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passionately

Sketched IX Day 6 Heart Healer

June 28, 2021 by Lesley Crawford 5 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 3:1-26
Isaiah 53:3-6
Luke 7:1-10
Luke 22:47-51

Sketched 9, Day 6

I noticed him straight away by the Beautiful Gate. It’s strange; I must have walked past him many times before, but as John and I approached the Temple, just in time for the afternoon prayer service, my attention was immediately drawn to the man.

He had been lame since birth, and he was over forty years old. Unable to earn a living any other way, his only hope was to beg for money from those visiting the Temple. I felt a pang of compassion as I saw him being carried there by friends and seated in his position by the gate.

“Please give me some money!”

As we got closer, he called out, his eyes lowered to the ground. Although he was not addressing his words particularly to us, and although we had no money, something made us stop, a prompting of the Holy Spirit. We had become familiar with the Holy Spirit’s work in recent days. On the day of Pentecost, God had filled us with His Spirit and empowered us as He promised He would. Where once we had been weak and fearful, now we were bold as we shared about Jesus, and miraculous signs and wonders were now regular occurrences.

I stood and gazed at the man, and my heart went out to him.

“Look at us,” I said. He raised his head eagerly, and I could see the hope in his eyes, the expectation that we were going to fulfil his request for money. But there was also something deeper, a glimmer of faith. Maybe the reason he sat outside the Temple each day wasn’t only because of the gathered crowds. Maybe his desperation had drawn him to the place of worship. I admired his hope and faith persisting after so many years.

I had no money, but I had something better to offer. I thought of all the times I had witnessed Jesus’ healing power as He cured the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, and even raised the dead. His authority was so great He had healed a centurion’s servant without even visiting the man, just by saying the word from a distance. His desire was always to heal.

Even not so long ago, in the Garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus’ enemies came to arrest Him, He healed one of them! In my panicked attempt to defend Jesus, I had cut off a man’s ear, but Jesus simply told me to put my sword away, picked up the man’s ear, and restored it.

Now God had sent the Holy Spirit to fill us with the same power.
I knew what I had to do.

“I don’t have silver or gold,” I began, and the man’s face instantly fell. “But what I do have, I give you,” I continued. “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”

He looked at me in confusion, so I reached out my hand, and as I helped him to his feet, his ankles were instantly healed and strengthened!

His eyes were wide as he began walking, hardly daring to believe it was true. At first his steps were small and tentative, but then they became bigger and more confident. Before long he was leaping and shouting praise to God, unable to contain his joy and exuberance.

As we entered the Temple, he came with us, praising God all the way, and clinging to us. Unsurprisingly, a crowd gathered to learn the cause of the commotion, and I could hear their incredulous conversations.

“Isn’t that the beggar who sits by the gate?”
“It can’t be – you know he can’t walk.”
“But it looks like him… It is… It must be…”

As the truth sank in, they were completely astounded!

They surrounded John and me, and I knew I had to set the record straight. It was an amazing opportunity to tell the people about the source of this awesome power.

Addressing the crowd, I explained the man had not been healed in our power, but by Jesus’ power and by faith in His name.

They knew about Jesus. Many of them had been there that awful day as He stood before Pilate. Many of them had shouted for Jesus to be put to death and for Barabbas to be freed. (Mark 15:6-15)

Yet, I felt no bitterness towards them. Jesus’ death had been part of God’s plan, and God had shown His power by raising Jesus from the dead. Their sin, all of our sin, had been the very reason Jesus came. His command to “love your enemies” came to mind (Matthew 5:44), and I longed for them to understand how they were just as much in need of healing as the man who was now able to walk for the first time. They did not need healing of the body, but healing of the heart. This was exactly what Jesus’ death had made possible, if only they would accept it.

“Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, that seasons of
refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”
(Acts 3:19-20)

The physical healing of the man pointed toward a deeper, spiritual healing each one of us needed, a healing available to all because of Jesus’ sacrifice and victory.

The fire in my belly, a longing for each wounded heart to meet its Healer, burned ever stronger. Where would He lead us next?

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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!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched IX 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 IX!

Posted in: Faith, Forgiven, Gift, Healing, Holy Spirit, Hope, Love, Protection, Sketched, Worship Tagged: Desperate, empowered, father, Glimmer, heal, Healer, heart, passionately, power, walk

Relentless Day 12 Repent From Rebellion: Digging Deeper

September 24, 2019 by Rachel Jones 1 Comment

Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Repent From Rebellion!

The Questions

1) What are ways we bow down to another god besides the Lord?

2) How can God be jealous?

3) Why would God be jealous for His reputation?

Exodus 34:14

Because the Lord is jealous for his reputation, you are never to bow down to another god.  He is a jealous God.

Original Intent

1) What are ways we bow down to another God besides the Lord?
An idol is defined by author M.G. Easton as “image-worship or divine honour paid to any created object.”  The first mention of an idol in the Bible is in Genesis 31:19, when Rachel hides her father’s idols in her saddlebag as she sets out on a journey with her husband.   The Israelites also picked up idol worship during their sojourn in Egypt, but as M.G. Easton points out, “the idolatry learned in Egypt was probably rooted out from among the people during the forty years’ wanderings; but when the Jews entered Palestine, they came into contact with the monuments and associations of the idolatry of the old Canaanite races. . .”  By New Testament times, according to Editor James Orr, idolatry meant not only image-worship but also “giving to any human desire a precedence over God’s will.”  The Scriptures are very implicit in instruction regarding idolatry.  They tell us not to bow down to false gods (Exodus 34:14) and not to defile ourselves with foreign idols (Ezekiel 20:7).  Anything we put ahead of God in our lives can become an idol and must be avoided if we desire to honor the Lord.

2) How can God be jealous?
To our American way of thinking, the word jealous has a negative connotation associated with envy and pain, but in a Biblical context, jealousy has a positive meaning. The words jealous and zealous are the same Hebrew word, qana’, which means “to be zealous or jealous.”  In English, both words come to us from the Greek root zelos.  We can use this concept of zeal to better understand how God can be jealous.  Author Kyle Idleman notes, “we think of zeal as being intense enthusiasm. That idea captures why God is so possessive about us: He is, as He says, a consuming fire of passion for us.”  God’s jealousy is a way of Him showing us His love.  Author Richard L. Strauss clarifies, “there is no selfishness in His jealousy.  It is the appropriate expression of His holiness.” Author John Piper concurs, explaining that God’s jealousy “does not rise from fear or weakness but from a holy indignation at having his honor and power and mercy scorned by the faithlessness of a fickle spouse.”  For Christians, a jealous God is a holy, loving God who is passionate about His bride, the church.

3) Why would God be jealous for His reputation?
When Israel journeyed toward the Promised Land during their exodus from Egypt, God gave them Ten Commandments to follow.  Many of these commandments reflected God’s holiness and sovereignty.  His first command was in Exodus 20:3, “Do not have other gods besides me.”  His next command warned them not to make idols or to worship idols because He is a jealous God. (Exodus 20:4-5)  As preacher Charles Spurgeon explains, God is jealous “when he beholds His throne occupied by false gods, His dignity insulted, and His glory usurped by others.”  Author Ken Easley points out, “For God, jealousy may also be understood as His continually seeking to protect His own honor. . . It is right for God to seek His own honor, for He alone deserves it.”   Because God is the one true God, He alone is worthy of praise, glory and honor, and He is jealous when false gods reign in the hearts of His people.  As author Richard L. Strauss points out, “Since He is the highest and greatest being there is, infinitely holy and glorious, He must be passionately committed to preserving His honor and supremacy.  He must zealously desire exclusive devotion and worship.  To do less would make Him less than God.”  May we remember each day to give the one true God the glory and praise He deserves.

Everyday Application

1) What are ways we bow down to another God besides the Lord?
If you asked me what I worship, I would answer “the Lord God” without hesitation.  But if you looked closely at my life (my calendar, daily schedule, bank statement, social media activity,) would my real-life answer ring true to my words?  Or would I have to add a few more “gods” to my list?  Author John W. Ritenbaugh observes, “People make a god of money, athletics, hobbies, traveling, or whatever they devote almost their entire lives to.”  John Piper notes that idolatry “starts in the heart: craving, wanting, enjoying, being satisfied by anything that you treasure more than God.”  Even good and healthy pursuits and passions can become a problem if our heart is not in the right place, putting God above all else.  We can help guard ourselves from idols (1 John 5:21) by purposing to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, which Jesus calls the greatest commandment.  The more we pray, read the Bible, and focus on Jesus’ love for us, the better perspective we have of God’s rightful place in our hearts.  John Piper suggests that “We make a god out of whatever we find most joy in. So, find your joy in God and be done with all idolatry.”  Let the joy of the Lord be our strength as we purpose to make Him number one in our hearts and lives.

2) How can God be jealous?
It is hard to make time to hang out with extended family and friends, but I try to be intentional about it because I want to nurture those relationships.  Nothing irks me more than sitting down with my loved ones to find myself staring at the back of their phones and tablets.  I find myself jealous for their conversation and interaction.  I want them to spend time with me.  I want them to want to spend time with me more than they want to check the scores, scroll through Facebook, or post a goofy picture.  I wonder if this is how God feels about us sometimes.  He longs to spend time with us, share His plans with us, and abide with us. (John 15:5) God desires us to worship Him. The Scriptures encourage us to praise Him: “Sing to the Lord, you His faithful ones, and praise His holy name”. (Psalm 30:4) Scripture also tells us God inhabits the praises of His people. (Psalm 22:3) This means that praising Him brings His presence.  God is longing to commune with us…are we inviting His presence, or are we ignoring His invitation, oblivious to His jealous love for us?

3) Why would God be jealous for His reputation?
Have you ever done great work on a project and not have it appreciated?   Or worse yet, have the credit given to someone else?  That is a little bit what it must be like for God when we don’t recognize His sovereignty.  He is the Creator of the universe, yet at times we relegate Him to the bottom of our to-do list while we place other “gods” before Him.  Even if they are truly wonderful things, like our family or our ministry, these other loves do not deserve our fidelity over God.  Author Kyle Idleman teaches, “God is jealous for your heart, not because He is petty or insecure, but because He loves you.  The reason why God has such a huge problem with idolatry is that His love for you is all-consuming. He loves you too much to share you…”  God is jealous for our love and attention, and He wants to be number one in our hearts.  It is a blessing to be so wholly and completely loved, but one we take for granted.  Because He is jealous for His reputation as the God above all gods, He will not let us forget the glory and praise that are due Him.

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Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Repent From Rebellion!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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Posted in: Digging Deeper, Faithfulness, God, Jealous, Longing, Love, Relentless, Scripture, Worship Tagged: all-consuming, blessing, committed, heart, idols, Jealous God, passionately, selfishness, zeal

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And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14