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Known Day 5 Parakletos: Digging Deeper

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Known Day 5 Parakletos: Digging Deeper

Melodye Reeves

July 14, 2023

Adoration,Faith,Fruitfulness,Hallel,Holy Spirit,Hope,Lord

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Parakletos"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 14:16-20

16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn't see Him or know Him. But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.

19 In a little while the world will see Me no longer, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live too. 20 In that day you will know that I am in My Father, you are in Me, and I am in you.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What does verse 16 teach us about a triune God?

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you Another …” Three persons are mentioned in this verse. Jesus tells His disciples He will pray to the Father to send the Spirit. Though not a biblical term, these three Persons are often referred to as the Trinity.

In studying other religions, you’ll discover Christianity is the only religion which believes God is triune existing as a singular deity in three persons who are equally God. If you’re unfamiliar with teaching about the Trinity, it may be a confusing concept, but Scripture clearly teaches God exists in three Persons or Beings. (Matthew 3:16-17, Matthew 28:18-20, John 15:26-27, Acts 10:37-38, Titus 3:4-6)

Tim Keller refers to this relationship of three-in-one as “the Divine Dance. The Trinity means that God is, in essence, relational. Three persons in dynamic orbit about each other, a dance of love, delight and adoration. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit glorify each other. At the center of the universe, self-giving love is the dynamic currency of the Trinitarian life of God. The persons within God exalt, commune with, and defer to one another.

When early Greek Christians spoke of perichoresis in God they meant that each divine person harbors the others at the center of his being. In constant movement of overture and acceptance each person envelops and encircles the others.” (Tim Keller, The Reason for God)

There is no perfect human illustration of how the triune God functions; what we do know is the eternal nature of God. He is the One who would be with them forever via the Spirit’s presence. (verse 16)

The human nature of Jesus would no longer be with the disciples, but He was sending them a spiritual Person who would never leave them! Interested in further study of the Trinity in easy to read language? Try “Delighting In The Trinity” by Michael Reeves!

The Everyday Application

1) What does verse 16 teach us about a triune God?

It is impossible to rightly apply Scripture’s teaching regarding the Holy Spirit without a proper understanding of its teaching about the three-Persons God. Though it is not an easy doctrine to wrap our minds around, it is an essential one if we want to understand the work of the Spirit in our lives.

There are misunderstandings about the authority of the Spirit as it relates to the Trinity. This has led to a wrong view of the very nature of God, eventually leading to a skewed perspective concerning authority and submission in other areas of the believer’s life. The Trinity is not comprised of three greater and lesser gods. Though we may not be able to completely understand or explain it, there is one God who exists in three distinct but equal persons. (Philippians 2:5-6)

Confusion has led many to see the Spirit in a 3rd place position  of inferiority within the Godhead. We must not think of the Trinity as company heads with a President, His VP, and the secretary. In doing so, we have neglected the authority of the Spirit: God Himself!

Francis Chan writes with anguish, “From my perspective, the Holy Spirit is tragically neglected and, for all practical purposes, forgotten. While no evangelical would deny His existence, I’m willing to bet there are millions of churchgoers across America who cannot confidently say they have experienced His presence or action in their lives over the past year. And many of them do not believe they can.” (The Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit)

The Spirit is not less powerful than either the Father or the Son. The Spirit of God has always been in existence. Sister, if you’re spending time with God, you’re spending time with the Spirit! (Jude 1:20-21)

The Original Intent

2) Who is the Spirit of truth and how will they recognize Him? (verse 17)

Verse 17 says of the One who will come, “He is the spirit of Truth.” The term “Another” in verse 16 translates a Greek term (allos) that means “another of the same kind.” This counselor, “one called alongside to help,” is like one who would serve as an advocate in the Roman legal system. (studylight.org)

Jesus had been their Helper, Friend, and Advocate physically present in the flesh. They had even seen Him speak to the wind and waves on their behalf. (Mark 4:35-41) Jesus is saying He will send Another Counselor (Greek, “paraklçtos“) who is like Himself. One full of truth just like Him. (John 1:14, John 14:25-26) This is how they will know He is the Spirit of God. A form of this same Greek root (parakalço) is used of God the Father in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.

The verb form of this word (parakaleô) is found in several places in the Old Testament. For example, the psalmist and prophet spoke of this kind of comfort and rescue by God. (Psalm 69:20, Isaiah 35:3-4) Jesus told His disciples they would recognize Him. And while the Spirit’s presence brings comfort, courage, and truth, we know Satan’s presence brings the exact opposite!

He pits himself against the Spirit by bringing confusion, doubt, and lies. (Genesis 3:1, Job 1:9-11, 1 Peter 5:8) The world is blinded by these, but Jesus assures them they will know the Spirit because He has been with them, making Himself known. (verse 17)

To know Jesus is to know the Father and the Spirit. Now, when Jesus physically leaves, it will be even better because the Spirit will dwell with them permanently. Jesus may not be in the boat with them, but the Spirit will!

The Everyday Application

2) Who is the Spirit of truth and how will they recognize Him? (verse 17)

From beginning to end, the Holy Spirit is active in the big story of the world. At the beginning of the story, He was there creating us. At the end of the story, He is there calling us to Home with Him.

The Spirit of God came and went in unique ways in the Old Testament, but His presence is both evident and undeniable. (Genesis 6:3, Numbers 27:18, 2 Samuel 23:1-2, Ezekiel 2:1-2) It’s unlikely that talk of the Spirit was totally new to Jesus’ disciples. They had likely read or heard the passages of Scripture referring to the Spirit of God.

We don’t know how much the apostles understood in that moment, but they would come to understand the Spirit was also their Lord and their God. He was not merely a vague vapor or mist. He was not a force or an energy. The Holy Spirit is the breath of God personified! (bible.org)

“If you or I had never been to a church and had read only the Old and New Testaments, we would have significant expectations of the Holy Spirit in our lives. If we read and believed these accounts, we would expect a great deal of the Holy Spirit. He would not be a mostly forgotten member of the Godhead whom we occasionally give a nod of recognition to, which is what He has become in most American churches. We would expect our new life with the Holy Spirit to look radically different from our old life.” (The Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit)

Since we have read #HisWordsBeforeOurs and believed Him, let us boldly ask for our lives to be radically changed by the Spirit.

The Original Intent

3) How will Jesus be with His disciples if He is leaving them? (verses 18-20)

Jesus is sharing with His disciples on the day before His death. It seems they kept missing exactly what Jesus was saying to them about His departure. (John 14:1-5,  John 13:33, John 14:12, John 16:4-5) Though it appears they weren’t really listening, Jesus is reassuring them again. (verse 18)

There will come a time when it would all sink in, and they would need to remember these comforting words. Jesus demonstrates the kindness of a parent by telling them He will provide for them when He’s no longer there. (verse 19) Jesus doesn’t mention His death at this point, though He has before. (Matthew 16:19-21, Luke 9:21-22, Matthew 20:17-19, Matthew 26:1-2)

In the next few days, He would die and be raised to life and return to Heaven. (Acts 1:7-9) Though He’d be absent in body, Jesus would be present with them by His Spirit; and though He was going back to heaven, He would return again to gather them. (Matthew 25, Mark 13:26-27, Acts 1:11) Putting all this together, we can understand why the disciples were probably a combination of confused, troubled, and dismissive. They could not possibly fully grasp all that was to happen to Jesus, nor did they want to think about Jesus leaving them.

What comfort these words would eventually bring “in that day…” (verse 20) Jesus had a nature which could not die. As God, His presence would never leave them. Thankfully, they wouldn’t need to remember all this by themselves. To comfort them with this truth, the Holy Spirit would come to stay forever and He would continue to remind them of everything Jesus had taught them. (John 14:25-26)

The Everyday Application

3) How will Jesus be with His disciples if He is leaving them? (verses 18-20)

Have you ever considered the significance of having a counselor who is just like Christ? Sister, imagine what it would be like to have Jesus walking beside you in the flesh, functioning as your personal guide through life.

What peace would come from knowing we would have constant access to perfect truth and flawless guidance. I can’t fathom the benefit of having Jesus here physically. I rejoice and wonder at the glorious thought! But, oh sweet Friend, did you see it in all these verses? The disciples had Jesus’ presence. Every day.

And somehow it just wasn’t enough to keep them from sin. What is even more amazing is that when Jesus told them about His departure, He said the Spirit’s coming would be better for them! (John 16:7) I’m not sure believers have internalized and applied this truth as Jesus intended.

It seems it is mostly head knowledge to many of us, and we have not owned the reality of the Spirit within us. I know there have been many days I have “forgotten God” and the power of the Holy Spirit in my life. “Many Christians, you see, function as deists. They act as if God rules from the heavens and has spoken in his Word, but does not act on earth or move in their souls — at least in any way that they can sense those movements.” (J.D. Greear, Jesus, Continued: Why the Spirit Inside You Is Better than Jesus Beside You)

Oh, how I want to consistently recognize God the Spirit in my daily life and take note of the ways He’s working which may not be visible to the human eye, but very visible to my heart! As believers and followers of Jesus, let’s hear Him clearly and trust Him entirely: Don’t let your hearts be troubled!! (John 14:1)

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Known Day 5
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“Yada, yada”
A Hebrew phrase meaning to know and be known on the deepest, most intimate levels.

Perhaps you’ve heard it colloquially as “etc, etc, etc,” or perhaps, closer to its true definition, you’ve heard it means “to be familiar with.”

But Truth? It means to know God and be known by Him in the deepest of ways. Nothing hidden. Nothing secret. All things known.
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Worship XI Day 5 He, Vav, Zayin: Digging Deeper

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Worship XI Day 5 He, Vav, Zayin: Digging Deeper

Stacy Winkler

June 2, 2023

Adoring,Confession,gentle,Gospel,Grace,Scripture

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "He, Vav, Zayin"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 119:33-56

ה He
33 Teach me, LORD, the meaning of your statutes, and I will always keep them. 34 Help me understand your instruction, and I will obey it and follow it with all my heart, 35 Help me stay on the path of your commands, for I take pleasure in it. 36 Turn my heart to your decrees and not to dishonest profit.e 37 Turn my eyes from looking at what is worthless; give me life in your ways. 38 Confirm what you said to your servant, for it produces reverence for you. 39 Turn away the disgrace I dread; indeed, your judgments are good. 40 How I long for your precepts! Give me life through your righteousness.

ו Vav
41 Let your faithful love come to me, LORD, your salvation, as you promised. 42 Then I can answer the one who taunts me, for I trust in your word. 43 Never take the word of truth from my mouth, for I hope in your judgments. 44 I will always obey your instruction, forever and ever. 45 I will walk freely in an open place because I study your precepts. 46 I will speak of your decrees before kings and not be ashamed. 47 I delight in your commands, which I love. 48 I will lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and will meditate on your statutes.

ז Zayin
49 Remember your word to your servant; you have given me hope through it. 50 This is my comfort in my affliction; Your promise has given me life. 51 The arrogant constantly ridicule me, but I do not turn away from your instruction. 52 LORD, I remember your judgments from long ago and find comfort. 53 Fury seizes me because of the wicked who reject your instruction. 54 Your statutes are the theme of my song during my earthly life. 55 LORD, I remember your name in the night, and I obey your instruction. 56 This is my practice: I obey your precepts.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) How does the psalmist develop the structure of the “He” section? (verses 33-40)

Psalm 119 is a beautifully structured poem focused on God’s law and His Word. It is poetically architected into 22 eight-verse sections, each section titled with a letter in the Hebrew alphabet. The verses in every eight-verse section begin with the Hebrew letter that the section is titled.

Thus, in the section He, each verse begins with the Hebraic letter He. It is also categorized as a Law Psalm. According to the in-house study at The Village Church in Texas led by Jen Wilkin*, the Law Psalms “teach us to celebrate the gift of the Word of God…. They also call for obedience. God’s law is beautiful to the believer because it is a reflection of God’s character…. The Law psalms give us language for delighting in the Word of God, the Bible.”

In the He section, seven of the eight verses are prayers asking God to act, followed by how the psalmist will respond. When the psalmist makes a request of God, God’s response will help him in doing what he has said is his responsibility. He asks God to teach him the meaning of His statutes and help him understand the Lord’s instruction. Why? So that he will be obedient to God’s word both in his heart and actions. (verses 33-34)

He asks for help to “stay on the path of His commands.” Why? Because “He takes pleasure in it.” (verse 35) Can you imagine praying such prayers? These are bold requests for a deep understanding of God’s words.

The psalmist knows the blessing that flows from God’s answers will help him obey and delight in God’s word and will give him life. (verse 40)

*“Psalms: The Prayers of God’s People” written by Jen Wilkin, Elizabeth Woodson, Jenni Hamm, Nathan Campbell, and Krystall Brummitt (not currently available)

The Everyday Application

1) How does the psalmist develop the structure of the “He” section? (verses 33-40)

Psalm 119 gives us language to pray using God’s own words. There are eight basic words used in the full psalm to reference Scripture: law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, word, God’s ways/path, and rules/judgements/ordinance. Thus, when the psalmist declares that God’s judgments are good, he is proclaiming the goodness of God’s word. (verse 39)

When he says he longs for God’s precepts, he is saying that he desires and clings to God’s word. (verse 40) These are statements of worship and faithfulness to God. Why not try using God’s words as your prayer to Him? “Teach me, Lord, the meaning of Your Scriptures. As I learn about Your words and more fully understand them, I will keep them because I know You more.” (based on verse 33)

“Turn my eyes from looking at what is worthless; give me life in Your ways and, ultimately, in You.” (based on verse 37)

Take a closer look at verse 40. Could this be a small peek into the gospel? As Christians we know that life only comes through our acceptance of God’s Son, Jesus, as our Lord and Savior. Jesus’ righteousness is given to us and, thus, Life is given to us. (verse 40)

Praise God for the life we receive through Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and righteousness!

The Original Intent

2) How does the “Vav” section reveal the psalmist’s heart? (verses 41-48)

Dr. Jim Hamilton, Elder and Senior Pastor of Kenwood Baptist Church preached through Psalm 119 in 2017. During his sermon entitled, “You Afflicted Me in Faithfulness”, he summarized sections Gimel, Dalet, He, and Vav as the psalmist’s three-fold cry.

He pleads for 1) God to keep His promise that one day a King from David’s line would reign forever, 2) God’s enemies to be defeated, 3) God’s people to freely live in righteousness without taunts, jeers, or persecution. Has your heart felt like that?

Of course, the psalmist could only look to the future knowing the Messianic King would come according to God’s faithfulness. (verse 38) We have the beautiful advantage of knowing the Messiah King is Jesus, but just like the psalmist, we also look forward with confident assurance to His return and reign as King. In many ways, the prayers in the Vav section reveal our hearts, too, as we await His coming again.

The psalmist prayed for God’s faithful love to be revealed in this future salvation He had already promised. (verse 41) The psalmist longs for the future King, but while he waits for and puts his hope in the future King, he tells God that He will study, delight in, love, and meditate on God’s words because those words reveal God Himself to the psalmist. (verses 45, 47, 48)

The Everyday Application

2) How does the “Vav” section reveal the psalmist’s heart? (verses 41-48)

In the Vav section we see the psalmist’s hope in, delight in, and love for God’s word. (verses 43, 47, 48) He recognized that flowing from his hope, delight, and love will be obedience. (verse 44)

As God reveals Himself to us through the Bible, we grow in our love for Him. Sustaining obedience as a habit of life is a response to what God reveals to us in His word. This response is both supernatural from God and a choice made by us. The psalmist said he studied God’s precepts and meditated on his statutes. (verses 45 and 48)

The more we know God, the more we love Him. We get to know Him more through the study and meditation of His word.

Pray this portion of the psalm to our faithful God. Dig deeply into His word. If you are not actively studying the Bible, do so on your own or with a group of believers. Pray. Study. His word is life-giving, life-changing, and God-breathed. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Allow God to work in your heart and mind as He changes you from the inside out.

The Original Intent

3) How are we to handle affliction according to the “Zayin” section? (verses 49-56)

In the He and Vav sections of Psalm 119, we see hope and trust in God and His promise in the future He holds for His people. However, the psalmist was realistic about the times in which he lived. He believed in the future coming King, but he lived in a world of pain and affliction where arrogant people ridiculed him and wicked people rejected the one true God. (verses 50, 51, 53)

Yet, in reading the Zayin section, we see hope, comfort, life, and remembrance. Note the first two verses and the continuation of the promise of the reign of the coming King from the previous verses. (verses 49-50)

Indeed, the promise of the King, whom we now know to be Jesus Himself, gave the psalmist hope and life in the midst of earthly affliction. (verses 51, 53) The psalmist was resolved, he would not turn away from God’s word but found life in it. (verse 50) He also declared God’s word as the theme of the song of his earthly life, because he knew God’s word intimately, therefore knowing God Himself. (verse 54)

The New Testament expresses this idea using the terminology of walking in a manner worthy of God. (Colossians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 2:12, Philippians 1:27, Ephesians 4:1) Thus, in spite of the afflictions around him, he hopes in and obeys God’s word as the habit of his life. (verse 56) 

The Everyday Application

3) How are we to handle affliction according to the “Zayin” section? (verses 49-56)

As I shared earlier we know the psalmist’s hope in a Messianic King is Jesus Christ, God’s only Son. Although He is King, the earthly reign we look forward to is the hope we have of things to come. (Titus 2:13) We live in the “now but not yet”, where people reject God and the Bible as well as reject us for believing in the one true God and His Son, Jesus.

Praying the Zayin section would be a way of bringing our afflictions to God while recognizing His sovereignty in both our present and our future. Remember, take hope, and be comforted in the promise of the coming King! A time will come when evil and affliction will no longer exist, and we will live free from the presence of sin, even though we currently experience afflictions and trials. (verses 49-50, 1 Peter 1:3-7)

Pray you will not turn away from God’s instructions. (verse 51) Make God the theme of your life through His Word. (verse 54) When you are frightened and anxious, as we often are during sleepless nights, remember the name of the Lord and all of His promises, they are assuredly yea and amen. (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Pray that obedience becomes the practiced pattern of your life. Worship God through His Word in the here and now. “Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.” (Romans 12:12)

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Worship XI Day 5
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I was told God loved me, but only when I perfectly obeyed Him.

I was told God’s Word contained guidance and instruction for my life, but one mistake could ruin my life and relationship with God.

I was told God longed for relationship with me, but only as long as I dressed the “right” way, acted the “right” way, spoke the “right” way . . . and I quickly learned shame and condemnation were the punishment for stumbling into the “wrong” way.
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Confidence Day 4 Confidence In Fellowship: Digging Deeper

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Confidence Day 4 Confidence In Fellowship: Digging Deeper

Rachel Jones

April 20, 2023

Community,Faith,Family,Forgiven,gentle

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Confidence In Fellowship"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 John 1:6-9

6 If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. 7 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. 8 If we say, “We have no sin we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What does it mean to walk in darkness, outside of fellowship with God? (verse 6)

The Apostle John instructs his readers in 1 John 1:6, if we “have fellowship with [God] and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth.” John explains that if we are walking in darkness by sinning then we can’t be in fellowship with God.

As author Albert Barnes asserts, “We are deceived if we think that we can have fellowship with God, and yet live in the practice of sin. As God is pure, so must we be, if we would be His friends.” When we live a lifestyle of following our own lusts and worldly passions, we are walking in darkness and out of step with God.

John Piper suggests, “Everyone who loves the world more than God is in the dark.” God is the light of the world (John 8:12); when we sin, we are walking in darkness, outside His will and His plan. Light and darkness can have no fellowship with one another. (2 Corinthians 6:14)

When we walk in the darkness of sin, we are outside of God’s presence, cut off from fellowship with Him. When we personally accept the truth of God’s love and sacrifice, God’s Light dispels the darkness of sin allowing believers to never dwell hopelessly in darkness again.

Joyce Meyer suggests ways to help us walk in the light, “Do not tolerate unconfessed sin. Meditate upon the Word of God. Spend time in prayer talking to God and letting Him talk to you. Share your faith in Christ with others. Obey the commandments of God.” We can be confident that, when we accept Jesus as our Savior, He teaches and equips us to walk with Him as children of light. (Ephesians 5:8)

The Everyday Application

1) What does it mean to walk in darkness, outside of fellowship with God? (verse 6)

I have been a Christian since childhood, which means I have avoided many pitfalls and problems that occur for people who don’t know God’s Word and study His ways. Still, sin has lured me away from God’s way with its temptations in big and small ways. In my college years, I rebelliously insisted on following my own way. I continually ended up hurt and disappointed, asking God to forgive me, and then going out and making the same mistakes and unhealthy choices again. (Romans 7:19)

Eventually, I felt the estrangement from God caused by. I responded by repenting and turning back to God, submitting my will to the Lord and allowing Him to break the cycle I couldn’t. (1 Corinthians 15:57) My struggle against sin emphasizes the truth of the Apostle John’s words in 1 John 1:6. If we “have fellowship with [God] and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth.”

David Guzik notes, “John speaks of a walk in darkness, indicating a pattern of living. This does not speak of an occasional lapse, but of a lifestyle of darkness.”

I had been lying to myself, trying to claim fellowship with God while continuing to pursue things I knew were outside of God’s gracious plan for my life. God continued to draw me to Himself, offering me kindness that led me to repentance (Romans 2:4) causing me to turn from darkness to light (Acts 26:18).

I learned that walking in darkness meant being out of fellowship with God; it was this feeling of separation that caused me to run back to the light of God. (James 4:8)

The Original Intent

2) Why does walking in the light give us fellowship with one another? (verse 7)

1 John 1:7 informs us, “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.” When we walk in such a way to reflect God’s Light, we “walk in a generally obedient life, without harboring known sin or resisting the conviction of the Holy Spirit on a particular point.” (David Guzik)

We walk in God’s light by following His Word and obeying His commands, which is impossible to do without studying His Word regularly and fellowshipping with other believers. This unity with God allows us to share in rich fellowship with others who have also been saved by His grace because it puts us on parallel paths of pursuing God and His will for our lives. God designed us to live in fellowship as His Church, The Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27), serving Him together.

He gave every believer different gifts and talents that complement one another and work together to fulfill His purposes within His family called Church. (1 Peter 4:10) When we are walking in Christ’s light, we are able to function as He intended while being changed into His image by His Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18) Albert Barnes says, “As we all partake of his (God’s) feelings and views, we shall resemble each other. Loving the same God, embracing the same views of religion, and living for the same ends, we shall of course have much that is common to us all, and thus shall have fellowship with each other.”

Pursuing God together brings us closer to one another as we serve and worship God in one accord.

The Everyday Application

2) Why does walking in the light give us fellowship with one another? (verse 7)

There are many benefits to living in a digital world, especially for the youngest generation who has never known a world without internet or hand-held computers. We have access to academic courses and meetings online; we can pay for groceries with a tap of our phone and transfer money or shop with a few keystrokes. The platforms and devices I am just getting comfortable with are now obsolete to a younger generation as they move on to newer and better.

One drawback I see for these young people growing up in a virtual age is their lack of community. They have online groups and friends, but they struggle with making connections and building relationships in real life. They may be linked to hundreds of people around the globe, but they report feeling lonely and isolated as they yearn for meaningful relationships in their lives.

The Apostle John was familiar with the importance of this kind of fellowship in the lives of believers. He wrote, “If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another.” (1 John 1:7) John taught that doing life together as Christians by sharing the pathway of Light provided needed fellowship for believers. (Galatians 6:10)

God wants His followers to meet together and encourage one another (Hebrews 10:23), go to church together, share meals together, and pray together (Acts 2:42). God even says that it is by our love for one another that people will know we are His disciples. (John 13:35) God provides us with the blessing of fellowship with other believers when we serve Him together, helping us become more like Him as we carry out His will.

When we reflect His light back to Him, we encourage fellow believers and draw in those who are still stumbling in darkness. Let’s walk in the Light!

The Original Intent

3) Why are we deceived if we say we have no sin? (verse 8)

1 John 1:8 declares, “If we say, “We have no sin we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), people have been born into sin.

We like to think that if we do good deeds or don’t commit any “big” sins like murder that we are basically without sin. God says this isn’t so! The truth is that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. (Romans 3:23)

The Apostle John wanted his readers to realize that denying our sinfulness harms us. God wants us to confess our sins to Him (Proverbs 28:13) not try to convince ourselves and others we don’t sin. (Ecclesiastes 7:20)

John Piper suggests, “The mark of the saint is not sinless-ness but sin-consciousness! The evidence of indwelling truth is the exposure of error. The dawning of God’s light in the heart is the revelation of remaining darkness. In this life we never get beyond the awareness of remaining sin.”

God wants us to recognize our sin so we can turn from it. Then He will wipe our sin away and refresh us in His presence. (Acts 3:19-20) John Trapp writes, “No man was ever kept out of God’s kingdom for his confessed badness; many are for their supposed goodness.”

We don’t need to deny our sinfulness or justify our sinful actions. God invites us to come to Him as we are (Revelation 22:17), confessing our sins and accepting His grace and forgiveness. (Ephesians 1:7)

The Everyday Application

3) Why are we deceived if we say we have no sin? (verse 8)

When I was young, a kind old man, Mr. Charlie, lived across the street from my Grandma. His wife yelled at us if our ball rolled into their yard, but Mr. Charlie laughed with us and waved as we zoomed past on our bikes. After his wife died, Grandma would send us to his house on holidays with a plate of food, and he always smiled kindly and joked with us as we handed over turkey, potatoes, and pie.

When my Dad tried to talk to him about Jesus, Mr. Charlie explained how some unkind church deacons had soured him on religion. He reasoned he had always been a good person without the help of God or church, so he had no need of religion in his life.

Mr. Charlie had done what the Apostle John warned against in 1 John 1:8. He convinced himself he had no sin, and therefore had no need of a Savior.

This is a lie our culture teaches us that comes straight from our enemy, Satan, that people are inherently good. Praise God Scripture tells us the truth! Humans are born with a sinful nature and there’s no escaping it on our own accord. (Psalm 51:5)

We try to tell ourselves we are good, or at least not so very bad, and have no need of salvation or the rescue of a righteous God. But God says there is no one righteous. (Romans 3:10) All of us are in need of a Savior. (Colossians 1:21-22)

David Guzik says, “We need to realize the victory and forgiveness that comes from saying, I am a sinner – even a great sinner – but I have a Savior who cleanses me from all sin.” We can rejoice that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8), and when we confess our sin, Christ forgives us (1 John 1:9).

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Confidence Day 3
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Unconfessed sin places a barrier between us and God. “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God”. (3 John 1:11)

We’ll call it “un–fellowship”. The antidote of confession cleans us, breaks down barriers, and closes the distance between us and God. Praise!

Along with confession, we must walk in truth. (3 John 1:4, Galatians 4:19) We know the truth by knowing God’s Word.
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Confidence Day 3 Confidence In Fellowship

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Confidence Day 3 Confidence In Fellowship

Marietta Taylor

April 19, 2023

church,Spirit,Suffering,Together,Truth

Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 1:26-31 
1 John 1
Mark 12:28-33
Acts 2:36-47
Hebrews 10:19-25

One of the first verses I memorized as an adult was 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” It was the quickest I’ve ever memorized a verse and it has never left me.

Over the years, I studied the surrounding verses and realized those words stuck with me because they help me connect to God and people. This is our mission as God’s girls.

Jesus said the two greatest commandments were to
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,
with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30)
and
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31) 

We can be confident that having and maintaining fellowship with God allows us to do the same with people; this is God’s design! In fact, 1 John 1:7 tells us that walking in Christ’s Light through fellowship with God naturally demonstrates Christlikeness in fellowship with people. 

So how do we go about fellowshipping with God?
I’m glad you asked!

Let’s start with God Himself, noting He has always existed in a community of fellowship as Father, Son, and Spirit. (John 1:1-5, 1 John 5:7-8)
Are we not called to be like Christ, imitating Him?
Absolutely, we are!
(1 John 2:6) 

If we are to be Christlike, then we too must exist in fellowship, both with God and others who belong to God’s family (fellow believers in Jesus). This brings us back to “my” verse, 1 John 1:9. To maintain good fellowship with God, we must confess our sins.

Unconfessed sin places a barrier between us and God.
“Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good.
The one who does good is of God;
the one who does evil has not seen God”. (3 John 1:11)

We’ll call it “un–fellowship”.
The antidote of confession cleans us, breaks down barriers, and closes the distance between us and God. Praise!

Along with confession, we must walk in truth. (3 John 1:4, Galatians 4:19)
We know the truth by knowing God’s Word.

Jesus prayed to the Father on behalf of all believers, “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.” (John 17:17) So we read the Word and study the Word, treasuring it in our heart. Then we do what it says, otherwise we aren’t walking in truth but in the darkness of deceit. (James 1:22)

How do we fellowship with others?
Another good question!

Fellowship with the Trinity is what equips us with the ability and confidence to fellowship with others. (2 John 1:1-3)

Some aspects of this fellowship are:

When we actively pursue fellowship with other believers, the love and grace of the Lord will abound within that fellowship, binding us together! (1 John 4:7-12) 

Friends, we are either working for fellowship or un–fellowship.
We are either pursuing truth and love or deceit and destruction.
As believers, we must be aware of who we choose to fellowship.
What are they pursuing?
2 John 1:10-12 warns, “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home, and do not greet him; for the one who greets him shares in his evil works.” 

I won’t lie. Sometimes being active in fellowship feels hard, because it is hard.
But it’s always worth it. Take a little field trip to Love Lived Out. I’ll wait (smile).

Wasn’t that a great little journey?
What Jesus did for us wasn’t easy.
It was hard.
It was sufferable.
But, most importantly, it was love. (1 John 3:16)

Christ’s sacrifice of Himself on our behalf to pay for our sin while He was sinless was an act of love by our most faithful God. This same God invites us into fellowship with Him because of Jesus. If we place our confidence in Christ alone, He will fill us with His love, freeing us to share this same love and fellowship with others.

Even when it’s hard.
Even when fellowship with people is painful.
Yet, because our fellowship with God is always fruitful,
our fellowship with others is always worth the investment.

Over the years, I have experienced both the hard and the wonderful of fellowship, but I’ve never experienced the Lord’s abandonment. God’s fellowship with us is always perfect and loving, sustaining us in all things, because that’s who He is.

I have confidently placed my trust in Him, asking Him to teach me to love like Him.
You know what?
He will grant this because,
“This is the confidence we have before Him:
If we ask anything according to His will,
He hears us.
 And if we know that He hears whatever we ask,
we know that we have what we have asked of Him.” (1 John 5:14-15) 

Sisters, let us place our confidence where it will increase and do good by choosing fellowship with the Lord and others.
Our faithful God will never fail! (Isaiah 26:3-4)

 

 

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I had been lying to myself, trying to claim fellowship with God while continuing to pursue things that I knew were outside of God’s gracious plan for my life.

God continued to draw me to Himself, offering me kindness that led me to repentance (Romans 2:4) causing me to turn from darkness to light (Acts 26:18).
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Steadfast Day 15 Made Steadfast: Digging Deeper

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Steadfast Day 15 Made Steadfast: Digging Deeper

Multiple Authors

April 14, 2023

Called,Christ,Discipleship,Heaven

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Made Steadfast"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 15:57-58

57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What victory is Paul celebrating? (verse 57)

Though military victory may be the first image we consider, Paul’s emphasis moves far past a temporal, human battlefield to the eternal one. In chapter 15, Paul has been countering arguments and skewed perspectives on the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

The city of Corinth was overrun with pagan worship as it was the location for the false, Greek goddess Aphrodite’s temple, which included pagan prostitutes as part of their “worship”. Corinth was a hotbed of deception and rumors plaguing the early church, which led Paul to passionately and clearly address their skepticisms and misunderstandings, especially around the most foundational belief of The Way (Christianity), Christ’s resurrection from the dead.

As he concludes his letter to the Corinthian church, he places every last drop of emphasis on the resounding victory Christ has already won through His physical, bodily resurrection from the dead, robed in the garment of a new, heavenly body that will last forever.

Because Christ is raised and lives today, we also have the assured hope of also rising from the dead with new bodies and new life once we die if we have trusted Christ and repented from sin while we are alive on earth. Christ offers new, eternal life with new bodies that sin will never again destroy, but He also offers His constant presence now in our everyday lives when we choose to trust Him and His sacrifice on our behalf as He paid for our sin with His death.

This is absolutely worth celebrating and praising God for every moment of every day! Paul’s words of victory praise God that the reign of death was cast aside because of Jesus’ resurrection; now, grace reigns instead!
(written by Carol Graft)

The Everyday Application

1) What victory is Paul celebrating? (verse 57)

If we only started reading verse 57, skipping the verses before it, we could surmise that following Christ makes believers victorious in all areas of life. Insert your own definition of “victory” and apply it to every painful circumstance in your life, and you will end up with a really poor understanding of the Word of the Lord, not to mention a lot of disappointment when your circumstances don’t transform to “victorious”.

Backing up to read the full context of chapter 15, we see Paul is writing about the victory available over Hell, death, and the grave because of the fact that Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus purchased our salvation and our victory through His death on the cross; His victory over sin and the grave is now freely offered to all who will confess Him as their ruling Lord and Savior.

We who trust Christ for our rescue can and will overcome all things because Jesus is our Victor. We may not see the full victory in everything while living on earth because all of life has been infected with the deadly disease of sin, but one day, when Christ physically returns, all will be made right. (Colossians 1:20) We can live in confidence now, because of the coming hope of full restoration. We can know with all assurance that everything done for the Lord will last into eternity, nothing will be wasted.

“Who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:5) Faith and trust in Jesus, involving true surrender to Him and repentance (turning away) from our sin, is the key to eternal victory. Even if our circumstances are hard now, we can look with eyes of faith to the promised victory to come and rest in Hope!
(written by Carol Graft)

The Original Intent

2) Why does Paul use similar words as commands in verse 58? Aren’t “steadfast” and “immovable” the same?

All of Paul’s urgings, instructions, and teachings from his letter are concluded with three action commands in how to live out the truth God has provided. The Corinthian believers were instructed to “be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord.” (verse 58)

The Greek word translated “steadfast” in our Bibles had an original meaning of “sitting sedentary, deeply settled”. (Studylight.org) Steadfast isn’t active fighting to maintain position, it’s settled, resolute, determined, but also involves decidedly resting. If you’re sitting in a chair, your full weight is upon it; you aren’t moving unless you very intentionally decide to get up. You aren’t on the edge, fearful the chair won’t hold, you are restfully sitting firmly with all trust, neither are you angrily defending your firm seat. This is the action Paul intended the Corinthians to choose when it came to their trust in the resurrection of Christ. The matter is decided, there were over 500 witnesses of Christ’s bodily resurrection and many who had witnessed His tortured death. There was no reason to choose anything but decidedly sit steadfast in this faith, which, by the way, colors absolutely everything else about following Jesus.

The Greek word translated “immovable” is defined as “persistently unmoved; untouched from its place”. Consider someone with an emotional attachment to a beloved object. Perhaps it’s an heirloom or a wedding ring. It doesn’t move, and everyone knows it. That object has permanence, and no one will convince the owner to displace it. For the context of faith, immovable isn’t arrogance, but it is firm unbending because of the steadfastness of their trust. Remembering that Corinth was inundated with false teaching, deception, and mockery toward the resurrection; steadfast, immovable faith was essential in order to withstand the raging winds of false doctrine. (James 1:6-8)
(written by Rebecca Adams & Carol Graft)

The Everyday Application

2) Why does Paul use similar words as commands in verse 58? Aren’t “steadfast” and “immovable” the same?

With pagan neighbors stirring up doubt and asking questions the Corinthians weren’t sure how to answer, they understandably struggled with how to handle Christ’s death and resurrection. They even wondered if maybe they could sidestep and not have an opinion. Wouldn’t that be more tolerant? Paul silenced their flaky arguments by stating, “If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.” (1 Corinthians 15:19)

Do you ever find yourself in their shoes, wondering if you should be more silent about your biblical beliefs so others will see you as more tolerant? Or perhaps, on the other side, you aren’t sure what to believe and you feel unsure how to answer questions about your beliefs. If so, you’re in good company; you aren’t the first to wrestle with doubts!

Paul wrote about growing steadfast in faith so that believers are not tossed around by false teaching in his letter to the Ephesians and James used similar words in his letter to the scattered, persecuted church. (Ephesians 4:13-15, James 1:5-8)

When doubts hit, let’s decide to be immovable on what we know to be true in God’s Word. With resolute steadfastness, let’s go back to His Word and seek Him, knowing He will answer. (Jeremiah 33:3)

Let’s practice growing firm in our faith by gathering with other believers for encouragement (Hebrews 10:25), praying together (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), asking someone more mature in faith to mentor us (2 Timothy 1:5-6), and worshipping the Lord through song (Psalm 96). Like placing a stake in the ground, let’s decide to be immovable by the winds of deception, but stay anchored in the unchanging truth of God’s Word so we can resist the enemy’s tactics and live holy lives before the Lord! (Psalm 1, Ephesians 6:10-11)
(written by Carol Graft)

The Original Intent

3) How is one to excel in the Lord’s work and what is the motivation for these three commands? (verse 58)

The Greek word for “excelling” is defined as “an over-abundance, exceeding all expectation of measure; overflowing beyond capacity”. Paul had previously mentioned in this chapter how he had given his whole life for the sake of Christ. (verses 31-32)

In his second letter to the Corinthian church, he wrote in detail of his specific sufferings (2 Corinthians 11:23-33) coming as a result of his steadfast decision to “consider[ed] everything as a loss compared to knowing Christ.” (Philippians 3:7-10) Excelling for the Lord, surrendering everything, is worth it, and Paul wanted to make sure the believers in Corinth understood how significantly valuable it is to pour your life out for Christ.

Paul “bookends” his three commands to be steadfast, immovable, and always excelling in the work of the Lord, with a motivator on either end. Verse 58 begins with the signal flag of “Therefore”, notifying us that the follow-on statement is built solidly on what came before it, which is the praise Paul gives to the Lord for the assurance of Christ’s victory given to us because of His resurrection from the dead.

We will one day be given the same victory Christ won when His once-dead body began breathing again. What greater motivation can there be?! But Paul wraps his three commands with another strong incentive, “because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

We have already been given the greatest victory possible, eternal life, righteousness, and complete forgiveness, but adding to it, every act, word, or thought done for the Lord will be recognized and rewarded in eternity by the Lord Himself!
(written by Rebecca Adams)

The Everyday Application

3) How is one to excel in the Lord’s work and what is the motivation for these three commands? (verse 58)

I assign my younger children chores every morning that fall within their ability level. They know exactly what these tasks entail and what my standards are for their completion. Most mornings, they finish them without much complaint and only a few reminders, but some mornings, they go far above and beyond the “measure of my expectation”. They know from experience that I am generous and gracious, and they understand there is a high likelihood I will reward excellent work with donuts!

This excelling requires unity and teamwork; they are highly motivated to excel because they have a firm grasp on my character as someone who rewards excellent work. They also know I won’t get them donuts every morning, so they don’t work to excel every morning.

With the Lord, however, Paul passionately pens his final words of chapter 15, “because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Unlike my kids’ diligent work, which may or may not gain them donuts on a particular morning, every work done for Christ is seen, recognized, and will be rewarded. Not one ounce of it is lost. Not one tear, not one hardship, not one loss; everything done for the Lord will be rewarded in eternity when we are raised from the corruptible to the incorruptible. (verse 52)

Our gains with the Lord far surpass any loss we could experience; Paul says our suffering isn’t even worth comparing to the glories to come. (Romans 8:18) So let’s keep our focus on Christ and the victory He has won for us with His resurrection and, together, press on to always excel in the work of the Lord!
(written by Rebecca Adams)

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Steadfast Day 15
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Jesus was dead.

Condemned unjustly by
Jewish religious leaders (Luke 22:66-71),
Roman political leaders (Luke 23:1-12),
and the people of Jerusalem (Luke 23:13-24),
He’d been crucified (Luke 23:32-49).

“Though He was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail him to a cross and kill him.” (Acts 2:23, emphasis mine)
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Philemon Day 15 Friends & Neighbors: Digging Deeper

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Philemon Day 15 Friends & Neighbors: Digging Deeper

Merry Ohler

March 3, 2023

Broken,Christ,church,Community,Faith,Family,Fellowship

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Friends & Neighbors"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philemon 1:23-25

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. 25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Why did Paul include the names and greetings of others in his closing sentiments in this particular letter? (verses 23-24)

When we consider Paul’s sermons, travels, and many contributions to the canon of Scripture, it’s easy to forget Paul was only one member of the body of Christ. But Paul didn’t forget. In every letter, Paul’s words pulse with humble love and compassion for the whole church.
 
To understand why Paul included personal greetings to others in his letter to Philemon, we must remember Paul’s overall purpose was to champion unity between Philemon and his runaway slave-turned-brother in Jesus, Onesimus.

Paul intentionally highlights relationships within the family of God as he mentions Timothy writing with him, and extends greetings to Philemon, Apphia, a woman believer, and Archippus, who all serve a house church. With respect, Paul lovingly refers to Philemon, Apphia and Archippus as beloved fellow worker, sister, and fellow soldier highlighting the unique, counter-cultural relationships of those who serve Christ. 

There is no blood relationship between these individuals, but the fondness and love communicate a strong bond between these fellow believers. From this foundation of love, Paul compels Philemon to embrace his slave who is now a brother alongside him. Paul’s brotherly love for both men is clearly felt.

As Paul closes, he widens his lens to greet Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke. Just as he opened his appeal to Philemon with an emphasis on relationships between believers, he closes the same way. 


Paul deliberately mentioned several believers Philemon would recognize or personally know. This is likely two-fold. First, calling out specific names of others who knew about this letter placed an additional layer of accountability for Philemon to forgive Onesimus. Second, Paul illustrated God’s design for close-knit relationships to be shared between believers. He wanted Philemon to recognize that Paul counted Onesimus as one such brother in Christ, and to encourage Philemon to forgive Onesimus and consider him the same way. 

The Everyday Application

1) Why did Paul include the names and greetings of others in his closing sentiments in this particular letter? (verses 23-24)

We don’t have a clear picture of whether Philemon was a believer when Onesimus left his household, but regardless, Paul used his letter to remind Philemon of what it means to be a follower of Christ. Regardless of where Philemon was in his journey with Jesus, it would have been a cultural offense to his position, person, and authority to have a slave run away. By law, he held the right to exact punishment, even death, from Onesimus. 

But Paul wanted Philemon to see a fuller picture. Just a few lines prior to his closing sentence, he had offered to pay whatever debt Philemon felt Onesimus owed him, knowing full well the debt might include death. Paul may not have experienced the same thing Philemon experienced when Onesimus ran away, but he did experience a parting with Mark when Barnabas split from his company. Yet, Paul was purposeful to include Mark in his closing, illustrating Christ’s reconciliation and restoration at work in himself.

We need reminding about the big picture sometimes, too, don’t we? When we feel hurt by the words, actions, or even betrayal of a brother or sister in Christ, forgiveness doesn’t always come easily. The pain of the wound can prevent us from seeing the whole picture. In those moments, we need to remember we are not only people in relationships, we are ambassadors of Christ Jesus, co-laborers in the Kingdom of God, and ministers of the gospel of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:20, 1 Corinthians 3:5-17, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21)

Unforgiveness and offense are contrary to our redeemed lives. Instead of focusing on ourselves, we are called to follow Christ, die to self and allow the forgiveness and redemptive work of His death and resurrection to foster reconciliation in our relationships. (John 12:26, Ephesians 4:25-32)

The Original Intent

2) What relationships are represented in these verses? (verses 23-24)

Epaphras was an evangelist from the same area as Philemon. (Colossians 4:12) It’s possible he was the first to evangelize there, and he would have been known either personally or in name by Philemon. Paul wrote that Epaphras was a fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, indicating Epaphras was imprisoned not for committing a crime, but for his work to spread the gospel. Paul considered Epaphras a co-laborer who was also a worker for the gospel. (Colossians 1:7) The relationship between the two was undoubtedly strengthened by their shared imprisonment and suffering for Christ.

Mark and Paul were co-laborers in ministry and mission together. At one point, Mark and Paul parted ways when Barnabas and Paul disagreed (Acts 15:36-41), but Paul includes Mark among a list of faithful servants, evidencing their relationship has been repaired. Aristarchus accompanied Paul on some of his missionary journeys, and was imprisoned with Paul at one point. (Colossians 4:10) Their relationship was cemented in their shared work as evangelists and workers in the Church, and furthered by shared suffering for the sake of the gospel.

At this time, Paul considered Demas a fellow worker for the spread of the gospel. (Colossians 4:14) Later in 2 Timothy, we hear more about Demas, but at the writing of this letter he was a fellow worker in ministry with Paul.

Luke was the “beloved physician” (Colossians 4:14) and intentional co-laborer with Paul. He accompanied Paul on many missionary journeys, and remained with him in his imprisonment (2 Timothy 4:11). Brothers in Christ, Paul and Luke were close partners in the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Everyday Application

2) What relationships are represented in these verses? (verses 23-24)

Each relationship represented in these verses is rooted in Christ and the spread of His gospel. The language used implies close, family love and respect, and appreciation for each person’s role. 

These relationships portray God’s design for His family, for all His adopted sons and daughters by faith in Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters in Christ, working together to serve His people and spread His gospel. Working and serving in their individual roles, but all needed, respected, loved and appreciated for who God created them to be in the body of believers. (Romans 12:4-8)

Paul was a high-profile member of the body of Christ, but Christ’s church is filled with men, women, and youth who answered Christ’s call and served faithfully, whether their names were ever known beyond their small circle or not. We may only hear about Epaphras and Archippus a few times in Scripture, but we know from what is shared that they were faithful men of God who served Jesus and their respective mission fields well. 

There is a very real temptation every believer may experience when we see the work Christ does in and through another Christian, to question whether or not we “measure up.” Whether we’re doing enough or being enough in comparison to others. When our eyes and thoughts begin to focus on these questions, we’ve lost sight of who we are, why we’re here, and what our mission is: Christ and His gospel. When we find ourselves struggling, we can take encouragement from Paul’s words to Philemon and remember that the Lord Jesus Christ is our ruler and Savior; all glory belongs to Him alone. 

The Original Intent

3) Why did Paul close by praying, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit”? (verse 25)

Paul had just finished a very specific letter to Philemon and extolled the relationships between believers and fellow workers in the body of Christ. He highlighted what a blessing Onesimus was to him and emphasized how Onesimus was now a brother in Christ. Paul wrote all these things while being fully aware of the challenging circumstances surrounding the way Onesimus left Philemon.

He knew Philemon had every right to extract punishment from Onesimus; at that point Philemon could have legally killed Onesimus for running away. Paul knew Philemon would only be able to forgive and receive Onesimus by the grace of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and his prayer echoes this understanding. Paul prays that Philemon will be granted grace through Jesus Christ to not only forgive and receive Onesimus, but also to receive him as a brother and fellow worker for the gospel.

The Everyday Application

3) Why did Paul close by praying, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit”? (verse 25)

Paul knew it would only be by the supernatural grace of Jesus Christ that Philemon would be enabled to forgive and receive Onesimus after his crime. Paul also knew Philemon had chosen to make Jesus Christ the Lord of his life. He prayed for grace to rule in this matter, and that Philemon would respond through the reality of that grace in his spirit.

The same is true for us if we’ve surrendered our sinner-souls to the God who offers to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness, even though we don’t deserve such rich grace. (1 John 1:9) We are all sinners, saved only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
We may think otherwise, but the reality is that in our flesh, we are utterly unable to forgive and release the debt we feel others owe us for any sin, wound or infraction. It is only by the power of God’s redemptive and sanctifying work in our spirits and lives, and the grace we have access to in Christ Jesus that we can forgive others. Thank God for His gift of grace through Christ Jesus!

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Philemon Day 15
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I cannot recall a sermon preached about Epaphras or Aristarchus.

Yet, clearly they were hard-working and faithful companions to Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament. From their stories, we learn we don’t have to be well-known to do great work for Jesus. These lesser-known men were simply faithful to God’s call and faithful to their mentor, Paul. Here is a lesson for all of us!
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Philemon Day 15 Friends & Neighbors

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Philemon Day 15 Friends & Neighbors

Lori Meeks

March 3, 2023

church,Community,Courage,Encourage,Faith,Family,Fellowship

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philemon 1:23-25
Acts 15:36-40
Colossians 4:10-15
Genesis 2:15-22

“Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings, and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my coworkers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” (Philemon 1:23-25)

How often do we skip right over these benedictions in Scripture? If you’re anything like me, do you ever wonder why these verses are included and important to the Bible? 

2 Timothy 3:16 (emphasis mine) tells us, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable [. . .] so that the [woman] of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Therefore, these closing verses are God-inspired and useful in our journey! Let’s jump in and see what we learn as we meet Philemon’s coworkers.

Epaphras is first mentioned in Colossians 1:7-8, then again in 4:12:
“Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He is always wrestling for you in his prayers, so that you can stand mature and fully assured in everything God wills.”  

Here, we gain some insight into this man with an unusual name. Possibly one of the founders of the church in Colossae, Epaphras partnered with the Apostle Paul in deep care for the church and in ministry. 

Mark, often referred to as John Mark in Scripture, is more familiar as the author of the gospel of Mark. John Mark was also a cousin to Barnabas (Colossians 4:10), who often traveled with Paul; Mark is introduced in Acts 12:12, 25. 

Paul’s relationship with Mark was tumultuous. While we don’t know the details, at some point, Mark left the group of missionaries traveling with Paul. (Acts 15:36-40) It’s possible Mark was young, immature, or just took a wrong turn, as many of us do in our journeys following Jesus. This upset Paul so deeply that when Mark tried to rejoin the mission, the team parted ways over his return. 

The letter to Philemon, however, leads us to believe they were reconciled. In 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul even requested, “Bring Mark with you, for he is useful to me in the ministry.” Paul’s words indicate the men had grown to rely on each other as they served together to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Next is Aristarchus, who we learn from Acts 27:2 is a Macedonian from Thessalonica and a companion of Paul. We meet him when Acts 19:21-41 describes a riot in Ephesus. Aristarchus, as Paul’s traveling companion, was swept along as the mob converged on a local amphitheater. 

Additionally, he accompanied Paul on his missionary journeys (Acts 20:1-6), as well as on his trip to Rome. In Colossians 4, Paul referred to Aristarchus as a “fellow prisoner.” Throughout the trials accompanying spreading the Gospel, Aristarchus remained a devoted co-laborer with Paul.  

Demas, like the other men, started out as a “fellow worker” of Paul’s and was with him in Rome. (Colossians 4:14) However, 2 Timothy 4:9-10 reveals his commitment was short-lived, “Make every effort to come to me soon, because Demas has deserted me, since he loved this present world, and has gone on to Thessalonica.”

As I was researching these men, one commentary made an interesting point: at least three of them (Epaphras, Aristarachus, and Mark) were faithful workers in sharing the Gospel, starting churches and going on missions with Paul, yet I cannot recall a sermon preached about Epaphras or Aristarchus. 

Yet, clearly they were hard-working and faithful companions to Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament. From their stories, we learn we don’t have to be well-known to do great work for Jesus. These lesser-known men were simply faithful to God’s call and faithful to their mentor, Paul. Here is a lesson for all of us! 

As I write, I’m reminded of the song “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” 
We were not made to do life alone. (Genesis 2:18) 
We all need people in our lives. 
People to serve with us, to encourage us, to stick by our side no matter what. 
People who will continue the work of Jesus when we can’t. 
People who share the desire to serve our Father. 

Personally, I have been blessed with such people. My kids call us the Kool Momz; these ladies (Marla, Dawn, and Katherine) love Jesus and desire to honor and serve Him as much as I. We pray together, eat together, laugh together and support each other. 

This past fall, Katherine’s daughter was diagnosed with cancer, devastating news that rocked her to the core. But God knew and He had worked to bring the four of us together so she did not walk through that deep valley alone. We stood in the gap for our hurting friend, doing whatever was needed, whenever it was needed. And when they received the news the cancer was gone – we celebrated together! 

I pray each of you will find your people, those with whom you can do life. 
Those who will encourage you, challenge you to grow in Jesus, pray with you, study with you, walk beside you during the hard, and celebrate with you during the good. 
The grace of God bonds us not only as friends, but as family.
Life is better together!

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Philemon Day 15
Digging Deeper

We are all sinners, saved only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We may think otherwise, but the reality is that in our flesh, we are utterly unable to forgive and release the debt we feel others owe us for any sin, wound or infraction.
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Feb 13 - Mar 3, 2023 - Journey Theme #114

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Pause VI Day 8 Joyful Longing

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Pause VI Day 8 Joyful Longing

Melodye Reeves

January 11, 2023

Affectionate,Beloved,church,Community

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philippians 2:19-30

19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you. 20 For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; 21 all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. 23 Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.

 25 But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need— 26 since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. 27 Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice again when you see him and I may be less anxious. 29 Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor, 30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.

Read More Of His Words

We’re halfway through our journey, but what a letter this is! Imagine reading these words and paragraphs from Paul and processing what he was sharing. If you need to refresh and catch up, do that now. (Philippians 1:1-2:18)

After his greeting and prayer, Paul had given a sort of missionary report in Philippians 1:12-29.  “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually advanced the gospel…”.

He then breaks away from that thought to encourage the believers to imitate the life of Jesus Christ. It doesn’t seem like just a marginal thought. It was essential to the rest of the ‘report’ he had begun. The recipients of the letter must understand how important it was to love each other well.

After his spontaneous hymn of praise to Jesus in Philippians 2;6-11, Paul continues his report. The concern of the Philippians for Paul’s well-being is obvious because they’ve sent people to minister to him. Maybe they were a bit discouraged that their beloved missionary was in prison, even fearful he could potentially receive a death sentence.

Paul informs them he is well, even thriving in the joy of the Lord. Mostly, he wants to spotlight the two people he’s sending back their way. As he describes them, it seems as though he’s describing the very characteristics he’s mentioned in his previous appeal to the Philippian believers. Do you remember the words of Paul in the earlier verses in the chapter? Does this verse sound familiar?

“For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 2:20)

What a joy for Paul to not only encourage them to be like Jesus, but to also send them two people who will show them how! Don’t you love these guys he’s sending? I can only imagine Paul’s selfless longing for the believers at Philippi to be strengthened by Timothy and Epaphroditus. I can see why Paul prayed what he did in Philippians 1:9-11.

And what about the attitude of Epaphroditus?! He wasn’t grieving his own illness but was concerned that the Philippians were burdened when they found out he was sick.
Sweet sister, as you pause on this passage today, let this scene really sink into your heart.

Today's Pause Challenge

1) Be a scribe and copy the precious words of Scripture down word for word. Make space in your journal to write down every word of Philippians 2:19-30  today.
As you copy, lookup a cross reference or two as you come to them (they are the small letters next to certain words in your study Bible or online at biblia.com.) As you write, consider the heart posture of Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus. Ask the Holy Spirit to humble your heart as you pour over His Words.

2) Choose one of these options to live boldly with authentic honesty in biblical community. As we grow deeper in God’s Word, the Lord designed us to share and grow with others walking alongside us.

a) Take a photo of your journal time this week and share it, or share a quote from it.
b) Do a Facebook Live on the GT community and share how God has been working in you.
c) Leave a comment here about it.
d) Share something God has been showing you in a comment at the GT Community Group
e) Plan a coffee or lunch date with a friend and share what you’ve been learning and soaking in as you have hit Pause.
f) Write a note of encouragement to a sister who has been your Timothy.

3) Memorize Philippians 3:13-14

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Pause VI, Day 7

The Philippians had been a receptive church, eager to do what was right and acceptable before God. Paul wrote to encourage them to think even more sacrificially and selflessly, applying the humility of Christ to their relationships specifically within the family of God. Paul had gone to great lengths to remind them of Who they were to emulate.
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Jan 2 - Jan 20, 2023 - Journey Theme #112

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Eden Day 5 Crafted For Community

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 1:26-31
1 John 4:7-21
Romans 5:1-11
Matthew 22:37-40

Eden, Day 5

I think the Garden of Eden must have been paradise for those who are averse to crowds. Since Adam and Eve were the only humans on the planet, I cannot quite picture one of them mumbling, “I hate crowds.” Unless, by chance, a cacophony caused by all the animals Adam had recently named counted for crowd noise.

No large groups of people rushed to and fro on their way to the market or gathered close to hear someone speak as Adam and Even walked with the Lord in the cool of the day. (Genesis 3:8) But, in those evening times of sharing, five distinct persons were present, three of whom are found within the single triune Being of the three-in-one God.

Deuteronomy 6:4 clearly states there is only One God.
“The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”

This truth is reiterated across Scripture, but we also discover this One God is revealed in three distinct persons as God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. All three persons dwell in unity as the Lord God; all three were present in Eden.

I can only imagine the community Adam and Eve shared with God in the Garden.
Abundant peace! Flooding Love! All shared so beautifully!
How glorious it surely was to interact with the Lord before sin marred everything!

There are four Greek words for love: eros, storge, philos, and agape.
Eros is sexual and romantic.
Storge is felt for family.
Philos is shared between friends.
Agape is Divine love poured out through self-sacrifice.

The Triune God is Lord of love, it is His DNA, and He created us to both give and receive it, mirroring how He shares self-sacrificial love even within His own Being.

“Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7)

“God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him [. . .] We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:16, 19)

Adam and Eve were the first humans to experience love and, to borrow the wording of Genesis, they saw that love was good.

Adam and Eve were the first husband and wife.
Eros

Scripture lists their children as Cain, Abel, Seth, and other sons and daughters.
Storge

The Lord walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden and talked with them directly.
Philos

Finally, Adam and Eve were removed from the Garden due to their sin. (Genesis 3)
They lost their direct access to the Lord.

However, out of His love, the Lord did not destroy them, even at the expense of His connection with them and the eventual sacrifice Jesus would make to restore our access.
Agape

Regardless of the type of love demonstrated, one common denominator is present: more than one person. This means that when the Lord decided to make man in His image, humanity was crafted for community.

“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.’” (Genesis 1:26, emphasis mine)
The Trinity is on display within the first chapter of Genesis!

God as Father, Son, and Spirit dwell in perfect community, and we are invited and challenged to foster healthy community as well with divine agape love as our foundation.

A common cultural mantra is “Love Wins.”
Yes, yes it does.
But not according to the world’s definition of “winning”.
It’s not the selfish love of one having her every whim satisfied, but a love reflecting Matthew 22: 37-40.

“He said to [the Pharisee], ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets depend on these two commands.’”

Every interaction we have with another person is a chance to grow in agape love as it undergirds every other type of love and reflects the beautiful, sacrificial love of the Triune God.

Before finding ourselves incredibly overwhelmed at trying to muster up this kind of love on our own strength, remember this love is a fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23) We are to love with and through the help of the Holy Spirit.

In order to effectively love others in community,
we must first be in community with the Lord.

Lord, we need more of You. We need Your ability to love those around us.
Holy Spirit, please cultivate agape love in us. Empower us to love like You
when it hurts,
when it’s scary,
when we’re tired,
when we’ve been wounded,
and when differences threaten to divide us by prejudice.

**Please note we do not advocate remaining in unsafe, abusive relationships. Setting healthy boundaries is also a demonstration of love.

Lord, we will continually fail without Your help; we need Your help when we inevitably fall short. Help us to love enough to ask for forgiveness, pour out grace, listen to understand, extend forgiveness, and to seek Your face for wisdom in our relationships. 

You crafted us for community.
Helps us to experience this by drawing close to You and loving our neighbors as ourselves. 

For Your Glory.
Amen. 

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