encouraged

Training Day 5 Just Being

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Training Day 5 Just Being

Anxious, Fear, God, Healing, Jesus, Regret

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 139
Luke 5:15–16
Luke 6:12-16
Mark 1:35–39
Matthew 11:28–30

As disciples, we often learn about the works of Jesus. We study what He did. 

We also notice the words of Jesus. Many of us have Bibles with His words in red, highlighting their importance. 

In a recent discipleship seminar, I was encouraged to notice the ways of Jesus, learning not just from His public ministry and message, but also from the way Jesus lived His life. With this idea in mind as I read the gospels, I’ve discovered truth I hadn’t noticed before.

For instance, a little verse at the beginning of Matthew 13 caught my attention. The preceding verses describe Jesus teaching crowds of people and confronting the religious leaders. The following verses talk about Jesus teaching such a large crowd, He used a boat as a platform while the people listened from the shore. But between these big ministry moments, Jesus stole time to sit by the lake, alone. (Matthew 13:1)

In fact, Jesus often made time to be alone, even though He was busy and crowds constantly followed Him.

“Yet He often withdrew to deserted places and prayed.” (Luke 5:16)

It was His way. Jesus spent time in solitude.

When was the last time you sat alone, without distraction? The television off, the radio silent, the kids with a babysitter, your phone out of reach. Alone with God, to work through your thoughts, feelings, and memories. It can be a very uncomfortable place.

We don’t make space for solitude very often; life is too busy, right? There is always something to do: good, meaningful, and important things. As soon as the house is clean, the laundry done, and a meal prepared, someone has made a mess, gotten dirty, and is hungry again. Between home, work, and church, the responsibilities of life are relentless. But Jesus didn’t use this as an excuse.

I did.

Early last year I had a significant mental health event. That’s hard to admit. I think of myself as a strong, capable person. I was very busy, but I had everything under control. At least, I thought I did. I developed chest pain and was admitted to coronary care. After four days of uncomfortable tests, my heart was given a clean bill of health and I was diagnosed with vicarious trauma.

I worked in my church as a pastoral carer, supporting those who were sick and grieving. I spent my days visiting, making phone calls, and praying with people. It was a wonderful privilege to represent the comfort of Jesus to those who were walking through life’s most difficult circumstances. I was good at my job, and I loved it. Yet over time, as I was exposed to the trauma of others without giving myself the time to process what I was witnessing, I began to develop trauma symptoms myself.

My Christian counselor prescribed a powerful therapy for my recovery: solitude. Seriously, that was her recovery plan. She told me to spend time alone with Jesus. Not busy time “doing” my devotions. But “wasted” time, just sitting, being with Jesus. It was difficult.

As I sat in silence, the thoughts that emerged were ugly: memories of pain, feelings of guilt and regret, fear and anxiety. It was hard work. But, inviting Jesus to shine a light into the dark corners of my heart in the quietness of my pain was the best medicine. In time, the knot in my chest unraveled as I submitted all to Christ, and He healed my weary soul.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) What a wonderful invitation. If only we weren’t too busy to accept.

Solitude is a discipline. It doesn’t come easily to many of us. Our modern world is full of distractions and interruptions. We are constantly bombarded with cries for our attention. It honestly feels irresponsible to take time to sit quietly and appear to do nothing. Yet, this is where healing comes. This is where we find the rest our souls so desperately seek.

I now have a practice of having a morning coffee with Jesus. It takes around ten to fifteen minutes. Often, it is after I’ve read my Bible and prayed through my list, but sometimes, I sit with Jesus first.

I find it easier when I have a cup of coffee in my hands. I’m less likely to reach for my phone. I also try to be outside or by a window where I can see the sky and the beauty of creation so I don’t get distracted by dirty dishes or the dusty floor.

I often use the end of Psalm 139 as a prayer. 

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.” (Psalm 139:23–24)

I allow God to sift through my thoughts, good and bad. Somehow, I walk away from solitude lighter, more joyful, and with the best creative ideas.

I hope you are able to “waste” some time alone with Jesus today.

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Sketched IX Day 13 Costly Surrender

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 5:22-42
Luke 5:1-11
Matthew 14:22-33
Luke 14:25-35
John 21:15-19

Sketched IX, Day 13

Suppose the world authority orders you, on threat of death, not to talk about Jesus; what would you do? Most believers in Jesus would answer, “I would rather obey God than men” (Acts 5:29) . . . while we’re in our comfort zone. But would our answer be the same when the reality of suffering dawns on us?

The Lord told us clearly we would be hated for His name’s sake; following Him may cost our lives. (Matthew 10:22) His words are becoming reality for us now as the Jewish authority (the Sanhedrin) does not want us to preach Jesus. Despite doing everything possible to stop the spread of the news of Jesus’ resurrection, they found us preaching and people responding with believing in Him. Every day, large numbers of believers are added to the Church. (Acts 2:47)

We have been arrested and strictly warned never to preach in His name again. Our lives are on the line because of the gospel of Christ. Amidst the Sanhedrin’s threats, I told them, without hesitation, we will not obey their command and thereby defy God’s own.

Does it sound risky?
Yes!
But my relationship with Jesus has gone beyond following my will.
My will no longer counts; His will be done.
I must live for Jesus and preach His gospel of salvation while I am in this body. My journey with Him has reached a point of no return; come what may.

I decided this after undergoing a process of life transformation during my walk with Christ. After encountering Him at Lake Gennesaret, I discovered life at its best is only found in Christ. I would rather go through any kind of storm with Him than a storm-free life without Him.

Perhaps you think being with Jesus physically made following easy for me. Not at all; I stumbled and faltered as I faced painful and challenging situations. Yet, I pressed on with His help.

Let me share some of my story, so you can be encouraged and persevere!

Initially, when I started the journey, I was excited seeing Jesus performing different miracles. Not only that, we (His disciples) also healed and cast out demons in His name. Another exciting moment was at the Mount of Transfiguration, where I saw His glory when Moses and Elijah appeared to Him. In addition, He told me He would give me the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 16:19) Wow, I thought I had become a giant of faith.

But one night my faith was tested, and I discovered I was not the giant I imagined. We were in a boat at midnight, tossed by a great wind; we saw Jesus walking on water. We thought it was a ghost, but He assured us not to be afraid, that it was He. So, I asked Him to command me to come to Him. He did. At once, I stepped out onto the water and started walking, thinking of myself as the giant of the faith, Peter. Suddenly the wind became furious; fear gripped me, and I started sinking. I cried to Jesus for help and He saved me. The Lord rebuked me for doubting. I saw myself as a failure, but was comforted because Jesus did not abandon me.

When we celebrated the Passover together, He told us He would be arrested and killed, and we would all desert Him. I declared I would NEVER desert Him; I would go with Him to the point of death.  But reality dawned on me when Jesus was arrested: I found myself denying knowing my Lord for fear of my peers.

When I realized the devastating choice I’d made, I wept bitterly for mercy. Following His resurrection, Jesus graciously restored me. In my sober moment, I recalled what the Lord told us one day, regarding following Him. He said,

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters–yes and even his own life–he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27)

“If anyone wants to follow after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24)

“Yes, I understand,” I told myself; I must let go of my life by surrendering it absolutely to Christ. And after His resurrection, at our final meeting with Him, I accepted wholeheartedly His mandate.

Hearing my story, do you understand my assertion?
It’s not enough to say we would obey God while in our comfort zones?
His will must be paramount to the cost of our lives, for true surrender is worth the cost.

Take courage, Believers!
The journey of following Jesus is not by our might nor by our power, but by the Spirit of the Lord (Zechariah 4:6)! Whatever you pass through, be assured He will be there with you (Isaiah 43:2). He promises to never leave you nor forsake you (Joshua 1:5).

Because He is worthy.
Our surrender, though costly, is worth it. 

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
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Sketched IX Day 4 A New Day: 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 A New Work!

The Questions

1) What is the significance of Moses and Elijah appearing?

2) What is the importance of the declaration by Father God, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.” (verse 5)

3) Why did Jesus instruct these three disciples to “not tell anyone about the vision”? (verse 9)

Matthew 17:1-13

After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2 He was transfigured in front of them, and his face shone like the sun; his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it’s good for us to be here. If you want, I will set up three shelters here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased. Listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown and were terrified.

7 Jesus came up, touched them, and said, “Get up; don’t be afraid.”8 When they looked up they saw no one except Jesus alone.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone about the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.”

10 So the disciples asked him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

11 “Elijah is coming and will restore everything,” he replied.12 “But I tell you: Elijah has already come, and they didn’t recognize him. On the contrary, they did whatever they pleased to him. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he had spoken to them about John the Baptist.

Original Intent

1) What is the significance of Moses and Elijah appearing?
Peter, James, and John (who were the only disciples present with Jesus in this scene) were Israelites and would have been extremely familiar with Moses and Elijah. They would have known their pivotal role in Israel’s history and how God used their lives to reveal Himself through His covenant Law and His prophets. God used Moses to rescue His people from Egypt and lead them to the Promised Land. Moses was trusted with the 10 Commandments by God and was the spokesperson who delivered them to Israel. Elijah was one of the prophets. He was a faithful prophet who spoke against the false god Baal and pointed people towards Yahweh. God did not allow Elijah to die, but instead called him to Heaven, escorted there with a flaming chariot. (2 Kings 2:11) Peter, James and John would have seen these two men as encompassing all of the law and the prophets; their presence both gave witness to Christ and pointed to Jesus being the fulfillment of the law and the prophets.

2) What is the importance of the declaration by Father God, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.” (verse 5)
This is the second time God spoke these words regarding Jesus. The first occurrence immediately followed Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist. (Matthew 3:17) God the Father is giving clear authority to Jesus’ words and mission in these statements. We see these two occurrences at critical moments in Jesus’ ministry. The first is at the beginning of His public ministry, which was followed by Jesus’ period of fasting for 40 days in the wilderness where He would be tempted by Satan. The second comes towards the end of Jesus’ life as He is preparing to suffer the consequence of the sins of the world. (1 John 2:2) These declarations by Yahweh give Jesus authority in His mission, helping Israel understand that Jesus, as God the Son, was co-equal with God the Father. The Father’s voice of love also encouraged Jesus as He walked in obedience to the Father at these pivotal moments.

3) Why did Jesus instruct these three disciples to “not tell anyone about the vision”? (verse 9)
Peter, James, and John were chosen to see Jesus in all His glory before His death and resurrection. However, it was not time for the world to see Jesus in the same way. Peter, James, and John were witnesses to the event, and were then able to share it with the world once Jesus had resurrected. If they would have told the other disciples or made Jesus’ transfiguration public knowledge before the right time, it may have deterred the mission and made the suffering which He was preparing for confusing for the world. They would have wondered even more why He could not (intentionally chose not) to save Himself. Once Jesus resurrected, this event would serve as evidence to His divinity, but it needed to be concealed until the timing was right.

Everyday Application

1) What is the significance of Moses and Elijah appearing?
Moses and Elijah symbolized the law and the prophets of the Old Testament. For us as believers, Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of both. Moses and Elijah served as witnesses to the authority of Jesus during the transfiguration. Peter, James, and John then served as witnesses to the transfiguration and Jesus’ authority. Although you and I didn’t see these events firsthand, we know about them because of the faithful witness of those men. We too have a responsibility to be faithful witnesses to the activity of God in our lives as well as the divinity of Jesus to the world. Christ’s fulfillment of the law and prophets sets us free from the requirement for us to be perfect, which is impossible! Jesus was perfect on our behalf. When we share this good news with others, and how His freedom has healed us and made us whole, we are testifying of the transfiguration of our own souls in Jesus!

2) What is the importance of the declaration by Father God, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.” (verse 5)
The Father twice declared and affirmed Jesus’ identity. First, the declaration was very public at His baptism, and then, more intimately, in front of just 3 disciples. This declaration of Jesus as God the Son is crucial. The Father leaves no room for doubting who Jesus is and affirms He is more than a good man or great prophet; He ensures the disciples understand only Christ is the promised Messiah. This declaration provides each of us hope found only in Jesus. If Jesus wasn’t who He claimed, we would be left hopeless, for no “good man” could save us from the consequence (death and separation from God) we earn because of our sin. Jesus came, the Father confirmed His identity, and Christ fulfilled God’s promise to send One who was worthy and able to pay the price for our sins. The result of Jesus’ victory over death, our punishment for sin, provides us with unshakeable, eternal hope.

3) Why did Jesus instruct these three disciples to “not tell anyone about the vision”? (verse 9)
Peter, James, and John were privy to an incredible moment in Jesus’ life where they saw Jesus in His complete divinity before the resurrection. However, the world was not ready for this truth. They were instructed to keep the moment to themselves until after He resurrected. There are moments in our life where our experiences may need to be private for a time. It doesn’t remove the incredible work of God in us, but others may not be ready to hear it yet. However, there will come a time when we are called to testify of the greatness of our Savior and the work of our Lord, just as the disciples did. When that time comes, God uses our testimony for His glory. The Lord knows when the timing is perfect, just as He did when the three disciples were able to share the incredible story of the transfiguration. In the same way, His Spirit will prompt us to share our experiences with the divine, risen Savior; He will use our witness to glorify Himself and draw a lost world to Himself.

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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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Ready Day 14 Gathered Together: 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 Gathered Together!

The Questions

1) What event was the author, Paul, addressing in verse 1?

2) Why did the believers need to be encouraged? (verses 2-5)

3) What restrains “the man of lawlessness” and his evil work? (verses 6-12)

4) How is the believer’s behavior contrasted with those who do not accept God’s love and truth? (verses 13-17)

2 Thessalonians 2

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him: We ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to be easily upset or troubled, either by a prophecy or by a message or by a letter supposedly from us, alleging that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits in God’s temple, proclaiming that he himself is God.

5 Don’t you remember that when I was still with you I used to tell you about this? 6 And you know what currently restrains him, so that he will be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one now restraining will do so until he is out of the way, 8 and then the lawless one will be revealed. The Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of his mouth and will bring him to nothing at the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is based on Satan’s working, with every kind of miracle, both signs and wonders serving the lie, 10 and with every wicked deception among those who are perishing. They perish because they did not accept the love of the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a strong delusion so that they will believe the lie, 12 so that all will be condemned—those who did not believe the truth but delighted in unrighteousness.

13 But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, so that you might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold to the traditions you were taught, whether by what we said or what we wrote.

16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word.

Original Intent

1) What event was the author, Paul, addressing in verse 1?
After years of persecuting Christians, a radically changed Paul launched many churches across the ancient world. As one of the most prominent leaders of the early church, his letters encouraged believers to maintain their faith and fix their hope on Jesus’ return. Amid the hardships they faced as Christians, the belief in “the coming of the Lord.” (verse 1) was an important foundation of the church. Church leaders like James, Peter, and John all affirmed the return of the Lord Jesus. (James 5:7-8, 2 Peter 3:10-12, 1 John 2:28) Bible scholars tell us the event is referenced over 1,500 times in the Old Testament. Jesus Himself referred to His return over 20 times. (5 Facts about Christ’s Return) The New Testament focuses primarily on Jesus’ first coming as a baby, but it also contains many references to an occasion in which He will come again to gather all believers to Himself and bring everything to its appropriate end. 1 & 2 Thessalonians are letters written by the apostle Paul to the Christian believers in the city of Thessalonica. (bibleplaces.com) Though Paul’s initial visit was cut short by a riot, this didn’t deter him from covering weighty matters concerning Jesus as Messiah. (Acts 17:1-10) Paul’s first letter to Thessalonica addressed questions about the resurrection and return of Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17) It makes sense that questions concerning Jesus’ return were often on their minds. It now seems they were being told His return had already happened, and Paul responds in verse 1 to their specific concerns.

2) Why did the believers need to be encouraged? (verses 2-5)
After Paul commended the believers in 2 Thessalonians 1:4-12 for their faith and love, he explained again about the coming of the Lord Jesus. It seems they had heard disturbing news through erroneous prophecy that the return of Christ had already happened. Paul reminds and encourages them by instructing them that two things must occur first: 1) the apostasy, and 2) the revelation of the man of lawlessness. The English word “apostasy” is a transliteration (What Is Transliteration?) of the Greek word apostasia, which signifies a great rebellion against God. This will be led by the “man of lawlessness”, an evil world ruler to come. Bible scholars believe Paul gleaned his understanding of future events from the Old Testament prophet Daniel. Several times in this passage, he refers to “the man of lawlessness” who will rise to power. (verses 3-9) In Daniel 7-9, the prophet dreams and speaks of one who is a boastful king who will “oppress the holy ones … [and] intend to change religious festivals and laws.” (Daniel 7:25) This evil ruler will introduce a false peace to the world and will oppose God. He will even claim himself to be God. (verse 4) Paul assures them in verse 3 that all this was yet to come; they had not missed it!

3) What restrains “the man of lawlessness” and his evil work? (verses 6-12)
In Matthew 24:3-12, Jesus mentions His return and warns His disciples to be aware of rumors regarding His future coming “and of the end of the age.” Even though some Jews had come to understand Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah (Matthew 3:11-12, Matthew 21:9), the “day of the Lord” was shadowy and confusing to many who believed in Him. (Bible Project) Paul is reminding them of truth they already know so they wouldn’t despair. (verses 5-6) Despite the current signs that were potentially signaling the last days, Paul encouraged them to remember his teaching about the timing and details of what would occur. He wrote to them that the “mystery” rebellion against God would continue. “It is not open sin and wickedness, but dissembled piety, specious errors, wickedness under a form of godliness cunningly managed, that is here meant.” (studylight.org) Since the Thessalonians already had knowledge about who was restraining the evil one, he does not specify in these verses who it is. Bible scholars have differing views regarding the identity of the “one now restraining.” (verse 7) There is biblical evidence, however, that the Holy Spirit of God works to restrain evil through His presence in the lives of Christ followers (John 14:16-17, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Titus 3:4-7) The Spirit of God works in the lives of Christians in order to exhibit His righteousness to the world through us. In doing so, He holds humanity back from the swelling tide of complete and utter lawlessness. Though we should not be dogmatic about specifically “who” the restrainer is, Paul is clear that at some future time human depravity will no longer be restrained. When that happens, the lawless leader will be revealed for who he truly is.

4) How is the believer’s behavior contrasted with those who do not accept God’s love and truth? (verses 13-17)
Jesus said He would come again to gather the saints (those called and set apart for the Lord’s work) to Himself. He first came as a humble baby to rescue humanity from their death through His own death, consequently transferring those who believe in Him from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. (Colossians 1:13-14) Paul was glad he could always give thanks for his Thessalonians friends, and in his letter, he expresses his thankful heart. (2 Thessalonians 1:3) The basis for his joy was their salvation in God and obedience to Him. Paul’s boast about them was based completely on God’s power in them. He wrote to them regarding his firm conviction about the manner in which God accomplishes salvation through a person’s faith, and how they demonstrated that faith with their obedience. (2 Thessalonians 1:4-12) He contrasted that obedience with those “who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” (2 Thessalonians 1:8) In verse 12, Paul writes that those who delight in unrighteousness will be judged and condemned. BUT thankfully, this is not the case for these believers in Thessalonica. (verses 13-14) They were growing in righteousness (right living before God) and had obviously heeded his previous letter’s challenge to them to live uprightly. (1 Thessalonians 4:1-7)

Everyday Application

1) What event was the author, Paul, addressing in verse 1?
You wouldn’t need to search long to realize there are a myriad of beliefs about Christ’s return. Though there is an abundance of teaching about this in Scripture, there is no simple outline or timeline to clarify exactly what will happen or when. Many people throughout church history have confused the teaching of the apostles that Christ could come at any moment with the unbiblical idea that He would come at any moment. While the return of Christ should be taught as a certainty, the details surrounding His coming back should not be. It would be right of us to say that Christ will come “soon”. What we should mean by that is we believe Christ will come “surely.” Unfortunately, too many people today equate “soon” with a microwave mentality. Jesus’ imminent return is not the same as His immediate return. Jesus explained in Matthew 24 and Matthew 25 that we are unable to precisely predict the time of His return. Apparently, we do not need to know the timing or He would have told us! We are admonished, however, to continually anticipate His return and be ready in a way that demonstrates we believe He is coming to gather to Himself those who have been made righteous through Jesus. (Luke 12:36-40) Because the specific time of Christ’s return is unknowable, believers are urged to be prepared by keeping our lives unstained by the world’s evil. Sisters, we do this not by removing ourselves from culture, but by immersing ourselves in God’s word and praying for His Spirit to teach and empower us to daily live for Him.

2) Why did the believers need to be encouraged? (verses 2-5)
Paul’s letter is filled with information regarding Christ’s coming again to earth. The problem is that, as curious humans, we will not find all our questions answered as specifically as we probably wish. Those with inquiring minds want more details, don’t we?! I especially would like to know just who is going to make all the trouble for everyone before Jesus comes back. Is he alive right now? Where does he live? These questions have possibly come to your mind, too. Thankfully, we have Paul’s encouragement to “not be easily upset or troubled” by these thoughts. In fact, the Bible speaks often about the unshakeable hope we have as believers, even as we live in this unsettled world. This is not a “hope so” kind of belief, but it is a confident assurance based upon the strong foundation of the Rock of our salvation, Jesus Christ! Paul encouraged the believers to stand firm amid the false messages they heard because of their sure hope. This is a good word for us as well! My friend, we do not need to fret when we hear rumors and conspiracy theories about the end of the world. When Jesus returns “we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore, encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonian 4:17-18)

3) What restrains “the man of lawlessness” and his evil work? (verses 6-12)
Some would call current times the “Church Age”. Since the Church was born, it has existed on earth as God’s revelation and expression of Himself. Before Pentecost, God had not indwelled humans permanently and eternally. Scripture records the Holy Spirit of God working before Jesus came to earth, but His presence with people was temporary. (Psalm 51:10-12) The Church Age is marked by the Holy Spirit’s permanent indwelling of God’s people. The Spirit’s presence is evident as God’s people gather to pray, preach, sing, and serve. That the Church exists and thrives worldwide is a powerful picture of God’s nearness. I sometimes forget the Church is one of the most significant means of restraining evil on earth. I’m not talking about people going to a church building, but people indwelled by the Holy Spirit, which happens when they surrender themselves wholly to God. Their presence continues to be part of what keeps society from total chaos and unbridled lawlessness. It’s the Holy Spirit, through His people, who is hindering unrighteousness and rebellion from spiraling out of control. Sisters, reflect on this amazing truth with me. As the Holy Spirit controls our lives, it’s our prayers, our service, our joy, and our love that God uses to keep Satan from causing complete anarchy. Although the world is ultimately helpless against Satan’s schemes and power, God, in His providence, uses the Church to restrain him. We might better understand the text if the identity of the restrainer wasn’t vague, but it is. Whether or not we’re ever sure of the restrainer’s identity, the necessary point is seeing God’s sovereign control in the return of Christ, as it is He who orchestrates the signs and time of His return. Oh friend, may our trust in His good and perfect plan sustain us as we wait with certain hope for our Lord’s return!

4) How is the believer’s behavior contrasted with those who do not accept God’s love and truth? (verses 13-17)
As a Christ-follower, I believe Jesus plainly spoke of His return. Scripture records several instances of Jesus telling of His imminent return, which is sooner than later and will happen quickly. We may not know exactly when Jesus will return, but what we do know gives us insight into how we should live until He does. The people of Jesus await His coming with eager anticipation. It is this hope that binds us together in unity and expectation. As we gather to worship, we sing and prayerfully declare our joy and hope. In doing this, we are actively encouraging one another to “hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since He who promised is faithful. And [we] consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as we see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:23-25) Oh, please hold fast, dear Sister! Let’s remind ourselves of truth about Jesus. I urge you to make a personal habit of gathering often with others who hold this same hope. Jesus gave His followers who were with Him on earth, and those who would come after them, this instruction and encouragement, “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” (John 16:32-33) It is because of this truth Paul reminded his friends to live differently than those living without hope. Praise God, we live for the glory of Christ! “May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word.” (verses 16-17)

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

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 Ready Week Three!
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.

Fervent Day 12 Suffering Of One: 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 Suffering Of One!

The Questions

1) What principles of prayer does Paul demonstrate in these few verses?

2) What is the purpose behind Paul’s prayer request to be rescued? (verse 31)

3) What is the purpose of Paul’s benediction? (verse 33)

Romans 15:30-33

30 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in prayers to God on my behalf. 31 Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, that my ministry to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 and that, by God’s will, I may come to you with joy and be refreshed together with you.

33 May the God of peace be with all of you. Amen.

Original Intent

1) What principles of prayer does Paul demonstrate in these few verses?
Paul modeled many wonderful things in following Jesus, but fervency in prayer ranks foremost; it was his heartbeat. Everything about his regular life, from tentmaker, to traveler, to speaker, student, and teacher, was simply an overflow of his private prayer life. Prayer wasn’t something Paul did for show, it was his lifeblood. Of all principles we can take from Paul’s model, consistent and intimate time with the Lord personally is by far the most significant and impactful. Paul demonstrated for us the unity of prayer not only with the Lord, but as a gift to share within the Body. He makes his appeal not to an organization or a business partner or even to a friend, but to his brothers and sisters. He appealed to his siblings. There is an understanding of common, mutual ownership and a right to ask each other to stand in the gap for one another. This request for prayer wasn’t a formality, a checkbox, or just the “Christian thing to do”, this was an urgent need and it was treated with fervency. Prayer wasn’t the last resort, it was the hard work Paul knew was precisely necessary for the task at hand. Paul connected his appeal with the word “striving”, intentionally asked his family to earnestly strive and work hard with relentless fervency in prayer regarding his specific requests. Paul was confident the Lord would hear and answer his prayer, but he also knew the Lord wanted to shape the believers’ hearts to learn dependency on Him and grow their love for the lost as they persistently prayed together. Prayer is not simply a powerful tool for Kingdom work on earth, but it’s also the same method by which the Savior crafts our hearts and opens our eyes to see Him and know Him.

2) What is the purpose behind Paul’s prayer request to be rescued? (verse 31)
“…strive together with me in prayers to God on my behalf.” (verse 30) When you hear the words “on my behalf” you probably aren’t thinking the person speaking is actually referring to the benefit of someone else. If you weren’t slowing down and watching closely, his next words might continue to convince you Paul wants nothing more than to get out of his suffering. He was being heavily persecuted for preaching Jesus and his life was constantly in danger. (Acts 21:27-36) Instead of wanting to be free for freedom’s sake, Paul asked, “Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, that my ministry to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, and that, by God’s will, I may come to you with joy and be refreshed together with you.” (verses 31-32) Yes, Paul prayed for rescue, but the why is the true focal point of this passage, and it’s beautiful to behold! His plea for rescue hinged on the oneness of the Body of Christ and his service to the Church. His first goal was for believers around him to be strengthened in their faith, “that my ministry to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints”. His “ministry” here actually refers to a financial collection taken up for the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, and he wanted to securely deliver it to them and assure them of his partnership in the gospel with them. His second reason is equally as beautiful, “(that) I may come to you with joy and be refreshed together with you.” Like beloved family members who have long been separated from one another, he ached to be with his brothers and sisters in Rome so they could together be refreshed and encouraged by their mutual love for each other.

3) What is the purpose of Paul’s benediction? (verse 33)
No words are counted as insignificant within Scripture (Matthew 24:35, Revelation 22:18-19) because they were all breathed out by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. (2 Timothy 3:16) The God who uniquely crafted insects and atoms is not random with the words He has preserved in Scripture. He wastes nothing and as we linger with His words, asking the Spirit to bring them to life within us, we understand Him more clearly. With that, I encourage you never to gloss over “boring” things like introductions, lineages, or benedictions! Following this fervent request for his brothers and sisters to join him in the work of prayer, Paul again reflects the depth of his intimacy with the Lord as he pens a beautiful benediction. “May the God of peace be with all of you. Amen.” (verse 33) Paul is evidencing the depth of his understanding of this God who welcomes all prayer requests, listens to them all, and answers according to His perfect love and our faith. (Philippians 4:6) His confidence in God’s faithfulness is breathtaking. In essence, Paul concludes with the confident assertion that God will provide His divine peace upon the beloved children He has adopted, regardless of the struggle or the circumstance or the outcome of their fervent prayer. (Romans 8:15-17) His peace will come, His peace will hem them in on all sides, both to all of them collectively as a unified Body as well as individually, meeting each specific need for peace. His peace is unfathomable, while also a beautiful benefit of being welcomed into the family of God called Church. (Philippians 4:4-7)

Everyday Application

1) What principles of prayer does Paul demonstrate in these few verses?
How often the words fall quickly from my lips or fly from my fingers in a text or email, “I will pray for you”, but then lay there, dead almost as soon as they were birthed for lack of follow through. This is not God’s heart for prayer! Neither does it reflect the fellowship and unity He desires to be shared among the Body of Believers called Church. He calls us to fervently ask our faith siblings to strive earnestly alongside us as we seek to make Jesus known in our spheres of influence, and then reciprocate by fervently interceding for our faith family spread across the globe as they share Christ. This is the call of fervent prayer, it is the work we are called to as followers of Jesus, having the privilege of being called His children. Sister, and know that this word holds an even more precious meaning to me as I type this, may I ask you the same questions I’m asking myself? Are you ready to step into fervency? Are you ready to get serious about this work of fervent prayer on behalf of our family strung across the world, not in random, but strategically by the God who loves us and wants others to know and experience His love? It’s time for me to stop living as if prayer is a Christian nicety. I need to invest, truly with intentionality, in knowing my Savior through prayer, asking Him to teach me by His Spirit what it really is both to intercede and to ask for intercession with faith-filled confidence and specificity. Paul’s model shouldn’t be glossed over, instead, let’s join in with fervency!

2) What is the purpose behind Paul’s prayer request to be rescued? (verse 31)
Recently, my husband and I were on a date discussing areas of growth and stretching in marriage. His words caught me off guard, “I think the next few months will be about me and you really learning what I want.” The look on my face surely expressed my confusion as I managed to ask, “What is it you feel I am missing in knowing you?” “Well, mostly, that I just want you to talk to me, to share honestly with me, and hold me accountable to when I’m not honoring you.” Again, I was confused, but for different reasons. His explanation of me wanting to know him actually translated to him wanting to know me. Ladies, my husband has taught me much about Jesus in our nearly 2 decades of life together, but this recent understanding paired with this specific Scripture study has given a fresh perspective on oneness and unity within the Church. Oneness comes first; everything will be ill-fitted unless unity is primary and others’ interests are ahead of our own. “For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one.” (Romans 12:3) This foundation of genuine, tenderhearted unity, bathed in humility, should be the directive for our prayers and our face-to-face interactions with all believers. Perhaps the reason many of our prayers lack the answers we seek is precisely because our motives have run amok in the sands of self-focus and comfortability. Pray fervently, Sisters, pray for our brothers and sisters who suffer, ask for prayer if you are suffering, but ask the Spirit to reveal and root out any motives that reflect a heart of selfish ambition. “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” (James 4:3) 

3) What is the purpose of Paul’s benediction? (verse 33)
Promised peace and confidence in waiting for it, despite the contents of our everyday lives, may at first seem ridiculous to even consider. But, wait. Suppose the Lord was carrying around peace and confidence with Him everywhere you are, waiting to give them, but you never sat down with Him to really pray in all honesty and gut-wrenching transparency. He’s there. His peace is waiting. But the access route may be different than what you’ve been trying, because most of us don’t first consider a joyful heart and thankfulness to be the pathway to peace. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (…) Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7, emphasis mine) Or maybe, you’ve felt too self-successful to even need divine peace right now. Explore your self-sufficiency, is there room for humility there to sit with the God of the Universe? Do you ache for peace inside the suffering? Take up the invitation to sit with the Lord, open His word, and ask the Spirit to bring you deep wells of joy in Him. Are you awash with delight in the gracious gift of God’s peace? Revel in this depth, and learn to sit longer with Jesus. Paul knew Jesus deeply and personally, as a result he could confidently know beyond all doubt that the peace of God was near and accessible, and he blessed his audience with this Spirit-led benediction. Consider who you can bless by praying a benediction of God’s peace over them!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Suffering Of One!

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 Fervent Week Three!
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.

Follow Day 12 Question, Follow, Faith: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

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 Question, Follow, Faith!

The Questions

1) Why does God say His ways and thoughts are not ours? (verse 8)

2) How can we follow God’s ways when they do not align with our own ideas and wishes?

3) What biblical events can encourage us to have faith in God’s ways?

Isaiah 55:8-11

8  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration. 9 “For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return there without saturating the earth and making it germinate and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, 11 so my word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.”

Original Intent

1) Why does God say His ways and thoughts are not ours? (verse 8)
We all have a sinful nature (Romans 3:9), meaning we can never please God on our own, but God is divine and perfect. He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10); God intimately knows everything. We, on the other hand, have gone astray like sheep and turned to our own sinful ways. Our continual choice to serve ourselves over God by choosing sin is why Jesus came to earth to bare our iniquities on the cross by His death. (Isaiah 53:6) Therefore, His thoughts and ways are much higher and better than our own. Just like the heavens are higher than the earth (Isaiah 55:9). Only He has ultimate understanding, authority, and complete righteousness!

2) How can we follow God’s ways when they do not align with our own ideas and wishes?
In Moses’ time, the Lord had commanded the Israelites to “love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, keep his commands, be loyal to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” (Joshua 22:5) They were familiar with His laws and ways, yet the people often wandered off His path of wisdom. When Moses stayed too long on Mount Sinai, the people resorted to creating and worshipping a golden calf, a thing strictly forbidden for only God is worthy of worship! (Exodus 32:1) They were released from bondage in Egypt, yet they grumbled they didn’t have water or nice food like in the city. (Exodus 17:3; Exodus 16:2-3) Even His chosen people struggled to come to terms with God’s ways and plans. Wise followers of Jesus know that God’s way alone is perfect. (Psalm 18:30). They understand that His plans are for their well-being, to provide a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11) Whenever it feels like God is pushing them into a direction opposite where they want to go, the righteous person remembers God’s ways are higher. They remember that, although a way may seem right to a person, its end might lead to death. (Proverbs 14:12)

3) What biblical events can encourage us to have faith in God’s ways?
An excellent biblical account of someone whose plans were different than God’s plans must be Joseph from the Old Testament. (Genesis 37:1 – 47:12) Jacob had 12 sons, of whom Joseph was his favourite. His favoritism was lavished on Joseph in the form of a beautiful coat of many colors, and he even received dreams from God. Then one day, he was sold as a slave by his own jealous brothers! He was taken to Egypt away from his beloved father, not knowing what would happen to him. Perhaps he even felt as if God had abandoned him. Nothing could be further from the truth, however, for God had amazing plans for Joseph that went far beyond anything he could imagine on his own. Joseph eventually became governor, acting as second in command to none but Pharaoh. Eventually, God brought redemption through Joseph to the brothers who had disowned him and used Joseph’s place of influence to provide for his family during a time of immense drought. Not only did God use one man’s story to rescue his immediate family, but through these divinely ordained plans, God planted “His Family” the Hebrews, from Joseph’s family. You might know them from a different name, as Jews. An entire nation was birthed because God’s plans overtook man’s plans!

Everyday Application

1) Why does God say His ways and thoughts are not ours? (verse 8)
Although we’d like to think our ways and thoughts are just as perfect as God’s, they’re simply not. The Bible tells us we’re all sinners, not one of us is righteous. (Romans 3:9) None of us will attain to God’s level of holiness on our own without Jesus. We don’t even know what we should pray for and need the Spirit’s help to pray correctly! (Romans 8:26) In contrast, God is perfect! His Son, who is God’s exact image (Hebrews 1:3), never sinned in His time on earth although He was tempted in every way as we are. (Hebrews 4:15) His divinity was able to withstand the devil. We are not able to do so alone. Our human nature is more willing to surrender to evil than to good (Romans 7:18-19), and it’s only through Christ we have the hope of eternal life with God. In other words, our ways and thoughts are wicked on their own. Only God’s ways and thoughts are perfect, and therefore, they’re not ours.

2) How can we follow God’s ways when they do not align with our own ideas and wishes?
Jesus is very straightforward to us in saying, “If anyone loves me, he will keep My word.” (John 14:23) We already read in Isaiah 55:11 where God said, “So My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do”. In other words, if we love Him, we will be able to keep His Word through the power of His Spirit living within us. His ways and His thoughts are active in us when we submit to following Him. If we trust Him, we will obey and follow the Lord even though we cannot see where He’s leading us. God knows all things and knows exactly how everything will work out. We need to have faith in Him for He is faithful (Hebrews 10:23) and His ways are perfect. And they always accomplish what they were supposed to do. His plans are never in vain. Remembering this can help us abandon our own thoughts and surrender to God.

3) What biblical events can encourage us to have faith in God’s ways?
When we look in the New Testament, we can be inspired and encouraged by all the disciples of Jesus (and obviously Jesus Himself). Each life was flipped upside down from the moment they met Jesus, and even more so after His crucifixion and resurrection. They were imprisoned (Acts 12:3), beaten (2 Corinthians 11:25), and eventually killed (Acts 12:2) for following Christ. Saul was on his way to Damascus to bring an end of the spread of Christianity. Instead, the Lord stopped him on his tracks and blinded him (Acts 9:1-9). Saul, then became Paul, left his old life of persecution behind and influenced the early church, (and our own modern lives!), by his preaching and writing. In fact, the majority of the New Testament consists of Paul’s letters to encourage and strengthen the church! I’m sure his life didn’t really play out the way he had initially planned. Yet, he trusted God every step of the way, whether free or imprisoned, he sang praises to the Lord (Acts 16:25) and continued to follow Christ until death. Reading their stories and experiences as often as we can will encourage us to remain faithful as we pursue Christ in everyday life. Even if God rearranges our plans in different ways than we had hoped or dreamed, surrender to his hand, acknowledging His plans are necessary for our growth in faith and the work for His glory.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Question, Follow, Faith!

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 Follow Week Three!
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.

Sola Day 2 I Am A Hussite!: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

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 Am A Hussite!

The Questions

1) What does it mean to be “ashamed” in this context? How can we not be ashamed? (verses 8, 12, and 16)

2) How does the phrase “not according to works” impact both saving and calling? (verse 9)

 

3) What has been “entrusted”, what is the “good deposit”, and how do we guard them? (verses 12 and 14)

2 Timothy 1:8-18

So don’t be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me his prisoner. Instead, share in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God. 9 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. 10 This has now been made evident through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has abolished death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 For this gospel I was appointed a herald, apostle, and teacher, 12 and that is why I suffer these things. But I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day.

13 Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who lives in us. 15 You know that all those in the province of Asia have deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he diligently searched for me and found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he obtain mercy from him on that day. You know very well how much he ministered at Ephesus.

Original Intent

1) What does it mean to be “ashamed” in this context? How can we not be ashamed? (verses 8, 12, and 16)
The book of 2 Timothy is Paul’s second letter to Timothy, his “dearly loved son in the faith”. (1 Timothy 1:2, 2 Timothy 1:2) Paul had invested deeply into Timothy since he met him, bringing Timothy along on his travels across Asia Minor as he planted churches and encouraged believers. Timothy was Paul’s investment for a new generation of gospel proclamation and he cared about him immensely. Paul had left Timothy at his first official church assignment at the important church hub in Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3) where Timothy was to step into leadership by pastoring and shepherding the people there. The letters to Timothy are hemmed on all sides with tender love and strong encouragement. This second letter begins with the opening paragraphs dedicated to reminding Timothy he is not alone. He is not working for the Lord in vain, and his tireless hard work is worth it as he continues building God’s Kingdom. Paul bolsters Timothy and also calls him out in a fatherly manner by insisting, “so don’t be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me his prisoner. Instead, share in suffering for the gospel…”. (verse 8) Paul urges Timothy to keep on pursuing truth, to hold tightly to it, and continue teaching by it, and leading faithfully towards it. To be “ashamed of testimony of the Lord” in this context, would have been for Timothy to walk away from his calling as preacher and teacher, sweeping it under the rug and turning his life toward other pursuits. Instead, Paul encourages Timothy by reminding him that God has a specific call on his life, He has equipped him for Kingdom work (verse 6), and, on a personal note, Paul adds how brilliantly he has witnessed God’s Spirit working vibrantly through Timothy. (verse 5)

2) How does the phrase “not according to works” impact both saving and calling? (verse 9)
We, in our humanity, had absolutely nothing to do in attaining our salvation or giving ourselves a divinely appointed purpose in life that furthers God’s Kingdom growth. The very idea that we could somehow manipulate God or bring some merit or ability or wisdom into the equation of either our salvation or our purpose is entirely laughable. Paul writes passionately in his letter to the Galatians how foolish they are to even consider these thoughts! (Galatians 3:1-3) It is by grace alone we are saved through faith; this is God’s lavish gift towards us! (Romans 3:23-24, Romans 6:23) While we were still adamant sinners, arrogantly insisting on our way and our own means of being “good enough” and our own distorted scale of how “good” was defined, even then, Christ died for us. As we rebelled, He surrendered Himself so we might turn from our sin, recognize our own inability to save ourselves, and hold out our hand to Jesus for rescue. Timothy already knew all of these truths because he had traveled with Paul for years; he understood what Paul wrote inside and out, up and down, backwards and forwards. But oh, the encouragement when he read those words! To be reminded of those truths again and again. Paul knew a secret to being effective, and it began and ended with the gospel preached over and over to everyone, believer and unbeliever alike!

3) What has been “entrusted”, what is the “good deposit”, and how do we guard them? (verses 12 and 14)
Paul sums up his encouraging discourse to Timothy on why he does not need to be ashamed of the gospel by reminding Timothy of God’s unchanging character. God is always faith and will never become unfaithful; He can be trusted! (Hebrews 10:23) Because God is perfectly trustworthy, we can know for sure that He will guard our souls for eternity once we surrender them in faith to His hand. From the moment we take our hands off of our own life, admit we are ruined sinners in need of redemption, while recognizing that the God of the Bible is the only One who can offer that redemption, we are forever saved. God entrusted our souls to us, giving us the invitation to wisely hand them back to their author, God Himself. When Paul says God is “able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day”, Paul is referring to his own soul. (verse 12) As with all Scripture study, it is vitally important to remember we must study in context of the whole, which is evidenced when we read of the “good deposit” in verse 14. In verse 13, Paul exhorts Timothy hold tightly to sound teaching, which is right doctrine that comes from correctly studying Scripture in the context of biblical community. This sound teaching is guarded through the Holy Spirit, who, as Jesus says, is the One who reminds us of all truth and leads us into truth as we study. (John 16:13)

Everyday Application

1) What does it mean to be “ashamed” in this context? How can we not be ashamed? (verses 8, 12, and 16)
We all experience discouragement in different seasons of our lives, but for the committed Christ-follower, discouragement can be a tool the enemy uses to swerve our eyes off of the mission and calling God has given us. We can feel inadequate. We can feel like we aren’t achieving the results we should be.  We might even wonder if we ever really heard God calling us into this specific form of ministry, or if it was just an emotionally hyped response. This is when we desperately need the anchor of truth and the strength of biblical community surrounding us as Paul demonstrated so beautifully to Timothy. If you’re feeling discouraged as you follow Jesus, take some time to sit with this passage from Paul to Timothy and soak in its truths for yourself. Remember God’s grace (verse 2) is what saved you and by His grace you’ve been given a calling and purpose. His grace, not your abilities. God is merciful (verse 2, verse 9) towards you. He understands your discouragement and He is present with you, never leaving you. You are prayed over! (verse 3) Satan wants you to feel isolated like you are ministering alone, this is a lie! Reach out to another believer and ask them to pray or email us (prayer@gracefullytruthful.com); we would be honored to pray over you! Because God is so merciful, He puts people in our lives who are cheering for us and want to walk alongside us; this is biblical community! (verse 4) Even if you feel as if you don’t have anyone to reach out to, the fact you are reading this study means that if no one else is for you, the Lord God IS, and He holds every tear in a bottle and knows the depth of your heart. Reach out to those who have witnessed your love for Jesus, be honest as you transparently share of your discouragement and allow them to speak life and truth over you. (verse 5) You, who have surrendered your heart and life to God, have within you the gift of God which He IS using to fulfill HIS purposes; rest in that! (verse 6) His Spirit inside you is not based in fear, but is overflowing with power, love, and wisdom. (verses 7-8) Remember, fellow Christ-follower, you know in Whom you have believed and trusted for eternity. You know His heart. You know of His love for you. You know He is able to guard your soul for eternity, so of course He is able to continue working through you to build His kingdom now. (verses 11-12) Don’t be ashamed and walk away from what He has called you into!

2) How does the phrase “not according to works” impact both saving and calling? (verse 9)
When we sit in the boat of everyday life, amid turmoil, grief, loss, discouragement, or even happiness, good times, and enjoyment in our relationships, we need the constant safety rails of knowing God saves for eternity and gives us divine purpose simply because HE has decided to do so. Not because of us. If our salvation depended on complete obedience to only a single command, we would still be damned forever. We are utterly imperfect. If you have been trying to follow Jesus, and do all the right things, and say all the good things, and stop saying or doing the wrong things, but still find yourself failing. TAKE HEART! God knows. He knows you will absolutely never be able to save yourself, become more like Him, win another soul to Christ, speak truth over another sister or brother, love your spouse like God loves them, stay away from lust, or cease from your own pet sins, HE KNOWS YOU CAN’T!!! Because He is so kind and good, merciful, and full of grace, He equips us with His own powerful Spirit to live inside of us and shape us to do His work and be saved for eternity. The more we read, study, and apply God’s Word to our lives, the more we open ourselves up to God’s Spirit working within us!

3) What has been “entrusted”, what is the “good deposit”, and how do we guard them? (verses 12 and 14)
Jesus poignantly asked, “For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his soul?” Every human life has been entrusted with a soul by the very author of Life, God Himself. What we do with that soul is our decision. As Jesus says in Mark 8:35, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it.”  Meaning, if we give over our life, our very soul, to God, it may seem like we are losing it, but in reality, it is being saved for eternity. Only the Author of a soul has the ability to maintain it and preserve it. The question we must ask ourselves is, “Who owns my soul”? If it is any other than the Lord Jesus Christ, our soul is currently in a state of lostness. The second question we must ask ourselves is how are we guarding what has been deposited in us? Maybe even taking time to assess, and ask ourselves, what “good teaching” has already been deposited in us. What do we think about God? Who do we believe Him to be? How do we view our lives? Who defines truth? What does love look like according to the Bible? We must line up our beliefs with the plumb line of Scripture, holding fast to truth, and discarding what is out of line with God’s Word. We guard this investment by continuing to pursue truth through Scripture study, and by prayerfully asking the Holy Spirit to teach us and lead us deeper into greater understanding of truth. Look for podcasts, sermons, books, and friends who consistently preach the gospel and expound the truths of the Bible, then guard those deposits!

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

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 Sola 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.

Esther Day 9 Tears That Move God’s Heart: 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 Tears That Move God’s Heart!

The Questions

1) What does Mordecai’s decision to not go past the King’s Gate tell us? (verses 1-2)

2) What is revealed by Esther’s response in verse 4 and how was her growth encouraged?

3) How does the “one law” in verse 11 give a mini-description of the gospel?

Esther 4:1-11

When Mordecai learned all that had occurred, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, went into the middle of the city, and cried loudly and bitterly. 2 He went only as far as the King’s Gate, since the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering the King’s Gate. 3 There was great mourning among the Jewish people in every province where the king’s command and edict came. They fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

4 Esther’s female servants and her eunuchs came and reported the news to her, and the queen was overcome with fear. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear so that he would take off his sackcloth, but he did not accept them. 5 Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs who attended her, and dispatched him to Mordecai to learn what he was doing and why. 6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square in front of the King’s Gate. 7 Mordecai told him everything that had happened as well as the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay the royal treasury for the slaughter of the Jews.

8 Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa ordering their destruction, so that Hathach might show it to Esther, explain it to her, and command her to approach the king, implore his favor, and plead with him personally for her people. 9 Hathach came and repeated Mordecai’s response to Esther.

10 Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to tell Mordecai, 11 “All the royal officials and the people of the royal provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner courtyard and who has not been summoned—the death penalty— unless the king extends the gold scepter, allowing that person to live. I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the last thirty days.”

Original Intent

1) What does Mordecai’s decision to not go past the King’s Gate tell us? (verses 1-2)
In a word? Honor. In another word? Respect. In yet another word? Faith. Mordecai had just been placed on death row. Outside of divine intervention, there was no hope for Mordecai’s life to be spared. Mordecai was not a weak, fearful man. He had stood firm in his decision to refuse to bow to anyone other than God. Neither was his position at the palace one of unimportance. Mordecai had prestige, a certain amount of power, faith, and strength of character. With the right amount of anger, which would most certainly be brought about by this scenario, Mordecai would have had enough courage and fortitude to storm the palace on a suicide mission to take out Haman or even the king. His life would soon be over anyways. But he didn’t. This small recorded detail telling us that Mordecai, “went only as far as the King’s Gate, since the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering the King’s Gate”, speaks volumes of his character and the depth of his faith. He was distraught, overcome with grief, and quite likely justifiable anger, but he was not without wise courses of action, respectful decisions, and faith that God would indeed bring about redemption, even if he didn’t see what it would look like.

2) What is revealed by Esther’s response in verse 4 and how was her growth encouraged?
Mordecai hears of Haman’s plan, and in humility, prostrates himself before God with weeping, fasting, and prayer. Esther hears of Haman’s humbling actions, and her distress motivates her to cover his rent garments and silence his tears.  Maybe it was all the time she’d spent being “treated with beauty”, covering blemishes that were skin deep while hiding the identity of her Jewish heritage. Maybe she was embarrassed by her uncle’s intentional humiliation. Maybe she supposed he had gone mad. Whatever it was, Mordecai’s vulnerable display of human weakness cast upon the strength of the Almighty disconcerted Esther at her core. Her first response wasn’t to ask investigative questions, but rather to cover up her discomfort. She would rather close her eyes, and put the whole scene to rest. When Mordecai refused to shove the issue under the rug, only then did she ask. Notice again Mordecai’s honor and respect? He could have told Hathach with angry exasperation exactly why he was rejecting Esther’s offer of clothing, but he didn’t. He respected Esther enough to let her ask her own questions. When Esther did ask questions, Mordecai answered with complete facts, giving explicit details Haman’s plan of destruction. (Esther 4:7-8) He urged her to go to the King with all the details he’d shared, and that’s where she pushed back hard, giving a lengthy reply. (Esther 4:10-11) It was suicide to go to the king. Mordecai responded back with wisdom, poking holes in the way she viewed the situation, because she herself was already on death row! Mordecai never once pressured her by telling her what she must do. Rather, he respectfully presented the facts, conversed with her based on their relationship, gave her wise, godly options, then valued her by letting her make her own decision. He refused to manipulate her, and instead honored her, even though he clearly felt there was a right decision to be made.

3) How does the “one law” in verse 11 give a mini-description of the gospel?
We read the scene of Esther going before King Ahasuerus and, because we know the end of the story, it’s easy to gloss over the life-threatening situation. From the lowest slave to the highest ranking official in the king’s province, everyone knew it was suicide to enter the king’s inner court without being summoned. It was a literal death wish. No questions asked, no opportunity to speak your mind, just execution for daring to enter into the king’s presence. There was only one, very slight exception. The king himself could save your life, if He wanted. One brief extension of his scepter, and life would be spared, at least for that moment. Making the dire situation even more ominous, the king hadn’t summoned his queen in over 30 days. As was his trajectory with Vashti, his previous queen, he became bored, and annoyed, easily. If he was in a sour mood, there was nothing we have seen in his character to make him favorably disposed towards Queen Esther’s unbidden approach to his Highness. But God. God had already given Esther favor with everyone within her sphere of influence from the time she entered the king’s beauty pageant, and it continued resting on her throughout her time in the palace.

Everyday Application

1) What does Mordecai’s decision to not go past the King’s Gate tell us? (verses 1-2)
Having the ability to choose a wise response, while respecting and honoring boundaries when you are angry, hurt, sad, offended, and grieved doesn’t come naturally. Choosing a wise response in the midst of oppressive circumstances is a discipline that grows over time as we submit our will to God’s, trusting His heart over our own. Mordecai acted with a clear head and a clear conscience as he chose to honor and respect the very authority that was putting him to death. How many of us can say that?! Relationships get messy quickly, and whether it’s a working relationship between coworkers, a parent-child relationship, a friend-to-friend relationship, or one between husband and wife, there will undoubtedly be times we feel offended, hurt, and disrespected. How we respond is always our choice. One person’s poor decision does not give us a blank check to treat them with the justice we deem most fitting. (Romans 12:17) When we choose honor and respect (note this doesn’t mean agreeance), we are carrying the gospel to the other person. We are removing ourselves as the authority on justice, and leaving room for God to fight our battles. (Romans 12:18-21) Surely, none of us would blame Mordecai for acting rashly, or would we? Who knows what domino effect would be set in motion had he stormed the King’s Gate with indignant bitterness instead of respecting the governing boundary. I know I need to keep practicing this discipline in my relationships; it’s a good thing that opportunities are always abounding!

2) What is revealed by Esther’s response in verse 4 and how was her growth encouraged?
What is so precious to me about this exchange between orphan-turned-queen Esther and Uncle Mordecai, who was very much like a father to her is the beauty of true, biblical community. We are all on a faith journey. Some of us are pushing hard against religion of all kinds, let alone Christianity. Some are curious onlookers, wondering what it is that makes Christianity different from the rest. Others are thrilled with the new life of Christ, having just crossed the line of faith for themselves. Other journeys have long-walked with the Savior, but have experienced various highs and lows along the way. Wherever we are, biblical community can help us grow deeper and go farther than we would alone. The Christian life was never intended to be lived out alone; even Jesus surrounded Himself with a community of brothers He did everything with. Based solely on what we read in Esther’s story in this passage, I have little doubt that had Mordecai not been part of Esther’s community, the end of the story would have been vastly different. As much as we celebrate Esther’s heroism in this portion of Jewish history, we cannot celebrate her without also celebrating Mordecai and the role of biblical community in her life. We have these same opportunities to sharpen others around us, encouraging them by pointing them towards wisdom, speaking the truth in brave love, respecting them, walking alongside them, and giving them the space to make their own decisions. Who can you love well this week?

3) How does the “one law” in verse 11 give a mini-description of the gospel?
This throne room experience for Esther is the same for each of us, when we view it through the lens of our own relationship with God. God, in His righteous holiness is entirely set apart from all sin, like the king in his throne room. He cannot abide even the smallest hint of sin in His presence. To enter the presence of God with our sin-wrecked selves is impossible. In fact, it’s so impossible that we are condemned to Death simply by default because of our sin nature. Did you catch that? We are all on death row with a sentence of eternal separation from the Author of life and love. But, like Esther’s throne room scenario, we too have one, single ray of hope at life. What’s infinitely better in our case is that God, the King, has already guaranteed to extend His scepter towards us! When He chose to Die our death for us, He paid the penalty required by our sin, and with His resurrection, He flung open the door to the throne room of His presence. We are free to go in, to have access, to dance in freedom, to leave the chains of our sin behind, to sit and dwell with Him forever and enjoy His glorious presence! Also like Esther, just because the hope of life is extended towards us, doesn’t mean we are automatically in the throne room of God. Christ’s offer of redemption is on the table, the choice of accepting Him is ours to make. Do you have access? If so, are you living out the truth of that reality? If not, I applaud you for your honesty and ask, what holds you back from saying yes to Jesus offer of redemption and new life? Wherever you are on this journey of faith, there are people praying for you!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Tears That Move God’s Heart!

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 Esther 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 10 By Faith

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Pause 3, Day 10

Hebrews was intended to grab our attention and make a clear, concise, logical claim for why Jesus is exactly Who He claimed to be as fully God and fully man, the only possible sacrifice available to cover our sins and welcome us into a restored relationship with Himself as God.

Because we have been granted 100% full-time access to the presence of God by accepting, through faith, exactly who He is and what He came to do for us, we are given the rich blessing of leaning into Him and learning from His precious character on a continual basis.

As we discover Him, surrendering to Him moment by moment as we learn to trust Him more fully, He transforms us, renews us, and fills us, not only with His purposes for our existence, but also with His Spirit to live vibrantly through us in everyday life!

His Spirit works His purposes out in the messy mayhem of our real lives, and in the process, His kingdom is built on earth as it is in Heaven. What an incredible life!

Be encouraged today as you read the mini-faith stories of believers who set their eyes on the face of the God who loved them and called them into more, and know you too have been called and welcomed into much through faith in Jesus!

Today's Invitation

1) Read through Hebrews 11 out loud today twice. Slowly. Linger over that verse (or verses) that stick out to you, slowing and listening as God’s Spirit speaks to your heart! Choose 1 or 2 to write out on notecards and post them around your house – then post a picture of your reminder cards on Instagram or on our Facebook Community Page. Take the weekend to memorize these and forever hide them in your heart!

2) If you’ve journeyed with us all the way through Pause 3, you’ve almost read the entire book of Hebrews together in community with other sisters across the globe!! Finish well today and carve out some extra time to read chapters 12 and 13, being sure to record your thoughts, prayers, and questions in your journal!

3) Don’t forget about our 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!

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Hebrews 11

Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. 2 For by it our ancestors won God’s approval.
3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.
5 By faith Enoch was taken away, and so he did not experience death. He was not to be found because God took him away. For before he was taken away, he was approved as one who pleased God. 6 Now 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.

7 By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents as did Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11 By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the one who had promised was faithful. 12 Therefore, from one man—in fact, from one as good as dead—came offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and as innumerable as the grains of sand along the seashore.

13 These all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. 14 Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. 16 But they now desire a better place—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He received the promises and yet he was offering his one and only son, 18 the one to whom it had been said, Your offspring will be traced through Isaac. 19 He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead; therefore, he received him back, figuratively speaking.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and he worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones.

23 By faith Moses, after he was born, was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn’t fear the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter 25 and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin. 26 For he considered reproach for the sake of Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since he was looking ahead to the reward.

27 By faith he left Egypt behind, not being afraid of the king’s anger, for Moses persevered as one who sees him who is invisible. 28 By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites. 29 By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after being marched around by the Israelites for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed.

32 And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received their dead, raised to life again. Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. 38 The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

39 All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.

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!