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Surrender Day 10 True Joy: Digging Deeper

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Surrender Day 10 True Joy: Digging Deeper

Rachel Jones

February 3, 2023

Enough,Faith,Freedom,Generous,Giving,Glory,Greed

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 "True Joy"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 6:16-24

“Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces so that their fasting is obvious to people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 19 “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light within you is darkness, how deep is that darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
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The Original Intent

1) How does the Father reward those who fast in secret? (verse 18)

In Matthew 6:17-18, Jesus gave these instructions about fasting, “But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” When Christians fast, they demonstrate to God how much they love him and how they want to draw closer to Him.

As Andrew Murray explains, “Fasting helps express, deepens, confirms the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves, to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God.” Jesus instructed His disciples to fast in secret so they would not gain recognition from others for being pious. Instead, God would reward them.

Scripture tells us that fasting is the humbling of the soul (Psalm 35:13), and God promises to reward this humility. Hebrews 11:6 tells us God rewards those who seek Him. Sometimes when we seek God through fasting, God rewards us with what we are practically seeking through prayer. He did this with Anna, who prayed and fasted for the Messiah to come and was blessed to see Him before she died. (Luke 2:36-38) But, as David Mathis points out, “He rewards it not just with what we’re asking for with our fast, but ultimately with who He is as our desire, enjoyment, and satisfaction.”

When we fast, God rewards us with more of Him and with a greater understanding of how He satisfies our deepest hunger and thirst. (John 6:35) What we give up for God in secret He rewards in greater intimacy with Him. Taking less for ourselves brings us more of God. (John 3:30)

The Everyday Application

1) How does the Father reward those who fast in secret? (verse 18)

When election-day rolls around in the United States, you know it’s coming—the obligatory posting of “I Voted” stickers on social media. That tiny adhesive flag becomes a status symbol for a few days every year. While it encourages the privilege of voting, which is admirable, it also demonstrates that you are one of the “good guys” as a responsible, upstanding citizen who exercised your right to vote. Even children at the polls with their parents snag a sticker so they, too, can be cool, though everyone knows they didn’t actually vote.

There was certainly no “I Fasted” sticker back in Bible times, but Jesus did warn against showing off that you had been fasting in Matthew 6:17-18, when He admonished His followers to fast in secret and expect to be rewarded by God. Fasting focuses believers on what God has for us and what He longs to do in us. This is one way He rewards our fasting; He uses our time of devotion to Him to pour Himself into us.

Susan Gregory writes, “I knew what it was like to be so hungry for more of God that the only way to be fed was to fast.” God uses our offering of fasting to capture our attention so we can focus on His plans and purposes and carry them out in our lives. David H. Roper asserts, “God always rewards hidden spirituality. He hears every private prayer; He recognizes every secret gift; He notes and richly rewards each unseen act of devotion. You will be strengthened, and the Lord will make you all that He wants you to be.”

Fasting in secret, with God as our only witness, feeds us in a way no food ever could.

The Original Intent

2) Why does the heart disclose our treasure? (verse 21)

In Matthew 6:20-21, Jesus urged His disciples, “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” He was teaching them that what was valuable were the eternal, spiritual things that could not be damaged or lost. He wanted them to cherish the things of God above the things of the world. (Colossians 3:2)

One way we lay up treasures in Heaven is by giving God the treasures we have on earth. John Piper suggests that “laying up treasures in heaven is giving money away for Christ’s sake rather than accumulating it.” When we care for the poor and needy (Matthew 19:21), the widow and the orphan (James 1:27), and worship God with extravagant giving (Matthew 26:6-13), we show that our hearts are set on heavenly things.

Albert Barnes explains that “To have treasure in heaven is to possess evidence that its purity and joys will be ours. It is to be heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away. (1 Peter 1:4)” When we care more about money and what it can bring us than we care about God’s kingdom, we risk heartache and pain as we elevate these idols above the Lord in our heart. (1 Timothy 6:10) When we concentrate our time, money and attention on God, then our heart will rejoice in the things of God. (Psalm 16:11)

The Everyday Application

2) Why does the heart disclose our treasure? (verse 21)

One look at credit card statements from our time as DINKS (Double Income No Kids) shows you where our priorities lay at that time: dining out, weekends away, antique store shopping and furniture purchases indicate we were busy building a relationship and a home. After we had 2 kids and I became a SAHM (Stay At Home Mom), the credit card statements told a different story: diapers, braces, and sports team fees indicated we were focused on the care and raising of children. We spent our time and money on the things that mattered most to us.

Jesus taught that if you look at where your treasures lie, that is where your heart lies also. (Matthew 6:21) It is okay to spend your money on earthly treasures like antiques and vacations, but it is not okay to make them your heart’s treasure. Can you live without them? How much would it hurt your heart if you couldn’t have those things anymore?

Our hearts should treasure heavenly things, that which impacts the Kingdom of God, the most. Charles Ellicott asserts, “Men may try to persuade themselves that they will have a treasure on earth and a treasure in heaven also, but in the long-run, one or the other will assert its claim to be the treasure, and will claim the no longer divided allegiance of the heart.”

While it is okay to earn money and spend money, Jesus taught us not to value money, or anything, over heavenly things. (Matthew 6:33) Ruth Chou Simons writes, “if your treasure is Christ/You have all you need/Through the One who did all that was necessary/For you to be pleasing/To the only One that matters.” We don’t need to set our hearts on storing up earthly treasures because everything we need we have in Christ.

The Original Intent

3) How can the “light within you” be darkness? (verse 23)

In Matthew 6:23, Jesus stated, “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light within you is darkness, how deep is that darkness!” Adam Clarke writes that “An evil eye was a phrase in use, among the ancient Jews, to denote an envious, covetous man or disposition; a man who . . . loved his own money and would do nothing in the way of charity for God’s sake.”

Jesus wanted His followers to know that anyone who let love of money or greed affect their view of the world would have a dark outlook. If your eye is bad, that means your outlook and your perspective are clouded and you cannot see clearly. (Ephesians 4:18) The light of God’s Word is not illuminating your mind, and you are living in darkness. (Psalm 119:105)

David Guzik explains, “Jesus tells us that either our eye is directed at heavenly things (and therefore full of light) or it is directed at earthly things (and therefore full of darkness) […] our attitude towards material treasure will either bring great light or great darkness to our lives.” When we love money and earthly things more than God, we will live in a deep darkness that affects everything we do. We can ask God to help us see things from His perspective (2 Corinthians 5:16) so we will focus on heavenly things and have God’s light shining within us. (Matthew 5:14-16)

The Everyday Application

3) How can the “light within you” be darkness? (verse 23)

One of my favorite Christmas tales is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. After encountering the gruff, angry old miser, Ebeneezer Scrooge, at the beginning of the story, it is gripping to travel back in time to witness him as a caring young man with hope for the future and love in his life. The juxtaposition of the bitter old man next to his younger, happier self, remembering the way his heart used to feel, is sorrowful. After seeing how greed and avarice dampened the light in his life, it makes his eventual transformation into a generous, compassionate man all the more powerful.

Scrooge is an example of Jesus’ warning in Matthew 6:23, “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light within you is darkness, how deep is that darkness!” The love of money that Scrooge succumbed to sunk him into deep darkness, but be warned that any sin we put ahead of God eventually results in this same spiraling, stealthy darkness meant to steal, kill, and destroy our lives. (Romans 1:21, John 10:10) Evie Polsley writes, “God had so much He wanted to show me in His Word, but I had closed my eyes to it because it wasn’t enough for me. It wasn’t what I wanted to see. I had created my own darkness, my own blindness, because I wanted to be in control.”

There are times we find ourselves choosing things that lead us into darkness, even on an everyday basis. (John 3:19) This is when we turn to Jesus, the light of the world (John 8:12), to help us throw off darkness and walk in His light (Romans 13:12-14).

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Surrender Day 10 Journey Study

…But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, for where your treasure is, there your heart (read: deepest joy and delight) will also be.”

Joy is a naturally produced “fruit” of the Holy Spirit living, working, and breathing inside our surrendered souls. (Galatians 5:22-23) Therefore, true joy is a result of an ever-deepening walk with the Lord, one which grows over time with dedicated discipline to focus or hearts on the unseen and eternal.

Conversely, what enemy deadens our sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s voice? A heart and mind satiated with the pleasures of this world.
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Whole Day 4 See The Sickness: Digging Deeper

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Whole Day 4 See The Sickness: Digging Deeper

Rachel Jones

June 23, 2022

Anger,Giving,Glory,Grace,Jesus,Love

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 "See The Sickness"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Jeremiah 8:18-22

My joy has flown away; grief has settled on me. My heart is sick. 19 Listen—the cry of my dear people from a faraway land, “Is the Lord no longer in Zion, her King not within her?” Why have they angered me with their carved images, with their worthless foreign idols? 20 Harvest has passed, summer has ended, but we have not been saved. 21 I am broken by the brokenness of my dear people. I mourn; horror has taken hold of me. 22 Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? So why has the healing of my dear people not come about?
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Why does Jeremiah ask if the Lord is no longer in Zion? (verse 19)

For centuries, God warned the people of Judah of the dire consequences of disobedience. (Deuteronomy 28:49) Judah disregarded the prophets God sent to correct them until finally God allowed Judah to be taken captive. (2 Kings 24:14)

When the prophet Jeremiah lamented the oppression of his people in Jeremiah 8:19 he cried, “Listen—the cry of my dear people from a faraway land, ‘Is the Lord no longer in Zion, her King not within her?’” Matthew Henry explains, “The common cant was, ‘Is not the Lord in Zion? What danger then need we fear? […] Surely we shall do well enough, for have we not God among us?’ But, when it grew to an extremity, it was an aggravation of their misery that they had thus flattered themselves.”

Jeremiah grieved because his people wondered why God did not deliver them from oppression if He was still their Lord and King. God countered Jeremiah’s question with, “Why have they angered me with their carved images, with their worthless foreign idols?” (verse 19). Jeremiah lamented that his people had forsaken God to worship worthless idols. As David Guzik notes, “The problem was not that God had abandoned the land of Israel; the problem was Israel had abandoned God.”

The Lord mercifully gave Judah many opportunities to return to Him before allowing His people to face consequences for their disobedience. (2 Kings 17:13) But just as God demanded justice, He also promised hope. In Deuteronomy 30:2-4, God assured Judah that once they returned to the Lord with obedience and repentance, He would gather them and restore them. What a blessing that we can rely on the goodness and mercy of God to carry us through trials, even the ones we bring upon ourselves.

The Everyday Application

1) Why does Jeremiah ask if the Lord is no longer in Zion? (verse 19)

Sometimes I take the grace of God for granted, doing my own thing my own way, telling myself that God will forgive me (yet again) because that’s His nature.

I feel conviction to stop disobeying, and sometimes I make feeble attempts to change, but invariably I end up making the same mistakes, presuming upon God’s grace to put up with my disobedience.

Steven Lawson asserts, “Many who profess Christ today emphasize a wrong view of grace that makes it a free pass to do whatever they please. Tragically, they have convinced themselves that the Christian life can be lived without any binding obligation to the moral law of God.”

The people of Judah did much the same thing, ignoring God’s repeated warnings to stop sinning and start obeying. (Isaiah 1:17-19) When they faced God’s wrath for their disobedience, the prophet Jeremiah heard the people crying out, “Is the Lord no longer in Zion, her King not within her?”. (verse 19) The people knew God was on their side, so they took advantage of His love and favor, expecting Him to always take them back.

God did bring restoration (Ezra 9:9), but not until they faced the consequences of their actions.

In my life there was a time when I persisted in sin and disobedience, seeking forgiveness but making little effort to produce real change. Eventually, disappointed and distraught, I implored God’s mercy and forgiveness, realizing that God desired true repentance from me, not just remorse or shame. (Psalm 51:16-17) I asked Him for grace to forgive me and surrendered to the Holy Spirit to be empowered to obey Him. (Romans 1:5) I purposed to change my situation and habits out of love for my God and hatred toward my sin (Jude 23), allowing Him to guide me going forward.

How much better to rely on God‘s strength from the beginning than to presume on His goodness! (Ephesians 6:10)

The Original Intent

2) Why does Jeremiah say that he is broken, he mourns, and horror has taken hold of him? (verse 21)

This was unwelcome news. In verse 21, Jeremiah accepted that God’s impending judgment was coming and he cried out, “I am broken by the brokenness of my dear people. I mourn; horror has taken hold of me.”

W.A. Criswell explains, “This is a lament, a sad and sorrowful cry of the prophet Jeremiah as he saw the proffered grace of our Lord refused by the nation, and as he looked upon the armies of the bitter and hasty Chaldeans as they destroyed Judea, destroyed the city of Jerusalem, destroyed the holy temple. (2 Chronicles 36:19) Jeremiah faithfully served God from childhood by urging His people to return to the Lord, warning them of the dire consequences of rejecting God, and it broke his heart to watch his people choose their own destruction.

Alyssa Roat tells us Jeremiah was known as the “weeping prophet” and he “lived at a truly terrible time in history. Not only did he experience the horrors of war, starvation, siege, and captivity, he was called upon to tell the people of it, urging them to repent. Worst of all, they didn’t listen.” The Dutch artist, Rembrandt, made a famous painting titled Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem, depicting Jeremiah’s great sorrow over his people’s sin and destruction. The book of Lamentations is filled with Jeremiah’s poetry describing his sorrow over Judah’s desolation.

Because Jeremiah loved the Lord intensely, the brokenness of God’s people grieved him. It was for broken people like these that Jesus suffered and died. (Isaiah 61:1) May we be like Jeremiah and carry God’s love to others, inviting them to find healing in Him.

The Everyday Application

2) Why does Jeremiah say that he is broken, he mourns, and horror has taken hold of him? (verse 21)

It is difficult to watch our kids make mistakes and suffer the consequences. It might be why there are so many helicopter parents who hover over their kids trying to keep them safe from everything, or maybe worse, lawnmower parents, who clear their kids’ paths of any difficulties. Although it is beneficial for children to learn from failures and navigate difficulties, it hurts our hearts to watch them suffer.

The prophet Jeremiah was not a parent, but he grieved over his people like a parent because he had God’s father heart for the people of Judah. (Jeremiah 20:9) He was no helicopter or lawnmower prophet, though. He warned God’s people of the disaster awaiting them if they continued sinning. When Jeremiah saw the desolation God’s people brought on themselves because of their sin, he mourned, ““I am broken by the brokenness of my dear people. I mourn; horror has taken hold of me.” (verse 21)

Jeremiah hated to see his people suffering the consequences they could have avoided by heeding God’s words, but he understood that Judah’s exile was essential for repentance from sin and returning to God. God’s chastisement was necessary, but it would also be useful in turning the people’s hearts back to Father God. (Jeremiah 29:10) Jennifer Rothschild notes, “We often don’t understand why God allows exile. But this you can be sure of […] even in exile, God is giving you a hope and a future. He has plans for your welfare, even when it doesn’t feel well or fair. His plan isn’t for your calamity. God’s plans are to bless and prosper you, not to harm you.”

It is a comfort to know that even God’s correction is a blessing that makes us stronger.

The Original Intent

3) What does Jeremiah mean when he asks, “Is there no balm in Gilead?” (verse 22)

When Jeremiah lamented the oppression of his people by the Chaldeans (also called Babylonians) he queried, “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? So why has the healing of my dear people not come about?”. (Jeremiah 8:22) Philip Ryken writes, “Gilead was the land just east of the Jordan River. It was known for its healing balsams. […] Scholars have been unable to determine how the balm of Gilead was made, but it seems to have been a soothing, aromatic resin made from a tree or a plant. It might be compared to aloe vera.”

Since Gilead was well-known for its healing balm, obviously this was not an actual inquiry. Jeremiah’s rhetorical question emphasized that God had forewarned His people and allowed Judah’s oppression because of their sin and disobedience.

Charles Ellicott suggests “The question of the prophet is therefore a parable. ‘Are there no means of healing, no healer to apply them, for the spiritual wounds of Israel?’ The prophets were her physicians, repentance and righteousness were her balm of Gilead.”

Because God’s people chose not to avail themselves of the remedy God provided through the warnings of the prophets, despite the many opportunities God offered, they experienced oppression, subjugation and exile. The people had multiple invitations to avoid catastrophe, just as Gilead was replete with healing salve.

Judah had the promises of God to protect and guide them if they obeyed Him (Joel 2:18-21), yet they turned towards worshipping other gods and idols instead.

My prayer is to recognize how the Lord provides the “balm of Gilead” in my times of trouble and readily accept His grace and forgiveness whenever I falter.

The Everyday Application

3) What does Jeremiah mean when he asks, “Is there no balm in Gilead?” (verse 22)

When Jeremiah queried Judah in verse 22, he was stating the obvious to the blinded people of Judah, who were sick in their rebellion. Right in their midst, Judah had access to the remedy for their spiritual sickness at their fingertips yet refused healing. They had God’s leadership and protection, and they abandoned Him for wicked pursuits and sinful living. (Jeremiah 2:13)

Chidi Okoroafor notes, “Jeremiah’s question is, “How can a people who traded in balm be so sick?” “How can the people of God, with the Law in their midst, be so sinful?!” What was the solution for the nation of Israel? It was simply using the balm that they already had.”

Had they obeyed God’s laws and remembered His goodness to them, Judah would have avoided decades of oppression.

It is easy to read about their choices and condemn their actions, but we make the same poor decisions today. We may not worship physical idols, but we easily prioritize other things and selfish desires before God. It isn’t hard to neglect abiding in Him, and eventually we find ourselves disobeying His Word.

Our solution is the same one Jeremiah preached. We need to use the balm we have been given by the Lord to heal us, which is trusting in God and knowing Him by studying His Word.

Ann Voskamp asserts, “Jesus is your Soul Salve, your Balm of Gilead, your Wounded Healer who touches your hidden wounds [and…] absorbs all your hurt into His healing heart.”

Jesus calls aloud to heal our wounds (1 Peter 2:24) and break our chains (Romans 8:2). Jesus is our Deliverer (John 8:32) and our Refuge (Psalm 46:1), the Balm of Gilead for every hurt we suffer.

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Oppression: an unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power. (Merriam-Webster)

Often, oppression includes a cluster of feeling heavily burdened and mentally or physically troubled, which may lead to adverse conditions and anxiety.

Oppression has existed since sin first entered the world. As we read the works of Old Testament writers, we find their lament of the suffering humanity experiences.

“My joy has flown away; grief has settled on me. My heart is sick.
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Word Day 3 Follow And Remove

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 2:13-25
John 12:23-26
Luke 9:59-62
1 John 2:15-17
Matthew 11:28-30

Word, Day 3

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein has always been one of my favorite books. The childhood story of a boy befriending a tree and growing old with the tree has always captured my attention. When the boy is little, he enjoys swinging from her branches, eating her apples, and sitting in her shade.

As he grows older, the boy doesn’t visit the tree as often, but when he does, he often comes with grown up problems like needing money and a home. To help the boy, the tree gives her apples, her branches, her leaves, and her trunk until she is nothing left but a stump. When the boy is very old, he again visits the tree, but he is tired from the weary weight of the world. The tree is happy to give the boy one last gift, a place to sit and rest on her stump.

The Tree demonstrates sacrifice and a joyful pouring out of yourself that runs deeply contradictory to our individualistic, self-serving culture.

For me, this story vividly demonstrates the glorious gospel.
Jesus, “who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead He emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity.  And when He had come as a man, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even to death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8)

This kind of emptying of ourselves isn’t something we’re comfortable with.
We see the cost, and we run the other way, gripping tightly to what we value in the world, unwilling to make the kind of sacrifice that asks us to let it go.

Yet, time and time again, when Jesus calls us to follow Him, He asks us to leave behind people and comforts we hold closely.

Following Jesus is not comfortable; it is costly.
It requires whole life surrender.

It’s not that Jesus is greedy, doesn’t value our relationships, or the lives we have built around us. He cares deeply about us, our common everyday moments, even the hairs on our head, but He knows that only when every part of our lives are surrendered to Him, can live truly full lives. When it comes to following Him and doing the work He has crafted for us, we must hold loosely to the fading things of this world lest they become idols standing in the way of true obedience to the One True God.

In John 2, we read the story of Jesus clearing the temple of the market merchants and money changers. What a clear physical and visual message Jesus was sending! He came to change the world for each and every person starting with removing our idols. As Jesus overturned the tables, He made a clear statement about people who claimed to worship God mixing up the worship of Him with worshiping the things of this world. Making idols of money and earthly possessions have no place in the Kingdom of God. Emptying the temple of the idols of commercialism and money cleared the way for Jesus to do real ministry that was meaningful and personal.

We cannot follow Him,
if we will not remove our idols.

When Jesus asked the men in Luke 9 to follow him, they hesitated, pulled back by their earthly duties. Jesus firmly challenged them to focus instead on the eternal importance of spreading the word about God’s Kingdom.

The things of this earth will fall away and fade,
but the kingdom of God will remain forever.

Like the man Jesus encountered and the Giving Tree, we are called to give up the things culture insists are all-important, the comforts we crave, and the idols we bow down to.

When we find ourselves as a stump,
stripped of our self-righteous pride,
and finding all comfort in Christ…

When we have allowed Jesus to make our lives a place for weary souls,
weighed down by the heaviness of the world,
to find rest in Jesus…

We will live our fullest life in Jesus alone
as He works through us to build His Kingdom.

It’s not easy.
It’s not comfortable.
It’s not going to be popular.
But that which we gain is more valuable than anything else we could possibly imagine.

What is Jesus calling you to remove in order to follow Him more fully?
Will you join me in praying for the strength and courage to
follow Jesus and remove the world’s allures from our lives?

Let’s stand together, friends, as we follow our Savior in whole-life surrender!

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Focus Day 12 Giving Space And Losing Control: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Giving Space And Losing Control!

The Questions

1) Does verse 13 prohibit or discourage believers from making plans?

2) Does the warning to the rich (5:1) connect to the previous verses in chapter 4?

3) The Bible plainly teaches that overt disobedience to God is sin, sometimes called a ‘sin of commission’; but how serious is it to simply neglect to do what is good, sometimes called a ‘sin of omission’? (verse 17)

James 4:13-5:6

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes. 15 Instead, you should say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So it is sin to know the good and yet not do it.
Come now, you rich people, weep and wail over the miseries that are coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted and your clothes are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days. 4 Look! The pay that you withheld from the workers who mowed your fields cries out, and the outcry of the harvesters has reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts. 5 You have lived luxuriously on the earth and have indulged yourselves. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous, who does not resist you.

Original Intent

1) Does verse 13 prohibit or discourage believers from making plans?
We can know that James is not discouraging planning because of what he says in verse 15. He isn’t dealing with man’s plans as much as he is encouraging the reader to consider God’s sovereign rule in everything, just as the writer of Proverbs does: “Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the Lord’s decree will prevail” (Proverbs 19:21) and “Don’t boast about tomorrow, for you don’t know what a day might bring.” (Proverbs 27:1) Both Bible authors are expressing what God intends our posture to be towards Him, and what our attitude should be as we make plans. Under the influence of the Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21), James was recalling and emphasizing these Old Testament principles. Neither the writer of Proverbs nor James prohibit planning. In fact, there are many Proverbs that encourage it! (Proverbs 15:22; Proverbs 16:3, Proverbs 24:27, and Proverbs 6:6-8) The focus is our need for humility and dependence on God as we plan, recognizing that He is in control of our present and future.

 

 

2) Does the warning to the rich (5:1) connect to the previous verses in chapter 4?
Bible scholars disagree about who James is directly addressing in James 4:13-5:6 (studylight.org). Whether he was speaking to those inside or outside the church, it’s clear that his appeal was urgent and serious and meant to be heard by all. James makes the same connection in chapters 4 and 5 that we find in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus told a story about a man who made plans for himself regarding his money. (Luke 12:16-21) This man proved his arrogance in the way he misused what was in his possession. James’ mention of the cause for their fights and quarrels (4:1-2) gives us insight into the attitude that had crept in to the hearts of his hearers.  Self-sufficiency was evidently taking the place of dependence on God. There were those in the church who had been influenced by an egotistical perspective which puts man in control rather than God. (James 4:6-10 ) James’ serious words in 4:13 and 5:1 take a similar tone to the Old Testament prophets like Isaiah. (Isaiah 10:1-2) The first words in both verses, “come now”, were meant to get the audience’s attention and reveal their self-reliance regarding their plans and possessions. The Expositor’s Greek Testament explains that “this expression of disapproval occurs only in 4:13 and in James 5:1 in the New Testament” and has a similar meaning to the phrase “woe is you.”

3) The Bible plainly teaches that overt disobedience to God is sin, sometimes called a ‘sin of commission’; but how serious is it to simply neglect to do what is good, sometimes called a ‘sin of omission’? (verse 17)
We don’t find the phrases “sin of omission” and/or “sin of commission” mentioned specifically in the Scriptures. But the Bible contains many verses which mention sin as a result of not doing something God’s Word commands us to do, as well as those sins a person deliberately commits. In the New Testament, Jesus uses a parable to compare a righteous Samaritan to an unrighteous priest and a Levite. The latter, knowing what was good, failed to do it. The former demonstrated his compassion by stopping to assist a man in need (Luke 10:30-37).  In His story, Jesus was making it clear that not doing the good thing was sinful. In Matthew 25:42-46 , those who are separated from Christ are the ones who saw others’ needs but did not provide for them. There was not intentional harm done, but there was an absence of intentional good. The subtlety of this kind of sin, sin of omission, is what makes this passage so serious. Just as neglecting the needy is unrighteous, so is the kind of pride that causes a lack of acknowledgment of God’s sovereign rule in our lives. “The Lord does whatever he pleases in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all the depth.” Psalm 135:6

Everyday Application

1) Does verse 13 prohibit or discourage believers from making plans?
Paul told Timothy that all Scripture was to be used in our learning. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) As we examine the many Bible passages that speak to some of our questions, we discover what the writers are teaching us through the wider lens. We know James is not instructing the Christian to stop making plans because of what the whole Bible teaches. Solomon repeatedly referred to the wisdom of planning. He even connected it to our possessions and how planning affects our future. Jesus also taught that planning was beneficial. (Luke 14:28-32) The slippery slope for us is failing to acknowledge how God is ultimately in control of every plan we make. We don’t have to verbally say “if the Lord wills” every time we plan something, but we certainly should have that thought in our heart and it should change our outlook and attitude about all our plans and encounters throughout the every day.

2) Does the warning to the rich (5:1) connect to the previous verses in chapter 4?
Most Christians would probably admit that much of their anxiety stems from something related to their finances or possessions. It is difficult to hold material things so loosely that if we lose them, we remain content. What we have can became a source of false security for us. When we let worry infest our living, we can unintentionally become hoarders instead of helpers. We can become keepers, not givers. Failure to daily see God as our sole Life giver and Lifesaver allows too much space in our hearts for the things of the world to move in and reside.
It’s important to maintain humility as we go through our lives, knowing it’s God who has given us everything we have, and He is also the One working in and through every plan to produce something good in and for us. (1 Corinthians 4:7, Romans 8:27-28) Once we learn to focus on His goodness and generosity, we can free ourselves to help others, rather than take advantage of them or oppress them for our own gain.

3) The Bible plainly teaches that overt disobedience to God is sin, sometimes called a ‘sin of commission’; but how serious is it to simply neglect to do what is good, sometimes called a ‘sin of omission’? (verse 17)
Sometimes it’s harder to see our sins of omission. We can become proud of our obedience in the way we avoid overt sins and can miss the grief we bring to the heart of God by our lack of “doing good” when given the opportunity. Though it takes time and intentional practice, it is vital that those of us who desire to please God recognize our dependence on Him. As we begin our day looking at our calendars, we can direct our attention toward Him. Do you see the “watermark” of God’s will on every page of your life’s journal? We should. It’s there in the background of our lives. The jobs we have, the money we make, the kids we raise, the friends we meet … what we commit to and what we omit should all be viewed in light of God’s will. When we take that first step of the day, let’s not neglect acknowledging His presence, His purpose, and His power in our every moment. To fail to do so is sin, and we don’t desire to grieve Him.

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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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Focus Day 11 Giving Space And Losing Control

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Read His Words Before Ours!

James 4:13-5:6
Proverbs 8:22-36
Jonah 1

Focus, Day 11

I sat at her kitchen island, just as I’ve done dozens of times, while we chatted about everything from her husband eating her famous sugar cookies even though they were stale, to how we both need accountability to get stuff done.
We laughed, we cried, and we talked about the Lord.
Then, as always, she said something profound. Had it been a morsel of food, it would’ve made my jaw sore from the chewing I’ve done over it.

“Don’t we all try to play God at times?
When we make decisions on our own outside of Him, even minor ones, we are taking control into our own hands and trying to play God. It is a sin every time.” 

Mic drop. 

How many times have I tried to play God?
How many times have I greatly impacted my life and my future because I forgot God is the sovereign One?
Lots; lots and lots of times.

I have thrown wisdom and God’s sovereignty to the wayside in pursuit of what my flesh and human heart felt best. I have placed my treasure in worldly values like human love, home decor, clothing, and my own vain pursuits. I’ve spent time in Scripture, studying the exact verses we just read, (up at the top, seriously, read His Words before mine!) and yet, I stubbornly refused to seek His wisdom or surrender to His sovereignty.

I am guilty of trying to play God. 

About nine months ago, my world came crashing in.
Literally nothing in my life looks the same today.
Different house.
Different car.
Different family make-up.
and the list goes on….

As the walls caved in, I told the Lord:
“I’ve tried to do it without You. I’ve done things my way because I didn’t trust You, and I’m through. I’m done with that. From this moment on, You must have all control because I’ve made a mess by myself.” 

Has this change come easily? Nope. In fact, I struggle every single day to surrender to Him.

I struggled to surrender when He told me to let go of a relationship I was clinging to with all of my might.

I struggled to surrender when He told me to give my Aldi gift card to a family while they were grocery shopping.

I struggled to surrender when I thought I felt I should pursue a job He told me not to pursue.

I struggled to surrender when He didn’t heal my sister on this side of Heaven.

Even still, I’m telling ya’ sister, my life is infinitely richer when I surrender control and pursue His wisdom over mine.

On Sunday, our pastor talked a bit about Jonah, the prophet who ran in the literal opposite direction of where God was calling Him. As I thought about Jonah and his infamous journey, which God still used (because He’s sovereign) to redeem an entire city,
I was reminded of my own “opposite-direction-journeys”.

Many times, God has given me clear direction in His word or by His Spirit, and I’ve literally turned the opposite way, running as fast as possible.  Sometimes, I’ve tripped over my own feet so quickly, it wasn’t long before I humbly returned to give God back my surrendered heart.

However, there have been times where I took off running with a nice pace going before realizing I’d been running away and was now quickly drowning as a result of my prideful insistence on my own ways. Here, God has come to my rescue, pulling me from the waves just as Jesus did with Peter so many years ago.
I don’t want to be Jonah. 

While I’m so thankful God can still redeem our disobedience when we try to “Play God”, it would be great if I never had to trip or drown to begin with.

Our lives are fleeting. We are just vapors in the wind of time.
How foolish of me to spend my life running from the One who loves me most!
How foolish of me to trust my life to my own futile hands!
Doesn’t it only make sense to trust the Almighty Father who sees and knows everything for He alone is the giver of Wisdom?!

I complained to my therapist recently about how busy I’d been.
I hadn’t accomplished anything I had wanted to because other things kept popping up.

“Are you praying about if God actually wants you to do the things that keep ‘popping up’?”, he asked.
“Um… no”, I said with an embarrassed giggle.
Because DUH! Why wouldn’t I ask Him?
Following God, surrendering our lives to His control and infinite wisdom is sometimes simpler than we make it out to be.
It’s praying about who to spend our time on.
It’s praying about where to emotionally or monetarily invest.
It’s praying about when to say no to a ministry and when to say yes.
Because living out His wisdom begins with the realization that He is sovereign, we are not, and His ways are better than my foolish, prideful attempts at control.

I get it! It’s easy to get caught up in trying to do what looks or feels right, that we leave God out. But “playing God” never ends well.

When we surrender to the loving Father,
we are giving space for His wisdom to press into us and overflow onto others.

Sisters, I feel like we’ve just finished eating a Thanksgiving meal in ten minutes… we’ve shoved so much into our mouths we are having a hard time chewing. So, pause, maybe re-read this Journey or the verses at the beginning (because you did that, right?!), and ask the Lord to illuminate His Wisdom just for you.

Take time tomorrow to dig deeper by doing the “Digging Deeper” that follows this Journey. (and if you aren’t waking up to that in your inbox, start now!)
Together, let’s choose God’s wisdom as we daily, moment-by-moment surrender to His sovereign, loving control.

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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 Focus Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Tabernacle Day 8 It Takes A Body

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 35:1-36:2
1 Peter 4:10-11
Romans 12:3-8 

Tabernacle, Day 8

Raise your hand if you have ever found yourself waiting with baited breath to see the reveal at the end of a house renovation show. 

How did the shiplap turn out? Did they love the antique doors? What accents were added during decorating? 

I fully admit to finding myself re-watching episodes, knowing exactly what is coming, yet am still amazed at the transformations in the end. Each time I capture a nuance I’d missed before, gaining a greater appreciation for the skill involved in creating these homes. 

Sometimes that skill appears to be so effortless that I ponder embarking on my own creative endeavors. It is in the midst of some of those attempts that I begin realizing just how much skill is actually involved (and how much my own might be lacking, as some adventures have proven.) 

Perhaps it’s their skill set and the transformations happening before my eyes that mesmerize me so. Ordinary people, using their gifts to improve life, directs my heart back to Jesus, challenging me to ask the Lord to breathe on the talents He has given me in order to bring Him glory.  

I remember one of the first times I read about the creation of the Tabernacle and actually pictured the story in my mind. I had read through Exodus before but only with the intention of completing it rather than comprehending it. It is amazing how the Lord causes His Word to come alive when reading it with the expectation of knowing Him better. 

During one such reading, the list of resources needed and the actions taken to build the Tabernacle shifted from verses read to a story unfolding in vibrant color.
The gems reflected the light.
The texture of the woven threads spiraled through my mind.
The faces of the people being moved to give of their resources, time, and skill wafted into view.
The joy was evident on their faces, giving me pause, challenging me to reflect on my own countenance when giving.  

I pictured Bezalel carefully carving a piece of wood.
The shavings falling to the ground revealed the beauty hidden beneath the surface, beauty so lovingly displayed through the touch of the Holy Spirit guiding his hands.

I envisioned Bezalel and his coworker, Oholiab, moving amongst a group of people providing direction and insights as they sought to serve the Lord with their skills too. I wonder if the energy in the room was electric or if a blanket of peace filled the space as a group of people united in heart to serve the Lord.
Did joy erupt unexpectedly? 
Did people weep in worship? 
Right before their eyes, the Lord was using their talents; He was crafting beauty and function beyond their expectations!

Did they sense the delight of the Lord at their obedience?
Did a reverence at the reality of their investment cause them to tremble?
On finishing the Tabernacle, did they glance towards a carving or curtain they helped create and sense the presence of the Lord?  

As I write these questions, I see myself and other believers in the same situation.
1 Peter 4:10 says, “Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God.”
We are not building the Tabernacle of Exodus, Sisters.
We are building the Church and growing God’s Kingdom! 

This Sunday I was greeted with a smile and warm hug from my friend Cindy
who served as a greeter. 
Kiki drew my heart into the presence of the Almighty, pouring out her heart to Jesus, leading worship as if it were just her and the Savior in the room. Stephanie prayed with me at the end of church, listening as I cried through the details of my last few weeks.
Others prepared the lunch for the graduating seniors, and more hands worked the sound system enabling all of us to hear the instruments, voices, and words spoken. 

Do you wonder if you have anything to give? 
Do you see those around you and argue that your talents aren’t as impressive or necessary as hers?
Lies, Sister.

Peter says each one of us have received a gift and
we are to use it to serve others.
Romans 12:3-8 highlights how we are a body,
each person being responsible to steward their gift,
each playing a different role,
Each body part necessary. 
Imagine what our churches would be like with each of us bringing our gifs to the Lord and allowing the Holy Spirit within us to guide and lead.

Can you picture the revival that would spark? 
Are you ready to see it?

Spend some time talking with the Lord.
Ask Him to speak to you about your gifts and talents.
Let Him stir your heart to action!
Follow through.
Be amazed at the beauty and detail He brings about.
It may just be the “episode” that changes someone’s life for eternity. 

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Borders Day 13
Jesus Will See

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 21:1-4
Mark 12:41-44
Matthew 6:25-34 

His name was Tony.
He had a long gray beard and wore tattered clothes and a backpack.

I can’t tell you the first time I met him, but I know that he became a part of our story when my mom asked him to meet her at McDonalds so she could buy him a meal.

After that, his name became a common word in our house.
“Tony this..” and “Tony that…”
And then, Tony came to church with us.

My dad brought Tony a tie and some clothes before we showed him to the bathroom of our tiny church to give him time to change and freshen up. The mixture of the Las Vegas heat, his thick beard, and wearing all of his belongings on his back made for a man with a distinct smell, and not necessarily a pleasant one.

Tony walked into the bathroom and didn’t emerge for a long time. It may have been 15 minutes, but that is a long time for a little mind.

When Tony opened that bathroom door, he still looked like himself, just a cleaner version that smelled a little nicer, too.

But Tony was so proud. He walked taller, he held his head higher, and he was excited and honored to go to church with us.

That day, Tony gave all that he could to the Lord. The only thing he could give was his appearance and his best effort to freshen up. He cleaned himself and clothed himself because he was going to meet with God, and he was going to bring God his very best.

Tony reminds me of the widow in the 21st chapter of Luke.

Imagine this…

There, Jesus sat across from the offering box in the temple, His legs crossed before Him while He watched offerings being placed into the box. One woman came forward with a bag bulging and jingling as she walked. She looked around to see who was watching before dumping the contents of the bag into the box. Her eyes gleamed as she thought, “The Lord will be so proud of me for giving so much!”

Another woman approached the box, not haughty as the one before her, although she also brought an offering that equaled quite a large sum. She was excited to give, and didn’t do so out of obligation or pride, but she gave knowing that she still had money left over to purchase food from the market for her family’s dinner that night.

Then a third woman came, as Jesus continued to watch. She approached the offering box without a bag in her hand, but her fist clenched tightly. Jesus knew her, because He knows us all, and He knew that she was a widow, among the poorest of people.
This woman had no husband to provide for her.
She was vulnerable.
She was alone.

He continued to watch as she drew her arm up and dipped her hand into the box, silently releasing what she had held her in hand.

Two copper coins. Combined, they didn’t even equal one penny.
And that was it.
That is all she gave.
But she gave all she had.
And Jesus saw.

Jesus saw the widow’s heart. He saw her courage. He saw her trust and her faith. He saw her longing to bring her Lord a gift, even if that gift seemed like nothing in comparison to the others around her.

The widow gave everything.

Tony, he had nothing, yet he still found something to give, and when he did, he gave everything.

Jesus sees the things we often don’t see. From the outside, it might not have appeared like Tony gave anything. He still wasn’t dressed in the nicest of clothes. His beard was still scraggly and there was still dirt under his fingernails. If I didn’t know Tony, I never would have seen his gift. But Jesus saw. Because He sees every little thing.

Giving everything we have doesn’t always mean giving money. It did for the widow, but for Tony it was giving his absolute best to his appearance as he went to worship God. It means giving when it’s scary by laying down our pride and trusting that God is going to provide, He is going to care for us, He is going to see, and He is going to love us no matter what.

Sometimes it means giving up your comfort and everything you’ve ever known to live on the mission field (Like this family!), and sometimes it means giving the last $20 in your bank account to someone even though you aren’t sure why, and sometimes it means giving a homeless man your nicest tie and a delicious meal, when you can’t even afford to take out your own family.

Give boldly, friends.
Give with faith, friends.
Give with everything you have.
And Jesus will see.

Maybe you noticed our hashtag on today’s image. #GTgenerousliving Being generous is tough, but we want to encourage each other to live generously. Go to our Inst feed (@gracefully_truthful) or FB page and tag a friend who you have found to be generous. Tag them and use the hashtag #GTgenerousliving Let’s brag on how Jesus is changing us and encourage one another in the process!

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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 Borders Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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