Greatness

Wilderness Day 4 Job’s Wilderness & My Own: 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 Job’s Wilderness & My Own!

The Questions

1) Why does Job assert he will emerge from his testing as pure gold? (verse 10)

2) Why does Job say that God terrifies him? (verses 15-16)

3) Why does Job say he is not destroyed by the darkness that covers his face? (verse 17)

Job 23:10-17

Yet he knows the way I have taken; when he has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold. 11 My feet have followed in His tracks; I have kept to His way and not turned aside. 12 I have not departed from the commands from His lips; I have treasured the words from His mouth more than my daily food. 13 But He is unchangeable; who can oppose Him? He does what He desires. 14 He will certainly accomplish what He has decreed for me, and He has many more things like these in mind. 15 Therefore I am terrified in His presence; when I consider this, I am afraid of Him. 16 God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me. 17 Yet I am not destroyed by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face.

Original Intent

1) Why does Job assert he will emerge from his testing as pure gold? (verse 10)
In Job’s biblical account, the Lord tested His servant by allowing him to lose his children, possessions, and health (Job 1:13-19, Job 2:7) John Piper explains that in testing Job, “God chooses to get an open victory over Satan for His own glory. A test will show that in the heart of Job God Himself is more highly esteemed than any possession or any family member.” God knew Job was a man of integrity who feared God (Job 1:8) and wouldn’t turn away from the Lord because of trouble. In fact, Job avowed, “When He has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold.” (verse 10) Although he wavered and struggled because of his difficulties, Job ultimately honored God with his actions and responses to the trials he faced. Job knew that just as gold comes out of intense fire pure and refined, he would come through the Lord’s testing better, wiser, and more steadfast in faith. (Job 42:1-7) Eugene Peterson remarks that when we go through suffering, our “lives are often transformed, deepened, marked with beauty and holiness, in remarkable ways that could never have been anticipated before the suffering.” Although Job was frustrated and discouraged, he did not curse God or give up, as he was encouraged to do. (Job 2:9-10) He complained and protested, but he held no anger against God at his great loss. (Job 13:15) Job knew God was worth more to him than everything else on earth. (Psalm 73:25-26) He respected God’s sovereignty and trusted His perfect will and plan. When we experience trials and troubles, we can follow Job’s example of trust in God and come through the struggles wiser, closer to God, and deeper in our faith.

2) Why does Job say that God terrifies him? (verses 15-16)
Job declared he was terrified of God (verses 15-16) because he witnessed the extremes of the Lord’s decrees for his life. God blessed Job with great wealth and happiness, but He also allowed Satan to test Job with multiple calamities that shook his faith. Because of this, Job developed a healthy fear, or deep awe-filled respect, of God and His power. Albert Barnes declares that God, “who has an eternal plan, and who is able to accomplish all that He purposes, and who makes known none of His dealings beforehand, should be an object of veneration and fear.” Job knew God held everything in His hands and can change everything as He sees fit in the blink of an eye. Job was awed by the sheer magnitude of God’s might. He realized that just as God can be amazingly gracious, He can also allow everything to be taken in an instant. This caused him to declare himself afraid of the Almighty. Job’s fear of God was not like the fear of man, which the Bible calls a snare. (Proverbs 29:25) God actually instructs the whole earth to fear the Lord. (Psalm 33:8) Scripture informs us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 9:10, Psalm 111:10) Having a reverential respect for God makes us happy (Psalm 112:1) and is a fountain of life to help us avoid the snares of death. (Proverbs 14:27) Job was in awe of God’s greatness and sovereign power, which kept him from sinning against the Lord and allowed him to accept the good and the bad that came into his life. Job accepted that God knew more than him, and that God’s ways were better than his own; this reverence blessed Job’s life.

3) Why does Job say he is not destroyed by the darkness that covers his face? (verse 17)
After Job suffered from the testing God allowed, he declared himself “terrified of God and faint of heart”. (verse 16) Even so, he proclaimed he wasn’t destroyed by the “thick darkness that covers my face”. (verse 17) Job announced that though he was down for the count, he was not out. He endured the testing of the Lord and lived to tell the tale. He suffered immense loss, but he did not die and neither did he lose his faith. He survived to rebuild and thrive in the aftermath of the Lord’s dealings with him. Interestingly, Paul expressed something similar in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, when he wrote, “We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.” James also wrote about troubles, “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” (James 1:2-3) When God allows suffering, it is never without cause. Suffering produces endurance, like for Paul and James. Or like for Job, it can draw us closer to God. Ann Voskamp suggests, “That which tears open our souls, those holes that splatter our sight, may actually become the thin, open places to see through the mess of this place to the heart-aching beauty beyond. To Him. To the God whom we endlessly crave.” Thanks be to God for redeeming the painful tragedies of our lives and using them to bring us close to Him!

Everyday Application

1) Why does Job assert he will emerge from his testing as pure gold? (verse 10)
When I read Job’s belief that he will “emerge from his testing as pure gold” (verse 10), I think of the saying “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. In Job’s case, he hoped he would be killed, or had never been born. (Job 3) Times could not have been harder for Job. He lost everything except his relationship with God. Through his trials he learned God was all he really needed, and that God was more important than anything. Eric Ortlund asserts that “When God puts us into a position where we must hold onto our relationship with God for God’s sake only—in which we stand to gain nothing but God—we start to receive him more fully than we ever had before.” When Job was tested, he clung to God. He questioned and complained and lamented, but he never turned his back on God. He recognized that whatever reason God had for testing him, he would come through the trials “as pure gold” because he trusted and hoped in God. Today our culture holds this hope that some good will come from going through hard times. The apostle Paul tells us that God works “all things together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purposes”. (Romans 8:28) Eventually, God blessed Job with more than he ever lost, working everything out for Job’s good and God’s glory. (Job 42:12) May we also see our hardships as opportunities to lean into God and realize He is truly all we need. (Philippians 4:19)

2) Why does Job say that God terrifies him? (verses 15-16)
I recently saw something I wanted; a 5-year planner. I love knowing what to expect; mapping out the next five years would be reassuring, even if it’s not realistic. Not knowing what to expect is slightly terrifying. It is so easy to expend time and energy trying to figure out what the future holds. Dread of the unknown also frightened Job. He went from having ten children and a valuable estate at the beginning of the day to having nothing by the end of the same day. Knowing God could change things so drastically at any time made Job realize how powerfulness and finite he was compared to God. He feared this All-Powerful God who could give and take away, but it was a righteous fear, a reverent respect for a God so far above his own ways and thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9) Although God’s ways are “unsearchable and untraceable” (Romans 11:33), we do have some idea of what to expect as God’s child. He doesn’t spell out His specific plans for us, but He proclaims they are good. He will give us a hope and a future in Him when we trust Him as our Savior. (Jeremiah 29:11) He also declares we will encounter struggle in this world, but He has overcome the world. (John 16:33) God lets us know what He wants us to do no matter what lies ahead; He created us to do good works (Ephesians 2:10), which include being fair, faithful, and humble. (Micah 6:8) The truth giving me the most peace when facing the unknown is that no matter what happens, God is in control (Isaiah 14:24) and I can trust Him (Isaiah 25:1) As I continue facing uncertainty, I purpose to trust the God who gives, takes away, and is lovingly in control of everything.

3) Why does Job say he is not destroyed by the darkness that covers his face? (verse 17)
When something sorrowful happens, like the death of a loved one or the abuse of a child, people sometimes get angry with God or doubt His existence, questioning why He would allow such tragedy. For some, the pain and grief cannot be overcome and they sink into sorrow and despair. This could have happened to Job after losing his children, his possessions, his health, and his friendships. He had nothing left to lose but his life and his faith. Still, Job was not “destroyed by the thick darkness that covers my face”. (verse 17) He learned through the course of his trials that even through heartache, God could be trusted. Hannah Hurnard writes, “The High Places of victory and union with Christ can be reached by learning to accept, day by day, the actual conditions and tests permitted by God, by laying down of our own will and accepting His. The lessons [are] of accepting and triumphing over evil, of becoming acquainted with grief, and pain, and of finding them transformed into something incomparably precious.” When we endure suffering, we are drawn closer to God (Psalm 23:4, Psalm 34:18) and are made more like our Lord (Hebrews 12:10). No matter what God allows to enter into our lives, we know He is true and trustworthy. (Psalm 33:4) Suffering is “producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:16-17), a reward in heaven that will be so much better than anything we could imagine on earth!

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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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Worship IX Day 13 Lyrical Pursuit

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Proverbs 14:27
Psalm 5:11-12
1 Chronicles 16:9-24
Psalm 7
Colossians 3:15-17

Worship IX, Day 13

From as early as I can remember, music has been a part of me. At about age 5, I would clear the living room coffee table and begin my “practice sessions,” which consisted of my fingers playing imaginary piano keys and the only audible notes, my constant hum. I mean, really, that coffee table sounded Ah-mazing! 

By age eight, I was practicing with actual piano keys. The sound from those sessions might have been more of a bang, but I was so excited to begin my musical journey! By age 12, I had been a part of numerous piano recitals. At 16, I was playing our church’s offertory each Sunday, and singing monthly specials at church. By age 30, I had been in several musical groups for school and church, and thus began my worship team experience.

I have dabbled in many musical genres throughout the years, but this worship leader was always drawn back to hymns, Christian contemporary, and worship music.

Here’s my story…

I could not contain my excitement any longer! The anticipation was almost overwhelming! Eeeeek! You see, my favorite artist of all time was putting out new music, a new tape! Ok, wait a minute, I just told you my age. A tape means another soundtrack, a CD! Ahem.

“The long-ago moment danced and breathed and lived inside her.”
(A Distant Shore, Karen Kingsbury)

And my “long-ago moment”… 

I was a teenager awaiting the anticipated soundtrack, Lead Me On, from a popular artist, Amy Grant. Whenever a new song was released, I continuously listened to the lyrics and music. I would lay on my bed, pouring over the lyrics, line by line, memorizing each word, verse by verse, chorus to bridge; knowing exactly when to come in. (For us musicians, it’s all about the lyrics, timing, tempo, and beat!)

As years passed, I began viewing lyrics and music a bit differently. I discovered how it shaped my outlook on life, love, and relationships. At the Desiring God 2008 National Conference, John Piper said, “Music can move our emotions, but it can’t speak propositional truth.” Oh my, does it speak! So let’s talk about emotions and music.

Emotions play an important role in music, but emotions are momentary, fading upon each minute in our fleeting lives, a roller coaster of feelings dependent on our circumstances, our expectations, our hopes, our fears—well, you get the picture.

But what if song lyrics became a “prayer” and spoke truth to our souls? Or, better yet, what if the cries of our souls became a lyrical pursuit of praise?

Let me give an example. Look up a song on YouTube. It could be one of your worship favorites, or a song that is speaking to you today. Mine is “Great You Are” by Jordan Smith.

I’ll give you a few minutes . . . ready? Ok, now listen to the video.

Look through the lyrics. If it helps, retrieve a song with a lyric video. Really hear the song. Can you feel what the writer or the artist is trying to convey? What emotions are you feeling as you listen? In the song mentioned above, it is speaking of the greatness of my God. I ponder all He has done for me!

These days, many songs also have a “story behind the song” video. Does yours? If your song doesn’t have one, then listen to it again, paying special attention to words or phrases that contain Scripture reference. (“Great You Are,” see Luke 19:39-40) Do you see how this song could be a prayer of praise to the Holy One?

Here’s another example: “No One Higher” (Psalm 145:3) by Aaron Shust. 👈🏼👈🏼Go ahead, click the link. Notice the Scripture references at the end of each line? This song speaks of the Truth and gives praise and honor to Whom it is due, God. (Psalm 65:1, Psalm 92:1)
God is Sovereign over all. There is no one higher than our God!

I went a little further and researched a familiar hymn, “How Great Thou Art.” I listened to many versions and then started looking up Scriptures like Psalm 145:3-7. Did you know the book of Psalms is actually a group of songs David wrote? Every Psalm could become a prayer of praise reminding us of Who God is! Isn’t this amazing?

Here is what I found, every lyrical line or stanza in How Great Thou Art speaks a different Psalm. In other words, while singing, we are singing Scripture. When we do this, our praise and worship becomes powerful! When we speak God’s Word back to Him, we are truly worshipping our Heavenly Father. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Now, how’s that for “lyrical pursuit?”

Oh, about my childhood soundtrack, I still know every lyric of every song on that album. Just listen to Lead Me On. Still speaks to me! I’m going right now to take another listen, too! 

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Worship VIII Day 5 How Great Thou Art

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Job 9:1-12
Psalm 139:1-18
John 1:1-5
Luke 1:46-50

Worship VIII, Day 5

“O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.”
(How Great Thou Art, lyrics by Stuart K. Hine)

When you consider creation, what comes to mind? Have you ever seen a close-up of a butterfly’s wings? Or a fly’s eye? Our great God created even the insects to be diverse and complex, for a purpose, and with protective measures in place. Yes, even for a fly.

In the beginning, God revealed His master design through creation. How many of us have marveled at the stars and planets in the night sky? We might even catch a glimpse of the vast Milky Way Galaxy, or the Northern Lights. While we see God’s handiwork all around us, how often do we thank Him for it?

When some of us are shoveling knee-deep snow from our walks this winter, will we stop to revel at the incredible uniqueness of each snowflake?

“When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze.”

It’s easy to express our appreciation to God when spending time in His creation or witnessing a spectacular sunrise or sunset . . .
But do we praise His greatness when the hard things happen?

Several years ago, I found myself riding in an ambulance with my daughter, the day before she turned 6. She was extremely ill with newly-diagnosed Type 1 diabetes. In hindsight, I realize we almost lost her. It was one of the hardest days of my life.

I confess I lacked gratitude to God during that time. Sure, I was thankful we’d caught the diabetes in time to save her life, and thankful for a kind, understanding healthcare team. But, juggling the terror of nearly losing my child and the overwhelming nature of her diagnosis and its implications for her life, was gratitude my first instinct? Probably not.

But now? Absolutely.

I give thanks to God for creating Drs. Banting and Best. Their discovery of how to use pigs to manufacture insulin for human use continues to save lives. Furthermore, I marvel how one little spot on a pancreas is vital for life. We are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made.

Are you struggling with a chronic illness? A diagnosis that came out of left field, as most do?

Let’s be honest with Him, bringing Him our fears, uncertainties, and even our anger.
Then, let’s look up. God knows all and God will indeed work all things for His glory.
Let’s sit in His Word, soaking in the truth of His character and His heart for us.
When we feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of all a diagnosis can steal from us, let’s fight back with gratitude for our great God, who walks with us, holds us and sustains us through whatever lies ahead. (Check out Laurie Wilcox’s story of lifting praise in the midst of a “left-field diagnosis”)

For example, a few years ago, I discovered I was grateful for fog-shrouded beaches. My mom, in apparent good health following bypass surgery, traveled to Florida to visit friends and family. Despite her full recovery, she became ill and was hospitalized.

Then came the phone call and a race to the airport.
I made it in time. I saw her awake … twice . . . before she passed away.

We began to slog through the official minutiae that follows death, especially one away from home. My sisters urged me to slip away, to regain my equilibrium after the whirlwind of the last few days.

I only had a few minutes to take one public access path to a nearby beach. Fog engulfed the walkway, thick and isolating.

But that stretch of beach . . . there was such a holy hush. It was as if God used the fog as His blanket, surrounding and comforting me.

Am I grateful to God for that hard time? Yes.
Do I wish things turned out differently? Of course.
But I still declare God’s greatness through it all.

“And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.”

Remembering my college days, when I didn’t know I was seeking Christ, and how He put people in my path to befriend me, speak His word over me, and give me glimpses of my Savior, I am awestruck and forever grateful.

When I contemplate how Christ, God made flesh, willingly took on the world’s sins in order to offer us eternal life, it blows my mind. Truly.

In our innate sinfulness, we are wretched.
Yet, as God’s creation, He considers us worth saving.
In fact, He wants none to perish. (2 Peter 3:9) He didn’t just take on the sins of people in 33AD; He took on the sins for generations and eons to come.

I am overwhelmingly grateful for the forgiveness I receive every time I repent, and that my burdens are lifted when taken to Jesus.

“When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, My God, how great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee…
How great Thou art.”

Soli Deo Gloria.
To God alone be the glory.

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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 Worship VIII Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Sketched VIII Day 7 Lazarus: 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 Lazarus!

The Questions

1)  How can we bless God on a daily basis? (verse 2)

2) What does David mean with the words ‘His greatness is unsearchable’? (verse 3)

3) How can we declare God’s greatness to others and why is this important? (verses 4-7)

Psalm 145:1-7

1 I exalt you, my God the King, and bless your name forever and ever. 2 I will bless you every day; I will praise your name forever and ever. 3 The Lord is great and is highly praised; His greatness is unsearchable. 4 One generation will declare your works to the next and will proclaim your mighty acts. 5 I will speak of your splendor and glorious majesty and your wondrous works. 6 They will proclaim the power of your awe-inspiring acts, and I will declare your greatness. 7 They will give a testimony of your great goodness and will joyfully sing of your righteousness.

Original Intent

1)  How can we bless God on a daily basis? (verse 2)
Although David was Israel’s king, he knew Who had given him this position, and he acknowledged God as his King when he proclaimed, “I exalt you, my God the King”. (verse 1) His view of God was so high that he couldn’t stop himself from praising and blessing Him. In studying the book of Psalms, we find a lovely collection of songs where David is actively blessing God. Very quickly, we see how blessing God goes hand in hand with praising Him. For example, Psalm 34:1 reads, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.” He continues by telling the people to join him in proclaiming the Lord’s greatness and exalting His name. (Psalm 34:3). In Psalm 104, the psalmist blesses God for the Creator He is. He begins and ends his psalm with, “My soul, bless the Lord!”. (Psalm 104:1; 35). Between these verses, we hear David praising God for His creation and the wonderful things He’s done. In 1 Chronicles 29:10 we read how David “blessed the Lord in the sight of all the assembly. David said, ‘May you be blessed, Lord God of our father Israel, from eternity to eternity.’”  He continues again with praising and exalting God’s name and His character. It’s clear that David blessed God through praises and exaltation from his heart.

2) What does David mean with the words ‘His greatness is unsearchable’? (verse 3)
Since David only used this exact statement in this particular verse, I looked at some other references found in the Bible to understand its meaning in full. Interestingly, I discovered that Job proclaimed similar words. Twice he stated, “[God] does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number.” (Job 5:9; 9:10) Just as David proclaimed the greatness of the Lord, so also Job says the same thing (which is incredible, since Job walked through a season of deep suffering and loss). For emphasis, Job adds that God is so great, His wonders cannot be numbered. With this statement, we’re simply told that, no matter how hard we try, we won’t be able to fully understand the greatness of our Father in heaven. This includes the plans He has for us. That’s how amazingly great He really is!

3) How can we declare God’s greatness to others and why is this important? (verses 4-7)
David answers this question within this same passage. He tells us to speak of the Lord’s splendor and glorious majesty, His wondrous works, and awe-inspiring acts. (Psalm 145:5-6) These acts give testimony of God’s greatness and righteousness. (Psalm 145:7) David adds, “speak of the glory of [His] kingdom… informing all people of [His] mighty acts and of the glorious splendor of [His] kingdom.” (Psalm 145:11-12) Later, David writes, “Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded, and they were created. He set them in position forever and ever; he gave an order that will never pass away.” (Psalm 148:5-6) Here, he shows us why we should praise Him and bless Him… because He spoke, and everything was created, including us!

Everyday Application

1)  How can we bless God on a daily basis? (verse 2)
At first, it might sound strange to bless God when He’s mainly the One blessing us, but we can bless Him by exalting Him and praising His name. David knew this and praised His name often, daily in fact! He wrote a beautiful psalm that teaches us exactly how to praise God and thus bless Him every day. In Psalm 150, we discover we can praise the Lord

  • In His sanctuary
  • In His vastness
  • For His powerful acts
  • For His abundant greatness
  • With music and dance

David blessed the Lord despite his own feelings or his circumstances. Blessing God was anchored in God’s unchanging character. We can do the same! The Lord is always good, kind, gracious, loving, merciful, tender, gentle, and much more! For which portion of His character will you praise Him today? Let your blessing become a pattern in your everyday life!

2) What does David mean with the words ‘His greatness is unsearchable’? (verse 3)
As we already saw, David used these words to show the enormous magnitude of God’s greatness. Benson’s commentary adds some extra light to this verse by writing, “[God’s] presence is infinite, His power irresistible, His majesty awful, His sovereignty incontestable, His dominion illimitable, His glory insupportable”. In other words, God is so great, it’s impossible for us to fully understand the extent of His greatness. God is so great, He knows the very number of our hairs (Luke 12:7), He knew all of us before we were even formed in the womb (Jeremiah 1:5). His eyes could see us when we were formless, and all our days were already written and planned in His book before a single one began. (Psalm 139:16) How great and marvelous He truly is! Take time to jot down a few things you see around you that magnificent (like, a child’s eyes, the pattern on your skin, the flight of a honeybee, or the silkiness of a flower petal), and let those remind you of the greatness of God!

3) How can we declare God’s greatness to others and why is this important?
In today’s society, we often forget God is the One who blesses and provides for us. He gives us both common grace of our planet, air, and water, and His providential grace to all who trust Him for salvation by shaping them to become more like Jesus. How many times do we take credit for His work? God is the giver of all wisdom (Proverbs 2:6), truth (John 14:6), and strength (2 Corinthians 12:9); they come from the Lord, not ourselves. Yet, we are all guilty of not giving credit to Him, instead keeping it for ourselves. Remember the Old Testament prophet, Daniel (Daniel 2:27-28), and going farther back to Joseph (Genesis 41:15-16)? At the ruler’s request, both men were asked to interpret dreams. Interestingly, both men responded by saying, “No.” They couldn’t accomplish this feat, not on their own power, but God could reveal it to them. Before even stating the dream interpretations, they both gave credit to the One who gave them the wisdom to understand the dreams because God Himself was the giver of both the dream and the interpretation. Similarly, if we want to declare God’s greatness to others, we need to acknowledge His work and power, both in the Bible as well as in our own lives. Our testimonies of what God has done for us will boldly declare of His greatness in powerful and impactful ways to others! Only God is worthy of praise and because of our public praise, people who have yet to know God, may encounter His love and righteousness in personal ways! So, “let our mouths be filled with God’s praise and His honor all day long!” (Psalm 71:8)

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

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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This is Sketched VIII Week Two!
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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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Focus Day 6 Listen Up

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Read His Words Before Ours!

James 3:1-12
Proverbs 4
Psalm 34:1-5
1 Samuel 21

Focus, Day 6

Abba, how would You have me manage my stress? My hours are ticking, I want to go running, I’m so annoyed that I can’t, I know I am keep people at arm’s length.
I know You’ve called my words and actions to consistently speak of Your Love…..but, Lord?
I can’t handle people!

I need space and time and running. And I have none of those.
My words are sharp to others. Critical. Passive-aggressive. Tense. Rude.
I know You’ve called me to love others, but I just can’t, Lord. I can’t.

“Listen, my daughter, accept My words.
Guard them, they are life for you.”

I will bless the Lord at all times.
His praise will always be on my lips.
I will boast in the Lord;
The humble will hear and be glad.
Proclaim the Lord’s greatness with me;
Let us exalt His Name together.

Your words from Psalm 34:1-3.
Your Words, Abba.

I think I can relate to David here, Lord. Not because I am faithfully blessing You or boasting constantly of You to others, but because of the tense insanity of David’s moments as he penned the words.
Maybe the force of his stress prompted a moment of sitting with You, like I am tonight.
Maybe as He sat, pouring out his frustration and complete inabilities and fears,
perhaps Your Spirit stirred within Him.
And there, in his frustrated anxiety, You, Spirit, reminded Him to bless the Lord at all times, as You’re reminding me.
To boast of You that others would know You.
To proclaim You and Your greatness, even in the midst of insane chaos.

Maybe, in this simple call to worship, You rearranged the too-tight, anxiety-ridden places inside David’s heart, just as You’re doing in mine tonight.

It wasn’t up to David and his skill or his political prowess to get him out of the Philistine’s land, it was up to You.

I will bless the Lord
at
all
times.

His praise will
always
be on my lips.

I will boast in the Lord.

A call to worship, a reminder of Who is sovereign.
Yahweh.
And who is not.
David. (and me)

Your Spirit carried David deeper after You reminded him to pick up worship instead of worry.
You anchored him in truth, replanting his feet off of himself and into the steadfast faithfulness of Your heart and character.

I sought the Lord
and He answered me.

Pause. Break. Cease.
B R E A T H E

Was David weeping now as Your Spirit crashed over his heart?
As you assuaged his fears?
As you pointed him towards Your heart of boundless love and towards Your ear that never wearies of listening and is always fully present to our cries?

Did David’s arms lift heavenward as his knees fell to the floor as You taught Him wisdom?
Did his voice catch as he spoke the Spirit-led refrain in jagged words, one after the other, slowly, like a steady rain, gradually bringing the cracked, dry soil of his heart back to life?
Was his face upturned as the tears ran over his beard and Your Spirit danced within him,
reshaping his heart?

I sought the Lord
and
He
answered
me.

You answered me, Lord.
You always answer me.
Every cry is heard.
Every tear is seen.
Every gaping open wound is held firm by Your hand as You heal.

Thousands of generations later, I whisper with outstretched arms, tears coursing down my cheeks, and Your Spirit bringing me back to life, moving me away from the jaws of anxious fear and hurtful interactions and into the sweet embrace of being known, seen, heard, and answered.

I sought the Lord and He answered me.

David’s outstretched hands now burst with energy, lifting higher still.
A wild grin spreads across his face, making the skin stretch where the salty trails have left their mark.
He’s been made new.
Again.

Joy floods his soul for his God has heard and answered.
Fear flees, peace rushes in.
Those who look to You, Yahweh, are radiant with joy!
Their faces will never be ashamed.

The fear that had held David hostage, clamping its fist around his throat is no longer remembered as radiant joy brings laughter instead of tears,
light to his eyes instead of terror,
and dancing to his feet.

David has stood in the very presence of Radiant Joy.
Where fear and shame once held him, David now parades with glee.

I wonder the observations others must have made following those moments he spent with You, Lord. Distant, withdrawn, snapping at others, a dark look and demeanor cloaking him, but then light flooding his countenance, peace pervading his every action, and joy fueling his words and interactions.

And such magnificent transformation is the norm for those who dwell in the presence of the Most High God!

How would You have me handle my stress, Lord?
How can I possibly love with my words and actions when anxiety and fear overtake me?
Too many ‘must accomplish’ tasks and no more time.
Annoyed at people.
Withdrawn and overwhelmed, pushing others away.

One word.
Worship.

Abba, forgive me for trusting myself instead of You.
Thank you for filling me with a peace that passes all comprehension and transforming me with undeniably radiant joy as you make me wise.
You Are My Good!

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Focus Week 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 Focus!