justice

Alive Day 1 Justice + Mercy = Freedom

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 7:22-8:4
1 John 1:5-2:2
Galatians 5:13-18
Hebrews 12:1-6

Alive, Day 1

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1-4)

“Son, do you love Jesus? Have you given Him your whole life?”
“Yes, Mama. You were there when I prayed to Him.”
“Do you see how you have been jumping quickly to make rude comments to your brothers? Do you see how fast you are to throw a punch and then say you were ‘just playing?’”
“Yeah, I do. It’s just…so hard to follow Jesus all the time.”

Yes.
Yes, it is.

“So then, with my mind I myself am serving the law of God, but with my flesh, the law of sin.” (Romans 7:25)

To surrender our lives once to the Savior of the world for the rescue of our souls is an incredible, necessary act. But to surrender to His Spirit at work within us on the daily, in every moment, is something else entirely.

Herein is the long, grueling, often painful process of sanctification by which our souls, once dead to God and alive to sin, are now being fashioned into the image for which we were always intended: Christ’s.

“… the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2)

But, oh, the habits of the flesh cling hard and fast to our rhythms of life. Always competing with our desire to follow Jesus is our desire to still love ourselves most and first and best.

“For in my inner self I delight in God’s law, but I see a different law in the parts of my body,  waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body.” (Romans 7:22-23, emphasis mine)

What wretches we are!
And who will rescue us from this ceaseless war within ourselves? (Romans 7:24)

With tears, oh Christ. Only Christ!
Jesus, the only One worthy to sit at the right hand of our Father God. (Ephesians 1:20-21)
Jesus, willing to take our sin and shame upon Himself that we might never bear it again. (1 John 2:2)
Jesus, willing to break us free again and again and again from the ridiculous chains of sin we insist on slinging around ourselves. (Romans 5:21)
Oh Merciful Christ.

“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25)

This beautiful Christ, and the freedom He lavishly gives, are the subject of one of the most profoundly significant chapters in all of Scripture, Romans Chapter Eight.

And the benefactors of such magnificent love?
The wretched ones.
Us.

We who, having witnessed the atrocities of our own sinful rebellion, have now turned instead to look upon the blood stained, nail-pierced body of the resurrected Jesus. He who, having died the death we deserved, now offers us His life and righteousness. He willingly laid down His life that we might live anew with Him, both in eternity and right now, in the nitty-gritty of everyday choices. Here, we choose either to surrender to His Spirit or lustfully love ourselves.

This great unfolding of the vast love of Christ begins here in the dark places of our souls. For only in knowing, grasping, and insistently gazing upon the ugliness of our sin can we truly be taken aback by the sheer glory of the love of a magnificent God who chose to set His love upon us simply that we might be called His own forever.

Never could we dream of becoming good enough to qualify as “righteous” before the Holy One. No amount of law-keeping, good deeds, kind words, gut-wrenching sacrifices, or generous giving could ever amount to earning even a single drop of God’s mercy.

“All of us have become like something unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment…” (Isaiah 64:6)

Our law-keeping is meaningless for earning right standing before God.
So, what hope have we?
None, Sisters.
None.
We are utterly without hope.

Our sin demands the death penalty, for we are wholly unrighteous.
We cannot earn goodness, for we have already earned death.
“For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)

And here, in the inky blackness of hell, eternally separated from a loving God, the Spirit of God whispers, “For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did.” (Romans 8:3)

Like brilliant, white light streaming into a once-darkened dungeon, “God Did” thrills our hearts with blissfully delicious, entirely immovable H O P E.

With perfect Justice, God “condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us.” (Romans 8:4) He paid for sin with His perfection, forever slaying Death on our behalf, and now extends to us unshackled freedom if we surrender our sin-loving, self-focused selves.

His justice.
His mercy.
Our freedom.

And what will we do with this freedom?
Come alive, Sisters, we will come alive!

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Terrain Day 14 The Island Of Patmos: 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 The Island Of Patmos!

The Questions

1) How is perseverance through persecution clear evidence that God counts us worthy of His Kingdom? (verse 5) 


2) Why is it just for God to “repay with affliction those who afflict you”? (verse 6) 


3) What does it mean to “pay the penalty of destruction from the Lord’s presence and from His glorious strength”? (verse 9) 

2 Thessalonians 1:4-12

Therefore, we ourselves boast about you among God’s churches—about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions that you are enduring. 5 It is clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment that you will be counted worthy of God’s kingdom, for which you also are suffering, 6 since it is just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us. This will take place at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels, 8 when he takes vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will pay the penalty of eternal destruction from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious strength 10 on that day when he comes to be glorified by his saints and to be marveled at by all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed. 11 In view of this, we always pray for you that our God will make you worthy of his calling, and by his power fulfill your every desire to do good and your work produced by faith, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified by you, and you by him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Original Intent

1) How is perseverance through persecution clear evidence that God counts us worthy of His Kingdom? (verse 5)
Paul was pleased with the Thessalonian believers because they continued to remain faithful to the Lord through the trials they suffered because of Christ. Many converts were former Jews, “which angered the Jews and caused them to resort to violence and mob activity”. (Bible.org) Even amid persecution, the new Christians held to their faith, which Paul called “clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment that you will be counted worthy of God’s kingdom, for which you also are suffering”. (2 Thessalonians 1:5) The wording here can make it sound like these Christians were worthy of God’s Kingdom because of their suffering, but that isn’t accurate. People can’t do anything to make themselves worthy of God’s Kingdom. We can only gain Heaven through Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. (Titus 3:5-7) Suffering for God’s Kingdom, though, shows love for God and faith in His Word and His promises. It is a mark of genuine, saving faith in Christ. It is easy to fold under pressure, and enduring the face of persecution demonstrates authentic faith; it pleases the Lord when His children endure. Author Steve Lewis asserts, “Something about the Thessalonians was a plain indication . . . that God does indeed judge righteously. The indicator was not the trials themselves, but their response to the trials. Their perseverance and faith provided solid proof that God was at work within them, enabling them to behave in ways that were opposite to their natural desires.” The fact that the Thessalonian believers allowed Christ to empower them proved they belonged to Him, had His Spirit within them, and were truly part of His Kingdom. Author David Guzik suggests “Paul’s prayer was that the worthiness of Jesus may be accounted to the Thessalonian Christians.” Paul was pleased to know the Thessalonians stood strong in their faith in Christ and His power at work in them.

2) Why is it just for God to “repay with affliction those who afflict you”? (verse 6)
In verses 6-7, Paul encourages the persecuted church by writing, “it is just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us.” This resonates with many because it doesn’t seem fair when someone is mistreated for no good reason and the perpetrator goes unpunished. Everything in us cries out for justice! Acting justly is a crucial component for believers in accurately reflecting God’s character. (Micah 6:8) However, God does not want us to exact justice for ourselves. (Matthew 5:38-39) He tells us vengeance is His alone. (Deuteronomy 32:35) God instructs us to seek justice and show mercy; because He is Righteous and Just, He must let justice be served. Author David Guzik explains how “God’s judgment is based on the great spiritual principle that it is a righteous thing with God to repay those who do evil. Since God is righteous, He will repay all evil, and it will all be judged and accounted for either at the cross or in hell.” The Scriptures tell us God is a jealous and avenging God (Nahum 1:2) and that God will judge everyone according to what they have done, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10) The wicked will face the wrath of God, but Christians are righteous through Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:30) because He sanctified us through His death on the cross, which cleansed us from our sins. He took the punishment of sin on Himself, fulfilling the justice of God. We can rejoice because, unlike those who don’t have faith in Christ, God’s wrath is turned away from us because Jesus’ blood makes us righteous before God.

3) What does it mean to “pay the penalty of destruction from the Lord’s presence and from His glorious strength”? (verse 9)
Paul describes what will happen to those who persecute God’s people in verses 9-10 when he writes, “They will pay the penalty of eternal destruction from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious strength on that day when he comes to be glorified by his saints and to be marveled at by all those who have believed . . .” While Paul does mention “flaming fire” in verse 8, the greatest penalty for the wicked is being cut off from the gracious, good presence of the Lord. Author David Spence Jones explains, “As the presence of the glorified Jesus will constitute the happiness of heaven, so banishment from His presence will constitute the misery of hell, because the soul is then cut off from the source of all good and of all holiness.” In the beginning, before sin entered the world, God walked with humans in the Garden of Eden, communing with them in perfect harmony. After their sin, Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden, never to walk in perfection with the Lord again. (Genesis 3:4-24) Their sin separated them from the presence of their Holy God. Being deprived of God’s presence is disastrous because it is only in His presence we can find fullness of joy. (Psalm 16:11) The persecutors of the saints were also cut off from the glorious strength of the Lord, for it is the joy of the Lord that is our own strength for believers. (Nehemiah 8:10)

Everyday Application

1) How is perseverance through persecution clear evidence that God counts us worthy of His Kingdom? (verse 5)
I coordinate children’s church volunteers, and I quickly recognize those who will stick and those who will hand in their nametags before they even get smudged with finger paint. The ones who stay endure toddler tantrums, diaper blow-outs, eye-rolling tweens, and difficult parents because they love serving the Lord. They believe sharing the Good News of Jesus with kids is essentia. Their willingness to serve, despite the challenges, blesses the Lord and plays an integral part in growing God’s Kingdom. Truly following Jesus always means struggle and suffering. Depending on location in the world and your dynamics, that suffering looks different. Sometimes it’s loving on hard-to-love kids, being rejected by your friends, or choosing the unpopular decision to follow Jesus first. For many believers around the world, following Jesus means literally putting their lives at risk because of their faith. This was the case for the believers in Thessalonica. In 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5, Paul wrote, “Therefore, we ourselves boast about you among God’s churches—about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions that you are enduring.  It is clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment that you will be counted worthy of God’s kingdom, for which you also are suffering.” Paul lauded the believers for walking out their faith in trying times. Author David Guzik observes that “Where suffering is coupled with righteous endurance, God’s work is done. The fires of persecution and tribulation were like the purifying fires of a refiner, burning away the dross from the gold, bringing forth a pure, precious metal.” When Christians experience difficult things and come through on the other side with their faith intact, they mature and develop the characteristics God desires in His Kingdom people. May we seek the Lord’s grace, wisdom, and strength to endure hard times so we can grow in our faith and fulfill the role God has for us in His Kingdom. 

2) Why is it just for God to “repay with affliction those who afflict you”? (verse 6)

Have you ever fumed at someone speeding past you at a ridiculous rate on the highway only to rejoice a few miles later to see an officer giving a speeding ticket? Something in our nature hates to see wrongdoers get off without penalty. It is satisfying to know that justice has been served. It seems easy to agree with Paul in 2 Thessalonians 1:6-7 when he writes, “it is just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us.” It is fitting for the Righteous God to enact justice on sinners, but it can be very tempting for us to take matters into our own hands. God is very clear that making wrongdoers pay is His job, not ours. Jesus tells us in Romans 12:19-20, “do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord. 20 But if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. ” Not only does God tell us not to avenge ourselves, He tells us to treat our enemies with love. We are to show kindness and let Him repay the evildoers. Treating those who afflict me with love and letting God handle the justice is not as natural as cheering on the punishment I think they deserve, but it is what God requires. It’s a helpful perspective to remember that, in view of God’s supreme holiness, we are all sinful and rebellious. (Romans 3:23) My prayer is that seeking justice and loving mercy becomes easier as we humble ourselves before God and allow Him to be the Righteous Judge over every situation in our lives.  


3) What does it mean to “pay the penalty of destruction from the Lord’s presence and from His glorious strength”? (verse 9) 

Being a Mom means having “superpowers” such as Finder of Lost Things and Healer of Boo-Boos. But the best “superpower” is that Mom’s presence can instantly make things better. Kids sleep better and worry less when Mom’s around. A mother’s presence brings incredible peace to her children! The Lord’s presence blesses His children in infinitely greater fashion. Zephaniah 3:17 declares, “The Lord your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will be quiet in His love. He will delight in you with singing.” In God’s presence, we experience His salvation and the delight of His love. In John 15:5-6, Jesus remarks, “I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. . .” Jesus tells us that if we stay in His presence, we are productive and alive. Without His presence, we are like useless, withered branches. Paul describes the loss of God’s presence in verse 9, when he notes that those who persecute the Church will “pay the penalty of eternal destruction from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious strength.” Eternal destruction is described as being apart from God forever. Author David Guzik explains how the phrase, “From the presence of the Lord”, sums up the Bible’s teaching on hell. Nothing more needs said of its horrors, other than hell will be completely devoid of God’s good presence and every kind aspect of His character. Only His unrelenting holy justice remains. Just as being in God’s presence is a blessing, being apart from Him is punishment. We delight and take comfort in God’s presence, and we suffer when our sin separates us from the Lord. Anyone who finds themselves deprived of the Lord’s presence need only repent and turn from their sins to experience refreshing from the presence of the Lord. (Acts 3:19-20) We serve a mighty and merciful God!

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

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 Terrain 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.

Terrain Day 2 Canaan & Egypt: 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 Canaan & Egypt!

The Questions

1) At the direction of the Lord, Moses sent 12 men, one from each tribe, to scout out the land of Canaan. What was their initial report? (verses 27-29)

2) Caleb believed they could conquer the Canaanites. What gave him this confidence? (verse 30)

3) After the scouts’ initial good report, why was there a sudden and exaggerated bad report of the land? (verses 31-33)

Numbers 13:26-33

26 The men went back to Moses, Aaron, and the entire Israelite community in the Wilderness of Paran at Kadesh. They brought back a report for them and the whole community, and they showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They reported to Moses, “We went into the land where you sent us. Indeed, it is flowing with milk and honey, and here is some of its fruit. 28 However, the people living in the land are strong, and the cities are large and fortified. We also saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites are living in the land of the Negev; the Hethites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea and along the Jordan.”

30 Then Caleb quieted the people in the presence of Moses and said, “Let’s go up now and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it!”

31 But the men who had gone up with him responded, “We can’t attack the people because they are stronger than we are!” 32 So they gave a negative report to the Israelites about the land they had scouted: “The land we passed through to explore is one that devours its inhabitants, and all the people we saw in it are men of great size. 33 We even saw the Nephilim there—the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim! To ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and we must have seemed the same to them.”

Original Intent

1) At the direction of the Lord, Moses sent 12 men, one from each tribe, to scout out the land of Canaan. What was their initial report? (verses 27-29)
The Lord first promised the land of Canaan to Abraham as an inheritance. The Lord told Abraham to leave his country and his people to travel to an unknown location. When Abraham finally arrived in Canaan, the Lord told him, “I will give this land to your offspring.” (Genesis 12:7) The Lord repeated this promise to Abraham’s descendants, Isaac and Jacob. The Lord even told Abraham his descendants would be enslaved and mistreated in a strange land (Egypt) for 400 years. (Genesis 15:13) In the midst of their suffering, the Lord declared to Moses from a burning bush, “Because the Israelites’ cry for help has come to Me, and I have also seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them, therefore, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you may lead My people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:9-10) Through Moses, the Lord would lead Israel into Canaan, the land flowing with milk and honey that had been promised to Abraham and his descendants. (Exodus 3:4-8) The term “flowing with milk and honey” signifies prosperity with livestock and horticulture. The spies’ exploration of Canaan lasted about 40 days and upon their return, they confirmed to Moses of the land’s bounty, even bringing large fruit as proof. (Numbers 13:23-25) However, they also said the land was heavily protected with large and powerful occupants. The odds of victoriously overtaking such a formidable people seemed impossible. Therefore, nearly all of the spies doubted their ability, and God’s assurance, that they could indeed conquer Canaan’s inhabitants and possess the land.

2) Caleb believed they could conquer the Canaanites. What gave him this confidence? (verse 30)
The first report the men gave to Moses frightened the Israelites, not because the land had proven to be scarce and lacking in abundance, but because the current inhabitants were too formidable. Caleb sought to quiet the people and convince them that, despite the obstacles, they could defeat the inhabitants and occupy the land because the Lord had given it to them. Caleb was not afraid of the giants he saw in Canaan. No doubt, he remembered the Lord’s promise to give them the land. His confidence was not in the strength of Israel, rather in the faithful God who accomplishes His work. Caleb’s faith did not waver in the face of giants; he believed God’s promise, knowing the Lord cannot lie. Unfortunately, it was not enough to convince the others.

3) After the scouts’ initial good report, why was there a sudden and exaggerated bad report of the land? (verses 31-33)
Despite Caleb’s urgings to trust the same God who had defeated Egypt’s army and freed Israel from slavery, the other spies were quick to incite fear by describing Canaan’s inhabitants as giants, Nephilim to be exact. Nephilim were characterized as children born from the sons of God (likely meaning fallen angels/demons) who married human women. (Genesis 6:2-4). According to the NKJV Chronological Study Bible Notes, this union produced semi-divine, semi-human offspring who possessed superhuman qualities. Therefore, the image the spies portrayed were superhuman people who could not be defeated. The spies were afraid for many reasons, and their exaggerated report incited fear in the Israelites, who cried and complained to Moses about their fate. They even plotted to choose a new leader to take them back to Egypt. (Numbers 14:1-4) They displayed a lack of faith in their God who not only had rescued them from Egypt, but also guided and provided for them during their escape. The Israelites even spoke of stoning Caleb and Joshua (Joshua was the only other spy who sided with Caleb) all because of their faith in the God who faithfully keeps His promises. In the face of death, Caleb and Joshua refused to recant their faith while urging their fellow Israelites to cease their rebellion against God and instead follow Him with faith and obedience. Israel’s lack of faith resulted in God’s justice being delivered as He refused any Israelite of that generation entrance to the Promised Land of Canaan. (Numbers 14:21-25) They wandered in the wilderness 40 years until the entire generation died. Only Caleb and Joshua, because of their faith, were privileged to enter Canaan.

Everyday Application

1) At the direction of the Lord, Moses sent 12 men, one from each tribe, to scout out the land of Canaan. What was their initial report? (verses 27-29)
When the scouts returned from their mission, they reported Canaan as lush and fruitful. However, it was tightly secured and its settlers mighty and powerful, causing them serious doubt for defeating and occupying the Promised Land. While they remembered the Lord stating that the land was flowing with milk and honey, they forgot, or chose to ignore, the other part of His statement, “…and I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and to bring them from that land to a good and spacious land…” (Exodus 3:8) They focused only on the giants instead of on the Lord’s promise to give them an inheritance. Our journey of life is fraught with doubts and uncertainties. When I was growing up, my parents made my decisions for me, but there came a time for me to leave and build my own life. At the age of 20, I left home and rented a few places, but when things became difficult, I returned to my parents. An opportunity arose for me to purchase a piece of land at a fair price. At the time, I said I was lucky, but looking back, I understand this wasn’t luck, it was God’s provision. From purchasing the land, to securing a small mortgage, to building a decent house, I was faced again and again with the challenge to either trust myself or God. The Lord promised Abraham his descendants would inherit the land. The Lord promised Israel He would lead them out of slavery and into their inheritance. Israel and Abraham were faced with a choice, just as I was in following where God was leading me with my house adventure. We each have the same decision as we follow Christ. Will we trust God despite the circumstances, or will we walk away and trust ourselves when the odds seem too overwhelming?

2) Caleb believed they could conquer the Canaanites. What gave him this confidence? (verse 30)
Caleb had the utmost faith in God’s ability to help Israel occupy Canaan as He promised many, many years before. In my faith journey with my house, approximately seven years passed before I could build. I definitely felt as if I was in the wilderness wondering when the time would come for me to finally finish my home. Nevertheless, it happened, and I attained an adequate mortgage for a small house. I also believe God used my “wilderness waiting” for much more than simply earning enough money. While I waited, He matured my heart to trust Him, learning to depend on Him instead of pushing ahead with my ways and my timing. While I waited, I never doubted, but I was just impatient. I knew it would happen, I just didn’t know when. Each moment of impatience was an opportunity to trust God’s plans over mine.

3) After the scouts’ initial good report, why was there a sudden and exaggerated bad report of the land? (verses 31-33)
Just as the ten spies allowed fear to hinder their faith, fear can also prevent us from faithfully following Christ, especially when our circumstances seem more powerful than our God. A few years after moving into my newly built house, I met a former schoolmate in the area. He commented on how great the community turned out. He too had the opportunity to purchase land and build but feared it would eventually become a ‘less than desirable’ place to live. When I sensed the Lord was providing me space to build, I didn’t consider how the community might turn out, I simply stepped out in faith. If you are a believer, God will faithfully lead you and never forsake you (Psalm 37:25), even when your circumstances look ‘less than desirable’ and your giants seem formidable. Failing to believe the Lord in the midst of our struggles, and choosing faith over fear, can result in missing out on our own “promised land” of favor and blessing from the Lord. (Hebrews 3:7-19) Instead, we can choose to rely on the faithfulness of God as Caleb and Joshua exemplified, trusting His work and ability over our own. With God, all things are possible that He has set out to accomplish! (2 Corinthians 1:20)

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

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
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If Day 15 End Of Evil

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 8:22-23
Genesis 3:15-19
Ephesians 2:4-5
Romans 6:17-18
Revelation 21:3-4

If, Day 15

It’s been a hard eighteen months, hasn’t it? A pandemic (and accompanying struggles), social unrest, tragic loss of life, a divisive election cycle, personal attacks and online debates, and the list continues. Right about now, I think we can all relate to Paul’s words in Romans 8:22-23,

“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in labor pains until now. 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.”

Something within each of us longs for peace and a perfect world. We long for justice, righteousness, and love to prevail. Whatever our background, personal theology, faith, or lack thereof, this desire reveals the truth of the Bible when it cries that the broken world in which we live – fraught with so much sin and heartache – isn’t the way it was supposed to be. And – praise the Lord! – one day it won’t be like this any longer.

The first two chapters of the Bible are so beautiful. They present a perfect world just as God designed it to operate; a world without sin, heartache, trial, loss, suffering, or sadness of any kind. But by the third chapter, perfection is lost when sin enters the story, and all manner of brokenness quickly ensues. In fact, read one chapter beyond that, and murder takes place!

In Genesis 3:16-19, God lays out the initial consequences faced by men and women as a result of their sin (toil, increased pain in childbirth, etc.). But humankind’s spiritual condition as a result of the fall is far more grave. From the moment of the first sin, throughout all of history, humanity as a whole are “dead in our trespasses” (Ephesians 2:5) and “slaves of sin” (Romans 6:17). We are leading lives we were never meant to live, suffocating in a brokenness for which we were not designed, and so we groan.

In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis illustrated this truth well when he asserted, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”

We were made for another world, and another world is precisely what is offered to us! All human efforts throughout history to construct utopian societies, to return to the Garden, to reach perfection, tranquility, or peace on our own, have failed.
Imperfect humans simply cannot create perfection.

But God, in His grace and mercy, constructed a plan that has never, and will never, fail. His plan was one He promised way back in the Garden of Eden, when sin first entered the world! Revealing His great love for His people, even in the midst of their sin, He says in Genesis 3:15, “I will put hostility between you [Satan] and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. [Jesus] will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

The entire rest of the Bible unfolds God’s grand plan to restore the world to what He originally intended, an obliteration of sin and a restoration to righteousness in Christ, a destruction of heartache and pain and a return to peace in the Lord.

This plan looked like God sending His Son, Jesus, to be the sacrifice for our sins so we might take on His righteousness as our own and be granted eternal life in Him forever. What glorious news!

Romans 6:17-18 says, “But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over, and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.” This is the promised change we undergo when we “confess with [our] mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in [our] heart[s] that God raised him from the dead.” (Romans 10:9)

Just as the first two chapters of the Bible are beautiful in their perfection and peace, the final two chapters of the Bible are just as beautiful (if not more so!) as we see the promised perfection and peace we anticipate! May you embrace these words from Revelation 21:3-4, and may they bring you hope and peace!

“Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.”

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The GT Weekend! ~ If Week 2

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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) The idea of 1 + 1 + 1 = 1 makes zero mathematical sense to our analytic brains. Often, we attempt to understand the All-Powerful God with our finite, limited faculties, and the result is frustration that can lead to disbelief. Yet, even as finite human beings, we still have experiences that can help us bridge this seeming impossible gap. As a child, I watched my parents withdraw money from an ATM. They simply pressed buttons and received money. I had zero ability to conceptualize anything beyond this childlike understanding of how to get money. The idea of earning money through a job and then being able to purchase new shoes was far too abstract for me to understand. As we tackle difficult things in Scripture, we must remember our own humanity and God’s divinity; where our ability to comprehend God ends, His understanding, wisdom, and knowledge continue endlessly. While we don’t understand everything about 1 God revealing Himself as 3 unique, yet mysteriously connected divine Beings, we do have plenty of evidence in Scripture to understand this mystery does indeed exist! I’ve discovered how the more I lean into knowing God and studying Him as Father, Son, and Spirit, rather than becoming frustrated, I grow to love and understand Him more! Consider diving in to this beautiful mystery of knowing God! Begin this weekend by studying passages on Father, Son, and Spirit. Even a Google search or www.studylight.org can point you in the right direction. Other great resources include www.gotquestions.org or “Delighting In The Trinity” by Michael Reeves.

2) How often do we long for life to be easier? Wouldn’t it be nice if we never struggled or felt pain? Why does the Lord allow us to feel pain and suffering? Shouldn’t He just make life easy for us if we believe in Him? We see from Philippians 3 that the value of knowing Jesus is far greater than any comfort or ease we could wish for. As we walk through suffering and trials, we grow in our dependence on Christ and our steadfastness in worship. If He just handed us an easy life, we would not feel our need for Him as deeply or as fully as we do in our struggles. What trial or struggle are you going through right now? How can you allow the discomfort and difficulty of this situation draw you closer into relationship with Jesus Christ? Consider how you tend to be self-sufficient or block out the pain rather than depending on the Lord through the pain. Maybe you throw yourself into your work, or disappear into books or movies, or maybe you numb your pain with food or alcohol. Take time today to spend time in relationship with God. Feel your need for Him, and remember only He can satisfy. Read James 1, and ask God to show you how to mature through your trials.

3) Where have you seen justice perverted in society around you? What social justice issues press your hot buttons and have you amped up and ready to fight to protect others’ rights because they have been overlooked without representation? Then look around your everyday life and the relationships you’re engaged with. Where do you see injustices played out? Perhaps against yourself or others? In what ways have you fought to stand up for justice? As you consider these, also take a brave minute to consider who gets to decide what true justice looks like? Is there a right and a wrong? Who gets to decide this and why? Is it really fair for everyone to choose their own “justice”? Does that feel like “justice” to you? As you think through these things, consider the character of God as being a perfectly just God. What attributes would you be able to fully rely on if this was true? In what ways are you deeply grateful that God is a just, righteous God? Praise Him for this, then pray confidently for His justice to be made known to all of us!

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 Ephesians 1:3-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.

Prayer Journal
Blessed be You, oh Lord, the God of all wonder and glory! How marvelous are Your ways, how unknowable Your love. I stand in awe of how great You are. Your nature as 3 persons in 1 God is beyond my comprehension, yet You call me into relationship with Yourself that I might know You and reflect Your love to a broken world. I confess that when I suffer, I long to be free of trouble. I desire an easy life over the steadfastness and faithfulness that comes only through trial. I confess I tend to numb my own pain, rather than rely on the joy that comes from knowing You. Lord, we ask that Your justice would come on this earth. We know Your very nature is just. Help us to view the world with hearts and eyes turned toward perfect justice. May we care for the poor and the outcast, valuing them as people made in the image of the one true God. Grant courage and boldness that we may be quick to serve those in need and ready to speak truth to the powerful. May we reveal Your heart for justice to those who are far from You.

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

If Day 10 Under The Rug

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 90:13-17
Isaiah 53:3-12
Luke 6:27-36
Psalm 20
Revelation 20:11-15

If, Day 10

“Lord, I plead for justice. How long, Lord, before you turn and bring vindication? Don’t you see the oppression and suffering? I know your heart grieves injustice. When, Lord? When?!”

The words flew from my pen as morning mist hung low over the tranquil pond. I was on a spiritual retreat, and the dialogue between me and the Lord was fairly one-sided. I was angry and wanted the Lord to bring justice. Or at least my definition of it.

The tears flowed furiously as hot anger rose. Surely, the Lord would see, hear, and act on my behalf. Didn’t He see how right I was? I had walked with honor, acted with humility and love; still, I was treated unjustly. Wasn’t it the Lord’s job to defend me?

As my anger escalated, my eyes fell on my open Bible.
Tears blurred my vision, but one line was all the Spirit wanted me to hear.
“In His humiliation, justice was denied Him.” (Acts 8:33)

Full stop, Sisters.
My pounding heart took on a different rhythm. I had just been confronted with the tender mercy and righteous justice of the Lord God Almighty by the work of His Spirit living within me and actively speaking through His Word.

The clash of horrible injustice against a holy God collided with my perspective on personal justice.

We’ve each experienced injustice against ourselves or a loved one. Whether it’s on a personal front or a cultural battle, our hearts know the familiar ache for justice.

Shouldn’t God dole out justice on our behalf?
When can we watch our enemies fall?
Is God even just at all? How can He delay?

All good questions.
But, perhaps, you, like myself that morning, have forgotten what true justice would mean for all of us.

In our self-righteousness, we raise our eyebrows, cross our arms, and hope a parade of jurors have prepared their sentence of “guilty” for the offender. (Luke 18:10-14)

Can I be blatantly honest about that morning encounter?
The Lord showed me myself, then He showed me Himself.

I am a sinner.
Not a mistaker; a wretched sinner.
Every sin I commit is a slap in the face of a Holy and Righteous God who sacrificed Himself to save my unworthy self simply because He chose to set His love upon me. (Deuteronomy 7:7-8) When I forget how lost I am without Jesus, and incapable I am of doing good on my own, my sense of justice becomes ridiculously slanted as I elevate myself.

God is perfectly holy.
No flaw exists in Him, nor ever will.
From everlasting to everlasting, His ways, thoughts, actions, and emotions are always righteous. (Psalm 90:2, Isaiah 30:18)

No sin escapes His eye.
None.

Not my distant body language.
Not my subdued tone of voice with a hundred undercurrents of anger.
Not my bitter thoughts.
Not that little lie I told.
Not that lusting look I allowed to linger.

None.

Each and every sin carries a price tag because it offends a Holy God. The price is eternal death and forever separation from the loving, gracious holy God. (Romans 6:23)

This is justice.
I don’t deserve to be in the presence of Holiness because of my sin.

“Your iniquities are separating you
from your God,
and your sins have hidden His face from you
so that He does not listen.”
(Isaiah 59:2)

We should all be nodding our heads at this point.
It makes sense, doesn’t it?
If I want my spouse to apologize for acting and speaking rudely, while I’m also rude at times, how infinitely greater is my sinful offense to a Holy God Who has never sinned?

There is no *wink* *wink*, let this sin slip through the grid, Lord.
Just slide this under the proverbial rug since I’ve done many other good things.
This is utterly impossible.

Knowing this, King David cries out,
“If you, oh Lord, kept a record of wrongs, Oh Lord, who could stand?!” (Psalm 130:3)

None.

David’s point is clear.
No one can stand with clean hands and heart before God.
If justice were served, all would be condemned, from the “greatest sinner” to the “greatest saint”, for all have sinned. (Romans 3:23)

You. Me. Your pastor. My friend. All. Of. Us.

So I sat, stunned to silence as the fog lifted around my heart and the Spirit sunk His words deep into my soul. “In His humiliation, justice was denied Him.”

Jesus Christ, wholly innocent, humbled Himself entirely, allowing justice to be denied Him that I might be set free. He, who knew no sin, became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

My Sin.
My price tag of death.
Jesus paid it all and gave me His flawlessness instead if I say yes to Him.

No, God cannot sweep injustice under the rug.
But He did die in our place to pay for every last lustful thought and bitter word.
Then He hands us our freedom wrapped with infinite love.

He is a just and righteous God.
He hears every plea for mercy.
He paid the price for every sin.
And His gracious response to our sinfulness is to offer outlandish mercy.

“For He is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)

Do I feel the sting of injustice in my home, at work, my city, and my nation? Oh YES!
Does God feel it? Far deeper than I do.

His response?
Mercy

I will stand up for the oppressed just as my Father God has stood up for me.
I will humble myself, not insisting on my justice, for my Father knows.
If the Holy God can respond in mercy, then how can I stubbornly do less?

While I extend mercy as my Father has, I’ll wait in confidence, knowing that One
Glorious Day, all injustices will be reversed.
All unrepentance will be met with perfect justice.
On that day, all creation will tremble at its Righteous Judge.

Blessedly, for all who have trusted Christ to pay the penalty for their sin, judgment has already passed over us, finding us flawless, for Christ’s righteousness has become our own. God’s wrath was already poured out on Christ on the day our freedom was purchased.

Lord Jesus, in view of God’s outlandish mercies (Romans 12:1-2),
renew my mind and let me bravely stand against injustice while holding out Your mercy.

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into If Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in If!

If Day 9 Easy Life: 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 Easy Life!

The Questions

1) Even though God had instituted sacrifices and festivals, why was He now tired of them? (verses 11-14)

2) Why does the prophet Isaiah call Israel to pursue justice and look after the vulnerable in society? (verse 17)

3) After all of Israel’s iniquities, why would God still want to settle things with them? (verse 18)

Isaiah 1:11-19

11 “What are all your sacrifices to me?” asks the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings and rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I have no desire for the blood of bulls, lambs, or male goats. 12 When you come to appear before me, who requires this from you— this trampling of my courts? 13 Stop bringing useless offerings. Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons and Sabbaths, and the calling of solemn assemblies—I cannot stand iniquity with a festival. 14 I hate your New Moons and prescribed festivals. They have become a burden to me; I am tired of putting up with them. 15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will refuse to look at you; even if you offer countless prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. 16 “Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from my sight. Stop doing evil. 17 Learn to do what is good. Pursue justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause. 18 “Come, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are crimson red, they will be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land.

Original Intent

1) Even though God had instituted sacrifices and festivals, why was He now tired of them? (verses 11-14)

In the Old Testament, sacrifices were offered for the atonement of unintended sin; to show devotion to God; recognition for God’s goodness; thanksgiving and fellowship; cleansing from defilement, and to make restitution. There were five sacrifices: the burnt offering, grain offering, fellowship offering, sin offering, and guilt offering. The burnt, grain, and fellowship (sometimes called peace) offerings were voluntary, while the sin and guilt offerings were compulsory. God could not allow sin because of His holiness and therefore sin must be punished. The sacrifices were a means of maintaining worship and fellowship with Him so Israelites could enjoy relationship with Yahweh. On the other hand, there were intentional sins that had no sacrifice available. Intentional sins were pre-meditated sins such as adultery or murder or even lying. Check out Proverbs 6:16-19 for a list of these sins the Lord hates. Sacrifices could not atone for deliberate sins of arrogance that insisted on their way over God’s clear path of righteousness. This highlights the seriousness of sin against God! People who sinned intentionally were at the mercy of God. While there are a few instances in Scripture (Numbers 5:5-10, Leviticus 19:20-22) where a clear intentional sin could be covered by a guilt offering, these were rare exceptions. In general, the Law did not provide for forgiveness for premeditated, intentional sin. The only available option was God’s grace. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, God removed all sins, intentional or otherwise with a sacrifice. Take King David for example. After Nathan confronted David about his sin of adultery and murder, David lamented in Psalm 51:16-17, “You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it; you are not pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.” David’s sins were deliberate, and he knew offering a sacrifice would be futile. David knew God wanted a truly repentant heart. Even in all other sacrifices within the system God had set up for Israel, He most wanted their hearts of repentance and worship. He designed the system to provide a visual representation of the high price tag associated with sin, which is always death. (Romans 6:23)

 

2) Why does the prophet Isaiah call Israel to pursue justice and look after the vulnerable in society? (verse 17)

God explicitly commanded His people to treat the fatherless, the widow, and the foreigner justly. (Deuteronomy 24:17) God calls Himself “a father to the fatherless, and a defender of widows.” (Psalm 68:5) Widows and orphans were particularly vulnerable in ancient culture. Without the husband or father present, supporting themselves became difficult. Widows and their families became essentially homeless. Sometimes widows were even abused. (NIV Cultural Background Study Bible). Judah’s disobedience to God included neglect of the vulnerable and God, through the prophet Isaiah as His mouthpiece, implored them to once again heed God’s covenant law and do right by these members of society.

 

3) After all of Israel’s iniquities, why would God still want to settle things with them? (verse 18)

From the time God created mankind, He intended to have a relationship with him. When sin came into the world through Adam and Eve’s disobedience, this separated man from God. However, God immediately began work on restoring that relationship. (see Genesis 3:15)  The Lord set apart Israel to be His people (Leviticus 20:26), to be different. They were to be an example, by not engaging in the horrendous rituals and practices of the nations around them. They were to mirror God’s righteousness and holiness by living as an example of His heart and character in the world. Unfortunately, Israel sinned against the Lord repeatedly; they could not keep themselves righteous. However, God, because he loved Israel so much, sent prophets like Isaiah to speak to them in the hopes they would repent. Once they repented, He would forgive their sins and restore their relationship. Israel’s constant disobedience helps us see that, on our own strength, we absolutely cannot be holy like God. We need God to be holy for us and then offer His righteousness to us in exchange for our sin. This is why Jesus came, to do exactly this!

Everyday Application

1) Even though God had instituted sacrifices and festivals, why was He now tired of them? (verses 11-14)

The sacrifices and festivals in the Old Testament were God’s design for His chosen people, despite their sinful ways, to approach Him in worship and maintain the covenant relationship. However, the people missed the heart of God and His desire for relationship with them, which led them to performing sacrifices as mere ceremonies completed out of duty rather than from a heart broken over sin. This is why God said, “I have no desire for the blood of bulls, lambs, or male goats. (…) Stop bringing useless offerings. Your incense is detestable to Me.” (verses 11-13) It is not much different today. Many people attend church out of duty, but few practice true heart surrender to the Holy Spirit in everyday life. God wants our worship to be pure, true, and from our hearts. I remember having a conversation with a close relative who told me their church had a special collection to purchase a television for their pastor. The way my relative spoke about this pastor gave the impression they actually worship him more than God. While there is nothing wrong with parishioners showing appreciation to their pastors, they must be careful not to idolize and worship them. Our loyalty lies with Jesus, not man. Jesus told us we must remain in Him because we cannot do anything without Him. (John 15:4-5) He desires our whole hearts. In similar verbiage to what Isaiah recorded in verses 11-13, Jesus cleared the temple of Jews who appeared to be worshipping God, but their hearts were actually far from God. “He (Jesus) went into the temple and began to throw out those who were selling, and He said, “It is written, my house will be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves!”” (Luke 19:46-47)

 

2) Why does the prophet Isaiah call Israel to pursue justice and look after the vulnerable in society? (verse 17)

True religion is about caring for the poor and helpless and living a godly life. (James 1:27) I am currently caring for my ageing mother who has dementia, as well as an autistic brother. My mother depends on me and trusts me to do what is right for her and my brother. There is no way I can take advantage of their disabilities for my gain. If I do so, I will be sinning against God, who is their Defender. (Psalm 68:5) There are times I must put my life on hold for them, but it is not about me. John 15:13-14 states, “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do what I command you”. I am doing what the Lord commanded me to do by showing love to Him, my mother, and my brother, in doing what is necessary for them despite the challenges and inconveniences to me. All who claim to follow Christ have an obligation to pursue justice and care for the vulnerable around us because this is God’s heart.

 

3) After all of Israel’s iniquities, why would God still want to settle things with them? (verse 18)

The Bible tells us, “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”. (John 3:16) This divine love is why God wants reconciliation between us, who are sinful, and Himself, who is holy. He wants to restore the relationship broken by sin so we can be with Him in eternity and connected to Him through His Spirit in this life. Jesus became sin for us in taking on our punishment (death and separation from God) so that, in Him, we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Let us love Jesus and commit to having a true relationship with Him. It is only through Jesus we can live a purposeful life. It may not always be an easy life, but one well worth it in the end.

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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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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 IV Day 14 Quiet

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Pause IV, Day 14

I’ve always been captivated by the word “quiet” in the Bible. Being still and silent is not something I do well, or often. When my watch reminds me to breathe for one whole minutes, I feel like it’s an eternity!

Being quiet before the Lord, submitting to the discipline of waiting for Him, takes intentional practice over time. The more we practice, the better our hearts become at willingly waiting and silently being still.

When we are silent, the Lord speaks most clearly.
While we wait, the Lord acts.
As we sit still, God trains our hearts to trust Him, instead of ourselves.

Habakkuk has heard the unequivocal word of the Lord to bring about His justice on His people, Israel. He has reminded himself of the Lord’s sovereignty, His kindness, His righteousness, His deliverance, and protection of His people.

Where Habakkuk has wrestled with tongue and spirit against the Lord,
he now sits quietly waiting.

Tomorrow, a beautiful unveiling of Habakkuk’s changed heart is poetically revealed, but first, quiet.

Hush, be still, wait quietly for what the Lord will do.

Today's Invitation

1) Be a scribe and copy the precious words of Scripture down word for word. Make space in your journal to write down all of Habakkuk 3:16 today. As you copy, lookup a cross reference or two as you come to them (they are the small letters next to certain words in your study Bible or online at www.biblia.com).

2) Take time to wander through these Scripture passages on being quiet before the Lord, letting His Spirit teach you. Copy down 1 or 2 verses onto notecards and place in prominent spots in your home so you can memorize them in the coming days. Share them with a friend and ask her to memorize them with you!
Exodus 14:14, Psalm 46:10, Psalm 37:7, Job 6:24, 1 Peter 3:4, Lamentations 3:26, Zephaniah 3:17, Isaiah 26:3, Mark 1:35, Isaiah 30:15, Habakkuk 2:20

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Habakkuk 3:16

I hear, and my body trembles;
my lips quiver at the sound;
rottenness enters into my bones;
my legs tremble beneath me.
Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble
to come upon people who invade us.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Pause IV Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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

Pause IV Day 11 Tremble

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Pause IV, Day 11

“Oh Lord”, Habbakuk knelt and wept, hands outspread.
“I have heard You answer me, and I am left in awe, trembling at the majesty of Your justice and righteousness flowing together in ways I never would have imagined. I never dreamt Your ways were so far beyond mine; they take my breath away. Who am I to question You?!” (Habakkuk 3:2, paraphrased)

Habakkuk brought his everything to the Lord God, who listened with kind graciousness.
The Lord walked beside Habakkuk as He helped him understand the great depths of God’s righteousness and justice.

Now, we are left with Habakkuk’s response to God.
And it should take our breath away as he helps us see God more clearly.

He is in awe of God’s work that far surpasses any man-made design.
Habakkuk is left trembling at the work God will do in His people.

He brings his humble amen, meaning, “make it so”.
“Revive your work…make it known.”  (verse 2)

He did not understand it all, especially the why and the how, but what he did know was enough to make him stand in trembling awe.

In the midst of his swirling questions, Habakkuk takes a full one-third of his prophetic book to express the majestic glories of the Lord God who deserves our awe-filled trembling.

Habakkuk acknowledges the Lord’s justice and all-surpassing wisdom, power, and authority, then bows his heart and flings himself and his people on the gracious mercy of the Almighty God. Our question is, will we do the same?

Today's Invitation

1) Read Habakkuk 3:1-15, then circle back and re-read verses 1-2 a few times through.
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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Habakkuk 3:1-15

A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk. According to Shigionoth.

2 Lord, I have heard the report about you;
Lord, I stand in awe of your deeds.
Revive your work in these years;
make it known in these years.
In your wrath remember mercy!

3 God comes from Teman,
the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah
His splendor covers the heavens,
and the earth is full of his praise.
4 His brilliance is like light;
rays are flashing from his hand.
This is where his power is hidden.
5 Plague goes before him,
and pestilence follows in his steps.
6 He stands and shakes the earth;
he looks and startles the nations.
The age-old mountains break apart;
the ancient hills sink down.
His pathways are ancient.
7 I see the tents of Cushan in distress;
the tent curtains of the land of Midian tremble.
8 Are you angry at the rivers, Lord?
Is your wrath against the rivers?
Or is your fury against the sea
when you ride on your horses,
your victorious chariot?
9 You took the sheath from your bow;
the arrows are ready to be used with an oath. Selah
You split the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains see you and shudder;
a downpour of water sweeps by.
The deep roars with its voice
and lifts its waves high.
11 Sun and moon stand still in their lofty residence,
at the flash of your flying arrows,
at the brightness of your shining spear.
12 You march across the earth with indignation;
you trample down the nations in wrath.
13 You come out to save your people,
to save your anointed.
You crush the leader of the house of the wicked
and strip him from foot to neck. Selah
14 You pierce his head
with his own spears;
his warriors storm out to scatter us,
gloating as if ready to secretly devour the weak.
15 You tread the sea with your horses,
stirring up the vast water.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Pause IV Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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