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Kneel Day 1 Restored Relationship

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Kneel Day 1 Restored Relationship

Joyce Lomangaya

January 3, 2022

Desperate,God,Help,Prayer,Promises,Relationship,Trust

Read His Words Before Ours!

Esther 4
Ezra 8:21-23
Matthew 4:1-11

 

“Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ‘Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me [. . .] After that, I will go to the king[.]’” (Esther 4:15-16)

Caught between the impending genocide of her people and a potentially deadly reception by the king should she speak on their behalf, Queen Esther and her uncle, Mordecai, desperately need a miracle. And so, before Esther approaches the king, they fast and pray.

Yet, prayer and fasting don’t necessitate a miracle. We don’t manipulate God when we pray; instead, we rely on His good heart for us and declare our belief in His power.

So why do we keep praying and fasting?

The ultimate purpose of prayer and fasting is the restoration of our relationship with God. Prayer is an essential part of our spiritual lives. Just as none of us are exempt from the troubles of this world, none of us are exempt from the need to connect with, and hear from, the only One who has overcome the world. (John 16:33)

Though the struggles that draw us to prayer and fasting may differ, we can all embrace these practices with a desire to empty our hearts of earthly things so the Lord will pour out His Spirit and satisfy our spiritual hunger.

Throughout the Bible, God’s people pray and fast together because they are seeking God’s help and direction. In the opening vignette of our study, we met Mordecai, who, together with other Jews in the land, “fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes” (Esther 4:3) as an expression of their anguish over the order to kill every Jew. Their actions signified both their grief and their cries to the Lord to protect them from execution.

Again, we don’t manipulate God with prayer and fasting, but we allow Him to work in and around us as we surrender through humble prayer. Esther’s response to Mordecai’s plea for intervention demonstrated her belief that the will of the Lord would come to pass. Esther clearly understands that fasting will not guarantee her safety in her final words to her cousin, “I will go to the king even if it is against the law. If I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16) Her words hold equally strong conviction to do what is right and to trust the Lord for her fate.

The Lord is good and just indeed! He responds to prayer and fasting! He promises if His people will seek Him, they will find Him. (2 Chronicles 7:14-15, Jeremiah 29:13) When we fast and pray, we encounter Him in a different, higher way.

This truth resonates in the continuation of Esther’s story. After seeking God’s heart through prayer and fasting, Esther enacted a careful, thoughtful plan to approach King Xerxes and plead for her people. (Esther 5) By the Lord’s grace, she found favor with the king, and she and her people were spared. Through God’s intervention, the Jews were saved and not forsaken. How beautiful is the aroma of prayer and fasting to the Lord!

Similarly, in Ezra 8:21-23, the priest Ezra led Israelites returning home from exile into prayer and fasting to seek God’s presence and protection. “So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and He was receptive to our prayer.” (Ezra 8:23)

And finally, as an epitome of humility and faith before the Lord, Jesus fasted. He acknowledged God’s power and strength alone would enable Him to carry out the Father’s will. Matthew 4 describes how Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. He was also tested by evil, but He overcame the temptation by the power of God dwelling within Him and relying on Scripture.

Jesus’ example demonstrates how prayer and fasting are powerful preparations for experiencing God deeply and outrageously!

From Jesus, we learn temptation and struggle may come, but if we are filled with God’s words and presence, we will overcome, just as Jesus did! Prayer and fasting are vital, as they bring us closer to God and remind us to trust Him.

From Mordecai, we learn we should not hesitate to engage in prayer and fasting.
When we see cries, pain, and injustice around us that are impossible for humans to resolve and only God can manage, we can turn to the One who is full of compassion and always capable! The Lord sees our faith, is delighted to hear from us, and is moving when we pray.

Let’s pray that the Lord will help us lead our people into prayer and fasting just as Mordecai did. Faith can rescue people when we come together!

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Rejection of Christ relegates us to the same status we already live with, active rebellion against God whose wrath we rightly incur because of our sin.

Acceptance of His offer to forgive our sin completely and give us new life through His Spirit opens the door for us to go Home with Him just as Israel was free to go home to Jerusalem. Acceptance of this gift necessitates our true repentance and turning away from our sin.
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Blessed Day 9 Blessed Are The Merciful: 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 Blessed Are The Merciful!

The Questions

1) How did faith in Christ’s goodness translate into the giving of mercy?

2) Why does our faith make Christ turn towards us?

3) What made Jesus turn around and see the woman hidden in the crowd?

Matthew 9:18-22

While He spoke these things to them, behold a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live. So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well. But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well. And the woman was made well from that hour.

Original Intent

1) How did faith in Christ’s goodness translate into the giving of mercy?
The law was the basis for Israelite society and was a blueprint for mankind to approach a holy God. The law is holy, its commandments are holy, righteous, and good. (Romans 7:12) Knowing the commandment declared a woman like her unclean, she took her life in her hands and made a gamble. The command says, “If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, that goes beyond her customary impurity she shall be unclean. Everything she touches and sits on is unclean. Any person that touches her or an object that came in contact with her shall be unclean until evening.” The woman with the issue of blood was a living breathing scarlet letter. The commandment which was to bring life brought death to her relationships and her standing among God’s people. But the goodness of God embodied in the Son of God brought life that day. The laws of uncleanness declared that no one could approach the temple of God and defile it, the penalty was divine retribution or death. Thankfully, we serve a God full of mercy, and God’s mercy is rooted in His goodness. It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance. (Romans 2:4) The word had spread that Jesus was near and the woman reached out on the chance that His goodness and mercy would heal even a woman like her. Instead of divine retribution for touching the living temple of God, she received grace, mercy, and healing.

2) Why does our faith make Christ turn towards us?
During Jesus’ day, the Pharisees taught the people a purity code. This purity and holiness code were based on being untouched or undefiled by unclean things or people. “If the holy or unclean came into contact, one or the other ceased to exist: the holy became unholy or it destroyed the unclean thing”. In this culture, the holy is kept away from unclean things lest either one is destroyed. But what is the most important thing to a God that has confined all under sin? (Romans 11:32) The reason all have been confined to sin is so He might have mercy on all! The path of mercy is laid by the stones of faith. For without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) The righteousness which is of faith is not based on outward appearance. It is not based on a set of rules and regulations that keep the marginalized out and away from sight. The righteousness of faith gives us peace with God through Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1) Jesus made sure to tell the woman in front of the crowd it was her faith that moved the hand and heart of God that day.

3) What made Jesus turn around and see the woman hidden in the crowd?
In Mark’s version of this story there are a couple more details that give additional context. The first is that a multitude is pressing against Jesus and the disciples. Imagine if the Rock decided to take a stroll through town and word got out he was giving out autographs. As the Rock is making his way to a friend’s house the crowd presses to get a chance to see him. However, the Rock has some bodyguards around him, trying and failing, to keep the crowd under control. In the midst of the chaos, a woman pushes through crawling and getting stepped on for a chance to touch the cuff of his pants. The Rock feels something tugging at the bottom of his pants and suddenly stops and demands to know who touched him? When this happened with Jesus, of course the disciples’ reaction was, “Are you kidding me right now?!” I know you see this crowd of people and you’re asking “Who touched my clothes”? In Mark’s version, the woman knew immediately she was healed and Jesus knew immediately He had intentionally healed. I don’t know what made the woman shrink back into the crowd after receiving her healing, perhaps it was fear or shame at being on public display. Thankfully, Jesus stopped everything and everyone from moving, in order to acknowledge her miracle and call her Daughter. If Jesus did not publicly acknowledge it, the society around her would have still treated the woman as an outcast. I’m glad our Savior didn’t let the woman shrink back into the shadows. That day, she received her healing for her body and soul.

Everyday Application

1) How did faith in Christ’s goodness translate into the giving of mercy?
Many times in life, we have received a message of promise from our God, that defies belief. God has given us a word of healing and restoration, but the circumstances shout a different reality. A marriage that has no hope of reconciliation, a wayward child that has abandoned the faith, or a sick and tired body bound with pain. It can be a struggle to see the goodness of God in the midst of life’s circumstances. Especially if the circumstances have lasted for years, like the woman with the issue of blood; goodness, hope, and mercy can seem like alien concepts. One day Moses had a meeting with the Lord God and asked to see His glory. Instead, the Lord God decided to give Moses a revelation of His goodness, “I will make all My goodness pass before you.” (Exodus 33:19) “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” (Exodus 34:6-7) Goodness and mercy walk hand in hand. In fact, the roots of mercy are found in the goodness of God. Because we know that God is good, He will have mercy to those that call on His name. One, long ago day, the woman encountered the goodness of God passing before her just like Moses and trusting in Christ’s goodness her faith made her whole. I would implore you to ask God for a fresh revelation of His goodness towards you. Like the psalmist says His goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life (Psalm 23:6), and I would have lost heart unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13)

2) Why does our faith make Christ turn towards us?
In Hebrews 11:6 it says, “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”. Have you ever stopped to wonder what did the author of Hebrews mean by the phrase, “He is”? He is what exactly? It doesn’t say it’s almost like a fill in the blank scenario He is ___. It reminds me of when Moses asked God “If they ask for your name what should I say to them? God replies tell them I AM has sent you.” (Exodus 3:13-14) Most gods then and now are known primarily for one thing. In Hinduism if you need help with love or fertility, you would pray to Gauri. In Buddhist teachings, you would pray to Chana Dorje for power. Because Yahweh is all-encompassing, He is everything you need. When approaching the I AM, and the HE IS you must remember that because of Christ’s sacrifice, He has forever proven He is good and He hears you. Once you realize the goodness which leads you to repentance, you know He hears your requests. You can be confident in your position in Christ. “Now this is the confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” (1 John 5:14) That confidence is your faith in Christ, just like the woman with the issue of blood had confidence in Christ’s ability to heal. You have confident faith that He is whatever your situation needs at the moment. The great I AM is good. The great I AM is loving, and the great I AM is the author and finisher of your faith. That confidence in God Himself is what causes Him to turn towards you.

3) What made Jesus turn around and see the woman hidden in the crowd?
One thing I have noticed as I’ve grown older, is that people are really good at hiding hurt and shame. There is a good reason for hiding because life can be cruel, especially when we are most vulnerable. Over time we put on masks to hide the hurt, shame, and pain of life. Like the woman with the issue of blood, we can become so good at hiding, that those around us can’t see and we get trampled underfoot by the crowd. Part of the process of restoration involves revealing those hidden parts we like to hide and bringing them into the light. Because God looks at the inward heart of man, He is more than capable of healing wounds the eye cannot see. The beautiful part of the story of the woman with the issue of blood and Jesus is that He ended her days of hiding from the crowd. Jesus purposely called her out and, instead of shaming her, gave her double honor. During these lockdowns, protests, and pandemics it can be easy to get lost in the midst of so many social issues, but even in the midst of all these things, you are still the apple of His eye. You are hidden no more.

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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Sketched IV Day 8 Peter

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 21:15-19
Mark 14:66-72
John 1:35-42 

Sketched IV, Day 8

“Simon, do you love me with a love that is selfless, pure, and passionate?
Do you love Me most?”  

My eyes lifted from my hands, meeting Jesus’ gaze. His question lingered, as the juice from the fish dripped down my forearms, my heart pounding.
I couldn’t stop the scene playing out in my mind’s eye as I recalled the darkest moment in my life…
—
“Aren’t you one of His disciples?” she asked as I walked into courtyard where Jesus was. I quickly shook my head, “I’m not!” But guilt consumed me. 
I am. I am His disciple. 
But I didn’t want to die.  

“Aren’t you one of His disciples?” I was asked again. “No!” I insisted. 
“But I saw you in the garden with Jesus,” another said.
“No, you didn’t! I do not know this Man!”  

The rooster crowed. Just as He’d said it would. 
I had denied my Lord three times. 
…
“Lord, You know I love you as a friend and brother,” I respond quickly, my focus returning.  

Yet, my heart would not be stilled.
How could I say I love Him selflessly?
How could I say I love Him most?
I denied Him when He needed me most.  

But Jesus continued, 

“Feed my lambs, Simon.”

His words brought a new scene to mind. It was winter, and we were listening to Jesus as we walked the grand colonnade of Solomon’s temple. His words, as always, had arrested my wandering attention.
…
“The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers… The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:1-10)
…
Feed His lambs? But He is the Good Shepherd.
Besides, I’m a fisherman. What does this mean? 

I still can’t look Him in the eyes.
He knows me, He knows I denied Him three times, He knows I turned my back on Him.
How could He even ask if I love Him?  

Jesus was speaking again, insistently, “Simon, Son of John, do you love me with a love so strong you will put Myself before you?
Do you love me with a love so passionate, you would protect My truth and build others up with it?

My heart flew to another impossible invitation by the Lord as we’d stood by the Sea of Galilee.
It was my fishing boat, my empty nets, and His winsome offer…
…
“Hello, Peter. Would you do me a favor and let me get in your boat?”, Jesus asked.
I noticed the crowd of people behind him, moving closer and closer to Him. 
His only other option would have been to stand in the sea.  

“Yes! Of course. I haven’t caught any fish anyways; my boat is empty.”  

He asked me to row out, then He stood and began speaking to the people. I tried to listen as He talked, but I’d been awake all night fishing, exhaustion was setting in.  

Suddenly, He had my full attention as He’d turned His gaze on me, 
“Put your net out to catch some fish.” 
I was embarrassed; I’d caught nothing after an entire night’s worth of work, but who was I to say no?  

“I’ve been fishing all night and caught nothing, but I’ll try it again for you,” I shrugged and tossed the nets overboard. After a moment, my nets began to tug and tear! Fish flooded my nets! I whistled to our boating partners, and with all of our might, we pulled loads of fish into our boats. 
There were so many we began sinking! 
A miracle! 
I’d been wondering how I would make money today and this Miracle Worker brought in enough fish to cover my wages for days! 
It was then I knew, I knew He was Lord! 

I fell to my knees, fully aware of my unworthiness and utter sinfulness; I’d begged Him to leave. How could He even associate with me?  

“Do not be afraid! From now on, you will be catching men.”  

I caught those fish that day, but I gave them to another local fisherman. 
Instead, I chose to follow Jesus… this man who was Lord. 
The same one I later denied…
…
“Jesus, You know I love you as my friend.” I dug deep for a response to His incessant questioning, my sorrow continuing to burn hot in my belly.
I loved Him with everything in me. But how could I convey it?  

Before I could attempt a better response, He instructed.
“Tend my sheep.”

Or was it an invitation?
Either way, He knew exactly the story His words would bring to mind.
…
“Which of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost? And on finding it, he lays it on his shoulder, rejoicing.” 

Jesus would leave ninety-nine sheep just to go after one. 
He would do that for me, for anyone. 
He loved the wealthy and the poor, the Jews and the Gentiles, the adulteress and the leper. 
He was more than Jesus Christ to me, He was my Lord, and my friend. 
…
Jesus saw my eyes return to His, my fish breakfast long since forgotten.  

“Simon,” He questioned slowly for the third time.
“Do you love me as your friend and as your brother?”

This time it was different.
This time, He knew the answer, and my heart was shattered.
What’s more, I knew the answer. 
I knew I just simply loved Him, and that was enough.
Wherever He took me, whatever it cost, whatever the task, I loved Him. 

“Lord, You know me; You know everything. You know I  love You.”  

Again, He invited and commanded, “Feed My sheep.”  

“Simon, the cost of following Me is your full surrender. You may lose physical freedom, but you will truly be free. FOLLOW ME.”  

Our eyes locked and I knew the depth of this invitation.
I was forgiven.
He trusted me with His sheep.
I was to make fishers of men, continuing to extend the invitation I’d been given.  

Why would I say yes?
I loved Him.
He loved me. 

Simon Peter’s life is one of transformation and sanctification that we get to watch transform through the pages of Scripture. From the quick and wordy fisherman who was called by Jesus, to the wise and heroic martyr and was an essential piece of the founding of the Church, Peter shows us that even when we fall, even when we deny Jesus, He isn’t finished with us. God’s plan for us is deep and wide. We can accomplish His purposes because of His unconditional love. 

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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!

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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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Prayer Day 7 Hmm, Daily Bread: 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 Hmm, Daily Bread!

The Questions

1) What did Jesus mean when He told the people not to look for “food that perishes” in verse 27? 

2) What is Jesus saying with the phrase, “bread of God” in verse 33? 

3) What does Jesus mean when He says in verse 35 that He is the “bread of life” and that there will be no more hunger and thirst? 

John 6:24-35

24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
26 Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal of approval on him.”
28 “What can we do to perform the works of God?” they asked.
29 Jesus replied, “This is the work of God—that you believe in the one he has sent.”
30 “What sign, then, are you going to do so we may see and believe you?” they asked. “What are you going to perform? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”
32 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, Moses didn’t give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 

34 Then they said, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35 “I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again.” 

 

Original Intent

1) What did Jesus mean when He told the people not to look for “food that perishes” in verse 27?
In John 6:1, just before this passage, the same crowd of people we see here experience the miracle of Jesus feeding them with nothing more than a few loaves of bread and fish.  When they seek Him out again, Jesus calls out the fact that they are looking for Him to meet their earthly needs, or “food that perishes.”  Jesus wants the people to understand that they are searching for satisfaction in things that don’t matter, when He could offer them so much more – eternal life through belief in Him as the son of God. 

2) What is Jesus saying with the phrase, “bread of God” in verse 33?
As Jesus continues to talk to the people, He refers to God’s past work with the Israelites, when He provided them manna from heaven to take care of their hunger (Exodus 16) before they made it to the Promised Land.  In verse 30 above, the people ask for a similar miracle from Jesus.  The motive of their request is to see another miracle, in order to confirm that Jesus is who He claims to be.  Jesus responds by telling them that God has already given them something more in Him, through His life and ministry among them.  Jesus tells the people that the only requirement is for them to believe in Him as the one and only Son of God.  In Him, they can know life in a deeper and more meaningful way.   

3) What does Jesus mean when He says in verse 35 that He is the “bread of life” and that there will be no more hunger and thirst?
Once again, Jesus exposes  the true heart condition of the people seeking after Him.  Though the people say in verse 34 that they want the bread He offers, Jesus still knows they are still missing the point; the people are looking for their physical hunger and thirst to be satisfied.  However, Jesus isn’t promising that physical hunger and thirst will not be an issue; rather, He tells them that they can have their deepest needs, their spiritual needs,  filled and met in Him, through placing their faith in Him alone.  

Everyday Application

1) What did Jesus mean when He told the people not to look for “food that perishes” in verse 27?
Physical needs are real, and we do have to deal with them regularly…there’s no getting around that reality.  But how often are we guilty of the same thing these people were?  Have you considered how many times you come to God seeking Him for his practical blessings, only when you have a felt need?  Do you ask Him as often to meet your spiritual needs?  Are you ever guilty of ignoring Him until there is something you want?  Consider how you need to seek God for all things, not just the physical needs of this life.  Don’t lose sight of the fact that earthly things are temporary.  Jesus wants us to instead focus on the eternal, spiritual things that truly matter – our relationship with Him.   

2) What is Jesus saying with the phrase, “bread of God” in verse 33?
Take a few minutes to examine your heart and your patterns of coming to Jesus with your prayers.  It’s hard to admit our faults, I understand.  But try to be honest with yourself.  Do you relate at all to the demands the people make of Jesus?  Do you ever find yourself looking for something that you want God to DO for you, all the while missing what he has already provided in the person of Jesus?  We must always remain mindful of the truth that Jesus is all we truly need.  He is the answer to every deep desire or hope.  Are you ever in a place where you require proof from God, asking Him to do something specific to somehow prove His love or power to you?  If we ask in that way, we expose a lack of faith and belief similar to the crowds Jesus was addressing.  Instead, we should trust in His greater power, believing He will work on our behalf.  In His time.  In His way.  Not according to our selfish requests. 

3) What does Jesus mean when He says in verse 35 that He is the “bread of life” and that there will be no more hunger and thirst?
Jesus promises that in Him, we have all we need.  Yet hunger and thirst are still a real part of life.  We often have difficulty being satisfied.  We covet what others have.  We long for more.  We want “just one more” of whatever we desire.  Where do you still hunger and thirst for “more” than what He has already given?  Consider why you struggle to be satisfied with what He has already provided.  What things other than Jesus do you turn to in order to fill that need for more?  How do you need to turn to Jesus instead, trusting in Him to provide for you?  Write out as many thoughts as you can, with practical ideas of how you can place your trust in Jesus alone. 

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Prayer Week Two!
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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
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Prayer Day 6 Hmmm, Daily Bread

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 16:1-35
1 Kings 17:8-16
John 6:25-59 

Prayer, Day 6 

Carbs. 
I like them. 
Especially those found in baked goods. This is a fact of which my family is well aware, and they have been known to plan meals with that in mind. I distinctly remember my aunt winking at me when referencing the rolls she brought to Thanksgiving each year.

While my love for bread has now been partnered with a moderation I did not employ as a lanky teenager (metabolism changes are real!), I still enjoy my carbs in many forms. Can anyone else relate to the love of bread? Or are most of you just curious to know why I have spent several sentences talking about it?

In the Lord’s Prayer, we are taught to ask for our daily bread.
Now, I’ve already discussed my love for bread and appreciate being able to eat some form of bread daily; however, I recognize that praying, “Lord, please give me that flaky croissant” is not what this verse is encouraging me to do. In order to gain insights into what “asking for my daily bread” looks like, I dug deeper and broader into the Word.

My first thought of daily bread immediately took me to Exodus as the Israelites wandered in the wilderness. There, they truly did ask the Lord for bread and He provided! That provision came in the form of manna, which appeared like dew on the ground. (Exodus 16:12) The Lord gave specific parameters for collecting the manna each morning as the manna would not last until the next day. The only exception to that occurred on the Sabbath, as the Israelites were to collect the manna for that day along with what was collected the previous day.

My second thought traveled to Elijah, an Old Testament prophet, as he knocked on the door of a widow who only had a jar of oil and jar of flour with which to make but 1 small loaf of bread. This story took place in days of famine. For a season, the Lord had directed Elijah to live by a water source and had ravens bring him bread and meat. Eventually that water dried up, and the Lord sent him to the widow’s home promising that the oil and flour for bread would not run out. Once again, the Lord miraculously provided a source of bread to keep His people alive.

We have these great examples of the Lord’s provision of physical bread from the Old Testament. The New Testament challenges us to move beyond the physical. Enter Matthew 4:4: “He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”” 

Move to John 6:35 where Jesus describes Himself as the Bread of Life. Verse 33 says, “For the bread of God is the One who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Jesus came to give us life and for it to be life more abundant.
We are able to partake of this life and eat the Bread of Life,
by believing in Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

I made this choice at an early age and have discovered His faithfulness ever since.
He has been my provision and nourishment in sweetly blessed seasons as well as some of my darkest days. I am so thankful to be able to experience the bread referenced in the New Testament, and not just the literal bread I love to eat!

However, I find that the Old Testament references to bread still have some applications to my life.  

In the wilderness, the Israelites gathered the manna the Lord provided.
Elijah relied on the ravens to supply his food.
In neither story does the bread magically appear on a plate ready to eat.

The same is quite often true in my walk with the Lord where Jesus Himself is the Bread of Life. In John 1:1, Jesus is also referred to as the Word.
Just like the Israelites, I must gather the food the Lord provides.
This means digging into the Word of God for my everyday nourishment and sustenance.

I have discovered that my world is much more peaceful when I consistently and daily spend time in the Word. Additionally, I look forward to Sunday mornings and spending time seeking the Lord and worshipping Him corporately.
Thankfully I attend a church where the pastor teaches the Word and, through the sermons, my understanding increases.

As I look to the future, I recognize that my physical taste buds may change, but I pray my passion for the Word of God and my relationship with Jesus only increases. Please, Lord, give me my daily bread! 

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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 Prayer 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 Prayer!

Borders Day 12
Miracle Working God: 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

Looking for yesterday’s
Journey Study?
Check out Miracle Working God!

Ezekiel 37:1-14 English Standard Version (ESV)

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”

The Questions

1) What is the context of this passage and who are the characters?

2) Is the question in verse 3 a “trick question”? What are its implications?

3) Why is there a distinction between bodies coming alive without breath and having breath?

4) What is the conclusion of this incredible object lesson?

The Findings for Intention

1) What is the context of this passage and who are the characters?
Jerusalem had been ruined, the temple destroyed, and the Jews have been taken captive and were now displaced in Babylon. The Jews had hit rock bottom; for all practical purposes, they were dead and felt deserted. BUT GOD. He called Ezekiel out to a plain (or valley), and spoke to him. God had neither forgotten nor abandoned His beloved people. The players on the scene are the dry bones, the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord God, and the breath of His Spirit.

2) Is the question in verse 3 a “trick question”? What are its implications?
If we were to visit a morgue and pull out a body that had long since died and asked, “Can this person come alive,” we would scoff. Of course not! For all of our technology and forward strides and theology and psychology, dead is still dead. God’s point in asking this question is to quite vividly show Ezekiel that where man’s ability ends, the Lord’s only begins. Israel had to stop looking for other things to satisfy them, please them, and heal them. They were beyond sick, they were held in captivity and only God could revive them.

3) Why is there a distinction between bodies coming alive without breath and having breath?
Let’s journey farther back to Garden of Eden to get a good look at this question. Genesis 2:7 says, “then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” God is the author of life, and it begins and ends with His breath, His Spirit, HE is the source of life. Ezekiel could prophesy all day long, but without the breath of the Lord, those bones were still just dead men…..impressive dead men, but still dead men.

4) What is the conclusion of this incredible object lesson?
The point of the Lord’s miraculous visual lesson is stated twice. Once at the beginning, and once in the conclusion: “That you shall know that I am the Lord.” Only the Almighty can being life where death has reigned, only the Almighty can bring a scattered Israel back home and rebuild them from having been delivered into captivity. The conclusion is the glory of the Lord!

The Everyday Application

1) What is the context of this passage and who are the characters?
What’s probably most interesting to me about this unique scene in biblical narrative is that God intentionally chose to use Ezekiel. God could have made the army of dead men come alive without the prophet’s words. But He didn’t. He wanted His glory to be made known, His truth declared over Israel, and He wanted Ezekiel to play a role in that. Sister! The same is true for us!! The Almighty wants His glory to be made known as He rescues sinners for eternity, He wants the truth of who we were made to be to be sung over us, and He invites us to be part of it! In what ways are you making His glory known and declaring His truth? Are you pushing your comfortable boundaries away to make room for His Spirit to do the unbelievable?!

2) Is the question in verse 3 a “trick question”? What are its implications?
Until we realize exactly how desperate we are without the Lord, we will never be able to understand why we need Him so much. You and I….we are sinners. Not mistakers. Not “good people”. Not well meaning. We are sinners, falling perpetually short of God’s standard for holiness. And we will never, ever attain His favor on our own. That’s dire. That’s desperate. That’s hopelessly dead. And it’s exactly the picture God wants us to see about ourselves. Not to condemn us or walk all over us, but to extend His Good News of grace and love and forgiveness and redemption and freedom. Until we can see how desperate we are, we can’t see how richly gracious God is!

3) Why is there a distinction between bodies coming alive without breath and having breath?
The picture of bones coming to life with sinews and marrow and flesh is mind-blowing, but when you consider that they weren’t “alive” until the Spirit of the Lord fell on them, it’s breathtaking as we see the parallel to today. Those women at the office, those neighbor boys who seem so nice, that elderly man who sits on his front porch, that cashier with the smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes…..these are the dead bones walking around, faking at life, grasping for abundance, but finding emptiness. Until the Spirit’s breath falls on them, making them new and alive to the Lord, they are dead….perhaps impressively adorned on the outside, but still dead. Are you willing to speak life over them?!

4) What is the conclusion of this incredible object lesson?
The same conclusion that was intended for Ezekiel and Israel is the same for you and I right now in our everyday moments. “That you shall know that I am the Lord.” He is the Almighty, He is for us, He is with us, and He delights in inviting us in to what He is doing in order to declare boldly through us to a sick and dying world that He alone is the Lord God Almighty! One, glorious day the Lord God will “open (our) graves, and raise (us) from the dead,” as He returns victoriously, once and for all declaring Death to be the loser and Life to be the eternal victor! Christ will come back, claim those who have trusted in Him as His own, and we will live with Him forever! Truly a miracle working God!

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

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 Borders 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 Borders!

Borders Day 4
Outrageous, Radical Faith: 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

Looking for yesterday’s
Journey Study?
Check out Outrageous, Radical Faith!

Matthew 9:2-8 English Standard Version (ESV)

And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 7 And he rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

The Questions

1) What was going on when this encounter with Jesus took place?

2) What was Jesus doing when the paralytic man was brought to him?

3) Why was their opposition to Jesus healing this man?

4) Why were the crowds afraid?

The Findings for Intention

1) What was going on when this encounter with Jesus took place?
Jesus had just crossed over the water and had entered the land. He had been teaching and performing miracles. (Matt 5-8).

2) What was Jesus doing when the paralytic man was brought to Him?
Scripture does not tell us what exactly Jesus was doing but it says that this man was brought to him. As in previous chapters, people would bring the sick, feeble, and hurt to Jesus in hopes of Him performing a miracle. He was a very popular man and was known for His abilities all throughout the region. Sometimes so much so that they missed His message because they were blinded by the miracle.

3) Why was their opposition to Jesus healing this man?
The opposition was not with the healing, although that terrified the leaders because of the power of the miracle. The opposition came when Jesus professed the man’s sins were forgiven ,which is an act that only God can perform. With His statement of forgiving this man’s sins, the Jewish leaders/teachers would have equated that statement with Him professing to be God, having God-like characteristics and powers. This is the reason why they accused Him of blaspheming, which ultimately led to His crucifixion.

4) Why were the crowds afraid?
The word “afraid” is not intended to evoke the idea of fear as if “scared” of something. The better translation of that word is awestruck, amazement, reverence, or even startled by a strange sight. Sometimes it is good to seek out a better understanding of a word using resources like www.studylight.org.

The Everyday Application

1) What was going on when this encounter with Jesus took place?
Jesus was doing what Jesus did during his three years of ministry. This encounter is like many others; this man’s friends and maybe even the man himself knew that reaching Jesus would mean being healed. There were those who simply touched Christ’s cloak and were healed; He didn’t even have to touch them. The faith that Jesus could heal was all that was needed. Jesus recognized that faith in those who came to Him and followed Him. That is the same faith He desires and requires of us….believe, trust, and obey!

2) What was Jesus doing when the paralytic man was brought to Him?
Jesus was always looking for opportunities to teach, to heal, and to proclaim His Father’s name. Jesus used moments like this to show the truth behind the miracles. Even today He desires for us to be His gospel on display, ready in and out season. (2 Timothy 4:2)

3) Why was their opposition to Jesus healing this man?
Jesus faced opposition because He was doing His Father’s will. There will be moments in all of our lives that opposition is inevitable if we choose to follow Christ. The faith we say we have will be tested. Just like with Jesus’ ministry, when we stay true to the gospel and stand firm in our faith, there will be those who question and even oppose what we are doing.

4) Why were the crowds afraid?
Fear, awe, respect…whatever word we use, this crowd knew there was something different about Jesus. The very next sentence says, “they glorified God”. They recognized that Jesus was not simply a man but also fully God. They glorified God because of the miracle that Jesus performed. As it should be with us, our faith on display pointing others to God. Our outrageous, radical faith showing the world the salvation we have and the God we serve!

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

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 Borders Week One!
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 Borders!