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Build Day 7 Building Character: 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 Building Character

The Questions

1) What is Nehemiah’s situation in this passage? (verses 1-5)

2) How does Nehemiah’s response in verses 6-11 demonstrate righteous leadership?

3) What motivated Nehemiah to choose this course of action? (verses 12-19)

Nehemiah 5:1-19

1 There was a widespread outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish countrymen. 2 Some were saying, “We, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can eat and live.” 3 Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, vineyards, and homes to get grain during the famine.” 4 Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. 5 We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

6 I became extremely angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints. 7 After seriously considering the matter, I accused the nobles and officials, saying to them, “Each of you is charging his countrymen interest.” So I called a large assembly against them 8 and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish countrymen who were sold to foreigners, but now you sell your own countrymen, and we have to buy them back.” They remained silent and could not say a word. 9 Then I said, “What you are doing isn’t right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God and not invite the reproach of our foreign enemies? 10 Even I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop charging this interest. 11 Return their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses to them immediately, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and olive oil that you have been assessing them.”

12 They responded: “We will return these things and require nothing more from them. We will do as you say.” So I summoned the priests and made everyone take an oath to do this. 13 I also shook the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake from his house and property everyone who doesn’t keep this promise. May he be shaken out and have nothing!” The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the Lord. Then the people did as they had promised.

14 Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah-from the twentieth year until his thirty-second year, 12 years-I and my associates never ate from the food allotted to the governor. 15 The governors who preceded me had heavily burdened the people, taking food and wine from them, as well as a pound of silver. Their subordinates also oppressed the people, but I didn’t do this, because of the fear of God. 16 Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of the wall, and all my subordinates were gathered there for the work. We didn’t buy any land.

17 There were 150 Jews and officials, as well as guests from the surrounding nations at my table. 18 Each day, one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me. An abundance of all kinds of wine was provided every 10 days. But I didn’t demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy.

19 Remember me favorably, my God, for all that I have done for this people.

Original Intent

1) What is Nehemiah’s situation in this passage? (verses 1-5)
“The underlying problem this chapter chronicles sprang from pride. Instead of putting God’s interests first and seeking the welfare of their brethren, the Jews were putting their own interests first and taking advantage of their brethren.” (Constable.NET) In Nehemiah 4:14-20, we see God’s people faithfully doing the work God had called them to do despite all the difficulties and hurdles. There was a wall to be rebuilt! Yet in the following chapter, our focus chapter, there is suddenly no mention of the work of rebuilding. Verse 1 reveals a “widespread outcry” among one group of Jews toward another group of Jews. A famine and taxation were causing financial strain on the people, consequently interrupting the work of rebuilding. This internal conflict among the people resulted in poverty and starvation for many. While there is no mention of the tax itself being unfair, we are told in verse 11 that the rich were taking advantage of the poor by charging unreasonable interest rates. (Enduring Word) Due to the substantial number of Jewish people needing food during a famine (verse 2), many were forced to borrow money at an unfair and extremely high rate. Although the process of borrowing and pledging to a lender was a lawful and customary practice (verse 3), overcharging was forbidden in Jewish law. (Leviticus 25:36-37) Also an acceptable form of paying debt was the practice of slavery. These dire circumstances had demoralized some of the Jews (whose children were already enslaved) and created a never-ending cycle of debt and oppression.

2) How does Nehemiah’s response in verses 6-11 demonstrate righteous leadership?
Nehemiah recognized the people were being exploited by their fellow countrymen and a virtuous anger arose in him that compelled him to speak up. (verses 6-7) Commentator Guzik wrote, “This was great leadership from Nehemiah. He was a man passionate enough to get angry; but wise enough to not act until he had considered the matter carefully.” (Enduring Word) Becoming a voice for the victims of injustice is the sign of a good leader. Especially when, as in Nehemiah’s case, the leader is justifiably able to use himself as an example of what is right. As he confronts the offending parties, Nehemiah presents his personal integrity as a comparison. In his persuasive rebuke, he reminded his fellow Jews how inconsistent it was for them to enslave their own community, some of whom they had liberated from the hands of foreigners. (verses 8-9) Nehemiah references himself as someone who had lawfully and morally loaned to the poor. (verse 10) Although there is no indication he was wrong in lending, he now calls for a complete stop to it, himself included, “Let us stop charging them.” The wealthier Jews agree to “require nothing more” from the poor. Nehemiah’s careful response prompted swift and just action from the people. (verse 12)

3) What motivated Nehemiah to choose this course of action? (verses 12-19)
It is possible that Nehemiah was unjustly accused and was included in this criticism from his Jewish countrymen. Even so, when confronted with what is happening, he demonstrates compassion toward their plight. This passage does not explicitly say, but it would not be too far of a stretch to conclude that Nehemiah leads with humility by dealing with the injustice head on rather than attempting to justify himself to the people. His gripping plea for an oath from the people (verses 12-13) and his extreme anger regarding their misery (verse 6) demonstrates his love for the people. He also exhibited a heart for God in how he instructed the people to fear God (verse 15) and by how he spoke to God in prayer, “But I didn’t demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy. Remember me favorably, my God, for all that I have done for this people.” (verses 18-19) I don’t see this as boasting in himself. Nehemiah was boasting in God just as the apostle Paul did in the New Testament in his letter to the Corinthians. (2 Corinthians 9-12) Nehemiah believed in a good God who rewards the sacrificial and generous person. He took his desire to a God whom he had come to trust and believe was for him.

Everyday Application

1) What is Nehemiah’s situation in this passage? (verses 1-5)
As I studied this passage, I was ‘feeling all the feels’ for everyone involved. Sometimes we find ourselves in the place of the forgotten ones. Perhaps you are in a circumstance that has left you vulnerable to those caught up in the corruption of money and power. In your oppressed condition, you may be praying for a leader to rise to the occasion, desiring an advocate to speak up for you. Or it could be you are like the Jews who were caught up in their desire for more wealth. Is it possible you have unintentionally allowed yourself to be part of the problem by ignoring the cries of those who have been unfairly treated? Oh, dear Sister, we all tend to be blind to our own sin. Especially when it has subtly taken root in our lives. I’m so thankful for grace-filled leaders who come alongside us with the truth and call us to higher and holy living. But what if you are the leader?! Yes, it could be that it’s you God has called to do the work of Nehemiah. To speak with courage and humility and take the lead in making wrong things right. If so, I pray you will step out in faith with God’s presence going with you!

2) How does Nehemiah’s response in verses 6-11 demonstrate righteous leadership?
Nehemiah was not a respecter of persons but had a foremost desire to honor God and the truth. Good leaders model integrity by confronting those who need to be challenged no matter who they are. One of the reasons we don’t have many biblical examples of righteous anger is because it is nearly impossible to possess! Only by God’s grace can we exhibit the anger Ephesians describes, “Be angry and do not sin.” (Ephesians 4:26-27) Nehemiah demonstrated how to respond to injustice with righteous anger. When circumstances were getting out of control he responded rather than reacted. He hit the pause button to “consider the matter.” A wonderful way to demonstrate mature leadership is growing in the grace of response rather than reaction. One of the ways I evaluate my anger is to ask myself if the anger is for someone else’s justice or my own. When mercy leads our hearts, we can know we are heading in a good direction with our anger. A merciful motive usually signifies unselfish anger. Nehemiah’s pause from the work of building the wall demonstrated a heart for the people over a desire to finish the mission. He led with compassion by calling for a promise from the people to care for those who had been unjustly treated. As a result, the task was completed with a reunified group of people in an astonishing 52 days! If you’ve ever been to Jerusalem, and seen the size of the wall, you also stand in amazement. (Nehemiah 6:15-16)

3) What motivated Nehemiah to choose this course of action? (verses 12-19)
When our motive and mission have God’s purposes at the forefront, we ignite a passion in others. As Sarah wrote, “We need to be inspired by Nehemiah’s approach to leadership, by sacrificing where necessary for the betterment of those under us; be it members of our families, workplace or community.” Entrusting the entire outcome to God will help develop leadership characteristics in us that demonstrate a wonderful blend of confidence and dependence. Others will be motivated to join us because we radiate God’s grace. As we pray and ask God to reveal His heart to us, we will care about the work that needs to be done and we will notice the people who are engaged in the work. Most commentators believe the book of Nehemiah is his personal diary or journal. Following his example, we can remember and pray within our personal quiet time with the Lord, “Remember me favorably, my God, for all that I have done for this people.” (verse 19) I’m thankful God gave us this personal look at Nehemiah’s heart through the pages of his journal. It shows us that a leader who leads with integrity can pray with boldness. When our public words are from a humble and pure heart, our private prayers can include courageous requests! (Hebrews 4:16)

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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Kneel Day 15 Hear My Cry

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 63
Psalm 54
Psalm 22
1 John 1:5-10

Kneel, Day 15

“God, hear my cry; pay attention to my prayer.” (Psalm 61:1)
Have you ever wondered if God hears your cries?

If so, you’re not alone! David–shepherd, king, and psalmist in ancient Israel–expressed a similar sentiment when he penned the opening to Psalm 61. David was considered a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), yet he wasn’t perfect. Just like you and me, he was full of dreams, plans, goals, desires (some good, some not so good), but his heart was most often set on the Lord.

David’s life and prayers appear in several books in the Old Testament, but his psalms offer the clearest depiction of his character and prayers.

David’s psalms teach us that prayers don’t only need to be offered with bowed head and quiet voice. In fact, David was often quite vocal as he poured out the depths of his feelings to the Lord.

“O God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you.
I thirst for you;
my body faints for you
in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water.” (Psalm 63:1)

David wrote this psalm in the desert of Judah, his words echoing the landscape around him as he cried out to God. Similarly, Psalm 62 expresses David’s pursuit of the One who is his hope, his satisfaction, and his deliverer; we feel the depth of his emotion as he sought the God who was everything to him, Yahweh Tsuri, “The Lord is My Rock.” (Psalm 62:7-9)

David also prayed before and during battles. While we don’t know the exact circumstances of each prayer, we know that in the midst of our own battles, we can pray like David. Like Psalm 62, Psalm 144 begins with David stating God as his rock and fortress. He continues by asking, or perhaps yelling, as he passionately pleads with God to destroy his enemies. He cries for rescue. (Psalm 144:7-8)

In fact, several of David’s prayers were written while under attack or hiding from his enemies. He composed Psalm 54 while doggedly pursued by his predecessor, King Saul, and Psalm 71 describes David’s heart’s cry to the Lord while fleeing from his own son.

Have you questioned God?
Have you ever wondered if He knew what He was doing?
Or why He seemed silent?
David experienced much of the same at times.
Psalm 22 asks, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
In David’s prayers, we find a man unafraid to bring his human-ness to the One who made him, the One who knows every part of him, and the only One who could bring David true comfort and peace in any circumstance.

One of David’s most relatable prayers is recorded in 2 Samuel 11-12. After committing adultery and murder, David is confronted by the prophet Nathan. Convicted of his sins, David moves into deep repentance, then grief at the consequences of his sin. I can picture him prostrate on the floor, utterly broken, crying out the words recorded in Psalm 51:

“Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithful love; according to Your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion. Completely wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin.”

While we may not have sinned in the same way, we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s perfect holiness. (Romans 3:23) Crushed by the weight of our sins, utterly broken, we can cling to the hope living in David’s story and words. This hope is rooted in God’s unchanging character and redeeming power. (1 John 1:8-9)

For God does hear us. He knows our hearts, therefore we can bring Him our messy prayers, our confused or questioning prayers, and our disjointed prayers when we don’t have the right words. The Spirit will make intercession for us, praying on our behalf when words fail us. (Romans 8:26-27)

In 2015, Psalm 121:1-2 became my constant prayer (it’s also the inspiration for For King and Country’s song, “Shoulders”). While traveling, my mother became ill. As my family rushed to be with her, it wasn’t clear whether she would survive. Though I was near the Gulf of Mexico in Florida’s panhandle, this verse about keeping my eyes looking up was my soul saver.

Perhaps David’s heart had cried the same words as he was trapped in a valley, hiding, unsure if foes or friends were lurking in nearby caves and hills. He needed to set his gaze higher than the natural hilltops for his protection and help. Similarly, as I waded through the valley of my mother’s death and my subsequent grief, I needed to keep looking up. At times, I still do.

We can rest assured that no prayer is too small or too great to reach God’s ears.

Whether our prayers are offered in the quietest of whispers or with reverberating intensity sizzling through every word . . .

Whether we come to Him battle-weary or devastated by the wreckage of our sin. . .

Whether we are in a time of rejoicing or lost in grief . . .

He hears our cries.

“I called to the Lord in my distress,
And I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
And my cry to him reached his ears.” (Psalm 18:6)


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The GT Weekend! ~ Waiting Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Psalm 13 begins, “How long, Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” Certainly we have all experienced the discomfort of waiting in some form or another. Joseph knew God had selected him for a specific mission and purpose, but it may have seemed to Joseph that God was taking the scenic route to get him there. We do not see Joseph questioning God or crying out in despair. In fact, at the end of his life, Joseph was able to look back on all the waiting and trials and confirm how God had used every season of his life to bring him to God’s intended result. What are you waiting for? If you’re anything like me, you don’t have the same clear vision Joseph had for where your life is going, but you do have dreams and desires. Consider two or three things you are waiting on today. Pray that God would sustain you in your waiting, and remember the final verses of Psalm 13, “But I have trusted in Your faithful love; my heart will rejoice in Your deliverance. I will sing to the Lord because He has treated me generously.”  How will you practically choose to sing?!

2) Wednesday’s Journey Study closed with this thought, “Maybe this is the key to waiting well. We can trust God’s character even when we can’t understand our circumstances, holding onto the sure hope He is still working even when we struggle to see how. Ultimately, we can trust that, in His own perfect timing, His purposes will prevail.” In a world of fast food and free next-day delivery, many of us are accustomed to near-instant gratification. But Romans 5:4 tells us our afflictions produce endurance, which leads to character, which leads to hope, which will not disappoint. It’s easy for us to ask, “Why is this happening to me?” It is harder to consider our circumstances are being used to grow our endurance, character, and hope. David waited many years for the fulfilment of God’s promise. David was honest with the Lord about his doubts, but God’s character never waivered. Where are you struggling to trust in God’s character? Can you imagine some ways He may be using these things to grow you? Write down the four words: affliction, endurance, character, and hope. When you are tempted to despair in your trials, remember these words and the God who actively works in you. Commit your way to Him and ask Him for help to endure well and hold tightly to the Hope He gives.

3) Disappointment comes from unmet expectations. Sometimes, disappointment is minor like a schedule change in your busy day or missing an engagement you were wanting to attend. Other times, the disappointment hits much deeper with life-long impact. Loss of a loved one. A marriage that ended or not finding “the one” to marry. Miscarriage or unable to conceive. Career opportunities. The list is endless, and regardless of our specific disappointment, whether big or small, each one leaves us with a large vacuum of desire utterly unfulfilled. Because we’ve all shared this common experience, we can connect with Hosea’s story in very deep ways. Hosea had waited for a bride, and when the Lord showed him who to take for his wife, his expectations didn’t align with reality. Yet, through this union, God would show Hosea, and Israel, the deep, passionate, and extremely radical love God has for His own Beloved. Hosea’s love story was entirely unexpected, but instead of becoming angry or indignant with the Lord’s response to his faithful waiting, Hosea’s single love story told the greatest love story of God for His people. Just suppose, the Sovereign God of all, who wastes nothing, loves endlessly, and carries our sorrows as His own, wanted to redeem our disappointment for His glory?! What would you surrender to Him?

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 Psalm 13:3-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Consider me and answer, Lord my God.
Restore brightness to my eyes;
otherwise, I will sleep in death.
My enemy will say, “I have triumphed over him,”
and my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
But I have trusted in your faithful love;
my heart will rejoice in your deliverance.
I will sing to the Lord
because he has treated me generously.

Prayer Journal
How long, oh Lord? Will You forget me forever? Will You allow this season of waiting and uncertainty to drag on and pull me under? We cry out to You in desperation. We seek Your face in the midst of our trouble. Do You hear us? Are You listening? But God, You are rich in mercy. You heard the voice of Joseph in his jail cell, of David in his hiding place, of Hosea in his troubled marriage, and You rescued them. Time and again, You have shown Yourself to be a faithful God. I believe You will rescue Your people from their afflictions; Lord, help my unbelief. As we wait for You, may our afflictions produce endurance, leading to character, resulting in a sure hope. While the days feel long and the nights are dark, I choose to sing a song of praise to the God who hears. I believe I will again rejoice in the goodness of our God. You answer our prayers, You rescue Your people, You have treated us generously. Thank you, oh Lord, for Your steadfast love and daily grace.

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Alive Day 4 Mindset: 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 Mindset!

The Questions

1) What does it mean to live according to the flesh? (verse 5)

2) How can I live according to the Spirit? (verse 5)

3) Why can’t those in the flesh please God? (verse 8)

Romans 8:5-9

For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. 6 Now the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him.

Original Intent

1) What does it mean to live according to the flesh? (verse 5)
Paul describes unsaved people when he discusses those who live according to the flesh. They have their minds set on the things of sinful flesh. (Romans 8:5) The word set implies making a choice to live a certain way. When we set our minds to live according to the flesh, we choose to live in a way that gratifies our desires, heedless of others and in opposition to God’s will. Sarx, the Greek term for flesh, “describes the outlook orientated toward self, is prone to sin, is opposed to God and . . . pursues its own ends in self-sufficient, independence from God” (Preceptaustin.org) To live according to the flesh means we do what we want, even if the outcomes are eventually devastating. We live for the passion of the moment. We have no regard for anything but our own will and pleasure. This is our default nature. All people are born with this natural mindset focused on sin and self-love. John Piper describes the flesh as the “proud and unsubmissive root of depravity in every human heart which exalts itself subtly through proud, self-reliant morality, or flaunts itself blatantly through self-assertive, authority-despising immorality.” Paul cautions in verse 6 that living with our minds set on the flesh is death. “The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so.” (verse 7) Living according to the flesh means to live in hostility towards God, unable to submit to His law. Trusting in God and choosing to receive His saving grace (Ephesians 2:8) moves us off the path of death and onto the way of life in God’s Spirit. (John 5:24) If you recognize yourself as being held back by this mindset of the flesh, you can live free starting now by calling on Jesus (Romans 10:13) and accepting His gift of salvation.

2) How can I live according to the Spirit? (verse 5)
Paul says if the Spirit of God lives in us, then we live by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-18), which means we have a mindset of life and peace. (Romans 8:5-9) The Greek word used for life in this passage, zoe, means “the absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical, which alone belongs to God the Giver of life. This is life as God originally intended it to be lived” (Preceptaustion.org) When we live empowered by the Spirit of God, we have access to the full, abundant life of God. The word peace, from the Greek, eirene, means “to bind together that which has been separated, [for example] the believing sinner, bound together with God and His life after having been separated by sin. It is that inward harmony and tranquility that results from yielding to God.” (Precept) Living life in the Spirit brings a bond of peace from having been reconciled to God. When we live according to the Spirit, we let go of our own selfish desires and let the Holy Spirit of God empower us with life and peace. We make choices based on God’s will and strengthened by His Spirit. (Ephesians 3:16) This isn’t something we can do on our own power. Left to our own devices, we will act based on selfish motives. (Romans 7:18) When the Spirit is guiding us, equips us to choose God’s plan and follow His steps toward an abundant, peace filled life.

3) Why can’t those in the flesh please God? (verse 8)
Romans 8:8 tells us that those who are in the flesh cannot please God. There is no good deed or kind act that someone living according to the flesh can possibly do to please the Lord and earn His divine favor. William MacDonald explains, “There is nothing an unsaved person can do to please God —no good works, no religious observances, no sacrificial services, absolutely nothing. First, he must take … receive Christ by a definite act of faith. Only then can He win God’s smile of approval.” Hebrews 11:6 tells us that “without faith, it is impossible to please God since the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” Pleasing God requires us to have faith in Him, showing Him we have recognized our own inability to earn right standing and have understood how kindly He loves us by taking the punishment of sin on Himself. Because God is holy, our sin separates us from Him. (Isaiah 59:2) Those who live in the flesh are sinful, choosing their own way over God’s way. Saving faith requires us to forsake our sins and trust God’s will and His ways over our own. We can try everything in our power to please Him, but it is only by putting our faith in Him that we can be saved and brought into His presence.

Everyday Application

1) What does it mean to live according to the flesh? (verse 5)
I heard the news with disgust; a respected Bible teacher was discovered to be a sex-offender. There was so much heartbreak for the abused, for his family and colleagues, and his followers. Here was someone who professed to live by the Spirit of God, but actually lived a secret life in disobedience to God as he followed the desires of his flesh. The Bible tells us the temptation of the flesh can be very strong, even for those saved by God’s grace. Jesus said, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:40) If we don’t surrender to the Spirit of God at work within us, we will choose fleshly desires. Charles Ellicott explains that for those living by the flesh, “Their whole mental and moral activity is set upon nothing else but the gratification of these cravings of sense.” Jesus promises believers in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that “God is faithful; He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.” Those who have been redeemed by God have the ability to withstand temptation because God helps them. God understands our weaknesses because He has been tempted in every way we have; He gives us grace to come before Him and seek His help. (Hebrews 4:15-16) When we are tempted to return to a life lived according to the flesh, God provides the grace and power we need to continue living according to His will.

2) How can I live according to the Spirit? (verse 5)
When I look up the word peace in the dictionary, I expect to find a picture of my friend, James. No matter what curveball life throws at him, he is never shaken. He was orphaned at a young age, faced racism, job instability, and cancer, to name some of his struggles. Yet, never have I seen him doubt God or waver in his faith. In fact, every encounter with him brings me peace because he is at peace with God and trusts Him in every trial he faces. James’ life displays the evidence of a life lived with God. When we live by the Spirit (Romans 8:5), the Bible promises there will be evidence of the Spirit’s fruitful life in us. We call this the fruit of the Spirit, and we read about it in Galatians 5:22-23. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” If we are living by the Spirit’s life, people will recognize His life in us by the fruit He produces in our lives. They will notice our patience with the customer yelling at us at work or the joy we have in the midst of hard times. When people encounter the Spirit at work in us when we surrender to Him, they will notice the love and goodness of God on display in our lives. When my friend James is in the room, everyone comes to him for a hug and encouragement because they are drawn to the precious peace spilling out from his Spirit-led life. I want to be like James, sharing the fruit of the Spirit with everyone around me.

3) Why can’t those in the flesh please God? (verse 8)
I read a play where the main character felt so guilty for all of the bad things she had done in her life that she went on a mad spree, stuffing everything she owned in a Salvation Army donation box. She hoped her contribution to a good cause would undo all the bad she had done, or at least make her feel better. Sometimes we try this same tactic with God. We know the sins we commit aren’t pleasing to Him, so we try to work our way into His good graces by volunteering, donating, and sacrificing just to please Him. But it doesn’t work like this with God! Our sin is much too offensive and even our attempts at goodness are “filthy rags” in God’s perfect eyes. (Isaiah 64:6) God’s heart desires us to trust in His Son, Jesus, and allow Him to direct our lives. His ways are perfectly fitted to experiencing joy and purpose. Having faith in Him is the only way to please Him. Our works can do nothing; salvation is only by His hand, not ours. (Ephesians 2:9) He tells us in 2 Timothy 1:9 that “He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” There is nothing we can do to earn His salvation. It is His free gift to us. (Ephesians 2:8) We can’t please Him unless we have forsaken our sins, coming to Him to be washed clean of our sin. (Ephesians 1:7) He has done the work; all we must do to receive this gift is repent of our sins and embrace His redeeming love. He may lead us to donate our possessions or do good things as we live out His purposes for us, but it will be our obedience prompted by our faith in Him that pleases Him.

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

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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.

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Focus Day 10 A Holy Submission

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Read His Words Before Ours!

James 4:1-12
Proverbs 6
Ephesians 5:15-21
Philippians 2:4-8

Focus, Day 10

Romance.
For as long I can remember I’ve fantasied about meeting ‘the one’.

In my fantasy, I would be in a crowded café. A breathtaking man would walk in and catch my eye. He would be tall and handsome with piercing blue eyes. On seeing me, he’d make eye contact and suddenly, it would feel as if we knew each other.
Entirely enamored, he would stop everything to make his way towards me.
He would introduce himself and then we’d spend the next few hours talking, forgetting all our plans for the day. We’d then agree to go out on a date, a date that would be incredible and unforgettable. We would laugh and talk the evening away, getting to know each other. We would quickly decide to begin a relationship and have many more dates just like the first. I would be so excited to introduce him to my family and friends and they would quickly fall in love with him. Soon, we would get married and start a family happily ever after……

…..but that’s not what happened

When he met my friends and family, they said they didn’t like him and that I didn’t know him.
I couldn’t believe it! He was the man of my dreams!
Why was this going horribly wrong?

To make it worse, my family began advising me to break things off.
But I simply couldn’t get away from the hold he had on me.
Like a spider casting his web, this man had entangled his prey: me.
I was stuck in his web, and every time I pulled to get away, the closer to death I felt.

This is exactly what it’s like when we flirt with the enemy of our souls.
He preys on our dreams and desires and instead of fulfillment, he takes us down a path we never wanted to go, a pathway to death.

These pathways, while seemingly charming and harmless, do not reflect God’s heart…
Adultery James 4:1
Friendship with the world James 4:4
Wars and fights James 4:4

On paper, these paths are obviously dangerous, yet our feet are often quick to walk them.

In Proverbs 6:27-28 we see how not only is flirting with the enemy and his lies not beneficial, but also exceedingly harmful,
“Can a man carry fire next to his chest
and his clothes not be burned?
Or can one walk on hot coals
and his feet not be scorched?”

The scheming lies of the enemy’s enticements are subtle and sweet.
It’s the slow process of believing small lies until, before you know it,
you find yourself living a life you never wanted.

Small, seemingly harmless decisions that lead towards enemy territory,
are nothing more than sugar-coated sins
causing us to break unity with God and His people.

The good news?!
With God’s divine wisdom, we can avoid the traps so well placed by the enemy.
The answer is submission.

Submission happens when we willing choose to place ourselves
under the authority of another person.

To me, submission is like peroxide.
When applied it to a cut, peroxide burns and stings, leaving me afraid to use it, but I still pour it on my wound because it brings healing. Just the same, submitting to the Lord brings healing and does the Body of Christ (the Church) good.

Submission to the Lord……
brings unity among believers, (Ephesians 2)
opens the pathway for us to be made new in Christ, and (Ephesians 4)
is done in reverence to God from hearts that have been awakened by Him. (Ephesians 5:15-21)

When we submit to the Lord, we are effectively saying,
“I’m willing to stop listening to the enemy’s lies about my happiness.
Instead, I’m choosing Your (God’s) wisdom over mine.”

When we choose to submit our lives to the Lord, we have the ability through the Holy Spirit, to engage in the lifestyle of mutual submission with others around us as we actively walk away from the enemy and onto the solid ground of wisely reflecting God’s heart.

What does this wisdom look like practically?
It’s a wife respecting and honoring her husband,
even when her husband isn’t loving her the way she wants or even needs.

It’s a parent taking time to care for a child,
even when their own wants and needs are needing attention.

It’s an employee showing up and working to the best of their ability,
even when their boss isn’t kind or reasonable.

It’s children obeying a parent,
even when that parent doesn’t perfectly emulate the parent God has designed them to be.

It’s a husband taking time to learn and love his wife like Christ loves the church,
even when he struggles to understand her and feels disrespected and not heard.

Walking wisely as we mutually submit to one another is not choosing the easy path.
But it is choosing the path that honors God, others, and reflects God’s heart of radical love.

Don’t flirt with death, becoming entangled in lies, instead purpose to walk wisely by choosing God’s path for life!

How are you engaging in mutual submission?
What areas can you improve in submission?
I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

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Tabernacle Day 3 Relationship Rules

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Deuteronomy 11:22-28
Psalm 51:16-17
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Micah 6:6-8
Luke 10:25-28 

Tabernacle, Day 3

Don’t play in the street.
Don’t touch the stove.
Don’t climb on the bookshelves. 

Sometimes, kids think all parents say is NO.
As my girls are growing up, they have commented how I am mean or never let them do anything fun.
Of course, they are exaggerating, and as adults we laugh at their limited perspective. 

But then we do the same thing to God.
We complain about all the RULES.
We think He’s trying to take away all our fun; when in reality, He desires our good. 

Just like we want to keep our children safe, God wants to protect us. Just as we LOVE our little ones and long to watch them grow and learn, God wants that intimate RELATIONSHIP with us too.  After all, we ARE His children! 

In Hebrews we are reminded that God’s discipline is not only for our GOOD, but so that we can“share in God’s holiness!” In the book’s thirteen chapters, the author proves how JESUS provides a NEW and better way to relate to God.  

We see without a doubt that God longs for us to know Him deeply and personally.  This RELATIONSHIP then transforms us.  All we do stems from our love for God, in response to His love for us. 

In the Old Testament, God established a covenant with the nation of Israel. 
He provided them with rules covering EVERY single aspect of their daily lives.
We can easily get “stuck” reading through Leviticus, with all the regulations regarding what they could eat, what they could wear, how they could cut their hair, what days they could work.  Not to mention all the offerings they had to bring and the exact ways they needed to be prepared and presented.

We might start to think God is pretty legalistic, and demanding.
We are mistaken. 

Look DEEPER… 

As the Israelites made their way from Egypt to Canaan, they set up a Tabernacle every time they camped.  There, God dwelt AMONG them. 

This was VERY different from the distant gods the pagan people of the land worshipped.  

God DID give specific instructions for building of the Tabernacle, both in material and directions for construction. He also laid out clear directives for how to worship and even enter the Tabernacle. (See Exodus 25 to 30! Yes, it took 6 chapters for all the instructions!) 

Again, we might look at all these rules and picture God as a domineering dictator. We would be very, very WRONG! 

The Israelites were coming from Egypt, where people worshipped gods galore. 

Pharaoh himself was considered a god, but even he prayed to the gods of fertility, agriculture, astrology, knowledge, magic, and the afterlife.
In all, the Egyptians had over 40 false gods, each one demanding sacrifices in return for their favor and blessing. 

When the Israelites escaped after 400 years of slavery and made their way to Canaan, they were bombarded with new false deities.  

While the Israelites had a transportable Tabernacle, the people of Canaan had elaborate temples where gods and goddesses were worshipped.  Just as these temples were in the center of the city, life revolved around pleasing one deity after another.  

The people were at the mercy of the gods, hoping they sacrificed enough, but never knowing for sure how the gods would respond.  

The Canaanites went to great lengths in attempt to earn the gods’ favor, including severe fasting, mutilating themselves, and even sacrificing their children.  

God, in His GOODNESS, was working to protect His people from this awful lifestyle of emptiness and brokenness.
He offered a very DIFFERENT way to worship;
He offered a RELATIONSHIP! 

God is NOT a dictator. 
In Deuteronomy 30, God reminds the Israelites of their CHOICE to obey and be blessed, or turn away and experience His discipline. 

Unlike the deities of the time, GOD made it VERY clear what He expected, and ALWAYS followed through on His promises to bless His people when they obeyed. 

Thousands of years have passed since the days of the Tabernacle, but we have the same opportunity to CHOOSE to “love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.”  

As we give ourselves to God, we are delighted to discover that we are
NOT regulated by a long list of do’s and don’ts.
Rather, LOVE is the ONE “rule” we live by. 

With Christ, we aren’t left wondering if we’ve “done enough.”
We rest in knowing that HE did all of the work for us.
When He died in our place, paying the debt we owed because of our sin and giving in exchange His completed, perfect righteousness to us, HE finished the work on our behalf. 

From Genesis to Revelation, we see a beautiful story of redemption as the Creator God reaches out to US so that we can KNOW Him and become like Him. 

What about YOU?
God is inviting YOU to be in RELATIONSHIP with Him,
to let Him transform HOW you live and ultimately WHO you are.
Will you let God’s rule bring your freedom TODAY? 

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

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