forgiveness

Whole Day 12 Whole Story Messengers: 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 Whole Story Messengers!

The Questions

1) Who is considered a “brother” in this passage? Is it referring to Christians, the person next to you, or a biological brother? (verse 21)

2) Are believers ever permitted to stop forgiving someone or put them in their place? (verse 22)

3) Must believers forgive from the heart if the other person is not repentant? (verse 35)

Matthew 18:21-35

21 Then Peter approached him and asked, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times?”

22 “I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven.

23 “For this reason, the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle accounts, one who owed ten thousand talents was brought before him. 25 Since he did not have the money to pay it back, his master commanded that he, his wife, his children, and everything he had be sold to pay the debt.

26 “At this, the servant fell facedown before him and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 Then the master of that servant had compassion, released him, and forgave him the loan.

28 “That servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him, started choking him, and said, ‘Pay what you owe!’

29 “At this, his fellow servant fell down and began begging him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 30 But he wasn’t willing. Instead, he went and threw him into prison until he could pay what was owed. 31 When the other servants saw what had taken place, they were deeply distressed and went and reported to their master everything that had happened. 32 Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And because he was angry, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay everything that was owed. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to you unless every one of you forgives his brother or sister from your heart.”

Original Intent

1) Who is considered a “brother” in this passage? Is it referring to Christians, the person next to you, or a biological brother? (verse 21)
The Book of Matthew, and the other Gospel books of Mark, Luke, and John, closely follow Jesus’ active ministry years from beginning to end. Jesus expends a lot of energy throughout His ministry emphasizing the importance of repentance and recognition of Him as Lord and Savior in order to be reconciled to God. Jesus describes one of the marks of a genuine, reconciled relationship with God as being how lovingly we engage in relationships with others. Though Scripture has much to say about loving and reaching out to those who don’t know God, these verses in Matthew 18 reference those already in Christ’s kingdom (Christians). Chapter 18 begins with Jesus’ disciples asking, “[W]ho is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”. (verse 1) This information provides us the contextual setting for Christ’s words in verses 21-35 which describe another aspect of what it looks like to be “greatest” in His kingdom. In fact, the whole of chapter 18 paints a picture of who is “greatest” according to God. As Jesus addressed the heart-posture of His followers, He spoke of attributes like childlike humility and tender care for individuals within Jesus’ flock, the Church. These characteristics reflect God’s unending forgiveness toward other believers as God has covered the believer’s sins with the blood of Jesus. It is this combination of forgiveness and patient endurance Jesus calls Christians to live out among each other in order to remain reconciled to one another. This love distinguishes His disciples from the world (John 13:35) and demonstrates to the world God’s offering of forgiveness for those who repent and follow Him.

2) Are believers ever permitted to stop forgiving someone or put them in their place? (verse 22)
The Enduring Word commentary notes the traditional “holy” response from Jewish Pharisees was to forgive an offender three times. Knowing Jesus is gracious and compassionate, Peter extended that number to an extraordinary “seven times”. Jesus’ response, however, revealed His endless heart of divine love as He instructed Peter to forgive an offender more times than he could count by saying “seventy times seven”. (verse 22) Prior to this conversation, Jesus outlined explicit teaching for His gentle, loving approach to correcting and restoring a brother or sister who has sinned against another believer. Of greater importance even than the crucially important loving correction within the Church, Jesus focused on the vast forgiveness of God that ought to be reflected by His people. In verses 23-27, Jesus described a servant who owed the king ten-thousand talents. A commentary from the Working Preacher explains this would equal about 150 years’ worth of income. A nearly incomprehensible amount! The first servant had incurred a debt that was impossible to repay. Lavishly, the king did not provide any ultimatums to earn forgiveness, rather, the king was compassionately moved by the servant’s imploring and freely cancelled the debt. The king took the financial hit himself, wiping clean the record of debt just as Christ does for us as the substitutionary atonement offered between us and the King of the World. Christ took the hit of death and separation from the Father for our sin. Then, He made the offer of a cleanly wiped slate to all who trust Him as their personal Lord and Savior. Tragically, the servant left the king’s presence and demonstrated a total lack of mercy toward another servant who had incurred a lesser debt. His selfish greed reflected his lack of genuine sorrow or understanding of the grand forgiveness bestowed on him.

3) Must believers forgive from the heart if the other person is not repentant? (verse 35)
As previously noted, the verses prior to this passage discuss a plan of correction when one believer has sinned against another. This discussion prompts Peter to ask his question of forgiveness. As we read the dialogue, Jesus’ response centers around His disciples loving one another. He is not explicit in this parable on the part of whether each servant was truly repentant. Instead, He focuses on the one in position to forgive or withhold forgiveness. Earlier in Matthew, Jesus taught His disciples how to pray by modeling what has now become well-known as the Lord’s prayer. (Matthew 6:9-14) When stepping back to scan the whole text, it is interesting that Christ pauses to reiterate forgiveness before shifting to the topic of fasting. The Lord’s prayer ties our request for personal forgiveness to our willingness to forgive others. (Matthew 6:12) Christ re-emphasizes forgiveness again in the verses following His model prayer. (Matthew 6:14-15) When studying an overview of Bible verses on forgiveness, I do not find direction or allowance to withhold forgiveness from one another until someone repents, but I do see plenty of calls for repentance before the LORD GOD Himself and for Christians to live peaceably with one another as far as they are able. (Romans 12:18) As I chew through these hard teachings of God’s love displayed through forgiveness, I see hope for the struggling and pained in this parable. In the end, the King returns to settle grievances and dole out justice. May we not find joy in another’s suffering of judgment, but comfort in the Lord’s righteousness and coming justice! (Romans 12:19)

Everyday Application

1) Who is considered a “brother” in this passage? Is it referring to Christians, the person next to you, or a biological brother? (verse 21)
Undoubtedly, we’ve all experienced hurt from others in life. Some hurts are small while others are so painful we would be well-served to navigate them with Christian counseling. When preparing to live overseas as missionaries, it’s often said the hardest people to love are those within God’s church. Hmmm, say that again?! The church is supposed to be the safest, easiest place to love others! In the context of self-sacrificing, generous, forgiving love, everyone will experience God’s love in action, which overflows into living peaceably. God teaches us how to love one another in His Word. God promises His Spirit is actively working in us to complete His work in us. (Philippians 1:6) God promises to use our perseverance in trial to lead us into deeper maturity as His sons and daughters. (James 1:4) When a Christian repents of sinning against God and is reconciled to Him through forgiveness and the blood of Christ, that person is not immediately made perfect and neither am I. Some of my own past thoughts and habits are not yet realized as to sin to me; I have more growing to finish. Or, if they are, self-control of them has not yet been worked out to the point of eliminating that sin. What has God most used to convict and free me from my sin over the years? The perseverance and patience of my Christian brothers and sisters. Their grace towards me and readiness to forgive me has played a crucial role. Authentic, loving believers who listen well and exhibit gentleness when I confess my sin spurs me on to follow Jesus more closely. While God’s church may, at times, be quite unbecoming, God is at work bringing us to completion through continued repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation. May this love call the lost to Jesus!

2) Are believers ever permitted to stop forgiving someone or put them in their place? (verse 22)
My oldest child persistently uses unkind words toward his siblings and parents for attention. This child also happens to have a processing disability, including complex emotions. We take hours of time to converse again and again about how words hurt people. On occasion, he connects that if he wants something (a toy or reconnection) he can hug me with an apology of mumbled and jumbled words. At times, the apology is forced through a rehearsal. Frequently, perhaps within the hour, he will use hurtful words again. Does he actually understand and mean his apology? Do I continue forgiving him and encourage my other children to do so as well? How weary we feel at bedtime! This example might seem simple to forgive as you consider he was born with a disability, but are we really much different in our own deficits of understanding the ways of the Lord? Doesn’t a Christian spend their lives learning the depths of what Christ means for us to live out His joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control? (Galatians 5:22-26) We often respond based on a level of understanding that makes sense to us. Jesus prods us ever further to love like Him. R.C. Sproul wrote a helpful article noting that Scripture never commands us to forgive one who is unrepentant, but we do have the freedom to still offer forgiveness just as Jesus asked God to forgive those who nailed him on the cross. Scripture DOES command us to rebuke one another with the readiness to forgive and reconcile for even the same repeated offense. (Luke 17:3-4) We lack the ability to fix a fellow sinner who is, perhaps, wearing us down with their offenses, but we also have the never-ending call to be ready with reconciliation in the strength of the Lord.

3) Must believers forgive from the heart if the other person is not repentant? (verse 35)
Several years ago a devastating story was reported of a pastor who went to the gym and returned to find his home a crime scene and his wife murdered. Days later, the pastor publicly claimed he’d forgiven the murderer. This response perplexed me. Why and how could he say these things? Surely the Bible doesn’t call him to forgive these strangers who had shown no sign of repentance. The Enduring Word Bible Commentary provides helpful insights. First, there is a distinction between forgiveness, which is one-sided, and reconciliation, which requires two parties to participate in both repentance and forgiveness. Secondly, we are one sinner striving in relation with another sinner. As such, true forgiveness is only possible as an overflow from our relationship with the Lord. Only He, the divine God who perfectly loves and forgives, is capable of cultivating His forgiveness in us. (Luke 7:47) This is a different relationship than a sinner being fully forgiven by a holy God. We are not in a position of righteousness, but rather one who also needs the covering of Jesus’ forgiveness through His sacrificial blood. God is holy; He is the One most grieved by evil, even our smallest sins. Graciously, the LORD is also the most ready to forgive when a broken heart is burdened by their offense against the righteous LORD and harmed others. The LORD is also He who will one day carry out complete justice. This pastor, in his deep grief, knew that in order to live without bitterness, his heart must be always ready to forgive. (Ephesians 4:31-32) He had long leaned into the Spirit of God who had faithfully taught him to forgive. This man took his own sin seriously and he confidently trusted that His King would one day make all things right. (Psalm 94)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Whole Story Messengers!

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 Whole 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.

Worship X Day 12 From Eternity To Eternity: 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 From Eternity To Eternity!

The Questions

1) How do forgiveness and healing tie together to display God’s benefits? (verse 3)

2) What does it mean to be redeemed from the Pit and how does it showcase the blessings of God? (verse 4)

3) What definition of satisfaction and “good things” are intended by the author? (verse 5)

4) Are the benefits of God only given to those who obey? (verse 17-18)

Psalm 103

1 My soul, bless the Lord,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 My soul, bless the Lord,
and do not forget all his benefits.

3 He forgives all your iniquity;
he heals all your diseases.
4 He redeems your life from the Pit;
he crowns you with faithful love and compassion.
5 He satisfies you with good things;
your youth is renewed like the eagle.

6 The Lord executes acts of righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He revealed his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in faithful love.
9 He will not always accuse us
or be angry forever.
10 He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve
or repaid us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his faithful love
toward those who fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed
our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
14 For he knows what we are made of,
remembering that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass—
he blooms like a flower of the field;
16 when the wind passes over it, it vanishes,
and its place is no longer known.
17 But from eternity to eternity
the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear him,
and his righteousness toward the grandchildren
18 of those who keep his covenant,
who remember to observe his precepts.
19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Bless the Lord,
all his angels of great strength,
who do his word,
obedient to his command.
21 Bless the Lord, all his armies,
his servants who do his will.
22 Bless the Lord, all his works
in all the places where he rules.
My soul, bless the Lord!

Original Intent

1) How do forgiveness and healing tie together to display God’s benefits? (verse 3)
David’s psalm expounds on the blessing of receiving God’s benefits and he praises Him for these. (verses 1-2) David knew when he focused on blessing the Lord, he was aligning his heart with worship and inviting others to do the same. (verses 20-22) The first two blessings of David’s psalm are God’s forgiveness and healing. (verse 3) David had experienced the Lord’s forgiveness in a very personal way on many occasions, but most notably in the aftermath of his sin with Bathsheba. He not only committed adultery with her, but abandoned his job, manipulated others to cover his tracks, and committed murder. While David suffered the consequence of losing his firstborn son (2 Samuel 12:13-14), he understood God’s mercy on him. (Psalm 51) For many cases of sin, the Old Testament law allowed blood sacrifices to be made at the temple to pay for sin. God initiated this system to create a visual for the cost of death required for sin. However, it could be easy for sinners to reduce forgiveness to a simple exchange without true repentance and heart change. Simply bring a sacrificial offering to expunge your sin, and escape God’s wrath and righteous judgment for your sin. With an attitude like this, the offender missed how God was also healing their relationship with Him by offering forgiveness. Every sin separates us from the Holy God; His forgiveness offered because of a required blood sacrifice brought healing to the relationship. However, God did not limit His healing to relationships, but also brought physical healing as a demonstration of His good character and love. Much like He would later do in the New Testament, and even today, God extended healing to display His glory and bless His people. (Exodus 15:26, Psalm 147:2-3, Jeremiah 30:17)

2) What does it mean to be redeemed from the Pit and how does it showcase the blessings of God? (verse 4)
Verse 4 sings of God’s benefits, “He redeems your life from the Pit; He crowns you with faithful love and compassion.” In Old Testament time, Israelites didn’t have the benefit of reading the New Testament’s details on afterlife, but there was an understanding that God was ruler of life and death. (Daniel 12:2-3) Sheol, or the Pit, were common names for a “holding place” after death, much like we would say “grave”. Both wicked (Psalm 9:17, Psalm 31:17) and righteous (Genesis 37:5, Psalm 16:10) were held here. (Got Questions) To be declared righteous in the Old Testament required strict adherence to Old Testament Law, which included the Ten Commandments. When someone failed to follow the law, a blood sacrifice was required to pay for their transgression. Ultimately, Israelites understood it was God’s sacrificial system, and it was He who showed mercy when they sinned. It was only God who could redeem them. While David was certainly singing about God’s eternal redemption of souls from the dead in verse 4, he was also likely recalling God’s deliverance from Israel’s slavery in Egypt. (Exodus 13-14) David ties together the benefits of redemption from death with God’s faithful love and compassion, for God’s redemption is made possible because of God’s unchanging character. God is, and always has been, a God of faithful love. (1 John 4:16, Psalm 136) From creation, His love for humanity is displayed as He provided for every need with magnificent wisdom with His greatest show of love at Adam and Eve’s sinful rebellion. He could have justifiably killed Adam and Eve and started over; instead, He performed the first blood sacrifice by killing His own creation to provide a covering for them. (Genesis 3:21) Yes, He banished them from the Garden and they suffered consequences but He still protected them and provided for them.

3) What definition of satisfaction and “good things” are intended by the author? (verse 5)
David had learned the lesson of delighting in the goodness of the Lord and he often wove the beauty of this benefit into his psalms. (Psalm 34:8-10, Psalm 107:5-9) He knew nothing else would satisfy him but Jehovah Himself, the Giver of all good things. (Psalm 103:5, James 1:17) In his life, David had looked in many places for satisfaction, often falling into sin in his efforts. Still, he always returned to the God who had never ceased His faithful love and benefit toward him; God became the steadfast source of satisfaction, leaving all other desires as meaningless in comparison. (Psalm 42) In verse 5, David chose language the prophet Isaiah would later echo to describe the strength of the Lord’s goodness. He likens an eagle to the strong renewal and restoration found in the good satisfaction of the Lord. (Isaiah 40:31) Like most birds, eagles molt, but for the eagle, it is like a second wind and a new beginning. David knew to Whom he could run to begin again and find vitality and strength.

4) Are the benefits of God only given to those who obey? (verse 17-18)
David’s words on blessing for the obedient in verse 18 are a common theme in the Old Testament. “The Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear Him.” (Deuteronomy 7:9) “Of those who keep His covenant and observe His precepts.” (Psalm 25:10) Blessings came to those who obeyed the Lord, which was often evidenced by physical blessings like wealth, land, or descendants. (Genesis 12:2-3, Genesis 13:14-17) These blessings were a precursor to the coming of the indwelling Holy Spirit in the New Testament, where the greatest of all blessing would be given, God Himself living within His people. In the New Testament, the focus of blessing shifts from tangible to spiritual. Jesus promised His followers they would have trouble and persecution for following Him. (John 16:33) Understanding this Old Testament mindset helps us understand David’s words more fully. Even still, David and many others in his time, understood the greatest blessing came not from temporary benefits but from an eternal relationship with Yahweh. Many in the Old Testament evidenced this deeper relationship as they walked with God like Elisha, Elijah, and Moses. Others communicated with God, but were mostly hearers of the word, not involved in a personal relationship with The Eternal Word. Largely, the average Israelite’s lifestyle revolved around obeying the Torah, which are the first five books of the Old Testament containing God’s Laws. Keep in mind, the Holy Spirit did not live inside them to actively engage, teach, and equip them to follow Him and, more importantly, know Him deeply. God displayed His faithful love toward those who faithfully obeyed Him. Knowing this helps us tremendously in understanding their perspective on blessing and obedience. Because of the example of those who went beyond obeying the Lord to knowing Him, we glimpse the greater blessing is the Lord Himself! It’s not just about obedience, but about a relationship with Him!

Everyday Application

1) How do forgiveness and healing tie together to display God’s benefits? (verse 3)
Benefiting from God’s forgiveness in the 21st century looks nothing like sacrificing animals under the Old Testament system. We have forgiveness in Christ Jesus, who offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2) when He spilled His blood on a tree and took our curse of sin and its consequence of death. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’” (Galatians 3:13) If we repent of sin and surrender our hearts and lives to Him, accepting His offer of complete payment for our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us. (1 John 1:9). God’s eternal healing of our relationship that was torn because of our sin is offered to us because of Jesus! God also physically heals today, but there are many times He doesn’t. Either way, we can be confident His ways are for our ultimate good and His glory; He is neither cruel nor haphazard. (Romans 8:28) When God doesn’t physically heal us, His good character isn’t negated. He has a plan and sometimes earthly healing isn’t part of that plan; His wisdom is boundless and wrapped in goodness and love. (Proverbs 2:1-10) Even the disciples couldn’t always heal people. (Mark 9:28) Paul himself was plagued by a ‘thorn in the flesh’.  The Lord used Paul to preach the gospel around the world and used his letters to speak to believers for generations to come. Even so, God didn’t heal him. (2 Corinthians 12:7-9) As long as we live in a broken world, we will suffer from disease and illness. Whether He heals us or not, God is merciful through every aspect, never abandoning us. (Isaiah 41:9-10)

2) What does it mean to be redeemed from the Pit and how does it showcase the blessings of God? (verse 4)
Sometimes we think of redemption as taking revenge for a wrong done against us or someone we love. This, however, isn’t a biblical definition of redemption from God’s perspective. The original word for redemption literally means “to buy back”. Sin earns us a place of eternal death, and we become slaves to Sin and Death. The author of Hebrews writes, “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness”. (Hebrews 9:22) Christ shed His blood to redeem us by paying the blood debt we owe for our sin. He buys us back from the grip of sin and sets us free to obey and enjoy Him forever! Sister, even now, He has redeemed your life from the Pit! He has redeemed you from eternal death and instead offers you eternal life. His compassionate, faithful love has compelled Him to offer Himself for you, and to hold Himself out to you in spite of your sinful rebellion. If we come to Him, accept His gift, and surrender ourselves to Him by calling Him our Lord and Savior, He “crowns you with faithful love and compassion”. We become His; we become the redeemed. Only a merciful, compassionate God would humble Himself to give up His life for us, the rebellious ones. (John 15:13) He loves us like a Father, adopting us as His own if we will throw ourselves upon Him in faith. (Romans 8:14-17) Christ loves the Church (all believers) like a bridegroom; we are His bride! (Revelation 19:7) While we wait for the marriage supper in Heaven (Revelation 19:9), we can rest and bask in His love on Earth.

3) What definition of satisfaction and “good things” are intended by the author? (verse 5)
Like David, and the rest of humanity, we are never fully satisfied in life. We are always striving, always seeking, perpetually chasing new, better, different, and more wonderful.  We may sense a fleeting satisfaction in our lives at any given moment of pleasure, temporary peace, a “job well done” accomplishment, or simply a “good day”.  We can all attest, however, none of these wonderful sensations last very long. The relationship hits a snag, the finances bottom out, the dynamics change at work, or we feel unsatisfied in the monotony of life. This emptiness, and the nagging longing for more reveals a hole in our spirit only the Lord Jesus Christ has the ability and fullness to satisfy completely. Blaise Pascal, a 17th century mathematician, called it a “God shaped hole”.  No job, however successful, no relationship, however fulfilling, no ______fill-in-the-blank-anything, no matter how good, will ever fill the void that only a relationship with Christ Himself can satisfy. If you are struggling with the raw edges of this emptiness but cast it off thinking you are “fine” and don’t need anyone or anything else, I urge you, look deeper. This hole in your spirit is meant to be filled to overflowing. God, who is rich in mercy and faithful love, will answer your need to fill it up if you call out to Him. (Psalm 23:6, Jeremiah 33:3)

4) Are the benefits of God only given to those who obey? (verse 17-18)
Christ came to fulfill the law, perfectly obeying it for us because it’s impossible for us to be perfect in obedience. (Romans 8:3-4) While Jesus provided many examples of what living for Him looked like, He was actively flipping the mindset tables for Israel. A relationship with God no longer needed to be attained through obedience to the Law, the Law’s requirements had been fulfilled. (Matthew 5:17) When pressed by experts of the Law on which law was the most important, Jesus spoke of loving God and loving others. (Matthew 22:35-40) The relationship that was missed by so many in the Old Testament, but was accessible through the Holy Spirit in the New Testament is available to you and I because of Jesus. This is why Christ gave Himself on the cross for our redemption. His payment for our sin was not only to rescue us from sin’s consequence of eternal death and give us eternal life (John 3:16-17), but to give us direct access to a deeply satisfying relationship with Him. He did this by sending His Spirit to actively live inside all who put their trust in Christ’s redemptive sacrifice. The Spirit is our constant Comforter and wise Teacher for He is God Himself! He is available to us! Today, in this moment, all who follow Christ have the power to walk with God because He walks with us! We can talk with Him now because His presence never leaves and His ear is ever compassionately bent to hear. And if we listen closely enough, learning His rhythms and His voice through His word, He will speak to us. No greater benefit exists, certainly nothing like land or inheritance can surpass the blessing of knowing and intimately speaking with the Lord God!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with From Eternity To Eternity!

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 Worship X 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.

The GT Weekend! ~ Sacrifice Week 3

Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Sarah kicked off our final week of Sacrifice with a powerful story about forgiveness. She demonstrated how the forgiveness we receive from Jesus can lead to personal forgiveness toward others. As she walked us through the Bible, unpacking the path from animal sacrifice to the sacrifice of our Savior on our behalf, how did you personally connect to the purpose of sacrifice? Journal your thoughts and prayers on how this sacrificial thread has affected your life. Looking at Ephesians 2, which is where we find our memory verse, we can see clearly that without the sacrifice of the cross, we would be eternally lost. God’s love for us is so great that Christ paid the highest price to win us to freedom, peace, and belonging. With whom can you share this great truth? Write down their name and share your story with them, giving them a glimpse into the gospel. Check out the Journey Theme, Gospel, to help ground you understanding “the Gospel in one verse” in John 3:16.

2) One of my favorite worship songs is “Mercy Seat”, which describes how believers in Jesus have freedom to run to the mercy seat and find God’s presence, grace, and mercy. In the Old Testament, the “mercy seat” was a physical part of the Ark of the Covenant, the place where God would “meet” with His people. In the New Testament, that physical mercy seat has been replaced by the constant spiritual presence of God’s Spirit living within all who place their faith in Him. Jesus has made one sacrifice for all sin, replacing the Old Testament’s animal sacrificial system. Because of His sacrifice, we who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior have victory over sin and death as well as the constant presence of God’s Spirit within us. The mercy seat dwells in us! Write a prayer of praise and thanks for the daily ability to access the mercy seat. Journal how God’s mercy has impacted you. Choose a second person and share your journal entry with them. Invite them to either share their own story of God’s mercy or to gain access by praying to the Lord Jesus as Carol led us at the close of her Journey Study, “One Sacrifice”.

3) On home renovation shows everyone gets excited about demo day as the old is torn down to make way for something new and better. Our spiritual Demo Day is no different. To be made new and become more Christlike, the old must go. This means leaving behind our old sinful ways and surrendering our lives to God’s transformative plans. Lori encouraged us to pray a simple, but sometimes scary, prayer of surrender “God, break my heart for what breaks Yours.” Did you do it? If not, write it in your journal, pray it aloud and keep track of what God does with your prayer of faith. It’s not easy to walk the road of surrender, but we’re reminded in Paul’s letter to the Galatians that it is an important and necessary road we must walk. So let’s do that! As we conclude our Journey Into Sacrifice, do a quick review of the entire study and journal about which day impacted you most and why. How can you more effectively live out what you learned from that day? How can you sacrifice your time to bring others awareness of the greatest sacrifice ever made as Jesus gave His life on the cross?

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Ephesians 4:20-24 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

But that is not how you came to know Christ, assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, to take off, your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on, the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.

Prayer Journal
Lord today I pray a simple prayer, “Break my heart for what breaks Yours”. There is no way, Lord, for me to surrender my life to You in this way and not be changed. I will not be able to hold onto my old selfish, sinful ways if I am giving every part of my life over to You. Let me see and respond to others the way You do. Help me respond to situations the way You would. Transform my heart to be more like Yours. May it be so Lord for Your glory.

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Sacrifice Day 13 One Sacrifice

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Philippians 2:5-8  
2 Corinthians 5:17-2
Leviticus 16:2
Hebrews 10:19-22

Sacrifice, Day 13

The priest arrives early to the temple. As he enters the courtyard with the others, the noise from the animals waiting beyond the gate sets him on edge.

If he is honest with himself, he began the day on edge.

This morning, his wife was unusually quiet. He remembered her tightly drawn mouth as she helped him on with his priests’ robe and shawl, as if she was willing herself not to speak. She was spending too much time listening to rumors; surely, she must understand he had nothing to do with what was happening outside the city gates.

Here comes the lamb.
The handlers bring the animal closer for inspection. The priest looks it over. Not a blemish upon it. He nods to the handlers.
He looks to the altar, plates ready to receive what is left of the sacrifice. Levites are ready to complete that task.
He walks up the steps to The Holy Place, counting them, trying to focus on the duties at hand. He lights the candles and incense, hoping the aromas bring him an extra measure of peace.

He begins down the steps, pauses.
At once he feels the atmosphere change, and abruptly the sky grows dark. A hush falls over everyone in the inner court.
A sound like nothing he has ever heard before echoes behind him and he turns back to The Holy Place. The curtain! The veil–separating his priestly place of sacrifice from the cloud of God’s presence–is ripping before his very eyes. (Matthew 27:51) He gasps and falls to his knees, pressing his face to the ground. The curtain has been split in two, from top to bottom. Life, as he knows it, is finished. (John 19:30)

The curtain in The Holy Place was four inches (10 cm) thick, 60 ft (18 m) tall, and 30 ft (9 m) wide. Splitting the woven linen from top to bottom was humanly impossible.

But why was it split? And what does it mean?

The plan of blood sacrifice began in Eden, to cover Adam and Eve’s first sin. As we’ve seen  throughout this Journey Theme, sacrifice played an important role in the ongoing relationship between God and His people.

Sacrifice would be a regular part of religious life for Israel following their miraculous rescue from bondage in Egypt. (Exodus 11-12) On the eve of their departure, God established the sacrificial rite of Passover.

That first Passover night, God was making a way for freedom from physical bondage.

As the people of Israel began life after Egyptian enslavement, blood sacrifice became a measure of escape from the bondage to sin. 

The priests became the only people permitted to perform the sacrifices, which needed to be repeated, because they couldn’t offer complete redemption. (Hebrews 9:6-10) People were not brought into relationship with God Himself; He remained separate, His physical presence among them hidden behind the curtain in the temple. (Leviticus 16:2)Until Jesus took the role of High Priest and Sacrifice. Redeemer and Savior.

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus–he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)– and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith[.]” (Hebrews 10:19-22)

Jesus became the final, atoning sacrifice, the embodiment of God working to bring His sin-stained children to Himself.
“Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:10)

Jesus’ one sacrifice covered the sins of every person, across the world, for all time.

“He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2)

The eternal penalty for our sin was paid.
The path to a full, restored relationship with the Father was opened. (John 10:7-9)
At the very moment Jesus gave up His last breath, His work of purchasing salvation for humanity was finished (John 19:30), and the proof was evidenced by the Hand of the Holy One granting access to the Holiest place, His own dwelling place.
(Matthew 27:50-51, Mark 15:37-38, Luke 23:45-46)

As the tattered edges of the temple curtain fluttered in the breeze, the separation of sin between God and His children was ended.
A barrier between man and God no longer existed;
the Mercy Seat was exposed and available to all.

In three days, Jesus would rise to life again in victory over sin (Matthew 28), and soon after, He would send His very Spirit to live within His people. (Acts 2)

I am so grateful for the people in my life who helped me realize I needed a savior, and pointed me to my God, who loves me so much He willingly gave His life as the ultimate sacrifice for my redemption.

Sisters, His love is calling out to you, too. Today, you can turn away from your sin, toward God, and accept His gift of forgiveness and redemption!

Father, I have sinned. I believe Jesus is Your Son, God in the flesh, and His sacrificial death paid the eternal penalty for my sins. I believe in Jesus’ resurrection, and I accept Your gift of forgiveness and redemption for the complete payment of my sin. Amen.
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Sacrifice Day 12 The Price Of Forgiveness: 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 The Price Of Forgiveness!

The Questions

 1) What does Paul’s call for remembrance in verse 11 reveal about the heart of God toward humanity? (verse 12)

2) The words “but now” in verses 14-15 are hinge words. What did Jesus do for those far from Him?

3) Verses 16-18 give us the reason behind Jesus’ actions (note Question #2). Why did He do it?

Ephesians 2:11-18

11 So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. 12 At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, 15 he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace. 16 He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death. 17 He came and proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Original Intent

1) What does Paul’s call for remembrance in verse 11 reveal about the heart of God toward humanity? (verse 12)
“Remember that at one time …” (verse 11) Ephesians is a letter from Paul written to the Christian believers in Jesus in a city which had a considerable population of Gentile (non-Jew) believers. These believers needed to be reminded of their spiritual condition before Christ’s grace rescued them. In chapter 1, Paul shared the good news with the saints by rehearsing for them what they have in Christ through faith. He told the believers they had been chosen and sealed by the Holy Spirit of God, and he prayed for them to deeply comprehend the glorious salvation which God had provided for them in the Lord Jesus. Verses 1-2 of chapter 2 begin with the stark contrast from what they have in Christ to who they once were without Christ. Paul’s words strike a solemn tone, “You were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. (Ephesians 2:1-2) Paul proceeds to offer examples of just how far from God they were before they surrendered in faith to Jesus: uncircumcised, without Christ, excluded, foreigners, without hope, and without God. Circumcision was a sign of covenant that Jews had with God as a sign of His covenant with them. (Circumcision and the Covenant) Those who were not of Jewish decent would have been excluded from this special covenant had it not been for Christ! But exclusion was never the heart of God. (Galatians 3:7-9) Though He had worked in specific ways through His people, Israel, He is a God of salvation to all!

2) The words “but now” in verses 14-15 are hinge words. What did Jesus do for those who are spiritually far from Him?
Since there is no bold lettering or underlined words in Scripture, we are forced to intently read the passage for the author’s intended highlights. After studying these verses, I believe Paul would have designated verse 13 as a key point with an asterisk or underline. The two-word phrase “but now” coupled with the two-word phrase “brought near” in verse 13 give us the crux and the beauty of the gospel message. It is the good news factor! Whenever there is bad news connected with the word “but”, the listener is meant to take note. Harsh words like “excluded” and “without God” are now replaced with glorious words and phrases, “…you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility …” (verses 13-14) The gracious of plan of God from the beginning was for Jesus came to earth to bring everyone near to God, including Gentiles. (Romans 15:7-13) This news was challenging and liberating to the reader. The old way of life was to no longer exist in everyday living. In its place, there was a new life of abundance to be lived out because of their acceptance of forgiveness and freedom offered only in Christ. Remembering their old life was not meant to keep them trapped in condemnation, but to remind them of who God is as their Savior and how He has set them free by His grand rescue and gift of new life.

3) Verses 16-18 give us the reason behind Jesus’ actions (note Question #2). Why did He choose this?
Verse 16 says Jesus “did this so that He might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which He put the hostility to death.” Redemption and reconciliation were why He came. We’ve heard it said about Him: He was born to die. But there’s more! He was born to die to unite us with each other and with God. Jesus lived and died and rose again to offer all those who believe in Him a new identity. In this passage, Paul is referring to all believers as a singular group of people. Jews and Gentiles are joined as one in the one body of Jesus. Though we are each born individually into Christ at salvation (Ephesians 4:20-24), believers  are also joined with other believers, whatever  their origin, to make us all one new person in Christ. This isn’t simply us being changed into a new person; this is two groups of people becoming one Whole Body, the Church. “Early Christians called themselves a ‘third race’ or a ‘new race.’ Early Christians recognized that they were not Jews, not Gentiles, but one new man embracing all who are in Jesus.” (Enduringword.com) What a wonderful and glorious gospel Paul shares with the Ephesians and us. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord for mercy is moved from “you were” to “but God” to “so then”! (Ephesians 2:19-20)

Everyday Application

1) What does Paul’s call for remembrance in verse 11 reveal about the heart of God toward humanity? (verse 12)
Remembering who we were, and/or would be, without Christ is essential to our daily understanding of the gospel message. Some confess Christ as their Savior and Lord as a child because their parents taught them who Jesus is and offered them an opportunity to put their faith in Him. Others come to Him because a missionary shared the truth of the gospel with them they’d never heard. Still others come from backgrounds of long-time sinful behaviors and blatant rebellion. A few even confess Christ at the very end of their lives, sincerely seeing their need for a Savior. But all of these souls are in the same predicament. And sweet sister, so are we! We all find ourselves far away from Christ because of our sin. The Bible says not one of us was born sinless. (Romans 3:22-24) We remember where we were because we want to understand the heart of God toward us. He rescued us only because of His grace. We were far away. He came to us to draw us near to God, paying the debt we were hopeless to repay, and offering us His righteousness in place of our sinfulness. And that’s the gospel! (Colossians 1:13, 2 Timothy 1:9)

2) The words “but now” in verses 14-15 are hinge words. What did Jesus do for those who are spiritually far from Him?
“There is nothing we can do to make God loves us more, and there is nothing we can do to make God loves us less.” I’d heard that statement many times, even sung similar sentiments, but honestly, I didn’t really believe it because I didn’t fully grasp the work of Christ on my behalf. Although I would never have admitted it, I subtly carried the belief that my goodness somehow added to God’s favor toward me. I was a born “rule follower”; this belief in earning God’s love blinded me to my desperate need for God’s grace. I knew I sinned sometimes and needed God’s forgiveness and grace. I also understood that only one sin would keep me from God because I am a sinner. (James 2:10) But I had this sneaky suspicion God loved me most when I was good. Oh, sweet friend, how wrong I was for years! I simply couldn’t comprehend that goodness was not mine to offer to God. Being a circumcised Jew wasn’t what made Jews accepted by God and being Gentiles didn’t keep them from being accepted by God. Christ was all they needed! We need to be reminded that it is God’s work in creation and in salvation. A little boy made a boat he floated downstream, billowing way beyond his reach and out of sight. One day he saw his boat in a store window and explained to the man about his boat. As he walked out the door of the store with his boat he purchased, he declared, “Little boat, you are twice mine. First I made you, now I bought you!” (2 Corinthians 5:17-19) So it is with us as Christ made us, then paid for us, freeing us from the prison of sin and death!

3) Verses 16-18 give us the reason behind Jesus’ actions (note Question #2). Why did He choose this?
Jesus brought peace by bringing Himself to us. He IS our peace. It is Jesus Himself, God in the flesh, who brought reconciliation to humanity. We were God’s enemies. He still loved us and desired to rescue us from ourselves and Satan’s power. The resurrection of Jesus we celebrate at Easter is the event that disrupted the world forever. Its power was known from Heaven to Hell, and what was accomplished on the cross was timeless. Jesus’ work of salvation through His death was sufficient for all who had lived before Him and believed, for all who lived at the time of His death and believed, and for all who would believe through all time! It is Christ who draws us, Christ who saves us, and Christ who keeps our souls for eternity! (Ephesians 2:4-10)
Upon the cross of Jesus mine eye at times can see
the very dying form of One who suffered there for me.
And from my stricken heart with tears, two wonders I confess:
The wonders of redeeming love and my unworthiness.
(Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane)

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

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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Sacrifice Day 4 Two Sacrifices: 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 Two Sacrifices!

The Questions

1) Why does Luke record the aside note in verse 9 of Jesus’ purpose in telling this parable?

2) What are the identifiable hinge points of each prayer? (verses 11-13)

3) Why are Jesus’ closing remarks so important to the whole of the story? (verse 14)

Luke 18:9-14

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’

13 “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Original Intent

1) Why does Luke record the aside note in verse 9 of Jesus’ purpose in telling this parable?
Each gospel writer had a different, God’s Spirit-inspired motivation to record and compile their experiences with Jesus during His ministry on earth. Matthew wrote to his fellow Jews, and didn’t care much for chronological recording, but rather focused on seeing Jesus as the Promised Messiah who fulfilled every prophecy. Mark wrote with big emotion, and though his book is the shortest, it also contains more graphic detail in many accounts than the other gospels because his focus lies in highlighting Jesus’ total authority over all things, especially sin and death. John recorded his gospel from a different perspective than the other three as very few parables or miracles are recorded in his writings. His purpose was to logically lay out exactly why Jesus is both Lord and Savior; John prompts us to deep faith. Luke, as the longest gospel writer, intends to provide as much thorough, eye-witness confirmed information in a clear chronological order as possible. Luke, a physician by trade, is the investigative detective of the gospel writers. He was not an eye-witness of Jesus; he apprenticed under Peter and much of what he records came from firsthand accounts of Peter. Being well-educated and logical, much of his narrative falls under directive headings, like the one we see in verse 9, so the reader will not mistake the intention or become distracted by misapplication. Though Jesus’ audience was certainly wide and varied at the time He told this parable, Luke wants us to understand the thrusting purpose and heart behind why Jesus told it and for who He chose His words.

2) What are the identifiable hinge points of each prayer? (verses 11-13)
First, Jesus underscores that each character in the parable went to the temple to pray. Jesus included this aspect because the common place to pray was the temple. Though both characters went to the right “place” to gain access to God, this didn’t automatically grant them access. This would have astounded Jesus’ first hearers, for it was the common understanding that all who came to the Temple accessed God. Secondly, the true heart-posture of each man in Jesus’ story is identifiable by both their word choices and their body language. Though both men were standing, Jesus says the tax collector was “standing far off”. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus says Pharisees would stand to pray in conspicuous places so as to be seen by others. (Matthew 6:5) One man stood to be noticed, the other chose to stand “far off” (think, tucked back in a corner), so as only to be seen by God. (Matthew 6:6) The Pharisee talked to God about himself, “God, I thank You that I am not like others…”. (verse 11) In contrast, the tax collector, without even raising his eyes, talked to God about his need for Him, “God have mercy on me, a Sinner.” (verse 13) The tax collector knew his condition as sinner, and he knew full well the only hope he had was in the mercy of the God who was perfectly holy and righteous. Lastly, where the Pharisee listed his self-proclaimed-righteous-acts, the tax collector merely beat his chest in an outward action that reflected an internal humility. Sisters, which are we? List-givers or humble-heart-bowers?

3) Why are Jesus’ closing remarks so important to the whole of the story? (verse 14)
Jesus finishes His parable with a hard reality and a sweet hope for every human heart; it’s the perfect antidote to the hopeless melodrama of the human condition. Regardless of a person’s good deeds or how wonderfully they view themselves, none can be justified before God by exalting themselves. (verse 14) Some may think, oh that’s good news for me because I always think the worst of myself. I don’t think I’m worthy of God’s love, I know how terrible I am, I mess up constantly. But do you notice the subject of each of those phrases? Self. Whether you think highly or lowly of yourself, you’re still thinking of yourself. Jesus teaches that only the truly humble of heart can “go home justified before God.” Humble of heart does not mean self-deprecation, which is self-focus just in a different form. Rather, humble hearts see the reality of their state as sinner and recognize God as the only available Giver of Mercy because we each deserve eternal death as a result of our sin. We cannot even lift our eyes to Heaven, as the tax collector demonstrated. Not because we think so terribly of ourselves and have lowered our innate worth as a person, but because we recognize God as perfectly holy and ourselves as utterly full of sin. We simply cannot bridge the impossible chasm between us. THIS is a humble heart. THIS is the heart God looks upon and says, “Yes! Welcome Home, Child! You are forgiven and free!”

Everyday Application

1) Why does Luke record the aside note in verse 9 of Jesus’ purpose in telling this parable?
When we read Scripture, it’s absolutely imperative we begin with the original purpose as much as possible in order to make correct application to our own lives. Luke, because he was a natural investigator, makes it easy for us to know we are headed in the right direction with this parable, but we must not gloss over his purposed introduction. This parable is not about how to be a good Christian, or who should come to church (temple), or even how to pray effectively. Though we can gain insights about each of these areas, they aren’t the main reason Jesus told the parable. We would miss the mark of understanding HIM if we go off on our own tangent to make HIS parable into something He didn’t intend. What are good applications for our everyday from this teaching? They are many! But let’s hang out with a handful of them that center around the original meaning and let the Spirit convict our hearts as we pray and study His Words before ours. In a nutshell, the original intent could be phrased, “Self-Righteousness Cannot Justify Us Before God”. Now, let’s offer out our hearts to the Spirit, asking Him to convict us of sin and change us to be like Him! We could ask the Lord, “Where am I holding onto my own “goodness” with You?”, “Am I expecting You, Lord, to act on my behalf because I have told You how much I “deserve” it?”, “Do I expect others to behave or speak in a certain way toward me because I have declared myself “worthy”?”. These are only a few questions we can bring to the Spirit through prayer, but when we pair true Scripture study with genuine, humble prayer, we can be absolutely certain the Lord will speak to our hearts!

2) What are the identifiable hinge points of each prayer? (verses 11-13)
The first-century Jews believed that if they went to the right place and did the right things, they would be right before God. We may live centuries later, but we can be guilty of believing the same deception! Bring these questions before the Lord as you authentically pray, and see how the Spirit convicts you, teaches you, and encourages you. Consider writing down your thoughts as you pray and listen to the Lord as He reshapes your heart to be like His! Ask God, “Where are the places I go, actions I take, and words I say that lure me to trust myself and my own goodness to give me access to You?” “Have I elevated my church attendance, service, giving, or personal ministry to others as a “good work” that You now “owe me” for, or that I “passively brag” about to others to show how “good” I am?” “Remind me, Spirit, that I am justified through faith alone, by grace alone, in Christ alone and my good works have absolutely no bearing on Your love for me, acceptance of me, or Your willingness to forgive my sin.” Consider taking the next few days and studying up on the core tenants of why Christians believe they are saved by grace, through faith, and of Christ; our Journey Into Sola is a great place to begin! When we study Scripture with a humble willingness to be changed by God, He will shift our hearts! (https://www.gracefullytruthful.com/journey-into-sola)

3) Why are Jesus’ closing remarks so important to the whole of the story? (verse 14)
Jesus begins His closing statements with an interesting phrase we might easily gloss over, “I tell you…”. The Jews held the Pharisee as the Top Dog of Jewish Law. None ranked higher in understanding the nuances than a Pharisee, but Jesus, ever intent on the flipping the tables of our worldviews, speaks with unequivocal authority, “I tell you…”. I, as God the Son. I, as God in the flesh come to rescue you from your bottomless, hopeless pit of sin. I, the God of Mercy. I, the original Law Giver who came to perfectly fulfill the Law and the Prophets for you because you never, ever will. (Matthew 5:17) You can’t. Your sin stops you. Your righteousness will fail you because it isn’t perfect. I know this, and I have come to Be Your Rescue. I have come to be Righteousness FOR YOU. “I tell you…”. Have you adopted these words into your view of self and God? What do they mean for you? What chains can fall away because of their truth? What burdens of “good works” and “trying harder” and “just can’t do all the things” would Christ desire to lift from your shoulders right now, in this moment? He is speaking, Sister, are you willing to give it up to the God of Mercy?

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

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 Sacrifice 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.

Build Day 12 Building Renewal: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Building Renewal!

The Questions

1) How does Daniel’s prayer relate with Nehemiah’s prayer in Nehemiah 1:4-11?

2) Daniel uses various titles and descriptions of God in his prayer; how is this significant?

3) How is this prayer of gut-wrenching confession still anchored in hope?

Daniel 9:3-10

3 So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:

Ah, Lord—the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him and keep his commands— 5 we have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from your commands and ordinances. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, leaders, ancestors, and all the people of the land.

7 Lord, righteousness belongs to you, but this day public shame belongs to us: the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel—those who are near and those who are far, in all the countries where you have banished them because of the disloyalty they have shown toward you. 8 Lord, public shame belongs to us, our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors, because we have sinned against you. 9 Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against him 10 and have not obeyed the Lord our God by following his instructions that he set before us through his servants the prophets.

Original Intent

1) How does Daniel’s prayer relate with Nehemiah’s prayer in Nehemiah 1:4-11?
If you think of a series of progressive, story-telling books, you’ll have a good idea of what’s happening with Daniel and Nehemiah. In brief, Israel was a budding nation birthed through Abraham’s son Isaac, the child of promise, by which God had covenanted with Abraham that He would turn a childless, aged man into the “father of many nations”. (Genesis 12:1-3) Isaac’s sons were twins, Jacob and Esau. Jacob had 12 sons who became the 12 tribes of Israel (God changed Jacob’s name to Israel). These 12 families became slaves in Egypt as they had become so numerous that Pharaoh felt threatened. God called Moses, an Israelite, to lead the people out of slavery and into the Promised Land (also part of God’s covenant with Abraham). Twelve plagues later and 40 years of desert wanderings, Israel stepped into Canaan. Eventually, Israel grew tired of God’s rule over them and demanded a human king. Saul, Israel’s choice, was her first king, but he was self-focused and lacked real love for God or Israel. God chose David as the next king, and this shepherd-boy turned king, loved and cared for Israel well. David died and his son, Solomon, took over, but after Solomon’s death, the kingdom of Israel split. The Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah) continued rebelling against God, loathing Him, committing idolatry, and rejecting God’s covenantal love for them on repeat for centuries. During this time, God raised up prophets to warn Israel and Judah to repent of their sin, but they adamantly refused. Per the original covenant forged when Moses led Israel from slavery, God would punish His people by sending them into exile for their rebellion. Exile occurred at the hand of the Chaldeans (Babylonians) and would last 70 years. Youthful Daniel was taken captive from his homeland of Jerusalem and died in exile. The first exiles returned to Jerusalem around the year 537 BC, Nehemiah’s story began around 445 BC, nearly 100 years since Daniel’s death.

2) Daniel uses various titles and descriptions of God in his prayer; how is this significant?
Verse 3 begins with an interesting phrase usually translated in English, “I turned my attention”. The original Hebrew reads less eloquently, “I gave my face”. This wasn’t simply looking with the eyes, but the willful determination of Daniel’s entire being given in steadfast surrender. It was as if he were saying, “The whole of my face is set firmly upon You as I pray, and more so, as I await Your answer; I will not be moved, for so important is the cause for which I plead.” Also interesting are the titles for God Daniel chooses to use as he prays. In your Bible, verse 4 probably capitalizes all 4 letters of the title LORD, signifying God’s personal name for Himself, YHWH, (Yahweh). By calling out, “I prayed to the LORD (YHWH)…”, Daniel reminds himself and God of the deeply personal nature of God’s relationship with Israel. He chose them, He crafted them, and He birthed them as a nation. Daniel continued his petition, “…my God.” (verse 4, emphasis mine) While other Israelites had proven they cared for Yahweh in name only, while quite willing to worship false gods as it benefited them, Daniel verbalized his personal choice to respond to God’s invitation by reciprocation. Daniel chose YHWH as his own God. These insights, gained by studying the original language for a few words, is about to deepen as we read Daniel’s next two words, “Ah Lord…” (verse 4) No longer capitalized, the lowercase for “Lord” references the Hebrew word “adonai”, meaning lord, ruler, or sovereign. First, Daniel addressed God personally, and then followed on with the two-fold understanding that YHWH was also Adonai, King and Sovereign over all. Nothing was beyond His lordship and reign, and Daniel was His servant.

3) How is this prayer of gut-wrenching confession still anchored in hope?
“We have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from your commands and ordinances. We have not listened…” (verses 5-6) “…public shame belongs to us.” (verse 7) “…public shame belongs to us (…) because we have sinned against You.” (verse 8) The litany of Israel’s sins against the Lord were long, deep, and wide. They had offended His holiness and broken relationship with YHWH, their personal God, and the cut was deep against Him. They had violated the terms of their covenant with their sovereign Lord, Adonai, and they deserved death per the legal binding agreement of their covenant vow. According to the stipulations laid out, they had literally “missed the mark” (Hebrew hata for “sinned” in verses 5 and 8) of righteous living as was spelled out in their covenant. Legally, Israel’s situation was absolutely hopeless. Restitution with the Almighty was impossible. Their sins were too great and their ability to cleanse themselves of shame and offensive reproach was equally impossible. Yet, stunningly, Daniel did not plead without hope. He clearly knew Israel’s situation, it was his own words that laid it naked before the Lord God, but Daniel had one hope, and he clung to it with remarkable tenacity as he gave his face to God in prayer. “Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord…” and dare he say it? Yes, he spoke it, “our God.” Daniel went beyond saying YHWH was “my” God, to boldly re-claiming the Sovereign Lord as Israel’s God. Why? How could he make such a claim in the face of their reprehensible pile of sin? One reason alone, because He knew God’s character to be rich in compassion and forgiveness.

Everyday Application

1) How does Daniel’s prayer relate with Nehemiah’s prayer in Nehemiah 1:4-11?
The similarities between Daniel’s prayer and Nehemiah’s are uncanny, given their prayers were recorded nearly a century apart from each other. This fact alone should give us pause to consider the weightiness of their model and reflect how our prayer lives would benefit by following their examples. Both men had set their lives unswervingly upon honoring the Lord God, and they both had become keenly aware of their nation’s sinful rebellion after reading Scripture. (Daniel 9:3-10 and Nehemiah 1:5-11) Daniel pleaded for God’s mercy in remembering Israel in their exile, while Nehemiah, also living in Babylon, pleaded with the Lord for mercy as well, even though the specifics of their requests were quite different. Both men called upon the very same covenant of love as evidential reason for God to grant them mercy and favor. The two prayers evidence nearly exact addresses for God and model the same flow of adoring God (Daniel 9:4 and Nehemiah 1:5), confessing sin (Daniel 9:5-6 and Nehemiah 1:6-7), interceding for the nation (Daniel 9:7-8 and Nehemiah 1:6-7), and requesting favor (Daniel 9:17 and Nehemiah 1:11). Go see for yourself, it’s quite amazing! As you read Daniel 9:3-10 and Nehemiah 1:5-11, take note of the portions that make you curious and stick out to you as if bolded, this is the Spirit of the Lord inviting you to commune with Him over His Word! Prayerfully reflect on these things as you read the two passages side-by-side again. What is the Lord teaching you and convicting you of as you read His Words?! Take the challenge set forth by these two men who never met on earth and begin intentionally modeling your own prayers after their example. Go ahead and start right now in prayer!

2) Daniel uses various titles and descriptions of God in his prayer; how is this significant?
Daniel and Nehemiah both leaned on God’s covenant as grounds for their request, but we must remember who began the covenant relationship, God. God told Abraham He would make him into a great nation. God allowed Jacob (Israel) to have 12 sons, who would become the 12 nations. When it was time to ratify the covenant in writing (ie: Ten Commandments), God came down from Heaven in a cloud instead of insisting His people rise to Him in His grandeur. (Exodus 19:16-19) Here is the humble YHWH! Fast forward a few centuries and this same God fulfills His covenant to Abraham by sending Jesus, God in the flesh. True to His character, He began the relationship, He set His love upon humanity. (1 John 4:19, John 15:16) What was humanity doing while Adonai humbly sacrificed Himself for us? We hated Him. Still, He came. (Romans 5:8) This is YHWH, the sacrificing, covenant-keeping God. I came to a place where I faced the reality that, for all my self-proclaimed “goodness”, I too was a God-hater. My sins brought the punishment of death upon Christ, by His choice. While I hated Him, He loved me. Like Daniel, there was a point when I reciprocated His invitation to make me His own, and I claimed Him as my God. I turned from my perverted sins and became His, welcomed into a covenant relationship I had done absolutely nothing to earn. Like Daniel, the more I grew in my faith, the more I realized I could also call Yahweh my Adonai. Christ was my precious friend, but also my sovereign Lord. I was both friend and His joyful servant. How might seeing God as Yahweh and Adonai shift your relationship with Him?

3) How is this prayer of gut-wrenching confession still anchored in hope?
Oh Sisters, I cannot stop the tears streaking my cheeks as I write of God’s beautiful compassion and forgiveness! Israel’s sins were grievous and perpetual, indeed they were. Yahweh had every right to be forever angry with them, toss them aside, and forget them for eternity, but as the psalmist wrote, “He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our iniquities.” (Psalm 103:10) Breathe. That. In. What was true for Israel on the day Daniel pleaded with God for release from exile, and the people were welcomed Home, is true for you and me. It was true for Nehemiah when the people wore sackcloth, ashes, and wept violently over their sin, knowing it was only God’s compassionate forgiveness that could rescue them from the consequence of their rebellion. His response to Israel’s weeping with Nehemiah is precious and life-giving, “Do not weep…do not grieve, because the joy of YHWH is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:9-10) As if the Lord’s response to both of these prayers is not stunning enough, look at the disciple John’s words to all people who look to Christ for their sole rescue from the consequence of our own sin, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) If you’ve ever wondered if it could possibly be true that God would forgive your awful sin, whatever it is, read the stories of these two men, read the words of John who walked beside Jesus in real life, and know beyond all assurances that YES, Christ will forgive your sin completely, welcome you Home to Him (John 14:23), and will free you (John 8:36) to walk in delight with Him all your days (Psalm 23:6).

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

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 Build 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.

Build Day 11 Building Renewal

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Nehemiah 9:5-37
Nehemiah 10:30-39
Daniel 9:3-10 
Psalm 51
1 John 1:8-10

Build, Day 11

Sin is something we usually want to hide. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve tried to hide their knowledge of their nakedness. (Genesis 3:7) In the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas called Jesus friend as he betrayed Him to the religious leaders with a kiss. (Matthew 26:47-49)

For hundreds of years, the Israelites were stuck in a cycle of sin, crying out, repentance, forgiveness, restoration, and then sin again. They knew their history, but here, under the leadership of Nehemiah, was a fresh chance to get it right.

Envision this scene.
Your church is assembled in a public space with heads full of dust, wearing sackcloth, with stomachs rumbling from fasting for days. And then, out loud, everyone confesses their sins and the sins of their ancestors. You read through the Bible, spend time worshiping the Lord, crying out to Him and confessing some more.
Corporate repentance. 

Now envision yourself, burdened for your community. You start your day connecting to the Lord “by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.” (Daniel 9:3-10)
Personal repentance.

We should be excited about this model of personal (Daniel 9:3-10) and corporate repentance (Nehemiah 9:1-4). Personally, I was ready to run at “heads full of dust”! This isn’t about pride or appearance. It’s about seeking spiritual renewal from God.

Throughout the Bible, we see renewal stemming from repentance.
1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Acts 3:19-20 tells us, “ Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord[.]” 

Personal repentance brings renewal by giving us
the right perspective on sin (Psalm 51:3-5),
restored relationship with God through His forgiveness (Psalm 51:2, 7-9),
and willing hearts to stay turned from our sin and toward God. (Psalm 51:12-13)

We also see corporate repentance throughout the Bible.
In 2 Kings 23:1-3, King Josiah read the Word before the people. They made a covenant “to follow the Lord and to keep His commands, His decrees, and His statutes[.]” (2 Kings 23:3)

In Ezra 10:1-4, the prophet Ezra “[…]prayed and confessed, weeping and falling facedown” while the people also wept, confessed their unfaithfulness to God, and made a covenant with God to “send away all the foreign wives and their children[.]”

Corporate repentance draws us closer to God individually and as a community because we lament our ancestors’ sins along with our own and collectively vow to turn back to God. It also brings us in line with our duties from 1 Peter 2:9 as “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

From Nehemiah 9:5 to 37, Nehemiah proclaimed God’s praise, and gave an account of how God provided for and protected Israel. As he recounted each event, Nehemiah pointed to the people’s sins and unfaithfulness contrasted against God’s steadfast faithfulness. It was a stunning reminder that “There is no one righteous, not even one.” (Romans 3:10)

It’s also a reminder of God’s character and power. When we feel weak, we can draw strength from the Creator of the world. When we are being persecuted, we can know God is able to handle our enemies as He did Pharoah. When we are in need, we’re reminded that if God could provide manna and quail from heaven, He can surely help us. And we are refreshed by knowing, even when we sin, and we will, God is a “forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love[.]” (Nehemiah 9:17)

How can we practice these things today?

For personal and corporate repentance and renewal, we should come before Him with humility. We do this by verbalizing our wonder at His character and holiness. Then we should move into a time of confessing sin. Personally and corporately, we should be doing this on a regular basis. Just like we are eager to restore a relationship with a loved one by apologizing for an offense and changing our future behavior, we should take this even more seriously with the Lord.

One additional step we can take is modeled in Nehemiah 10:30-39, where they wrote out the changes they promised to make. Similarly, what if we wrote out, following some examples from our text, our commitments to the Lord? Here are a few examples:

“On Sunday, I will not take an extra shift at work. I trust the Lord to provide those extra funds.” (Nehemiah 10:31)

“Our family will agree on an additional gift to give to the church yearly.” (Nehemiah 10:32)

“I will cut unnecessary purchases and give it to my church or a ministry,” or “I will reserve time on my calendar to serve at church or with a ministry each month.”  (Nehemiah 10:35-37)

If we record and review our promises, we can trust our faithful God will bless us to do even more! We will be able, because He is able. Imagine the testimony our lives will be to His honor and glory!

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

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Kneel Day 14 Surprising Answers: 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 Surprising Answers!

The Questions

1) Why does James list so many different reasons to pray? (verses 13-14)

2) Why does James refer to the prayer of faith in verse 15?

3) Why does James provide the example of Elijah in verses 17-18?

James 5:13-18

13 Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.17 Elijah was a human being as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit.

Original Intent

1) Why does James list so many different reasons to pray? (verses 13-14)
Prayer is not something to be picked up, dropped again, and made to fit our schedules and whims. Rather, prayer is a communication tool between God and His people and He wants His people to pray to him regarding everything. He cares about all things (1 Peter 5:7), and He most desires a deep relationship with us. (Jeremiah 32:38) The best way to cultivate depth is by authentically sharing about all things and learning to trust Him as Sovereign over all things. Prayer is for happy times, hard times, sad times, sickness, confession, forgiveness, praise, and everything else. Nothing is meant to be excluded as Paul writes, “Pray constantly.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) James is reminding his audience of all the purposes for prayer and encouraging them to utilize prayer and all of its power.

2) Why does James refer to the prayer of faith in verse 15?
This doesn’t refer to the faith of the person being prayed for but rather the faith of the person praying. To those who pray, says James, it’s the one who believes the God of the Bible and trusts Him at His Word whose prayers prove effective. Believers should have faith in the mighty hand of God who brings about miracles (Mark 9:28-29), ordains the ordinary (Jonah 4:7), and uses all things for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). James was writing to Christians who were persecuted for their faith and dispersed from their homes and people. (James 1:1) James turns their attention to “the prayer of faith” to remind them to keep on practicing genuine faith despite persecution, and to put that faith into action through effective, authentic-faith praying. James urges them to keep trusting the same God for whom they were willing to be persecuted, believing Him to be faithful to His own Word and move as a result of their faith-filled prayers. However, James is not asking them to pray with this faith-filled tenacity alone in isolation. Instead, he reminds them that prayer is also a job for the collective Body of Believers; praying together in clear trust of God at His Word is something they should do together. (Matthew 18:19-20)

3) Why does James provide the example of Elijah in verses 17-18?
The Jewish Christians James was writing to would have been very familiar with the prophet Elijah, his powerful ministry of effective prayer, and how God worked through him as a result of his bold prayers. They would have also known Elijah was simply a human like them. While he was a prophet who accomplished much, he was not God, just a man. James is providing his audience with a real-life reminder they can relate with; a modern-to-them example of what faith-filled prayer looks like as evidence for the effectiveness of prayer. Elijah prayed and trusted God to do what seemed utterly impossible and God worked. Check out 1 Kings 18 for an amazing account of Elijah’s faith-filled prayer! James uses Elijah’s model of faith to deeply encourage the Jewish Christians to follow his example in all circumstances and put their faith into real action.

Everyday Application

1) Why does James list so many different reasons to pray? (verses 13-14)
Prayer is a powerful tool. One that can be used in all circumstances. We are to bring our joy, worry, fear, sadness, gratitude, and so much more to Him. Prayer is the means through which we communicate with the God of the universe and James wants us to be fully aware of all its power. It is through prayer we spend time with our Creator both sharing with Him and listening for Him. We should never take prayer for granted or dismiss prayer as a simple, meaningless task. James shows us its complexity and power by including different reasons for praying. Take a few minutes to reflect on your recent prayers. What do they include and exclude? Do you ever find yourself deciding “not” to pray about something as it seems “too small”, or perhaps “too big”?  Challenge yourself to practice an on-going, flowing conversation with God about “all things”. If you get stuck, focus on thankfulness. Air, water, a smile, a ribbon of light, a touch, nothing is too small to praise the Lord for!

2) Why does James refer to the prayer of faith in verse 15?
Effective prayer requires faith. When we pray we shouldn’t simply throw out our wants expecting God to answer in the way we desire. Instead, we are to pray about all situations in all circumstances, yes even the ones that seem like big, difficult requests or mundanely common. The key is to pray expecting God to answer; this is faith, believing God at His Word that He will answer even though we cannot see Him with our physical eyes. We pray in faith knowing God can do anything according to His will. A pastor of mine frequently says “prayer is the work then God works”. Through faith-filled prayer, God accomplishes greater acts than we could ever dream or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20) We are invited into God’s activity through the prayer of faith. God is greater and more powerful than our human ability, and He desires us to fully rely on and trust in Him to work in the best way possible, even if that “best” doesn’t fit within our short-sighted human definition. Because God is both infinitely wise and good, His answers will not always match our “most-desired” outcome, however, we can confidently know He will always move in our best interest. We don’t need to worry about the outcome, we are simply called to have faith, pray, and trust God to work His will in us and our circumstances.

3) Why does James provide the example of Elijah in verses 17-18?
Bible student, Matthew Henry, says, “Prayer itself must be a fervent, in-wrought, well-wrought prayer. It must be a pouring out of the heart to God; and it must proceed from a faith unfeigned. Such prayer avails much.” This is precisely the description of Elijah’s prayer. God desires for us to pour our hearts out to Him (Psalm 62:8) and trust God will mightily work on our behalf. Even His answer doesn’t look as we expect, our confidence in His movement for us can remain. James provides us with the example of Elijah as a visual of our calling in prayer. Who do you know in your everyday life who models this kind of fervency in prayer? Matthew Henry goes on to write, “Only in this we should copy after Elijah, that he prayed earnestly, or, as it is in the original, in prayer he prayed. It is not enough to say a prayer, but we must pray in prayer. Our thoughts must be fixed, our desires firm and ardent, and our graces in exercise.” I ask you, sisters, when was the last time you prayed like this? What an incredible example and challenge which will revolutionize our prayer life!

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

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 Kneel 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.