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The GT Weekend! ~ Sketched XI Week 3

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The GT Weekend! ~ Sketched XI Week 3

Rebecca Adams

July 8, 2023

Faith,Identity,Old Testament,Prophecy,Protection,Sketched

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

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Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Friday's DD

Pray His Words Back To Him!

Isaiah 45:4-6

“I call you by your name, for the sake of my servant Jacob and Israel my chosen one. I give a name to you, though you do not know me.

5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God but me. I will strengthen you, though you do not know me, 6 so that all may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is no one but me.

I am the Lord, and there is no other.”
Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Lord Jesus Christ, what sweetness is experienced and known by learning Your name, by dwelling on your truth, by discovering who You truly are as You faithfully walk beside me. You didn’t choose Elijah because he maintained perfect faith, he clearly didn’t.

You didn’t choose him as Your mouthpiece because of his courage, which he lacked at certain points. Stunningly, You chose Elijah because You wanted him to know You, and You desired to be known through him to both Jew and Gentile. I’m so emboldened and comforted to sit with this reality, Abba.

Like Elijah, like the nation of Israel, I don’t follow You perfectly. I show lack-luster courage and faith that looks a lot more like doubt than trust, still You have placed Your hand upon me (Psalm 139:5), You continue drawing me close to You, strengthening me and making Yourself known to me and through me. Lord, may it ever be so! Such sweetness to know You more and more until Eternity begins and the knowing continues forever!

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

Sometimes, well, often, our expectations do us an incredibly big disservice. Whether it’s a marriage, a friendship, or work, when expectations aren’t met, something happens inside. We can lose trust in someone, we feel varying levels of disappointment, we grieve for loss, or we can become angry and take out our frustration on others.

Sometimes expectations are benign and morally neutral. Usually, they sneak in without us even being aware they are powerfully stirring in us. Sometimes, however, when we courageously hold expectations up to the light of Scripture, we realize they are sinful.

We expect God to have worked in a certain way or time because we deserved it or we believe our understanding of what is good is superior to the Lord’s. Nearly always, expectations are fertile ground for nourishing idolatry in our hearts. If we love our expectation more than we love the truths of Scripture and the God who wrote them, we will fall prey, not only to disappointment, but to sin.

Elijah expected his life to be better, to not be on the run to stay alive, and to have more supporting prophets who worshipped God. When his expectations weren’t met, his faith corroded and desperation ruled.

What expectations do you need to re-examine in the Light of Christ? Are you willing to open your hand and remove the idol-power they hold?

JOURNAL TWO

Elijah and Elisha waited for God’s justice. They saw the horrible leadership of Israel’s King Ahab and they compassionately saw the people who were being led astray by Ahab’s evil. Where can you relate with similar scenarios?

Watching wickedness prosper is painful. Perhaps you’ve witnessed a loved one make continuous foolish choices, or you’ve watched a nation erode over time, or perhaps a beloved pastor fell into sin and loved it instead of turning from it.

The psalmist and king, David, cried out regarding the Lord’s waiting justice, “How long, Lord? Will You forget me forever?” (Psalm 13:1) David brought the pains of injustice to the Lord with an attitude of worshipful surrender, which increased His trust. He confidently knew the Lord’s faithful love could be trusted to do what was right, in the right time, even if he couldn’t see it yet. (Psalm 13:5-6)

The Lord brought justice to Ahab, and it was gruesome because of his active sinful rebellion. The Lord will bring His justice, we can be sure of that. If we desire His mercy, we must surrender in waiting trust for the Lord to move.

In what area of justice do you need to unclench your hands in surrender to the Lord?

JOURNAL THREE

Becoming narrow focused and putting on blinders is so easy! Zooming out for a broad picture view requires consistent practice and prayerful pleas for help to adjust our perspective.

When challenges arise, learning to consider others’ feelings or experiences of the same event stretches us. Remembering that the Lord is sovereign and rules over all of time and space is absolutely essential to properly re-aligning our viewpoint on our triumph or pain, but holding onto this vantage point is slippery!

Where can you recognize in recent days that you’ve had a difficult time remembering the Lord is the Ruler and Author and He can be trusted?

The full weight of trusting God’s goodness and Love and Perfect Justice provides the benefit of peace that surpasses all understanding as we rest in knowing His character and His ability to bring good from all things for His glory.

Getting to this place of trust takes practice. It requires moment-by-moment surrender and a determined heart that says, “I will keep on following the Lord’s ways by trusting Him instead of me.”

How would you like to remind yourself to keep on following and trusting Jesus this week? Maybe it’s a sticky note on your mirror, or alarms set on your phone throughout the day with the simple message “trust” or “follow”. Or maybe you’ll scroll one of those words on your forearm with a marker to remind you to remain determined in trusting Christ alone! Share what you’re choosing for a reminder in the comments!
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disciple,faith,future,hope,teach,trust,Truth
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Sketched XI Day 15 Faith Made Sight

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Sketched XI Day 15 Faith Made Sight

Katelyn Palmer

July 7, 2023

Power,Promises,Relationship,Sketched,Spirit,Trust,Truth,Yahweh

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Kings 17:8-24
2 Kings 2
Ephesians 2:1-10

“It’s been a long journey,” I spoke into the emotionally heavy space between us.
He offered a curt nod but kept his eyes downcast, gently kicking at pebbles with sandaled toes. The heat of the sun and cawing of birds settled into silence as we recalled days past.

“Are you…scared?” he hesitantly queried. I think for a moment. I’ve known fear; I’ve experienced doubt; I’ve faced the threat of death. This time, though, it’s different. I feel…peace. Inexplicable peace laced with expectant joy as I consider the faithfulness of my God.

“I have faced fear and doubt often in my time walking with the Lord, but I have learned that when Yahweh says He will provide, He provides.” His eyes are on mine now, and I notice his shoulders straighten, as though my testimony bolstered him.

My eyes sweep over the arid landscape as I organize my thoughts.

“Before I found you, Yahweh called me to prophesy before King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. The stories paint me with courage and bravery, but my legs were shaking! In fact, after I defeated the last prophet who stood against Yahweh at Mount Carmel, escalating queen Jezebel to the point of ordering my own death, I ran away in utter defeat.” I scoff, pausing briefly for a drink of water and wipe the sweat from my brow. (1 Kings 18:20-46, 1 Kings 19)

“I had just called fire down from heaven in the Lord’s name and watched from the hilltop as Yahweh sent rain to end a three year drought, yet I was hollowed out in an instant by fear of queen Jezebel’s words delivered through a messenger.”

Shaking my head, I continued, “That fear seems silly now, but the enemy is crafty and will try to convince us Yahweh is small, powerless, or distant. But if you remain devoted to Yahweh, you will come to know Him as I have, for
He alone is sovereign,
He is enough,
He is omnipotent,
He is truth,
He is jealous,
He is revealed,
He is sustaining,
and He is just.”

Elijah
We continue on in silence as each step brings me closer to Yahweh. My body tingles at the prospect of witnessing His glory! Who am I that the great I AM guided my heart and my step in tandem with His will? Who am I that the great I AM held my precious life in His hands, protecting me from enemies who sought me in the flesh and the spirit alike? I am no one, but He…He is unlike any other and I long to rest in His presence. 

“Teacher?” Elisha interrupts my thoughts.

“Yes?”

“We are here,” Elisha gestures with a sweep of his hand at the valley of Jericho.

“Elisha, there is still a final piece to my journey. Stay here; the Lord is sending me to the Jordan.”

“As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” (2 Kings 2:6)

We leave Jericho for the Jordan River, the very place Joshua led our people as they entered the Promised Land. (Joshua 3:14-17) Though we tainted this land with idolatry, I know the God of Abraham, the God of Jacob, my God is faithful. Just as He left seven thousand believers before me in a show of His mercy (1 Kings 19:18), and just as he breathed life into the son of the widow who fed me during the famine (1 Kings 17:8-24), He is faithful to save His people.

“When Yahweh calls you to do His work, Elisha, you will falter at times, but God will be faithful to you. Our God has a plan for you; embrace it. Though it may be difficult, like living in the wilderness, and though there may be pain, like losing a teacher,” I say as I rest my hand on his shoulder, “trust that Yahweh is good and He will carry you forward, as He carried me.”  

As we reach the Jordan River, I can feel the eyes of the sons of the prophets at our backs, waiting to see what happens next.

I gesture for Elisha to stand back as I remove the mantle from my shoulders. Like Moses at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22), I strike the water with my mantle and watch as God parts the river, leaving a dry bed for us to cross.

“Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken from you,” I ask, once we’ve reached the far shore. (2 Kings 2:9)

“Please, let me inherit two shares of your spirit.” (2 Kings 2:9)

“You have asked for something difficult,” I muse. “If you see me being taken from you, you will have it. If not, you won’t.” (2 Kings 2:10) I say a silent prayer, asking Yahweh to fulfill the request of my appointed successor according to His will. 

Give Elisha the portion of a first born son as he inherits a ministry in You, Yahweh. Let him experience Your blessing and guidance as he lives and prophesies in Your name, as I have for so many years. Fulfill Your calling on his life, my Lord, as You call me home. I am ready, Yahweh.

As we walk on, I can feel a warmth spread through my bones and peace wash over my heart. It is time. 

As if on cue, a chariot of fire pulled by horses of the same separates myself from Elisha, and the winds of Yahweh surround me. (2 Kings 2:11)

Elisha
“My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” I cry out as I tear my clothes in two. (2 Kings 2:12) Through my tears, I gather up my teacher’s mantle and strike the Jordan. 

“Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” I shout, courage flooding my spirit. Once again the water parts and I cross the dry bed. (2 Kings 2:13-14)

I am greeted by the sons of the prophets of Jericho, who bow at my feet. God of Elijah, Yahweh, I am Your servant. Guide my steps and let me walk a righteous path as my teacher did.

A Note About Sketched

In Sketched themes, we imaginatively step into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally.

We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters viewed God, themselves, and the world around them.

Perhaps we will find parts of our story reflected in theirs!

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assurance,belief,faith,future,hope,power,Sight,Truth
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Sketched XI, Day 15
Digging Deeper

Elijah was a foreshadowing of Jesus in many ways. His life was used as a beacon to not only point people to God who lived in his timeline, but, generations later, we too can look at Elijah’s life and see Jesus.

What do other people think when they spend time in relationship with you in your timeline? Do they see Jesus?!
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Confidence Day 10 Confidence In Appearing

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Confidence Day 10 Confidence In Appearing

Mandy Farmer

April 28, 2023

Faith,Future,Glory,Heaven,Hope,Inheritance

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philippians 1:21-26 
1 John 2:18-19 
1 John 2:28-3:10 
Deuteronomy 33:26-29
2 Peter 3 

The ache in my heart and lump in my throat
begged me to find a quiet place to cry.

I never expected to get homesick during those first days of college.
I thought I would be thrilled to leave the farm and its chores. Baffled at why I was feeling this way, I wanted to quit school and go home. Being gone from the farm had never bothered me. Why now? 

Homesickness.

Have you been there?
It can cripple you and cause depression.
It might tempt you to give up your dreams.
Everything becomes clouded by hard circumstances.

There’s another homesickness we may feel as Christians.
This world, with its pain, misery, and evil, is not our home. (Hebrews 13:14-16)
Our greatest wish is to be with Jesus; but, like the apostle Paul, we understand that to live now provides more time to bring others to Christ. (Philippians 1:21-26, 1 Thessalonians 1:5-6)

It’s difficult to stay confident in His appearing when everything and everyone around us says otherwise. When scoffers laugh, “What? You still believe He will return? It’s been thousands of years. He’s not coming back!”
  

We can stay confident!
God is faithful.
He will do what He says.
(2 Timothy 2:13)

Through the ages, believers in Jesus have trusted Him and, through the pages of Scripture, we see His promises fulfilled one after the other.
Hold to your faith, fellow Christ-follower!
Keep believing His Word!

When He came as a babe, He came at the perfect time and place. (Galatians 4:4-5)
His appearing will be the same, at the perfect time. This confident belief grows from deeply knowing the God who made the promises to which we cling.

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven?
This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven,
will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.” (Acts 1:9-11) 
“I am going to prepare a place […] I will come again […]”, said Jesus in John 14:1-3.

Peter reminds us that God doesn’t experience the passing of time as we do; He dwells outside of time. A single day is as a thousand years to Him. From God’s perspective, only two or three days have passed since His ascension. He has gone to prepare a home for us, a new Heaven and Earth. God will dissolve this old world! (2 Peter 3:10)  

Interestingly, the Greek word for confidence, παῤῥησίαν, carries a dual meaning. The word is often used to denote openness, plainness, or boldness in speaking, but in 1 John 2:28-29, it depicts a calm assurance stemming from evidence of righteousness and preparedness for heaven. (Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible)  

“So now, little children, remain in him so that when He appears we may have confidence (calm assurance) and not be ashamed before Him at his coming.” (1 John 2:28)

Do you have this calm assurance about meeting Jesus?
Are you prepared for heaven? 
For coming before Him at His throne? 

Charles Spurgeon said, “one Scriptural prescription for preparing for His coming…  ‘Abide in Him.’ If you abide in the faith of Him, holding His truth, following His example, and making Him your dwelling-place, your Lord may come at any hour, and you will welcome Him.” (Enduring Word)  

Abiding in Christ protects our hearts and minds from the scoffers mentioned in 2 Peter 3. Abiding in Christ urges us “not neglect our coming together” as a Body of believers for worship. (Hebrews 10:25) Gathering to worship and study God’s Word encourages, refreshes, and reminds us to remain confident in waiting for Christ’s appearing. (1 Peter 1:3-4)

Abiding in Christ is made evident in our lives, especially in how we love one another. Practicing dwelling with Christ in our everyday lives prepares us to meet Him unashamed while also drawing others to Him. Wouldn’t it be wonderful for every believer to bring souls with us to Heaven?

God is waiting patiently for many to come to Him (2 Peter 3:9), but how can they believe unless we tell them? “So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.” (Romans 9:17)

We must be busy sharing the gospel with love and urgency so all people might know of the Christ who died to take our punishment for sin upon Himself, giving us access to God.
“This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14, emphasis mine) 

I pray this prayer from the apostle Paul for us; may we be about the Lord’s work as we wait confidently for His appearing!

“[…] I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through His Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14-19) Amen 

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Confidence Day 10
Digging Deeper

Dear friend, the steadfast love of God is like a watermark on our life’s story. When He made humans, God stamped His image on us. We were an original creation.

Genesis 1 says He blessed the humans. Ephesians 1 says He loved the humans.
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Confidence Day 7 Confidence In Our Rescue: Digging Deeper

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Confidence Day 7 Confidence In Our Rescue: Digging Deeper

Dr. Leslie Umstattd

April 25, 2023

Alive,Faith,Forgiven,Glory,Heaven,Hope

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

This DD Connects With "Confidence In Our Rescue"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 2:4-10

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) In verse 4 Paul uses the conjunction “but” to connect two ideas. What idea has he previously stated that he is now bridging?

Paul uses verses 1-3 of this passage to clearly define and describe the state of every human soul before personally encountering Christ, repenting of their sin, and embracing His forgiveness. He then uses the word “but”, which, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is a coordinating conjunction used to connect two contrasting ideas.

The contrast Paul describes is noted in the difference between the “before and after” descriptions of encountering Christ. In verses 1-3, we are described as “dead” and in a spirit of disobedience. In verses 4-5, those who trust in Christ for salvation are transferred from death to life because of God’s great love for us to be made alive in Christ by grace.

We were dead, BUT GOD saved us. We are lost, alone, and dead in our sin, but when we embrace the offered forgiveness of Jesus, we stand in contrast to our old “dead ways” because we are now believers who have been made alive in Him.

The Everyday Application

1) In verse 4 Paul uses the conjunction “but” to connect two ideas. What idea has he previously stated that he is now bridging?

Before Christ, and apart from His full payment of sin on our behalf, we are lost, dead in our sin, and separated from God for eternity, utterly hopeless of escape from just punishment for our own sin. It is only because of God’s great, undeserved mercy that we can be anything other than forever punished and eternally separated.

The words, “But God” should be ever-present on our lips as we can have grateful confidence that God does all the saving in His rich mercy. Our salvation is not based on our merit but fully depends on God’s rich mercy. (verse 4) Romans 5:8 says, “But God proves His own love for us in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us.”

When we gaze at the vileness of our own sin, then turn to see the rich contrast of Christ’s love, the heart truly redeemed by Christ can’t help but rejoice and give thanks!

The Original Intent

2) What has God done for us according to verses 5 and 6?

Christ’s death and resurrection have accomplished the means of our salvation from our sinful state, but Paul espouses how significantly more Christ has also given us according to God’s great riches in glory. (verse 7) Paul mentions a few of these incredible gifts in this letter.

He states in verse 5 that God has “made us alive with Christ” and saved us by grace. In verse 6, we read that God has raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavens. Not only are we made alive through our faith in Christ and the work He did, but we also gained an inheritance to be co-heirs seated with Christ in the Heavenly places. (Romans 8:14-17)

Not only is our present reality immediately changed upon accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior through repenting of our sins and turning to Him in faith, but our future is also made secure. Now, because of His grace working through our faith, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus! (Romans 8:38-39)

The Everyday Application

2) What has God done for us according to verses 5 and 6?

Once, before faith in Jesus, we were dead in our sin, but now, through faith and by God’s gracious mercy, Christ has made us alive!

The writer of Romans, Paul, tells us we are joined with Christ both in death and in life. We must be joined in death for our old pattern of living for sin must be put to death. We turn from this by repenting of our sin and looking to Christ as the perfect fulfillment of the payment we owe because of the many times we have chosen sin.

But just as God did not abandon Christ to the grave, neither does He leave us; as Christ is raised to never die, so we are united with Christ inside His life. (Colossians 3:3) Our old self no longer lives but it is Christ who lives in us. (Galatians 2:20)

When we put our faith in Christ, our present position as “guilty of rebellious sin” before God changes immediately but our future is also altered. (Romans 6:4-11)

Once, our eternal destination was the real place of Hell, far removed from the good presence of God, forever subjugated to the eternal wrath of God. Now in Christ, we have been transferred from the kingdom of sin and death to the kingdom of the Beloved Son (Colossians 1:13), in whom is abundant life. (John 10:10)

We are no longer slaves to sin! We have been redeemed as children of God and made heirs to His eternal kingdom! (Galatians 4:1-7) Live in the kingdom where your citizenship lies; turn from sin and its entangling pursuits! (Hebrews 12:1-2)

The Original Intent

3) What reason is given in verse 7 for what God has done in verses 5-6?

Christ provided so lavishly for us, and Paul gives us a taste of these wonders in his before and after snapshot. Christ’s actions were done on our behalf so that He could display His “immeasurable” riches of His grace.

Paul says, it is in His “kindness” to us in Christ Jesus that God saved us from death. (verse 7) This same kindness is the motivation in God’s heart that leads us to loathe our sin and repent from it, turning away from its allure and toward the love of God. (Romans 2:4)

John 3:16-17 tell us that God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son so that everyone who believes in Him would not perish; God gave His Son to make payment for the sins of the world! (1 John 2:2)

God desired to bring light into the world even though, as humans, we love darkness; His love offered a means of escape from eternal death and separation from Him. (John 3:19-21)

The Everyday Application

3) What reason is given in verse 7 for what God has done in verses 5-6?

God put His grace and mercy on display to the world when He sent His Son, Jesus, as the atoning payment for the sin-price we owed God. This debt is impossible for us to repay, which is why we needed God Himself to pay it for us, which He Did!

There are times in life when we lose confidence in what God accomplished for us at the cross to change our status before Him. We can look at our circumstances and conclude we have been separated from God’s love and He is no longer working for our good. This world feels disconnected and uncertain; it’s easier to doubt our reality in Christ than to hold fast to truth. This is where our faith comes into action.

Although we have seen a glimpse of things to come, the full completion of our faith will not be made manifest until Christ returns. Peter tells us there will be suffering now, but in the coming age, God will complete what He started. (1 Peter 1:3-8)

We can approach Him with confidence because of Jesus’ death and resurrection and have hope for His second coming to finish the job. (Hebrews 4:14-16) There will come a day when God will put Himself on full display and He will make all things new. (Revelation 21:3-8)

The Original Intent

4) How does Paul describe God’s gift to us in verses 8-10?

The gift of rescue from sin and death that God gives is not from this world. It isn’t anything we can work for or boast about, rather it only comes from knowing Him through faith He gives us, which is also a gift. (verses 8-9)

He holds out the offer of full forgiveness and freedom from sin because of His good grace, then we have opportunity to embrace this for ourselves through faith. This grace gift of access to God through faith has always been available.

The work of payment in full for our sin debt was completed when Christ died on the cross and rose again on the third day, but it does not belong to us and neither is His payment credited to our account of debt until we willingly accept His free gift through faith. (Romans 3:22-24)

The Everyday Application

4) How does Paul describe God’s gift to us in verses 8-10?

It is absolutely necessary for us to realize what God has done for us when we read these verses in Ephesians. A right understanding provides a proper perspective on the debt we owe and the supreme kindness of God. There is nothing about salvation that comes from us or our “good work”. Our salvation was given by God alone, without our assistance.

Paul, the human author of nearly half the New Testament, gives evidence in Philippians 3 for all the human, earthly reasons he could boast in himself for the work that God did in him. Still, he concludes his list of “good things” and “worldly accolades” by stating they amount to absolutely nothing when compared to knowing Christ. (Philippians 3:8)

The work Paul did on behalf of the Gospel was only possible because of his relationship with Christ. God did the work by His Spirit; Paul was obedient to follow. (Philippians 3:3-11) Our confidence and faith in God aren’t solely about receiving the free gift of salvation, but the relationship points forward to producing works of righteousness that reflect the relationship we now have in Christ.

Because of the right relationship with God, made possible by the free gift of salvation, we are now freed to do right works in everyday life that bring glory to God. Once we know God and walk in faith with Him as our Lord, learning to submit to His Spirit, we become obedient doers of His Word for His glory. (James 1:22-27)

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eternity,forgiveness,future,grace,hope,Romans 8
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Confidence Day 6
Journey Study

Through childhood, awards assured me I had achieved victory while trophies testified to my triumphs. They were tangible evidence of talent and skill. They proved a great achievement happened, lest memories fade. They reassured an insecure girl who believed her worth was measured by success and love must be earned. Unfortunately, I also thought the amount of God’s love for me depended on how well I upheld His rules.

Yet, as I read Scripture, God told me the truth! We are forgiven through Christ’s death and resurrection as He took the consequences of our sin on the cross.
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The GT Weekend! ~ Steadfast Week 3

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The GT Weekend! ~ Steadfast Week 3

Katelyn Palmer

April 14, 2023

Christ,Faith,Future,Glory,Grace,GT Weekend

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
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Pray His Words Back To Him!

1 Peter 5:8-10

Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world. The God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while.
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Prayer Journal Entry

Yahweh, I come to You today boldly asking for strength, grace, and wisdom. I seek Your insight and Your counsel. (Psalm 16:7-8)

I pray for wisdom in discerning Satan’s easy lies from Your loving Truth. I praise You for grace in the moments I fall into Satan’s traps. I pray for discipline of my tongue (James 1:19), mental strength so I may stay focused on doing good (Romans 12:21), and a bolstering of my faith so it may remain steadfast in Your love (Ephesians 2:8 and 6:16; John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 13:7,13).

Let my hope abound and be a light to others around me in need of lifting up. Use me as Your instrument, Lord, in all the ways You have determined. I thank You for Your gift of eternal life and Your promises of grace, mercy, and salvation. I ask only for what You have determined I need and nothing more, nor nothing less. (Proverbs 30:8)

I am your servant, Lord, and I seek to do Your will. It is in Your Son’s name I pray these things, Amen.

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Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

Monday’s Journey Study reminds me of the Hebrews enslaved in Egypt. They, too, were waiting for something great to be revealed. They, too, were called to remain steadfast in their faith and trust God would deliver them.

During four hundred years of slavery, the nation of Israel learned to trust the God who was growing them in number and in steadfast faith despite their enslavement. Their suffering provided the opportunity to declare the goodness of the God of the Hebrews and invite foreigners to trust Him too. Their faith was on display to the Egyptians, giving them an opportunity to testify of this God who was victorious over all things.

John 14:3 tells us Christ has gone ahead to prepare a place for us to dwell with Him. Until then, despite our suffering, we are to remain steadfast in our faith, assured of His deliverance just as He rescued the Hebrews. Being steadfast requires a sense of duty as ambassadors for God, testifying of His redemption in our lives. This extends the Hope of Christ to those around us that they also may enjoy Him (2 Corinthians 5:19-21).

How might God be preparing you to testify of Him in the midst of your suffering? How are you living out your faith in everyday life to invite others to know the God you worship?

JOURNAL TWO

We may hear a well-meaning life mantra like “seize the day” or “live like you’re dying”. This week, we were challenged to consider how to live as though Christ is coming back today.

We must embrace the hope of His return, the gift of eternal life, and the promise of seeing loved ones who have passed before us once again, then allow these truths to shape our lives. Would God be pleased with the life you are leading if He indeed graced your doorstep today? In all honesty, I can’t say He’d be pleased with mine.

It can be difficult to step out of the gravitational pull of society and the lustful appeal of our fleshly desires. As believers in Jesus, we were planted to flourish inside the death and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:4). His life frees us from the bondage of sin and releases us to be joined in unity to He who reigns with love and truth. (Romans 7:4)

We are now called to bear the fruit of His name and must remember this includes testifying of His goodness to the lost souls next door, across the street, and in the next room. How will you surrender your life to God today?

JOURNAL THREE

Made Steadfast was our final Journey Study this week, but what does it really mean to be steadfast? If we allow our Bibles to define steadfast, which is a solid scholarly approach to allow Scripture to define Scripture, we are given a visual representation in Hebrews 6:19 for steadfast, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure”. (depending on the translation of your Bible, “firm and secure” reads “steadfast”)

An anchor is strong, unyielding and unmoving. It keeps a ship in place just as our hope in God is meant to keep us steady and unyielding against the waves of life that crash against us. We also see steadfast used to describe God Himself in Daniel 6:26 where He is painted in strength as a lasting presence.

With the Steadfast God as our ever-present anchor in our lives offering strength in our weakest moments, Satan is outmatched. Take this truth and carry it with you this weekend!
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Steadfast Day 10 What’s It Like?: Digging Deeper

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Steadfast Day 10 What’s It Like?: Digging Deeper

Dr. Leslie Umstattd

April 7, 2023

Creation,Digging Deeper,Faith,Flawless,Heaven,Resurrection

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

This DD Connects With "What's It Like?"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 15:35-44

35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have when they come?” 36 You fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And as for what you sow—you are not sowing the body that will be, but only a seed, perhaps of wheat or another grain. 38 But God gives it a body as he wants, and to each of the seeds its own body. 39 Not all flesh is the same flesh; there is one flesh for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is different from that of the earthly ones. 41 There is a splendor of the sun, another of the moon, and another of the stars; in fact, one star differs from another star in splendor. 42 So it is with the resurrection of the dead: Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption; 43 sown in dishonor, raised in glory; sown in weakness, raised in power; 44 sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
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The Original Intent

1) What does Paul mean when he references that death must occur before life? (verse 36)

Paul is telling the Corinthian believers that the resurrected body will be different from their current bodies. They will not be walking dead zombies, but rather, they will physically die and be resurrected with a new physical body that is not hindered and entangled with death and sin. (Romans 6:6)

Before Christ, we are destined to eternal separation from God in a mortal body enslaved to sin and death, but after Christ, because of His death and resurrection, we will have a new resurrected body that is no longer hindered by sin.

That is our eternal hope in this present life as we groan and wait eagerly for His return. (Romans 8:20-23)

The Everyday Application

1) What does Paul mean when he references that death must occur before life? (verse 36)

We will all die a very real physical death. When Christ returns, our human bodies will be fully resurrected bodies, entirely made new by the new order of resurrected Life ordained by the Author of Life. We have a blessed hope that this life is not the end. (Titus 2:13)

With Christ, we have a promise of a future where all wrongs are made right, and in the New Heaven and New Earth, we will reside in perfect harmony no longer with an eye that wanders from knowing and loving the One True God! (Revelation 21:1-4)

The Original Intent

2) Why does Paul discuss flesh and body types? (verses 39-40)

Paul is referencing back to his questions in verse 35. He is answering those questions and reminding the reader of the power of God Himself as Creator by making them look at what has already been created for them to see. (Genesis 1)

He doesn’t give a specific answer to how the dead are raised or the specific kind of body they will have when raised, but Paul points them to what God has already done through His ruling authority and infinite wisdom. Paul wants them to be assured that a resurrected body is possible because of God’s great power.

He is more than capable of providing for our every need in Eternity just as He has in this life; He has promised He will bring new life with new physical bodies. (John 11:25-26) He has promised believers a resurrected body and life when Christ returns. Whatever body we have in the resurrected life is so much greater than our current bodies, it’s beyond imagining. (Romans 6:8-11)

The Everyday Application

2) Why does Paul discuss flesh and body types? (verses 39-40)

There are times when we question how God will accomplish His full plan and bring about resurrected bodies and a New Heaven and Earth. In fact, we likely have many questions about eternity that aren’t directly addressed in Scripture. When this happens, we stick close to what we know is made clear in Scripture.

Jesus says there will be a resurrection day for all who believe and have turned from their sin, placing the full weight of their faith on Him. (John 11:17-27, 1 John 3:2-3)

It’s important to remember we do not always fully understand His plan and the how of His plan, but as Paul reminds us along with all parts of Scripture, God is faithful to fulfill His promises. (Deuteronomy 7:9) Not one will be left unfulfilled. We can trust the One named Faithful and True. (Revelation 19:11)

The Original Intent

3) What four contrasts does Paul use to describe the resurrection of the dead? (verses 42-44)

In verses 42-44, Paul employs four contrasts to make his point about the wonderful resurrection to come: corruption and incorruption, dishonor and glory, weakness and power, and natural body and spiritual body. These four contrasts are used by Paul to show the distinctions between our current bodies and our resurrected bodies still to come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Our current mortal bodies are sown in corruption, dishonor, weakness, and are “natural”, meaning carnal and seeking the lusts of the flesh. (Romans 6:1-3) In our resurrected bodies, when Christ returns, we are dead to everything related to the old way of life. Every person who has ever trusted Christ completely for the total forgiveness of their sin and has turned away from their sinful ways will be transformed and raised in the newness of a life that will not end. (Romans 6:4, Romans 7:6)

We are transformed and raised in incorruption, glory, power, and in a spiritual eternal reality yet still a human body in form. (1 Timothy 1:10)

The Everyday Application

3) What four contrasts does Paul use to describe the resurrection of the dead? (verses 42-44)

Our final resurrection with Christ is so much more than we can possibly imagine or think as the old will forever pass away and the new is ushered in for all of eternity. (Revelation 21:1-4)

Our hearts and minds in the current state are prone to wander as we feel the tug of sin and temptation to sin. This pull is our “seed” and we are feeling the effects of what is sown in a sinful world. By contrast, Paul says we will gain honor, holiness, and perfection. (Philippians 3:18-21)

Our very real human bodies will be restored to the perfection once known only in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 1-2) This is made possible through the redemption of man that came at the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God’s one and only Son, as He died for the sins of the world to offer complete forgiveness and new life to all who commit to following Him! (John 6:38-40, 1 John 2:2)

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Steadfast Day 10
Journey Study

“Every stage of parenting is precious.” My mom told me that when I had her first grandbaby.

What she didn’t tell me is that each stage of parenting is also progressively harder. That’s right, mamas of toddlers, moms of pre-teen angst, and moms who are wiping away tears while planning senior graduations, it’s still going to get harder.

Because there is nothing. Just nothing. Like launching adult children.

Sure, there are successes and wins and many “almost wins”, but there are those crazy shaky decisions when you want to grab their shoulders saying, “Why Are You Doing This?!”
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Steadfast Day 9 Worth It?: Digging Deeper

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Steadfast Day 9 Worth It?: Digging Deeper

Rachel Jones

April 6, 2023

Believe,Digging Deeper,Faith,Forgiven,Freedom,Future,Resurrection

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

This DD Connects With "Worth It?"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 15:29-34, 58

Otherwise what will they do who are being baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, then why are people baptized for them? 30 Why are we in danger every hour? 31 I face death every day, as surely as I may boast about you, brothers and sisters, in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus as a mere man, what good did that do me? If the dead are not raised, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 34 Come to your senses and stop sinning; for some people are ignorant about God. I say this to your shame.

58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
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The Original Intent

1) Why were people being baptized for the dead? (verse 29)

In 1 Corinthians 15:29, the Apostle Paul posed this question to his readers, “Otherwise what will they do who are being baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, then why are people baptized for them?”

Paul wrote to his followers about the validity of the resurrection of believers, and he used this question as an argument in favor of believing in the resurrection of the saints after death. William Barclay explains, “In the early Church there was vicarious baptism. If a person died who had intended to become a member of the Church and was actually under instruction, sometimes someone else underwent baptism for him. The custom sprang from a superstitious view [that without baptism] a person was necessarily excluded from the bliss of heaven.”

Paul did not approve of or condemn the practice in these verses, although we know Paul believed the only way to get to Heaven was through personal belief in Jesus Christ. (Romans 10:9) Paul simply used this practice to strengthen his teaching about the resurrection of those who profess faith in Jesus.

Paul argued that if there were no resurrection, then what was the point of getting baptized for a dead person? It would do them no good if there was no resurrected life in Christ. In Romans 6:5 Paul wrote, “For if we have been united with Him in the likeness of His death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of His resurrection.”

Paul wanted everyone to understand and believe that Christ died for our sins (Romans 5:8), resurrected to return to His Heavenly Father (Ephesians 1:20), and promised eternal life to all who would believe in Him (John 3:16).

The Everyday Application

1) Why were people being baptized for the dead? (verse 29)

People often do good deeds in memory of their departed loved ones. Friends and family have started charities, enacted legislation, and donated generously in the name of their departed beloved. Paul addressed readers who went a step further in being baptized for a deceased loved one, hoping it would help them when saints are resurrected at the second coming of Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

While Paul did not encourage this, he used its occurrence to emphasize the reality of resurrection for believers in verse 29 when he wrote, “Otherwise what will they do who are being baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, then why are people baptized for them?”

Some religions use this verse as a license to act now in order to affect the salvation of loved ones who have already died, but this is not what Paul was suggesting. The Scriptures clearly state that each person must repent of their sins and make a personal decision to accept God’s gracious gift of His Son, Jesus, to be saved. (Ephesians 2:8, Acts 16:31, Titus 3:5)

There is nothing anyone can do to attain salvation for themselves or anyone else, past or present apart from personal repentance from sin and personal acceptance of Christ’s free gift of salvation for the forgiveness of sin. Paul was using the apparently common knowledge of this practice of baptism by proxy to highlight the actuality of resurrection for followers of Christ.

Being raised with Christ is so essential to the faith that people didn’t want to chance their unbaptized loved ones wouldn’t receive it. They needn’t have worried, because those who trust in Jesus have the blessing of assurance that we will be taken to Heaven with Jesus when He returns for us some day. (John 5:28-29)

The Original Intent

2) Why does Paul exhort readers to “come to their senses and stop sinning”? (verse 34)

In a discourse about Christians going to heaven after death and the powerful significance of Christ’s resurrection, Paul instructed believers in verse 34 to “Come to your senses and stop sinning; for some people are ignorant about God. I say this to your shame.”

In the context of this argument in favor of the resurrection, the sin Paul condemned was “failure to believe in the resurrection and presumably passing this false doctrine to others, which would be sinning. . . their failure to believe the resurrection in effect ‘energized’ their manifold sinful behavior.” (Preceptaustin.org)

Paul believed Christians were created to live with a purpose (Ephesians 2:10) and not simply for the moment (1 Corinthians 10:31). Considering what they already knew about God and redemption, Paul found it shameful for believers to indulge in sinful practices, living like there was no tomorrow and no eternity. Author William Barclay suggests, “Take away the thought of a life to come and this life loses its values . . . The fact remains that the man who believes that this is the only world tends to live as if the things of this world are all that matter.”

Paul reminded his readers there is more to life than gratifying sinful pleasures. There is the hope of life eternal with God in Heaven for those who believe! (1 John 2:17)

The Everyday Application

2) Why does Paul exhort readers to “come to their senses and stop sinning”? (verse 34)

As a teacher, I never wanted a student to fall so far behind in their lessons they lost hope in learning a concept or passing the course. If students could see a way forward, they would keep trying, so I offered tutoring, extra credit, and loads of encouragement. If a student gave up hope or stopped trying, then their behavior often went off the rails.

If there was no chance of passing, there was little incentive to pay attention or behave well, and discipline issues arose (like the student who tried to escape through a ground floor window rather than take the final he knew he would fail). These failing students reasoned that if things were going downhill anyway, they might as well enjoy the ride!

This is the same attitude Paul warned against in verse 34 when he wrote, “Come to your senses and stop sinning; for some people are ignorant about God. I say this to your shame.” Paul warned against living for the moment, sinning and transgressing, disregarding God’s will and His offered promises to those who love and obey Him.

Paul wanted believers to realize they had something to live for beyond the here and now, eternity with Jesus (Hebrews 5:9) who promised to gather believers to Himself (John 14:3) at the Resurrection. With Jesus, there is always hope, no matter how bad things might seem.

There is no reason to give up and just live for the moment, to sneak out the window and try to avoid the inevitable. With Jesus, there is life, hope, and peace for those who believe. (Romans 15:13)

The Original Intent

3) How do we know that our labor in the Lord is not in vain? (verse 58)

Paul admonished believers in 1 Corinthians 15:58 to “be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Paul urged believers to give their all as they ministered for the Lord, remembering nothing done for the Lord is wasted. (Galatians 6:9)

Author Albert Barnes notes, “It is not as if you were to die and never live again. There will be a resurrection, and you will be suitably recompensed then. What you do for the honor of God will not only be attended with an approving conscience, and with happiness here, but will be met with the glorious and eternal rewards of heaven.” God’s Word reminds the Christ-follower that what they do for the Lord is not in vain because God promises His reward as an inheritance to those who serve Him from their hearts. (Colossians 3:23-4)

God is gracious to remember the service of His saints as they follow His will and His way on earth by giving them the Hope of Glory. (Colossians 1:27) John Gill asserts that God rewards Christians “not in a way of debt, but of grace; which the doctrine of the resurrection assures of, and encourages to hope for.” God gives His humble servants grace by giving them the hope of a future with Him in Heaven.

What a wonderful motivator as we give our best to serve our Savior!

The Everyday Application

3) How do we know that our labor in the Lord is not in vain? (verse 58)

As a child studying American history, I was fascinated to read about Native American practices and how different tribes used every part of the bison they killed. They used the flesh for food, the hide for bags and teepees, the hair for clothing, the bones for tools and dishes, and the entrails for various utilitarian purposes. I valued the concept that nothing was wasted and that the animal was put to good use and had not died meaninglessly.

It is the same reason I appreciate Paul’s words to his readers in 1 Corinthians 15:58 when he wrote “be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” I am grateful to know that nothing I do for the Lord is wasted. (Hebrews 6:10) He has a plan and a purpose for every work He asks me to perform in His Name (Jeremiah 29:11) and every trial He allows me to walk through (Romans 8:28).

The Lord uses every mission He gives me to bring glory to His name and expand His kingdom. When I walk in obedience to His call, nothing is wasted. From teaching Sunday School, to praying, making meals, and countless other venues for His grace, the Lord uses it all. (Matthew 5:16)

Though we do not perform good works to get rewards, He does reward His children with good gifts, not the least of which is “the hope of the resurrection and of future glory.” (Albert Barnes)

Not only does He ensure our labor for Him is not in vain, He also gives us the hope of eternity with God; a gracious gift from our loving and generous Father.

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Steadfast Day 8
Journey Study

The resurrection of Jesus feels, appropriately, like a big deal every year on Easter morning. But come Monday? Easter memories begin to fade and are replaced by the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The hymns are silenced, the dresses are put away, and life resumes as normal.

But what if it didn’t?

What if we actually lived our everyday Mondays in light of Jesus’ resurrection, which we commemorate on Easter Sunday?

Truly, this is Paul’s very desire for us as Christ-followers!
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Sketched X Day 2 Family Tree: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

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

1) What do we learn about God’s plans from this passage?

2) How does God use what we see as impossible or dire circumstances to work out His plans and purposes?

3) How can we respond to this knowledge about God’s overarching and intimate involvement in all our experiences?

Genesis 45:7-8

God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.  8 Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Original Intent

1) What do we learn about God’s plans from this passage?
This passage in Genesis comes after Joseph is already well established in Egypt. He had been nearly murdered by his brothers, sold into slavery, risen up in power under Potiphar only to be falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, then sent to prison, given authority in prison, but left there, seemingly forgotten. Then, at the right time, Joseph was brought before Pharaoh to interpret a dream. The outcome of that exchange resulted in Joseph’s elevation to lord over Pharaoh’s household; he became second in command only to Pharaoh over all of Egypt. Joseph’s reflection in Genesis 50:19-20 reflects God’s purpose in the overall story and timing of every aspect of Joseph’s long journey. Joseph said to his brothers who had plotted his death, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.”

2) How does God use what we see as impossible or dire circumstances to work out His plans and purposes?
When we look at the full narrative of Joseph’s life, it’s obvious how God used all the circumstances that led up to Joseph’s high position in Egypt to both prepare Joseph (by humbling him and teaching him to depend upon God) and use him to bless a nation. If we divided Joseph’s story into segments, they would appear fruitless and perhaps could be seen as evidence of God abandoning someone who was faithful. Joseph acted rightly in the house of Potiphar yet was accused of adultery and unjustly imprisoned. Only looking at this scene could lead us to discount God’s faithfulness and “prove” God had abandoned Joseph. If we zoom in on Joseph’s years of being forgotten in prison after he accurately interpreted a dream and he pleaded to be remembered, we may feel God is unjust because Joseph’s circumstances were unfair. But when we see the whole of Joseph’s story we discover the ultimate, very good outcome of Joseph’s life. Even Joseph’s own lips attest of God’s supreme sovereign faithfulness. The Lord used every circumstance of Joseph’s life to position Joseph in just the right place, at just the right time so that only Joseph’s family would be saved, but the nation of Israel would flourish.

3) How can we respond to this knowledge about God’s overarching and intimate involvement in all our experiences?
Joseph’s life journey was fraught with trouble, persecution, injustice, and hardship; it seemed to never end and was surely pocked with disbelief and doubt along the way. But the Lord’s love was relentless to not only finish His work for Israel but to also finish His work in Joseph’s heart. Joseph didn’t always trust the Lord steadfastly, but at the close of his narrative, he testifies of the good plans of the Lord. God developed Joseph’s faith through suffering. Joseph trusted God more fully as he grew in knowledge of God and His faithful character. Perhaps the greatest example of this truth is the cross of Christ, which would surely have been the greatest tragedy in all of history as it threatened to kill the Author of Life. But God in His love and sovereign authority used the cruelty of death to bring about our own salvation and reconciliation to God that was once an impossible gulf to span because of our sin’s heavy debt. If we could see Christ’s death through the eyes of the eleven remaining disciples during the first days after the crucifixion we would see utter tragedy and defeat. But the cross was a pathway and a means, not an end. Through the supreme suffering of Jesus, God reconciled the ungodly (all of us) to Himself, and made a way where there was no way so we could be called sons and daughters of God. (2 Corinthians 6:18) When we witness God turning the greatest tragedy into the greatest gain, we can trust God more fully with every hardship we endure. He is the same God now as He was at the cross. He is the God who went to the cross for us; such lavish love! (Romans 8:32)

Everyday Application

1) What do we learn about God’s plans from this passage?
God’s plans for His people, both individually and corporately, involve a far deeper and broader scope than we can see or fathom.  His plans are laid to work good for many even though they involve the temporary suffering of one or more people to achieve His ultimate blessing. Jeremiah 29:11 conveys this essential principle of God moving on behalf of His people as He spoke through the prophet to the nation of Israel who faced exile and captivity, “For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” God is light, and in Him is no darkness whatsoever. (1 John 1:5) He is not the author of evil. (Job 34:12) He has no pleasure in wickedness. (Psalm 5:4) God has allowed evil in the world because He permitted humanity’s freedom of choice, and we chose sin, and will always choose sin when we act out of our sin nature. Even this gift of freedom to choose, like everything else God does, flows from His character essence of absolute love. (1 John 4:16) His will is good and perfect toward all His creation, emanating from His heart of love. This love is perfect, true, and trustworthy which is why we can rejoice in our sufferings and endure hardship. We confidently know and attest to the reality that God is working all things together for the good of those He loves and those who are called according to His purposes. (Romans 8:28)

2) How does God use what we see as impossible or dire circumstances to work out His plans and purposes?
God’s plans allow for suffering, which can make us squirm in our theological seats, but because of His goodness, our suffering is never in vain when we surrender our lives to His authority. (Hebrews 12:7) When we remember God’s character and we recall that He is incapable of sin or evil, we can view our circumstances in a new light. We can remember that God is constantly at work to do His good pleasure in the hearts and lives of His followers. (Philippians 2:13) He is working all things together according to His plans for good and He will graciously bless us and make us more like Himself in the process. (Romans 8:29) In light of this reality, the author of Hebrews encourages, “No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees.” (Hebrews 12:11-12) His plans are firm and unwavering, flowing from His heart. (Psalm 33:11) What He plans, He will do. “The Lord of heavenly forces has promised: As I intended, so it will be; and as I have planned, so it will happen.” (Isaiah 14:24)

3) How can we respond to this knowledge about God’s overarching and intimate involvement in all our experiences?
We are prone to wander and drift, doubt and mistrust for we are each just as human as Joseph. We remain strong in our faith when things are going well and we sense God’s presence in our lives, but when God feels far, or our circumstances try us, our weak flesh easily doubts God’s goodness, care, love, and faithfulness. When we remember how God provided for Joseph, or for the Israelites in the desert for forty years, we cannot miss His constant presence and perpetual work even if it seems slow and too long to us. He never abandoned despite Israel’s rebellion and faithlessness for abandonment goes against His character. (2 Timothy 2:13) He is Emmanuel, God with us. (Matthew 1:23) He is not a God who is far, but a God who is near. This truth allows us to drop our anxieties. (Philippians 4:4-5) So many places in His word He echoes the truth of His nearness, His care, and His provision. In the short run, it may appear we have been overcome or that life is hopeless and we are helpless, but that is never the whole picture for all who have trusted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. “We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9) Let’s choose to remember God’s presence, His purposes, His goodness, His past actions on our behalf and in history so we can endure trials by keeping our eyes set upon His love. (James 1:2-4, Romans 5:3-5)

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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Sketched X Day 1 Family Tree

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 7
Romans 9:6-13
Genesis 37:3-4
Genesis 45:7-8
Genesis 50:19-21

Sketched X, Day 1

On trial before the religious leaders of my community, my life hanging in the balance, I (Stephen, a disciple of the resurrected Christ) recount God’s plan of redemption throughout history. (Acts 6:8-7:53) Through my words, I strive to make clear the purposeful story of God’s people, contained in the overarching narrative of the Old Testament, as shadows and patterns pointing to Christ.

Consider this a shallow, long-distance dive, skimming the surface of the water to get as far as we can, rather than a deep dive. Let’s look at how Joseph’s life and heritage reveal glimpses of Christ, and uncover our part in God’s grand mission as we live out our stories in God’s family tree.

Joseph was the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham. 

Let’s pause here for a second.

If your eyes start to glaze over anytime you reach a Biblical list of “son of”s, let me encourage you to see them as a way to trace God’s promises throughout history. If we remember back to God’s covenant with Abraham, God promised the nations would be blessed through Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3); then we can follow his descendants to the fulfillment of the promise in Christ.

Abraham’s long-awaited son, Isaac, had twin sons, Jacob and Esau. Of the two brothers, Jacob was chosen by God to continue Israel’s national lineage:
“As it is written: I have loved Jacob [Israel], but I have hated Esau [Edom].” (Romans 9:13; Malachi 1:1-3)

Jacob’s life and story are complicated, so for the sake of our skim-dive, let’s skip ahead in his life to his wrestling match with God. In Genesis 32:22-32, we watch Jacob wrestle with God, who changes Jacob’s name to Israel, meaning “he struggled with God.” From Israel descend the Israelites, God’s chosen people, for whom struggling with God would be a continued theme for generations to come.

Israel fathers 12 sons, who father the 12 tribes of Israel. Among these is Joseph, the first-born son of Israel’s beloved wife, Rachel. Although he would endure many trials and tribulations, God used Joseph’s life to preserve the Israelite people, and he experienced great restoration in his family relationships. Eventually, Joseph assures his brothers, “You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.” (Genesis 50:20)

We typically don’t see or understand what God is doing behind the scenes of our lives. But, like Joseph, we can confidently believe He is trustworthy, and will bring good in the midst of the worst situations when we surrender ourselves to Him. He is altogether sovereign, wise, and loving; He works all things according to His plan and purpose of redemption. (Romans 8:28)

My voice wavers as my own words sink into my spirit. Casting a glance around me, I see a few listening intently despite their best intentions; everyone else is livid. Off to the side, one Pharisee is surrounded by a group of younger men, a sneer twisting his face. His gaze burns into mine, and I know how this encounter will end.

Do I believe my own testimony? I don’t understand how my violent death will bring good . . . but I know my God. He is trustworthy, sovereign, wise, and loving. I will follow Him wherever He leads, even to the stoning pit outside the city gates.
I take a deep breath, and return to my sermon.

We’ve barely skimmed the surface in our dive.
Through Joseph, the Israelites would settle in Egypt,
which led to the Israelites’ eventual enslavement,
which led to God’s miraculous rescue,
which led to their wandering in the desert,
which led to them receiving the 10 commandments,
which led to their continual failure and inability to uphold God’s law.

The Israelites’ continual failure to meet the standard of God’s law points to their need for a Savior. The overarching story of the Bible climaxes at the arrival of the Messiah, Jesus, the Son of God, who lived a perfect life to fulfill the righteous requirement of the law that we could not.

Not only did He live a perfect life, but He died on the cross to pay the penalty we deserve for our sins. (2 Corinthians 5:20-21) Because of Christ’s substitution in our place, we can receive forgiveness and have a relationship with God, Our Sovereign Creator, if we respond in repentance, faith, and obedience.

Since we barely skimmed the surface of the Old Testament, I encourage you to continue to hold up Old Testament stories next to Christ’s and see how everything points to Jesus, our Coming Hope. If we are in Christ, we are part of this amazing family tree from Adam to Abraham, Joseph, and Moses, and all who will receive the Promised Land and inheritance for eternity with Christ.

My breath comes in shallow wheezes as the stones pummel my body; I can feel broken ribs sabotaging my efforts to breathe. Mine is not a dignified death, but I do not regret unashamedly proclaiming God’s sovereign goodness and truth, even knowing it has cost my life. My head falls to the ground, and I taste blood and silt. My vision darkens, blotting out the mob before me until I am blinded by a light from the heavens. Home is on the horizon.

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

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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 SketchedX Week One! 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 Sketched X!