Do Not

Word Day 8 It Is I Am

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 6:16-21
Exodus 3:11-15
Isaiah 26:3-4
John 1:1-5
John 10:27-30

Word, Day 8

I can only imagine the disciples’ terror as the “high wind arose, and the sea began to churn.” (John 6:18)

When they set sail, the lake was calm, but in the darkness, far from shore, they were suddenly caught in a ferocious storm. As they battled against the wind and waves, they must have been in a desperate state. Perhaps they wondered if they would survive.

Have you ever been caught in a storm?

I’m fortunate to never have an experience like the disciples of being out in a boat in such a fierce storm, but I can certainly identify with their fear.

We all experience storms in life through challenges, disappointment, and suffering when life feels out of control just as it did for the disciples. We, too, can feel like we’re battered by the waves and desperately straining to find a way through the chaos back onto solid ground.

At moments like these, it’s very easy for circumstance and fear to overwhelm us.

Into the midst of the disciples’ fear and panic came a figure walking on water. I imagine this sight only deepened their terror until they heard the comforting call of a familiar voice, “It is I. Don’t be afraid.” (John 6:20)

The storm still raged as waves continued rolling, but Jesus invited His disciples into a space without fear. The tumultuous seas had not calmed, but Christ was present.

The Greek words translated “It is I,” in John 6:20 are “ego eimi,” which literally means, “I am.”

I am.
Don’t be afraid.

These words are reminiscent of Moses’ encounter recorded in the Old Testament. While he wasn’t caught in a physical storm, he was catapulted into a similar state of overwhelming fear. When God appeared to Moses in a burning bush, calling him away from his comforts to lead the Israelites to freedom from slavery in Egypt, Moses’ first response was, “I can’t.”  (Exodus 4:13)

He felt inadequate. (Exodus 3:11)
He was not skilled at speaking. (Exodus 4:10)
Surely, no one would listen to him. (Exodus 4:1)
Who was he to take on this momentous task? (Exodus 3:11)

The reassurance God spoke to him was not to encourage Moses that he really had all the skills required within him to pull it off. Instead, the Lord God simply promised, “I will certainly be with you.” (Exodus 3:12)

Still unsure, Moses asked for God’s name; on whose authority could Moses point to when coming up against the rulers of Egypt. To which, “God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.”” (Exodus 3:14)

I AM – two very small words with an incredibly powerful meaning.

I love the explanation provided by Compelling Truth:

“With this statement, God declared that He is self-existent, eternal, self-sufficient, self-directed, and unchanging. But this statement also declared that He is present.”

This truth was exactly what Moses needed to give him the courage to approach Pharaoh. This Name was precisely what the disciples needed in their boat on a stormy sea.
The storm didn’t need to cease, their faith needed an anchor in the all-powerful Name of the Great I Am.

For every storm we face, this truth remains for us, meeting us exactly where we are to provide precisely what we need, His presence.

If we have put our trust in Jesus, then the almighty, eternal God who created the universe, and holds all power over darkness is with us. We are secure in Him and nothing can snatch us from His hand. (John 10:28)

The more we get to know God and grasp this truth, the more we are changed.
Our circumstances may remain the same, but we are transformed.

Only a few short years after that night on the lake, the disciples displayed amazing courage and boldness in speaking out for Jesus. They were even willing to face death rather than renounce their faith in “I AM” or stop telling others of His mighty rescue of their souls. By this time, they had witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion as He took on the punishment each of us rightfully deserves because of our sin. They had seen Christ breathe His last, be buried, and then prove Death powerless as He was resurrected from the grave.

Because they knew Him more,
they trusted Him more.

They were willing to surrender their lives if required;
they knew He was worth it.

What about us?
Will we allow ourselves to be transformed as we come to know Him more?

We may not have a choice about our circumstances, but we do have a choice about where we place our trust.

Isaiah reminds us of the peace that’s possible if we can lift our eyes from our circumstances to gaze on God:

“You will keep the mind that is dependent on You in perfect peace, for it is trusting in You. Trust in the Lord forever, because in the Lord, the Lord himself, is an everlasting rock!” (Isaiah 26:3-4)

Whatever challenges you’re facing, big or small, whether you’re caught in a storm like the disciples or facing a daunting task like Moses, may you know God is with you, and may you quiet yourself to hear Him speak:

“It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

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Shielded Day 9 Summer Ready Feet: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
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The Questions

1) Why does Peter write, “do not fear what they fear”? (verse 14)

2) How is “but in your hearts” tied to being “ready at any time’? (verse 15)

3) Why does Peter insert the phrase, “if that should be God’s will” when he writes of suffering in verse 17? How is this tied to Christ in verses 18-19?

1 Peter 3:14-19

But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear or be intimidated, 15 but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. 16 Yet do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that when you are accused, those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 in which he also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison

Original Intent

1) Why does Peter write, “do not fear what they fear”? (verse 14)
Peter was actually quoting the Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, when he wrote these words. Isaiah’s original words were, “For the Lord spoke thus to me with His strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, Him you shall honor as holy. Let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.” In Isaiah’s day, the people of Israel continued to choose their sin over the Lord God. They feared man, so they puffed themselves up and made agreements with nations that didn’t follow God because of peer pressure. They were shallow, anchoring themselves in what was popular at the time, having no anchoring in what was true. They worshipped idols and followed the lusts of their hearts, even sacrificing their children as they caved to the idolatrous demands of foreign gods. Their fear was rooted in the sinfulness of their own wicked hearts; they had to protect themselves at all costs, even if that meant sacrificing everything else. Peter reiterated these words to a new generation with new challenges, yet the message was the same. Don’t fear what the world around you fears. The believers held the truth of the gospel in their hearts and were called to share it with the world around them, despite persecution or being misunderstood. The cost of eternity for other souls was much too high for the believer to back away out of fear.

 2) How is “but in your hearts” tied to being “ready at any time’? (verse 15)
The word “but” signals a transition. Wow, I know. You really needed to know that, didn’t you?! This time, however, it acts as the tie between 2 critical phrases. On the front side, Peter commands “do not fear what they fear”. On the back side, he prompts, “be ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” In the middle is our pivotal phrase with that transition word “but”. “But in your hearts, regard Christ the Lord as holy.” (verse 15) Herein is the anchor to Peter’s command to the believer! Just as Isaiah called the Israelites to anchor themselves in the character of God and His holiness, so Peter insists believers root themselves in who God is as Christ, as Lord of all, and as supremely holy. We don’t need to fear anyone else, only He who is flawlessly holy and holds all power and authority over our souls. The Lord’s desire above all others for all people is that we would know Him, deeply and intimately as Lord, Savior, and Father of our hearts. He wants us to know His kindness, to recognize His grace towards us, and to be aware of His constant presence and work in our lives. When we know Him like this, what matters to us or is said about us, becomes insignificant because we only care about honoring our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. When we know Him like this, we are ready at any time to tell any one why we have the hope we do in Jesus. He is our Lord, He is holy, He is worthy of our worship, He is our personal Savior. Knowing Christ is the all-important key in Peter’s commands to the believers!

3) Why does Peter insert the phrase, “if that should be God’s will” when he writes of suffering in verse 17? How is this tied to Christ in verses 18-19?
Suffering and following Jesus are inextricably linked. If Christ Himself, as God of all, suffered at the hands of sinful humanity while He came to save them from eternity separated from Him, all followers of Christ are also to expect suffering. (1 Peter 2:21) How could we escape suffering when even our Lord did not escape it. Rather, He welcomed it, knowing it was for our good that He humble Himself and be rejected, mocked, scorned, and shamefully murdered so we might be set free from our sin! However, Christians do not always suffer when they follow God. Yes, suffering will happen in the life of the true believer as a direct result of choosing righteousness over sin, but not every instance of right action results in suffering. God allows the suffering because we live in a broken world, surrounded by sinful people and the consequences that sin. He will, however, always use the suffering to bring about His glory. Peter adds this phrasing in his letter to embolden and encourage his hearers. If they suffered for righteousness, it was not without specific intention. The Lord would use their suffering for His glory and advancement of His kingdom. No believer suffers in vain, nor is the suffering wasted.

Everyday Application

1) Why does Peter write, “do not fear what they fear”? (verse 14)
What stops you in your tracks when it comes to sharing the truth of God, His Word, and the hope of eternal salvation He offers? Do you find yourself fearing people over God like Israel did? Our fear of people can look like fear of being made fun of, misunderstood, labeled as religious, or wanting to be so all-inclusive that we begin losing the clear truth of the gospel for the post-modern religion around us where truth is relative and there are no absolutes. Repeat the Lord’s truth to yourself over and over until your heart calls it up instantly when you’re faced with choosing fear of people over trusting God and His heart. “Do not fear what they fear.” The picture Peter paints is one of glory and good in suffering for doing what is right. When we honor the Lord, and love people by sharing the hope of Jesus with them, God is honored. There is nothing to fear because God is the final victor and He has chosen us as His method of expanding His kingdom!

2) How is “but in your hearts” tied to being “ready at any time’? (verse 15)
If knowing Christ Jesus for who He is as Lord, as God, as utterly holy and righteous, and as sovereign King with all power and authority is the key to not only being unafraid, but also sharing the gospel boldly, every believer must ask themselves how they are pursuing this knowing of Him! Knowing Him begins with a humble heart that recognizes He is God, and we are not. Our ways are not His ways. (Isaiah 55:6-9) Our understanding is not even a speck compared to His. Our wisdom is like folly to Him. (1 Corinthians 1:25) He is Lord of all, and our knowing Him better must begin here on this solid foundation. (Proverbs 9:10) Once our hearts are in a place of ready humility, we are ready to pursue knowing Him, without all of our own agendas in the way. We come, ready to bring our questions, but willing to listen to His voice over ours. Then, we ask the Holy Spirit of God Himself to teach us, to open the Scriptures for us so we can understand the heart of God. Only God can reveal Himself to humanity. When we ask with humility, He is ready to show us Himself! The more we whole-heartedly seek Him, studying Him through reading the Bible and surrounding ourselves with other believers to encourage us in our growth, the more we truly know Him and His heart! We will absolutely never come to an end of our knowing of God, we are simply too finite to fully comprehend the infinite Almighty. Yet, He is forever inviting us to discover Him in ever-deepening ways. As we do, fear of everyone and everything else fades away as unimportant, and our hearts are boldly stirred to share what we have discovered with everyone around us! Take the challenge, know your Savior deeply!

3) Why does Peter insert the phrase, “if that should be God’s will” when he writes of suffering in verse 17? How is this tied to Christ in verses 18-19?
We don’t need to seek out suffering in order for our faith to be proven genuine, but we should take note when we struggle comes against us as a result of following Jesus. Maybe it’s family pressure because you make moral choices based on Scripture. Maybe it’s because you spend Sunday mornings at church. Maybe friends make comments about your worship music choices. It could be your decision to honor biblical marriage or protect unborn life or maybe, some friends have left you because you chose Jesus over them. Or maybe you’re living in a location where persecution for the believer is life-threatening for you and your family. Wherever you live, if you’ve never experienced struggle as a believer, take some time to think through how serious you are in following Him. The reality is, the more closely we follow in obedience to Christ, and the longer we walk with Him, the greater the struggle becomes. Why? Because the Holy Spirit is faithfully shaping us more clearly into the image of Christ, which looks a lot more like righteousness, and a lot less like the world. As we become more like our Savior, the world and the enemy of our hearts hates us more, and suffering intensifies. Let Peter’s words remind you that no suffering is wasted, and we don’t walk through it unbeknownst to God. He is faithful and good. He will always use our suffering to expand His kingdom and tenderly teach us more about Himself. The more we suffer for Christ, the sweeter He becomes, because it’s worth it!

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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