covenant

Beloved Day 10 Satisfaction Of The Beloved

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 13:4-13
Song of Solomon 2:8-17
1 Corinthians 2:1-16

Beloved, Day 10

Lights on.
Clothes off.
Covers gone.
Nothing hidden.
exposed and known tied together in a single moment.

Will there be acceptance?
Does shame live here?
Does love?

I’m not a movie junky, and I rarely watch TV, but even for me, there’s something achingly sweet in watching a romantic comedy. Whatever the couple’s circumstances that pull at my heart strings, the winding path to resolution finds me swooning and cheering for the blissful couple as their “happily ever after” comes into view and the credits roll.

It’s easy to cheer on a fictitious couple on the screen, it’s quite another to live out a happy ending in real life, where expectation, desire, and satisfaction rarely align.

As a teenager, I was drawn in by the love story of Song of Solomon. I would read every word, imagining how fantastic it would be to be the Beloved of a man who seemed entirely intent on loving me.

How beautiful you are, my Love! How pleasant! (Song of Solomon 1:15)
I am my Love’s, and his desire is for me. (Song of Solomon 7:10)
You have captured my heart with one glance of your eyes. (Song of Solomon 4:9)

Surely, if I prayed intently enough, waiting for just the right one, the Lord would give me this Happily Ever After kind of man who would pen erotic poems about the delights of my body. I would feel loved, and full; content and never wanting for anything.

Your lips are like a scarlet cord,
and your mouth is lovely. (Song of Solomon 4:3)
How beautiful are your sandaled feet, princess!
The curves of your thighs are like jewelry,
the handiwork of a master. (…)
Your belly is a mound of wheat
surrounded by lilies.
Your breasts are like two fawns,
twins of a gazelle. (Song of Solomon 7:1-3, emphasis mine)

Turns out, real life was rather, um, less than.
I do remember my new husband reading Song of Solomon one night after he prepared a hot bath, but as for bright lights and clothes off, I’m always looking for the blanket and maybe, m a y b e, a candle for a light. Otherwise, pitch black works great; it’s good for sleeping and any other activity.

It would seem I actually have a lot of shame I’d rather keep under wraps. Plenty of uncertainty whispers in the corners of my heart, asking if my Lover actually loves me for me. Then, apparently, I have quite a few expectations I didn’t realize I carried, which has led to heaps of disappointment and even anger. These are also things I’d rather keep cocooned in the dark.

For over half my life, I’ve known, and loved, my husband, and he has known and loved me.
We’ve both done the best we could, given the people we were, the maturity we had, and what we knew of love and relationships. We’re now 19 years in to this mysterious covenant love we share, but, can I tell you a secret?

I only started feeling truly satisfied when I began loving my Maker first and most.
There was a time in my marriage, where the pain of disappointment and the heavy ache of never enough grew impossible to bear. It was then, I dared something new.
I took the Lord as my Husband.

I very intentionally decided Christ would have my everything, and I would look to Him alone to find my fullest satisfaction. Being a Christian was one thing, but committing to knowing Jesus as my covenant Bridegroom was another, especially in the deep wake of disappointment in my flesh and blood marriage.

It began simply, with my open Bible, a journal page, a pen, and an awkward few sentences signaling the beginning of a commitment to meet with the Lord God every single day and pray for my husband.

Over time, the woes I had with my man faded
as Christ became most and best of what I wanted.
Instead of bemoaning all the ways my man wasn’t,
I was drawn in by all Jesus was.

As I invested in my relationship with God, His Spirit reshaped my heart to see my husband differently and love him better. Sisters, when it comes to loving my man, I have an inexpressibly long ways to go, but I also know the Lord has made me new in ways I’d never dreamed possible, and He’s made my husband new too.

Want to know another secret?
My husband’s transformation took a radical shift when He decided
Jesus needed to be His one and only love as well.

He was convicted by Jesus’ words in Revelation,
“I have this against you, you have forgotten your first love”. (Revelation 2:4)
As he sat on a mountain, he was stunned by the sheer magnitude of the All-Powerful God who simultaneously deeply knew and intimately loved him for him.

Only when we fix our full attention on the One who crafted our bodies and our hearts, can we truly love another. Only here, in the complete surrender of ourselves to the One who pursues us most passionately, can we discover that we can indeed be fully satisfied.

Here with God, who sees all and knows all, and died to forever slay our shame, can we dance gleefully with all the lights on, because we are fully known and fully loved.
Here, and only here, is where real satisfaction lives.

Oh! Taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! (Psalm 34:8)

Come away, Beloved, the Lord is for you. (Psalm 118:5-6)
While every other Love in our lives will absolutely disappoint, only Jesus will fill us with overflowing delight. Be intent on knowing Him first and most, and let His knowing of you flood you with satisfaction.

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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 Beloved 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 Beloved!

Pause IV Day 5 A God Of Justice

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Pause IV, Day 5

No one likes a consequence.
But we all want justice, don’t we?
Justice on our terms.

God was bringing punishment on His own people, His chosen nation of Israel who He had fashioned, and brought out of slavery, and entered into a covenant relationship with.

Do we really want justice where all are punished for their evil ways?

If so, then we must include ourselves.
Because we are not faultless.

There is a strong message for us in our culture today; we all deserve consequence from the Lord. None of us are blameless before a holy and righteous God.

Justice for some is a much more palatable message, isn’t it?
The Bible teaches we have all turned to our own ways, just like Israel was guilty of doing. (Isaiah 53:6)

As you read and reflect on the consequences coming towards Israel at the hand of the Babylonians, who literally took their prisoners by hook and pulled them into captivity (verse 15), consider how sin pulls us into imprisonment as well. Pause to consider what the Lord is revealing about your heart and the consequences each of us earn as a result of choosing sin.

There IS very good news in spite of all this sin, judgment, and consequence!
It’s coming next week in Pause 4, but if you just can’t wait, here it is in a word: FAITH!

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

Today's Challenge

1) Read through Habakkuk 1:14-17 out loud today twice. Slowly. Explore deeper by studying some cross-references or looking through some commentaries to provide more insight into Habakkuk’s words about the Chaldean, or Babylonian, nation. A great place to start is studylight.org and type in any verse, then click “study tools” and click on a commentary to read their insights.

2) We are so excited to share this hand-crafted Spotify playlist! We created it as we prayed over *you*. Put this playlist on repeat this weekend and be reminded of the rich truths God has shown you this week in Pause 4!

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Habakkuk 1:14-17

14 You have made mankind
like the fish of the sea,
like marine creatures that have no ruler.
15 The Chaldeans pull them all up with a hook,
catch them in their dragnet,
and gather them in their fishing net;
that is why they are glad and rejoice.
16 That is why they sacrifice to their dragnet
and burn incense to their fishing net,
for by these things their portion is rich
and their food plentiful.
17 Will they therefore empty their net
and continually slaughter nations without mercy?

How Does “Pause” Work?
1. Each day, Monday through Friday, for 3 weeks, we will provide you with a simple challenge. Each challenge is designed for you to engage with the Almighty in a deeper way and perhaps in a new way than you have been recently.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Ten Week 3

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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) It’s a lie the enemy has used from the beginning of time, “you don’t have enough.” It was good enough to lure Eve away from a rich, perfect relationship with her husband (wow! Can you even imagine?!) and the Lord God (mind blown!). Nothing would surely be worth that trade, yet she did it in a moment. What if God is holding out on me? What if there’s something He isn’t giving me? What if He is actually stingy? Second guessing the nature of God and the relationship she enjoyed with Him, ended up destroying well, everything. How easily we do the same! This hunger for more seeps into our marriages, our friendships, and of course, our relationship with God. Always, the result is death and destruction. Jealousy and comparison flow easily from the lie that what we have is “not enough”. We think God says, “don’t steal”, so we relegate that to taking a physical item that doesn’t belong to us, but the heart behind it is so much more! Spend some time speaking with the Lord about where you might be stealing, and where your heart is incurably hungry for what you do not have.

2) I recently sat with one of my kids as we walked through a circumstance where their lies had caused damage they didn’t foresee to someone else. As we talked it out, the one who lied kept insisting they didn’t see how they had actually lied. It was such a small stretching of truth. The lie was “almost” true. But that “almost” had seriously hurt someone else and their reputation. Without a clear line of distinction on what is truth, any variation of reality can be manipulated on a whim. We must have truth in our lives, anchoring even the small decisions we make. I often tell my kids, “sin always hurts someone.” Even if it’s your own heart and relationship with God, sin always hurts someone. We cannot expect to play with lies and manipulate truth to our own advantage and walk away unscathed. That is a lie itself! Journal about a recent time when someone’s deception hurt you, then write about a time your deception hurt someone else. Ask the Lord to give you a soft, repentant heart and keen awareness of truth, so you can walk far away from lies!

3) Yesterday, Merry challenged all of us (or maybe it was just me!) to reconsider how we have viewed the last commandment, do not covet. It’s easy to get bogged down in “don’t covet your neighbor’s manservant or maidservant”. Okay, got it, God. Check! Not so fast. Merry invited us to peel back the layers, and squirm. According to this command, we are called to, daily, hold up before the Lord our wants and desires at any point of our everyday, and ask ourselves, “Why am I chasing this?”.  Are our motives focused on gratifying ourselves? Jesus summed up all of God’s laws by commanding us to love God and love one another. Why? Because if I first loved my friend, I wouldn’t be earnestly wishing for her wardrobe, her job position, or her anything. Instead, I would be celebrating her because I loved her. Use this gauge of love and think through those things you have been deeply desiring or earnestly wishing for. Where can you ask the Lord to renew your heart of love?

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 Hebrews 13:5-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, “I will never leave you or abandon you.” Therefore, we may boldly say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

Prayer Journal
If You alone are my fullness. If You alone are the complete satisfier of all my needs, my hungry longings, and my aching empty places. Then I have no need to look farther than the richness of knowing You more deeply and more fully than I have just a moment ago. You are endless and hold more than enough mystery and unconditional love towards me to captivate me for an eternity. Hold me fast, Lord God, here with You. If you are for me, I need no other. If you are with me, I have no need to fear. For, bound up in Your perfect demonstration of on-going, never-ending love surrounding me on all sides, is perfect peace with no room for fear. Your perfect love casts out all fear. (1 John 4:18) Speak these truths over me again and again, Lord Jesus. Remind me to declare over my heart, my emotions, my circumstances, and my relationships, “Jesus is enough!”.

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Blessed Day 7 Blessed Are The Hungry And Thirsty: 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 Blessed Are The Hungry And Thirsty!

The Questions

1) Who are the thirsty? (verse 1)

2) What are the things that do not satisfy? (verse 2)

3) How is the “permanent covenant” related to the faithful kindness of David? (verse 3)

Isaiah 55:1-3

“Come, everyone who is thirsty,
come to the water;
and you without silver,
come, buy, and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without silver and without cost!
2 Why do you spend silver on what is not food,
and your wages on what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
and you will enjoy the choicest of foods.
3 Pay attention and come to me;
listen, so that you will live.
I will make a permanent covenant with you
on the basis of the faithful kindnesses of David.

Original Intent

1) Who are the thirsty? (verse 1)
Verse 1 is full of imperatives, including a call to action for all who are thirsty. “Come to the water (…), come, buy, and eat (…) without cost.” The open invitation calls aloud to all who thirst. Note how the speaker already has gifts ready to distribute, delicious food and drink, water and wine. This prophecy of invitation and plenty comes in the midst of Israel’s exile into captivity at the hands of the Babylonian empire. They were a people removed from their homeland because of their sinful rebellion against God. They wanted to go home, they wanted to be restored, they wearied of not being able to worship Yahweh in their temple. They longed to return with a longing that felt like hunger and thirst. Isaiah writes how the invitation is for both common (water) and luxury (wine and milk) items, both are offered without pay, but also accompanied with a sense of urgency to accept all the free gifts being held out. Old Testament Bible scholar, Leupold, writes, “It may be said that the spiritual gifts hinted at of food and drink are all incorporated in one concept, the Word of God.” Those who are thirsty are those who have a conscious need to be fulfilled. Thirst represents a deep longing for spiritual fulfillment. Jesus picks up this Old Testament thread of hungering and thirsting when He preaches the Sermon on the Mount, specifically in the beatitude in Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” In the Old Testament, Isaiah’s invitation was specifically for the Jew. Jesus’ invitation, however, broadens to encompass all to come and partake of the provision of grace where the only requirement is to be thirsty. God is summoning the exiled to end their separation from Yahweh, despite their physical circumstances of living in a foreign land. The Lord cares most about their hearts! The exiles are to come to the water (Isaiah 12:3) where God may be encountered.

2) What are the things that do not satisfy? (verse 2)
Before Israel was take away into captivity, her people had wasted their time, energy, and resources searching for satisfaction. God’s chosen people had forsaken the joy of fellowship with Him, instead spending all they had in a vain search for satisfaction and deliverance from their feelings of “longing for more”, all apart from God. The end result of their rebellion against God and worship of idols led to their exile. This nation with many talented people devoted their efforts to acquiring things of far lesser value when compared to intimate connection with God. They made great attempts to make themselves comfortable and pursue their physical wants over their spiritual needs. WHY?! The prophet Isaiah cries aloud with anguish, “why spend money on what cannot satisfy?!” (Isaiah 55:2) These things are not the Bread of Life! (John 6:35) Even dating back to before the Ten Commandments given to Moses, the Lord God made known to His children, who would become the nation Israel, “man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 8:3) Yet, here was Israel, centuries later, working to fill their hunger pangs with unsatisfying, temporal things of this earth, and it left them empty. The Lord knew from very beginning the Garden of Eden that true satisfaction and deep lasting joy are found only in wholeness of right relationship with Himself. Despite their rebellion against Him, God still extended an open invitation to His people to return to Him for their sustenance and satisfaction. He promised to faithfully provide for those who returned to Him. Jesus, who called Himself the Bread of Life, gave a similar invitation when He linked the imagery of water and bread with His providence of eternal life to all who believed in Him for salvation. (John 4:10-14)

3) How is the “permanent covenant” related to the faithful kindness of David? (verse 3)
Jesus said in John 6:63, “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life”. God’s invitational call to come and be satisfied by Him is a call to be filled with His own life, as He is the very author of all life. All who respond to His invitation are welcomed into a “permanent covenant” relationship with God, which began with Abraham, and continued through the King David. In Old Testament times, a covenant was a legally binding promise. If either party broke their end of the vow, they gave permission for the other party to literally cut them in half. Talk about serious! God established a covenant with David by promising that one of David’s descendants would always sit on the throne. Ultimately, this was infinitely fulfilled when Christ was born, taking His place as the long-awaited Messiah who would rule God’s kingdom forever. Matthew 1:1 names Jesus as the son of David proving his royal origin, while also naming him the son of Abraham proving He was an Israelite. Both point unequivocally to Christ as the rightful King of all kings. David had nothing to offer God, but God initiated a rich covenant with him. Once, David was only a shepherd boy, but God cut a covenant with him, promising to build the lineage of Christ through his line and usher in a kingdom that would never end!

Everyday Application

1) Who are the thirsty? (verse 1)
As Jesus made clear in His sermon, the invitation to freely receive the blessings of a full relationship with Him is available to all who hunger and thirst for His righteousness. In Christ, there is enough for all. All are welcome to be filled by Him! We all know what it feels like to be physically hungry or thirsty, but what of longing for righteousness? Where God gives grace, He gives the thirst. Be assured that because God has given the good grace gift of His salvation, of relationship with Him, and communion with Him through His Holy Spirit, He also provides a hungering desire. (Ecclesiastes 3:11, Psalm 34:8) He is waiting to be known by each of us, He is pursuing our hearts, He created us with “eternity in our hearts” that we might seek Him. We each have a “hungering for more”, but how will we attempt to satisfy? More material possessions? More friendships? More likes on social media? More money in the bank account? More freedom in our relationships? Or, more of Jesus? Perhaps you view Christianity as a religion of restrictions with long lists of “do’s and don’ts” and negative commandments. Contrary to this perception, the joys, peace, freedom, and victory available in relationship with Christ are precious beyond description. Too often we look for happiness and security in being entertained, our career, or spending money for things that don’t bring permanent satisfaction. Our hunger for more should cause us to “open our mouths to God, and let Him fill us.” (Psalm 81:10) Worldly pleasure will not satisfy that deep longing. Just as a person’s body cannot live without water, our hearts cannot be satisfied apart from God. It is not a religious cliché when a believer says, “God satisfies”. Depth of relationship with God is the secret of authentic soul satisfaction. Remove the obstructions, tear down the barriers, and let your soul find the fulfillment of its deepest longings in fellowship with God. “Come, buy without money and without cost.” Relationship with Jesus is FREE!!!!! Though it’s cost is inestimable, it is given freely by God Himself!

2) What are the things that do not satisfy? (verse 2)
If you just had an amazing, elegant meal, walking away filled to the brim, you aren’t interested in another lavish meal. In a similar fashion, those satisfied with the palate of the world, see no need of Christ, they do not thirst. There is no uneasiness about their souls. Yet, ironically, they still actively search for “more”. They have become accustomed to dining on the food the world offers, and aren’t aware of all they are missing by feeding on the life of Christ. Without a realization of brokenness or an awareness of never truly being “filled”, there will be no desire to seek beyond the plain fare provided by the world and its allures. Our wants are beyond number, but apart from Christ, we have nothing to truly supply them. If Christ and heaven are ours, we are indebted forever to His free grace as He generously gives us satisfaction and delight in Him. The world comes short of our expectations; we are disappointed. But Christ outdoes our expectations! The gifts of God are of such that no price can be set. They are already paid for by His work on the cross. Christ purchased our salvation fully with His blood. All the pleasures of the world will not yield solid comfort and contentment to our soul, only Jesus! Let the disappointments we face drive us to Christ and seek our satisfaction in HIM Alone.  Only then shall we find rest, peace, and comfort for our souls. Are you getting what you want from life? Have you found satisfaction that doesn’t fade? What are you chasing, aside from Jesus, that you are expecting to fulfill you?

3) How is the “permanent covenant” related to the faithful kindness of David? (verse 3)
All God’s mercies are covenant mercies, they are purchased by Him, they are promised by Him, and out of His hand they are given to us. (Ephesians 1:7-8) On our own, we cannot find salvation, which is available through the Living Water and Bread of Life, foretold in this passage of Isaiah, and brought to fullness in the flesh of Christ Jesus, who is fully human and fully divine. Christ is the fullness of the covenant that was promised to David. He is the one who unveils the mystery of salvation. (Ephesians 1:9) No one comes to the Father, but through Jesus, the embodiment of the long-ago promise declaring One would come who would forever conquer Death with His Life. (John 14:6)  The Lord’s covenant with Abraham and David extends to all people, including you and me, as was foretold in Isaiah’s prophecy. This is not the covenant of works, but the covenant of grace, and it’s founded in the everlasting love of God, according to His eternal purposes. (Ephesians 1:4, Isaiah 42:6) We are to receive Jesus fully, taking in His life as our own. Isaiah’s invitation is for us, “Come! Buy without money! Eat and be satisfied!”

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Catch up with Blessed Are The Hungry And Thirsty!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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Questions Day 9 I Saw A Sign: 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 I Saw A Sign!

The Questions

1) Why did God have mercy on His creation and spare Noah?

2) How is a covenant significant?

3) Why does God make a covenant to include “all the living creatures on earth” (verse 16)?

Genesis 9:12-17

12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all future generations: 13 I have placed my bow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I form clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all the living creatures: water will never again become a flood to destroy every creature. 16 The bow will be in the clouds, and I will look at it and remember the permanent covenant between God and all the living creatures on earth.” 17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and every creature on earth.”

Original Intent

1) Why did God have mercy on His creation and spare Noah?
We see from the beginning of Genesis, God the Father, God the Son, Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit present at Creation Genesis 1. Their detailed care for the creation of the physical realm including galaxies and planets, every animal from elephant to slug, and the intricate, unique design for human beings is evidenced in the progression of Creation. God loved His world and longed to have a relationship with those made in His likeness Genesis 1:26-27. Noah pleaded on behalf of humanity, and God, in His Holy Love, conceded and left the few faithful to begin again. Because of God’s great love, He had mercy and spared Noah’s family.

2) How is a covenant significant?
A Biblical covenant included a promise along with a physical representation of the agreement between the two parties. God made the first covenant with Adam and Eve in the Garden. (Genesis 3:20-24) God made a promise that the offspring of Eve would one day strike the head of the serpent, Satan. The physical representation of this covenant was shown to both Adam and Eve for all mankind; women would have painful labors, men would toil in labor to grow food. (Genesis 3:14-16)
Because of the Israelites’ continuous choice to give in to the desires of the flesh, God continued this covenant with Noah in this passage. The same pattern continued with Abraham (Genesis 17), Israel through Moses (Exodus 19), David (2 Samuel 7:12-17), and finally culminating in the New Testament with Jesus (Luke 22:14-23). The overarching theme of these covenants make up the backbone of the Bible. They show God’s faithfulness to very specifically keep promises and fulfill them in ways only He could.

3) Why does God make a covenant to include “all the living creatures on earth” (verse 16)?
We see in verse 10, this phrase did include both humans and animals that came out of the ark. It’s interesting to me that God would include animals in His covenant as they cannot have relationship with Him. However, since He is holy, He does not have malice available in His heart to forget about the non-human parts of His Creation. Throughout Scripture, we see our ultimate goal on earth is to glorify our King. His covenant protects all living things for His glory on display in the world among us!

Everyday Application

1) Why did God have mercy on His creation and spare Noah?
Praise the Lord for His consistency! Just as He was merciful to Noah, his family and the animals, God will be merciful to those who call on His name. Because of the finished work of Christ accomplished through His sacrifice at the cross, our past sins have been forgiven from all consequences of sin, both past and present. For the one who believes in Jesus, putting their full weight of trust in Him, the debt required to pay for sin is removed because of Jesus! We take Paul’s words to heart when he writes, “Should we continue in sin so that grace can multiply? Absolutely not!” Hop over to Romans 6 to read more on how to live in our current reality!

2) How is a covenant significant?
The physical representation of these promises serve as a reminder for us to recall God’s faithfulness. We take His example of a covenant and we apply it to life within the Body, as it applies. Maybe a community group decides to make a covenant agreement to study and care for each other on a weekly basis this semester. A group text with a reminder bell might serve as the physical representation of that commitment. It helps us remember His faithfulness and our desire to emulate that character trait. Or a man and women during their wedding ceremony might enter into a covenant agreement in marriage with a ring as a symbol of their decision. It helps us remember His faithfulness and our desire to emulate that character trait. Maybe you decide to covenant with the Lord to meet with Him daily in prayer. What physical reminder could you use to remind you of His faithfulness to always meet with you and your desire to meet with Him? Remember His faithfulness and your desire to emulate that character trait!

3) Why does God make a covenant to include “all the living creatures on earth” (verse 16)?
If the God of the Universe has included all living things under His protection, it’s our responsibility to care for this world too. Accountable, loving followers of Jesus ought to care for the sick, the marginalized, or the impoverished among their community. We also should be mindful of how we are using the limited resources this earth has; stewarding them with care and awareness of our environmental impact. Plug into your local Body (church) this week and see what needs are available that you could fill. Commit to one small practice, like bringing your own bags when shopping, to make a longer-term impact on the environment. Let us know in the comments below what you’ve pledged to; we’d love to cheer you on!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with I Saw A Sign!

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 Questions 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.

Pause 3 Day 6 Most Excellent Way

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Pause 3, Day 6

All the rules. Over 600 of them.
All the punishment that must be enacted because of infractions on those rules.
All the bloodshed required for forgiveness of sin.

But all pointed forward.

In the Old Testament, God set up a covenant with Israel to clearly mark out what holiness looked like, and what failing that holiness also looked like.
Spoiler alert: everyone failed.

So, sacrifices were required and bloodshed was required in order to pay for the crime against a holy God.
Sin had a price, that price was death.

In order to spare Israel so they all didn’t end up dying for their sin within days, God allowed animals to be sacrificed in place of people. For hundreds of years, the system continued.
Sin, and sacrifice for that sin, was the rhythm for all Jewish people.

The fact that they were indeed sinners in need of a blood sacrifice to atone for their sin was a blatantly known fact.
Every Jew was keenly aware of three things:
1) they were in a covenant relationship with God
2) they constantly failed to keep their end of the covenant
3) God was rich in mercy to allow another’s blood to cover their own payment

And this is where we often misstep in our culture today.
We like to forget we are sinners.

It’s just a white lie.
She will never know I was talking about her behind her back.
Who doesn’t think he’s hot, so what if I think about him when I’m with my husband?
Girl, I had every right to be rude!
Sisters, we are experts at justifying our sin.

No matter how long we’ve walked with Jesus or if we’ve never actually crossed the line of faith, we are still experts at covering up our sin, categorizing it as anything else but sin.

So, here we are stuck in sin, just like ancient Israel.

The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant.

A new covenant, where one sacrifice would atone for all sin, across all time.
Sin still has a price, and it’s still death.

But Christ Jesus, God the Son, took that punishment Himself.
No more animal sacrifice were needed because He, being fully God and fully man, which meant He lived our life for us in all the righteousness of God, took our rightly deserved punishment as He poured out His innocent blood.

This is the blood of the new covenant, poured out for the forgiveness of sin.

The old way of forgiveness swallowed up by the most excellent covenant where sin is atoned for by perfect righteousness.

Sisters, this covenant is for our everyday living!
When we surrender to Jesus, we enter into this covenant, paid for by Christ!
Walk forward in forgiveness!

Today's Invitation

1) Read Hebrews 7:26-8:13 and answer these 3 questions in your journal:
a) What do these verses tell me about God and His character?
b) What do these verses tell me about others and the world around me?
c) What do these verses tell me about me and my heart?

2) Close your time by praying for these truths to take root in your heart and for the Holy Spirit to remind you and teach you more about these things today.

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
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Connect with our community on Facebook!

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Hebrews 7:26-8:13

For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do—first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all time when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promise of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son, who has been perfected forever.

8:1 Now the main point of what is being said is this: We have this kind of high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a minister of the sanctuary and the true tabernacle that was set up by the Lord and not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; therefore, it was necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, he wouldn’t be a priest, since there are those offering the gifts prescribed by the law. 5 These serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was warned when he was about to complete the tabernacle. For God said, Be careful that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain. 6 But Jesus has now obtained a superior ministry, and to that degree he is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been established on better promises.

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion for a second one. 8 But finding fault with his people, he says:
See, the days are coming, says the Lord,
when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah—
9 not like the covenant
that I made with their ancestors
on the day I took them by the hand
to lead them out of the land of Egypt.
I showed no concern for them, says the Lord,
because they did not continue in my covenant.
10 For this is the covenant
that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put my laws into their minds
and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
11 And each person will not teach his fellow citizen,
and each his brother or sister, saying, “Know the Lord,”
because they will all know me,
from the least to the greatest of them.
12 For I will forgive their wrongdoing,
and I will never again remember their sins.

13 By saying a new covenant, he has declared that the first is obsolete. And what is obsolete and growing old is about to pass away.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Creed Day 7 Our Father God: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days...are a pretty big deal at GT!

We search God's Word together, ask questions as we read, dig around to find the original intentions at the time of writing, and then make some applications to our everyday lives.
Along the way, we hope you'll pick up some new tools to study Scripture and you'll see truth in a new and accessible way!
Dig In!

The Passage

Looking for yesterday’s
Journey Study?
Check out Our Father God!

Genesis 9:8-17 English Standard Version (ESV)

8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9 “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

The Questions

1) What is the purpose of the covenant?

2) What is the significance of a “sign” of the covenant?

3) What other covenants are made between God and man and how do they relate to this one?

The Findings for Intention

1) What is the purpose of the covenant?
Noah and his family had just become the sole survivors of a world-wide flood; God’s purpose in making a covenant was for assurance and as a reminder of His extreme, undeserving mercy. The world deserved death and destruction because of their sin, but God showed mercy. He not only allowed Noah and his family to live because of their faith in God, but He also showed mercy in allowing life to continue despite the fact that He knew mankind and the earth would become just as corrupt and evil as it had been before the Flood. (see 8:21) Note that this promise does not mean that He would never allow flooding in the world, but rather that the entire world would not be flooded again at the same time.

2) What is the significance of a “sign” of the covenant?
In this time period of history, covenants were often sealed or “bound” by a physical, visible sign, declaring its authenticity and its value, while serving as a clear, visual reminder of that covenant. This sign in the sky was something only God could use for a sign, as mankind had no control over it. The rainbow declared that God has eternal control over everything in creation, from winds and rain to seasons to the hearts and souls of men and women; God has dominion over all. He is just as proven by the flood, and He is merciful, as proven by the continuation of life, of cycles, and the rainbow’s reminder of His covenant.

3) What other covenants are made between God and man and how do they relate to this one?
There are 7 covenants found in the Bible and they each have very interesting ties to one another while telling us a great deal about God and His plan for redemption. Right now, we will just look briefly at 2 others, the Abrahamic Covenant and the New Covenant. Both of these had “signs” associated with them. With the Abrahamic Covenant, the sign was circumcision, which was a physical cutting that was to represent a faith “cut” in the heart. In the New Covenant, the signs are the Last Supper (or Communion), Baptism, and finally, the gift of the Holy Spirit as a seal on our hearts.

The Everyday Application

1) What is the purpose of the covenant?
Just like in every other instance of a covenant being made between God and man, God is the one initiating it. Human beings have no ability to enter into a covenant with the Almighty without Him first inviting us. Praise God for His graciousness in extending love and mercy while we were still sinners separated from Him. Thank Him for first loving us, allowing us to enter into relationship with Him! This gives us confidence before Him because we know that it was absolutely never about our own ability that allowed us access to Him in the first place!

2) What is the significance of a “sign” of the covenant?
It can be easy for us as humans to look at God’s actions with the flood and see vengeance and wrath and no compassion, but this is a terribly skewed perspective of the Father God and of ourselves. God was rightly wrathful, because mankind had turned away from Him. They refused to see Him as their perfect Satisfier, as their Provider, they refused to acknowledge Him as Lord, and missed that He was a very good Father. This is where it gets real, sisters, in your everyday moments, where are you doing the same? Still putting all those heavy expectations on yourself for performance? Still insisting that you can find satisfaction if all the to-do lists are finished and you get approval from that person? Have you missed that He is your very good Father? The same one who showed mercy to Noah, is still showing mercy to you, Beloved!

3) What other covenants are made between God and man and how do they relate to this one?
The study of covenants in Scripture is quite interesting and would be a great topic to dive into for your personal quiet time. Here’s a website with references and a list of all seven to get you started! Remember as you study, that these covenants are incredible gifts that unequivocally declare that the Father God is full of love, of mercy, and is passionately in pursuit of a relationship with us!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!

I Can Do That!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read through it (always more than a verse or two).
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!

The Community!

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

The Tools!

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

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. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? 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 :-))

The Why!

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.

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

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
See all past studies in Creed!

Sketched II Day 9 Joshua: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days...are a pretty big deal at GT!

We search God's Word together, ask questions as we read, dig around to find the original intentions at the time of writing, and then make some applications to our everyday lives.
Along the way, we hope you'll pick up some new tools to study Scripture and you'll see truth in a new and accessible way!
Dig In!

The Passage

Looking for yesterday’s
Journey Study?
Check out Joshua!

Psalm 106:24-26 English Standard Version (ESV)

Then they despised the pleasant land,
having no faith in his promise.
25 They murmured in their tents,
and did not obey the voice of the Lord.
26 Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them
that he would make them fall in the wilderness,

The Questions

1) Who is being discussed in this Psalm?

2) Why did they “despise the pleasant land”?

3) Why did the Lord swear to make them fall in the wilderness?

The Findings for Intention

1) Who is being discussed in this Psalm?
The people noted as “they” are the Israelites who had been freed from Egypt by God using Moses as their leader. This psalm was a song used to remind the people of their history, where they had come from, how they had been freed, and how they still chose sin and selfishness over following Yahweh God. Like most other “history lesson” psalms, it ends with reminders of God’s faithfulness and His promise to save, to love, and to hold true to His covenant.

2) Why did they “despise the pleasant land”?
Because all the Israelites could see was their own ability, they knew they fell far too short to conquer the good land the Lord was giving to them. They saw impossibility instead of promise. They flat out turned away from the good that God wanted to bless them with because of their arrogance and refusal to trust Him.

3) Why did the Lord swear to make them fall in the wilderness?
There are 4 reasons why the Lord was moved to give His people the consequence of dying in the wilderness instead of entering the Promised Land: called “bad” what God called “good”, refused to trust God’s character, they grumbled (which shows a heart of un-gratefulness), and ultimately chose to flat-out disobey Him.

The Everyday Application

1) Who is being discussed in this Psalm?
The Israelites were a nomadic people group for several years, and their actions displayed stubbornness, hard-heartedness, and an insistence on following their own way instead of the Lord’s despite His many provisions and His merciful grace. It’s easy to judge them as we turn the pages of their story, but if we are brave enough to hold a mirror to our own hearts while we read, we will find ourselves echoed in their ancient description. Today, as you interact with people, ask the Spirit to open your eyes to your own heart and bring conviction of those tough places where you cling to your way instead of His!

2) Why did they “despise the pleasant land”?
Centuries later after they eventually did make it into the Promised Land, they were evicted from it; again because of their selfishness and refusal to honor God as God and follow His path for loving others (see Zechariah 7:8-14). Choosing to steadfastly honor God’s way instead of ours in our small, seemingly insignificant everyday moments is a challenge, but it’s neither impossible or up to us to do it alone. The Holy Spirit is the one training our hearts to listen to His voice. Are you listening today?!

3) Why did the Lord swear to make them fall in the wilderness?
The progression of their hearts is a big deal here. The people went from doubting God, to trusting themselves, to being generally ungrateful and self-focused, to direct disobedience. A lifestyle of disobedience that results in the consequence of lifelessness doesn’t happen overnight, but with small steps away from the loving discipline and training of the Father who shapes us to be more like Him. Consider the heart actions that show up in your speech, your attitudes, and body language today and ask the Holy Spirit to convict you and train you in righteousness!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!

I Can Do That!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read through it (always more than a verse or two).
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!

The Community!

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

The Tools!

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

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. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? 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 :-))

The Why!

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.

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

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
See all past studies in Sketched II!