveal Day 10 Strong Joy

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Nehemiah 8:9-12
Romans 15:8-13
Luke 2:8-11

Reveal, Day 10

“But the angel said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people!’” (Luke 2:10)

“(…) Do not grieve, because the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)

These messages of joy, received by different people at different times,
originated from the same source: God Himself.

This joy was revealed to us through His Son, Jesus, who is Christ the Lord, the representation of God the Father. (Hebrews 1:3)
He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)
He is the great light shining in the darkness. (Matthew 4:16)

Sin separates mankind from God, the source of our joy, throwing humanity into utter darkness. There, we grope in inky blackness, searching for joy through different means without success.

Until suddenly, into humanity’s desperation comes the greatest news ever declared:

“But the angel said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.’” (Luke 2:10-11)

The shepherds were dirty, lowly, and homeless. Outcasts without reputation, these were the first recipients of this great news.

What unconditional love God has for all mankind!

Matthew 2:1-12 records the wise men from the east who saw Christ’s star and followed it to find little boy Jesus. Like the shepherds, they made haste to go and see the Christ.

Wealthy magistrates and lowly shepherds displayed one shared response upon welcoming the Savior of the world: joy.

“When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy.” (Matthew 2:10, emphasis mine)
“The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God.”  (Luke 2:20, emphasis mine)

The joy of God had appeared in flesh to His people!

But not all willingly embraced this exuding joy.

Herod, king of the Jews, rejected this babe who was God Himself, wrapped in flesh come to rescue mankind from their darkness of sin.

Rather than delighting in the great Joy revealed,
Herod chose the cords of dark death,
seeking to kill the Light of the world.

In like manner, the chief priests, with full knowledge of the prophecies surrounding Christ’s birth, treated His coming with indifference and arrogance.

Both Herod and the chief priests were full of themselves.
They rejected the Light of Joy, refusing to allow it to penetrate their hearts.
They missed the great gladness of God.

Like King Herod and the chief priests, not all experience the advent of Joy.

Especially at Christmas. 

Some of us become so busy planning for the event, we forget to acknowledge what Christ’s long-awaited arrival means for our sin-wrecked hearts.

We spend our attention on what will provide immediate pleasure, rather than the real joy of renewed hearts and souls awakened from death to life.

Christmas pleasures come and go, and can leave a wake of frustration or emptiness behind. In his book Peace with God, Billy Graham wrote, “There is a vacuum in the heart of man that only God can fill.” We belong to God, and only in Him can we find lasting joy.

Our sin separates us from Him, but He offered His Son as a sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sins that we might be restored back to Himself and His Joy.

Therefore, rejecting His Son means forfeiting His joy.

The Israelites who returned from captivity during the time of Nehemiah understood the emptiness of life without God. They realized their experience in captivity was a result of their rejection of God. Now, back at home and freed from exile, God’s word was read aloud for the first time in a generation.

As the people realized the devastating extent of their sin, they were heartbroken.

They wept and mourned over their sinful ways.

Nehemiah comforted their rightful grief with these Christmas-like tidings, ‘’Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’’ (Nehemiah 8:10) He told them to celebrate, for the Lord had brought His strong joy near!

What plans are you making this season?
Are you celebrating from the overflow of joy the Savior has revealed?
Or you are focusing on the immediacy of other pleasures?

Israel’s joy washed over them when their hearts repented; centuries later, the shepherds in their lowliness and the wise men in their majesty celebrated the arrival of God’s Joy . . .

. . . For in the city of David, a Savior was born, who is Christ the Lord.
He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
If you confess with your mouth that He is Lord,
and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead,
you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

This Christmas, let’s turn our hearts to repentance and acceptance of His gift of grace as we experience His strengthening, magnificent joy!

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

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

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

Calling Day 12 The Lens Of Truth: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out The Lens Of Truth!

The Questions

1) Who are the disobedient mentioned in verse 6 and how are the saints to proactively stay connected?

2) How did the Ephesians, to whom Paul is writing, move from darkness to light? (verse 7)

3) Once a person is walking in the light, what is the public evidence? (verse 9)

Ephesians 5:6-14

6 Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things. 7 Therefore, do not become their partners. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light— 9 for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth— 10 testing what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. 13 Everything exposed by the light is made visible, 14 for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.

Original Intent

1) Who are the disobedient mentioned in verse 6 and how are the saints to proactively stay connected?
At the beginning of Chapter 5, Paul continues his thought from Chapter 4. He wants his reader to understand the importance of their relationships with each other and with those outside the Church. Scripture makes it clear that those who consistently walk in disobedience (those living outside of God’s grace), have intentionally rejected God’s forgiveness. (Romans 1:18-28) Forgiveness is God’s answer to the impossible state of reality for all humanity, we are insufficient to save ourselves. We see from the creation story that God created humans with a freedom that allowed them to choose obedience or disobedience. That freedom sadly exposed mankind’s unwillingness to choose rightly. Adam and Eve found themselves deceived by an empty argument from the source of all disobedience, pride. (Genesis 1-3) In the Old Testament, the Psalmist reviewed the disobedience in Israel’s history. (Psalm 78) In the New Testament, the apostles reminded the people of their rebellion against God (Acts 3, Acts 7). Had the very first man and woman refrained from approaching the one tree God had forbidden, they could have continued their sweet fellowship with their Creator. In this section of his letter, Paul encourages the saints to remain distanced from the message and lifestyle of the rebellious. This intentional choice demonstrates, and promotes, obedience to Christ over self.

2) How did the Ephesians, to whom Paul is writing, move from darkness to light? (verse 7)
Note the wording in verse 8. Paul not only says the saints were once in darkness, he says they were darkness. This “darkness” is not simply a place without light. It is the condition of all men apart from Christ. (studylight.org) Every heart not regenerated by the light of Christ is utterly dark. The prophet Isaiah said that everyone stumbles in their darkness. (Isaiah 59:9-10) Light necessarily shines on the rebellious and disobedient heart, revealing the need for forgiveness. As “dearly loved children of God” (Ephesians 5:1), the believers were to walk in the love and light of Christ. The only good thing about darkness is that light is seen so clearly! The letter to the Ephesians emphasizes Paul’s desire for them to recognize God’s “goodness, righteousness and truth.” (verse 9) When light and darkness are in the same space, light wins. The recipients of Paul’s letter had come into the light only though God’s gracious revelation to them. God’s light shone in and on their dark hearts. The exposure to sinfulness produces repentance that leads to “speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for everything to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:19-20)

3) Once a person is walking in the light, what is the public evidence? (verse 9)
In the original Greek, the words that speak of the previous darkness reveal a forceful impact. As darkness itself, they were “utterly sunk in ignorance of Divine things, [and] wholly lost in the evils accompanying such ignorance.” (Expositor’s Greek Testament) But God! If two words were used to be the subtitle of Ephesians, it could be these! Though the English word “but” is supplied in Ephesians 2:4 for clarity, it perfectly translates the message of Paul in the letter. Multiple times, he compares who the saints at Ephesus previously were with who they now are. The God of light has shone His mercy in the darkness since the days of Noah. (Genesis 7:23-8:1)The urgency of Paul to proclaim this message of transformation from dark to light is found in his letters to the Romans and the Corinthians. (Romans 5:6-11, 1 Corinthians 1:26-27) How glorious and radical is the light that shines in, on, and through the darkness. “The completeness of the change [from dark to light] is evidenced in that they were so possessed and penetrated by that truth, that they could be described not simply as enlightened but as themselves now light.” (Expositor’s Greek Testament) Being light is evidenced through our obedience. Paul speaks in the remaining chapter (Ephesians 6:1-23) of how we are to shine our light in marriage, family life and in the church.

Everyday Application

1) Who are the disobedient mentioned in verse 6 and how are the saints to proactively stay connected?
Genesis pronounces that human beings were “hardwired to be good creatures who live in a good world created by a good God for the purpose of expanding this goodness to the ends of the earth.” (Terry Evans, upi.org) But Satan took advantage of the atmosphere of freedom in the Garden of Eden. It is in the very same environment of suspicion and skepticism that we are led to be disobedient rebels today. Just like the people Paul was writing to, we are prone to wander away from following God wholeheartedly. Even as believers in Jesus, our human nature is still fighting within us as the enemy uses it against us often. (Romans 6:12-16) If we keep ourselves too close to those who are recklessly denying God’s judgment to come, we may find ourselves listening to, and believing, their shameful lies. It is in these situations we are tempted to succumb to a wrong way of thinking about our obedience. We begin to believe those trapped in darkness who tell us that God’s way is restrictive or unnecessary. The forbidden fruit we read about in Genesis 3 becomes more desirable. If we continue to stand too close to the tree, we are setting ourselves up for disillusionment and ultimately disobedience.

2) How did the Ephesians, to whom Paul is writing, move from darkness to light? (verse 7)
Darkness is uncomfortable, dangerous, and scary. So, why are so many people staying there? Because they have been convinced by the prince of darkness (Ephesians 2:1-2), the father of lies (John 8:43-44), that obedience to God is keeping us from something. The devil is continuing to use his stealth against humanity. He thrives in bringing confusion and chaos. (2 Corinthians 2:9-11) God is good and does good. Satan is evil and does evil. God is light and brings light. Satan is darkness and brings darkness. This is why we feast on God’s words. That is why we avoid those who desire to cause us to doubt the goodness and mercy of God. It is in the light that we see so clearly who God is and who we are! “This is the message we have heard from Him: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him. If we say, ‘We have fellowship with Him,” and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. If we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:5-7)

3) Once a person is walking in the light, what is the public evidence? (verse 9)
The evidence that we are walking in the light is our witness. We give witness to our transformed heart and life by our words, our obedience, and our love for others. Once we have been transformed from darkness to light, we are to shine in the dark places everywhere we go. There is just something about a woman who consistently walks with Jesus through prayer and Bible study. She lights up a room like no one else can! Oh sister, I encourage you to study the Word so you deeply know Jesus, that you might become an ever-brighter reflection in this scary, dark world. The way to be the light is to wake from apathy and drudgery and celebrate the Light!
“There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.” (John 1:6-9) It’s not Christmas yet, but let’s worship Him and share the good news:
Noel, Noel!
Come and see what God has done.
Noel, Noel!
The story of amazing love!
The light of the world, given for us.
Noel.
(Lyrics by Chris Tomlin & Matt Redman)

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

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Calling Week Three!
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.

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Blessed Day 15 Celebrate In Persecution

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 15:18-19
Acts 4:29-31
2 Corinthians 4:7-18
Philippians 1:12-14
Romans 5:3-5

Blessed, Day 15

In the 1950s, a young missionary pilot had a passion for the Huaorani tribe in Ecuador. This tribe was suspicious of, and known to kill, all outsiders. But Jim Elliot felt called to reach them and share the Gospel. Step by step, he made inroads to reach the tribe.

Finally, he and his team built a camp not far from the Huaorani people. They made contact and even took one of the tribespeople for a plane ride. Later, a larger group of tribesmen came to the base expressing interest in the plane, instead, they turned and killed all five missionary men.

Jim’s wife, Elizabeth, and the other widows continued the work to reach the Huaorani people, despite the great danger they faced. She persisted in the belief that, as her husband was often quoted to say,

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep
to gain that which he cannot lose.”

Eventually, the women reached the entire Huaorani tribe for Christ, including those who had killed Jim and the others.

The Elliots experienced what Jesus promised would be true for all believers in this world, we will be hated and even killed (John 15:18-19, Matthew 10:22). The world rejected Jesus and attempted to end His work; we are to expect the same. So rather than being surprised and caught off-guard when we face persecution, let’s prepare ourselves so we can endure to the end.

The apostles certainly experienced persecution! But they persevered to spread the Good News. They prayed for each other, not to be removed from trouble, but to seek boldness to continue speaking the Word of God and performing miracles. As they prayed for endurance, “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.” (Acts 4:31)

In my own life, there have been many trials and tribulations, and my ministry team has encountered persecution. But this opposition has drawn us even closer to God! We were made stronger in our faith and able to encourage others. Looking to Jesus kept us from becoming distressed and gave us boldness in ministry.

This boldness in kingdom work comes from equipping ourselves with the armor of God. Each piece of armor, fueled by the Spirit of God, adds strength and courage to our fight. As we don our armor daily, we are prepared for battle.

Paul wrote of his many trials in his epistles:

“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our bodies.”
(2 Corinthians 4:8-10)

Rather than complaining about his poor treatment, Paul praised God in his suffering because it advanced the Gospel. (Philippians 1:12-14)

Yes! Because he was sent to prison, he testified not only to prison guards, but to the great leaders of the day. He would not have been allowed in their presence except to stand trial. In presenting his defense, he shared the Gospel with judges and counsels and great men, such as King Agrippa (Acts 26:1-32); Paul was even prepared to testify before Nero, who was Caesar at the time (Acts 27:4).

Paul, and other saints of old, surely experienced fear as they faced persecution and declared the Gospel to hostile leaders. Similarly, we are still human and may become fearful when confronted with opposition to the Good News. But, just as the prayers of fellow believers gave Paul courage to boldly speak the Word of God, we too can be strengthened and encouraged through prayer (Philipians 4:6-7).

We can even rejoice, not only because the Gospel is being spread, but also because of the transformation within our own spirits. As Paul explains,

 “We also rejoice in our afflictions,
because we know that affliction produces endurance,
endurance produces proven character,
and proven character produces hope.
This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5)

Paul’s words encourage us even today! We can rejoice because our suffering produces character and hope within us. Hallelujah! God’s love is poured out into our hearts and we are able to share His Gospel Story.

Finally, the Bible promises reward to those who persevere through trials: the crown of life!

“Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)

Therefore, sisters, let’s endure persecution covered in the armor of God and shrouded in prayer; let’s rejoice in our suffering, ever keeping our eyes fixed on the promises of God to further the kingdom, transform our character, and bless us with the crown of life!

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