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humble

Another Day 13 Gentle & Lowly Lifestyle

March 22, 2023 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

Another Day 13 Gentle & Lowly Lifestyle

Rebecca Adams

March 22, 2023

gentle,Grace,Humility,Love,Relationship

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Thessalonians 5:12-28
Isaiah 46:1-5
Psalm 139:1-7
Revelation 3:19-21
Matthew 11:25-30

We cannot authentically love what we do not deeply know.

I was enamored with my husband from Day 1.
But it wasn’t until over two decades had passed and we walked dark pathways that I had an inkling of what love meant.

I was head over heels in love with my firstborn the moment I saw those 2 pink lines on the pregnancy test.
But my love for her multiplied with every day I spent with her, knowing her, arguing with her, and learning from her.

Love grew strong, fierce, and authentic in the days, years, and decades of learning to know.

Intimate familiarity changes everything.
Misconceptions flee, doubts dissolve, and the brilliance of authentic love shoots through like daybreak when we commit to deeply know another.

Who is this God who has called us to live together in the humble fabric of gentle love, seeking the other’s good, and partnering with them for peace and unity? (1 Thessalonians 5:12-28)

He is precisely who He has called us to be as we love One Another as brothers and sisters in the family He calls His Bride, the Church.

He is constantly humble toward us. (Philippians 2:7)
Perpetually extending us peace. (Colossians 3:15)
Continuously
seeing the unseen. (Matthew 9:36)
Ceaselessly
helping the helpless. (Psalm 116:6)
Patiently
hemming us within His love on all sides. (Psalm 139:5)
Modeling
submission to the law of Love. (John 13:34)
Steadfastly
convicting us with kindness. (Romans 2:4)
Endlessly lowering Himself to bear our burdens.
(Psalm 68:19)

He desires us.
He wants us.
Not just to be “His”, another “child” in His family to do His purpose,
but to both know Him and be lovingly known.

Is there anything as precious as being deeply known and authentically loved?

When the Lord Jesus Christ spoke of His own heart posture toward us,
He chose the words “gentle” and “lowly”.

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30, ESV)

He spoke these words while describing what it means to know the Almighty God,
whom Christ perfectly represented.
To know Christ, is to know God Himself.
(Hebrews 1:3)

Hundreds of years before Jesus spoke these words, King David penned his understanding of the great I AM as the God who “day after day… bears our burdens.” (Psalm 68:19)

Daily.
Bears.
OUR.
Burdens.

Can we just say that again?

On the DAILY, sisters.
Love Himself,
who reigns in the heavenlies,
holds all power,
possesses all wisdom,
and is present in all places
stoops low to DAILY lift our burdens.

Forever the gentle and lowly of heart lowers Himself to shoulder-level with us only to rise and carry the weight upon Himself.

The weight of our hard things, our broken things, our wounded things, and infinitely greater, this is the God who stooped to the cross, naked and shamed, to bear the weight of the sin of the world. (1 John 2:2)

Do you see those precious words that next cross Jesus’ lips following His nondescript characterization of His heart?
“My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

Not only does He carry our burden for us, and our sin for eternity if we will entrust our wretchedness to Him, but He gives life in return! In His humility, He teaches us to shoulder up next to Him, the wholly divine God, that we might learn His easy rhythms of life.

As several of our authors have noted in this Journey theme, it’s impossible for us to live out these One Another commands if we have not first submitted to the Spirit of God living inside of us. This is holy work; it’s His work, and we cannot muster or manufacture it ourselves.
But neither…
Can we live out these richly beautiful, life-giving commands if we do not intimately know the heart of the God in whom they perfectly abide.

We cannot authentically love what we do not deeply know.

Consider the Lord’s own words through His prophet Isaiah to His beloved people.
Come, know Him!

“Bel crouches; Nebo cowers. (false gods)
[…] The images [they] carry are loaded,
as a burden for the weary animal.
The gods cower; they crouch together;
they (false gods) are not able to rescue the burden,[…] “Listen to Me (true God),
[…You] who have been sustained from the womb,
carried along since birth.
I will be the same until your old age,
and I will bear you up when you turn gray.
I have made you, and I will carry you;
I will bear and rescue you.”
(Isaiah 46:1-4)

If you do not know the Lord as a gentle and lowly, burden-bearing God, then come on into His heart. Feast with Him, see His smile, hear His laughter, and confidently grow in authentically loving this God for being precisely who He claims to be in the pages of His Word.

To know Him, is to love Him!
And the proof of our love is made manifest when we stoop low with humble gentleness to lovingly carry another’s burdens just as Christ has done, and is doing right now, for us!

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burden,church,family,humble,kind,service,tender
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May we grow in deeply knowing the One who knows us so well! For the Lord is near to those who draw close to Him through repentance of our sins. (James 4:8-10)

What intimacy awaits those who feel lonely, fearful, and depressed when they come to the Lord to confess their sin and enjoy the pleasure of relationship with Him because of His forgiveness and mercy!

What sweet connection awaits if only we would pour ourselves over His Scripture and meditate on His character day and night that we might deeply know Him! (Joshua 1:8)
Dig Deeper!

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March 6 - March 24, 2023 - Journey Theme #115

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Posted in: gentle, Grace, Humility, Love, Relationship Tagged: burden, church, family, humble, kind, service, tender

Another Day 3 Willing Responsibility

March 8, 2023 by Merry Ohler Leave a Comment

Another Day 3 Willing Responsibility

Merry Ohler

March 8, 2023

Deep,Family,Genuine,Humility,Love

Read His Words Before Ours!

Colossians 3:12-17
Ephesians 2:14-22
Romans 12:1-21
Psalm 133

When two horses are harnessed together, they share the load. They “bear with” each other. If one stops or pulls away, they won’t get far. Rather than using their time, energy, and force to move the load forward, they’ll exhaust themselves pulling in opposition. This image may help us understand Gospel preacher Paul’s letter to the house churches in Colossae: 

“Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.”
(Colossians 3:12-14, emphasis mine)

The believers at Colossae were not so different from your local church body or mine. They believed in Jesus Christ, had turned from their sin, and were doing their best to follow Him.

The Colossians were imperfect humans, just like us. They had emotions, feelings, and thoughts. The believers at Colossae had histories, both shared and unique. They had distinct cultural and family customs. They likely had specific ideas about politics, medicine, family culture, and hundreds of other minutiae. 

All those differences would have created a wide margin for disunity, wouldn’t they? 

Add a heaping dose of false teaching to the mix, and it’s easy to imagine a firestorm of discord smoldering within a fellowship. Circumstances were ripe for believers straining against one another, each pulling away from the brothers and sisters with whom she disagrees.

In my experience, it’s far easier to walk in Christ’s grace toward unbelievers, but to believers? Woo. That’s a whole different matter. 

But, Lord, they know better! They know You, so why should I have to put up with this? 
Would a little smiting be too much to ask? 
Okay, so I’m exaggerating, but I bet you know just what I mean.

The temptation to be self-righteous is strong and sneakily subtle, isn’t it? Every believer’s background and personal perspective may differ, but we all need to be reminded of Christ’s Gospel: we were all unbelievers once, marked for death by our sins. We are saved only by God’s mercy and grace. 

“For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another.

But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy – through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”
(Titus 3:3-5)

This life in Christ is not for the faint of heart. 

Just as Paul exhorted the Colossians, we are also called to “put on” our life in Christ as we “bear with one another”. We are called to walk as Christ’s ambassadors to unbelievers, yes, but also to our brothers and sisters in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:20, Galatians 6:10) Clothed in compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, love, peace and thankfulness, we are called into deep, family-like community with other believers. 

We are utterly incapable of fulfilling this call in our own strength,
but we are now in Christ if we have repented of our sins and accepted His gift of salvation and forgiveness!
Thank God! (2 Corinthians 9:15)
Through Him, we are able to respond in obedience. 

While Paul exhorted the Colossians to live in peace, he didn’t advocate an absence of God-honoring challenge in believing relationships. In fact, he discipled the Colossians on how to sharpen and teach one another.

Paul directed every believer to “let the word of Christ dwell richly among you[.]” (Colossians 3:16) Paul called them up and out, directing them to choose to live soaked in the teachings of Christ. Paul explained only by living with an emphasis on Christ’s word would they be able to follow His instruction: to admonish, or teach and rebuke, one another in all wisdom.

Paul instructed the Colossians to allow the word of Christ to transform their lives. 

To be a willing participant in the fellowship of believers. 
To choose to live a life of willing responsibility and accountability. 

Paul called the Colossian church, and us, to choose community life, to hold ourselves accountable to Christ’s word by leaning into wise vulnerability, and to lovingly point one another to the authority of His word.

There’s a subtle nuance here we must grasp. 
It is transformational. 

Jesus doesn’t force us to open our lives and hearts to others within the body. In the same way He will never force any person to put their faith and trust in Him, He will never force anyone into a life of mutual submission to other believers. 

When we try to hold accountable, correct, or rebuke others without being teachable or honest about our own struggles, our relationships are imbalanced. This quickly leads to self-righteous hypocrisy while wounding other believers. We disobey Christ’s command to love one another; instead of sowing love, we are actively sowing seeds of discord and dissension.

Conversely, if we vulnerably allow other trusted believers to see, know, and disciple us to Christ’s way, but we are unwilling to invest in them in return, we still miss the mark. Instead of a holy, mutual willing responsibility to bear one another’s burdens, we instead become constant, self-centered receivers in relationships.

Neither picture lines up with God’s design.
Both indicate a required adjustment in our hearts and minds.

Christ will never force us to live in this kind of radically vulnerable, give-and-receive relationship within His body, but He does invite, enable, and empower us, if we’re willing! He will make His word dwell in us richly and transform us to live in willing responsibility to Him and one another by the power of His Holy Spirit!

Tags :
burdens,family,humble,load,shared
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There is no shortage of issues believers disagree over; from denomination to denomination, yes, but also from one believer to the next. It’s easy to talk about essential beliefs, but many times we are quick to distance ourselves from believers whose nonessential beliefs do not match our own.

Paul’s words in Colossians are for us today, too. We are called to “put on” the clothing of life in Christ.
Dig Deeper!

Can We Pray With You?

Prayer is central to our ministry as believers in Jesus as we carry eachother’s burdens and intercede for one another. Our team is honored to share the work of praying alongside you!

  • prayer@gracefullytruthful.com
This Week's Lock Screen
Explore This Journey Theme!
March 6 - March 24, 2023 - Journey Theme #115

Join a GT POD!

Authentically living out a life of worship to the God who rescued us from darkness requires accountability and intentionality. Join a GT POD and take the next step in your faith journey!

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Posted in: Deep, Family, Genuine, Humility, Love Tagged: burdens, family, humble, load, shared

Worship IX Day 1 The Great Experience

November 15, 2021 by Marietta Taylor Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 12:1-2
Isaiah 6:1-8
Amos 5:18-27
Hebrews 13:15-16
Psalm 51

Worship IX, Day 1

“Let us praise the Lord when we feel like it.”

“True worshipers will worship the Father with great emotion.”

Neither of these statements are Biblically accurate. As I review them, they sound ridiculous. Yet, they reflect how we often approach worship. To gain a better understanding of worship pleasing to God, let’s consider what Scripture says.

“Therefore, through Him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess His name.” (Hebrews 13:15)
Continually means we don’t stop when times are dark or our hearts are broken. In fact, 1 Thessalonians 5:16 says, “Rejoice always.”

“But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24)
The only requirement for worship I see here is “in spirit and in truth.” How many of us know sometimes truth is hard, so worship born out of truth may not feel like “the great experience?”

According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Two simple things, right? But Scripture tells us praise is sacrificial. Echoing Hebrews 13:15, Romans 12:1 instructs, “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.” In other words, we should use our bodies to serve and honor God in an act of complete surrender. We should be set apart for Him, dedicated to Him. After all, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.” (Psalm 145:3, ESV)

In the Bible, we learn of Samson, a man dedicated to the Lord as a Nazarite from birth. Samson was one of God’s appointed judges for the Israelites. He could have demonstrated true worship. But Samson was self-absorbed, more into pleasing himself than committed to pleasing God.

He married a Philistine woman against his father’s better judgment because it “seemed right to Samson.” (Judges 14:1-7)
He didn’t tell his parents the honey he gave them came from the carcass of a lion he killed with his bare hands because, again, it seemed right to him to hide his broken vow. (Judges 14:5-9)
He killed thirty Philistines to fulfill a bet with the Philistine men, which was dishonest. (Judges 14:10-20)
He burned up the Philistine crops, vineyards, and olive groves because he thought revenge was the way to go. (Judges 15:1-5)

When Samson fell in love with Delilah, another Philistine woman, he revealed the secret to his great strength (his long uncut hair) because in the moment, stopping her nagging was more important than honoring his vow to God. (Judges 16:1-17)

She then shared that knowledge with her people and they shaved his hair, removing the last remnant of his Nazarite vow. And the Spirit of the Lord left him without him even realizing it. (Judges 16:18-20) Samson was so caught up in what felt right to him that he failed to remain set apart for the Lord. He failed to worship by using his body to serve and honor God, because his focus was not on God.

In the same way, if we get caught up in whether we like a song or not, whether the prayer or sermon “moves” us or not, we’re missing the point and aren’t offering true worship. Instead, we’re chasing our delights versus delighting ourselves in the Lord. Samson was called to devote his life to God. Would that he was more like the prophet Isaiah, who saw a vision of the Lord on His throne with the Seraphim singing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies; his glory fills the whole earth,” recognized his sinfulness, confessed before the Lord, and then spent the rest of his life in holy service to God.

Samson’s focus on his experience and desires over honoring his Nazarite vow to God reminds me of a passage in Amos chapter 5. Speaking through Amos, God rightfully accuses the Israelites of going through the motions. Yes, they assemble and offer the mandated sacrifices, but what of their hearts’ true intent and desire?
It was toward themselves, not God.

But God is faithful. God gave Samson another chance. While in captivity, “his hair began to grow back.” In chains, Philistines mocking him during their pagan worship service, he prayed for God to give him the strength to avenge his eyes, which they had gouged out. While Samson remained focused on self to the end, God still showed His faithfulness by giving Samson the strength to topple the building. (Judges 16:25-30)

Similarly, we are called to be sacrificial in our worship of the Lord. While Samson struggled to worship God above self for most of his life, in that one moment, he was willing to lay down his life. We might not be asked to die for the Lord, but we are asked to daily die to ourselves, our comfort.

“The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit.
You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.” (Psalm 51:17)

Sisters, let us offer our Great God true worship,
a heart humbled before Him
and a life surrendered to 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 Worship IX Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Here’s a link to all past studies in Worship IX!

Posted in: Broken, Faithfulness, God, Holy Spirit, Life, Mercy, Praise, Scripture, Truth, Worship Tagged: Always, Continually, Experience, Fulfill, Glorify, heart, humble, Lord, Pleasing, rejoice, Sacrificial, Surrendered

Waiting Day 8 The Anticipated Gift

October 13, 2021 by Sara Cissell Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 2:21-38
Isaiah 55:8-11
Psalm 62:1-12
Psalm 25:1-22

Waiting, Day 8

Oh, the very goodness and faithfulness of the Lord!
Check in on how your heart responds to that phrase.

Celebratory? Enthused? Encouraged?
Or, perhaps, this Journey Study comes to you in a season where that sentence feels so very far from the truth. A season of waiting…maybe more accurately, painful waiting.

A season where more questions fall from your lips than victory cheers.
Where are You, Lord?
Why did You give this to me?
Why did You take this away?

Regardless of heart motives, I’m so thankful our “why” questions are embraced by God; He faithfully draws us close in our questioning. Still, nowhere in Scripture does He promise to reply in the manner we might hope.

Yet, even in this space of unknowns, we can praise the God who carries us through our uncertain seasons of waiting as He actively works to soothe our fears and cultivate our faith. His strength is endless, His power limitless, and His pen authors the best stories every single time.

Waiting is a vital part of any story.
How we choose to wait often determines the level of joy contained throughout our journey and, in many cases, it impacts the story’s end. Such was the case for Anna and Simeon, two faithful saints of the Lord who demonstrated faith-filled waiting. Though the waiting period yawned before them, they fixed their gaze on the unchanging Yahweh, Lord of All. They daily sought His presence, choosing to dwell with Him instead of the land of fear and doubt.

Anna and Simeon waited for the long-ago-promised Messiah. Finally, on a seemingly ordinary day, as they sat again in the Lord’s presence at the temple, their faith was turned into sight as they beheld the infant face of Christ Jesus. They beheld the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord God wrapped in wrinkly days-old skin.

Precisely because they had spent their waiting in worship,
they were familiar with the Spirit’s pressing.
Finally, here was the goal of their faithful waiting.

Though the whole nation of Israel had waited centuries, they missed the fulfillment of the Lord’s promise. They neither welcomed the wee Christ, nor did they worship as He performed miracles and declared Himself to be the Messiah. Israel waited, just as Simeon and Anna had, but the difference was their “how”.

Israel sought a king they could control; one who would fulfill their expectations.
The humble in heart welcomed the King they already worshipping while they waited.

Like Israel, like Simeon and Anna, we each can choose how we wait in our seasons of mystery, pain, and seeming endlessness. Will we focus our hearts more on receiving the promise or on worshipping the Promise Keeper?

Though I have much to still learn about waiting well, over many seasons of waiting, the Lord has faithfully taught my heart to worship in the waiting; He has shown me the joy to be discovered if we wait on Him.

I had been single for several years and sensed the Lord leading me to a specific man as my future husband. In a story that would take far longer than I could recount here, the Lord walked me through years of listening and obeying; these became my praise to Him. I continued praying for this man, and many fellow Christians prayed alongside me, until finally I asked the Lord for a clear answer the next time the two of us interacted. When I saw him again, I mentioned an interest in getting coffee, but he didn’t set up a date. As we turned to go, he exited through one door, and I turned towards a glass one, but realized too late that it was a pull exit instead of a push door. I walked full force into the see-through glass, but instead of feeling humiliation at my clumsiness and grief over losing this man, laughter bubbled out. After years of waiting and praying, I found myself filled with joy and laughter.

I had waited well, and the evidence was the Lord’s joy showing up against all odds. The outcome wasn’t what I had envisioned, but the Lord had given me the same gift He had given to Anna and Simeon and all who waited for the Messiah with humility, Himself.

In that specific season I had learned to know His voice better and lay my plans at His feet. I wonder how often Anna or Simeon doubted the Lord would show Himself to them as they waited, yet still, they came to Him each day at the temple, expectantly waiting with open hands to receive whatever He had for them.
These were sacrifices of praise.

I’m now married, with a little one on the way, to a man the Lord had been preparing for me all along. As I feel tiny kicks inside, I am reminded again that the Lord writes the best stories. His storyline taught my heart to trust and worship Him regardless of plot twists. He was faithful to Simeon, Anna, and even to Israel, though they rejected Him, and He continues to be faithful to all who humbly seek Him.

Delight yourself in the Promise Keeper, Sister.
Learn the rhythm of worshipping while you wait and joyfully discover His faithful goodness that will never fail!

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

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Here’s a link to all past studies in Waiting!

Posted in: Christ, Faithfulness, Focus, Gift, God, Jesus, Joy, Promises, Scripture, Waiting, Welcome, Worship Tagged: Anticipated, delight, goodness, heart, humble, Lord, Messiah, questions, wait, Why

Alive Day 9 The Groaning: Digging Deeper

September 23, 2021 by Mandy Farmer 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!
Check out The Groaning!

The Questions

1) What were the sufferings of the present time, and what future glory was Paul referencing? (verse 18)

2) How does the “groaning of creation” point to truth? (verses 19-20, 22)

3) Who are the firstfruits of the Spirit? (verse 23)

Romans 8:18-23

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility–not willingly, but because of him who subjected it–in the hope 21 that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. 23 Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits–we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

Original Intent

1) What were the sufferings of the present time, and what future glory was Paul referencing? (verse 18)
Persecution of the church began as soon as it was birthed. Immediately in Acts we find the temple police and Sadducees putting apostles in prison (Acts 4) and stoning the Christians, including Stephen. (Acts 7) Some of this was under the leadership of Saul (later Paul). Paul suffered greatly after his salvation. Right from the start, he was blinded and needed to find his way to Ananias for prayer in order to be healed. Some think that poor eyesight was the suffering “thorn” he bore, or perhaps his health issues contributed to his poor eyesight. (Acts 9:15-16, 2 Corinthians 12:1-6) (Blue Letter Bible) He wrote to the Corinthians concerning his many trials throughout his ministry. (2 Corinthians 4:8-12) He was beaten, imprisoned, stoned, shipwrecked, weary, sleepless, poor, hungry and thirsty, cold and naked. Yet, through Christ, he prevailed. (2 Corinthians 11:23-28) (Bible Charts.org) He often shared, however, that these sufferings not only kept him humble, but also cultivated his faith. God used Paul’s sufferings to further God’s Kingdom and spread the Gospel to the Gentiles. These persecutions continued not only for Paul, but for all believers in the first century leading up to all the horrific acts of Nero and many others against Christians. Paul’s letters, which were already circulating by the time of Nero, would become a great source of encouragement to the early Church, reminding them of future glory with Christ. We often think of “future glory” as being “when we all get to heaven” where sorrows and tears are gone. But Paul shared with the Romans of the peace available now as well as the certainty of knowing that God was working through their afflictions to produce His character in them. (Romans 5:1-5)

2) How does the “groaning of creation” point to truth? (verses 19-20, 22)
“The heaven declares the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” (Psalm 19:1) God’s creation is so wonderful that it alone can draw us to God. Just from observing creation, all people can see that God is Truth; we are all without excuse of understanding a Creator exists. “Ever since the creation of the world His eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things He has made.” (Romans 1:20) Yet, creation has been groaning since the Fall of Man. (Genesis 3) The ground was “subjected to futility” (verse 20) because of sin and it began to decay even as our bodies decay; aching to be restored to its original state. Creation waits, just as we wait, to be fully redeemed. Isaiah shares how it once was in the Garden of Eden before sin entered the world, and how it will be again one day, ‘The wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat. The calf, the young lion, and the fattened calf will be together, and a child will lead them.” (Read more in Isaiah 11:6-9!) The Psalmist wrote of the second coming of Jesus as well saying all creation would praise God and truth would be revealed,  “Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for He is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.” (Psalm 96:11-13, NLT)

3) Who are the firstfruits of the Spirit? (verse 23)
When Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai, God gave instruction for building the tabernacle and how to celebrate the feasts. (Leviticus 23) The feasts were periods on the Jewish calendar to stop and worship the Lord, it was a time to remember what God had done. I found the study of the feasts very exciting as they each pointed to Jesus, even though they were instituted centuries before He was born. The Feast of Firstfruits directly followed Passover, which was a celebration of spring and new crops. Everyone offered up to God the very first of their crops during the Feast of Firstfruits. It was no coincidence that Jesus rose from the dead on the Feast of Firstfruits as the ultimate celebration of new life. He was the first to rise from the dead and live forever. (Matthew 28) All who trust Christ for forgiveness and salvation will experience this same resurrection from the dead! “For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; afterward, at His coming, those who belong to Christ”. (1 Corinthians 15:22-23) (Finding Christ in the Feast of Firstfruits) Something I find interesting is that an earthquake (creation groaning) was the first to celebrate the resurrection. The earth groaned exceedingly during the crucifixion, (Matthew 27:45-54) but creation shook again, this time with anticipation, at His resurrection. (Matthew 28:2)

Everyday Application

1) What were the sufferings of the present time, and what future glory was Paul referencing? (verse 18)
Paul wrote of his sufferable “thorn in the flesh” to the church in Corinth saying, “…so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9) We can’t identify exactly what Paul’s thorn was, but this unknown is for our advantage; we can relate his sufferings with our own regardless of their source. Christians from many generations have benefited by his reference to the thorn while applying it to their specific problems. (Dr. Thomas Constable) The thorn of which Paul speaks gives us an understanding of God’s perspective concerning physical infirmities and suffering. (Blue Letter Bible) Personally, I have suffered from chronic pain for over 10 years. At times the pain is excruciating, but I have found complete trust in God despite the intensity. Turning to God in my pain has resulted in a much deeper relationship with the Lord of Lords than I would have had before. At one point, I had the same conversation with God that Paul records. “Please, Lord, take this pain away from me. I have learned my lesson.” (2 Corinthians 12:8-10) But God reminded me that I, like Paul, needed this pain to keep me humble. So, we walk hand in hand, day-by-day as I learn to trust Him more. It’s a wonderful hope of glory! I look forward to the day when He will wipe away every tear from my eyes. (Revelation 21:4) Then I will leap with the lame, see with the blind, hear with the deaf, and shout with the mute! Oh! What a glorious day!

2) How does the “groaning of creation” point to truth? (verses 19-20, 22)
Today, we are seeing the teaching of Jesus on the Mount of Olives fulfilled. He said mankind would become increasingly evil, fighting brother against brother. “There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these events are the beginning of labor pains.” (Matthew 24:3-8, emphasis mine) We are certainly seeing those labor pains in our day through earthquakes, tsunamis, famines, mud slides, volcanoes, fires, and other “natural disasters”. We hardly recover from one tragedy before another comes. Earthquakes alone have been increasing over the 120 years they have been recorded. You may remember the deadly earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004. (World Vision) That year there were 1,672 earthquakes around the world. After that, numbers increased steadily through 2011 which topped at 2,481. We have had a slight drop since then, ranging between 1433 and 1808. But still, that is at least 4 earthquakes somewhere in the world every day. (Statista) All that without mentioning other “groanings of creation”! Obviously, the earth groans for the coming inheritance promised in Revelation by the Creator God Himself. The Apostle John wrote down what He saw as the new heaven and earth. (Revelation 1:1-2) Certainly, what we see in John’s book of revelations is only a glimpse of what we will experience in perfected Glory with God such as, clean water, the Tree of Life bearing all kinds of fruit, and the curse removed. Revelation 22:1-3 says, “Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the city’s main street. The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, and there will no longer be any curse.

3) Who are the firstfruits of the Spirit? (verse 23)
When we accept Christ as Savior, we become a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17) His Holy Spirit works within us to remove our carnal spirit and to become new in Him. The things in our past are now gone! We are now alive in Christ. “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-6) Paul takes it one step further… “so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:7) One day, all who trust Christ for forgiveness of sin and have repented (turned away from) of their sin will rise! We will be raptured into Heaven ever to be with the Lord. This is our very certain future hope! “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) And that time, our adoption in Christ will be finalized and our bodies will be gloriously changed. (1 Corinthians 15:50-58) So, in conclusion, dear sisters, I urge you, just as Paul did the Corinthians, “Be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)

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

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
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This is Alive Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
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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!

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

Posted in: church, Deep, Digging Deeper, Faith, Forgiven, God, Gospel, Jesus, Kingdom, Peace, persecution, Relationship, Salvation, Suffering, Truth Tagged: Aching, alive, Creations, Cultivated, Groaning, humble, resurrection

Word Day 12 Do As I Do: Digging Deeper

May 4, 2021 by Lisa Marcelina Leave a Comment

Word Day 12 Do As I Do: Digging Deeper

Lisa Marcelina

May 4, 2021

Christ,Digging Deeper,Follow,God,Grace,He,Jesus,Love,Purpose,Relationship,Scripture

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Do As I Do"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 13:12-17

When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you?” You call me Teacher and Lord – and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you. Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed to do them.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Why did Jesus ask the disciples if they knew what He had done for them? (verse 12)

After Jesus washed the disciples’ feet He replaced His robe and proceeded to engage them in conversation as to why He did what He did. Previously, in verse 4, Jesus removed His robe after the Passover meal and wrapped a towel around His waist in preparation for foot washing.

This common gesture of wearing a towel signified Jesus taking on the role of a slave. This would have baffled the disciples! Only slaves washed the feet of their master, but not even Jewish slaves were allowed to wash their masters’ feet (NKJV Chronological Study Bible Notes). To watch Jesus undertake such a menial task would have been beyond the understanding of the disciples.

Many a time the disciples did not understand what Jesus was doing or teaching; Jesus knew they could be “slow” to understand. In Mark 8:14-21 Jesus told His disciples to watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees, but even as they discussed it among themselves, they did not understand Jesus’ meaning. They concluded His remark was because they’d forgotten to bring bread. Jesus rebuked them harshly and asked, “Don’t you understand yet?”. (Mark 8:21)

In Matthew 15:2-19, Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for focusing on hand-washing traditions instead of God’s heart to honor Him. The disciples told Jesus the Pharisees were offended, but Jesus told them to leave the Pharisees alone as they were blind and were leading each other into a pit. The disciples again, not understanding, asked Jesus to explain. Jesus responded, “Do you still lack understanding?”. (Matthew 15:16) 

There were even times the disciples were afraid to ask Jesus questions. (Mark 9:30-32, John 16:16-19) Because His example of humble servitude was so critically important to His disciples imitating, He wanted to be sure they understood the full weight of His actions.

The Everyday Application

1) Why did Jesus ask the disciples if they knew what He had done for them? (verse 12)

On many occasions, the disciples didn’t understand what Jesus said or why He did some of the things He did. Jesus even had to rebuke them at times for taking His intended meaning beyond what He wanted them to understand.

Can we blame them? After all, Jesus was God in the flesh. It would have been difficult for them to understand His divinity just as it is for us today. Sometimes, we go through difficult circumstances that leave us questioning God.

A few years ago, I was betrayed by a close family member. When it happened, I was in total shock. I felt like Joseph when his brothers placed him in a pit and sold him into slavery. (Genesis 37:12-36) My life literally shattered that day! All I could think is, “Why?!”. I prayed for God to give me answers, but it was slow.

He kept telling me to be patient. Little by little, things were revealed until I had the whole story. We need to wait on God to give His answers in His time. He is faithful to reveal Himself in the context of a relationship with Him as we study Scripture, listen to sermons, and seek wise counsel from other believers in Jesus.

Even in the struggle, God graciously gives purpose. It wasn’t until Jesus’ death and resurrection that the disciples fully understood that Jesus’ example of humble servitude was to be the foundation by which they extended the love of Jesus to others.

Are there circumstances in your life you don’t understand? Instead of worrying, or bringing your own solution, ask God for guidance through prayer. Read the Scriptures and seek godly counsel. He will be faithful to reveal His answer in His time. Just be patient.

The Original Intent

2) Why did Jesus command the disciples to wash one another’s feet? (verse 14)

Jesus wanted the disciples to understand what being humble, loving, and serving others really meant. Jesus knew a mere parable would not suffice, so He went out of His way to actively demonstrate what humility looked like by washing the filthy feet of His disciples. This act of humble love was an entirely new concept for the disciples. 

John Dickson explains, “The word humility in both the ancient Greek and Latin meant low, as in low to the ground. It had an entirely negative connotation. In a world that loved reputation and honour above pretty much anything else, humility just didn’t make sense.”

Jesus wanted His disciples to become humble servants of each other and those around them who desperately needed to experience Christ’s offer to rescue them from sin. The only way for the disciples to grasp this concept was for Jesus to live it out for them in an unforgettably tangible way. He then commanded them to follow His example and do the same.

The Everyday Application

2) Why did Jesus command the disciples to wash one another’s feet? (verse 14)

The command to wash one another’s feet in humble service extends to us as Christ-followers also. Jesus was the epitome of humility, and we are called to be like Him. (Romans 8:29) 

It doesn’t matter if we are the CEO of a company or a janitor, all who have surrendered their lives to Jesus are to serve others with humble hearts. I know someone who refused to help a former employee when he became Department Manager (we’ll call him C). The employee (P) was so disappointed. P confided to me that when C worked with him before becoming Manager, he would assist him in anything he needed. As Manager, however, C refused to take his calls. P couldn’t believe he was treated in such a manner after all he did for C when they worked together.

We, as Christians are called to service regardless of our position in life. Philippians 2:3 states, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves”. As Christians, we need to wash each other’s feet.

The Original Intent

3) What did Jesus mean by “a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him”? (verse 16)

If Jesus, as their Teacher and Lord, could do such a menial task as wash their feet, then the disciples, as His students, are not above Him, and should do likewise. They were to follow His example and become servants. Jesus expressed this sentiment many times as He modeled a life of love for His disciples. (Matthew 10:24, Luke 6:40)

In Luke’s record of the Passover where Jesus washed their feet, a dispute arose among the disciples about who should be considered the greatest. (Luke 22:24) It could be this discourse that prompted Jesus to embark on the foot washing ceremony. Jesus told them not to be like the kings who rule over the Gentiles because their main concern was status. Instead, Jesus’ disciples must be like Him and serve with humble love. (Luke 22:27)

The Everyday Application

3) What did Jesus mean by “a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him”? (verse 16)

“The world asks, “How many people work for you?”, but the Lord asks, “For how many people do you work?”” (Warren W. Wiersbe). A friend told me, while he was at the bank one day, he observed the CEO walking the floor. There was a piece of paper on the ground. The CEO, without thinking twice, picked it up, threw it away and continued walking the floor. My friend was absolutely amazed because, in his mind, the CEO could have easily called the janitor or another employee to pick up the trash. But he didn’t, he did it himself. This showed his humility. It wasn’t beneath him to pick up that paper.

Loving and serving others isn’t about us, but Who we work for. Whatever we do, we are to do it for the benefit of others and, most importantly, for the glory of God. (Colossians 3:17) Reiterating Philippians 2:3, other people are more important than us, and our job as Christians is to serve them. If Jesus did it, so should we! (Philippians 2:5-11)

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The truest test of a disciple of Jesus is how we love.

Today, it’s often difficult to see love in action, especially if we focus on the media’s newsfeed. With sin and brokenness ruling our world, the selfless love modeled by Jesus doesn’t take the spotlight.

Therefore it takes courage….. To stand against the norm and love like Jesus. To defend the bullied or mistreated. To serve both the arrogant and the diseased. To sacrificially love those society has rejected.

This kind of love…. requires a boldness only available through the power of the God who gave Himself entirely for us. When we love like Jesus, we risk ridicule or even bodily harm. Loving like Jesus isn’t easy.
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Posted in: Christ, Digging Deeper, Follow, God, Grace, He, Jesus, Love, Purpose, Relationship, Scripture Tagged: demonstrate, disciples, example, faithful, honor, humble, I Do, Servent, Teacher, Teaching, Word

Enough Day 12 Humble King: Digging Deeper

April 13, 2021 by Patty Scott 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!
Check out Humble King!

The Questions

1) What is the attitude of Jesus? (verse 5)

 

2) How did He demonstrate that attitude? (verses 6-8)

 

3) What is the fruit of this attitude? (verses 9-11)

Philippians 2:5-11

Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,
6 who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God
as something to be exploited.
7 Instead he emptied himself
by assuming the form of a servant,
taking on the likeness of humanity.
And when he had come as a man,
8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.
9 For this reason God highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow—
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth—
11 and every tongue will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Original Intent

1) What is the attitude of Jesus? (verse 5)
Verse 8 in Philippians 2 says Jesus’ attitude is humble and obedient. Jesus is co-equal in the fullness of deity and divinity with God the Father and God the Spirit. God’s singular essence is expressed in three different persons, Father, Son, and Spirit. In Philippians 2, we are told that Jesus didn’t view His equality as something to be exploited. The Greek word for “exploited” is “harpagmos”, meaning to seize or prize something so as to hold onto it. Picture a mighty warrior armed for battle. He has a sword at his side, but he doesn’t choose to seize (or exploit) it for his own benefit or protection. This is a similar concept for Jesus as He came to earth. He chose not to seize all the power and status available to Him as God the Son, even though it was His. As He “emptied Himself”, He did not become “less God”, rather He chose not to seize His status so He could humbly become not just human, but the likeness of a servant. Jesus is both 100% God while also 100% human. When we look at the heart of Christ’s humility, we see its roots are embedded in fullness and security. Jesus knew His identity as God. When we look at the heart of obedience, it is love. In John 14:15 Jesus tells His followers, “If you love me, you will obey my commandments.” Love leads to humble obedience.

2) How did He demonstrate that attitude? (verses 6-8)
As Christ emptied Himself, that is, chose not to use His full power and authority as God the Son while on earth, He clothed Himself in the humble form of humanity. He took on the role of servant to the world He created. This posture is not new for God. As we read the entire Bible, we see God calling Himself the helper of Israel, or the helper of a person. He bends toward His creation, entering into our struggles and our reality to help us. In studying Philippians 2, we see the depths and lengths to which Jesus expressed God’s humility. He not only came as a man, but as a servant who would die a convicted criminal’s death on the cross. He died for those who would receive His sacrifice and for those who would reject Him. John 3:16 says, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” 1 Peter 3:18 adds, “For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit.”
1 John 2:2 says, “He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.” He gave His life as an offering for all. This self-sacrifice is the highest form of both humility and obedience. He loves so deeply that His generosity is boundless as He gives up Himself for us, His beloved.

3) What is the fruit of this attitude? (verses 9-11)
In Hebrews 12:2 we are told Jesus endured the cross, despising its shame for the joy set before Him. What was this joy? You. Me. Our salvation. He humbled Himself so we might not perish, be brought near to God, and made alive by His Spirit. This is His joyful reward! We are the joy set before Him! The restoration of all things that had been wrecked by sin was and is His motivation. The fruit of His humility and obedience is that He is exalted above all names, that every knee will bow on heaven and on earth and every tongue confess the truth that He is Lord. The fruit of Jesus’ humility is our salvation and restored relationship with God. One day, the whole of creation will declare this truth in due time.

Everyday Application

1) What is the attitude of Jesus? (verse 5)
We are to take on the attitude of Jesus who demonstrated humble obedience, rooted in love and security, willing to self-sacrifice for those who receive us and those who don’t. We can try to muster up this attitude, but Jesus warns us that without Him, we can do nothing. (John 15:5) We are meant to abide in His love so that we are able to bear Christ’s fruit.  (John 15:9) The type of Christ-like humility and obedience we are called toward is utterly beyond us if we attempt to dredge it up without His presence, power, and love as the source of our motivation and capability. When we abide in Christ, and are rooted and grounded in His love (Ephesians 3:17), we have security in our identity as His beloved children (Ephesians 1:5-13) and are capable of humbling ourselves as He did because He has changed our heart desire to follow the God we trust and love, just as Jesus did.

2) How did He demonstrate that attitude? (verses 6-8)
Jesus demonstrated His humility by choosing to come to earth as a servant and by ultimately going to the cross. We are invited by Him to follow His example and deny ourselves, for the love of Him and others, as we take up our cross and follow Him. (Matthew 16:24) The meaning of this invitation and exhortation should drive the way we walk through everyday life. To pick up our cross, is to imply that we will not hesitate to cheerfully and willingly bear persecutions, troubles, distresses just as our Savior did. Jesus bore the cross; He took it up and laid Himself upon it in all humility. He did not do this stoically or easily, but He did it willingly and with great humility and love. When we follow Jesus, we ultimately become the type of people who are also willing to die to ourselves as we follow Him. Those who follow Jesus are to consider others as more important than themselves (Philippians 2:3), choosing to live sacrificially because they are filled with the kind of love that pours out freely.

3) What is the fruit of this attitude? (verses 9-11)
The fruit of Jesus’ humble, loving obedience is our restoration to God and also the rightful exaltation of Him above all else. For us, the fruit is surprisingly similar. In James 4:10 we are told to humble ourselves before the Lord and He will exalt us. He lifts us when we bow to Him. When we do not insist on our own way (1 Corinthians 13:15) we bend as Jesus did, making room for God’s way. The fruit of our bending is a character more formed to the likeness of Jesus and it can even have the extended fruit of reaching others for Jesus. Many turn away from Jesus because of the pride of His people. Jesus chided the pharisees for this sin over and over. (Matthew 23, Luke 11:37-54, Mark 12:35-40, Luke 20:45-47) When a Christian has the attitude of Jesus, however, one of humble servitude, combined with obedient love, people who don’t yet know Jesus will see something unique and be drawn to Him through what they see of Him alive in us. (John 13:35)

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

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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

Our Current Study Theme!

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Posted in: Beloved, Character, Creation, Enough, Fullness, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Joy, Love, Sacrifice, Trust Tagged: attitude, choose, Fruit, helper, humble, King, Obedient, restoration, righteous, Unrighteous

Follow Day 15 Lydia, Spaghetti, and Waffles

January 22, 2021 by Sara Cissell Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 16:6-15, 40
Romans 12:1-21
Mark 8:34-38

Follow, Day 15

Men’s brains work like waffles; women’s work like spaghetti.

Have you heard this analogy? While I’ve never read the book in which it’s presented, I am very aware of the concept. Men are able to compartmentalize their thinking (waffles), whereas women have several thoughts moving at once that may be under, over, in-between, wrapped around, tied in knots, etc (spaghetti).

For example, when my husband asks what I’m thinking, I need to follow one specific noodle in my mind to figure out how it connected with what we were originally talking about. In other scenarios, I will bring up a topic from a previous conversation and he will acknowledge he hasn’t considered it since because he “tucked that thought in its waffle square.”

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure if my brain truly existed in the “waffle-sphere,” things would end badly. I’d tuck something away safely in a square and promptly forget about it forever. Or I would ineffectively label my squares and end up with a massive, jumbled laundry pile of sorts, one with random thoughts falling away like errant socks rolling down the sides and disappearing (is this where all the missing socks go?).

The more I imagined life with a waffle-mind, my thankfulness for how the Lord wired my brain grew. With these thoughts, I began writing this Journey Study and was surprised to encounter an entirely new and challenging perspective on our dear sister in the Bible, Lydia.

Lydia’s story graces only a few verses in Scripture, but a great deal about her can be inferred from those lines. If you already read the Acts passages at the start of this study, excellent! If not, take a minute to read now. (Acts 16:6-15, 40)

Paul encountered Lydia outside the city gates of Philippi, yet Lydia was introduced as being from the city of Thyatira. Looking at the map of Paul’s missionary journeys in the back of my Bible, I discovered Thyatira and Phillippi are not neighboring towns; Lydia was a traveler. 

Additionally, she was a seller of purple cloth, for which Thyatira was famous. Note the verse does not say she was married to a seller of purple cloth; no, Lydia was a business woman, defying social norms by actively working.

She is also described as God-fearing. Paul found Lydia and other women gathered in prayer outside of the city gates. These women were humble and determined enough to step outside the boundaries of the city (most definitely the physical ones, but perhaps the societal, economic, and emotional boundaries as well) in order to seek the Lord. Lydia’s presence was intentional as she denied her own convenient comfort. (Mark 8:34)

After Lydia is introduced, we are immediately told what she was doing: listening. Because she was actively engaged with Paul’s words, “the Lord opened her heart to respond.” (Acts 16:14) If I were to envision this scenario occurring today, it might look like a woman intentionally moving to a place where she can encounter the Lord. For me, that would mean leaving my phone in the other room, having my journal and a pen ready to write thoughts to and from the Lord, and time enough to be still and truly listen.

Lydia followed through on the Lord’s nudge to respond. Holding nothing back from the Lord, she and her household were baptized. Then, she served as hostess to Paul and his traveling companions on multiple occasions. She demonstrated hospitality, generosity, humility, focus, and faithfulness. (Romans 12:6)

Now, in a perfect example of my brain’s spaghetti-like wiring, let’s jump back to how Lydia’s example showed me two ways in which I am asking the Lord to help my “spaghetti-ness.” First, like Lydia, I’m learning I must carve out time to be with the Lord and listen. The compartments of church and my personal time with Him cannot be replaced by other things. Failing to prioritize those will be detrimental to myself and those the Lord is entrusting to me.

Second, I do compartmentalize some areas that I shouldn’t. The phrase “separation between church and state” is not a biblical concept, yet it aptly describes a pattern of distinct boundaries between Jesus and the rest of my life. Rather than existing in separate compartments, what I learn in church and during my quiet times MUST bleed over into the other facets of my life. I must blend my heart for the Lord with my work environment and ethic, my home life, and my time in community. This does not mean I have a “Honk if you love Jesus” bumper sticker on my cubicle, but it does mean that I live to be a light to those around me. 

Lydia took all she had and used it for the glory of the Lord.
As a result, her entire household met Jesus.

Paul and his companions were blessed, ministered to, and energized for their journeys.
The kingdom gained a hard-working evangelist with a broad sphere of influence.

Beloved, as we consider our lives, where might God be calling us to use what He’s already given us for His glory?

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Posted in: Blessed, Creation, Faithfulness, Follow, God, Holy Spirit, Humility, Kingdom, Paul Tagged: Baptized, Determined, God-Fearing, humble, light, listening, Lydia, perspective, Spaghetti, The Lord, Traveler, Waffles, Wired

Follow Day 2 Trust Through Tears: Digging Deeper

January 5, 2021 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

Follow Day 2 Trust Through Tears: Digging Deeper

Rebecca Adams

January 5, 2021

Digging Deeper,Follow,God,Holy Spirit,Hope,Jesus,Kingdom,Love,Scripture

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Trust Through Tears"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 9:1-7

As He (Jesus) was passing by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” Jesus answered. “This came about so that God’s works might be displayed in him.

4 We must do the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 After he said these things he spit on the ground, made some mud from the saliva, and spread the mud on his eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he left, washed, and came back seeing.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Why does Jesus connect the man’s blindness to God’s glory and Jesus’ work? (verses 3-4)

It was a common belief among Jews that sickness was a consequence inflicted by God as a result of sinfulness. This came from the incorrect interpretation of an Old Testament passage, “Do not bow in worship to them (false gods), and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.” (Exodus 20:5)

Each time this warning is recorded in Scripture, it’s tied to keeping the Ten Commandments. God is reminding Israel He cannot overlook sin because He is just. Hearts that rebel against the Lord God will be punished, and that legacy will often live on their children and grandchildren. The original passages are very clearly focused on the heart condition resulting in sinfulness, but over time, and the sway of legalism from the Pharisees, Jews stretched the consequence to mean a physical illness instead of an idolatrous heart.

It’s easier to blame something physical on sin than be prompted to examine our hearts before a holy God, isn’t it? Just as in the Old Testament, Jesus is still seeking after true heart humility and this man’s blindness from birth was
neither random nor an accident.

It wasn’t “by chance” Jesus met this beggar at a divinely appointed time on the roadside that Sabbath so his blindness would be the gateway for God’s glory to be revealed through
Jesus’ work.

The Everyday Application

1) Why does Jesus connect the man’s blindness to God’s glory and Jesus’ work? (verses 3-4)

It’s an interesting trifecta, isn’t it? One no sane human being would ever devise.

We run from suffering. We plead against loss whether it’s financial, emotional, or physical. But, where we see ruin, deep sorrow, and grief curtained in black darkness, the Lord of Light and Life sees a gateway for His glory to be revealed through the work of Christ!

Our sin-wrecked hearts are destined to send each of us to an eternity apart from Love and Hope with God, but God took the suffering from our sin and magnificently gave Jesus and His work on the cross as a means to bring about His glory of saving us. What is more glorious than taking what is worthless and esteeming it to the highest place of honor?!

One man’s story from ancient Israel can become our anthem in everyday life. Whether it’s losing your patience with your unruly toddler, the emotional gut-punch from your teenager, the sickening grief that comes from watching a loved one die painfully, the heart-wrenching agony of knowing the one you loved walked out on you, or something else entirely, the triad remains and hope is alive.

Our suffering opens the door for Jesus to do His work, and God’s glory will be the telltale trademark of our redemption stories. The question we need to ask is, will we surrender to His hand, or will we drag ourselves, and our pain, away in agonizing anger or self-demise, rejecting the Lord of Life and Love.

The Original Intent

2) What is meant by connecting “work” to “night” and “day”? (verse 4)

It’s the small words in the Bible that often mean the most. If you want to dig deeper and grow in what the Holy Spirit will teach you, pay attention to the little words of Scripture.

On the heels of Jesus correcting the disciples’ theology (their understanding of God) on the blind man, Jesus takes the opportunity to teach His disciples about purpose and mission. He begins by using the little pronoun “we”.  “We must do the works of Him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work.” (verse 4) God Almighty, humbled in the flesh, standing before human disciples, just invited (again) ordinary people to do His divine work with Him. How unspeakable!

Jesus did not come to earth to sit idly by, learn carpentry from His human father, Joseph, make good friends, and be an upstanding citizen in the ancient middle east. He came with a purpose, and He “must” accomplish it. That Greek word for must, another small word, means “bound or lashed to”. Christ was “lashed to” His purposeful work to follow the mission of the triune God.

While Jesus walked the earth, there was intentional work to accomplish. When He ascended to Heaven, He continues His work of interceding on behalf of us to the Father, but our work also continues on earth through the power of the Holy Spirit. Ah, the beautiful “we”.

Every believer “lashed to” the work being done in unity with the Father, Son, and Spirit. Work now, while it is light, while it is still called “today”. (Hebrews 3:13-15) For a time will come, when the Light given by the Holy Spirit will be gone as Believers are taken to be with the Lord forever, and the time to do Kingdom Work on earth will end as Jesus returns in judgement. (Philippians 2:9-12)

The Everyday Application

2) What is meant by connecting “work” to “night” and “day”? (verse 4)

How often do you wake up, do your morning thing, and remember that everything stretching out before you on is an opportunity to work with the God of the Universe?! Not everyday?! Me either!

As our awareness of this reality grows, however, the quicker we are to view everything we do in life as kingdom work. This drastically shifts our perspective and gives us new meaning, purpose, and real depth to even the most mundane aspects of our lives. (1 Corinthians 10:31) Jesus said we must work while it is day. Today. This moment, and the next.

The one when you are in conflict with your spouse. The hot minute when you want to scream at your toddler. The “fat minute” when your teenager acts like a teenager. The moment when your heart screams over injustice committed against you or your head hangs in shameful regret. These are all moments that fill “the day”.

There is work to do here and now. There is “We” work that “must” be done. These are the opportunities to surrender to the work the Holy Spirit is actively doing in us, as we submit our will to His, and allow His work to flow through us to advance the Kingdom one moment at a time. Are you ready to work alongside the God of your heart? He’s inviting you in!

The Original Intent

3) What does Jesus mean by being the light of the world as long as He was in the world? (verse 5)

As John writes in His gospel, Jesus is the “Light of men” and He was revealed as He entered the world. (John 1:4-9) In Revelation, the same author, John, describes the vision of “New Jerusalem”, which is the eternal home for all who believe in Jesus, as not needing any planetary light source. “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb.” (Revelation 21:22) 

Jesus IS the light. When He walked the earth, He was on mission to accomplish the very specific work of the divine godhead to rescue mankind. This covered every moment and every action of Jesus. His mission was interwoven into every aspect of His life from the mundane to the magnificent.

When He ascended back to Heaven, He made it clear to the disciples the “we” work was intended to continue. “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.(…)” (Matthew 28:19-20) 

While Jesus was still with His disciples He gave them a heads up that though He was leaving, He would send His own Spirit to dwell within them. Through the Spirit’s power, they would continue the work He had called them into. (Acts 1:8)

Also while Jesus was on earth, He taught that we also were the “light of the world” because His light is within us. (Matthew 5:14-16)

The Everyday Application

3) What does Jesus mean by being the light of the world as long as He was in the world? (verse 5)

There will come a day when the time for work will be done. The opportunity to choose to surrender one’s will and self to Jesus will close. Work for the Kingdom will cease, and Christ will summon everyone to His judgement seat where only those whose names are found written in the Lamb’s book of life will be given full access to dwell with God forever. (Revelation 20:15)

Everyone else will be turned away to the “lake of fire” and eternal separation from God’s love. This should urge us forward with passion to work for advancing God’s kingdom now! Paul fervently wrote to the church in Rome, urging them to “love one another” because “…it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, because now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is nearly over, and the day is near; so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13:11-12)

How will you choose to surrender more to God’s will today than you did yesterday? Love well, Sisters, the day’s end is near!

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Divine Work,glory,God Almighty,humble,mission,Purposeful,suffering,surrender,teach,The Light
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Posted in: Digging Deeper, Follow, God, Holy Spirit, Hope, Jesus, Kingdom, Love, Scripture Tagged: Divine Work, glory, God Almighty, humble, mission, Purposeful, suffering, surrender, teach, The Light
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And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14