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Beloved Day 8 Intimacy

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Song of Solomon 4:1-7
Song of Solomon 7:1-13
Proverbs 5:15-23
Ecclesiastes 9:7-10
John 14:8-11

Beloved, Day 8

Intimacy.

There’s no other way of saying it: sexual intimacy within marriage is a gift hand-crafted by our incredible Creator God for the people He made in His image.

Throughout the Bible, there are countless examples of God’s created beings enjoying and participating in the gift of physical union. Early in Genesis, the Lord affirms the goodness of sex for the purpose of procreation. (Genesis 1:28) Just a little later in Genesis, we see Isaac comforted in his grief by physical union with Rebekah, which affirms the great comfort of sex in times of grief and loss. (Genesis 24:61-67) In Proverbs, Scripture also asserts sex for the purpose of physical pleasure and enjoyment is good. (Proverbs 5:15-23)

The entire book of the Song of Solomon extols the heady pleasures of physical desire and fulfillment found in the physical act of sex. Vivid descriptions, expressions of love, and honest dialogue about the emotional and physical experiences which accompany physical intimacy were poured over, examined, tested, and ultimately included in the canon of Scripture for a specific purpose. God gave us sex, and sex within the context of marriage between a man and a woman is a good, good thing.

Song of Solomon is a depiction of the literal joys of physical intimacy, but there are some traits we see exemplified in the two young lovers which warrant further exploration in the context of our own marriages.

They are transparent.
The two young lovers are obviously desirous for each other, but they are also completely transparent with others about the one to whom their thoughts, emotions and desires are drawn. They aren’t hiding the way they feel about their beloved; they are practically shouting it from the rooftops. There is no mistaking how they feel, what they want, and to whom their heart belongs.

They are honest with each other.
There’s no question the two are each in pursuit of the other. There is no sub-text and no veiled references. Neither is playing “hard to get.” There’s no competition, no game, no “prove your love to me.” They are each completely, totally, all in.

They are vulnerable.
Nothing is too intimate to share. No expression too outlandish, no description too flowery. There’s no thought of looking foolish, or saying something silly. Each feels completely safe with the other, and as a result they are unashamed to share their thoughts, emotions and desires.

They are purposeful.
They are willing to do practically anything to steal away for an encounter with the one they love. They talk of slipping away to a vineyard, to a quiet room, to his chambers. They are not embarrassed to say exactly what they want, and their actions support their words.

For a moment, let’s set aside all our expectations of our spouse and take a look at where we are.

Beloved, when we examine how we operate in the context of our own marriage, can we say the same? Are we transparent with our spouses? Do we create space for them to be transparent in return, without fear of us shutting down or refusing to respond? Are we honest? And if we aren’t “all in,” is that an area we need to confess to our Father and allow Him to touch? Are we vulnerable in sharing the intimate spaces of our bodies, yes, but even more importantly, our hearts and minds? Are we purposeful in our marriage? Do we choose to pursue our spouse every day, even when we don’t feel like it?

Let’s take it a step further. Are those traits present in our relationship with our Father? Are we transparent about the condition of our hearts and lives with the One Who holds the power to change us? Are we honest with Him about our thoughts and feelings? Do we surrender them to Him? Do we allow ourselves to be open and soft to His conviction, to His healing? And do we pursue radical intimacy with the God Who is with us? Do we consistently prioritize placing ourselves before Him, in all our humanity?

These are hard questions, aren’t they? I can’t say yes to all of them. 

Maybe you can’t, either.

So what do we do from here? Where do we go from this place of knowing we aren’t where we’d like to be, and recognizing we can’t move forward on our own?

We start with confessing where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’d like to be to our Bridegroom King. We acknowledge our definition of intimacy falls woefully short of the intimacy He designed for us to experience with Him, and we ask Him to show us the way. He alone is the Author of intimacy; we can trust Him to lead us into the fullness of all He created!

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Worship VII Day 14 One Day: 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 One Day!

The Questions

1) What is worship and how does Paul encourage believers to worship?

2) What are the causes of our worship?

3) How does worshipping God change us and impact our daily life?

Romans 5:6-11

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Original Intent

1) What is worship and how does Paul encourage believers to worship?
The original word for worship in Greek is proskyneō. It means submission to a higher authority, often accompanied with a bowing to the ground. The image given to demonstrate this kind of submission is a dog licking his master’s hand in a token of reverence and adoration. This is a picture of whole-hearted devotion and loyalty. Worship, at its heart, is humble submission, which is why Paul writes in Romans 12:1 that we, as Christ’s Body, are to offer ourselves together as a living sacrifice. Paul says, “This is our true worship”. Worship is a lifestyle characterized by a giving of self in whole-hearted surrender and whole-minded submission to the goodness and greatness of God. It isn’t only something felt or acknowledged, but something lived through attitudes of our heart and sacrifices of ourselves and our resources in everyday life. Paul’s words in Romans 5 speak specifically of God’s magnificent grace towards us in offering Himself as the ransom for our sin-wrecked souls. He concludes in verse 11 by stating, “we boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ…”. Paul exhorts his audience, and clearly models for them, that true worship is anchored in reverent humility to God for the vast love He has lavished upon us, sinners that we are!

2) What are the causes of our worship?
In the Romans 5 passage we discover how worship is rooted in awareness of what we have been given and how we have been loved. 1 John 4:19 says we love because He first loved us. In like fashion, we worship because we have experienced God’s goodness. In Psalm 150 we are reminded to praise Him for His deeds (what He has done), the greatest of these being our salvation and restoration to relationship with Him (Romans 5:10). The “hymn book of the Jews” (Psalms) is replete with specific reasons to worship the God in whom alone is found salvation. (Romans 5:11) Psalm 115:1 instructs our hearts to praise God for His steadfast love and faithfulness while Psalm 103 recounts “His benefits” including forgiveness, rescue, and redemption. Psalm 100:1-5 says we praise Him for making us and Ephesians 1:3 says we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing because of Christ, and therefore we bless God. Worship wasn’t something that began after Jesus died to rescue our souls, neither is it something Jewish people did in the Old Testament when circumstances were wonderful. Regardless of feelings or situation, there are always reasons to worship because we need not look any farther than God and His character to discover a reason to worship Him!

3) How does worshipping God change us and impact our daily life?
We are talking about worship being a lifestyle of humility and honor toward God. In 1 Samuel 15:22, God says (through Samuel) “to obey is better than sacrifice.” To worship God is a sacrifice, but it is best carried out through obedience. God’s Word is filled with examples of His people choosing to worship in faith and obedience, which then resulted in God showing favor and victory. (2 Chronicles 20:22) Worship brought physical victory in battle to Israel. Their decision to worship out of obedience removed themselves as an idol in their hearts and gave room for God to move in the way He had willed. Scripture teaches us to give thanks to the LORD with all our heart. (Psalm 9:1) When we are truly thankful, our hearts are engaged. Worshipping God brings us to a place of full engagement with Him. God invites us to lift our eyes over the things of this earth and focus on the place where He sits at the right hand of God; here, our real life is hidden. (Colossians 3:2) Because Paul’s life modeled consistent, humble worship, the Lord worked through His life in incredible ways. Paul recognized his life was nothing compared to knowing and experiencing God. (Philippians 3:8-9)

Everyday Application

1) What is worship and how does Paul encourage believers to worship?
God created us to live out worship in everyday lives, but we often are tempted to worship anything but the Only One Worthy of worship. As we come to understand worship as humble surrender and loyal submission to the Lord, amazingly, we see a connection of humility to God Himself, the sole worthy object of our worship. Though God had every right to never lower Himself, He did exactly this by coming to earth in human form to become our Reconciler and Salvation. (Romans 5:8-11, Philippians 2:6-8) Our great God is a humble God! When He calls Himself the Helper of Israel (the word “ezer” in Hebrew refers to Helper and the name of God JEHOVAH ‘EZER emphasizes it). These terms reflect the heart of God as He calls Himself one who concerns Himself to stoop down. (Psalm 113:4-6) As we worship, we stoop in response to how the Savior God has already bent for us. Worship, at its heart, is grateful submission. It’s a bowing and acknowledgement that someone is greater and worthier than ourselves. Yet, we serve and love a God who stoops to bless us; Who came to a cruel cross to die for us; Who takes on a lowly life for us. God is lofty, yet He tells us His way of greatness is not one that holds Lordship high over others’ heads (Matthew 20:25-28), but instead stoops to bless us. (John 13:3-5) Worship is both a response and a fully engaged bending as we answer the One who bent for us and continues to bend humbly for us out of love.

2) What are the causes of our worship?
Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians, “I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19) As we practice living our everyday lives rooted and grounded in love, we become motivated to love God responsively. This creates a heart of true worship. As we fix our minds on what is good, true, noble, and praiseworthy, our minds are lifted to remember the goodness of God and genuine worship overflows. (Philippians 4:8) As we consider His character and His names (which reflect His character) we are drawn to recall the truth of who He is. This creates a mind of worship. As we humble ourselves in the sight of God, surrendering self to the Savior, we receive the will to worship. Here in this sacred space, we truly begin loving the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. (Matthew 22:37) This is the picture of lifestyle worship, wholly engaged with our Creator, Redeemer, and Lover of Our Soul.

3) How does worshipping God change us and impact our daily life?
We know God wants us to take on a heart of obedient worship that consistently permeates our everyday lives. What does this look like? In Micah 6:8 He says, “do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.” This is a picture of lived-out worship. Even though we will have trials in life, He will use them to shape us. Along the way, He calls us to worship Him through the storms, as this anchors our hearts in truth despite changing circumstance and feelings. This is how He develops our dependence and strengthens our endurance in faith as He reinforces our hope. In Romans 5:3-4 Paul writes, “…we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Worship gives us perspective in every circumstance, the capacity to be joyful in the face of affliction, and the means to be filled with strength when we are at our weakest. Like a faithful dog leans on his master, giving his life in devotion, we can give our lives to God. He takes that sacrifice and multiplies it for our good. We cannot out-give God. Our life of sacrificial worship always fills us more than any other thing we seek on earth. When we offer true worship, we lift our eyes and gain perspective.

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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!

Digging Deeper Community

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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship VII 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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Calling Day 3 For The Church

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 1:15-23
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
John 14:25-26

Calling, Day 3

My Papa was a letter-writer.

In his lifetime, he wrote thousands of letters to people around the world, including many to his own family members. Papa claimed a corner of their kitchen counter as his letter-writing and Bible-studying station. His worn Bible sat on top of the yellow, lined notebook paper Gamma bought in bulk for him, and his highlighters and favorite pens were within reach at all times. I was scolded many-a-time for taking his pen from his station and not bringing it back.

When I left the home our family shared for college, the letters started and they didn’t stop. Papa went Home to Heaven almost four years ago, yet the letters keep coming, because every once in a while, I happen across an unopened letter.

Recently, as I was going through keepsake boxes at my parents’ house, I found such a letter. With a jump in my heart, I clutched it and imagined Papa writing it, his sprawling cursive shaky from Parkinsons’ and with the occasional German word mix-up.

But I didn’t open it.

Instead, I tucked it away for another day.
I couldn’t bring myself to open what could be my last message from Papa, despite the words of love and wisdom most likely filling the inside.

I imagine that same joy and excitement circulated when an early church received a letter from Paul. Paul did a lot of writing while imprisoned; this Journey Theme focuses on his letter to the church in Ephesus.

I also imagine, unlike me, they didn’t save their letter for another time. They delved right in, unaware this personal letter was inspired by the Holy Spirit and would become part of the Bible we read today.

Let’s dissect this prison prayer; for such a short prayer, it’s crammed with goodness!

Paul begins by explaining how thankful he is for the Ephesians’ faith in Jesus and love for all of the saints (ie, Christians), because it evidences their participation in God’s great work in the world. He shares how he has been praying for them with thankfulness both for them and their growth.

Paul prays with four main points:

  1. He’s praying they might know God
  2. He’s praying they’ll know and understand the hope of God’s calling
  3. He’s praying they’ll know God’s riches
  4. He’s praying they’ll know His power

In the Bible, knowing means far more than just possessing facts. Rather, it refers to an intimate, deep understanding and embrace of truth in our hearts, or spirits. Paul is praying for the Ephesians to fully know God, His calling, His riches, and His power in their spirits.

Furthermore, Paul is praying for the whole, global Church (including us!) to know Him in all of the facets of His character. For example, we may know Him as Savior, but not as Father, Friend, Guide, and Sustainer. Since we are made in His image, the more intimately we know Him, the more we will understand ourselves in light of Him.

How do we know God better?
Through enlightenment and revelation from the Holy Spirit as He opens the eyes of our “hearts” (again, meaning spirits or souls).

Second, Paul prays we’ll know the hope of God’s calling. In Greek, “church” is a combination of two words: “ek,” meaning out of, and “kaleo,” meaning to call.
Church literally meant “called out.”

We. Are. Called.

We’ve been called out of darkness and into His marvelous light! (1 Peter 2:9)

Paul is reminding the church in Ephesus, and the global Church,
we have great hope
because of by Whom we are called,
what we are called to do,
and because this world is not our final resting place.

Third, Paul fervently prays we’ll know God’s riches, but get this, he’s talking about US! WE are God’s riches! Just as man’s wealth lies with his treasure, God’s wealth is found in us, His treasures.

God deals with us on the basis of our future. We see throughout Scripture how He calls people what they will become, not what they are at the time (as when he called Gideon a valiant warrior while he was still cowering in fear). God’s riches lie in who we will be when we are glorified with God.

Paul is reminding the Church
we have great value in God’s eyes and much to bring to the Kingdom!

Lastly, Paul prays we will know the great power found in God; this power was fully displayed when Jesus was resurrected from the grave. With that same power, God saved us from the grave and has breathed new life into us.

Immeasurable
Greatness
Of His
Power
Toward us who believe, according to the
Mighty working
Of His
Strength.
(Ephesians 1:19)

Those are some big, descriptive words right there!

God is mighty! He has all power! And we have access to that power because we know Him!

Paul ends this prayer by reminding us Jesus Christ, KING Jesus, has ALL power and all authority! He is the head; we are His body!

So, Church (that’s us, sisters), grab onto our love-letter from God (the Bible), and flip to the letter Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus (and ultimately, the Church as a whole).

Allow his prayer to wash over you,
understanding Paul was praying
we would know the Almighty intimately,
we would be filled with the hope of our calling,
we would remember our value in the Kingdom,
and we would grasp His great power, which we also possess through Jesus Christ!

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

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

Calling Day 2 Into Inheritance: 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 Into Inheritance!

The Questions

1) What important truths do we miss if we rush through the greeting of the writer? (verses 1-2)

2) What significance does the theme of “blessing” in verse 3 have on the rest of the passage?

3) In the context of this whole letter to the church at Ephesus, why does Paul begin chapter 1 by repeating the phrase “in Him” so often?

4) How is the Holy Spirit a down payment of our inheritance as saints? (verses 13-14)

Ephesians 1:1-14

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will: To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus. 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. 5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ 10 as a plan for the right time – to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him. 11 In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, 12 so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory. 13 In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. 14 The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.

Original Intent

1) What important truths do we miss if we rush through the greeting of the writer? (verses 1-2) Rebecca writes in yesterday’s Journey Study regarding Paul’s introduction, “in just the first 14 verses, we, the Church, every saved-from-sin-rescued-from-death believer, are hereby declared…”
What a wonderful word description and declaration for the Church! In his greeting, Paul identifies three important aspects of this letter: 1) he identifies himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ by God’s will; 2) he identifies the Ephesian recipients (both Jew & Gentile, 2:11-13) as the saints of Jesus Christ; 3) he identifies that his message is from God. This declaration of identity is then fully enlarged in the following verses. We do not skim the greeting because its significance is essential to our understanding of the remaining verses. Once we know the writer (Paul), the audience (Christian Jews & Gentiles in Ephesus), the message (grace & peace), and the original author (God), we can appreciate Paul’s enthusiasm in the following verses. As blessed saints, we are showered with grace and peace from God. For those who are in Christ, this grace and peace is lavished on us through endless blessings from the One and Only God of blessing.

2) What significance does the theme of “blessing” in verse 3 have on the rest of the passage?
Simply stated, it is everything. The word “blessing” is a translation of the Greek word eulogy, and it means “to speak well of.” All these verses (3-14) are focused on Paul’s charge to the Church to bless the Father. We declare God blessed by praising Him “with worshipping love.” (HCG Moule, A Commentary on Ephesians) It is essential to note that this passage comprises one long sentence in Greek. (enduringword.com) It appears that Paul is writing from such an overwhelmed condition that he hardly takes a breath between thoughts. It is as if Paul breaks out in a song of praise that he does not quite know how to end! When he considers all the spiritual blessings he has received from God, he cannot contain his worship. Pastor John Piper helps us understand what Paul is expressing, “When God blesses men they are helped and strengthened and made better off than they were before; but when men bless God He is not helped or strengthened or made better off. Rather, it is an exclamation and expression of gratitude and admiration.” The faithful saints of God, including Paul, bless Him by recognizing His glory and goodness which were demonstrated in the way He has blessed the believer with every spiritual blessing. Wow!

3) In the context of this whole letter to the church at Ephesus, why does Paul begin chapter 1 by repeating the phrase “in Him” so often?
Every believer has available to him or her certain, eternal spiritual resources. All those who are in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, are on the receiving end of God’s blessings.  What does Paul mean when he writes we have been blessed “with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.”? (verse 3) It has been expressed like this, “Contrary to some beliefs, [blessings] are not some mysterious power or cosmic connection reserved for a select few. They are the key benefits of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.” (Primary Source Unavailable) Although some Bible translations (NIV, ESV) leave out the two expressions from the original Greek  (“in him” and “into him” in verses 5 and 10), likely because they appear unnecessarily repetitive, I agree with New Testament Professor Kenneth Berding, “Union with Christ (‘in-Christ-ness’) is crucial to Paul’s thought and is repeatedly snuck in by Paul. Union with Christ can be viewed as a web that extends into the rest of Paul’s theology and holds it together. Perhaps Paul isn’t simply being redundant. It could be he is being intentionally repetitive, even in-your-face repetitive, because the idea of being united with Christ is so significant to him.” (The Good Book blog, Talbot School of Theology)
(2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

4) How is the Holy Spirit a down payment of our inheritance as saints? (verses 13-14)
Of all the spiritual blessings listed in the previous verses, perhaps the blessing of the Holy Spirit is the one that best ties them all together. When we become the daughters of God through Christ, He places His stamp of ownership on us, promising us a never-ending guarantee of salvation. Union with Christ means: We are chosen (verse 4), we are adopted (verse 5), we are accepted (verse 6), we are redeemed (verse 7), and we are forgiven (verse 8). It also means we gain wisdom (verse 9) and a guaranteed inheritance (verse 11). God reveals the genuineness of the believer’s relationship with Him as the Holy Spirit testifies through our lives when they look more and more like Christ. This guarantee, this assurance, acts as “the down payment of our inheritance.” It is God who holds us fast. It is our union with Jesus Christ the Son, by the power of His Holy Spirit, that we are kept safe until the day Jesus returns for us and brings us into His eternal kingdom. This is all done to the praise, and for the glory, of God. We return full circle to verse 3, “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!”

Everyday Application

1) What important truths do we miss if we rush through the greeting of the writer? (verses 1-2) “Paul, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed), by the will of God [that is, by His purpose and choice],To the saints (God’s people) who are at Ephesus and are faithful and loyal and steadfast in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (AMP (amplified) Version) Oh, friend, do you see the good news Paul was greeting the church at Ephesus with? As a chosen representative of the Messiah, by God’s choosing and for God’s purposes, he proclaimed grace and peace to them and upon them. It is this ‘grace and peace’ that is always available to all the people of God who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:27-30) It is this ‘grace and peace’ that brings spiritual blessings too numerous to count and too wonderful to fathom!
“Grace and peace, oh how can this be?
Let songs of gratefulness ever rise, never cease.
Loved by God and called as a saint, my heart is satisfied in the riches of Christ.
Oh, what an amazing mystery that Your grace has come to me!” (Grace &Peace by Sovereign Grace Worship)

2) What significance does the theme of “blessing” in verse 3 have on the rest of the passage?
If you follow any sort of social media, most likely you have seen it: Hashtag “blessed.” (#blessed) Though I have never personally used the hashtag sentiment, I would be less than honest if I did not admit my own tendency to equate the good things in my life as being a reward for my good works. It is way too tempting these days to post pictures of parties, or décor, or gatherings, or vacations as a way of picturing my blessings for all to see. After all, I really AM #blessed. Dear sister, testifying of our blessings is certainly not the problem. Paul was so overwhelmed by his blessings he created the longest run-on sentence in the New Testament. James reminds us that every good thing the believer has is indeed a blessing from God. (James 1:17) The problem lies with confusing the spiritual with the material. Too often, we allow our perspective to be hindered by the obstacle of discontentment. It simply does not matter if we are rich or poor, healthy or sick, powerful or weak by the world’s standards. Paul reminds us we are all #BLESSED in Jesus!

3) In the context of this whole letter to the church at Ephesus, why does Paul begin chapter 1 by repeating the phrase “in Him” so often?
John Stott says, “The expressions ‘in Christ,’ ‘in the Lord,’ and ‘in Him’ occur 164 times in the letters of Paul alone. To be ‘in Christ’ does not mean to be inside Christ, as tools are in a box or our clothes in a closet, but to be organically united to Christ, as a limb is in the body or a branch is in the tree. It is this personal relationship with Christ that is the distinctive mark of His authentic followers. What distinguishes the true followers of Jesus from false pretenders is neither their creed, nor their code of ethics, nor their ceremonies, nor their culture, but Christ. What is often mistakenly called ‘Christianity’ is, in essence, neither a religion nor a system, but a person, Jesus of Nazareth.”
In Christ, we are blessed with “every blessing”. We have them all within our reach. Read through these verses again as a prayer, and thank God for blessing you beyond what you could ever ask or imagine. Close your prayer in intercession (praying for others) and doxology (praising God for His blessings). (Ephesians 3:14-21)

4) How is the Holy Spirit a down payment of our inheritance as saints? (verses 13-14)
The Greek word for “down payment” is used only in the New Testament in regards to the Holy Spirit. He is our only down payment of coming glory; nothing else is provided or needed. (biblehub.com) The saints of God have an assurance that there will come a time when we will take possession of our full inheritance. John Calvin wrote, “We do not have the full enjoyment of it at present. Seeing that the Holy Spirit reigns in our hearts, we have something for which to give praise even in the midst of all our temptations. [So] we should rejoice, mourn, grieve, give thanks, be content, wait.” (Ephesians Sermon, 1558—59). When we fully grasp in our hearts the inheritance that awaits us, we are better able to sincerely give God praise even during trials. No matter what you are facing, friend, I believe Paul would remind you we have God’s guarantee of eternal glory, through His Holy Spirit that dwells with us. The God who validates our relationship with Him by His own Spirit, will absolutely keep us until the big reveal. That will be the day He testifies of our redemption and takes final and forever possession of His inheritance – US! (Romans 8:16 1 John 3:1-3)

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

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Calling Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Pause IV Day 15 Joy

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Today’s reading is the crown jewel of the book of Habakkuk because it describes the pinnacle of God’s work in His prophet’s heart. Remember where Habakkuk started, and then read these verses. Only the Lord could bring Habakkuk’s wrestling, angry, fearful, indignant heart to a place of complete and utter worship and dependence on God alone.

This is where God longs for each of our hearts to journey towards!

Trust.
Reliance.
Adoration.

Not for circumstances, but in spite of them.

Notice Habakkuk’s determined statement of faith, “I will rejoice in the Lord, Yahweh. I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”

Habakkuk resolutely chose joy in the face of exile, because He intimately knew the goodness of his God!

As we close out Pause 4 and our study of the ancient prophet, Habakkuk, know that his God is your God. We pray your heart has been encouraged because you have come to know Him better, which will result in deep joy!

Today's Invitation

1) Read through Habakkuk 3:17-19 out loud today twice. Slowly. Explore deeper by studying some cross-references or write out your own version of these verses using your circumstances. Give them over to the Lord as you pray!

2) Here is our last hand-crafted Spotify playlist for Pause 4! Remember, you are prayed over and delighted in! Put this playlist on repeat this weekend and be reminded of the rich truths God has shown you this week in Pause 4! Remember Habakkuk set this last passage to a song as an offering to the Lord from his heart. Let your worship be an act of joy before your God!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!

Join the GT Community on Facebook!

Habakkuk 3:17-19

17 Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
19 God, the Lord, is my strength;
He makes my feet like the deer’s;
He makes me tread on my high places.
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.

How Does “Pause” Work?
1. Each day, Monday through Friday, for 3 weeks, we will provide you with an invitation to get away with the Savior. Each one is designed for you to engage with the Almighty in a deeper way and perhaps in a new way than you have been recently.

2. Having a journal is a must! You’ll want to take notes as you walk this special Journey of Pause.

3. Each week focuses on one or two passage of Scripture and we walk with you as you study and flesh these out for yourself. As you write your thoughts, read His Word, and pray, questions might come up. That’s Perfect! Ask a trusted fellow believer, a pastor, or send us an email as you work through them!

4. Jumping in at the middle? No problem! Here is the entire Journey Theme.

5. Connect with others on Facebook by visiting our GT Community Group!

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

Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies
in Pause IV!

Blessed Day 10 Blessed Are The Pure In Heart

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 5:3-10
Psalm 15
Psalm 24:1-6

Blessed, Day 10

Blessed. It’s a word frequently used when someone receives a new house, car, job, or promotion. Often, it also describes births and weddings. You get the picture. But imagine thinking bigger and broader. Would you try with me?

As we’ve been discussing in our theme on the Beatitudes, Jesus set forth eight blessings for specific characteristics His followers should embody. Today, let’s focus on Matthew 5:8:

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

So blessing is something we receive, but the full truth is much bigger and more significant! Being pure in heart is a blessing because we’ll get to see God. Glory!!

I remember reading two accounts of God showing the glory of His presence to a specific person. The first was in Exodus 33:7-23, when Moses, who had already experienced a physical manifestation of God’s presence via the pillar of cloud, asked God, “Please, let me see your glory.” (Exodus 33:18) The other account was in 1 Kings 19:9-13, when Elijah was fleeing from Jezebel and the Lord came to him in a whisper.

When I was going through a particularly rough time, these passages inspired me to pray, “Lord, I’m no Moses or Elijah, but would You please show me Your glory?” It was a bold prayer, to be sure. And after I prayed, I felt the weight of it.

I remembered hearing the teaching “sinful man cannot stand before a holy God,” and I was reminded of Leviticus 11:44, which says “you must consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am holy.” Similarly, in Genesis 17:1, God commands Moses, “I am God Almighty. Live in my presence and be blameless.”

But how can sinful humans lead holy, blameless lives? Romans 3:10 tells us, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” Taken alone, this verse would be discouraging. However, we can have a pure heart! But it is never of our own doing.

Psalm 24:5 shows us how to begin developing a pure heart. “He will receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” 

Salvation is the first step toward a pure heart. When we accept God’s free gift of eternal life and repent of our sins, our hearts are made pure and cleansed from the stain of sin.

This purity of heart allows the Holy Spirit to come and dwell within us. Adam and Eve were able to be physically close with God because He walked with them in Eden. (Genesis 3:8) But we actually have God living in us! While we cannot see God on this side of heaven and live (1 Timothy 6:16), we can, and do, live with the transforming presence of the Holy Spirit.

Make no mistake, we will still sin. However, when we are maturing in our faith, we allow the Holy Spirit to transform us to be more like Jesus. Jesus was without sin ( 1 John 3:5-6 ), so for us to be like Him, we must repent of our sins. We are led to repentance both by the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and by Jesus’ exemplary prayer in Matthew 6:12. This type of continual repentance is also part of being pure in heart.

And finally, our hearts are purified when we live in obedience to the Word of God. Paul speaks of this in 2 Corinthians 3:18, explaining how we are being made more like Jesus. This process continues in us until death or Jesus returns (whichever comes first). Daily, we live out the instruction of the Bible. Again, this is only possible by the work of God within us, through the person of the Holy Spirit.

The New Testament is packed with guidance for Godly living. One of my favorite passages is Colossians 3:1-17.

Verse 10 encourages us, “You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator.”

This is the work of the Holy Spirit within us.

And verse 4 assures us, “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will also appear with him in glory.”

This is the blessing for the pure in heart.

Hebrews 12:23 promises that in heaven, our spirits will be made perfect. Then, as “one who has clean hands and a pure heart” (Psalm 24:4), we will get to see God face-to-face. I don’t know about you, but I look forward to that day.

In the meantime, God continues to show me His glory in the beauty of nature, the kindness of His people, growth in myself, and the beauty and goodness of His Word, to name just a few.

And you, Sister? How do you experience the glory of God? As you contemplate your journey, where are you encouraged and emboldened by the Spirit’s purifying transformation of your heart?

Let’s hold tight to these touches of His presence as we allow God in us to keep our hearts pure until the glorious day we see Him face-to-face.

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

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 Blessed Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

Blessed Day 9 Blessed Are The Merciful: 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 Blessed Are The Merciful!

The Questions

1) How did faith in Christ’s goodness translate into the giving of mercy?

2) Why does our faith make Christ turn towards us?

3) What made Jesus turn around and see the woman hidden in the crowd?

Matthew 9:18-22

While He spoke these things to them, behold a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live. So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well. But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well. And the woman was made well from that hour.

Original Intent

1) How did faith in Christ’s goodness translate into the giving of mercy?
The law was the basis for Israelite society and was a blueprint for mankind to approach a holy God. The law is holy, its commandments are holy, righteous, and good. (Romans 7:12) Knowing the commandment declared a woman like her unclean, she took her life in her hands and made a gamble. The command says, “If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, that goes beyond her customary impurity she shall be unclean. Everything she touches and sits on is unclean. Any person that touches her or an object that came in contact with her shall be unclean until evening.” The woman with the issue of blood was a living breathing scarlet letter. The commandment which was to bring life brought death to her relationships and her standing among God’s people. But the goodness of God embodied in the Son of God brought life that day. The laws of uncleanness declared that no one could approach the temple of God and defile it, the penalty was divine retribution or death. Thankfully, we serve a God full of mercy, and God’s mercy is rooted in His goodness. It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance. (Romans 2:4) The word had spread that Jesus was near and the woman reached out on the chance that His goodness and mercy would heal even a woman like her. Instead of divine retribution for touching the living temple of God, she received grace, mercy, and healing.

2) Why does our faith make Christ turn towards us?
During Jesus’ day, the Pharisees taught the people a purity code. This purity and holiness code were based on being untouched or undefiled by unclean things or people. “If the holy or unclean came into contact, one or the other ceased to exist: the holy became unholy or it destroyed the unclean thing”. In this culture, the holy is kept away from unclean things lest either one is destroyed. But what is the most important thing to a God that has confined all under sin? (Romans 11:32) The reason all have been confined to sin is so He might have mercy on all! The path of mercy is laid by the stones of faith. For without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) The righteousness which is of faith is not based on outward appearance. It is not based on a set of rules and regulations that keep the marginalized out and away from sight. The righteousness of faith gives us peace with God through Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1) Jesus made sure to tell the woman in front of the crowd it was her faith that moved the hand and heart of God that day.

3) What made Jesus turn around and see the woman hidden in the crowd?
In Mark’s version of this story there are a couple more details that give additional context. The first is that a multitude is pressing against Jesus and the disciples. Imagine if the Rock decided to take a stroll through town and word got out he was giving out autographs. As the Rock is making his way to a friend’s house the crowd presses to get a chance to see him. However, the Rock has some bodyguards around him, trying and failing, to keep the crowd under control. In the midst of the chaos, a woman pushes through crawling and getting stepped on for a chance to touch the cuff of his pants. The Rock feels something tugging at the bottom of his pants and suddenly stops and demands to know who touched him? When this happened with Jesus, of course the disciples’ reaction was, “Are you kidding me right now?!” I know you see this crowd of people and you’re asking “Who touched my clothes”? In Mark’s version, the woman knew immediately she was healed and Jesus knew immediately He had intentionally healed. I don’t know what made the woman shrink back into the crowd after receiving her healing, perhaps it was fear or shame at being on public display. Thankfully, Jesus stopped everything and everyone from moving, in order to acknowledge her miracle and call her Daughter. If Jesus did not publicly acknowledge it, the society around her would have still treated the woman as an outcast. I’m glad our Savior didn’t let the woman shrink back into the shadows. That day, she received her healing for her body and soul.

Everyday Application

1) How did faith in Christ’s goodness translate into the giving of mercy?
Many times in life, we have received a message of promise from our God, that defies belief. God has given us a word of healing and restoration, but the circumstances shout a different reality. A marriage that has no hope of reconciliation, a wayward child that has abandoned the faith, or a sick and tired body bound with pain. It can be a struggle to see the goodness of God in the midst of life’s circumstances. Especially if the circumstances have lasted for years, like the woman with the issue of blood; goodness, hope, and mercy can seem like alien concepts. One day Moses had a meeting with the Lord God and asked to see His glory. Instead, the Lord God decided to give Moses a revelation of His goodness, “I will make all My goodness pass before you.” (Exodus 33:19) “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” (Exodus 34:6-7) Goodness and mercy walk hand in hand. In fact, the roots of mercy are found in the goodness of God. Because we know that God is good, He will have mercy to those that call on His name. One, long ago day, the woman encountered the goodness of God passing before her just like Moses and trusting in Christ’s goodness her faith made her whole. I would implore you to ask God for a fresh revelation of His goodness towards you. Like the psalmist says His goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life (Psalm 23:6), and I would have lost heart unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13)

2) Why does our faith make Christ turn towards us?
In Hebrews 11:6 it says, “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”. Have you ever stopped to wonder what did the author of Hebrews mean by the phrase, “He is”? He is what exactly? It doesn’t say it’s almost like a fill in the blank scenario He is ___. It reminds me of when Moses asked God “If they ask for your name what should I say to them? God replies tell them I AM has sent you.” (Exodus 3:13-14) Most gods then and now are known primarily for one thing. In Hinduism if you need help with love or fertility, you would pray to Gauri. In Buddhist teachings, you would pray to Chana Dorje for power. Because Yahweh is all-encompassing, He is everything you need. When approaching the I AM, and the HE IS you must remember that because of Christ’s sacrifice, He has forever proven He is good and He hears you. Once you realize the goodness which leads you to repentance, you know He hears your requests. You can be confident in your position in Christ. “Now this is the confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” (1 John 5:14) That confidence is your faith in Christ, just like the woman with the issue of blood had confidence in Christ’s ability to heal. You have confident faith that He is whatever your situation needs at the moment. The great I AM is good. The great I AM is loving, and the great I AM is the author and finisher of your faith. That confidence in God Himself is what causes Him to turn towards you.

3) What made Jesus turn around and see the woman hidden in the crowd?
One thing I have noticed as I’ve grown older, is that people are really good at hiding hurt and shame. There is a good reason for hiding because life can be cruel, especially when we are most vulnerable. Over time we put on masks to hide the hurt, shame, and pain of life. Like the woman with the issue of blood, we can become so good at hiding, that those around us can’t see and we get trampled underfoot by the crowd. Part of the process of restoration involves revealing those hidden parts we like to hide and bringing them into the light. Because God looks at the inward heart of man, He is more than capable of healing wounds the eye cannot see. The beautiful part of the story of the woman with the issue of blood and Jesus is that He ended her days of hiding from the crowd. Jesus purposely called her out and, instead of shaming her, gave her double honor. During these lockdowns, protests, and pandemics it can be easy to get lost in the midst of so many social issues, but even in the midst of all these things, you are still the apple of His eye. You are hidden no more.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Blessed Are The Merciful!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Blessed Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Redeemed Day 8 From Empty To Full

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ruth 1:20-21
Ruth 2:17-23
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Redeemed, Day 8

A beautiful theme we find throughout Scripture is God’s delight in taking the marginalized, downtrodden, destitute, and abused outcasts and bringing them close to Himself. He showers them with His love and redemption, changing both their stories and their hearts.

He reveals His tender Father-heart toward all who trust Him for salvation by forevermore making them into an example of His amazing redemption.

We’re already deep into Ruth’s story, but if you’d like a refresher, catch up here!
Once Upon A Time
The Lord Is Against Me
Comfort In The Bitter
Favored Not Forsaken

In fact, don’t take our words for it, read Ruth’s short book for yourself!
It’s truly a beautiful story.

We’re picking up Naomi’s story of emptiness in the middle of her literal destitution. She has suffered the heavy losses of spouse, two sons, and hope-filled dreams of a future, and now, entirely empty, she is in a prime position to receive from the Lord.

While Naomi has sunk to the depths of utter desolation, we find God at work in her life.

Perhaps, like Naomi, you feel empty?
Perhaps you are overwhelmed with loss and bitterness from a life that hasn’t turned out as you’d imagined.
Perhaps the hurt is too great to bear and you’ve shut away all feeling, resigned to go through the motions of living until your body wears out.

Take heart, precious sister, because Naomi’s story doesn’t end here.
Your story doesn’t either.

Upon her return to her homeland, God begins using people close to Naomi to demonstrate His faithfulness, goodness, and kind provision.

In chapter 2, we find resourceful and hardworking Ruth asking Naomi to allow her to glean in the barley field belonging to Boaz, a distant relative. Boaz not only generously allows her to glean in his field, but also ensures she has access to as much of the harvest as possible, providing Ruth and Naomi with their much-needed sustenance. Furthermore, Boaz issues clear orders for Ruth’s emotional and physical protection.

God provides for Ruth and Naomi’s physical needs, both securing their safety and delivering sustenance in abundance.

And He isn’t finished there!

As we continue on through the book, we see God’s plan for full restoration unfold. God stirs Boaz’s heart, and Boaz steps in to become Ruth’s kinsman redeemer, thereby providing Ruth (and through her, Naomi) with full financial and familial redemption.

Through Ruth and Boaz, God has answered the cry of Naomi’s heart.
He has restored her relationships: she is once again part of a loving, growing family.

Most importantly, He has rekindled hope within Naomi’s spirit.

Throughout this four-chapter book, we see firsthand the power of community and friendship. Sometimes, in the midst of deepest pain, it can be nearly impossible to hear past the scream of hurt in our hearts and clamor of spiraling negative thoughts.

In those moments, ever faithful, God provides.
He sends a Ruth.

Through Ruth’s hands at work in the fields, God reminded Naomi of His faithful
provision.
Through Ruth’s arms wrapped around Naomi’s slumped shoulders, God reminded
Naomi of His abiding love.
Through Ruth’s steadfast encouragement, God spoke to Naomi of hope.
Of promise fulfilled.
Of joy to come. (Psalm 30:5)

Their beautiful example of life-giving friendship personifies Ecclesiastes 4:9-12:
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.
For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?
And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

The Lord created friendship and chooses to use the beautiful healing power of community and friendship to encourage, bolster, and uphold those who are hurting. To those who have never heard the gospel, being in relationship with someone like Ruth is an opportunity to encounter Jesus.

Just as Ruth was the hands, arms, and sweet voice of Jesus speaking truth and life back into Naomi’s bitter spirit, so too can we demonstrate the love of God to those around us who are hurting. May we remember the power and love we are called to emulate for one another as the body of Christ and in the lost world around us!

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Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Redeemed 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) Whether you are gleefully looking into the face of your future with bright eyes and high hopes, or you have weathered many storms of loss, heartache, and grief, the Lord has a storyline for you. Regardless of where you are in your journey, whether beginning, middle, or end, the Lord’s pen has not yet halted, leaving you alone. He, the maker of our stories, invites us deeper, moving beyond the surface to see the woven fabric underneath. The tale He weaves touches more lives and carries deeper significance than we can fathom. Will you surrender your pen to His hand and allow His fullness to overwhelm you or will you keep holding onto the myth of control, attempting to navigate the pages of your story on your own? Take some time to journal out what it looks like to surrender your happily ever after to the Lord.

2) How often have you felt deeply that the Lord was indeed against you just as Naomi felt? She voiced her feelings, her beliefs, clearly. Yet, God did not hold this gut-wrenching honesty against her; rather, He walked beside her in her grief. Naomi felt alone, but she was not alone. She felt abandoned, but God had never left her side. He was intimately involved with every detail surrounding Naomi’s situation, even her agony. Can you relate to Naomi? When have you walked a pathway of grief so painful you have wondered aloud if the Lord had left you alone? Feel the freedom to express your fears and your feelings, but don’t sink your teeth into them so firmly you’re unwilling to hold onto truth. To help you practically remember the truth of God’s nearness and love this weekend, click for a free printable you can download and print for your bathroom mirror or kitchen wall!

3) Often, we find it most easy to look back over the plotline of our lives and see our struggles, our lows, and see the landscape which caused pain or loss. As you reflect on these periods in your own life, where do you see the goodness of the Lord showing up and being present with you? As Naomi, full of grief and loss, left all she knew and returned to a homeland with empty hands instead of full, the Lord provided for her. She did not see the fullness God would bless her with. She could not know the redemption that was coming, but still, He was faithfully walking beside her. His proof was Ruth. Take time to reflect on your own proof of the Lord faithfully showing up and walking alongside you. Praise Him for never abandoning! Share those moments of victory with someone else who might need encouragement to keep trusting the Father! If you don’t readily see His hand, pray and ask Him to show you! He is near!

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 Joel 2:25-27 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

I will repay you for the years
that the swarming locust ate,
the young locust, the destroying locust,
and the devouring locust—
my great army that I sent against you.
26 You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied.
You will praise the name of the Lord your God,
who has dealt wondrously with you.
My people will never again be put to shame.
27 You will know that I am present in Israel
and that I am the Lord your God,
and there is no other.
My people will never again be put to shame.

Prayer Journal
Ah Lord God, that You would love me enough to plan for my salvation and my rescue from my own sin before the beginning of time is profoundly radical; I could think of this amazing love and never grow tired of it! But Your love is more pervasive still, intent on redeeming all things! God, this love is too magnificent for me to grasp! I am so unworthy of such divinely intimate love! To walk beside me in my brokenness, and point my eyes forward to the hope of redemption is amazing! Thank you for loving me so deeply, Father. How wonderful you are! Remind me of these truths and teach my heart to worship You in good times and in difficult!

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