His Word Archives - Gracefully Truthful

Build Day 3 Building Plans

February 16, 2022 by Rebekah Hargraves Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Nehemiah 2:11-3:32
Proverbs 16:1-3
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Philippians 1:3-6

Build, Day 3

When we speak of building and relying on God, the Master Builder, throughout the building process, my mind immediately turns to parenting. As a Christian mama, my heart’s desire is to train my children in the way they should go. (Proverbs 22:6) Though I often fall short, I am daily seeking to build a legacy, attempting by God’s grace to talk with my children of God and His Word, in the hope of seeing love for God built into their hearts.

As I approach the passage from Nehemiah through which we are journeying today, I see so many nuggets of wisdom to glean and apply to my life’s work. These truths are for all of us regardless of whether you’re a parent! As Great Commission workers, we are all seeking to build God’s Kingdom!

First, I notice Nehemiah does not allow zeal or excitement to lure him into foolishly and immediately jumping head-first into construction tasks (which would be easy to do!). Instead, he surveys the area, he ponders, and he assesses before he gets to work. (Nehemiah 2:11-15) There is so much wisdom in this important first step because, as they say, “when you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”

I see this as a lesson for me as a mama, too. With anything I am seeking to build and instill in my children, I first need to think about the end result, the character I hope my children possess as adults, what unique personalities and learning styles God gave to each one, and what they most need from me. Taking the time to engage in this important, preparatory step helps each of us work with victory and productivity. Nehemiah knew the same was true for him and his own divinely-inspired building project.

Next, I see the impact Nehemiah had on the community assisting him and vice versa. In Nehemiah 2:20, Nehemiah says, “The God of heavens is the one who will grant us success. We, His servants, will start building[.]” He proclaims these words in reply to naysayers and enemies; undoubtedly, facing this kind of opposition must have made Nehemiah’s fellow workers feel ill-prepared for the task, uncertain, and perhaps even afraid. Immediately following Nehemiah’s declaration, the atmosphere shifts, and everyone diligently sets to work. (Nehemiah 3)

This is a living testimony that “two are better than one[.]” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) We need the help, support, and encouragement of Christian community to spur us on in the building tasks set before us by the Lord God. I have certainly seen this to be true as a parent!

This passage also highlights the importance of godly leadership in ensuring service to the Lord actually comes to pass in our churches and communities. Without someone going first (in this case, Nehemiah), the important work of rebuilding may have never happened. In fact, an earlier attempt to rebuild the wall had already stagnated and failed when Nehemiah entered Jerusalem! Nehemiah bore an enormous mantle of responsibility, which he carries with humility and sobriety, repeatedly turning to God both for direction and as the only One who could empower the completion of the wall.

When thinking about building-up my children, I see the wisdom of Titus 2:3-5 and God’s design for older, wiser women to come alongside younger women. We need older mamas-in-the-Spirit to guide, encourage, and edify us in our God-given tasks, just like Nehemiah’s community needed him!

Finally, as we have already seen in Nehemiah 2:20, the focus is not truly on Nehemiah; he is not the star of the show. He was an important, faithful leader, yes, but he was not the Master Builder; that title belonged to God alone. This is such good news, because it means we don’t need to rely on ourselves to get everything right, to complete a task perfectly, or to make it all come to fruition.

The same is true for us, who all too often feel as if the weight of the world is on our shoulders and as if the success of our parenting–or any other–endeavors ultimately depends on us. The Lord is the One Who constructs the blueprints, Who builds, and Who ensures His plans to fruition. Our role is to lean into Him, rely on Him, and follow Him.

May this truth be a source of great encouragement to your heart in whatever God-given building task you find yourself today!

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Questions Day 9 100%: Digging Deeper

February 4, 2021 by Rachel Jones Leave a Comment

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!
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The Questions

1) How can Jesus be the way and the truth?

2) What does it mean that Jesus is “the life?”

3) Why must we come to the Father through Jesus?

John 14:6

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Original Intent

1) How can Jesus be the way and the truth?
John 14 opens with Jesus telling His disciples of His impending departure to prepare a place for them. He assures them inverse 4 know the way to where He is going, but His disciple Thomas is confused, “We don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?” (John 14:5) Instead of answering Thomas’ question with explanations of His upcoming death and return to heaven, Jesus tells His disciples, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) In a nutshell, Jesus is telling His disciples the summation of everything He has taught them over the last 3 years they have been together. His statement gives His disciples the all-important information on how to get to Heaven and be right with God. Having total access to the Father is only found through Jesus. What He is about to do for them by dying on the cross will bring them eternal life. In all clarity, He is revealing the truth they are searching for is Him. He is the answer to every question they have. The Expositor’s Greek Testament tells us, “Thomas craved knowledge sufficient to guide him in the present crisis. Jesus says: You have it in Me.” In this pivotal moment before His death, Jesus lets His disciples know He is the Way because He is not only their example to follow in living life, but their bridge to the Father. He also promises them He is not only telling them the truth, but He is the truth. As author Randy Alcorn asserts, “Jesus is the source of all truth, the embodiment of truth and therefore the reference point for evaluating all truth-claims.” We can be grateful that God provides the Way and the Truth in the person of His Son, Jesus.

2) What does it mean that Jesus is “the life?”
When Jesus says “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6), He is telling His disciples they can find truly abundant life, at present and eternally, only through Him. He is the life because He is the link to life everlasting due to His work on the cross. (John 3:16) Because Jesus, wholly God and wholly human, gave up His life as payment for our sin then conquered death by rising from the dead, He justifies all who come to Him and offers His eternal life to them when they surrender. Similarly, in John 11:25, Jesus tells us He is “the resurrection and the life.” We also see in 1 John 5:11 that God offers us eternal life through the life found only in His Son. Not only is Jesus the life because He is the pathway for eternal life, but He is also the life because He gives us spiritual life here on earth. We read in John 1:4, “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.” When we have the life of Christ living in us, He gives us the light that comes only from Him. Author John Ritenbaugh notes that “Jesus’ life gives us firsthand knowledge of what the true way of life is, allowing us to cooperate with Him in His purpose.” God gives us the power to follow Christ’ example of a life lived well. We can love like Jesus (John 15:9), care like Jesus (Mark 6:34), pray like Jesus (Luke 5:16), relate like Jesus (Matthew 7:12), and disciple like Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20), when we surrender our frail lives for His full one. We can live a glorious life here on earth, following Christ’s example by the power of His Spirit living within us, while we look forward to eternal life in heaven one day.

3) Why must we come to the Father through Jesus?
When Adam and Eve sinned, they changed the relationship dynamics God had designed to share with all of humanity. They could no longer enjoy daily intimate interaction with God because their sin separated them from God. God’s plan to bridge that gap between man and God was the man Christ Jesus, God’s Son. Jesus, as God the Son, would take the sins of all people on Himself, although He was sinless, and cover their sins with His perfectly righteous blood as a sacrifice to pay the penalty of our sin. That redemption made a way for people to be united to the Holy God once again. There is no other way for people to access God on our own because of our sinfulness. Jesus tells us in John 14:6 that no one comes to the Father except through Him. We must go through Christ, who is the bridge between Father God and humankind. There is nothing we can do to earn our salvation. All we can do is believe in Jesus and accept God’s free gift of access through His Son. Author Craig von Buseck notes, “In every other religious system besides Christianity, a spiritual scale hangs over the head of the individual, with all of the sins they have committed on one side and all of their righteous deeds on the other.” With Christ, we don’t need to tally our good and bad deeds because we don’t count on our deeds of righteousness to save us (which is ridiculously impossible!), rather we rely on His mercy and grace to save us. (Titus 3:5-7)

Everyday Application

1) How can Jesus be the way and the truth?
If there were ever a time when people seem confused about the way and the truth, it is today. Our culture teaches truth is relative and there is not just one way to get to heaven. We are told to find our own way in life and make our own truth. This has left many of us feeling lost and confused. God has provided for such a time as this in His Word. He told us in John 14:6 that He Himself is the way and the truth. For those of us trying to forge a path through the chaos, He tells us He is the way. He says something similar in John 10:9, where He tells us “I am the gate. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved. . .” Hebrews 10:19-20 refers to Christ’s sacrifice for us as a “new and living way” to draw near to God. He also reassures us He is the truth. Jesus tells the Jewish believers in John 8:32-36, “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” He later explains what He means by saying, “if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.” Jesus, the Son of God, is the truth who sets us free. We can know the truth, and the truth is a person: Jesus! He made a way for us to draw near to God by His death on the cross, and His life and teachings show us how to live our lives. He is the truth we need, shining the light of His Word in every dark place we encounter. (Psalm 119:105)

2) What does it mean that Jesus is “the life?”
Have you ever looked up from a binge-watch session, surrounded by food wrappers and soda cans, and thought, “I gotta’ get a life?”. The thought is that you need something better to commit your time and energy to. It is easy and enjoyable to have some down time, but ultimately, we each crave a meaningful life. The good news is that when we have life in Christ, He gives us a life with meaning. Jesus tells us He is “the way, the truth and the life.” (John 14:6) He does not only show us how to have a good life; He Himself is life for us. He came to earth so we could have abundant life. (John 10:10) 1 Corinthians 15:22 tells us that in Christ all are made alive. If we want to live a life that fulfils us, we need to live our life in Christ. Not only will He fulfill us here on earth, but He offers us this fullness and satisfaction in overflowing endless measure all the way into eternity. (1 John 5:11) This certainty of our coming hope provides a peace and comfort when things don’t seem to be going our way. Even when things are tough, God is still teaching and growing us (James 1:2-4) and even working all difficult things for our eventual good and His glory. (Romans 8:28)

3) Why must we come to the Father through Jesus?
In our pluralistic, tolerant society, claiming to have the definitive answer to anything is controversial. We like to say, “You do you,” and we assume we are all on different paths to the same destination. So Jesus’ claim that “no one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6) sounds jarring to modern ears. It seems exclusive and unloving to say there is only one way to God, yet God, very lovingly, states this emphatically in Scripture. For it would certainly be quite unloving to promote all road access when it truly wasn’t! In Acts 4:12 we read, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.” We also learn in 1 John 2:23 that “no one who denies the Son has the Father.” While it may sound exclusionary to some, God’s redemptive plan is actually open to everyone who accepts Christ’s free gift of salvation for themselves. (Romans 6:23) Any person, regardless of race, class, gender or background, is invited to believe in Christ, repent of their sins, and accept the freedom God offers through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. (1 Timothy 2:4) Author Jonathan Parnell explains, “It doesn’t matter how messed up your life is, or what mistakes you’ve made, or how dismal you see your tomorrow . . . It doesn’t matter what language you speak, or what color of skin you have, or how much money is in your bank account, if you turn from your sins and trust in Jesus, you will be saved.” God loves us all and wants us to be His children (John 1:12) and He offers that gift to all of us for free. If you have never done so, I urge you to accept that gift today. if you are already a child of God, I urge you to share this good news with someone who crosses your path today!

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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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