The GT Weekend! ~ Philemon, Week 3

March 4, 2023 by Katelyn Palmer Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Philemon, Week 3

Katelyn Palmer

March 4, 2023

Faith,Family,Fellowship,Forgiven,Freedom

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
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Pray His Words Back To Him!

Colossians 3:12-15

Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against one another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts.

Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Yahweh, my studies this week reminded me that every book, every verse, every word in the Bible is rich with knowledge from Your hand. Thank you for opening my ears to Your Word. Please prepare my heart as I continue to meditate on verses like Galatians 5:14, Colossians 3:12-17, and the entire book of Philemon. Allow me to internalize and use these truths as anchors for my daily life in order to bring You glory and peace to my community.

Fill me with the strength of the Holy Spirit and empower me to be Your ambassador. (2 Corinthians 5:20) Our world may be divided today, but, Lord, You give assurance for the kingdom of perfect unity to come; empower us to live for your kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. (Matthew 6:10) In Your Son’s name I pray, Amen.

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

Philemon covers less than 2 pages in our Bibles, yet within its single chapter there are many images and lessons to glean. In verses 18-19, Paul takes on Onesimus’ debt to Philemon, accepting responsibility for payment in order for Philemon to be reconciled to Onesimus.

This is a reflection of Jesus’ sacrifice through His death on the cross to reconcile us to God. He took the punishment on Himself that we deserved because of our rebellious sin against God. A key to reconciliation is forgiveness and the goal is unity in the body of Christ. In order to obtain either of these, we must submit to the will of God, allowing the Holy Spirit to do His work in our lives, keeping in mind the need for forgiveness between ourselves and God.

The act of reconciliation among believers also serves to put the focus back on God rather than on us or worldly things. With our focus on God, we are able to recognize the strength of Christ’s love binding us together, which is far superior to the evil powers trying to separate us from Him. This process takes deliberate effort and sacrifice, but is rewarded by bringing glory to God and living with Christ’s peace in our communities.

JOURNAL TWO

Our second Journey Study this week was rich with biblical lessons from Philemon, but it also taught us an important study tactic when reading the Bible.

We must approach each book of the Bible with the questions of who the book was written for, when the book was written and the historical context of that time period, and the overarching goal of the book. With this background knowledge, we can identify the literal implications of the book for its direct audience and how that correlates with our spiritual and physical lives today.

When we apply this study tactic to Philemon, we are able to see how Philemon’s actions in daily life led Paul to be confident in his ability to surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit in order to reconcile with Onesimus, further unifying the body of Christ. We are also reminded that submission to God is an ongoing choice allowing us to move forward with the confidence and expectation that God will answer our prayers.

JOURNAL THREE

Yesterday, we finished our Journey Into Philemon with an example of Paul’s preaching illustrated in his own life. In the closing verses of Philemon (verses 23-25), we read several names of coworkers offering greetings to Philemon and his church.

One in particular, Mark, had some sort of previous grievance with Paul. (Acts 15:38-39) Paul’s inclusion of Mark’s greetings in Philemon evidence Paul’s reconciliation with Mark. This is further supported by 2 Timothy 4:11, when Paul requests Mark’s company on a mission. This seemingly small detail proves the consistency in Paul’s preaching, as well as in his actions, as they relate to the spread of the gospel and promoting unity within the Body of Christ.

The greatest leaders put their teaching into practice and lead by example, just as Jesus did, which is what Paul does here. Paul’s closing benediction to Philemon reminds us again of the intimacy of the first churches. They knew, supported, and prayed for one another on a personal level we should all strive to emulate in our own homes and churches as we seek to foster intimacy and love for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

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family,forgiveness,prayer,study,Truth

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The GT Weekend! ~ Philemon Week 2

February 25, 2023 by Katelyn Palmer Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Philemon Week 2

Katelyn Palmer

February 25, 2023

Community,Discipleship,Faith,Forgiven,Freedom

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
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Pray His Words Back To Him!

1 John 3:16-18

“This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him – how does God’s love reside in him? Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.”

Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Yahweh, Your teachings have richly encouraged me this week! I ask You to press them into my heart so I may continue to absorb them in the days to come. You have emphasized the importance of a life led in love and obedience to Your will. Help me love like You do, Lord. (1 John 4:9-12) Guide my steps and don’t let me stumble. (Proverbs 4:12)

I know Your will is saturated in compassion, mercy, and goodness. You are not selfish. You are the very embodiment of love, so I can act with confidence as I carry out Your commands to love others. Strengthen my resolve as I stand firm with my brothers and sisters against worldly wisdom. (1 Corinthians 16:13-14) Show me when my actions and my words don’t align with You, Lord.

I desire to bring You glory in the everyday patterns of my life. Let my path be straight so others can see an example of the transformative power of Your love in my brokenness. May You take all the glory so I can’t boast apart from You. (Ephesians 2:8)
In Your Son’s name I pray, Amen.

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

There is much to unpack this week! If you’ve missed any studies, catch up here! On Monday, Malinda taught that transformative faith is activated to greater degrees when we know Christ more deeply. Our reflection of Jesus’ love increases because we’ve come to know more of Jesus’ love.

From the beginning of our faith journey, God transformed our very identities as a result of faith. When we surrender ourselves to Him, and trust He died to save us and is exactly the God He claimed to be in Scripture, He makes us utterly new. As we walk in this faith and lean deeper into knowing Him through prayer and studying Scripture, His love transforms us and stirs others up to deeply know the God we’ve come to love. (Philemon 1:6)

Reflecting God’s glory requires action in allowing our love for Him to overflow as love toward others. Loving actions bring life to our words! (1 John 3:18) We’re also warned to consider those whose actions reveal deceitful tongues. (Romans 16:18; Titus 1:16) Lastly, our motivation is key! 1 John 4:7 reminds us to “love one another, because love is from God” and Paul teaches we have nothing without love. (1 Corinthians 13:3) When loving others inevitably becomes difficult, remind yourself, “we love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

JOURNAL TWO

Philemon is a short, but exceptionally rich book. In our everyday lives it may be hard to relate to Philemon’s struggle of forgiving a slave for some unspoken crime, but what about a friend who betrayed us, a partner who deceived us, or a boss who abused our work ethic?

Paul explains that salvation allows God to provide us with a new identity AND a new purpose, one where love, mercy, and compassion color our days. (Philemon 1:11) Through the gift of salvation, we are brought into Jesus’ beloved flock. Once, we may have wandered a barren hillside with overgrown coats, but now we have a home with the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) who uses our coats (faith and purpose) to keep others warm, feed the hungry with our milk, and encourages us to grow His flock. Like sheep, we are likely to be unaware of the ways God is using us, but we can rest assured of His love (Titus 2:14) and His good purposes for us (Ephesians 2:10).

As we obey Him and learn to love Him more, we bring glory to Him and shower loving, gracious compassion on our fellow brothers and sisters. (1 John 5:2-3)

JOURNAL THREE

Shame, regret, failure. We’ve all wrestled with these feelings in life. Regardless of its source, as it varies for each of us, the heavy weight of these chains has been felt by us all. Onesimus thought he would find the freedom he longed for by escaping captivity from physical slavery. Pastor Paul exemplified, while living under house arrest with his own physical limitations, true freedom isn’t found in your circumstance, but in Christ and His love.

Isn’t it much easier to think we can free ourselves from the pain we feel by manipulating our circumstance rather than surrendering ourselves to Christ and allowing Him to redefine our perspectives?

Pause to consider what set of current life circumstances would you readily trade so you could be free from painful feelings or hardship like Onesimus? In the middle of pain, it’s so hard to see anything good, but the Lord will faithfully use our difficult situations to remind us that He alone is the chain-breaker for our souls.

Even if our circumstances don’t change, we have access to true freedom in Christ because we can “roam the heart of God” as Rebecca wrote yesterday.

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Philemon Day 10 Purposed Pain: Digging Deeper

February 24, 2023 by Carol Graft Leave a Comment

Philemon Day 10 Purposed Pain: Digging Deeper

Carol Graft

February 24, 2023

Broken,Emptiness,Forgiven,Freedom,Jesus

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philemon 1:14-16

14 But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be out of obligation, but of your own free will. 15 For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a brief time, so that you might get him back permanently, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave—as a dearly loved brother. He is especially so to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) How were Paul, Philemon, and Onesimus connected? (verses 14-15)

This letter was more than likely written while Paul was imprisoned. Some sources say it was more likely house arrest than an actual prison cell, allowing Paul to have visitors more easily. It is believed Paul first met Philemon while preaching in Ephesus.

Philemon was a leader in Colossae and was converted to Christianity by Paul. Onesimus was Philemon’s slave who escaped and fled to Rome where he met Paul. (Enduring Word) Some sources cite he had also committed an act of theft.

We don’t know for certain if Onesimus already knew Paul or just encountered him in Rome, but we know he was converted by Paul. (Got Questions) Since Paul converted both men, he considered them both “brothers” and “sons” in Christ. Because he also considered Philemon his dear friend (verse 1), he didn’t want to make decisions about Onesimus without discussing it with his friend, which is the purpose of this letter.

The Everyday Application

1) How were Paul, Philemon, and Onesimus connected? (verses 14-15)

Maybe you’ve never encountered a runaway while sitting under house arrest. Or perhaps the Lord hasn’t called you into a teaching ministry as He did with Paul. Regardless, God has you where you are for a distinct purpose.

You may think your role in His Kingdom is small, but it’s not dear sister. Paul encountered Philemon in a completely different territory than he lived. Philemon heard the Gospel and then believed in Christ. Your influence matters. Who you encounter day to day matters. Where you plant seeds for Christ matters. By holding steadfast in your personal walk with Jesus and how you carry yourself, yes even on bad days, you are noticed by your neighbors, co-workers, family, and your fellow church goers.

Your ripple effect really does have an impact. Even when the struggles of life weigh on you, be assured that your connections, conversations, and convictions plant seeds, just as Paul’s did for one runaway slave turned brother in Christ!

The Original Intent

2) Was Onesimus still a slave after conversion? (verses 15-16)

Becoming a Christ follower in the 1st century generally didn’t stop your earthly obligations. We don’t really know for certain if Paul’s desire was for Onesimus to be manumitted (set free) by Philemon. Regardless, it was not in Paul’s authority to issue that edict.

What we do see is that Paul doesn’t excuse Onesimus’ behavior. Paul shows Philemon that perhaps there was a greater plan of Divine orchestration working behind the scenes for Onesimus, even as he chose to rebelliously run away. “For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a brief time”. (verse 15)

Onesimus was still Philemon’s slave, but he was no longer a slave to sin. Christ had granted his soul freedom. According to Enduring Word, “Paul “re-introduced” Onesimus to Philemon; not as a slave, but as a brother. In this relationship as brothers and not slaves, Paul effectively abolished the sting of the “master-slave” relationship.”

Though by law Onesimus was still a slave, Paul no longer considered him as such and encouraged Philemon to also see him as a brother and not property.

The Everyday Application

2) Was Onesimus still a slave after conversion? (verses 15-16)

Once we become a Christ follower it doesn’t diminish or remove our position in life, rather, now we have a fuller purpose to live within it! With new life in Christ, we absolutely must denounce and turn away from any sinful lifestyle we have lived and sinful activities we have participated in. If this includes our work, we must trust the Lord to provide work that honors Him.

But Christ’s transformation within does not release us from our secular, legitimate occupations and responsibilities without. We can’t simply walk out of a job we may dislike because we now trust and follow God. In fact, the Bible tells us, “Submit to every human authority because of the Lord.” (1 Peter 2:13) Our relationship with our employer may change as we understand their need for a Savior, just as we had. Christ may re-shape how we view our position at work through the lens of Christ.

We have more at stake to perform our job while fulfilling our role for the glory of Christ! (1 Timothy 6:2), (1 Corinthians 10:31)

The Original Intent

3) How would the first century have understood the phrase “more than a slave” given their cultural context? (verse 16)

Bondservants in the 1^st century were indentured servants. They were not necessarily treated as chattel, like slavery in the United States or even the Israelites as slaves in Egypt. In Roman law, slavery was a permanent position of servanthood.

According to Biblicalcyclopedia, “…notwithstanding all the barbarous cruelties of Roman slavery, it had one decided advantage over that which was introduced in modern times into European colonies — both law and custom being decidedly favorable to the freedom of the slave.” So perhaps they would have been thinking about Onesimus being set free to be “more than a slave”.

Paul viewed his now-freed-from-sin-self as “all in” for the cause of Christ; a different kind of slavery altogether. (Galatians 1:10, 1 Corinthians 7:22) There were also people in the Old Testament who considered their lives enslaved to the Life of God. Joseph knew God and nothing would sway him from his trust in God’s faithfulness. Esther didn’t waiver though faced with her death and genocide of her people, but acted as the Lord’s slave, wholly devoted to Jehovah.

Paul’s cultural terminology advocated for this perspective: “Regardless of economic, social and cultural context – followers of Christ have the opportunity to share the love of God by their changed lives – by faithful, submissive, humble obedience.” (Alliance Bible Fellowship) Choosing slavery to Christ and whole life surrender to His lordship is far more desirable than any other role available to humanity.

The Everyday Application

3) How would the first century have understood the phrase “more than a slave” given their cultural context? (verse 16)

Becoming a slave, even a slave to Christ, doesn’t sound appealing to our modern, Western ears. We immediately associate slavery with negative connotations such as chattel slavery, or abuse of persons.

Indenturing yourself to someone historically meant serving them wholeheartedly, usually with the promise of freedom at some point as well as finances. (Alliance Bible Fellowship) Paul’s perspective on serving Christ as His slave was the most wonderful role to live out in life. Nothing would separate him from being so closely aligned with Christ and Kingdom work.

Would you say you share Paul’s sentiments? Are you “all in” for Christ’s Kingdom? I’d like to think I am. While we don’t know everyone’s story, those of us in the western hemisphere probably haven’t faced hardships to make us question how far “in” we truly are in surrendering to Jesus. But those hurts, slights, and moments of being asked to serve the Lord Jesus outside of our comfort zone can cause us to consider just how close we want to be to Jesus.

Let us determine to be like Paul, serving the Lord and interacting with others as brothers and sisters in Christ, freely submitting to Christ as His slave.

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forgiveness,freedom,hope,pain,purpose,slave

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Philemon Day 10
Journey Study

It doesn’t take long before we begin putting ourselves in the place of the unjustly punished prisoner. Faces and circumstance sneak in as we recall being the receiver of un ”justice”.

Pain. Hurt. Anger. Bitterness. Hatred. Injustice. My child was supposed to live. My loved one wasn’t supposed to suffer. My spouse wasn’t supposed to cheat on me. What was mine was stolen away. I deserved better.

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Philemon Day 9 A Sheep Called Useful: Digging Deeper

February 23, 2023 by Natalie Smith Leave a Comment

Philemon Day 9 A Sheep Called Useful: Digging Deeper

Natalie Smith

February 23, 2023

Affectionate,Beloved,church,Digging Deeper,Family,Forgiven,Freedom

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philemon 1:11-13

11 Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me. 12 I am sending him back to you—I am sending my very own heart. 13 I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place.

Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What kind of useful purpose is Paul intending regarding Onesimus? (verse 11)

In Philemon, we follow both the relational pragmatics of Paul, Philemon, and Onesimus as well as their spiritual ties as fellow believers in Jesus.

There isn’t a clear example of what Paul intends when he references Onesimus as once “useless.” Other translations use the word “profitable”, perhaps signifying a connection with his effectiveness as Philemon’s former slave. Whatever Paul had in mind specifically, Onesimus had become useless to Philemon pragmatically because he had run away. He was no longer present to work for Philemon and had likely proven himself an untrustworthy worker.

In reading Paul’s letter, we understand Onesimus was not a fellow believer when he fled Philemon’s house. Therefore, he was also an unhelpful worker in sharing the work of the Christian faith.

But in Christ, one who was formerly rendered useless with nothing to offer others becomes useful because of Jesus. Paul makes it clear that at some point Paul discipled Onesimus in the faith of Christ as Savior and Lord. Onesimus’ growth through studying Scripture and learning to follow Christ transforms him into a spiritually useful and profitable fellow co-worker in the faith.

As far as we know, his physical wealth or social status had not changed from runaway slave, but his core identity had been made new. With Christ inside Him, Onesimus could now offer encouragement and service to other Christians; now he could even be rendered profitable to his old master.

Because of Paul’s Christian relation with each man, Paul vouches for Philemon’s new identity, which makes him a spiritual brother to both Paul and Philemon. Now, all three men could serve Christ together because the Spirit of God within them had regenerated them from sinful, self-seeking and preserving ways, to new identities transformed to mirror the humble servant heart of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Everyday Application

1) What kind of useful purpose is Paul intending regarding Onesimus? (verse 11)

As we grow in life and take on responsibilities or chase goals, life quickly becomes full. So full, it becomes difficult to rightly prioritize. Perhaps, like me, you feel like you’re running constantly behind the ball.

When I consider my own usefulness, it feels as if I am pulled in so many directions, I am not really useful to anyone. My messy home with half-accomplished tasks. My Bible study partly addressed. My children receiving partial attention while my work receives another portion. Oh, and adding to the disarray, my long list of half-dones and lofty hopes of wishful accomplishment. I have not run away like Onesimus, but I frequently find myself failing someone.

But Christ has a different goal. His mission is for the truth of the Gospel to move forward and build His kingdom through transformed hearts as old identities are given new life. Christ redeems, renews, and rebirths all who surrender themselves fully to Him.

Onesimus was once referred to as useless to those around him, but in Christ, he became useful. He suddenly had a new vision of work to surrender himself. We are not given a timeline of events, but it appears, from Paul’s language, that some focused time has been spent discipling Onesimus.

If I desire to be useful to the Lord, am I training myself as Onesimus did with Paul? Am I diligently studying God’s word and being equipped for every good work of speaking truth? (2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Timothy 3:16-17) Am I practicing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) that I might glorify God and edify my children? True usefulness always comes from the Holy Spirit to accomplish God’s purpose in everyday, ordinary life. Let’s commit together to seek His ways as we plan our days! (Psalm 90:12)

The Original Intent

2) Why doesn’t Paul keep Onesimus with him as he wishes? Isn’t Onesimus currently free? (verse 12)

Backing up for context to verses 8-9, Paul explains he is not shy to tell Philemon how to best handle the situation he is facing. Paul is an apostle and teacher of many early Christians and churches. Regardless of his authority, Paul demonstrates humility by stepping aside to allow the Holy Spirit grow Philemon. Paul states, “I appeal to you, instead, on the basis of love.” (verse 9)

Paul has discipled Philemon and Onesimus separately (verse 10 and 19), and from Paul’s language, he seems to be guiding each party towards steps of reconciliation. Paul does not condone or turn a blind eye to slavery, rather, Paul sees the need and opportunity for Christians to be unified in every situation. (2 Corinthians 5:18)

Culturally, Philemon had the right to deal with Onesimus harshly for running away as his slave. However, as a Christian himself, and even more so now that Onesimus had become a believer in Jesus, Philemon is called to a different standard in the way he treats even those in a slave status. (Ephesians 6:5-9)

Paul was patient and careful in his approach, not hastily sending Onesimus back to Philemon. But he also recognized the importance of Onesimus’ return in order for both parties to reconcile and grow in faith, humility, and the forgiveness process of which God calls His people.

The Everyday Application

2) Why doesn’t Paul keep Onesimus with him as he wishes? Isn’t Onesimus currently free? (verse 12)

Living in a world of technology, it’s easy to speak third party on anything as if we have authority. Facebook and other forums let us hear and share a multitude of opinions of what should be done in politics within moments. Being made in God’s image, people have a good and strong desire for things to be fair or “right.” But as sinners, we often have skewed viewpoints on true justice.

When I read about Paul requesting Philemon’s forgiveness towards Onesimus, rather than demanding and commanding it, I am struck by the great patience Paul exhibited in his love for people. While Paul clearly has his own thoughts on how things should be handled, he humbled himself and trusted God to work in His people and spiritually grow both parties. It must have taken great courage for Onesimus to act out of integrity and return to Philemon.

Doing life with other people and building relationships comes with unique and sticky situations. Paul’s example displays the work of discipleship happening in his own life by the powerful teaching of the Holy Spirit active within him. He held his tongue, allowing others to work out their faith and relationship with the Lord and each other. Am I willing to push aside my desire for quick responses so I can love others with patient endurance just as Christ demonstrates toward me?

The Original Intent

3) How can Onesimus take Philemon’s place in serving Paul? (verse 13)

Paul writes of Onesimus to Philemon, “I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place.” (verse 13) Other translations may use wording such as “on your behalf” or “in your stead.” Paul wrote four foundational letters for the church while imprisoned in Rome under house arrest. (GotQuestions.com) Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and this personal letter to Philemon were all penned while confined and limited in his mobility. Likely, he met and discipled Onesimus during this time.

At some point prior to this imprisonment, Paul and Philemon had become friends and, furthermore, brothers in the Lord. Paul seems to know Philemon’s heart is concerned for Paul’s well-being and work for the Gospel. Paul is also aware that Philemon is unable to come to him personally in Rome. As indicated in verse 2, Philemon was at least hosting, if not the elder of a church meeting in his home. As the local shepherd (think pastor), Philemon was responsible for the spiritual care of many fellow believers. Perhaps other unknown circumstances are also keeping him from visiting and encouraging Paul in person.

Whatever the reasons, one of Paul’s many points in leading Philemon to the right heart and mindset of forgiveness is the usefulness of Onesimus to both Paul and Philemon. If Onesimus is free from his slave ties, or perhaps pending punishments for running away, he has the availability to assist with in-person, spiritual encouragement to Paul during his difficult hours. Onesimus is free to do what Philemon cannot at this time, but what Philemon desires to do in his heart.

The Everyday Application

3) How can Onesimus take Philemon’s place in serving Paul? (verse 13)

Years ago, I remember expressing concern to a wise lady for God’s plans over the life of a friend. Why would it seem God is keeping good things from this friend who is faithful? My wise friend reminded me that, as Creator of the world, God loves people most of all. Those close to me whom I love deeply God loves deeper still. (Ephesians 3:18-19)

As a Christian brother and friend of Paul, Philemon surely identified with these struggles. Why must Paul, such a servant of Christ and the church, be imprisoned? What heartache to be kept himself from visiting and encouraging Paul personally! Which brings me to another quote of wisdom from an older lady to follow God with open hands. God is the provider of all things. (Philippians 4:19)

The Lord is the one who can give and take away based on His deep knowledge and purposes to save the lost. (Job 1:21; 1 Peter 3:18) While relationships with anyone in our life are important, there is a unique bond and refreshment brought through the Holy Spirit dwelling in God’s people and binding them together. (Philippians 2:1-2)

The people of God’s kingdom are all over the world and the Lord can use any one of them to profit us with His comfort and encouragement by His Spirit dwelling inside them. Are we willing to be that source of encouragement to fellow brothers and sisters as the Lord leads us?!

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Time passes.

Suddenly, she hears her name. Not her death-names, but her true name. Her shepherd-name.

She opens her eyes . . . and there he is. Her shepherd, emanating light into the darkness, crouching before her. (John 8:12)

His body is more broken and bloodied than hers, yet he lives. (Luke 24:1-8)

Gentle as a whisper, he gathers her to his chest.

“Sweet lamb,” he murmurs, “I’ve made a way back. Do you want to come home?”

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Surrender Day 9 Image Unfiltered: Digging Deeper

February 2, 2023 by Mandy Farmer Leave a Comment

Surrender Day 9 Image Unfiltered: Digging Deeper

Mandy Farmer

February 2, 2023

Anchored,Covenant,Forgiven,Healing,Heart

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 3:22-30

22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went to the Judean countryside, where he spent time with them and baptized.

23 John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People were coming and being baptized, 24 since John had not yet been thrown into prison.

25 Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a Jew about purification. 26 So they came to John and told him, “Rabbi, the one you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan, is baptizing—and everyone is going to him.”

27 John responded, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine is complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Why did Jesus go to the countryside and baptize? (verse 22)

John’s gospel was written for the purpose of revealing the Son of God to mankind. By this point in chapter 3, Jesus had performed His first miracle and been baptized by John revealing Jesus’ identity as the Father’s Beloved Son.

Jesus had overturned the tables of the money changers in the temple and chosen His twelve disciples. Word was quickly spreading about Him and a stir was created among the religious elite, one of whom was Nicodemus, who covertly met Jesus at night with questions. He wanted to be sure of Jesus’ identity as the Son of God. This story of Jesus has become a cornerstone of Scripture.

It’s a great place to point people to Jesus as He self-identifies as the Son of God. Much had happened in a short time for Jesus, and a quiet place to rest was needed; though He was fully God, He was also fully human. He needed a chance to build a bond with His disciples. Moving into the countryside would have provided this opportunity. Here Jesus’ disciples began baptizing under Jesus’ authority (John 4:1-2) to confirm and validate baptism as an outward necessary identifier of following Jesus. Baptism was a symbol of repentance John used, and Jesus’ disciples followed suit under Christ’s authority.

The Everyday Application

1) Why did Jesus go to the countryside and baptize? (verse 22)

Just as Jesus escaped the busy demands of life and ministry for solitude and reflection, it is vitally important for us to find those quiet times, especially after an important public event or big expenditure of physical, emotional, and mental resources. The greater the expenditure of ourselves, the more important for us to get away to reflect. There is always a “down” after a “high” and we must take care not to allow Satan to neither pull us into depression nor elevate us into thinking how “great we are”.

We must take time to reflect on the work God has done, giving Him the glory for the work, and allowing Him to refuel us. Because we are human, we simply need time to rest. God provided this example from the beginning of time when He rested from His work on the seventh day. Concerning baptism, it is much like when Joshua set up stones of remembrance. Joshua’s stones of remembrance are just one monument in a series of memorials commemorating the mighty acts of God on behalf of the people of Israel. Explore these other memorials!

Passover (Exodus 13:3–6); Receiving the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:4); Crossing The Jordan River (Deuteronomy 27:1–8); Possessing the Land of Canaan and God’s Covenant (Joshua 22:9–12; Joshua 24:24–28); Victory at Mizpah (1 Samuel 7:12). To everyone else, the stones were just a heap of rubble, but to the people of God, they were a constant reminder that Yahweh was a personal and powerful God, working wonders on behalf of His people. (gotquestions.org)

Believers in Jesus are baptized to make a public statement of our faith and a reminder for us that we have covenanted to serve the Lord. Do you remember that day?

The Original Intent

2) Why were John’s disciples concerned about purification and Jesus baptizing? (verse 25)

The Scriptures first introduced the ritual of purification in Exodus 30:17-21. This Mosaic law commanded the priests to cleanse themselves before entering the tent of meeting or approaching the altar. When John introduced baptism as a means of marking oneself out as a follower of God, it was not at all strange. But the terrain changed after Jesus was baptized, was identified as the Son of God, and His disciples also began baptizing. This concerned John’s disciples because Jesus was drawing greater crowds than John and discussions arose about whose baptism was better, John’s or Jesus’. John quickly put a stop to this discussion because he knew his ministry was intentionally ending while Jesus’ ministry was beginning.

John was the forerunner of Christ; meaning he was only meant to prepare the way for Jesus’ ministry. John fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy as “A voice of one crying out…” (Isaiah 40:3) John was overjoyed for this transition because it evidenced his job was complete. He had accomplished what God ordained for him to do, Preach Jesus! The Believer’s Bible Commentary mentions that when Paul came to Ephesus and spoke with the believers there, they raised the question of baptism. (Acts 19:1-6) “When the apostle raised the question of baptism, he found out that these men knew only about John’s baptism. In other words, the extent of their knowledge was that the Messiah was at hand, and they had signified their repentance by baptism as a necessary preparation for receiving Him as King. They did not know that Christ had died, had been buried, and had risen from the dead and ascended back to heaven, and that He had sent the Holy Spirit.

Paul explained all this to them. He reminded them that when John baptized with the baptism of repentance, he urged them to believe … on Christ Jesus.” (William McDonald, The Believer’s Bible Commentary)

The Everyday Application

2) Why were John’s disciples concerned about purification and Jesus baptizing? (verse 25)

At first glance, this verse about purification seemed out of context to me. I had simplified the sacrament of baptism to a public proclamation of our salvation, which it is, but I did not connect it with the Old Testament concept of purification. So, what does water baptism represent? Let’s look a little deeper.

When a person is baptized by water, they are immersed or “covered over” with water. Water baptism represents the complete washing away of our sins. Immersion into the water represents death to our sins; our old way of living life is buried. When we rise from the water, it represents that just as Christ was raised, we, too, are raised from death into new life. (Romans 6:3-4) (Guzik, Enduring Word)

John’s baptism was for repentance, preparing the way to trust Christ for full salvation. Jesus’ baptism was for salvation and new life. This new life begins when the Holy Spirit enters our hearts and lives (baptism by His fire) as we confess Him as our Savior and repent of our sin. Water washes us clean, but dirt (sin) can return, and we need to wash again. This was the case for everyone up to the death and resurrection of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Fire (the Spirit of God) burns away sin and makes us pure (like gold or silver), accomplishing what water alone cannot. (1 Peter 1:3-9) The Holy Spirit then gives “us everything required for life and godliness”. (2 Peter 1:3)

The Original Intent

3) Why would John say, “He must increase, and I must decrease”? (verse 30)

John the Baptist understood it was good for him to become less visible and known in order for Jesus to become more visible and known.

He recognized it was time for his ministry to lessen and Jesus’ ministry to flourish. John did not quit his work at this time, but he desired that everything he did pointed to Jesus, the pinnacle of his life’s work. He knew God had ordained his life to prepare others for Jesus, and he delighted in this! (David Guzik, Enduring Word)

The Everyday Application

3) Why would John say, “He must increase, and I must decrease”? (verse 30)

John the Baptist exemplifies for us it is possible to be popular and successful while still humble. He is a true example of humility for us.

In 2015, John 3:30 was my theme verse accompanying my word of the year (One Word), “Less”. The Lord gave me this word to prepare me for what was to come. I was dealing with chronic illness and slowly realizing I needed to give up increasingly more of my leadership roles.

So many things became less in our lives right down to Michael’s pastoral position, losing our place to live, having to downsize our lives, losing salary and benefits which led to no money in the bank account. God had prepared us to live “less” by the sustenance of His humility and grace. Becoming less is a characteristic meant to apply to all who claim to follow Christ, especially as we relate to each other within the church.

In our shared ministry, Michael and I often trained up people to go on and do greater things than us. We were thrilled to witness this! We have seen this in small churches, as well. We called them “sending churches”. They never rose above 75 people, but so many preachers, missionaries, and leaders came to these churches, found the Lord and moved on to do remarkable things.

This is the “significance of purpose” John the Baptist embraced, and we find delight when we do the same; humility is key to the Christian’s satisfying life.

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Whole Day 12 Whole Story Messengers: Digging Deeper

July 5, 2022 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

Whole Day 12 Whole Story Messengers: Digging Deeper

Rebecca Adams

July 5, 2022

Digging Deeper,Fellowship,Forgiven,Grace,Redemption,Relationship,Unity

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Read His Words Before Ours!

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.”

Read More Of His Words

The 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.

The 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!

The Original Intent

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.

The Everyday Application

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.

The Original Intent

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)

The Everyday Application

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 just; He 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)

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The continuum of reconciliation is ongoing. It requires us to understand the past and properly assess the situation in front of us. This step of obedience will lay a foundation of empathy and trust, paving the way for us to make connections with the messiness of this world. Our message is full of hope because of Jesus, and our world needs all the hope it can get. Reconciliation requires us to find a commonality with the person next to us and use that as a connection point before we launch into the heart of the matter.

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Worship X Day 12 From Eternity To Eternity: Digging Deeper

May 24, 2022 by Carol Graft Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

²⁰Bless the Lord,
all his angels of great strength,
who do his word,
obedient to his command.
²¹Bless the Lord, all his armies,
his servants who do his will.
²²Bless 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!
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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

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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The GT Weekend! ~ Sacrifice Week 3

April 16, 2022 by Marietta Taylor 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

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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Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Sacrifice Day 13 One Sacrifice

April 13, 2022 by Carol Graft 2 Comments

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

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

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

This Week's Journeys

Colossians 3:12-15

Prayer Journal Entry

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

Join Us On The Journey!

Can We Pray With You?

This Week's Lock Screen

This Week's Journeys

1 John 3:16-18

Prayer Journal Entry

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

Join Us On The Journey!

Can We Pray With You?

This Week's Lock Screen

Philemon 1:14-16

The Original Intent

The Everyday Application

The Original Intent

The Everyday Application

The Original Intent

The Everyday Application

Philemon Day 10 Journey Study

Can We Pray With You?

This Week's Lock Screen

Philemon 1:11-13

The Original Intent

The Everyday Application

The Original Intent

The Everyday Application

The Original Intent

The Everyday Application

Philemon Day 8 Journey Study

Can We Pray With You?

This Week's Lock Screen

John 3:22-30

The Original Intent

The Everyday Application

The Original Intent

The Everyday Application

The Original Intent

The Everyday Application

Surrender Day 8 Journey Study

Can We Pray With You?

This Week's Lock Screen

Matthew 18:21-35

The Original Intent

The Everyday Application

The Original Intent

The Everyday Application

The Original Intent

The Everyday Application

Whole Day 11 Journey Study

Can We Pray With You?

This Week's Lock Screen

Digging Deeper Days

The Questions

Original Intent

Everyday Application

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

Digging Deeper Community

Our Current Study Theme!

Why Dig Deeper?

Study Tools

Memorize It!

The GT Weekend!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Community

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philemon Day 10
Journey Study

Philemon Day 8
Journey Study

Whole Day 11
Journey Study