Passover

Enough Day 14 Sacrificial Lamb: Digging Deeper

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 Sacrificial Lamb!

The Questions

1) What boasting is Paul referencing in verse 6?

2) Why does Paul care about cleaning out leaven (yeast) and new batches of dough? (verse 7)

3) What feast are we to be observing? (verse 8)

1 Corinthians 5:6-8

6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough? 7 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new unleavened batch, as indeed you are. For Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore, let us observe the feast, not with old leaven or with the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Original Intent

1) What boasting is Paul referencing in verse 6?
When we read Scripture, it’s extremely important we first read for context. What does the whole passage say? What is the main point? If we fail to do this, we will quite likely run away with a poor understanding of Scripture, of God, and even ourselves. Then we try to apply this mis-alignment to our lives and end up with a mess! The church in Corinth, who first received Paul’s letters we’ve cleverly dubbed “1 & 2 Corinthians” had major issues. They had serious conflict, bad beliefs, and were known for blatant sins that ran counter to Christ and His gospel of love and unity. Yet, they still felt justified in boasting about how great they were doing. Paul’s admonishment was meant to sternly call them out for their lack of love and inconsistency in holding to truth and what it really meant to follow Jesus as His Church. In this specific instance, a man was committing a gross sexual sin by sleeping with his father’s wife, an action not even condoned by Corinthian culture outside the Church. Yet, inside the church, they boasted on how loving they were by not calling this man out for his blatant hypocrisy and sin as he claimed to follow Jesus and love people. (1 Corinthians 5:1-2) They felt they were doing the right thing by ignoring this man’s sin. It’s also very important to note that Paul makes a distinction in verses 9-13; he did not intend believers in the church to cast judgement on people who were not Christ-followers. “I did not mean the immoral people of this world (…); otherwise you would have to leave the world!” Christians are not meant to judge those outside the church, only God can do that! “For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? (…) God judges outsiders.” (verses 12-13)

2) Why does Paul care about cleaning out leaven (yeast) and new batches of dough? (verse 7)
We don’t use the word “leaven” much in today’s world, but it refers to yeast one would use in baking. Why does Paul care about yeast? Well, he actually didn’t; he knew his audience understood “yeast” to be a symbol for “sin”. In the Old Testament, God had commanded His people to rid their houses of yeast as they prepared for Passover, a special festival commemorating God’s rescue of Israel from slavery to the Egyptians. (Exodus 12:14-20) When Paul states, “Don’t you know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough?” (verse 6), he wasn’t trying to mock them for their lack of scientific understanding. Rather, he was illustrating the extreme potency of sin and its deadly affects. If Christ’s Church was like a batch of dough, even a small bit of sin (yeast) would quickly spread throughout the dough. Because the Corinthian church understood yeast to be a metaphor for sin, Paul’s point was abundantly clear, they could not just “ignore” sin within their local church body for eventually, the entire church would be consumed with sin. No one would hold them accountable for their sin because everyone would just “accept” a lower standard and justify each other’s sinfulness. Paul instructed the Corinthians to “clean out the old leaven” by confronting sin within their churches. He reminds them they are indeed a “new, unleavened batch” (verse 7) because Christ has died for them, declaring them righteous! Jesus paid for their sin, so they should respond by fleeing from it and following Christ in living holy lives that honor Him together as a whole church. Out of great love for one another and gratefulness to Jesus, they should encourage each other to reject sin’s allure and run instead toward the life of fullness offered in Christ.

3) What feast are we to be observing? (verse 8)
Imagine the churches of Corinth gathering together in the homes where they regularly met for worship and preaching to listen to Paul’s letter. Jews, Gentiles, men, women, and children all came together under the freedom Christ had come to give them. This was the New Testament church! They had complex lives with countless temptations to sin, worship idols, and pressure to achieve more just like us today. The Jews present, who were probably fewer than the Gentiles, were as familiar with Torah (Old Testament) Law as the back of their hand. Though the Gentiles hadn’t grown up with God’s Law, they were still familiar with Jewish practices, sacrifices, and feasts because they played such a prevalent cultural role. When Paul wrote, “Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us observe the feast…” (verses 7-8), everyone listening immediately understood the connection between Christ and the Passover lamb. Christ was the One crucified on a Roman cross and resurrected from the grave three days later. The Passover lamb was the animal slain every year by every Jewish family during the Passover feast which commemorated God’s rescue of Israel from slavery in Egypt. Paul was tying these two together as the same symbol. Christ had become the Passover Lamb. Once Paul made this clear, he urged the churches to go out and live everyday lives in light of this incredible sacrifice. “Therefore, let us observe the feast…” The audience recognized the feast as Passover, but Paul wanted them to go deeper and understand that feasting was now meant to encompass the whole of the Christian life. Believers were now to feast on Christ as the Bread of Life (John 6:35) who has no sin in Him and calls those who trust Him to also leave behind all sin (yeast).

Everyday Application

1) What boasting is Paul referencing in verse 6?
It’s so easy to justify ourselves, isn’t it? Or maybe it’s just me who is always running ahead with ready defenses for every action, thought, or word. I’d much rather point to the shiny, pretty things I’ve done and completely ignore those sinful patterns I keep right on living with. Shockingly, I was given another opportunity to confront my sin just a few days ago as my husband expressed his frustration with how I consistently interacted with him. Regardless of the suggestion, dream, or feeling he shared with me, I was oh so quick to shut him down with my own counter opinion or critique. As he talked with me about his frustration, the Lord opened my eyes and I realized my husband was right. I was stuck in a pattern of criticism and harshness, but I had justified my attitude and sharp words toward him as me being allowed to have my own voice. Expressing myself was never the issue, my willingness to listen and encourage him was where I was deeply lacking. I’m sure Paul’s sharp words were hard for the Corinthians to hear; facing our sin is generally painful. As difficult as it was, I am so grateful for my husband’s willingness to point out my sinful pattern and for the Spirit enabling me to recognize how I wasn’t loving my husband despite my lengthy list of justifications. Where is the Lord pointing out your sin patterns? Resist the urge to boast in your justification and surrender to His conviction! Maybe you see sin habits in a brother or sister who loves Jesus. Make the loving choice and confront them, calling them to recognize their sin and turn away from it! Our churches desperately need believers to hold each other accountable to following Jesus and loving others! 

2) Why does Paul care about cleaning out leaven (yeast) and new batches of dough? (verse 7)
How often do you think about “getting rid of” the sin in your life? Probably not often! If we look at our sin patterns, we can feel overwhelmed and weighed down with impossibility of breaking comfortable habits. We choose to sin because it’s easy and we enjoy it, but we like it because we have forgotten the far greater delight of following the ways of the Lord. Psalm 119 is FULL of declarations on how joy-full (Psalm 119:14-16), wise (Psalm 119:23-24), life-giving (Psalm 119:25), freeing (Psalm 119:45), and even delicious (Psalm 119:103) the commands of the Lord are to His people who follow them. Proverbs says the path of those who reject wisdom leads to death. (Proverbs 2:19) Paul knew, and had experienced in his own life, that Jesus was always the Better, which is why, when writing to confront the Corinthians of their sin, he turned their focus onto the Sacrificial Lamb. (verse 7) Only when we keep Christ, His love, and His sacrifice that we could never repay in focus, do we become repulsed by our sin instead of drawn toward it. When you think of “getting rid of sin” in your life, begin in prayer and ask the Lord to show you His glory, goodness, and righteousness. As we gaze on Him, His Spirit will stir within us a far greater love for God than for our sin. Only in Jesus do we have victory to break the deadly pattern of sin in our everyday lives! (Romans 7:24-25)

3) What feast are we to be observing? (verse 8)
We don’t have the same contextual benefit the first New Testament churches had when they read Paul’s letters. Most of us don’t celebrate all the Jewish festivals, and we have no concept of an annual Passover Lamb, let alone daily sin offerings through animal sacrifice. While the first century church had real life visuals for these concepts, 21st century believers need to work a little harder to understand the original culture and context. Nevertheless, Paul’s connection of Christ as the Passover Lamb and his urgent call for the early church to reject sin’s pull and move forward into living as God’s holy people is a message for us today! Sin isn’t a plaything, something to be ignored, or passed over as insignificant. Our sin is what cost the Savior His life. If it wasn’t for our sin, there would be no need for Jesus to sacrifice Himself on our behalf, but because He did, we are free to reject sin and love God and others around us! Consider your role in your local church body as you think about what if you had been one of the first believers in ancient Corinth. Would you hear Paul’s Spirit-led words and become an advocate for addressing sin in yourself, your family, and your church body? Would you hunger for the sinless “bread” of Christ, desiring to daily feast on Him through studying His Word and developing a deeper relationship with Him? It’s one thing to claim you’re a Christian, it’s quite another to take your relationship serious enough to leave your sin behind and feast on the holy life God has called us to enjoy together!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Sacrificial Lamb!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Enough Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

GT Weekend! ~ Hallel Week 3

Leave a Comment

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) To the Jewish disciples who sat around Jesus at the Passover meal, the Messiah had come for them. For the Jews. For God’s chosen people. Throughout His time on earth with them, Jesus had taught them it wasn’t about their lineage as Jews that granted them access to God, it was their hearts. Their inner selves required a re-birth and a new beginning available only through the Holy Spirit. But this idea of Christ coming only for Jews still held fast. He had healed Gentiles. He had blessed the faith of Gentiles, but still the disciples held so tightly to the belief of Christ being for them, as God’s special people, it left no room for others. Soon, when Christ would rise again, and when the Holy Spirit would descend upon these men at the day of Pentecost, they would understand the reality that Jesus Christ came to offer salvation to all! It may be easy for us to verbalize this truth, but take time to ask the Lord where you have inadvertently put up fences, deciding that someone is too far gone for the gospel. Maybe there’s someone who you deem too broken or too sinful to welcome the salvation of Christ. Remember, Jesus came for ALL!

2) Even though the disciples were awash in tidal waves of fear and uncertainty as they left the Upper Room following that final Passover meal with Jesus, there were anchoring truths to which they could cling. They had seen Jesus heal the broken. He was healer. They had witnessed Him calm the seas. He held all authority. They had been with Him as He wept over loss. He was human. They had heard Him teach over and over, touch over and over, sit in the middle of mess over and over. They knew He was love, and His love was God’s love, which endured forever. True, the times were dark, but God’s character had never once shifted; His love endured forever. What have been your anchors during difficulty in the past? What new things have you learned about God and His heart in recent times to help carry you through the next season of doubt and darkness? Take a minute to write these down, as many come to mind. Dwell on these. Praise God for His character and heart of love that endures forever!

3) Surely the closing words of the Hallel psalms were confusing for the disciples. How could they proclaim what the Lord had done in the wake of His death and seeming abandonment? Maybe you’ve experienced something similar in your own life. How can you proclaim the Lord’s goodness when death steals a loved one, when divorce breaks marriage, when sickness steals away the vibrancy you or a loved one once experienced. But Death did not have the final word for Jesus! He returned in victory, conquering death and bringing abundant life that would never end. He won for us what we could never accomplish on our own! His life won our victory. His ascension opened the doorway for the Spirit to descend on us with power to proclaim His gospel and His goodness. His coming return reminds us He is faithful and He is sovereign. The whole of the Hallel beckons us to keep trusting His heart even when we don’t understand. He is faithful! Write down your own declarations of truth and repeat them to yourself often this weekend. Face life with the assurance of Life winning over Death!

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 Psalm 118:5-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

I called to the Lord in distress;
the Lord answered me
and put me in a spacious place.
The Lord is for me; I will not be afraid.
What can a mere mortal do to me?

Prayer Journal
It seems the reasons to run and be afraid and allow anxiety to overtake me are endless. Everywhere I turn there are more reasons to live in fear. Except for one. When I turn to You, Father, peace awaits. Courage is given. Purpose motivates me to love others well because You have loved me deeply. What can man, or a virus, or death, do to me? You, the sovereign ruler over all, hold my heart and my life. When I hide myself within the truths of Your love, fear flees. This is the spacious place for me to land. As I continue facing distress in real life, Lord, remind me, Spirit, to keep trusting You. Here, I will have no fear!

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Hallel Day 15 From Death To Life

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 118:17-29
Psalm 24:1-10
Matthew 26:36-56
Luke 20:9-18

Hallel, Day 15

I will not die, but I will live
and proclaim what the Lord has done.
The Lord disciplined me severely,
but did not give me over to death.

The words came flooding like so much mockery as the events of the previous hours replayed again and again, unbidden, in my mind. These were words my lips had sung hours before in swirls of confusion beneath the dark sky of Gethsemane. It was the same garden, the same piles of rocks, the same swath of olive branches where I had sat with these brothers of mine for countless hours over the last three years.

Here, I’d heard Jesus teaching the masses.
Here, I’d heard been confronted with truth.
Here, we had learned to pray.
And mere hours go, here is where my brothers and I had fallen asleep while…….
the sobs gathered with overwhelming force in my throat, choking me, as I called to mind my failings.

I ran aimlessly through the now empty garden.
I could not hold back the screams of agony.
Falling to the ground, my fists pummeled the soft earth, and I wished for death.

Here, just hours ago, I had watched Jesus heal a soldier’s ear from Peter’s reckless sword.
Here, I had been jolted awake from Jesus’ emotion-filled plea to please, please pray with Him. But I didn’t. I just couldn’t stay awake.

My hands reached up and grabbed at nearby olive branches in self-loathing and anger, plucking new leaves into my balled-up fists.

Softly, the words came again.
I will not die, but I will live
and proclaim what the Lord has done.

Proclaim?!
I scoffed!
Proclaim what??
That Yahweh had parted the Red Sea?
So what…
That He brought us out of exile?
That was centuries ago….
None of it was relevant now.
Our Messiah is… dead.

Anger overtook me again as my fingers dug into the dirt.

Open the gates of righteousness for me;
I will enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the Lord’s gate;
the righteous will enter through it.

The melody came like whispers.
As if Jesus Himself were singing the words, and my mind easily recalled the lusty sound of His voice, fraught with emotion, as He had sung those words while leading us here last night.

This is the Lord’s gate;
the righteous will enter through it.

What did any of this mean anymore in light of all the new happenings.
In light of death….
The only understanding hitting me hard on repeat was the knowing that I was not righteous. I was not righteous. I was not righteous. Too many sins, like the dirt pressed beneath my fingernails, my sin colored everything.
I knew the truth, I was not righteous.

Not like Jesus. Certainly not like Jesus. He was innocent. Holy. Pure.
And again, the tears flowed with the blatant injustice of it all.
Holiness murdered. Messiah dead. Hope gone…..

I will give thanks to you
because you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
This came from the Lord;
it is wondrous in our sight.

My lungs held their air as the words seemed to wrap around me, insisting I gaze at them longer. My body trembled, but something about those words I hadn’t recognized before. I turned my head as if to hear the words sung again in Jesus’ voice. Was there a deeper message in these age-old lyrics?

You…have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
This came from the Lord;

They were jagged pieces of a puzzle, but like a hazy fog gathering around me, realization was slowly creeping over me.
Salvation.
The stone the builders rejected….
This came from the Lord.

I inhaled sharply, suddenly remembering I had forgotten to breath, and my mind raced to the day Jesus had spoken those very words.
We were all gathered around Him in Jerusalem, walking around the breathtaking edifice of Herod’s Temple. He had told a strange parable, as most of them were, about the owner of a vineyard who, while out of the country, had sent a servant to gather fruit. But the tenants of the vineyard, whom the owner had left in charge, beat up the servant and sent him back empty handed. Three times the owner sent a servant, and three times the tenants abused the servants. Finally, the owner sent His own beloved Son, saying surely, the tenants will respect my son. But they didn’t. Instead they killed him. Then Jesus had quoted this portion of the Hallel, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone”.

Soft rain began mixing with my tears as I lifted my face to the heavens.
Christ was the cornerstone.
Christ was the rejected son, killed by the ones intended to care for the Father’s people.
Salvation.
This came from the Lord.

“There must be more to the story, Jesus”, I felt my lips move, and peace began easing my clenched muscles.
I didn’t have the answers, but, here, as before, in this Garden, I was being confronted with truth.

The Lord is God and has given us light.

Yes, Lord, You are the giver of Light.
Jesus, He is Your light of the world.
But, God, they crucified Him!
My questions still hung in the air
His answer came with power as the words to the end of the Hallel opened my heart, “Bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar…”

Jesus.
The bound sacrifice.
The cross was the altar.
Death traded for life!

I still had questions to be sure, but as I rose, dropping the olive branches to the dirt by my sandaled feet, I felt washed. I felt peace.
No, I didn’t know the answers. Christ was still in the grave, but there was more to the story, I knew it would be so because God has always, always been faithful, and always would be.

Yes, He parted the Red Sea.
Yes, it still mattered.
Yes, He set us free from slavery.
Because He has always brought Life out of Death.

You are my God, and I will give you thanks.
You are my God; I will exalt you.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
His faithful love endures forever!

—–
As is the case with each of our first-person narratives at Gracefully Truthful, these stories of Hallel have been imaginative creativity based in the truth of Scripture. We don’t know what the disciples’ exact actions or personal internal wrestlings were after the final Passover meal, the betrayal, the denial, the flogging, and finally the crucifixion of their Lord, Jesus Christ. But, here in the Garden, we hope you find small pieces of your own journey with Jesus, and you, like the disciples, discover He is indeed faithful and true, as He always brings Life out of Death!

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Hallel Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

Hallel Day 13 Love That Frees

13 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 118:1-16
Exodus 15:1-3
Isaiah 53:10-11
Matthew 26:20-30

Hallel, Day 13

“His faithful love endures forever.” (Psalm 118:1-4)

The truth of these words brought the disciples comfort as they walked to the garden, singing this refrain. It had been a strange and unsettling evening. What began as a joyous celebration commemorating God’s deliverance of His people from slavery had taken a much more serious turn over dinner . . .

Talk of betrayal and suffering,
bread being broken and wine poured out,
all pointing to death . . .

Something in Jesus’ manner was different tonight, and it left them uneasy. The comfort of these familiar words surely heartened them.

“His faithful love endures forever.”
Everything will be all right.

For Jesus, the words were a reminder of why He had come and what He had to do. God’s faithful love endures forever, despite humanity’s sin and rebellion, and He was about to demonstrate the depth of His love once and for all . . . at an incredible cost.

“I called to the Lord in distress;
the Lord answered me and put me in a spacious place.”
(Psalm 118:5)

Freedom!

The disciples longed for freedom from Roman rule and they trusted Jesus was the promised Messiah, the One who would deliver their freedom. Just as God freed the Israelites from Pharaoh’s rule so many years ago, surely He would do the same for them. If God was on their side, they would be victorious. There was no reason to fear.

Freedom . . . 

Jesus needed to focus on the reason why He was going through with this. It was for these dear friends walking alongside Him, and for many others who would believe through their witness.

His death and resurrection would set them free, liberate them from sin and death forever, and cast out fear of God’s judgement by making them righteous. True, eternal freedom for His beloved friends was worth all that lay ahead.

“The Lord is my helper. Therefore, I will look in triumph on those who hate me.” (Psalm 118:7)

Perhaps the disciples’ voices grew louder, more confident, as they pondered these words.

Jesus had spoken of enemies tonight, but they wouldn’t have the final word. Against all odds, the Israelites had triumphed over Pharaoh and his army. God had shown His power, and He could do it again. Surely the Lord was for them.

But did Jesus’ voice grow fainter as He sang, wrestling inwardly with what was to come?

“I know there are many who hate me.
They will do their worst.
Death will look like defeat.

O Father, help Me endure.
I know this is necessary, and I know it will be worth it.
I know death will not have the final victory.
I know this will be a mighty triumph over the powers of hell for eternity . . .
but I also know it will be painful and bloody.
Please give me strength.

And help My brothers, Father.
My death will seem like a crushing defeat to their faith.
Please give them strength to endure.”

“All the nations surrounded me; in the name of the Lord I destroyed them.” (Psalm 118:10)

No matter what comes against us, no matter what enemies surround us,
we can defeat them in God’s power.

“Very soon, I will be surrounded by enemies, whipping and spitting, mocking and jeering, rejoicing in My demise. Already, the true enemies, the spiritual forces of evil and darkness, invade My mind, urging Me not to go through with it, to use My power to break free.

And I could . . . but I will not.

Only through My death will these enemies be truly destroyed, and My children set free. O Father, give me victory over the temptation to quit. Help Me be strong.”

“The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.”  (Psalm 118:14)

As they echoed the Israelites’ song of victory after crossing the Red Sea, praising God for His mighty power, hope rose in the disciples’ hearts. God was with them. Victory was sure . . .

As for Jesus, He looked to the suffering awaiting Him, knowing through His death, He would become their salvation. It was the only way.

Only in death would they, and all who would believe, be set free to embrace eternal life . . .

Great suffering lay ahead; Christ must hold onto hope, and cling to the truth that death would not have the final word:

“I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what the Lord has done.”  (Psalm 118:17)

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

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

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

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

Hallel Day 11 For All Peoples

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 117
Psalm 148
Hebrews 10:11-25
Romans 15:7-12
Revelation 22:12-17

Hallel, Day 11

Judas left the Passover supper suddenly.
Only Jesus knew why, but He didn’t say anything . . . aloud.
In His heart and mind, He cried out,
“Father, I know where I’m going.
In my humanity, I am hurt by the betrayal of one I love.
‘Woe to him for his actions (Mark 14:21), even if they were necessary to extend the offer of redemption to all those We love.”

With the meal ending, Jesus and His disciples began singing before leaving the upper room.

“Praise the LORD, all nations!
Glorify him, all peoples.”
(Psalm 117:1)

As they finished the first verse, the disciples were unaware of Jesus’ pain, and their town expectations filled their minds. These men, who spent three years with Jesus, believed He was the Messiah. They believed He came to overthrow Roman rule and bring Israel’s freedom.

“Surely we should praise Him because He is the Messiah, our long awaited Savior!”

They’d heard the reading of Isaiah 9:6 in the temple and as they thought through the characteristics listed, they saw ample reason to praise the LORD.

“He has indeed been a wonderful counselor! Look at the way He has taught through His many parables. And I remember the counsel He gave Martha.”

“Mighty God definitely applies to Him. He’s performed incredible miracles, from healing to  casting out demons and even resurrecting Lazarus from the dead! Yes, He is mighty and worthy to be praised!”

As Jesus sang, His heart soared with the knowledge His life, sacrificial death, and resurrection would elicit praise for the Father not just from His disciples or even His chosen people, the Jewish nation.

No, the praises would come from all peoples.

Jesus foresaw Paul’s letter to the Roman church, demonstrating how passages from the Tanakh, sacred Jewish scripture, speak of the Gentiles praising Christ (Romans 15:7-12).

As Jesus surveyed His disciples, their heads bowed and voices raised in song, He pondered, “They do not yet realize I am Messiah for all people. They sing words without full understanding. But when revelation comes, they will lead multitudes in praise.”

As the disciples recited promises of the Prince of Peace, on whose shoulders the government would rest, they were filled with expectation.

Yes, they would praise Him as King.
Surely, they believed, such a King would rescue them from Roman rule.
He would take the government on His shoulders and all would bow to Him.

For generations, they’d waited for the Prince of Peace to establish an earthly throne and rule over a glorious Jewish kingdom. Now, they were certain, He was here to accomplish it.

But Jesus came to claim a kingdom much larger than a single nation.
And He came to defeat an enemy much more powerful and deadly than the Romans.

“I have shown my faithful love throughout the ages.
My fulfillment of My Father’s redemptive plan will demonstrate the depth of my love.
My followers think I’m here to rescue them from Rome . . .
But My love runs deeper.
I am here to rescue them from sin and death.
I love them too much to stop at the temporary.”

As they each relished their thoughts, Jesus and the disciples continued on to the second verse of the short, but powerful hymn.

“For His faithful love to us is great; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever. Hallelujah!”
(Psalm 117:2)

As those words lifted to heaven, the disciples recalled Jesus’s statement,
“I and the Father are one”. (John 10:30). And their thoughts swirled.

“If He and the Father are One, was Jesus the flaming torch passing between the divided animals to make the covenant with Father Abraham?

Was it Jesus who kept God’s promise to rescue the Israelites from Egypt, and did so by parting the Red Sea? Was it Jesus who brought our ancestors back from exile in Babylon?

If so, His love has been faithful and surely, it will endure forever.
We must offer our praises for His enduring love!”

Jesus, knowing their thoughts, felt both joy and grief.

His joy stemmed from His faithful love and the deep assurance it would never, ever fail. It would indeed endure forever, through the creation of the new heaven and the new earth, and beyond. His faithful love would hold Him to the cross the next day. 

But the thought of the personal cost to Him brought grief. The impendng betrayal by Judas and denial by Peter, and the physical torture were burdens to bear.

Even heavier was the weight of the sin of every single human settling in darkness upon His spirit, and the consequential separation from the Father. This was soul-crushing grief.

“But My love never fails. My faithfulness endures forever.
I will seek the Father, but I know to love this world, I must save it.
This is my great joy, to love this way.”

And for the joy set before Him, Jesus led His disciples to the Garden, yet another part in the greatest love story about the greatest King who is faithful and loving, forever.

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

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

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

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Hallel Week 2

Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) The disciples were undoubtedly filled with fear and confusion unlike anything they had experienced before as they sat with the Lord Jesus in the Upper Room, doing familiar actions, singing familiar hymns, but everything was different in deep ways. When have you felt something similar? Maybe it was a family tragedy. Maybe it was finding yourself caught in the quicksand of a relationship spinning out of control. Maybe it was discovering a serious health issue or uncovering a painful deception. For the disciples, Jesus was turning their worldview upside down, doing the very thing they expected to be the end of them and of Him. But His purposes were far above theirs, and as they kept walking forward in faith, trusting Him even when they couldn’t understand, they would see how He would turn death into life. Remarkable! This portion of the Hallel called for the disciples to bless the Lord, despite their dire circumstances. Where is the Lord calling you to do the same? Commit to blessing the Lord, praising Him, and choosing to trust Him regardless of your situation.

2) That last Passover with the disciples was fraught with intentional forethought that had begun centuries before by the very same God who now sat at the table with 12 men. Unfathomable!! Jesus Himself even said He had long waited for this moment with anticipation. Finally, the fulfillment of so much was unfolding! Jesus was about to make things new. He was taking an Old Testament understanding of the covenant and allowing it to give birth to a New Covenant. One where animal sacrifices would be overtaken by the perfect sacrifice for sin across all of time and covering all of sin, God Himself. Yes, the price was far beyond our ability to even begin to comprehend. Yes, the darkness of those three days in the grave would leave the disciples spinning with uncertainty and fear. BUT. All would be made new as Christ’s victorious life was given in exchange for our sin! Take time to journal your thoughts on this act of incredible love and mercy that far exceeds our ability to express. Sit. Worship. Adore. Lift hallelujah for the Lord of Life and Love!

3) Sarah made it clear in yesterday’s Journey Study that Christ had come with clear purpose, to be the Passover Lamb. Every year, Jews were required to slay a lamb with spot or blemish to cover over their sins, making atonement to the Most Holy God. Though Scripture teaches that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin (Leviticus 17:11, Hebrews 9:22), it also teaches it is impossible for the blood of animals to effectively take away sin. (Hebrews 10:4) A perfect sacrifice was needed. One that was so effective it didn’t need to be repeated every year. Christ was perfect as He lived out our human life, wrapped in human flesh, but did it all without even one sin. Then He, who deserved no punishment, chose to take our death and separation from God upon Himself. He was the sacrificial lamb given on our behalf. Are you relying on your own good works to give you access to a good standing with God when only one, perfect sacrifice will be accepted? Choose to be covered by the blood of the Lamb, and spend your every breath praising Him for this radical gift of love!

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 Psalm 115:9-11 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Israel, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and shield.
House of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and shield.
You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and shield.

Prayer Journal
Trust. Help. Shield. Trust. Help. Shield. Lord, how often I look to the strength of my own hands or to my own ingenuity or even, oh Lord, to other people of influence in my life in order to solve my problems. Father, remind me of these three powerful words and turn my heart back to being fully focused on You alone. Teach me not to wander. Pursue me, and may I quickly learn to return. May I choose to trust You over and over for every situation, big or small. You alone are my help and my shield, oh Lord my God!

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Hallel Day 10 Eden’s Promise

2 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 116:12-19
Matthew 26:17-56
Titus 3:4-7
1 Corinthians 1:20-22
Revelation 19:4-9

Hallel, Day 10

Have you watched a movie using flashbacks to help the audience understand how the past is connected to the current scene?

Or if, like me, you’re a fan of the popular TV show, This Is Us, you get it.

As I prepared for this Journey Study, the idea of a movie struck me. Since we are approaching Easter, the opening scene features Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.

We see the disciples asleep under a tree, and the camera pans to a lone figure in the distance.

Jesus.

He falls to the ground, exhausted. Emotionally spent, He weeps, and with sweat so thick it trickles down His brow as drops of blood, He cries out in anguish,
“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me;
nevertheless, not as I will but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39)

As the heaviness of His words hangs in the air, the scene flashes back to another garden.

Here, in the middle of Eden are a man and woman, naked and cowering in fear as they crouch behind a bush, doing their best to hide. We expect lightning to strike, judgment crashing down on them as a result of their blatant disobedience to God.

But in a surprising twist, God curses the serpent.
While Adam and Eve’s sinful choice brings weighty consequences, God surrounds them with gracious compassion. He tenderly clothes Adam and Eve, promising one day their broken relationship with Him will be fully restored.

We realize that as Jesus kneels in Gethsemane, HE is the fulfillment of the promise made long ago in Eden.

The plot is perfect.
It’s Passover week.
The heartbreak of Gethsemane is still to come.
We find Jesus and His disciples eating supper together.

The evening must have been so confusing for the men who’d spent the past three years with Jesus. They heard Him teach, watched Him heal, and witnessed miracle after miracle. Yet, it seemed they still had NO understanding of the events unfolding before them.

The camera zooms in as the men sit around a table, eating the traditional Passover meal.

Sighing, Jesus looks around the room, soaking in the moment with His closest friends.

“How do I tell them, Abba?”, Jesus prayed. “They will be so confused and scared. Even after all this time with Me, they still don’t understand what we are doing.”

Heart heavy, He announces His impending betrayal.

Thaddeus spits his wine in shock. Philip drops the matzah he was passing to Judas.

“BETRAY You?”, Matthew utters in bewilderment.

“Which of us would do THAT?!”, James quickly adds, his eyes darting around the room suspiciously.

“It’s not me, is it?” Andrew whispers in Jesus’ ear, his face pale with worry.

Jesus moves the meal on to the last cup of wine, for with it comes the promise of a new covenant. His very blood would soon be poured out as a sacrifice bringing forgiveness of all mankind’s sins, past, present, and future.
He, Himself, would be the final Passover Lamb. 

After supper, we watch Jesus and the disciples making their way to the Mount of Olives. As they walk, despite the tension amongst them, out of ritual, the men continue singing the traditional Hallel. (Matthew 26:30)

On this night, however, their minds wandered as they sang the verses from memory.

“Pssst, Thomas, what do you think Jesus meant by BETRAY? Surely, it’s just another of His parables, right?”

“I don’t know. And what did He mean by ‘drinking His blood?’ Hey, John, you’re close with Jesus, do you understand what He’s saying?”

“I wish. I don’t understand, either. I want to know when He will overthrow the Romans and set up His kingdom!”

Jesus is singing along, yet His own heart and mind are in extreme turmoil.
“I am here to deliver them.
I came to fulfill promises.
I must die, so they can live.
I must do this.
Father, help Me! Help Me finish what We started so long ago.”

With heaviness, Jesus enters the Garden of Gethsemane followed by His confused disciples.

And we’re back to our opening scene of Jesus crying out in despair.
He knew exactly what the next few hours would bring.

This night was the culmination of thousands of years of promise, a single perfect life, and a propitiatory death.

His coming had a purpose:
to reconcile man to God,
redeeming all who were lost.
He left heaven so we could enter.

As the story continues, He hangs on a cross, paying the penalty for OUR sin.
Just as God extended grace to Adam and Eve in Eden, He now offers salvation freely to us. (Ephesians 2:8-9). NO ONE deserves such grace, yet ANYONE can accept His incredible gift!

When we accept the gift of salvation, we abandon our roles as spectators and become part of the cast! We look forward to being in the final scene, a wedding supper foreshadowed by Jesus’ final Passover with His disciples.

One day, all who have trusted Jesus as their Savior will celebrate with Him at the Feast of all Feasts, the finale of all finales!

Until then, we wait.
Like the disciples on Passover night, we may not understand everything happening in our lives. We may be confused, afraid, overwhelmed, or overcome with grief.

Just as the hymns of Hallel proclaimed what God had ALREADY done, while also anticipating what He WOULD do, we can choose to trust God to keep all of His promises.

We live with both the reminder of Easter and the anticipation of Jesus’ return.

In the middle, we choose worship.
Not because of our circumstances, but because of CHRIST.

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Hallel Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

Hallel Day 8 Finding Him Faithful

2 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 116:1-11
Matthew 26:1-29
Isaiah 53:1-12
Psalm 127:1-14

Hallel, Day 8

“Go into the city to a certain man,” He said, “and tell him,
‘The Teacher says: My time is near; I am celebrating the Passover
at your place with my disciples.’”
(Matthew 26:18)

The disciples took this message and sought out the man.
As they walked, they pondered Jesus’ statement.

“What do you think He meant by ‘My time is near?’”

“Peter, He confirmed to you He is the Son of God.
What does He mean?”

“Guys, a few days ago He said the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified after the Passover. Can that really happen to Jesus?”

The men fell into a contemplative silence as they walked and only the sounds of their sandals on the path filled the air. The questions recently voiced still echoed in their minds and they sorted through what they knew of God to try to answer them.

How could Jesus, the Son of God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob be crucified?
The Lord had already proven His faithfulness to His people over and over again.
How could He abandon His very son?

The Lord heard Abraham’s cry for an heir in his old age. (Genesis 15:1-6)
He heard Sarah’s laughter and filled her womb. (Genesis 18:9-15)
He changed Israel’s name and made him a mighty nation. (Genesis 32:28)
He brought that nation out of captivity and fed them in the wilderness. (Exodus 16:1-16)

How could the God who demonstrated such compassion to an obstinate group of people allow His own son to be killed? 

Their questions unanswered, the disciples gained access to the upper room and prepared the Passover meal. Jesus soon reclined among them and confirmed their fears when He announced one of them would betray Him.
Death now rose to the forefront of their minds.
Jesus continued, saying what was written about Him would soon come to pass.

Tonight was Passover, every detail rooted in reminding its participants of the faithfulness of God. Every traditional food item had carefully been chosen, filled with symbolism of slavery and freedom found only because of Yahweh, the faithful God who had rescued them long ago.

The bread, the cup, the lamb, the hymns.
Every part was sacred.

“The ropes of death were wrapped around me,
and the torments of Sheol overcame me;
I encountered trouble and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Lord:
‘Lord, save me!’”
(Hallel Psalm 116:3-4)

How could the Israelites cry out to God to be rescued from the cords of Sheol while Jesus would face those very bindings Himself?

The Son of God, destined to be bound by the cords of death? Unto what purpose?
Could the words of Isaiah 53 be true? By His bloody stripes, would His people be set free?

Could death truly be defeated?

As Jesus broke the bread and gave His disciples the wine, He said,
“For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26-27)

A new covenant?
“Behold, I am making all things new”…
Isaiah 43:19

Each disciple held the cup in his hands for a moment and stared into the red depths.
“Poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins,” Jesus said (Matthew 26:28).
For their sins.
Each and every one of their sins,
for the Lord knows the thoughts and intentions of each heart.
A few hands became unsteady as they passed the cup to the next man.

“The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is compassionate.”
Hallel Psalm 116:5

Blood poured out for them.
The Lord’s rescue from death for them.
Their humanity and helplessness washed over them.
Struck with the sudden awareness Jesus knew all of their sins, they grappled with the perfect Son of God’s promise to pour out His blood to cover those sins.

“I was helpless, and he saved me.
Return to your rest, my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.
For you, Lord, rescued me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling.”
Hallel Psalm 116:6-8

Men may say truly living is to experience everything they possibly can under the sun, but in the solemnness of that moment with Christ, the disciples understood so much more existed. No physical entertainment could make them feel as known or valued.

They were staring into the eyes of the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).
Because of this man, human flesh enveloping the full deity of God, the faithfulness of the divine Yahweh would be seen
and known
and experienced
by everyone willing to welcome Him.

“I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.”
Hallel Psalm 116:9

A low hum began as one of the disciples began singing the traditional Hallel hymns. Eventually all the men were singing, and a sweet, yet heavy presence, filled the space. They were encountering the Faithful One in a way they never had before as He prepared to give them the fullness of life through His own death.

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

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Hallel 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 Hallel!

Hallel Day 7 We Will Bless: Digging Deeper

Leave a 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 We Will Bless!

The Questions

1) Why is trusting the Lord reiterated three times in verses 9-11 and what is the progression of specific people called out signify?

2) What is the significance of calling out specific groups of people? (verses 9-11)

3) Why would verses 17-18 have been especially meaningful or even confusing for the disciples as they sang these words at the last Passover with Jesus?

Psalm 115:9-18

Israel, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and shield.
10 House of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and shield.
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and shield.
12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us.
He will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;
13 he will bless those who fear the Lord—
small and great alike.

14 May the Lord add to your numbers,
both yours and your children’s.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
16 The heavens are the Lord’s,
but the earth he has given to the human race.
17 It is not the dead who praise the Lord,
nor any of those descending into the silence of death.
18 But we will bless the Lord,
both now and forever.
Hallelujah!

Original Intent

1) Why is trusting the Lord reiterated three times in verses 9-11 and what is the progression of specific people called out signify?
These verses immediately follow blatant descriptions of idols made by human hands and how foolish it is to worship them. (verses 4-8, Isaiah 44:9-20) They are proven untrustworthy and utterly incapable of bringing about any change in real life, let alone protection or blessing. With night and day contrast, the psalmist presses in, “….trust in the Lord! He is a help and shield!” In Scripture, when a word, phrase, or series of phrases is repeated, it is meant to underline its importance. It’s the equivalent of lifting the chin of a child and emphasizing, “Hey, look at me, I’m serious about this.”. This phrasing isn’t repeated once, but three times. This level of importance trumps all others. Pay attention, this is for real. Repeat it. Memorize it. Tattoo it on your arm. “Trust in the Lord! He is a help and shield!”  

2) What is the significance of calling out specific groups of people? (verses 9-11)
The progression of specific groups of people is interesting, and important to notice. “House of Israel” (verse 9) is beseeched first, calling the entirety of the nation of Israel as a whole. All of God’s chosen people, hello, pay attention here! Then the focus narrows to, “House of Aaron” (verse 10), signifying the Levites, which would be all the leaders within the Tabernacle. These were a smaller margin of people, who had also been especially set aside by God, to minister to Him in the temple and minister to His people. They had a pivotal role to play in spiritual leadership, and through the psalmist’s words, God calls them away from trusting in themselves or their idols. Trust Me only, says the Lord! Finally, the focus spotlights every person as an individual. “You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is a help and shield!” (verse 11) The progression of people being called out calls into focus God’s perspective on people and the high importance He places on His people as a whole, while not neglecting the beauty of a deep and intimate relationship on a personal level. In the end, all are called to trust in the Lord and have no idols before Him, none are excluded from this high calling. 

3) Why would verses 17-18 have been especially meaningful or even confusing for the disciples as they sang these words at the last Passover with Jesus?
This phrasing of “it is not the dead who praise You”, is used frequently throughout the psalms as the writer is pleading to God for life. In the previous verses, it is the blessing of life that is most evident. Life from the death of slavery. Life for a nation who wasn’t previously a nation. Life for a new generation from those who had died in the desert wanderings. Life in the new Promised Land. These were all blessings from the Lord in the form of life. Therefore, in contrast, the writer calls for the Lord to see that those who are dead cannot praise Him. Psalm 6:5 asks, “who will praise You from Sheol (meaning the grave)?”. The question itself is a plea for the continued blessing of life to be given, and protected, by the Author of Life. In an incredibly ironic scenario, the disciples heard from Jesus Himself on multiple occasions that He would be handed over to be crucified. This One, Jesus, whom the disciples had come to know as God Himself, the Source and Sustainer of life, would now, willingly, be put to death. Unfathomable!

Everyday Application

1) Why is trusting the Lord reiterated three times in verses 9-11 and what is the progression of specific people called out signify?
How often in your day to you wish you could pull back from it all? Maybe you wish you could run and hide? Maybe it’s not that intense, but you might be caught rolling your eyes or tossing a sharp verbal barb. When situations or relationships in everyday life go south, our first instinct is to suit up defensively and either wait it out while hiding in the armor, or get angry and start pushing back. These natural human instincts quite often don’t actually help strengthen our relationships or right our situations, rather they just delay the pain by trying to mute it, or make the whole thing worse. Suppose instead, we followed the strong, emphatic call from the wise psalmist and chose to “Trust the Lord!” while remembering ”He is a help and a shield!”. What can you do to start incorporating this shift? Maybe you aren’t tattooing it on your arm, but maybe you decide to write it in erasable marker on your bathroom mirror. Maybe you make it your phone’s lockscreen. Or maybe you grab a sharpie and you do write it on your arm! Whatever you do, this is worth taking seriously. It can change your focus, your relationships, and how you view your circumstances! Trusting the Lord is the doorway for His peace to fill you!

2) What is the significance of calling out specific groups of people? (verses 9-11)
Often, in the Western hemisphere, we place a supreme importance on individuality and personal freedom, ability, and expression of self. This has many strengths associated with it, but one major downfall is isolation with the idea that we don’t need anyone but ourselves. We can’t trust anyone. We don’t need anyone. We are self-made. This idea is completely counter to God’s view of people in Scripture. He didn’t intend for us to live in isolation, but together, always in community. Community with Himself and community with other brothers and sisters within the global Body of Christ are paramount and foremost. If we miss the bigger, broader picture that every believer is only a part of the whole, we have missed God’s heart for us as a people. Together, every Christian across all of time make up the singular Body, the Bride of Christ, His Church. This is critical to understanding how God sees us! In this part of the Hallel, we can be reminded that, as a Church, God is calling us to shift our eyes to Him, and off our impotent idols. He is worthy of our praise and He alone is trustworthy, a help, and a shield! Today, we don’t have the office of Levite, but we do have leaders within our church. Pastors, elders, deacons, and teachers are all called out precisely because they are the lead examples within the life of the Church. They are to model this full trust in the Lord! Finally, as individuals, having been reminded that we are one part of a whole, are to make sure our life is being lived out in the everyday through the lens of trusting the Lord. Big or small issues, He alone is trustworthy, He is worthy of worship, He is our help and shield! Trust the Lord!!

3) Why would verses 17-18 have been especially meaningful or even confusing for the disciples as they sang these words at the last Passover with Jesus?
As impossible as it was for the disciples to understand in the moment, we can see the full picture through reading the rest of the gospel story. In laying down His life, in dying our death, Jesus made true life available for all! His was the death that brought life. The death of Jesus actually did bring glory to God, because through it, no one would need to die and cease praising the Lord. In fact, just a little farther along in the Hallel, the psalmist emphatically makes this point by declaring, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” A believer who has trusted Jesus for their salvation blesses God through their physical death because they have transitioned from being apart from God, while in their body, to being in the very presence of God in Heaven! Bless the Lord with your life while you are still breathing by choosing the eternal life He offers to all and trust Him as your personal Savior from sin and eternal death and separation from Him!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with We Will Bless!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Hallel Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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