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Philemon Day 8 A Sheep Called Useful

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Philemon Day 8 A Sheep Called Useful

Bri Bailey

February 22, 2023

Accepted,Affectionate,Beloved,Broken,Called,Identity

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philemon 1:11-13
Ephesians 2:4-5
Titus 1:15-16
Titus 3:3-8
Psalm 82:3-4

Imagine a flock of sheep grazing on a picturesque hillside under the watchful eye of a shepherd. The sheep are useful to the shepherd; they prevent overgrowth of vegetation, reproduce and grow the herd, and offer milk and wool. Each sheep is known by the shepherd, lovingly named, given its own unique call. (John 10:3-4)

Around the pasture runs a stone wall; in one spot, it has crumbled, leaving a gap. The shepherd, aware of the dangers beyond, had filled the opening with wooden pickets interwoven with fallen twigs and branches, even propped up a placard painted in brightly-colored dyes . . . all to clearly convey: Do. Not. Pass. 

When an ewe approaches the breach, the shepherd cries out, “No! Stay here! Trust me!”

The sheep meets the shepherd’s gaze, quirks an eyebrow. She places a hoof on the barrier. “Don’t do it! You’ll be lost!” the shepherd warns again. She bleats belligerently, and scrambles over. (Isaiah 53:6)

Instantly, she is careening down, dashed over boulders, flung through thistles, choking on grit. The sunshine of the pasture is replaced by utter blackness. When she finally comes to a stop, she can’t distinguish sky from ground. Everything hurts. A terror she has never known settles over her.

She tries to struggle to her feet, but her injuries are far too great. 
She tries to call for help but manages only a wheeze.

Her special, shepherd-given name has been shattered in her fall.
Now, she is Lost, Helpless, and Powerless.

Shame and despair join hands with terror, specters dancing around her.

“You’ve done this to yourself,” they taunt. 
“You knew not to cross the breach, and you did it anyway. 
You certainly can’t get back to the pasture.
You’ll never enjoy its abundance again. 
You’ll never contribute to the growth of the flock, never share your milk or wool. 
You’re Useless; you’re Hopeless.
You’re already dead.”

Her tears soaking into the bracken beneath her, she waits for the death in her spirit to overtake her body.

Time passes.
Suddenly, she hears her name. Not her death-names, but her true name. Her shepherd-name.
She opens her eyes . . . and there he is.
Her shepherd, emanating light into the darkness, crouching before her. (John 8:12)
His body is more broken and bloodied than hers, yet he lives. (Luke 24:1-8)

Gentle as a whisper, he gathers her to his chest.
“Sweet lamb,” he murmurs, “I’ve made a way back. Do you want to come home?”

Too overwhelmed for words, she nods.
The shepherd settles her into the satchel used for carrying newborn lambs (1 Peter 1:3-4), tucking her securely against his side (Psalm 91:1-6).
“Let’s go home.”

Friends, this shepherd is Jesus, our Good Shepherd.
“I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” (John 10:11)

And this sheep?

Her name is mine, which means strength.
Her name is yours, which means ____________.
Her name is Philemon, which means loving.
Her name is Paul, which means humble.
Her name is Onesimus, which means useful.

Well-versed in the oratorical practices of his time, in today’s passage, Paul purposefully uses the meaning of Onesimus’ name (Philemon 1:11) to describe the transformation believers in Christ undergo when we are rescued and redeemed by Jesus.

Like the sheep in our story, we have all chosen to abandon our Shepherd and pursue our own way, leading to death.

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked[.]” (Ephesians 2:1)

Lost in our sin 
like the sheep in our story, 
like Onesimus before he met Jesus, 
we are Useless. Powerless. Helpless and Hopeless. (Titus 1:15-16)

But not worthless.
For our Good Shepherd’s love is unbroken.
So He pursued us, bore the eternal consequence of our sins, and defeated sin and death, rising back to life. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)

Now, He invites us into new life with Him. (Galatians 2:20)
Our death-names are gone; He gives us a new identity, a new call as a child of God, a sheep of His flock. (2 Corinthians 5:17-18)

“But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us–not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy–through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit [. . .] I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone.” (Titus 3:4-8)

When our identities are renewed and regenerated through God’s loving mercy, we are transformed from useless to useful. God calls us to actively live out our faith through good works, works that bless and grow the body of believers *and* serve as living proclamation of the good news of the Gospel.

Sisters, in closing, I leave us with 2 action steps.

First, pursue God’s understanding of our new identity in Him. 
Ask Him and search His Word.
Here’s a place to start: 
Romans 6:4-11
Ephesians 4:20-24
John 5:24
Ezekiel 36:26
Romans 8:1-2

Second, seek God’s guidance for the good work to which He’s calling us.
Ask Him and search His Word.
Here’s a place to start: 
Ephesians 2:8-10
Romans 6:15-23
1 John 3:16-18
Isaiah 1:17

Redeemed and commissioned, we are transformed into useful sheep of His flock!
We will demonstrate our faith through our works . . . our faith is active together with our works, and by works, our faith is made complete. (James 2:18, 22, paraphrased)

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broken,identity,made new,Rescued
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Philemon Day 9
Digging Deeper

When I stop to think about my own usefulness, it can feel as if I myself am pulled in so many directions, I am not really useful to anyone. My messy home with half-accomplished clean-out tasks. My Bible study partly addressed. My children receiving partial attention and my work receiving another piece. Oh, my long list of half-dones and lofty hopes of accomplishment. While I have not run away like Onesimus, I frequently find myself failing someone.

But Christ has a different goal. His goal is for the truth of the Gospel to move forward and build His kingdom. Christ redeems, renews, and rebirths.
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Sketched X Day 12 What Are You Waiting For?: 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 What Are You Waiting For?

The Questions

1) Why did Jacob need to send his sons to Egypt to buy grain? (Genesis 42:1-7)

2) Why did Joseph not reveal who he was to his brothers? (Genesis 42:8-26)

3) Why did Jacob keep Benjamin home? (Genesis 42:29-38)

Genesis 42:1-43:14

42 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you keep looking at each other? 2 Listen,” he went on, “I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us so that we will live and not die.” 3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he thought, “Something might happen to him.”

5 The sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. 6 Joseph was in charge of the country; he sold grain to all its people. His brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground. 7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke harshly to them.

“Where do you come from?” he asked.

“From the land of Canaan to buy food,” they replied.

8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. 9 Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said to them, “You are spies. You have come to see the weakness of the land.”

10 “No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food,” they said. 11 “We are all sons of one man. We are honest; your servants are not spies.”

12 “No,” he said to them. “You have come to see the weakness of the land.”

13 But they replied, “We, your servants, were twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no longer living.”

14 Then Joseph said to them, “I have spoken: ‘You are spies!’ 15 This is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one from among you to get your brother. The rest of you will be imprisoned so that your words can be tested to see if they are true. If they are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” 17 So Joseph imprisoned them together for three days.

18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “I fear God—do this and you will live. 19 If you are honest, let one of you be confined to the guardhouse, while the rest of you go and take grain to relieve the hunger of your households. 20 Bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be confirmed; then you won’t die.” And they consented to this.

21 Then they said to each other, “Obviously, we are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble has come to us.”

22 But Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to harm the boy? But you wouldn’t listen. Now we must account for his blood!”

23 They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them. 24 He turned away from them and wept. When he turned back and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes. 25 Joseph then gave orders to fill their containers with grain, return each man’s silver to his sack, and give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out. 26 They loaded the grain on their donkeys and left there.

The Brothers Return Home

27 At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver there at the top of his bag. 28 He said to his brothers, “My silver has been returned! It’s here in my bag.” Their hearts sank. Trembling, they turned to one another and said, “What has God done to us?”

29 When they reached their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them: 30 “The man who is the lord of the country spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country. 31 But we told him, ‘We are honest and not spies. 32 We were twelve brothers, sons of the same father. One is no longer living, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.’ 33 The man who is the lord of the country said to us, ‘This is how I will know if you are honest: Leave one brother with me, take food to relieve the hunger of your households, and go. 34 Bring back your youngest brother to me, and I will know that you are not spies but honest men. I will then give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the country.’”

35 As they began emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his bag of silver! When they and their father saw their bags of silver, they were afraid.

36 Their father Jacob said to them, “It’s me that you make childless. Joseph is gone, and Simeon is gone. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything happens to me!”

37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You can kill my two sons if I don’t bring him back to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him to you.”

38 But Jacob answered, “My son will not go down with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left. If anything happens to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hairs down to Sheol in sorrow.”

Decision to Return to Egypt

43 Now the famine in the land was severe. 2 When they had used up the grain they had brought back from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little food.”

3 But Judah said to him, “The man specifically warned us, ‘You will not see me again unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go, for the man said to us, ‘You will not see me again unless your brother is with you.’”

6 “Why have you caused me so much trouble?” Israel asked. “Why did you tell the man that you had another brother?”

7 They answered, “The man kept asking about us and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”

8 Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me. We will be on our way so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our dependents. 9 I will be responsible for him. You can hold me personally accountable! If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, I will be guilty before you forever. 10 If we had not delayed, we could have come back twice by now.”

11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balsam and a little honey, aromatic gum and resin, pistachios and almonds. 12 Take twice as much silver with you. Return the silver that was returned to you in the top of your bags. Perhaps it was a mistake. 13 Take your brother also, and go back at once to the man. 14 May God Almighty cause the man to be merciful to you so that he will release your other brother and Benjamin to you. As for me, if I am deprived of my sons, then I am deprived.”

Original Intent

1) Why did Jacob need to send his sons to Egypt to buy grain? (Genesis 42:1-7)
It’s a big section of Scripture to dive into in a short study, but it covers a lot of important details! If you haven’t yet, please go back and Read His Words Before Mine! It won’t take you long and will be invaluable as we study these two chapters together! In Genesis 41 Joseph is called before Pharaoh to interpret his dreams. This dream interpreting ability wasn’t new to Joseph (Go Read: Genesis 37:5-10; Genesis 40:8-19). God used Joseph to inform Pharaoh of an upcoming 7 years of plenty followed by 7 years of famine. This famine wasn’t confined to Egypt but would spread throughout the land. (Genesis 41:56-57) People traveled to purchase grain from Egypt due to the surplus that had been stored there under Joseph’s wise direction. Grain was absolutely essential for livelihood in those days. It was easily stored and therefore used in almost everything people ate. Without grain, life would become difficult, if not impossible. When Jacob and his family needed grain, the famine’s severity left Jacob with no choice but to send his sons to purchase it from the only location grain could be found…Egypt. Without it, their family and their entire livelihood would likely die of starvation.

2) Why did Joseph not reveal who he was to his brothers? (Genesis 42:8-26)
Joseph’s brothers appeared before him asking for grain (Genesis 42:6) along with countless other people making the same request, having traveled many miles on little sustenance. Interestingly, instead of revealing his identity to his brothers and reuniting the family, he accused them of being spies. (Genesis 42:9) He went so far as to keep one of his brothers in prison while the rest returned home with strict instructions to bring Benjamin to Egypt. (Genesis 42:19) The last time Joseph had seen his brothers they were selling him into slavery, which left many open doubts about their integrity in Joseph’s mind. What kind of men were his brothers now? Joseph was attempting to discover if their character had changed by setting up a series of tests intended to draw out their true selves. Were they still the same as when they vengefully sold him or had they truly repented of their actions and changed their lives? Joseph needed to find out. Through his series of tests Joseph discovered they had truly changed in their hearts. He would eventually reveal himself as their long-lost brother. Read tomorrow’s Journey Study for more!

3) Why did Jacob keep Benjamin home? (Genesis 42:29-38)
Jacob had many sons, however, only two were born to Rachel, Joseph’s favorite wife. Joseph and Benjamin were full brothers while Joseph’s other brothers were half-brothers born to Leah. Genesis 37:3-4 tells us that of all twelve sons born to Jacob, Joseph was his favorite. Joseph was born in Jacob’s old age to the wife he had worked 14 years to win and marry from his uncle Laban. (Genesis 29:16-28) When Jacob was deceived by his other sons into believing Joseph had been killed, it devastated Jacob. However, it appears he continued playing favorites and chose Benjamin as his new favorite. Unwilling to part with his last remaining connection to favorited Joseph and favorited Rachel, Jacob simply couldn’t bear to send Benjamin to Egypt for fear of never seeing him again. Though motivated by selfishness and sinful favoritism, Jacob was also protecting the youngest male in the family to preserve the family line.

Everyday Application

1) Why did Jacob need to send his sons to Egypt to buy grain? (Genesis 42:1-7)
Life in the days of Genesis was nearly impossible without grain and the famine caused Jacob and his family to deplete their supply. The only reason Egypt had grain was because God used Jacob to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams allowing them to prepare ahead of time for the coming famine. The Lord is a preserving, generous, providing God! Until the moment Joseph was called before Pharaoh, his life had been anything but easy. His brothers sold him (Genesis 37:18-28), they made Father Jacob believe him to be dead (Genesis 37:31-33), he was unjustly thrown into prison for a crime he didn’t commit (Genesis 39:6-23), and he was forgotten by the cupbearer whose dreams he interpreted (Genesis 40:23). However, God never forgot Joseph. Just as God preserved Egypt and other nations with grain, He preserved His plan for Joseph’s life through every hardship. God intended to save many through Joseph’s life and his faith. As believers today, this should remind and encourage us as we face our own struggles and dark seasons. No matter what life brings our way, the Lord God is always sovereign. He will preserve us and finish His work in us. We can trust His plan, even when we cannot see it.

2) Why did Joseph not reveal who he was to his brothers? (Genesis 42:8-26)
Life events, especially suffering, either makes us better, stronger, and kinder if we lean into the Lord to shape us, or they make us bitter, angry, miserable, and even prideful. Perhaps you’ve experienced these two different outcomes in your own life or watched them play out in someone else’s. Joseph allowed the Lord to grow his faith through suffering, but without any interaction with the brothers who had sold him as a slave, he had no way to know if they had changed or remained the same. The important part of this story isn’t that Joseph tested his brothers’ character, but that Joseph’s character shone through. Joseph wasn’t out to demolish his brothers with vengeance, power, or self-righteous arrogance as proven by his later statement to them of God’s goodness. (Genesis 50:20) True repentance always results in genuine life change, which was what Joseph intended to discover of his brothers. Just like these men, we are all sinners needing true repentance. In our free will, we make decisions that go against God’s will and harm our relationship with Him and others; this is sin. Even a single lie or a single word of gossip is counted as sin; none of us are righteous. (Romans 3:10-11) However, God is graciously ready to forgive us and restore our broken relationship if we will come to Him in true repentance. (1 John 1:9) There is no sin too big for God to forgive, for all sins equally separate us from Him. When we seek His forgiveness and repent, it must include life change. If we simply go through the motions of feeling remorseful, but never going to the Lord in true confession and desire to live differently, we will continuously fall back into the cycle of sin. We must invite God to transform our broken places by His Spirit. As He works through our repentance, we begin to look less like our sinful selves and more like Jesus. (Romans 8:29)

3) Why did Jacob keep Benjamin home? (Genesis 42:29-38)
Favoritism colored much of Jacob’s life and its sinful consequences played a role in the hatred of Joseph’s brothers against him. Perhaps it started out innocently enough, as sin often does, but sin is never a plaything. Sin’s trajectory always gives birth to death. (James 1:15) Perhaps your pet sin isn’t favoritism, but we all have a sin nature that leads us to speak and act in ways contrary to God’s plan for our lives. Though we may doubt it, following His commands will always bring us the fullness of life. (Psalm 119:127-130) How much heartache could Joseph have avoided for himself and his family had he chosen to reject favoritism?! Jacob wanted to keep Benjamin safe and couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to him; his hope was fixed on preserving his favorite instead of depending on the Lord. It’s as if he did not learn from Joseph’s supposed death how favoritism would leave him feeling hollow, empty, and alone in its wake. However, Jacob’s missed lesson is one you and I can learn from. We will make choices in our life and God will use those moments to teach us something, but only if we surrender to His ways. We can either choose to continue on our current path of sin, or we can turn our ways over to God, allowing Him to make us look more like Jesus!

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Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with What Are You Waiting For?

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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The GT Weekend! ~ Sketched X Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Digging Deeper author, Patty Scott, held up snapshots of Joseph’s life and challenged us to consider how nearsighted we are when we view snippets of our own lives. It’s easy to longingly ache for more, for wholeness, for redemption, for better than our current hardship. We hunger for a season when the pressing isn’t so intense, and like our New Testament brother in Jesus, Stephen, we can wonder how our seemingly senseless difficulty could result in good. When we hold up Joseph’s and Stephen’s stories to Jesus and the Eternal Hope He offers, we are encouraged to take a broad scope lens approach to our own suffering. Learning to trust in the Hope of Jesus takes time as God’s Spirit teaches us through hardship to fix our eyes of Him instead of our circumstances. What is your perspective on the details of a current hardship? If you’re in a sweet place, where does your anchor lie for when the details shift from easy to hard? Take some time to read and reflect on the words from the Lord found in 2 Corinthians 4:14-18 over the weekend and let them take root in your heart!

2) As Joseph’s story began in the early years his fledgling faith was barely beginning, but he leaned into what he knew to be true despite the chaos and challenge of his life. The Lord was revealing Himself through the heritage of Joseph’s past and through dreams. His home life was painful and unstable in many ways, but he still believed the Lord enough to trust the dreams he’d been given. Through the pages of Scripture, we see the Lord revealing Himself to His people in small portions that increase over time as they deepen in their faith. This is true for us as well! Consider where you are in your faith journey. What do you hold to be true about God? Where did you learn it? Who influenced you in these beliefs? What do you hunger to know more about Him? Are you allowing your circumstances to dictate what you believe or the truth of Scripture? Take just 2 minutes this weekend and write down what you believe about God. Ponder these reflections and give them over to the Lord, letting Him lead you into deeper understanding of Him as you seek His face!

3) Injustice piled on top of injustice for Joseph. I’ve felt the same in my own life. My gut response is to seriously question the goodness of God and whether He really sees me and knows me. It’s so easy to doubt Him and, in place of faith, wonder if He will really do anything about unjust treatment. When resolution and redemption don’t happen on my timetable, I begin to doubt whether Scripture is true when it says the Lord is a God of justice. (Isaiah 30:18) Lord, pour spiritual cement on my heart when these temptations to doubt come at me; anchor me in truth and don’t let me leave! When are you most tempted to doubt the Lord and His goodness? Consider your default setting of belief about the Lord when you experience easy seasons and then again in hard ones. Do your beliefs align with what the Lord says about Himself in Scripture? Are you willing to embrace what God’s Word says or will you hold fast to your perspective? Think about the why behind your answers and bring this to the Lord!

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 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Prayer Journal
Lord Jesus, I can look backwards in my life and see how faithful You have proven to be to me and to every promise in Your word. When doubt creeps in, I can look straight to Scripture and see how You prove Your faithfulness through every story. Holding onto truth is much harder than holding onto lies; Lord Jesus, increase my appetite for truth and lead me away from temptation to believe deceptions.

I know You will follow through on Your word to redeem my suffering for good, to bring healing from my brokenness, and to restore the years the locusts have eaten. (Joel 2:25-26) Keep leading me to surrender my plans and expectations to You in the middle of suffering. Teach me to be strong and courageous and wait for You to move perfectly in Your time to accomplish Your good work! (Psalm 27:14)

Worship Through Community

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Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

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Terrain Day 10 Mount Of Olives

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 6:25-34
Romans 8:14-17
Matthew 21:1-5

Terrain, Day 10

Read enough of my writings, sit with me at coffee, or walk beside me as the sun sets and you will know, “this girl loves small things.”

The solitary flower in a mass of wild weeds.
The softly curled leaf, just hinting at gold while its counterparts wear green.
The single dappled spot on the underside of my daughter’s toe.

I gravitate towards the “little known and oft’ forgotten” that I might re-discover old treasure made new again. Imagine my delight when, after weeks of praying and studying the Mount of Olives, I found “it,” a tucked-away pocket of words waiting for me to discover anew. The words are easily glossed over, as I had a hundred times before, but today, the Spirit of God raised them up out of His word for me to see with fresh eyes.

“During the day, He (Jesus) was teaching in the temple, but in the evening, He would go out and spend the night on what is called the Mount of Olives. Then all the people would come early in the morning to hear Him in the temple.” (Luke 21:37-38)

I have a sacred space in my house where I sit in the mornings or late at night with my Bible, journal, and pen. When I first began meeting regularly with the Lord, my spot was in my baby’s nursery where morning light flooded my pages. Then it moved to the reclining chair in my room where I could look up to find a tiny cross etched “coincidentally” in the paint above me. When the chair was retired, my space became a square on the floor beside my bed, its lowness reminding me of my need for humility and for Christ’s perfect humility towards me. With my back against the wall, I’ve sat hundreds of times weeping in grief or joy, angry at injustice, delighted with God’s beauty, or sitting silently to hear His voice. Each time, I’ve stood up, having been reminded of truth wrapped in grace. This space has been life-giving to me, not because of its physical attributes, but because of the living God who faithfully meets me.

As I read the passage in Luke, I realized for the first time that Jesus also had a sacred space He regularly visited. The Mount of Olives.

I love nature and hiking and muddy creeks, scraggly branches, jumping frogs, and hidden hollows, but sleeping overnight…outside…under the sky? No, thank you. Firm No. N to the O, No!

But this was Jesus’ spot: His place of prayer, rest, and renewal all night long.
Because Jesus was both fully human and fully God, I am confident He had favorite trails up the mountain’s side. Perhaps He took different ones depending on His mood as He processed the human emotions of the day. Did He shed tears as He walked the familiar terrain to the spot He had deemed “His” for sleeping and prayer? Did He recount aloud conversations He’d had with His disciples or the Pharisees? Perhaps His fingers graced the edges of silky flower petals as He walked, knowing every granule of pollen as only the Creator could. Surely some nights He went without sleep as He watched the moon arc across the sky He held in place. These scenes seem likely considering the divinely human nature of the Lord Jesus, but one action is absolutely certain: here the Savior, God in the flesh, communed with the Father by the Spirit’s breath.  

This is what made the Mount of Olives special for Jesus.
Did Christ have continuous connection with the Father through the Spirit while on earth?
Yes; all three Beings equally comprise the Triune God. Yet, while on earth, Jesus gave us this quiet, tucked away example of deeply intimate prayer and escape throughout the gospels.

He left the crowds midday to pray. (Luke 4:42)

He rose early, hungering for this place of deep prayer. (Mark 1:35)

He spent His nights walking the trails of Mt of Olives to be alone with the Father. (Luke 21:37-38)

On these mountain slopes, He taught the masses how to love one another and live with a kingdom mindset. (Matthew 5:1-11)

Here, He taught His disciples how to pray. (Luke 11:1-4)

Oddly enough, considering the title of our Journey Theme, it wasn’t the terrain of the mountain that drew Jesus, it was the communion He shared with Father and Spirit in quiet isolation. He delighted in being tucked away from the crowds, out on the mountain His very own breath had created, as He shared solitude with Father and Spirit in prayer.

As the sun’s rosy glow began warming the hard ground beneath Him the next morning, Jesus opened His human eyes and began His trek down the mountain. I can see the smile on His face as He walked, continuing His conversation with the Father, while approaching the temple to teach again of lasting hope found in God alone.

His rhythm of sacred conversation is meant to be shared.
He freely invites us into communion with the Triune God of the Universe!
What a marvelous thought, that we should be invited as co-heirs with Christ and, by His Spirit, we are urged to call out, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15-17)

Jesus spent many nights walking the terrain of the Mount of Olives and resting His head on its mounds of dirt and leaves, but the terrain of our hearts is where He most longs to meander.
He desires for us to know Him as He is.
Come, enter the conversation!


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

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Sketched VIII Day 3 Zacchaeus

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 22:1-4
Leviticus 6:1-7
Luke 19:1-10
Luke 15:1-7

Sketched VIII, Day 3

The crowds were thick on the day I first met Yeshua Maschiach.
Jesus, the Messiah.
I craned my neck this way and that, but I couldn’t even catch a glimpse of Him.

To be honest, I didn’t understand why we were all pressing in to see this mysterious man from Nazareth. Sure, I’d heard the murmurs whisper through the town, but the stories I’d heard…
The King we had all been waiting for…the ones the prophets foretold…a carpenter?
Well, it just didn’t seem very likely.

I tried to squeeze between two burly men in front of me, but they didn’t budge an inch. Pfft.
Exasperated, I exhaled noisily.
One of them glanced over his shoulder and down at me, and I felt ire begin to rise in my chest as he chuckled under his breath.
I crossed my arms and caught his gaze boldly, daring him to speak. He turned forward again, and the moment slipped away.

What am I even doing here? I wondered, silently. Just then, my gaze drifted across a nearby sycamore tree.
Why, I could climb up there in no time, I realized.
Swiftly, I strode to the trunk and began to climb. Higher and higher, until finally, I found a somewhat comfortable spot to rest and watch. I peered through a wide opening and scanned the people below until I spied the source of all the ruckus.

He moved with a fluid, uncommon grace that somehow felt completely out of place, while also exactly right. Dozens of people surrounded him, but He seemed…unshaken. It was almost as though He walked in a bubble. Set apart, but also fully present. I watched His face as He interacted with those closest to Him. His eyes were warm; His expression compassionate. Goosebumps rippled through my skin. This man loves. He loves each one. EVERY one. 

I sat up straight at the thought. Might it all be true? Something like fear and wild hope tangled in my chest and started up my throat. Could He really be the Messiah we’ve been waiting for? Blood rushed in my ears, and my heart skipped and thrummed at the thought.

“Zacchaeus.”
The syllables were uttered at barely more than a whisper, but everything in me came to sudden, total silence.

He was speaking to me. But, how could He even see me?
I leaned forward to peer through the opening again, but He was nowhere to be seen. He must be right below me.

“Hurry and come down here, because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house.”
His voice pierced through my internal dialogue and drew me with more than a command. Before my mind had even processed the words, my hands and feet propelled me from my vantage point and plopped me right at the feet of the very man everyone was desperate to see.

I stood quickly, brushed off a few stray leaves, and straightened to my full height as my gaze traveled up to meet His. His face was broad and kind, and His dark eyes warmer than I had first surmised. His mouth hinted at a curve as we stood there, inspecting one another. Surely, He couldn’t be serious. This man? Stay at MY house? 

He nodded, almost imperceptibly, and my heart swelled nearly to bursting. Joy blazed through every inch of my body, and I nearly shouted at Him. “YES, my Lord! Come to my house!” He could stay anywhere, but He chose ME. I don’t have quite the words to explain what happened inside me in that instant, but I knew I’d never be the same again. Even as the realization registered in me, murmurs of disgust and disappointment rippled through those standing all around us.

“He’s going to stay with a sinful man!” one woman hissed.
“Doesn’t he know who Zacchaeus IS?” another queried.

Tears filled my eyes. They were right. But I couldn’t allow this moment to pass. I wouldn’t.
I blinked a couple of times, then squared my shoulders and raised my eyes to meet his.

“Look, I’ll give half my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.” Please, Lord. Please choose me, still.

Yeshua stepped forward and rested a rough, tanned hand on my shoulder. An expression I couldn’t quite define crossed His strong profile, and He turned and spoke to those gathered. “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”

And my friends? That’s exactly what He did. I was lost. I didn’t even know I was lost until I encountered Jesus, but when He called my name, I was utterly, irrevocably changed. He could have chosen anyone. There were dozens of others present who were more righteous and less sinful. But He chose me. And when I realized Who He was, I chose Him, too. 

I gave away half of everything I owned, and I was a rich man. Half of my livestock, my riches. Half of my land, my clothing, my belongings. I returned four times what I stole from others.

I climbed a tree that day to see the man everyone claimed was the Messiah. I never expected my whole life to change in that instant. I never expected Him to pay for my sin and shame on another tree, along with everyone else’s, too. But He did. And I know He would do it all again.

For me. For you.

I am Zacchaeus.

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Worship III Day 13 Made New

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Revelation 20:11-15
Revelation 21:9-27
Philippians 4:1-9

Worship III, Day 13

I was eight years old, enthralled with having become a believer. 
Of course, as anyone who has married knows, I had no idea at the beginning, the depth of sacrifice this decision would require, but neither did I know how rich the treasure was that awaited me.

I chose Christ following a series of dreams the Lord used to point clearly to Himself as being the Only One who could eternally be my Rescuer. Jesus sealed me as His own, forever rescuing me from the wages of death because of my sin, and I was ready to follow Him in believer’s baptism.

It was a small, country church, quintessential with its white clapboard exterior, red velvet carpet, wooden pews that groaned when you sat (or wiggled), a bell tower that tolled when rung by hand at the conclusion of every service, and a rough-hewn stone baptismal pool that smelled of sulfur.

As traditional as church was, these hymns were carving a foundation of Scriptural truth into the bedrock of my heart. When I was plunged into the cold waters that Sunday, coming up gasping for breath and shivering, I requested the hymn that had been playing in my heart on repeat for weeks…. A New Name In Glory.  

I only knew the chorus, but that was enough.
There’s a new name written down in glory,
And it’s mine, O yes, it’s mine!
And the white robed angels sing the story,
A sinner has come home.
For there’s a new name written down in glory,
And it’s mine, O yes, it’s mine!
With my sins forgiven I am bound for Heaven,
Never more to roam

“It’s mine! O yes! It’s mine!” 
Jesus was mine, I was safe! Rescued from death, bound to the Savior and made new that I might run free in life everlasting. Something deep began when I gave Jesus my everything, an anchor was placed. I was His and He was mine, “never more to roam”. 

Storms were coming. I didn’t realize how many or how fierce, but the solidity of my name being written down in glory would hold firm, despite my efforts to run hard and fast away from the Lord. This holding me, binding me. This writing my name down in Glory, this was a forever vow, and it wasn’t held by my ability, only Christ’s. 

Jesus said it like this:
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. 
No one will snatch them out of my hand. 
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all.
No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 
 I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30)

Christ is both the Giver and Securer of eternal life.
Salvation begins with Jesus, is continued because of Jesus,
and is brought to completion because of Jesus.
No attempt on our behalf could even make a smudge of a difference. 

But neither is everyone automatically rescued from the deadly consequences of sin.
When we choose to trust Jesus, taking Him at His word, made clear in Scripture, that He is willing to take our sin and punishment on Himself and give us His own flawless righteousness, that’s faith.
Faith that pleases God. (Hebrews 11:6)
Faith the Lord credits to us as righteousness because of Christ. (Romans 4:3-5)
Faith that allows His salvation to bind us to Himself. (Romans 5:1-2)
Faith that makes us conquerors over Sin and Death. (1 John 5:4)

Jesus says of those believers whom He has made conquerors:
The one who conquers will be dressed in white clothes,
and I will never erase his name from the Book of Life, 
but will acknowledge his name before my Father and before His angels. (Revelation 3:5)

My name is written down in the Book of Life, I stake my life on it.
But I’ve also been given a New Name. 
The Name of Righteousness Himself; I am Christ’s, I wear His Name. 
Shame is not mine.
Neither is regret.
Despair, emptiness, lost, broken, wounded, scarred, these are not mine. 
Christ Is. 
I am His and He is mine. 

As believers, we have been Made New. 
We are given a new life
with a new purpose,
wearing our new name.

We are called to purposefully, intentionally love people. (Romans 13:8-12)
Love by sharing the eternal hope of Jesus!
Love because the Day is near when time will cease and Glory will begin.
The Day when the time for writing down new names will end. 

A Day when the books are opened.
“Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books.” (Revelation 20:12)

A Day when the Lord’s Justice will finally set the record straight with all who have sinned against Him, which is all of us. 
Our only hope is faith in Christ.
Which is enough! 
Faith is enough, Sisters! 
But it is the only thing that counts. 

“And anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life 
was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15)

That Lake of Fire is eternal punishment, rightly deserved because of our sins. 
God is not un-just, payment for sin must be made on an individual level.
Which is why, out of vast love we will never understand, Jesus stood in the gap, taking the punishment on Himself for us. 

The very moment, I said yes to Jesus, I was covered for eternity by His righteousness.
Those steps into the chilly waters of baptism were my first steps of a life lived out to follow Him forever.
It was the beginning of being made new.
The beginning of wearing His Name! 

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

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

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Sketched III, Day 6 Bathsheba

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Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Samuel 11:1-26
2 Samuel 12:15-25
Proverbs 31:25
James 1:12-15

Sketched III, Day 6

“Precious son, don’t cry,” I whisper, and I gently bounce and sway back and forth.
A song breaths through my lips as I hum into my little one’s ear. His fuzzy head and sweet, new-baby smell engulf my senses. So much joy, and yet, still remembrances of a deep sorrow…

He is not my firstborn.
He wasn’t the first I had labored into this world.
Will I get to hold him beyond his first week?

The road to now hadn’t been easy.
And while I try to forget, the memories flood back.…

I was a young wife – a wife.
Everything I had dreamed about was unfolding before me.
I was married to an incredible warrior. He was valiant, noble, and a hard worker.
I dreamed of our future, and prayed for his safety while at war.
Uriah. How I loved him!

It was at war, when the dreams began crumbling.I was bathing, cleansing myself from my monthly flow as is required by the Law. This was my time for purification before the Lord.

As I was finishing, royal messengers were pounding at my door.
My heart hammered furiously with anxious unknown.
You know the kind perhaps? A twisting in your gut?
They had a summons from King David, for me.

The King does not summon just anyone.
Was it Uriah?
My heart beat faster with fear, as I prepared myself for the worst.
But not this.

The King…. he had seen me bathing, enjoyed my beauty, and even though he knew I was married to one of his own warriors, who was at this moment in battle for the King himself, he had sent these men to bring me to him.

He clearly didn’t care whether I was married or not.

I knew, just as everyone else, that he was not even supposed to be here in the city.
All kings go to war at this time of year.
Why would our trusted king pull back from his responsibilities like this?

And so, I went.
Because who could refuse a king?

Just a short time later, I realized I was pregnant.
I tried to ignore the lingering “knowing”.
I just ate something that didn’t settle well, I would tell myself.
But I knew.
Deep down inside, I knew life was forming inside me.

I remember telling King David I was pregnant. I had sent a messenger with a note.
I didn’t know what he would do, or how he would respond.
But I knew that I had to do something. If my baby was born while Uriah was away, I would be a disgrace to my family; Uriah would certainly divorce me.

Weeks passed and I never heard from him.

But then news came…
Uriah, my dear husband, who fought so hard, and remained faithful to me, was dead.
His death plotted by the King as he tried to cover his own sin.
Sin brought death.

King David took me as his wife, again hoping to cover for his sin that no one would see how he had chosen his own heart’s desires over God’s.

I remember feeling my stomach grow; the baby kicking and turning.
First those movements felt of butterflies, then they began to jab just a little more until some days, my breath would catch.

Reminding me, this wee baby was part of me.
I grew to love him, even before he was born. The deep love I carried for him, steadied me.
Despite his beginnings, this little life needed me;
and I knew I needed him.
The labor was intense; I’d never felt pain so great, but then, neither had I felt such intense joy as when my eyes saw the one I already loved: my son.

But he became ill.
Though my body ached from labor, my heart’s pain for my baby was a hundred-fold more intense.
Just as I knew I was pregnant with him,
I knew I was going to lose my sweet baby.
I wrapped my arms around him and sang to him.
I whispered in his ear, “I love you, son, know that! You are mine. I am yours. You will always be part of me.”

He looked up at me, one last time.
And I knew he loved me, too.
And he was gone.

That pain is still so fresh.
That precious week I had to hold my son will never be enough;
yet I am thankful I had a week at all.  

The sharp pain dulled little by little and one day, I realized I was with child again. My emotions were a muddled mix of fear, joy, and still… sorrow.

I begged the Lord to keep this child safe: to let this child live.
“Lord, give my baby wisdom beyond measure.
Let my little one to grow to be a great leader; a warrior of warriors.
Let this baby grow to know Your love.”

I was almost afraid to grow close to this new baby.
I was afraid to dream for a future with this little one.
My pregnancy crept along, but almost too soon, it was time.
When that time came, instead of fear, gracefully, I felt peace.
Throughout labor, peace consumed me, a peace I had not felt in several years.
Peace came with this baby.
Solomon.
—

Bathsheba is a well-known wife of King David, but the process by which she became his wife is ear-marked by David’s moral failure. Whether Bathsheba was a willing partner or not, Scripture doesn’t clearly say, but what the Bible does focus on is David’s own path of sin. Sin that started in his heart as he lusted after a woman who was not his wife.

And sisters, sin always gives birth to death.
This can mean death in relationships, death in advancements, or even physical death, like when David killed Uriah.

James 1:14-15
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
Then desire, when it has conceived gives birth to sin,
and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

But Bathsheba’s story highlights God’s gracious redemption!

God redeemed Bathsheba and David’s loss as she birthed the future king of Israel, who also authored part of the Bible: Solomon. She was the Queen Mother, having wise influence on Solomon’s decisions, and helping Solomon become King, which brought peace from chaos as King David neared his death. And amazingly enough… God even used her in the lineage of Jesus!

Heartache marked her life, but God’s redemption overshadowed her grief as she became a woman of valor!

Whatever our sin, whatever our circumstances, the God of redemption sees us, knows us, and loves us deeply. Let’s give Him our stories and let Him be our Redeemer!

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

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 Sketched III Week 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 Sketched III!

Grow 2018 Day 4 The Lie Of Perfect Growth

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Welcome to “Grow”! These stories are from the hearts of regular, everyday women just like you in the GT Community. They are boldly sharing how God has grown them, met with them, strengthened them, and taught them solid truth as they have discovered anew that Jesus is our everyday Savior! Today’s story is shared from the heart of Rebecca Chartier. 

Jeremiah 31:3
Psalm 46:10-11
Exodus 14:14
Isaiah 43:18-19
Romans 8:28

Grow, Day 4

Initially, when I thought about my growth this year, there were several specifics that came to mind. I didn’t write them down. I was working on another piece of writing, working a lot at my J.O.B., getting ready for Christmas…just downright busy. Then the enemy lies started in:
“You haven’t grown.
You’re no different than you were last year.
You’re even worse in some areas than last year.
Didn’t you say…??
Are you really a Christian??”

So, I put off this project.
It wasn’t a conscious decision to be a slacker. It was simply a lack of prayer on my part and lots of taunting from the enemy.

Do you ever get stuck in a rut like this?
You have a lot to do, you think you’re handling everything, and then something creeps up on you?
Not. Good.

Here we go with growth. I have grown this year. A little.
When perfection is the goal,
any growth can seem so miniscule.

Sometimes I feel defeated.
But then I remember: perfection doesn’t happen until heaven.
Any spiritual growth that happens on this side of heaven brings us closer to the Lord, molds us to be more like him, pleases him and glorifies him!
(Take THAT, Satan!!)

Early this year – February, to be exact – I began leading a ladies’ Bible study group in my home. This one step of faith has changed my life in many ways.
I have kept my home tidier.
I have been scanning important documents onto an electronic drive and shredding paper.
I have been in prayer more.
I have read and studied more.
I have opened myself to these ladies and made new friends.
And I have been blessed by them and by the studies we have gone through together.

One that was especially poignant was “Not A Fan” by Kyle Idleman.
This series of videos reminded me that work can be done in the church and/or in the name of God, but with a wrong heart…a heart that doesn’t truly love the Lord. It caused self-reflection and a warning to guard my heart.

Speaking of my heart, it has been a little bit broken for the past few months.
A longtime friend has become distant.
But I believe that God is taking the broken pieces and gluing them back together with new friendships that have grown this year.
He’s also leaving some spaces for me to practice contentment; He knows that I tend to move to a different apartment every year or two in an effort to be in a nicer environment. Where I am now is just fine.

Another area which the Lord is shaping is my readiness, directly affected by spending and saving. I have been recently convicted that I am not ready to help in a time of need, and I felt terrible. This reshaping of my spending habits hurts, sisters, because I can totally justify everything. Again, it goes back to contentment. (Do I really NEED a new home computer? I did spend 9 hours today trying to update…)

This year I walked the Kansas City Half Marathon with Team World Vision for the first time. The encouragement and support that I received from other walkers, World Vision organizers, family and friends was amazing! The team was a sort of community of its own right. It was a community that I had never experienced before and it changed me and allowed me to see another side of myself.

Another community that is changing my life is the Gracefully Truthful community. Sisters, I have been in Bible study, in Bible college, and leading groups, but the experience of writing something that resonates with you – and hearing you share your experiences – is altogether more beautiful.
Don’t get me wrong. I love a good talk and a hug, but I can easily forget what was shared. This media is tangible to me. And through GT, I can read and cry, and read and cry, as many times as I want! (Trust me, it happens a lot.)
I have been encouraged and challenged by reading other writers’ Journeys and Digging Deeper studies too. Thank you, GT Ladies, for stepping into your calling!

And to my sister across the screen,
if you are sensing the Lord calling you to do something for Him,
don’t let the enemy bully you and make you afraid.
Go ahead and step into it!
My past year has shown me that obedience, even in small ways,
results in good, solid growth toward the goal of perfect Christ-likeness.

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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 Grow 2018! 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 stories in Grow 2018!

Battle Day 14 Fought For: 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?
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1 John 3:16-18 English Standard Version (ESV)

16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

The Questions

1) What is the “by this” referring to in verse 16?

2) What is meant by “closes his heart” in verse 17?

3) Where else in Scripture do we see similar phrasing to “let us not love in word or talk” and what significance does that have?

The Findings for Intention

1) What is the “by this” referring to in verse 16?
The example John gives for being the ultimate proof of love is “he”, referring directly to Jesus, laid down His literal, physical life for the opportunity to offer salvation to all mankind across all of time. John is contrasting this act of love to the what the previous verses were discussing (11-15). Verse 14 boldly states, “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.” John is telling his audience that the proof of our hearts being made new by Jesus is our overflowing heart of love towards others. If we do not love, we are still “abiding in death” and have not been given a new heart.

2) What is meant by “closes his heart” in verse 17?
Taking a look at studylight.org for a closer look at the verb “close”, we see that it is a very intentional choice on the part of the person doing the action. “Closing the heart” isn’t going to happen on accident or because we aren’t paying enough attention. To close our heart is to become decidedly callous. The writer of Deuteronomy gives a similar warning, “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, …you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother.”

3) Where else in Scripture do we see similar phrasing to “let us not love in word or talk” and what significance does that have?
This is an important question to ask when studying the Bible as it helps us tie the pieces of Scripture together to make accurate interpretations and solid understanding for God’s big picture of redemption. The tiny, italicized letters in your Bible are cross-references that help you do exactly that! Look them up and you’ll find a world of treasure as you study! For this specific section, one cross-references point us to Ezekiel 33:31. This verse is actually the Lord telling the prophet that people will seem eager to listen to the truth of his warnings about their sinful ways, but they will do nothing about it. They look in the mirror of God’s Word, but they walk away entirely unchanged. (James 1:24-25)

The Everyday Application

1) What is the “by this” referring to in verse 16?
The Bible doesn’t leave us wondering whether we are genuinely saved or not. The entire 3 books of 1, 2, and 3rd John are devoted to “that you may know” statements about saving faith. These few verses are just one such example of “marks of an authentic believer”. John urges his audience to step back and gauge their level of love. Is it sacrificial? Does your love display others over self? Is your heart motivated to love deeper and deeper and better and better and better or are you content staying at your current “level of love”? Is your love full of expectations that others must meet in order for you to be happy with them? What happens when you’re disappointed in a relationship is an excellent gauge for your level of love, as well as considering who you are willing to love (and who you aren’t).

2) What is meant by “closes his heart” in verse 17?
You’ve seen the images of flooding in Houston or wildfires in Montana, but your heart no longer aches for the people there. You are becoming callous and desensitized to loving others. We practice keeping our hearts “soft” by putting actions to match our words or thoughts. Sending money to aid relief workers, praying for specific people, or extending an invitation to coffee to that person you feel the Spirit nudging you to share His love with. Choose to act instead of becoming too fascinated with what seems more pressing at that moment. Choose love.

3) Where else in Scripture do we see similar phrasing to “let us not love in word or talk” and what significance does that have?
What was last Sunday’s sermon about? What did you read or learn about the last time you read your Bible? What was your big take-away from your last gathering as a small study group of believers? It’s harder to answer these than we’d like to admit, isn’t it? If we need to concentrate pretty hard to even recall what truths Pastor spoke over us just a few days ago, are we really allowing truth to transform us or are we simply adding to our knowledge of God? To genuinely love others better, we must take in solid truth and put feet and hands to our new understanding. Repeat God’s word over and over, write down your sermon take-aways, decide what your next action step will be and ask a friend to hold you accountable to doing it. Don’t just look at God’s Word, be radically transformed by it!

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