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Whole Day 15 My Wholeness Story

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Whole Day 15 My Wholeness Story

Multiple Authors

July 8, 2022

Broken,Forgiven,God,Good,Lord,Love

Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Corinthians 4:7-18
Psalm 37:27-40
Hebrews 12:7-13

If you’ve surrendered yourself to Jesus, reached out and accepted His offer to forgive every single sin in your past, present, and future, then you have a wholeness story!

All of us have a past, whether it was mired in obvious sins everyone could see, or we struggled inside with performance, trying to win our way to God, or something else altogether. All of us are guilty of missing the mark of perfect holiness. All of us need a Savior to make us Whole. All of our broken places, shattered dreams, deep wounds, aching losses, and entangling sins are heavy burdens, but Jesus came to pay the price for all of it, and then free us to dance in His Wholeness!  

These ladies are bravely sharing part of their broken-turned-whole stories because the Lord invites us to tell of His goodness. (Psalm 105:1-2) Be encouraged by their transparency, ask the Lord to make you whole, then share with another of the goodness of our God!

Rachel Jones
When my first pregnancy ended in miscarriage, I decided to take the full 9 months to grieve and process, spending the time getting healthier and learning more about pregnancy. During this time, I came to know God as my Comforter. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) Expressing my pain was difficult, so I just sought God’s presence and cried out for rescue like the psalmist. (Psalm 91:15) God used the comforting words and embrace of women in my life to make me feel protected and understood; it was as if God Himself was holding me in His arms. (Isaiah 40:11) Sometimes, while worshipping at church, I would suddenly find myself sobbing, releasing the grief I didn’t know how to surrender on my own. God met me when I was vulnerable and open during worship, healing me and making me whole as I allowed Him to bind up my broken heart. (Psalm 147:3)

Leslie Umstattd
During my time at seminary, I found myself in a dark season. I was full of anxiety and wasn’t sleeping well. I would wake up numerous times during the night with racing thoughts and a mind that would not be still. I was one year into my studies and I wasn’t particularly stressed during the day, but at night I would toss and turn longing for sleep. Each night, I would struggle to fall asleep and once asleep, struggle to stay asleep. It was as if a film reel of the past would play like an old movie projector in my head. This went on for months and I was physically exhausted as well as emotionally and spiritually wearied. One night, I woke up and decided to read my Bible. It seemed the only distraction that would focus my thoughts. I looked up verses speaking directly to finding peace and rest as well as those that spoke truth to anxiety. I wrote these in my journal and began memorizing them. Each night as my mind would race, I would repeat the verses I memorized over and over again as my mantra, working to replace my anxious thoughts with the truth of God’s Word. Slowly, the dark season began fading. His word became a lamp and light for me to find rest. When I woke up, I could speak truth directly to my worries and my mind learned to be still. One of my truth verses was Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God that transcends all understanding will protect your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.” Another verse that shed light in my dark season was Proverbs 3:23-24, “Then you will walk in your way securely, And your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.” In my desperate need, the Lord made me whole by teaching my heart to anchor in unshakeable truth!

Natalie Smith
The Lord has been teaching me much on the importance of self-control and patience. Though I have benefitted from seeing these fruits in others, especially my husband, much of my hands-on learning of Jesus’ patience has been taught through parenting. I have often felt I was placed in an extreme sport in raising my mystery child on the Autism Spectrum. Every battle tends to be extreme: extreme in the intensity, frequency, and time needed to out-grow certain behaviors. Most challenging for me are fits of anger. I remember being locked in the bathroom and sitting on the floor with my hysteric child. The hysteria had been going on for quite some time and I was exhausted mentally and emotionally. No one was home to help. I wanted to run, punch a hole in the wall, or start screaming myself, but suddenly the Lord gave clarity, teaching me of Himself. I realized that Jesus chose to die to Himself and remain self-controlled in order to bring us peace. Jesus chose patience while being led away by the soldiers and He has been patient when my own confused soul has raged against Him. He has shown me that to reach my children (neighbors and friends) with His love requires great patience and death to myself. How sweetly the Lord is making me more wholly like Him, even in my mundane!

Shannon Vicker
As an educator and parent, recent school shootings have made the world seem very dark, and I admit to feeling trapped within it. Being forced to face the grim reality of pervasive darkness and what it could mean for me and my family is hard. If I am honest, those harsh scenarios are never far from my mind, but recent events seem to increase the likelihood of their reality impacting those I love. These are scary thoughts, however, God has not left me alone. On the contrary, He is present to shed the light of truth and hope into the darkness. This week, that light was evidenced through a student. As he processed the events, he chose to hand-deliver a flower to everyone on staff. (*flower shown on today’s graphic) He gifted me a beautiful creation with a smile on his face, and God used this kind generosity to remind me of Matthew 6:25-34. I can empathize, and mourn with those who mourn, but it is not my job to borrow worry and anxiety. I cannot control the events of tomorrow, but I can trust that God, in all His divine wisdom, knows each of my days and will never leave me. I can trust His plans are greater than mine and that He will “work all things for good” (Romans 8:28) even if His plans don’t match mine. Day by day, He is making me Whole! 

Lisa Marcelina
I enjoy working for the Lord! I gave my life to Jesus at the age of seventeen, and while life has been challenging, at the age of fifty-three, I can say God has been with me and blessed me as I surrendered myself to Him. I serve the Lord through my writing. I’m not an eloquent speaker and I fear speaking in public, so getting up on a platform to teach is not my cup of tea. When I write, I express myself more clearly and the Lord uses my surrender for His glory. Is writing hard? Yes, it is. It takes a lot of research to prepare a devotional or Bible study; putting it together can be tedious. In between, I have a full-time job and family responsibilities. I enjoy it all because working for the Lord and serving others gives me purpose, redeeming the curse over work. Living for Jesus and serving Him is what makes life abundant. (John 10:10) At the end of my physical life and when Jesus exchanges the corruptible for incorruptible, all believers will become truly Whole.

Melodye Reeves
“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:21-23) I have come to realize my gospel witness is only as effective as my belief that Christ does indeed hold an assuredly true hope-drenched future. It is this belief that gives me perpetual hope. Being devoted to good and surrendered to God’s purpose for me has produced within me a hope that outlasts the trials I experience. God’s mercy is the source of my devotion and surrender to Him. Because He has steadfastly loved me and faithfully held me, I’m able to remember and be filled with all hope. (Romans 15:13) This is my answer for all who wonder and might ask me how I can possibly walk through the hard seasons of life. Because of the Hope of Jesus, I can surrender to being made Whole by the Savior!

Oppression is everywhere in this dark world.
BUT as Christ’s ambassadors,
we carry the Hope of Jesus around within us. (2 Corinthians 4:10)

Sisters, let us each fervently take up the mission before us to put on the full armor of God and engage the world around us with the ministry of reconciliation that Christ Himself has given to us that we may all be made WHOLE.

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Worship X Day 8 Faithful Redeemer

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 71

Philippians 4:6-9

Hebrews 10:19–25

Worship X, Day 8

“Sold!”

The gavel fell and the small crowd applauded. I forced myself to smile calmly as I shook the hands of the excited buyers. Strangers now owned my family home. 

On the inside I was screaming, “God, where are You? How could You let this happen? Why have You abandoned us? God, You could have stopped this, and now we have lost everything, even our home.”

I was heartbroken, defeated. My prayers unanswered.

The words of Psalm 71:1–3 resonated in my heart. “Lord, I seek refuge in you. Listen closely to me. Give the command to save me!” I cried out, not in faith, but in anguish and fear.

A few short weeks later, sitting in the living room of our newly rented home, a peace I couldn’t understand washed over my soul. The weight of debt was lifted, the pressure of repayment dates had disappeared, the remainder of money from the record sale of our home was safely invested and our family could breathe once again.

God didn’t give me what I wanted. He gave me what I needed.

God is faithful. He is always there, working in and through circumstances as they unfold. If only I had the faith to trust Him, fix my eyes steadfastly on Him, and not allow the crashing waves of emotion to knock me off balance so readily. God has never let me down. And I know He will not let me down now. 

Likewise, the psalmist remembered the faithfulness and goodness of God. (Psalm 71:5–8) He is our hope, our confidence, and our strong refuge. God was present before the beginning, guiding and protecting us through every season of life. He is faithful, and worthy of our praise.

I find this encouraging and challenging. It feels like we have a responsibility to be worried and anxious. The world is out of control; how can we be calm? There are so many people hurting and grieving. Can we really trust God?

The writer of Psalm 71 continues with confident faith. We can overcome fear and anxiety when we keep our focus on God. Verses 14-16 show us how to respond.

“But I will hope continually [. . .]” (Psalm 71:14a)

Hope.

We can always hope in God. No situation is beyond His redemption. 

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego found hope in a furnace.
Daniel found hope in a lion’s den.
Sarah found hope after 90 years of infertility.
Peter found hope locked up in prison.
There are a hundred more examples in Scripture, and a hundred more in my own life. When God is part of our story, there is always hope.

“[. . .] and [I] will praise you more and more.” (Psalm 71:14b)

Praise.

When we praise God, we magnify Him, making Him an increasingly bigger part of our picture. When God is bigger, our circumstances shrink into relative insignificance. Our praise builds our faith, reminds our hearts of the power of God, and, when we praise God with fellow believers, we strengthen each other’s wavering faith.

Hebrews 10:19-25 reminds us not to neglect spending time together with other believers, but to prioritize encouraging one another. We need a community of faith, to provide accountability and encouragement.

“My mouth will tell about your righteousness 

and your salvation all day long, 

though I cannot sum them up.

I come because of the mighty acts of the LORD God; 

I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone.” (Psalm 71:15-16)

Tell.

When we have good news, we share it. When Murray asked me to marry him, we spent the whole afternoon driving around to our friends, flashing my diamond ring and celebrating the good news.

Now, with social media, it’s easier than ever to share good news. But so often, we share our annoyance, rather than our praise. It is easier to whine about the bad service we received at a local store or our outrage at an opposing point of view, than it is to share the eternal hope we have in Jesus our Savior.

I’ve been to many funerals, but some leave a lasting impact. One such service honored a missionary who lost his battle with cancer in his 50s. As a senior leader in a global mission organization, this man faced significant struggle for the sake of the gospel. The hardships he and his family faced were well known, but at his funeral, pages from his private journal were read aloud. During the most harrowing of circumstances, his journal was not full of worry and fear, but praise and faith.

He wrote of the faithfulness of God. He wrote of his peace, knowing God was in control. (Philippians 4:6-9) He wrote of how God was working through the circumstances to further His kingdom.

I found this profoundly challenging. Often, the pages of my journal are full of worry and concern. As I grow older, and the reach of my influence widens, I am challenged to be a woman of faith greater than fear, a woman who trusts in a powerful and loving God, and a woman who praises my Savior through every storm.

I want to join the psalmist and declare, “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to You because You have redeemed me.” (Psalm 71:23) I don’t really want the pages of my journal to be read at my funeral, but if they are, I want them to declare words of faith.

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Kneel Day 1 Restored Relationship

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Esther 4
Ezra 8:21-23
Matthew 4:1-11

Kneel, Day 1

“Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ‘Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me [. . .] After that, I will go to the king[.]’” (Esther 4:15-16)

Caught between the impending genocide of her people and a potentially deadly reception by the king should she speak on their behalf, Queen Esther and her uncle, Mordecai, desperately need a miracle. And so, before Esther approaches the king, they fast and pray.

Yet, prayer and fasting don’t necessitate a miracle. We don’t manipulate God when we pray; instead, we rely on His good heart for us and declare our belief in His power.

So why do we keep praying and fasting?

The ultimate purpose of prayer and fasting is the restoration of our relationship with God. Prayer is an essential part of our spiritual lives. Just as none of us are exempt from the troubles of this world, none of us are exempt from the need to connect with, and hear from, the only One who has overcome the world. (John 16:33)

Though the struggles that draw us to prayer and fasting may differ, we can all embrace these practices with a desire to empty our hearts of earthly things so the Lord will pour out His Spirit and satisfy our spiritual hunger.

Throughout the Bible, God’s people pray and fast together because they are seeking God’s help and direction. In the opening vignette of our study, we met Mordecai, who, together with other Jews in the land, “fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes” (Esther 4:3) as an expression of their anguish over the order to kill every Jew. Their actions signified both their grief and their cries to the Lord to protect them from execution.

Again, we don’t manipulate God with prayer and fasting, but we allow Him to work in and around us as we surrender through humble prayer. Esther’s response to Mordecai’s plea for intervention demonstrated her belief that the will of the Lord would come to pass. Esther clearly understands that fasting will not guarantee her safety in her final words to her cousin, “I will go to the king even if it is against the law. If I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16) Her words hold equally strong conviction to do what is right and to trust the Lord for her fate.

The Lord is good and just indeed! He responds to prayer and fasting! He promises if His people will seek Him, they will find Him. (2 Chronicles 7:14-15, Jeremiah 29:13) When we fast and pray, we encounter Him in a different, higher way.

This truth resonates in the continuation of Esther’s story. After seeking God’s heart through prayer and fasting, Esther enacted a careful, thoughtful plan to approach King Xerxes and plead for her people. (Esther 5) By the Lord’s grace, she found favor with the king, and she and her people were spared. Through God’s intervention, the Jews were saved and not forsaken. How beautiful is the aroma of prayer and fasting to the Lord!

Similarly, in Ezra 8:21-23, the priest Ezra led Israelites returning home from exile into prayer and fasting to seek God’s presence and protection. “So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and He was receptive to our prayer.” (Ezra 8:23)

And finally, as an epitome of humility and faith before the Lord, Jesus fasted. He acknowledged God’s power and strength alone would enable Him to carry out the Father’s will. Matthew 4 describes how Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. He was also tested by evil, but He overcame the temptation by the power of God dwelling within Him and relying on Scripture.

Jesus’ example demonstrates how prayer and fasting are powerful preparations for experiencing God deeply and outrageously!

From Jesus, we learn temptation and struggle may come, but if we are filled with God’s words and presence, we will overcome, just as Jesus did! Prayer and fasting are vital, as they bring us closer to God and remind us to trust Him.

From Mordecai, we learn we should not hesitate to engage in prayer and fasting.
When we see cries, pain, and injustice around us that are impossible for humans to resolve and only God can manage, we can turn to the One who is full of compassion and always capable! The Lord sees our faith, is delighted to hear from us, and is moving when we pray.

Let’s pray that the Lord will help us lead our people into prayer and fasting just as Mordecai did. Faith can rescue people when we come together!

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Alive Day 12 For The Good: 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 For The Good!

The Questions

1) How are we called according to God’s purpose? (verse 28)

2) What does it mean to be “predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son”? (verse 29)

3) How are we called, justified, and glorified by God? (verse 30)

Romans 8:28-30

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.

Original Intent

1) How are we called according to God’s purpose? (verse 28)
First, we must understand what it means to be called by God, then we must consider what Scripture tells us about His purposes. The Greek word for called is “κλητός”, meaning to be invited as if to a banquet. God’s purpose for those who are called is answered in the next verse, “to be conformed to the image of His Son”. (verse 29) To respond to God’s call and live out His purpose means to believe in God and obey His command to spread the Gospel and make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28:19) God’s plan for us is to know Him and make Him known. (Galatians 1:15-16) Anyone who responds to God’s invitational call accepts His purpose to both deepen their relationship with Him (Jeremiah 33:3) and share the love of God with others (Matthew 28:19). Author Albert Barnes suggests that being called according to God’s purpose “Implies that God had a plan, purpose, or intention in regard to all who became Christians. They are not saved by chance or hap-hazard. God does not convert people without design; and His designs are not new, but eternal.” God desires everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), so this means we are all called to accept the message of the Gospel and fulfill His purposes. When we surrender to God and accept His purposes, we can be sure He is working everything together for our good and His glory. Whatever happens, He uses it for our eventual benefit and the expansion of His kingdom, even if we see no apparent good at the time. We can rest assured His plans are good, even when our circumstances suggest otherwise, if we accept the invitational call to follow Him.

2) What does it mean to be “predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son”? (verse 29)
The Bible tells us God created us in His image. (Genesis 1:27) When Adam and Eve sinned and humans were separated from God (Genesis 3), the Divine plan was for Jesus to reunite us with God by coming to earth, fully human and fully God, to take our sins and show us how to live in right relationship with the Lord. God wants us to be like Jesus; He is the model of how to live life for God’s glory. In Romans 8:29, Paul writes, “For those [God] foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” God’s plan before the beginning of time was for humans to be conformed to God’s image. God tells us that those who trust in Jesus should “walk just as he walked”. (1 John 2:6) We have the example of the humble, loving life of Jesus to teach us how God designed us to live. God sent His Son not only to save our lives for eternity, but also show us how to live today. He gives us the Holy Spirit to empower us to follow Jesus’ example, which is impossible to do on our own. (Galatians 5:22-23) Not only do we have the life of Jesus to pattern our lives after, but we have the Holy Spirit to help us be more like Jesus.

3) How are we called, justified, and glorified by God? (verse 30)
Romans 8:30 includes what some scholars call the Golden Chain of Salvation, the “inviolable order in which our Creator saves His people” (Ligonier.org) The first link in the chain occurs in verse 29, which says that God foreknew those He would save. Author Adam Clarke explains that foreknow means to “design before, or at the first forming of the scheme to bestow the favour and privilege of being God’s people upon any set of men.” The second link in the Golden Chain is predestine, which author J.D. Watson describes as “God’s marking out a destiny befitting His foreknown people.” God decided ahead of time that He would make a way of salvation for His people. Predestination sets up the next two links: being called, or invited to be saved, and being justified, where God declares us righteous in Christ. We are called by God because He wants no one to perish. He calls every human to follow Him. If we repent of our sins and believe in Jesus, we can be saved. God justifies us through the blood of Christ Jesus, His Son, Who gave His life so we could stand blameless before God. The last link of the Golden Chain is being glorified by God. This can refer to going to heaven, but author N.T. Wright suggests, “Our glory in the present is focused as we stand in prayer at the place where the world and the church are in pain . . . so that the gospel may be seen at work in power through our praying as well as our preaching.” We are glorified by God in that Christ lives in us. His presence and His glory dwell within each person who trusts in Christ and shines from each person as they demonstrate His love.

Everyday Application

1) How are we called according to God’s purpose? (verse 28)
Something that frustrates many Christians is trying to discern God’s will for their lives. People want God’s crystal-clear direction about every decision. Should they marry, should they move, should they change jobs? While we are commanded to pray about all things and ask for God’s leading regarding decisions, following God is much more about making wise decisions with the information He provides through His Word and His people. (check out our Journey Theme “Follow” for more on this!) When it comes to knowing God’s will, the Bible reveals much about His purposes for us. When we lean into these principles, we will be following Him. Romans 8:28 references those who “love God and are called according to God’s purpose.” His purpose in being conformed to Jesus is for us to love God and share His love with others like Jesus. Author W.E. Vine explains that “them that are called and them that love God, are to one another as cause and effect. Those who love God are necessarily those who are called. The call . . . produces the response of love to Him who calls.” We love God because He first loved us and drew us to Him. (1 John 4:19) When we love Him, we want to share His love with others, which is one of God’s purposes for us as we are shaped to reflect Him to the world around us. (John 13:34) When we follow the express purposes of God as found in His Word, we can know for certain we are following His will for our lives. As we live this out, we can ask Him for wisdom to know more specific things He wants for us. Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” We can rejoice that God shares His plans and purposes with us!

2) What does it mean to be “predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son”? (verse 29)
Do you ever cringe when you see Christians doing a shabby job of representing Christ? Surely you have seen the guy who left the waiter a Gospel tract as a tip instead of cash, or the lady with the I LOVE Jesus bumper sticker cutting folks off in traffic. Jesus provides us an example of how to live humbly and righteously with love and mercy, but sometimes we don’t do a good job of following in His footsteps. Learning to be more like Jesus is part of God’s plan for our lives. Romans 8:29 tells us God predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son. His Word is given to us, in part, to teach us how to live like Jesus. Author Howard Hendricks asserts, “The Bible was not written to satisfy your curiosity, but to make you conform to Christ’s image. Not to make you a smarter sinner, but to make you like the Saviour. Not to fill your head with a collection of biblical facts, but to transform your life.” Because Jesus is the Word, the Word has the power to change us into God’s image. John tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In him was life, and that life was the light of men.” (John 1:1, 4) From the beginning, Jesus has been the Life that is the Light to illuminate the path for all people to know God and be restored to Him. God’s plan is for us to be more like Jesus, and He wants us to represent Him wherever we go, including restaurants, the freeway, at church, our neighborhoods, and our social media profiles. He wants us to be loving and kind so people see Jesus when they look at us.

3) How are we called, justified, and glorified by God? (verse 30)
It has always fascinated me to read God’s Word regarding His plans for His people even before they were born. In Jeremiah 1:5, God tells the prophet, “I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born . . .” In Psalm 139:16, the psalmist writes, “Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in your book and planned before a single one of them began.” To know that God has a plan for us before we are born is incredible! His plan for everyone includes salvation through His Son, Jesus. This plan is described in Romans 8:30, where Paul tells us God has called us, justified us, and glorified us. This is God’s plan for salvation for us. He calls each one of us to come to a genuinely saving knowledge of Christ through repentance (turning away from) our sin and accepting His free gift of salvation. He tells us in John 3:16, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” It is the blood of Jesus that justifies us by washing away our sin and making us righteous before God. When we are saved through Christ Jesus, we can be glorified by living in Heaven with Jesus when our life on earth is done. We are also glorified because Christ lives within us here on earth, teaching us how to be more like Him through the power of His Holy Spirit. (1 John 2:27) It is comforting and empowering to know that God has a plan for each one of us that extends from before we are born until after we pass into Heaven.

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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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Alive Day 11 For The Good

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 8:28-30
Psalm 138:1-8
Genesis 50:16-21

Alive, Day 11

“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.” (Romans 8:28-30)

What is your definition of good?

I asked myself this question and, after consideration, felt I had a pretty solid answer.

Then the Lord brought several scenarios to my mind, asking me if they fit my definition of good.

And my definition began to shift, based on the circumstances of those situations. What I originally categorized as good suddenly lost some of its positive qualities as more details emerged. Conversely, some terrible scenarios began to show silver linings as the bigger picture appeared.

For example, periodically a post about the morning of 9/11 pops up on my social media feed. The astounding post tells the story of why some employees in the World Trade Center weren’t at work the day the towers fell. There were many good reasons: dropping a kiddo off at daycare or picking up donuts for coworkers. Yet, some were reasons we wouldn’t normally categorize as good like the frustration of breaking a shoelace and hunting for a new one, oversleeping the alarm, a flat tire, a car accident, or even sickness.

What seemed like an inconvenience at 7:30 am might be viewed, quite literally, as a lifesaving good by 5 pm on that horrendous day.

While I have never experienced such an extreme example, I am aware that in many situations, my definition of good for me changes vastly with time and perspective.

I would not be married to my husband, had I given up when the wait definitely did not feel good. I probably would have missed several of my life experiences and oh, the lessons they have taught me. I would be much more self-centered (and I’ve still got a long way to go). I would have avoided the very pain in one season that enabled the life-giving growth in another. 

I can’t trust my definition of good, and I’m guessing I’m not the only one. I know for sure there are others throughout history whose lives panned out differently than expected; in fact, the Bible is filled with such people.

Joseph is a prime example. His story started out “good” as the deeply loved child and prophetic dreamer in a large family. While these may seem great, were they actually helping Joseph grow and mature?

His story shifted, and few would describe the next several years of Joseph’s life as good as he was sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused of sexual assault, spent years in jail, and finally served as second in command for a country whose religious structure directly  conflicted with his own. (Genesis 39, 40, 41)

When we look back on Joseph’s life after reading his full story in Genesis, the beauty of his family’s final reconciliation brings purpose and redemption to all of the preceding hard. Genesis 50:20 encapsulates his story perfectly:

“You planned evil against me; God planned it for good, to bring about the present result–the survival of many people.”

I’ve heard that verse described as the Romans 8:28-29 of the Old Testament. At the very minimum, Joseph’s life is an Old Testament example of the Lord bringing about good according to His purposes.

Can you imagine the conversations Joseph had with the Lord throughout the years? He may have carried bitterness and deep emotional wounds from his suffering. These specific details are not captured directly in Scripture, but we are shown Joseph’s perseverance and commitment to excellence. He continued to hope, both for the future and in the Lord’s consistent character as faithful, good, and sovereign.

The same is true in our lives. Romans 8:28-30 is not permission to only expect our best imagined life on this earth. It’s not wrong to want happiness, but we must embrace the realities of this broken world and our finite understanding of good.
But let’s also fall into the arms of the One who calls us by name (Isaiah 43:1-4). 

He has plans and purposes for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11-14), a promise given to the Israelites while entering exile.
He is capable and sufficient to walk through hard seasons with us (Psalm 23:1-6).
He is the Alpha and the Omega and knows the beginning from the end (Revelation 21:6-7).

The Lord will always bring about good from our experiences. It may not be the good we are expecting, but it is a good that grows us, changes us, humbles and delights us.

His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9), and His timing may span decades, not simply hours or days. His long game is to help us become more like Christ–our ultimate good–and He has the patience to fine tune that process, individually, and intricately. Often, this includes using His definition of good rather than our own.

So today, dear sister, may we surrender our circumstances into His tender hand and allow Him to bring about His good in the midst of them.

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The GT Weekend! ~ Fruitful Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Faithfulness is something I struggle with. With every good intention, I commit to do something, but when it comes time to follow through, I find it challenging to keep my word. God, on the other hand, is perfectly faithful, regardless of how often I’m unfaithful. The whole story of human history is full of people falling short of God’s standards, yet God keeps His promises to them nonetheless. God is the perfect picture of faithfulness, and, as God’s children, those who believe in Him are being shaped into His likeness by the power of the Holy Spirit. As we live by God’s Spirit, we are being changed, day by day, month by month, year by year. Joshua and Caleb looked back on a promise God had given them and were strengthened to remain faithful to Him because of God’s continued faithfulness. What are the promises God has made to you if you’ve trusted Him for salvation and turned from your sin? (Consider Exodus 34:6-7, Matthew 7:7-12, and Galatians 5:16) How do God’s promises help you grow in your faithfulness as you learn to trust His faithful heart? Write a prayer of response to God thanking Him for His constant faithfulness and asking for His help to be a faithful Christ-follower.

2) If you could imagine a perfect response from God if you were to talk to Him face to face, what would it be? Would He be transactional like a bank teller and hand over whatever goods you requested, calling out “next” to the person behind you? Would He reach for your hand and invite you to walk with Him while His eyes danced as He listened intently? Considering this scene is important; it reveals how you truly see the heart of God. Sit for a few minutes with eyes closed, in a quiet space if possible, and ask the Lord God to show you His perfect response to you as you come to Him. Slow down and concentrate on the images the Spirit gives you. Walk with Him, asking Him about them. What does He want you to know about God’s heart? Christ tells us in Scripture that His first, gut-reaction, go-to, immediate instinct response will always be gentleness. (Matthew 11:29) Here, we find shelter in the embrace of compassion. Here, we find the truly with us God. What does it mean for you to solidly know that God’s perfect response to you, in all times, is first and foremost gentleness?

3) As we wrap up our discussion about the fruit of the Spirit, I am struck by how all these attributes work together to radically change us into a new kind of person. How would your life look different if you practiced each of the fruits perfectly? I can only imagine how peaceful and glorious such a life would be. But, the works of the flesh are so deeply ingrained in each one of us; we will choose them every time if we do not first access the power of God dwelling within us as believers. We must rely on God’s help in every area. There is a saying, “you cannot pour from an empty cup.” On Friday, we were reminded of the Source Who fills our cup. When we are lacking in self-control, we are revealing we are not in tune with the Holy Spirit in our lives. Consider an area in your life where you would like to be more self-controlled. (It could be a spiritual discipline, your finances, how you use technology, how you treat the people around you, or something else entirely.) Pray specifically for the Spirit to pour His fruit of self-control into your life, then keep watch to see how He fills your cup. For a week (or month, or longer) make a note at the end of each day, expressing how He taught and empowered you to demonstrate self-control. Thank Him for His work in your life!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from 1 Thessalonians 5:23-25, 28 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will do it. Brothers and sisters, pray for us also. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Prayer Journal
God, our Father, I am awestruck by Your great faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. You always keep Your promises for the sake of Your great name. You have revealed Your nature through Jesus Christ our Lord, who walked on this Earth, gentle and lowly. You have demonstrated Your self-control over and over by withholding the judgment due humanity and taking the punishment for our disobedience on Yourself. Oh, that we would walk by Your Spirit. Oh, that we could be transformed by Your work in our lives. Lord, I no longer wish to carry out the works of my sinful flesh. I desire to walk by the Spirit that I may bear fruit in step with You. Empower me, Oh gracious God, to crucify my own desires and walk humbly with my neighbors. May we see the greatness of Your Kingdom here on Earth. Forgive me when I fall short, and bring me quickly back into relationship with You. I have asked all these things, knowing You delight to give good gifts to Your children. I believe You will do it! Praise be to God!

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

The GT Weekend! ~ Relentless Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Sometimes reading the Bible is hard, Amen?! All those stories in the Old Testament can leave a picture of a ruthless God full of anger and spite if we read the stories through our own lenses of our own culture and time. In what ways do you wrestle with how the Bible depicts God? At what points would you agree or disagree that the Bible is written about humanity rather than written to you as an individual? How does that belief color the way you read and understand both the Bible and God? If God is relentless in His pursuit of you just as He was for Israel, what rises up inside you to push against that? Why?

2)  What does it take for you to trust the Lord’s instruction and obey with a whole heart? Some obediences are easier than others, right? Take a minute to journal briefly about those things you’ve learned to obey quickly and habitually in. Can you identify some sore spots where you struggle in following? Where do you pull back from following through and why do you think you do? Consider whether this willingness to go forward in following is tied to how you view God or how much you’re willing to trust Him. Be honest before the Lord of your hear; He is always present to hear you!

3) Take a few minutes to journal through how you view the relationship between love and discipline. What qualities do you see as being necessary components of a relationship for discipline to be effective? Do you see those same qualities in your relationship with the Lord? When has the Lord lovingly disciplined you to bring you deeper into a relationship with Him? What has He strategically removed from your life in order for you to more clearly see Him and His love for you? Is there something currently receiving more love, affection, and focus than the Lord?

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Psalm 46:7-8 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

The Lord of Armies is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Selah
Come, see the works of the Lord…

Prayer Journal
You are the With Us God. The ever-present Help. The always-able Almighty. Ever listening to our cries, You love us without end, pursuing our hearts to know You in more beautiful ways. Lord, God, hold my face, tip it up to You, and let me see Your radiant glory. Just a glimpse of Your majesty transforms and renews!
And as You do, make my heart overflow with urgency to invite all, “Come! See the works of the Lord my great and mighty God who loves to love!” Declare Your goodness through me, Lord, as You keep drawing me close. Tell Your story as you fight for me!

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Incorruptible Day 14 Sweet Sufferings: 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 Sweet Sufferings!

The Questions

1) Am I not living for Christ if I don’t undergo a fiery trial? 

2) Am I supposed to celebrate a trial or suffering?

3) In reading 4:19, does God will us to suffer?

1 Peter 4:12-19

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you.
 13 Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed.
 14 If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
 15 Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler.
 16 But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name.
 17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with God ‘s household, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?
 18 And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?
19 So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.

Original Intent

1) Am I not living for Christ if I don’t undergo a fiery trial?
The apostle Peter is writing to the body of Christ who is quite literally under fire and have, therefore, been exiled and scattered. The great city of Rome has burned down, people are displaced from their homes and livelihoods, separated from their communities, and in survival mode trying stay alive and care for their families while mourning lives of lost loved ones. 
By a false testimony, this devastation was blamed on the Christians. It is common understanding that the leader, Nero, himself burned the city and needed a scapegoat. The apostle Peter is writing to people whose devotion to follow Christ is the reason they are fearing for their lives and fleeing their communities. 
But persecution is wide spread and running away is not a simple answer. As Peter encourages these people to stand strong in Christ, he sprinkles reminders of those who have suffered before them for the Gospel of Christ and for striving to live righteously like prophets of the Old Testament (1:10), but primarily Christ himself, who lived perfectly and fulfilled prophecies, yet died a persecuted death to take on our judgement. 

2) Am I supposed to celebrate a trial or suffering?
On reading 1 Peter 4:13, one may find it an odd command to “rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ.” Even the strongest of Christians might honestly feel they were lying to themselves and others if they said they were celebrating at the same time they were hurting. 
It’s important to remember this verse is wrapped in the middle of a longer dialogue. It’s contrasting the statement to not be surprised by suffering for following Christ. Verse 14 brings clarity to what the rejoicing is regarding, “because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” 
Though the persecuted church is innocently enduring unfathomable pains, there is something greater to celebrate.  If they are, “insulted for the name of Christ,” they are suffering for His honor. 
This is a fruit-bearing process for believers who have been cleansed from unrighteousness, and have been spared a greater judgment by God. They have been raised from their spiritual dead state to being alive in Christ and given an eternal, incorruptible inheritance. The joy of this undeserved grace is a gift worthy of rejoicing!
Peter isn’t saying to celebrate hardship. Rather, joy is available because of our rich inheritance in Christ. Much like the timeless example of a laboring mother rejoicing in the coming of her baby. 

3) In reading 4:19, does God will us to suffer?
For qualified and extensive explanations on “God’s will,” sources as Reverend John Piper’s Desiring God website are recommended. However, in reading these verses, this may be a fair question to wrestle. This phrase could be taken to mean those who are suffering because they are doing God’s will or that they are suffering according to what God has allowed or “willed”. Either way, Peter is pointing them to lean into the Lord. Peter is reminding the persecuted church that God is faithful and trustworthy. God is Creator and this points to His sovereignty. The Matthew Henry Commentary notes the overarching purpose of this verse is to encourage the church to “look chiefly to the safety of their souls… which cannot be kept secure otherwise than by committing them to God.”

Everyday Application

1) Am I not living for Christ if I don’t undergo a fiery trial?
Have you ever felt like the only way you could live for Christ is if He calls you to a dramatic life change of service? Sometimes God does call His people to these things. Peter reminds believers that even Christ was persecuted while being righteous (1 Peter 2:19-21). Our fundamental call is to strive for righteous living in the quiet times and in the difficult struggles, wherever we are in life.
In chapters 2-5 Peter keeps circling back to how to live:
–“put away all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander” (2:1);
–“abstain from passions of the flesh” (2:11);
–“keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable” (2:12);
–instructing husbands and wives to honor each other (Chapter 3);
–“be self-controlled and sober minded” (4:7);
–“show hospitality without grumbling” (4:9); 
–humble yourselves before others and God (5:5-6). 
When we, in God’s strength, live out these instructions (especially in times of difficulty), we are living out a testimony for Christ. In the daily pantry-type decisions (as noted in the Journey Study) to honor God instead of escaping discomfort, thus “adorning the doctrine of God our Savior” (Titus 2:10; Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth notes this application in her book, Adorned). Our focus is not the trial, but rather upholding Christ in every action. 

2) Am I supposed to celebrate a trial or suffering?
Have you ever followed through on a decision that aligned with Scripture, yet things didn’t go smoothly? 
A breadwinner learns their employer is participating in something against Scripture and decides to look for a different job. Someone who reaches out and loves on the outcast of the group, facing their own isolation. A person who offers to pray for a co-worker is fired for making others uncomfortable. 
Striving to honor Christ leads to trial and suffering. Trials and suffering may take on different forms, but 1 Peter is specifically referring to one who is suffering despite the fact that they are doing good. The sadness or difficulty of a situation is not to be down-played or dismissed. 
But, despite the type of suffering, be encouraged and strengthened as a Christian to look beyond the physical trial and re-connect with the joy of a greater news. Christ is risen and His people will one day share in Christ’s incorruptible glory!  Sufferings do not have power to take that hope away from us! 

3) In reading 4:19, does God will us to suffer?
When reflecting on those before us who have endured persecution for their faith in Christ (not due to evil deeds), it is common to pause in fear.
“I don’t think I could do that… is my faith strong enough to go through that pain?”
Or, perhaps, wrestle with believing God is good in allowing or “willing” such things to occur. It can be both perplexing and comforting to recall that God had a hedge of protection around Job in the Old Testament and Satan had to ask permission from God to bring calamity to Job’s family (Job 1:6-12) 
A few things to remember when wrestling questions about the suffering God as allowed into your life:
1.1 Peter 1:7 gives an example of purpose for trials, “so that the tested genuineness of your faith- more precious than gold that perishes… may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
In this view, the cost is worth it! 
2. God works all things together for the good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28). While we humans are concerned with the now and physical of a trial, God is concerned with the eternal preservation of souls and purification of His people (Philippians 1:6, Zechariah 13:9) 
If God, in His sovereignty were to “will” suffering and trials, He would only do so for a purpose of eternal value in His Bride, the Church, and that His Name would be made known that all may know that He alone is God. We see with cloudy vision, but He sees perfectly. What we can confidently know is that this God is entirely trustworthy!

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Catch up with Sweet Sufferings!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Incorruptible Week Three!
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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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Incorruptible Day 12 Food For Life: 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 Food For Life!

The Questions

1) Putting away malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander… that’s pretty straight forward. Easy peasy, right?

2) What does it mean to be a “living stone”?

3) So, are we all considered little priests?

1 Peter 2:1-5

1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander.
2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that you may grow up into your salvation,
3 if you have tasted that the Lord is good.
 4 As you come to him, a living stone– rejected by people but chosen and honored by God–
 5 you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Original Intent

1) Putting away malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander… that’s pretty straight forward. Easy peasy, right?
Peter knows the people he’s writing to are under extraordinary pressure and are high risk for being overtaken by fear in their surrounding circumstances. Christians at the time are being scapegoated (burned at the stake) for simply identifying themselves with Christ.  According to human reasoning of the flesh, no one would blame them if they decided to turn on each other, disband as a church gathering, choosing instead “every-man-for-himself’. But doing so would mean returning to a life lived for self. 

On the contrary, Peter reminds his readers of the call to be holy even in such drastic situations. He reminds them they are “given new birth into a living hope” (1 Peter 1:3) by a Savior who is “without blemish or spot” 1 Peter 1:19.  Since they are born again “of imperishable” seed they are both called and empowered to love one another differently than the wavering love we attempt to muster up ourselves from our human flesh. Our flesh is weak and crumbles easily. The Holy Spirit is a mighty bond one cannot understand. Peter leads into verse 2, “desire the pure milk of the word” knowing one cannot respond moment by moment in a holy manner without the “meat” of regular intake of Scripture teaching us obedience.  

2) What does it mean to be a “living stone”?
To answer this question, commentaries point to a couple of things. First, who is THE CORNERSTONE? Jesus. Who is Peter writing to? Dispersed Christians under persecution, many of whom are also Jewish.
In recalling the Old Testament, the physical temple where God’s people worshipped and offered sacrifices is a key parallel pointing to God’s ultimate plan of salvation through the blood sacrifice of Christ. Christ proclaimed that He is the temple that was torn down and rebuilt in three days.  

Stones are a parallel imagery to what God is working out spiritually. Christ is the foundation upon which God’s kingdom is built. Christ is both alive and bringing life to dead stones. Those who identify with him are “living stones”; people risen from the dead spiritual state through the life of Christ. These are not inanimate stones of the physical temple, rather these building blocks of God’s spiritual kingdom are believers! 

3) So, are we all considered little priests?
1 Peter 2:4 introduces Christ as the living stone (corner stone is more specific in other Biblical texts). Those who identify with Christ by asking Him to save them from the death brought on by sin are also “like living stones”. Verse 5 then expands that the church of living stones is as “a spiritual house”. Gill’s commentary explains, “these living stones (are) being laid, and cemented together, in a Gospel church state.” Here there is a circling back to 1 Peter 1:22 where Peter instructs to “love one another earnestly from a pure heart”. United in Christ, living out a unique love for our Christian brothers and sisters, God is binding us together in a way that is unbreakable, unending, and incorruptible. 

Peter brings the “royal priesthood” analogy back again in 2:9-10. Again, he uses the language in plural form- “holy nation” and “a people for His own possession”. Verse 5 notes the specific purpose of this is “to offer spiritual sacrifices” and in verse 9, again, states, “that you may proclaim the excellences of Him who called you”. No, this priesthood is not about Christians as individual “little priests”, but rather imagery of the whole church being an example to outsiders that Christ is the living foundation.

Everyday Application

1) Putting away malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander… that’s pretty straight forward. Easy–peasy, right?
Ever think, “Duh, Lord, of course acting this way is not loving. I’ve got this”?
What happens when you start to feel uneasy? Maybe feeling outcast at work, just wanting to bond with those around you, and suddenly “innocent gossip” starts slipping off the tongue.
Or disappointment from a spouse and suddenly harsh words feel justified. 
Living a Holy Life is a struggle and hard work. Seasons of busy mundane, are excellent training grounds to return to the cross daily in repentance, seeking the Lord’s strength. 

1 Peter 2:2 compares the Christian’s need for God’s Word to feeding infants. The Matthew Henry Commentary notes how infants are hungry frequently throughout the day. Every couple of hours they are fervently screaming for more pure milk to fill their bellies and get them through the next couple of hours. Reflect on the last 24 hours. Ask God to help you erase your own justifications for words off your tongue and tones in your heart. Should we be so prideful as to think we do not need the Word of the Lord and strength of the Holy spirit to get us through even the next 2 hours?

2) What does it mean to be a “living stone”?
Christ was rejected as He turned the tide away from physical blood sacrifices and worshiping in the Jewish temple towards Himself as the ultimate sacrifice and living temple. Christ was rejected as His grace, mercy, and sacrifice threatened the assumption of many that they have the power to earn, work for, or “be good enough” to obtain their salvation on their own. Those who identify with Christ and walk freely in His gift of grace, perplex those that are striving hard through good deeds on their own merit. This does not give a Christian freedom to walk in sin, but rather freedom to cast all their cares on Christ, lean on HIM instead of their own understanding and efforts. In the process of becoming loosened from the grips of fleshly desires, we are freed to walk unhindered in the new life of the Holy Spirit.  

3) So, are we all considered little priests?
To state that we are each like a little priest can bring the wrong implication that one has individual power. Or, perhaps, that an individual can have greater access to God than another or is an access to God for someone else. Each of these are false. 

Christ is the High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16)…period. Only in Him is there access to God, a right relationship with Him, forgiveness, and communion with Him. As a whole of believers, when we are bonded together in Christ, we are built up into a “priesthood”. As such we are imploring each other to sacrifices of denial of self, together we gather for songs of praise and prayer, and united, we point the lost world to Christ as head of the church.  God can use us as individuals, but His further purpose is to use us as a whole as we love people around us despite our struggles and shortcomings. That church down the road that does things “a bit different”, the person across the aisle with idiosyncratic habits, the person who seems to argue about theology and the person who is all feels… Christ is hugely glorified and made known to the nations when His church loves each other earnestly with grace and humility.

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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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