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Pause IV Day 9 No Sin Unseen

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Pause IV, Day 9

Today’s reading in Habakkuk sounds strange to our ears and can be difficult to follow, understand, and make sense of in today’s culture, which is why it’s imperative to first read it through the lens of then-current-day culture.

Go ahead and read verses 6-14 to gain an initial footing in the passage!

As we’ve already studied, Israel was rebellious against God. As consequence, the Lord was using the wicked Chaldeans (or Babylonians) to overtake Israel, taking them into captivity in Babylon. Habakkuk struggled with this consequence of using an evil nation to overtake God’s people who were supposed to be set apart as His holy and chosen people.

In today’s passage, God addresses this tension as He speaks in detail about the sinfulness of the Chaldeans. Their sin was not hidden from God any more so than Israel’s sin, and their day of experiencing the righteous justice of God would also come.

In verse 5, “He” is the arrogant one we read about in yesterday’s Journey. His appetite to fuel himself and his own pride is insatiable; this person is always thinking about more of himself and his own pleasure and desires while also justifying himself to be in the right.

Still sitting in arrogance and a resistance to God’s promised word that consequence would come, the arrogant one feels confident in himself. He believes God would surely never punish him because he feels justified in self-righteousness before God. From this position of self-security, he arrogantly “looks down” upon the evil Babylonian Empire.

From his place of pride, the self-righteous one feels he can securely mock the Chaldeans/Babylonians because he judges himself as far superior to them; surely, God would never judge him. (verse 6) These arrogant ones in Israel are “they” in verse 6.

To help you have greater understanding in reading verses 6-14, you can replace “him” and “you” with “Chaldeans” or “Babylonians Empire”.

The Chaldeans were a wicked people, violent, dishonest, and murderous. Even the stone walls cried out, testifying against their atrocities. (verse 11) Their greatest sin, however, was just as evil as Israel’s. Arrogance and pride were rooted deep in their hearts, as they thumbed their nose at God, “(Babylon) place(s) his nest on high.” (verse 9) Like the very first inhabitants of Babylon (Genesis 11:4), this nation was still reaching for equal status with God, high and lofty above all others.

Babylon’s sin. Israel’s sin. My sin, and yours, are all on equal footing. When we seek our ways over God’s we usurp His authority and crown ourselves as our own little god.
This is the arrogance that brought on Israel’s captivity, Babylon’s ruin, and our own eternal death and separation from God.

The word of the Lord closes out today’s reading with a powerful reminder of the Only True God. Just as water fills the seas, so the whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory! (verse 14) One Lord of all. One just King. His glory supersedes all things.

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 Habakkuk 2:6-14. 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). As you write, think of the incredible gift it is to be invited into God’s presence through His word!

2) Choose one of these options to radiate Jesus’ love to others as you hold tightly to the anchoring truth of the eternal confidence we have only through Christ!

  1. a) Pitch in to do something extra at church. Whether it’s helping with cleanup, opening doors, trimming weeds, or offering to help in a child’s classroom, step up to loving deeper by serving in a new way.
                b) A note of genuine kindness and specific encouragement goes a long way in showing love and support to your pastor. Consider sending your pastor(s) an email or card!
                c) Check out some local ministries in your area and make plans to serve with them for an afternoon. Maybe it’s organizing school donations, serving soup, or stuffing backpacks for kids. Even better, get some friends to join you!
                d) Prayer walking is a simple way to begin shifting the eyes of your heart to truly see others. Walk around your neighborhood, some city streets, the aisles of your grocery store, or intentionally sit at a local coffee shop and pray, pray, pray. Pray for the people around you, pray for hearts to turn towards Jesus, pray for your own heart to be ready to share the full gospel if given the chance. Don’t worry about seeing results, that’s God’s job!
                e) Strike up a conversation with a random stranger. It may move to spiritual topics, it may not, but showing love to those outside our immediate circles always begins with a simple conversation. “What have you been doing today?” “Do you live nearby?” “Where do you go to church?” “What are your favorite local restaurants?” “What a cute handbag! Where did you get it?” These open-ended questions work well!

3) Share the exciting, bold ways you are living out your eternal confidence today with the rest of the GT Community! Our Facebook community page is always open! Or snap a photo and tag us on Instagram @gracefully_truthful

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Habakkuk 2:6-14

Won’t all of these take up a taunt against him,
with mockery and riddles about him?
They will say,
“Woe to him who amasses what is not his—
how much longer?—
and loads himself with goods taken in pledge.”
7 Won’t your creditors suddenly arise,
and those who disturb you wake up?
Then you will become spoil for them.
8 Since you have plundered many nations,
all the peoples who remain will plunder you—
because of human bloodshed
and violence against lands, cities,
and all who live in them.

9 Woe to him who dishonestly makes
wealth for his house
to place his nest on high,
to escape the grasp of disaster!
10 You have planned shame for your house
by wiping out many peoples
and sinning against your own self.
11 For the stones will cry out from the wall,
and the rafters will answer them
from the woodwork.

12 Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed
and founds a town with injustice!
13 Is it not from the Lord of Armies
that the peoples labor only to fuel the fire
and countries exhaust themselves for nothing?
14 For the earth will be filled
with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory,
as the water covers the sea.

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

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

Woven Day 13 The Good Shepherd

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 3:1-12
1 Samuel 16:1-12
Luke 2:8-20
John 10:1-18

Woven, Day 13

These are the real-life stories of four shepherds.

The first was a man named Moses. He cared for his sheep while his wife cared for their children. The days of his own childhood would sometimes dance in his mind. Some days he would allow the memories to linger, and others he would quickly shoo away. He had been a prince of Egypt as a boy, after being adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter, but now he was a shepherd, caring for sheep through pouring rain and sweltering days.

The second was a boy named David. He was the youngest in his family, and quite a darling young man. He was fearless and strong and was learning to love the God of his people. David had defeated lions and bears, and he knew that if he relied on Yahweh, he could defeat anything.

This third shepherd doesn’t have a name. While shepherding was often a lonely job, he had other shepherds for friends and companions. They didn’t notice each other’s stench or filth, and enjoyed the company after long hard days of herding sheep. They often risked their lives to save their livestock, and endured harsh weather to ensure no sheep would wander away from their herd.

The fourth shepherd? We’ll talk about him more in just a moment.

One day, Moses was caring for his father-in-law’s sheep. He led them to a mountain to graze, taking care to ensure each sheep was accounted for. There he saw a bush engulfed in flames, but it wasn’t actually burning. Moses moved nearer to the bush, his curiosity peaked at how such a phenomenon could occur.
“Moses, Moses!” A deep, steady voice came from the bush.
Moses responded, “Here I am”, while stopping in his tracks to see who was calling him by name.
“Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place which are standing is holy ground.”

David was tending his father’s sheep, oblivious to anything else that was occurring. His people had begged the Lord for a king to lead them, and He had given them Saul, but Saul had become wicked and a new king needed to take his place. As Samuel grieved Saul’s hardened heart, God said, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel?” He then commanded Samuel to visit Jesse because one of his sons was to become the next king. Jesse was David’s father, but he had many sons who were grown, strong, and capable young men. David was just a boy. Samuel paused before each of these grown men, asking the Lord if which one was to become the next king. But the Lord instructed him to pass up each of them, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature…For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Our nameless shepherd was exhausted from a long day of herding his sheep, but his job was never done. Even in the still darkness of the night, he must still guard the sheep from thieving predators. He and the other shepherds occasionally talked for a moment before letting the quietness overtake their voices, listening for any sounds that might be out of place among the common bleating of sheep. Suddenly, a great light appeared and enveloped them! It was an angel! And the glory of the Lord shone around them. They were speechless and terrified! The angel began, “Fear not, for behold I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people! For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” They were told to look for a baby lying in a manger and then, in an instant, the sky was filled with thousands of angels singing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Now for that fourth Shepherd…

This man wasn’t a traditional shepherd.
It wasn’t His first career and He didn’t herd sheep.
He shepherded people.

Like Moses, He was adopted into a family different than His own and would fulfill His calling by saving millions of people from slavery.

Like David, He seemed like the most unlikely of people; He was the son of a carpenter and born in a stable, surrounded by animals. He was not born into a royal family, but He was a great King, existing before time began!

And like our Nameless Shepherd, He would protect and care for His sheep, guiding them away from death and rescuing them from the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy.

That fourth Shepherd… He is THE Shepherd.
He is MY Shepherd.
He gives me rest.
He restores my soul.
He lets me drink the Living Water.
He walks with me when I go through deep valleys and in dark shadows.
He disciplines me.
He guides me.

He is Jesus.

Like shepherds of old, Jesus laid down His life for His sheep (that’s us, guys!).
He knows us. He cares for us.

The motif of a shepherd is incorporated throughout the entire Bible. It is another thread woven together that proves the Bible, and every truthful story in it, has a purpose, pointing to King Jesus.

The Shepherd!
The GOOD Shepherd!

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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 Woven 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 Woven!

Woven Day 12 Shepherd King: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days...are a pretty big deal at GT!

We search God's Word together, ask questions as we read, dig around to find the original intentions at the time of writing, and then make some applications to our everyday lives.
Along the way, we hope you'll pick up some new tools to study Scripture and you'll see truth in a new and accessible way!
Dig In!

The Passage

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Journey Study?
Check out Shepherd King!

Ezekiel 34:11-16 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

11 “‘For this is what the Lord God says: See, I myself will search for my flock and look for them. 12 As a shepherd looks for his sheep on the day he is among his scattered flock, so I will look for my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and total darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the peoples, gather them from the countries, and bring them to their own soil. I will shepherd them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the land. 14 I will tend them in good pasture, and their grazing place will be on Israel’s lofty mountains. There they will lie down in a good grazing place; they will feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I will tend my flock and let them lie down. This is the declaration of the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bandage the injured, and strengthen the weak, but I will destroy the fat and the strong. I will shepherd them with justice.”

The Questions

1) Why is God searching for His flock?

2) How does God plan to tend His flock?

3) What is the significance of the promise God makes in verse 16?

The Findings for Intention

1) Why is God searching for His flock?
God’s people have been taken into captivity in Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar.  They are scattered and no longer living as His nation.  This particular chapter of Ezekiel is both a rebuke of God’s people (leaders and followers), and a promise of restoration.  But despite their failures, God states that HE will seek them out in the places where they have been scattered.  God doesn’t promise to send others on His behalf to find them, but keeps Himself personally involved in their being found again.  God loves His people enough to look for them Himself, to find them in their dark places, no matter how far they have been taken away, and to bring them back.  And He will bring them back so that He can be their perfect, loving shepherd.

2) How does God plan to tend His flock?
What else would a good God promise to give to His people but good things?  Matthew 7:11 says,  “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him.”  God exemplifies this part of His character with His scattered, lost nation.  He promises to bring them home, back to their land, their soil.  He lets them know that they will once again be on their mountains.  They will have a home.  And even more, God says He will feed them in those places.  They will no longer be in need.

3) What is the significance of the promise God makes in verse 16?
God closes out this part of His declaration with a beautiful promise.  He lets His people know that He understands their needs go far beyond the physical.  He knows the depth of their emotional and spiritual pain as well.  And he will send them a Messiah who will heal, restore, strengthen and defend.  Many of the phrases are reminiscent of Isaiah 61:1-4 about the promised Messiah.  For the people of Israel, the Messiah represented hope and glory for their future.  He would be their salvation.  God also promised to bring His justice to bear on those (kings, teachers of the law, priests, etc.) by whose sin helped pave the way for Judah to be in exile in the first place.

The Everyday Application

1) Why is God searching for His flock?
God’s description of His pursuit of His scattered nation in Ezekiel is an exact representation of what He does for each of us.  We find ourselves lost in darkness, scattered and taken away.  In God’s complete love for us, He seeks each of us out and looks for us, no matter how far we may have allowed ourselves to stray.  He loves us enough to come after us.  And once we are found, He becomes our personal, loving, caring, and perfect Savior.  This is the gospel.  God loves us.  We find ourselves separated from Him.  He comes after us.  If we are willing, He brings us back.  He takes care of us as our Shepherd King.  Forever.  Where are you in that story?  Still straying in the darkness, feeling lost?  Or have you begun to realize God is in pursuit of you?  Maybe He’s asking you if you’re willing to follow?  Or have you already allowed Him to become your shepherd and king?  No matter where you are, ask God to show you what He wants from you next as one of His sheep.

2) How does God plan to tend His flock?
The Shepherd who made those promises to Israel is also our Shepherd, who does the exact same for us.  Our needs are great.  We all have physical needs in this life.  And He promises to provide for all that we need.  In fact, Jesus taught that we are taken care of so well that we have no cause to worry about our physical needs (Matthew 6:25-34).  Do you trust God to provide for your physical needs?  Or do you continually deal with the anxiety that comes with feeling like you’re on your own?  Or are you guilty of expecting God to not only provide for your needs, but demandingly asking for all of your wants to be fulfilled as well?

3) What is the significance of the promise God makes in verse 16?
Sadly, many of the Jewish community missed the fulfillment of this promise that God made to them.  Our Shepherd, sent to take care of our every spiritual need, was fulfilled in the very person of Jesus Christ.  One of the most powerful moments in the gospels comes as Jesus is in the temple and He is given the responsibility to read from one of the scrolls (Luke 4:16-21).  He reads the words from Isaiah 61, declaring in that moment His personal fulfillment of God’s promise to His people.  Friend, DON’T MISS the promise of Jesus’ healing on your life.  Invite him in to heal, to restore, to strengthen, to defend, to offer hope, and to save.

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I Can Do That!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read through it (always more than a verse or two).
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!

The Community!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into
Woven Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion. 
We’d love to hear your thoughts!

The Tools!

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

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. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? 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 :-))

The Why!

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.

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

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
See all past studies in Woven!

Worship II Day 11 A Savior’s Love

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Micah 5:2
Matthew 2:6
Isaiah 7:14
Isaiah 9:2-7
John 1 

“Let’s stand and worship the Lord…” As the band begins to play, the congregation stands up and starts singing. Those of us who are church-goers hear this every week.
I love singing.
I love music.
I love its capacity to tell a story and unlock the inner portions of the heart. Whatever you’re feeling, you can always think of a song that resonates with you.

Worship music is different, though, because the focus is not on us – it’s placed fully on God.
Worship communicates our love and devotion to Him
for who He is and what He has done.

My home was always filled with music, but Christmas music is particularly special to me. Even though my family did not attend church or pray in the home, it was an annual tradition. Singing to celebrate Jesus’ birth was awe-inspiring. It was different than other singing.
It connected me to something – Someone – bigger.

As John wrote in John 1, Jesus was the Word from the beginning.
In our darkness, He is the Light.
The prophets foretold that Jesus would be born to a virgin girl,
born in Bethlehem,
born in obscurity,
born in humility,
to come to this earth in obedience to the Father to demonstrate love.

His is a love unlike any other.
His love for us is so passionate and so profound that He left His glorious position of royalty in heaven to begin life on earth in the same way that we do: as a single cell. Jesus was deity and humanity in one person, unique, holy, and remarkable, yet in unremarkable circumstances: in Bethlehem, in a cave…born to a virgin and a carpenter.

But the angels knew who and where He was.
And they made sure that the unremarkable people,
the shepherds, were the first to be told.
Jesus came for every person, even those who are usually looked down upon.

He came to understand our suffering, to be tempted like we are, yet not sin.
He came to show us the Father, to take away the sin of the world, and to give us abundant life (John 10:10).
He came to live among us and then to die for us.
His love would not allow for his most prized possession (James 1:18 NLT) to remain forever separated from him.
Jesus Christ’s death on the cross redeemed us, Sisters!
He bought us back from the slave-master of sin!

Each Christmas season we are reminded of the obedient, life-giving sacrifice of Jesus because of His love for us.
We remember that He set aside all He had to come for us.
We can allow Jesus to be “born in us” at Christmas – or any time – by asking for forgiveness of our sin and turning away from it to live for Him.
Jesus humbled himself to be born and live on earth.
If we humble ourselves to Him and allow Him to be Lord of our lives,
His love will give us life and flow through us naturally to show Himself to others.

My mom has been gone for 12 Christmases, and I still have the longing to talk to her. Why? She knew me better than anyone else. She knew my moods by just the tone of my voice or the look on my face. And even when I was being ugly she loved me.

Multiply this by infinity and you’ll catch a glimpse of the heart of God.
This is why we should worship Him!
This is why he deserves our time and attention.
He loves us in our ugliness, in our brokenness, in our sinfulness, in our rebellion.
He loves us so much that He gave part of himself, His own unique Son, to demonstrate that He is here with us and for us.

He has a purpose for us.

He so desperately wants a relationship with us that He took the punishment we deserve and defeated the power of sin and death.

Being in His presence draws us instinctively to worship!
We shouldn’t be able to do anything else.
My prayer for you this Christmas is that you would allow your entire being to be wholly focused on the glory, the beauty, and the majesty of Jesus, our Light, the baby in the manger who came to set us free!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!
Join our Facebook Community!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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 II 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 Worship II!