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Sketched IX Day 12 I Have Seen Him: 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 I Have Seen Him!

The Questions

1) What is the significance of the boats? (verse 3)

2) What changed in Peter as he witnessed the miracle? (verse 8)

3) What did Jesus mean when He told Peter he would now catch people? (verse 10)

Luke 5:1-11

5 As the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear God’s word, He was standing by Lake Gennesaret. 2 He saw two boats at the edge of the lake; the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, which belonged to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from the land. Then he sat down and was teaching the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we’ve worked hard all night long and caught nothing. But if you say so, I’ll let down the nets. 6 When they did this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets began to tear. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’s knees and said, “Go away from me, because I’m a sinful man, Lord!” 9 For he and all those with him were amazed at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s partners. “Don’t be afraid,” Jesus told Simon. “From now on you will be catching people.” 11 Then they brought the boats to land, left everything, and followed him.

Original Intent

1) What is the significance of the boats? (verse 3)
As Peter was a fisherman, a boat was an important tool of the trade. After an unsuccessful night of fishing, Peter was washing the nets by the shore. It was here in this very common moment, Jesus physically stepped into Peter’s boat to better serve the crowd pressing close to hear Him. Jesus often taught from boats as it gave Him a little space from the crowd while the masses could sit on the shore, allowing them to see and hear better.

2) What changed in Peter as he witnessed the miracle? (verse 8)
Similar to Isaiah’s call in the Old Testament (Isaiah 6:1-8), Peter was overcome by the power and presence of Jesus. He was overcome and hyper-aware of his sinful nature. Before the miracle was given, however, Peter was faced with a decision to trust a Rabbi’s fishing advice over his long-seasoned experience, or just laugh Him off. Jesus’ advice surely seemed laughable to Peter, but his willingness to humble himself under Christ’s authority paved the way for the Lord Jesus to not only abundantly bless Peter with fish, but entirely re-write the story of his life. As Peter chose obedience, he witnessed the result of one step of faith and became keenly aware of Jesus’ authoritative holiness and his own un-holiness! (verse 8)

3) What did Jesus mean when He told Peter he would now catch people? (verse 10)
Jesus uses Peter’s current occupation as a metaphor to explain his future as a follower of Christ and “fisherman” for “people”. He responds to Peter’s humility with grace and a new assignment filled with rich purpose. Jesus would not divorce Peter’s natural love of fishing from his new calling, but instead, would use it to take Peter deeper and into more meaning than he ever dared dream. Peter would continue to fish, but instead of death, he would “catch” people, leading them to life. On the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came in the form of tongues of fire, Peter preached the Gospel and about 3,000 people were saved! (Acts 2)

Everyday Application

1) What is the significance of the boats? (verse 3)
The boat in this passage was a critically important tool Peter used to provide for himself and his family. It was vital for his career and the livelihood of his family. Yet, when allowed to be used by God, it produced so much more than Peter could have ever imagined! What have you been given? The first thing often considered is wealth, and God can certainly do much with our financial generosity, but we all have much more to offer Him. Consider your time. Depending on your season, you may have more time in this season to serve those who need to hear, or see, the saving grace of Jesus manifested through the generosity of your time. Consider other possessions. I know several who open their homes to groups of high school students on Sunday nights, so they can grow in their relationship with Jesus. What about your talents? Are you a gifted writer? An artist? Resist the temptation to compare your gift to someone else’s. Peter wasn’t comparing his boat to John’s, he just allowed the Lord to use what he had! When we surrender our whole hearts and lives to Jesus for His glory, there is no limit to what can be accomplished for His Kingdom!

2) What changed in Peter as he witnessed the miracle? (verse 8)
When was the last time you were overwhelmed by the power and movement of God? Enough so that, not only were you swept up by the sheer magnitude of God, but also were deeply aware of your own un-holiness. Peter witnessed something that could only have been done by the power of Jesus and he was overcome with His divine presence. I remember a time when I sensed the Spirit in an overwhelming way. Following the news that a fertility treatment had not produce the desired results, I sat, overcome with sadness, when the Comforter wrapped His arms around me as only He could. I truly physically felt as if Jesus sat with me as I cried. In that moment, there was nothing else I wanted but His presence. If you’ve never experienced this kind of intimacy with the Lord, there is nothing mystical about it, instead the Lord gives these as we grow closer in relationship with Him, coming to Him with a heart of humility and a desire to know Him for Him, just as Peter did.

3) What did Jesus mean when He told Peter he would now catch people? (verse 10)
Peter’s assignment as a “fisher of people” is the same assignment we have when we decide to follow Jesus. Just as Jesus did with Peter’s natural passion, Christ also takes our natural design to color His new purpose for us. As disciples of Christ, we are called to make disciples as we go through everyday life, however that looks for each of us. Teaching others what Jesus has done in our lives is the centering purpose for all who have surrendered to Jesus. This looks different for every Christ-follower because each of our stories is unique while the freeing, gospel story of hope in Jesus remains exactly the same! Sometimes we make this too hard, thinking we need to know everything about the Bible or be able to teach in formal scenarios. But, we are simply called to share with others the hope we have been given as we chose to trust in Jesus! 1 Peter 3:15 tells us we are to live holy lives and be ready to give an answer for the hope we have in us. Jesus is contagious! People have always been drawn to Him, and as they see Jesus in us, we need to be prepared to share the source of our Hope!

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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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This is Sketched IX 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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Sketched IX Day 11 I Have Seen Him

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 35:5-7
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Psalm 78:2-4
Luke 5:1-11
Acts 1:12-26

Sketched IX, Day 11

Golden-rosy light glows in the east, dispelling the darkness. The breaking dawn mirrors the dawn of truth upon my soul. Truth casts its glow into the dark soul, ever brightening, ever rising, finally flooding the soul with radiant light. Like the rising sun, the truth of Jesus’ incarnation and His sojourn on earth has become increasingly clear. The light has broken upon my darkened understanding.

It all began on an early morning like this one. The crew and I had just finished a frustrating, fruitless night on the water. Usually we caught something, but that night there was nothing; it was odd. 

A rabbi, Jesus of Nazareth, whom Andrew knew, often came to the lake in the early mornings, teaching from the boats. Many viewed him as the Messiah. He told parables; His teaching was interesting and relatable. He taught as One having first-hand knowledge of ancient truth. His wisdom was primordial, yet fresh and alive. He was not just another rabbi, but Who He was remained a mystery to me. Andrew hung upon His words, convinced He was “the prophet” of which Moses prophesied.

That morning, He taught from our boats longer than usual. Water slapped against the side of the gently rocking boat and I dozed, half-listening. He roused me and matter-of-factly instructed, “Go out into the deep water; let down the nets for a catch.”

This Nazarene was serious. Andrew was already in his boat, shoving off; I followed. Andrew flung out his net; it slapped onto the water and slowly sank. Nothing, silence . . . then in an instantaneous rush, there were schools of fish!

Andrew gasped, then whooped as he began drawing in the net. Immediately his boat listed violently, nearly keeling over. We rowed fiercely, reaching them in time to fling out our net to reinforce theirs. Immediately, ours were full, nearly breaking under the weight. We were in danger of losing all the fish, both boats, and our lives as well.

We dug in with the oars, straining in unison for the shallows. I bailed into the lake and with rhythmic heave-hos, the crew and I made for the shore, dragging the straining nets. Exhausted, I collapsed onto the beach. My chest heaved as I lay on the sand and simply breathed.

He came to me. I stared up at the Creator against His blue dome of sky. He extended His hand and helped me stand. We all gaped in silence– at the haul of fish, at one another, but mostly at Him. He smiled and simply said, “From now on, you will be fishers of men!”  The light of truth was breaking upon me.

As I watched and listened, evidence began to mount. He just might be “the prophet” as Andrew insisted. He certainly held power over the movement of fish in the lake; no ordinary man does that! Every day He healed someone, often anyone who asked. Isaiah prophesied when “the prophet” came, healing those born blind would be one of His miracles. With my own eyes, I witnessed Jesus restore sight to people blind from birth. Elijah healed on a few occasions, but Jesus healed all the time.

The evidence continued increasing, but we understood Messiah’s coming as restoring Israel’s political and national glory. While Jesus spoke often of “the kingdom of Heaven,” He showed no interest in initiating an insurrection. On the other hand, His fulfillment of prophecies couldn’t be coincidental, or denied.

He multiplied food and wine as needed and had power to heal all diseases.

Nature obeyed His commands as though He were its Master. Storms stopped at His command; trees withered at His rebuke.

With evil spirits came immediate recognition, “Son of the Most High God,” they called Him. It wasn’t their first encounter with Him; they groveled in His presence. He held their fate in His hands, it seemed. Only Elohim could do this.

Then, in a brilliant, unforgettable moment of divine splendor, He showed James, John and I His glory on the sacred mountain. He stood as Friend with friend beside Moses and Elijah, emanating an ethereal, other-worldly light.

Then there was Lazarus’ return from death, and the people shouting “Hosanna” as He entered Jerusalem, riding a donkey’s colt. Within hours, the tide turned. His arrest, the flogging, and the cross. It was brutally sudden, unnerving, and terrifying, yet all of it followed straight from Isaiah’s prophecies.

Then Resurrection Day; He was back! It was stunning, yet confusing. Now He’s ascended to His former glory. He’s gone, and He left me in charge! This is both terrifying and humbling.

Every crowing rooster reminds of my failure. However, it was another early morning like this one, days ago, when His grace breathed life into my deflated soul. As long as I live, in the soft gray stillness of each breaking dawn, I will remember the fire of coals and the breakfast of fish. His questions were like well-aimed arrows piercing my soul. The same knowing gaze rested upon me, as it had in the courtyard the night of His trial. There was eternal knowing, yet eternal kindness in His eyes.

“Shepherd my sheep,” He said softly, His eyes of grace locked with my own shame-filled eyes. He placed before me the enormous calling of shepherding this fledgling flock.

The brothers and I remain in steadfast prayer since He returned to Glory.  It seems job one is to appoint Judas’ replacement, as Scripture says. We shall proceed in prayerful obedience, as we await His affirmation upon the chosen man.

In the courtyard below, the rooster fluffs his bronze-green feathers in the first rays of dawn and readies himself for a morning crow. Though he attempts to remind me of my failure, I choose to remind myself of my Lord’s grace and His holy calling.

“His grace covers me! Crow away, rooster, crow away!”

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

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

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The GT Weekend! ~ Ready 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) It’s well-known in my house that I win the award for most eclectic music choice. Gregorian chants and undiscovered Indie Christian musicians don’t make my teenager’s Spotify playlist. While I don’t love all their song selections either, my kids’ favorite lyrics have provided an excellent springboard for spiritual discussions. One of my favorite lyrics to chat about with my teens-turning-into-adults are from Maren Morris’ song, “The Bones”, “When the bones are good, the rest don’t matter, Yeah, the paint could peel, the glass could shatter, Let it break ’cause you and I remain the same.” As the words reverberate in my mini-van, I ask my kids what they think will build a strong foundation for life. What “bones” are sturdy enough to support someone in this life and the next? This was Paul’s motivation in sending Timothy to strengthen the church in Thessalonica. If the church believed sound doctrinal truths about God, themselves, and their future, then they would authentically live Ready for now and eternity. Sometimes, the best way to know what we really believe, is to look at how we live. What do your actions, thoughts, and priorities reveal about your true beliefs about God and your purpose on earth?

2) The point of studying Scripture is to know God and understand ourselves in light of who He is and His purposes for us. It’s one thing to read the Bible, but another to study it, pray it, and allow the Spirit of God to transform us through His own words! As humans, intent on being self-made people, our tendency is to take ownership of our own faith journeys. We want to manufacture our own goodness, faith, and ability to love others as God loves us, but this idea stands in direct opposition of the gospel we claim. Only Christ can rescue us from sin. Only Christ can shape our hearts and lives to mirror His own; our mission is surrender and worship. Make space now to pull out your Bible and sit in worshipful surrender to the Lord. He is present and ready to speak to your heart. Listen. When you’re ready, take Briana’s challenge from Wednesday and read 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 several times, praying as you read for the Lord to open your eyes to seeing and knowing Him. Make note of each instance where you see the word “in”. Then spend time praying over these, reading them again, and asking the Lord what truths He wants you to walk in today.

3) Think about the things in your life that are stable, bringing a source of security and comfort. Go ahead and list them out on paper and think about how each one brings you comfort in a unique way. Spend time praising God in specific ways for these sources of stability. Paul wrote his letter to the churches of Thessalonica during a time when their world was spinning with unknowns. There were very few certainties, much fear, and the constant threat of persecution, but Paul urged the believers to drop anchor into what they knew to be absolutely true. Because Paul had deeply invested in knowing God, he could confidently face the tumult around him. To this end, he encouraged his fellow believers to also trust the truths they knew about the Almighty. Unlike our constantly changing circumstances, God and His truths never shift. He has always, and will always, be steadfastly the same. Read 1 Thessalonians 1 and 2 several times this weekend and keep a log on your phone of truths you recognize in just these two chapters. When you feel discouraged, frustrated, or fearful, open this list and be reminded of the God who never changes!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from 1 Thessalonians 1:6-8 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

You yourselves became imitators of us and of the Lord when, in spite of severe persecution, you welcomed the message with joy from the Holy Spirit. As a result, you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. For the word of the Lord rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faith in God has gone out.

Prayer Journal
Lord Jesus, sometimes I read of the first century church and I’m completely blown away with amazement at the wonderful things You did through them. I read of incredible boldness and Spirit-led acts of courage as believers set aside everything to follow You whether it was relationships, material possessions, or even their very lives. I admit I tend to amplify them in my mind, forgetting they were also real people like me and like other believers around me. Keep me from falling into the belief trap that You don’t work in the same way now as You did then, keep stirring inside my heart to go deeper in faith with You. Open my eyes and ready my heart to speak with boldness of the ways You’ve worked in my life! Help me to trust that You know exactly who, and how, You want my life to impact another’s with Your hope and love. I pray that was true for the church in Thessalonica will be true of me, “the word of the Lord rang out from you, (…) in every place that your faith in God has gone out.”

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Hallel Day 9 Finding Him Faithful: 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 Finding Him Faithful!

The Questions

1) What does it mean to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life?

2) How do I seek God’s face?

3) How can I be certain I will see the goodness of the Lord?

Psalm 27:1-14

The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom should I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
whom should I dread?
2 When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh,
my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army deploys against me,
my heart will not be afraid;
though a war breaks out against me,
I will still be confident.

4 I have asked one thing from the Lord;
it is what I desire:
to dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
gazing on the beauty of the Lord
and seeking him in his temple.
5 For he will conceal me in his shelter
in the day of adversity;
he will hide me under the cover of his tent;
he will set me high on a rock.
6 Then my head will be high
above my enemies around me;
I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy.
I will sing and make music to the Lord.

7 Lord, hear my voice when I call;
be gracious to me and answer me.
8 My heart says this about you:
“Seek His face.”
Lord, I will seek your face.
9 Do not hide your face from me;
do not turn your servant away in anger.
You have been my helper;
do not leave me or abandon me,
God of my salvation.
10 Even if my father and mother abandon me,
the Lord cares for me.

11 Because of my adversaries,
show me your way, Lord,
and lead me on a level path.
12 Do not give me over to the will of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing violence.

13 I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart be courageous.
Wait for the Lord.

Original Intent

1) What does it mean to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life?
In Psalm 27:4, King David declares, “I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking Him in His temple.” The Hebrew word for dwell is “yashab”, which means “to sit down (specifically in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry.” (Biblehub.com.) Author Skip Moen asserts that David does not want to take up residence in God’s temple because in reality, “The Temple didn’t exist when David lived. His dream might be to spend his days in the Temple yet to be constructed, but God made it plain that David was not the one to build it. With that in mind, why does David desire to be in the “house of the Lord”? David desires to be in the presence of God, to experience life enclosed by the Divine.”  Author Jon Bloom concurs, declaring that “David’s deepest desire — his one thing — is not for safety, military dominance, or prosperity. David wants God — to be near God, to see and be satisfied with God’s glory, and to live by God’s wisdom and guidance.”  We want to make David’s one desire ours as well, to spend time in the presence of our beautiful and wondrous God.  We don’t need to live at our local church to do this.  We can praise Him (Psalm 22:3) and seek His presence (Matthew 7:7) to find Him and dwell with Him.

2) How do I seek God’s face?
In Psalm 27:8, David writes, “My heart says this about you: ‘Seek his face.’ Lord, I will seek your face.“  Chaim Bentorah tells us “Jewish literature and ancient Jewish scholars often render the word Pani, which we translate as face, as “the presence of God.”  He goes on to explain that “the word in Hebrew for “seek” is “bakash” which means to seek, search, beg, demand, inquire or investigate.”  So, David is vowing to follow his heart’s prompting to seek the presence of God.  Author  A. Maclaren describes David’s seeking as “the turning of the direction of our desires to Him, the recognition of the fact that His face is more than all else to men.” We seek God’s face by desiring to be in His presence above all else.  Author Albert Barnes notes that David “immediately complied with that command, as it was a principle of his life – one of the steady promptings of his heart – that he would do this. The heart asked no excuse; pleaded for no delay; desired no reason for not complying with the command, but at once assented to the propriety of the law, and resolved to obey.”  May we all immediately answer God’s call to seek His presence by turning our hearts and minds to Him (Psalm 119:10).

3) How can I be certain I will see the goodness of the Lord?
The exact circumstances of the writing of Psalm 27 are not definitively known.  According to Matthew Henry, “Some think David penned this psalm before his coming to the throne, when he was in the midst of his troubles, and perhaps upon the death of his parents; but the Jews think he penned it when he was old.” Whenever it was written, it shows that David had hope in the Lord and His goodness, no matter his troubles or distress.  He writes in Psalm 27:13, “I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.”  Author David Guzik writes that “David’s seeking after God, and his knowledge of the Lord, led him to this triumphant statement.” David declared God to be the stronghold of his life (Psalm 27:1) and he believed God would conceal him, hide him, and set him safely high upon a rock when troubles came. (Psalm 27:5) Matthew Henry explains that “Those that walk by faith in the goodness of the Lord shall in due time walk in the sight of that goodness.” David could hope to see the goodness of the Lord, even when there was cause to despair, because He knew God is good and faithful and could be trusted.

Everyday Application

1) What does it mean to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life?
When I read Psalm 27:4, where David states he only wants to dwell in God’s house and gaze on His beauty, I wonder what a typical day must have been like for David. He was a warrior, a King, a writer, a husband, and a father, so he probably did not have a lot of free time on his hands, not to mention that everything from transportation to meals took much longer in his day than in ours. Even with all that on his plate, his number one wish was to be in the presence of the Lord. David must have known that joy, renewal, and strength come from spending time with God (Psalm 16:11), gazing on His beauty, and soaking in His presence.  It makes my excuses for not spending time with the Lord seem pretty pitiful.  I let my errands and to-do lists and binge watching get in the way of my time with the Lord, while King David longed for time in God’s presence, even while he was waging wars, writing songs, and running a kingdom. My prayer is to seek the Lord fervently and diligently like David did.  In Psalm 42:1, the psalmist cries out, “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so I long for you, God.”  I want to dwell with God, and spend my time in His presence, for all my days!

2) How do I seek God’s face?
I was at the end of my college career before e-mail was a thing, so I had to call people on the phone, write them a note or see them in person to communicate with them.  As an introverted person, I daily celebrate the invention of the electronic message allowing me to avoid in-person or voice-to-voice contact! But there are some people in my life with whom e-mail contact alone is not enough.  I long to see their faces!  I want to look in their eyes, see their smile, and hear the inflection in their voice.  For them, only face to face communication will do.  In Psalm 27:8,, David expresses something like this when he tells the Lord, “My heart says this about you: ‘Seek his face.’ Lord, I will seek your face.“ David just wants to be with the Lord. He wants to be in His presence.  One way David sought the Lord’s face was by worshipping Him. In Psalm 27:7, just before declaring he will seek God’s face, David professes, “I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy.  I will sing and make music to the Lord.  Lord, hear my voice when I call.” In Psalm 95:2, David says, “Let us enter his presence with thanksgiving.” According to Psalm 119:10, David sought the Lord “with his whole heart.” We can seek God’s presence by praising Him and focusing on Him, putting Him above all the other things that clamor for our attention.

3) How can I be certain I will see the goodness of the Lord?
I have always loved the poem “Hope is the Thing with Feathers” by Emily Dickinson.  In the first stanza she declares: “Hope” is the thing with feathers – That perches in the soul – And sings the tune without the words – And never stops – at all.  This stanza makes me think of the psalmist, David, pouring out his heart in song, often declaring the hope he has in God. Even when things were dire for him, he never stopped hoping in the Lord.  He declared that “I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13) He was so certain God would come through for him that he urged patience by writing in Psalm 27:14, “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.” He said it twice, wait for the Lord.  I don’t do “wait” very well, especially when I am in distress.  But David had seen God’s deliverance from physical harm like wild animals attacking his sheep (1 Samuel 17:37), enemies seeking to kill him (I Samuel 19:1), and the violence of battle in war time (2 Samuel 8). God also rescued him from anxiety and despair. (Psalm 13) David had frequent need of immediate deliverance, and yet he could pen the words “wait for the Lord.”  His hope in God was so strong and his belief in His deliverance so certain, he knew he could trust in God’s timing.  That is the prayer of my heart; that I believe in God’s goodness and trust in His perfect plan, no matter what my circumstance are telling me.  I can be certain I will see the goodness of the Lord because the truth is He is good.  I want to cry out with David, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.  How happy is the person who takes refuge in him.” (Psalm 34:8)

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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 Hallel 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 :-))

Memorize It!

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Pause 3 Day 1 The Majesty

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Pause 3, Day 1

Like nothing you’ve ever experienced. 
Like nothing you’ve ever dreamed.
Indescribable beauty.
Unfathomable wisdom.
All-consuming in every aspect.
Resplendent in glory.
The Majesty

Far from being unknowable, the Majesty longs for us to know Him, love Him, and find our own fullness in Him.
Because of who He is, we are both welcomed and adored.

No, He does not seek after us because He is needy, bored with His own glory, or desperate for relationship.
The Majesty already enjoys perfect community, ensconced in flawless love, and has for all eternity past, present, and future.

So why seek after us?

Neither does the Majesty zealously chase our hearts because we are especially marvelous and would complement His radiance.
Rather, we are fallen, sin-wrecked, putrid in our own sin, and utterly incapable of becoming glorious on our own.

So why give chase?

To be loved for an eternity by the all-knowing, all-power, everywhere-present, radiant Majesty?

The air leaves our lungs at the thought of such a reality.
Because if it is true, then this love fills us with purpose, with identity, and with an insatiable desire to know and love this Majesty.

And here is why He pursues.

No words of ours will ever suffice to enable us to understand Him.
Only His Words through His Spirit.
So, Pause with us GT Sisters, and read His Words Only.

Grab your Bible, a journal and pen,
and open your heart to bask in the presence of the Almighty!

Today's Challenge

1) Read Hebrews 1 and Hebrews 2 and answer these 3 questions in your journal:
a) What do these verses tell me about God and His character?
b) What do these verses tell me about others and the world around me?
c) What do these verses tell me about me and my heart?

2) Close your time by praying for these truths to take root in your heart and for the Holy Spirit to remind you and teach you more about these things today. Be sure to write out any questions you have as you read! If you’d like to send your questions to us, we’d love to study with you!

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Hebrews 1

Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. 4 So he became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs.

5 For to which of the angels did he ever say,
You are my Son;
today I have become your Father,
or again,
I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son?

6 Again, when he] brings his firstborn into the world, he says,
And let all God’s angels worship him.
7 And about the angels he says:
He makes his angels winds,
and his servants a fiery flame,

8 but to the Son:
Your throne, O God,
is forever and ever,
and the scepter of your kingdom
is a scepter of justice.
9 You have loved righteousness
and hated lawlessness;
this is why God, your God,
has anointed you
with the oil of joy
beyond your companions.

10 And:
In the beginning, Lord,
you established the earth,
and the heavens are the works of your hands;
11 they will perish, but you remain.
They will all wear out like clothing;
12 you will roll them up like a cloak,
and they will be changed like clothing.
But you are the same,
and your years will never end.

13 Now to which of the angels has he ever said:
Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies your footstool?

14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve those who are going to inherit salvation?

Hebrews 2

For this reason, we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away. 2 For if the message spoken through angels was legally binding and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment, 3 how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation had its beginning when it was spoken of by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 At the same time, God also testified by signs and wonders, various miracles, and distributions of gifts from the Holy Spirit according to his will.

5 For he has not subjected to angels the world to come that we are talking about. 6 But someone somewhere has testified:

What is man that you remember him,
or the son of man that you care for him?
7 You made him lower than the angels
for a short time;
you crowned him with glory and honor
8 and subjected everything under his feet.

For in subjecting everything to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. As it is, we do not yet see everything subjected to him. 9 But we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace he might taste death for everyone—crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death.

10 For in bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God—for whom and through whom all things exist—should make the source of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, 12 saying:
I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters;
I will sing hymns to you in the congregation.

13 Again, I will trust in him.
And again, Here I am with the children God gave me.

14 Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death. 16 For it is clear that he does not reach out to help angels, but to help Abraham’s offspring. 17 Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 For since he himself has suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

How Does “Pause” Work?
1. Each day, Monday through Friday, for 2 weeks, we will provide you with a simple challenge. Each challenge 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 3 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 Pause 3!

Gospel Day 11 Believes In Him

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 3:1-21
Daniel 7:9-14
Numbers 21:4-9
Hebrews 2:17

Gospel, Day 11

The beauty of John 3:16 is the simplicity of the gospel as it captures a fly-over view of God’s master plan. Many of us who grew up in the church memorized it as a small child.  Perhaps some of us have quoted this in a brief conversation with a stranger. It’s likely most of us have clung to its foundational promises in our own struggles.

Believes in Him
As we’ve been unpacking this verse phrase by phrase, we’ve already seen the first two action-words: loved and gave. These both speak of God’s initiation toward mankind. Now, however, we come to the third verb found in the phrase, “believes in Him”.

While this phrase is simply stated, we still must ask ourselves, “what does it mean to believe?” and, “what exactly must one believe in”?

On the one hand, the immediate context of verse 16 helps us understand we are simply to believe in Him, in God’s only Son, that is Jesus.  Yet, that word believe…we need a little more information on it, don’t we? The Greek word here for believe, pisteuó, also specifically means “to entrust”.

This sheds a bit more light on what this kind of believing looks like. Jesus actually gives us an example when we’re told He chose not to entrust Himself to men because He knew what was in their hearts. (John 2:24-25) Instead, He entrusted himself to the One true Judge. (I Peter 2:23) The essence captured in these passages signifies that “to entrust” oneself to another indicates embracing that person’s authority; you trust their heart and you hand your life over to their care.

This believing in Him is more than simply agreeing to facts such as Jesus is God. After all, James warned the church how even the demons do that and shudder in fear! (James 2:19) To believe in Him, is to entrust oneself to God the Son, Jesus, whom God gave as a sacrifice to the world for its sin. (1 John 2:2)

But still, who is this Son we are to believe in?
We can agree that if we entrust ourselves to a false version of the Son then it is not true Biblical belief.  We need to be certain who this Son is.

 The Son of Man
It’s important to understand how verse 16 is right in the middle of a long conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus.  As they’re talking, Jesus refers to Himself as the Son of Man (3:13), as He often did throughout His earthly ministry.  This name speaks both to Jesus’ humanity, (‘son of man’ was a common title used in that day), and for the ear tuned to the kingdom of God, it was also a subtle, but very clear revelation of Jesus’ deity.  It alludes to Daniel 7:13-14 where the Son of Man is described as an exalted being whose kingdom will have no end.  In addition, Jesus says of Himself in Matthew 24:30, ”…they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with power and great glory.” 

 Jesus then makes another Old Testament allusion.
In Numbers 21 the Israelites complained to Moses about their circumstances and God punished them with poisonous snake bites.  This consequence softened their hearts and they admitted their sin, turned to God, and asked for the snakes to be removed. God tells Moses to make a bronze image of a snake and to lift it up high.  When the people who’d been bitten looked at the snake, God healed their wounds.  With this story in mind, Jesus says to Nicodemus, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” (3:14-15) Jesus speaks of Himself and His coming sacrifice.  The Son of Man would be lifted high on a cross for the healing from sin of all who believe in Him. When those who know they are sin-sick look to Him, entrusting themselves to His atoning work and not the works of themselves or other men (Ephesians 2:8-9), Christ’s wounds will heal their hearts (Isaiah 53:5, I Peter 2:24)

This mystery of Jesus being fully-human and yet fully-God is why His sacrifice could be acceptable and pleasing to God the Father. Hebrews 2:17 says it this way, “Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.”

The Son God gave to the world.
The Son we are to believe in.
He is not just another teacher, prophet or good man.
He is not even just another type of god, as if there could be more than one.
No, Jesus is God Himself, who dwelled among His people, for His people.

This is what sets Christianity apart from any other religion.
This is why we are to believe in, entrust ourselves to, surrender our weight to JESUS!
God’s perfect plan is displayed in the combination of sinless flesh and holy reign, providing redemption, forgiveness of sins and a way back into fellowship with the God of this universe. Believe in Him!

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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 Gospel 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 Gospel!