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Sketched X Day 2 Family Tree: 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 Family Tree!

The Questions

1) What do we learn about God’s plans from this passage?

2) How does God use what we see as impossible or dire circumstances to work out His plans and purposes?

3) How can we respond to this knowledge about God’s overarching and intimate involvement in all our experiences?

Genesis 45:7-8

God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.  8 Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Original Intent

1) What do we learn about God’s plans from this passage?
This passage in Genesis comes after Joseph is already well established in Egypt. He had been nearly murdered by his brothers, sold into slavery, risen up in power under Potiphar only to be falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, then sent to prison, given authority in prison, but left there, seemingly forgotten. Then, at the right time, Joseph was brought before Pharaoh to interpret a dream. The outcome of that exchange resulted in Joseph’s elevation to lord over Pharaoh’s household; he became second in command only to Pharaoh over all of Egypt. Joseph’s reflection in Genesis 50:19-20 reflects God’s purpose in the overall story and timing of every aspect of Joseph’s long journey. Joseph said to his brothers who had plotted his death, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.”

2) How does God use what we see as impossible or dire circumstances to work out His plans and purposes?
When we look at the full narrative of Joseph’s life, it’s obvious how God used all the circumstances that led up to Joseph’s high position in Egypt to both prepare Joseph (by humbling him and teaching him to depend upon God) and use him to bless a nation. If we divided Joseph’s story into segments, they would appear fruitless and perhaps could be seen as evidence of God abandoning someone who was faithful. Joseph acted rightly in the house of Potiphar yet was accused of adultery and unjustly imprisoned. Only looking at this scene could lead us to discount God’s faithfulness and “prove” God had abandoned Joseph. If we zoom in on Joseph’s years of being forgotten in prison after he accurately interpreted a dream and he pleaded to be remembered, we may feel God is unjust because Joseph’s circumstances were unfair. But when we see the whole of Joseph’s story we discover the ultimate, very good outcome of Joseph’s life. Even Joseph’s own lips attest of God’s supreme sovereign faithfulness. The Lord used every circumstance of Joseph’s life to position Joseph in just the right place, at just the right time so that only Joseph’s family would be saved, but the nation of Israel would flourish.

3) How can we respond to this knowledge about God’s overarching and intimate involvement in all our experiences?
Joseph’s life journey was fraught with trouble, persecution, injustice, and hardship; it seemed to never end and was surely pocked with disbelief and doubt along the way. But the Lord’s love was relentless to not only finish His work for Israel but to also finish His work in Joseph’s heart. Joseph didn’t always trust the Lord steadfastly, but at the close of his narrative, he testifies of the good plans of the Lord. God developed Joseph’s faith through suffering. Joseph trusted God more fully as he grew in knowledge of God and His faithful character. Perhaps the greatest example of this truth is the cross of Christ, which would surely have been the greatest tragedy in all of history as it threatened to kill the Author of Life. But God in His love and sovereign authority used the cruelty of death to bring about our own salvation and reconciliation to God that was once an impossible gulf to span because of our sin’s heavy debt. If we could see Christ’s death through the eyes of the eleven remaining disciples during the first days after the crucifixion we would see utter tragedy and defeat. But the cross was a pathway and a means, not an end. Through the supreme suffering of Jesus, God reconciled the ungodly (all of us) to Himself, and made a way where there was no way so we could be called sons and daughters of God. (2 Corinthians 6:18) When we witness God turning the greatest tragedy into the greatest gain, we can trust God more fully with every hardship we endure. He is the same God now as He was at the cross. He is the God who went to the cross for us; such lavish love! (Romans 8:32)

Everyday Application

1) What do we learn about God’s plans from this passage?
God’s plans for His people, both individually and corporately, involve a far deeper and broader scope than we can see or fathom.  His plans are laid to work good for many even though they involve the temporary suffering of one or more people to achieve His ultimate blessing. Jeremiah 29:11 conveys this essential principle of God moving on behalf of His people as He spoke through the prophet to the nation of Israel who faced exile and captivity, “For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” God is light, and in Him is no darkness whatsoever. (1 John 1:5) He is not the author of evil. (Job 34:12) He has no pleasure in wickedness. (Psalm 5:4) God has allowed evil in the world because He permitted humanity’s freedom of choice, and we chose sin, and will always choose sin when we act out of our sin nature. Even this gift of freedom to choose, like everything else God does, flows from His character essence of absolute love. (1 John 4:16) His will is good and perfect toward all His creation, emanating from His heart of love. This love is perfect, true, and trustworthy which is why we can rejoice in our sufferings and endure hardship. We confidently know and attest to the reality that God is working all things together for the good of those He loves and those who are called according to His purposes. (Romans 8:28)

2) How does God use what we see as impossible or dire circumstances to work out His plans and purposes?
God’s plans allow for suffering, which can make us squirm in our theological seats, but because of His goodness, our suffering is never in vain when we surrender our lives to His authority. (Hebrews 12:7) When we remember God’s character and we recall that He is incapable of sin or evil, we can view our circumstances in a new light. We can remember that God is constantly at work to do His good pleasure in the hearts and lives of His followers. (Philippians 2:13) He is working all things together according to His plans for good and He will graciously bless us and make us more like Himself in the process. (Romans 8:29) In light of this reality, the author of Hebrews encourages, “No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees.” (Hebrews 12:11-12) His plans are firm and unwavering, flowing from His heart. (Psalm 33:11) What He plans, He will do. “The Lord of heavenly forces has promised: As I intended, so it will be; and as I have planned, so it will happen.” (Isaiah 14:24)

3) How can we respond to this knowledge about God’s overarching and intimate involvement in all our experiences?
We are prone to wander and drift, doubt and mistrust for we are each just as human as Joseph. We remain strong in our faith when things are going well and we sense God’s presence in our lives, but when God feels far, or our circumstances try us, our weak flesh easily doubts God’s goodness, care, love, and faithfulness. When we remember how God provided for Joseph, or for the Israelites in the desert for forty years, we cannot miss His constant presence and perpetual work even if it seems slow and too long to us. He never abandoned despite Israel’s rebellion and faithlessness for abandonment goes against His character. (2 Timothy 2:13) He is Emmanuel, God with us. (Matthew 1:23) He is not a God who is far, but a God who is near. This truth allows us to drop our anxieties. (Philippians 4:4-5) So many places in His word He echoes the truth of His nearness, His care, and His provision. In the short run, it may appear we have been overcome or that life is hopeless and we are helpless, but that is never the whole picture for all who have trusted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. “We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9) Let’s choose to remember God’s presence, His purposes, His goodness, His past actions on our behalf and in history so we can endure trials by keeping our eyes set upon His love. (James 1:2-4, Romans 5:3-5)

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

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 Sketched X Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Reveal Day 11 Dancing In The Dark

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ezekiel 37:15-28
2 Samuel 6:1-15
Ecclesiastes 3:1-22

Reveal, Day 11

I woke up today and struggled to put my feelings into words. For a person who loves words, failing to figure out which ones to use only added to the loneliness of the moment.

As I thought, a picture of the ocean tide going out came to mind.
That. I was feeling that.

How does the beach feel as the tide heads back to sea, taking with it anything not strong enough to anchor itself in the sand?
Does it recognize something is missing?
Does a sense of loss and an inability to hold onto the waves cause it to tremble?
Does an awareness of uncovering surprise it as the ocean breeze makes contact with the wet soil?

As the beach imagery provides words for my emotions, it also reminds me of the treasure trove revealed in the absence of those salty waters as the
waves run out and sea shells glisten on sandy shores. The ocean picture of runaway tides and hidden shells reminds me that while I may be feeling much like the beach at low tide, I have hope.

Good things, God-things, are found in the midst of these emotions.
Good things, God-things, are found in the faith that sustains us in the wake of raw, uncovered, and alone.

This hope is found in one Place, in one Person, the Presence of God.
Jeremiah 29:13-14 says, “‘You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. I will be found by you’–this is the Lord’s declaration.” How many times I have held onto this promise, and seeking Him, knowing He would faithfully allow me to find Him.
I’m sitting here humbled by the Lord’s promise not only to be found by me when I search for Him with all my heart, but to dwell within me. Because Christ came to earth and died for my sins, I am able to interact with Him directly.

This was not the case for those believers living in the days prior to His arrival. In fact, leading up to Jesus’ birth, the Israelites had no prophetic voice communicating the heart of the Father for 400 years. They had promises of the Messiah to come, but no present-day prophet through whom the Lord would guide and lead His people.

The Holy Spirit did not indwell them individually; a priest served as the intermediary between a believer and the Lord through the sacrifices required by the Law. Until Christ became our perpetual sacrifice, the Israelites lacked consistent access to the Presence of the Lord in their lives.

But oh, how they reveled in the joy of His nearness when His Presence visited! David danced with abandon before the Ark of the Covenant as it was restored to Israel. When was the last time you danced with joy, and I mean more than quiet toe tap to a song with a good beat? This dancing sprang up within David as an outrageous act of worship, totally disregarding social norms. David sought only to please the Lord and rejoice in His Presence.

Elizabeth, John the Baptist’s mother, also experienced the impact of the Lord’s nearness. The baby in her womb leapt as the baby Mary carried, Jesus, drew close. I’ve never been pregnant, so I can only imagine the surprise and delight at feeling a child within dance. This must have been far more noticeable than the butterflies and kicks a soon-to-be mother feels.

As the first Christmas arrived, the shepherds were unaware of the nearness of the Lord’s Presence, but what must their responses have been when an angel appeared and brought the glory of the Lord with him? Years of silence ended as the host of heaven sang praises to the Lord.

The first Christmas ushered in the grace of access to experience the Almighty’s presence directly within our souls if we surrender our hearts to Him. When we seek Him with all we are, we will find Him. He will make His home with us. (Ephesians 3:17)

In those moments when an aching void turns your world dark, come to Him with your raw and uncovered and alone. Come with your bereft heart echoing mourning Israel’s exile cry,
“Oh, come, oh come, Emmanuel! “
Come with your longing for God with us, our God whose nearness is our good.
And in your dark waiting, hope in the assurance your Emmanuel is near!
Dance with David, John the Baptist, and a few surprised shepherds, and delight in the Presence of the Lord who came near!

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

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

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

Glimmers Day 7 Hope In The Should Have: 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 Hope In The Should Have!

The Questions

1) What are the circumstances for this psalm of David?

2) What is the significance of all the location names in verses 7-10?

3) What is the central anchor for David’s hope?

Psalm 108

My heart is confident, God;
I will sing; I will sing praises
with the whole of my being.
2 Wake up, harp and lyre!
I will wake up the dawn.
3 I will praise you, Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
4 For your faithful love is higher than the heavens,
and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
5 God, be exalted above the heavens,
and let your glory be over the whole earth.
6 Save with your right hand and answer me
so that those you love may be rescued.

7 God has spoken in his sanctuary:
“I will celebrate!
I will divide up Shechem.
I will apportion the Valley of Succoth.
8 Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine,
and Ephraim is my helmet;
Judah is my scepter.
9 Moab is my washbasin;
I throw my sandal on Edom.
I shout in triumph over Philistia.”

10 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
11 God, haven’t you rejected us?
God, you do not march out with our armies.
12 Give us aid against the foe,
for human help is worthless.
13 With God we will perform valiantly;
he will trample our foes.

Original Intent

1) What are the circumstances for this psalm of David?
This psalm is a historic “mashup” of two other psalms David had previously penned during two distinctly difficult times in his life. Verses 1-5 were first written in Psalm 57:7-11 where David, the anointed king of Israel, found himself hiding in the cold depths of a cave to save his life as the current King Saul chased him down to kill him. If ever David was in need of hope, it was in that dark cave. Verses 6-13 are first found in Psalm 60:5-12 as David, now King, but having experienced significant defeat at the hands of Edom (descendants of Esau) on Judah in the south. David was surrounded by defeat within his own land and Israel was left reeling like a drunkard with the beating blow of her enemy’s victory. The “mashup song” then was combined by David as a firm reminder of these two turning point instances in his life. The purpose was to quickly call to his mind how the dark the past had been and how victorious the Lord had proven to be. Now, having survived both the depths of depressing darkness and resounding defeat, David urges Israel to look forward and take new ground for, with the Lord as their help, nothing else matters.

2) What is the significance of all the location names in verses 7-10?
Moses had led the budding nation of Israel out of the chains of slavery in Egypt and forward into all God had promised them in Canaan (the Promised Land). After Moses’ death, Joshua led them across the Jordan River to literally take new ground the Lord had given as an inheritance to His people. Shechem and the Valley of Succoth (Genesis 33:17-18) were the first territories Israel would have encountered when crossing the Jordan. The other names are locations farther into Canaan that were all part of Israel’s inheritance from the Lord. Here, the David calls to mind the Lord’s words in speaking over David, “I will divide up Shechem. I will apportion the Valley of Succoth. Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine.” (verses 7-8) This was the Lord’s reminder that the inheritance was the LORD’S. He owned it, He ruled it, and whatever circumstances were happening, the Lord was the final victor and King.

3) What is the central anchor for David’s hope?
David’s words speak of victory already won and real reason to celebrate. “My heart is confident, God. I will sing; I will sing praises with the whole of my being!” (verse 1) His reason to rejoice is so sure and solid that he boasts of “wake(ing) up the dawn” with his loud rejoicing. (verse 2) But remember, these words were written as David sat in the back of a cold, musty, cave with little supplies and a sinking morale among his men. Clearly, defeat appeared ready to swallow him alive, yet he sang. He rejoiced so boldly he “awakened the dawn”. He declared the Lord’s goodness to all, he praised God for His faithful love and His magnificent glory. David praised God’s character when his circumstances gave him nothing to praise Him for. I doubt David felt like worshipping while he crouched there with his life hanging in the balance. But David made a very intentional choice to praise God’s good character because his anchor for life was found in the Lord Almighty and nothing less.

Everyday Application

1) What are the circumstances for this psalm of David?
This is a great time to grab a journal, pen, and Bible. Read through Psalm 108 again with the understanding that it represents two very dark times for David, then write your own psalm with the same format. What have been shadow grounds for you in your past, how has the Lord proven His victory? Speak of His great hope that displayed itself in the middle of your night! Or maybe you’re exploring the Lord and the claims of the Bible. Perhaps you’ve never experienced that victory or known His hope as it settled into the core of who you are. Give time to consider your current dark places, the areas of your life you’d rather run from than walk into. What if, like David, you decided to trust the Lord in the midst of mayhem? What if you asked Him to make Himself known to you like He did to Israel? It’s one prayer the Bible says the Lord will absolutely answer in the affirmative every single time! Call to Him, ask Him to show you Who He Is! (Jeremiah 33:3, Ephesians 1:17-18)

2) What is the significance of all the location names in verses 7-10?
As believers today, we aren’t given specific plots of land to call our own from the hand of God, but we are given incredible inheritance, one that lasts for eternity. An inheritance where the boundary lines have fallen in wide, open spaces because the Lord Himself is our inheritance. (Psalm 16:5-6) We are co-heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ, all He has access to is ours in Him. His is an inheritance of faith, joy, peace, grace, un-ending love, incorruptible hope, and treasure that neither rusts nor fades! Like David, whatever the circumstances of your journey right now, you can claim the Lord’s victory over it. If you are His, having been washed in His blood shed at the cross as He took the punishment deserved for us upon Himself, His righteousness is yours as you are made eternally right in your standing with God. You are His, purchased by His sacrifice. Just as the Lord reminded David that his inheritance of the land and kingdom was really the Lord’s and owned and ruled by Him and His heart of love, so are we, our lives, and our circumstances. There is nothing we experience, walk through, grieve, or worry about that He is not intimately familiar with. Because He is our victor, living within us by His Spirit, we can confidently shout with David, “My heart is confident!”. (verse 1) Hear this, the Lord Himself is celebrating over you because while He is our inheritance, we are His! And He celebrates that! (verse 7)

3) What is the central anchor for David’s hope?
In yesterday’s Journey, we saw Israel stuck in a cycle of sin, consequence, repentance, and return. Israel stubbornly chose to live perpetually below the inheritance they had received as God’s chosen ones, yet the Lord pursued and loved because He is a God whose heart loves unconditionally. Sit With That. How often we run, shoving back the embrace of the Lord who loves us. How often we find ourselves focused on dark circumstances, our woeful feelings, our shaking fears, and our incessant worries, but we have a choice, just like David did and just like the Israel did. We can return, we can still our hearts before the Almighty and chose to worship Him for Who He Is, the Great Bringer of Hope. Hope glimmered for Israel every time the Lord disciplined them, drawing them back. They hadn’t gone ‘too far’ for His love to reach because there is no such thing. Hope glimmered in the back of a cave and on a defeated, bloody battlefield for David, not because his surroundings were ‘up and to the right’, but because His God Was GOOD. Sister, the same is true for you and me. Hope does more than glimmer for us, it shines brilliantly, piercing our ugly parts because the baby in the manger is God on the cross and Final Victor over death and sin. Hope Lives. Praise Him for being HIM!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Hope In The Should Have!

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 Glimmers 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.