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The GT Weekend! ~ Sketched XI, Week 2

July 1, 2023 by Katelyn Palmer Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Sketched XI, Week 2

Katelyn Palmer

July 1, 2023

Believe,Broken,Courage,Faith,Glory

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

This Week's Journeys

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Friday's DD

Pray His Words Back To Him!

1 Kings 18:36-38

“At the time for offering the evening sacrifice, the prophet Elijah approached the altar and said, ‘Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, today let it be known that you are God in Israel and I am your servant, and that at your word I have done all these things.

37 Answer me, Lord! Answer me so that this people will know that you, the Lord, are God and that you have turned their hearts back.’ Then the Lord’s fire fell…”
Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Yahweh, I have been reminded this week of my propensity to turn from You to other things and people, even myself, to sustain me just as generations of people before me have done. (Deuteronomy 4:23-27) Thank You for Your continued warnings (Exodus 34:12-17) and Your continued grace (1 Kings 18:37-39) as I navigate my brokenness in this world.

I know Your judgment is just and You rebuke those You love (Proverbs 13:24), so I shall accept my afflictions with gratitude (Psalm 119: 75-76). In my afflictions, give me life according to Your Word and teach me Your statutes. (Psalm 119:107-108) Lord, Your faithfulness, despite my brokenness, always astounds me. (1 Corinthians 1:9)

Yahweh, I ask for Your help in learning to discern Your voice from others. I ask for Your discipline (Hebrews 12:5-6) as I study Your Word and practice patience in waiting for Your answers to my prayers. (Psalm 62:1-2) I ask You for a heart that desires You and seeks Your counsel above all others, a heart like David’s who sought Your ways. (Acts 13:22)

Let me walk through this life with uprightness so that others who fear You may see me and rejoice and be strengthened in their faith. (Psalm 119: 74)
In Your Son’s name I pray, Amen.

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

When we are struggling deeply inside the griefs of sorrow, loss, and challenges beyond our abilities, we are easily tempted to only see our pain.

Lifting our head feels too difficult, let alone lifting our eyes to see another’s grief or to consider that our limited perspective is not the holistic view of the Lord God. But there comes a point in our suffering, where the intensity of the pain drives us either to surrender or choose to hoard bitterness like a miser who feeds upon it.

The widow in Elijah’s storyline found herself at this crossroads the day her son died. She had witnessed Elijah’s God caring for her, feeding her and her son in the midst of a multi-year famine, but still, it wasn’t enough for her to choose Yahweh as her God. The Lord did not bring her more abundance to help her eyes finally see and choose Him, He brought her a pain so great and a loss so deep, she simply must choose to either worship or walk away.

If you’ve experienced loss of some kind, how have you navigated these waters of decision? What factors have drawn you closer, pleading with you to surrender to the God whose “goodness and mercy” have continued to pursue you?

In what ways have you been tempted to turn away, trust yourself, and pull your pain ever-closer like a tattered blanket? In what ways do you sense the Lord calling you in this moment?
JOURNAL TWO

Elijah’s everyday faith, that grew over time as the Lord taught him to trust, is a great example of acting out our faith in daily life. The way Elijah speaks with the Lord while awaiting His instructions at the widow’s house is a great model for us.

When we feel the freedom to speak with the Lord as though He is a friend sitting across from us, we become actively engaged with Him and focus our thoughts on Him. Additionally, we see Elijah pause in anticipation of a response from the Lord. While it may not be an immediate response – in fact, Elijah spent years waiting for his next instructions – it is vital we intentionally listen for God’s voice when we speak with Him.

This helps us learn to discern His voice from others, including our own; learn patience, as God will answer us when He is ready and not a moment sooner. In actively listening for the Lord, we learn to trust Him regardless of our circumstances. As we seek God’s counsel each time we are faced with a decision, we learn to lean on His ways over our own more and more. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Insistently engaging God and seeking His counsel is something others will begin to see in our lives, just as the widow witnessed in Elijah. Consider whose faith-life has influenced your own. Praise God for their impact!

Ask the Lord to strengthen and increase your faith, making you aware of those around you who are being influenced by your walk with the Lord!

JOURNAL THREE

Humankind was made in God’s image. (Genesis 1:27) God created everything we see (Genesis 1:1-27). Being made in His image means that, because He is creative, we, too, have been blessed with creativity. When we use our creativity for His purposes, we reflect His glory back to Him and the world around us. This is true for every good aspect of our humanity.

Unfortunately, we often use what was intended to bring the Lord glory and instead wield its power to our detriment. The most obvious way we do this is through idolatry. (Jeremiah 2:5-9)

Idolatry in Elijah’s time was blatantly apparent with images they worshiped. Baal was the reigning “god” among king Ahab’s people, as well as Asherah, two universal gods of fertility. (1 Kings 16:31-33) While idolatry in our time covertly disguises itself, we are still sacrificing parts of ourselves in the name of gods that have no real power  like social media, cancel culture, approval of others, money, and image.

The prophets of Baal and Asherah who faced Elijah in 1 Kings 18:20-40 gave themselves over to something mankind created thinking it would give them ultimate power. When Elijah calls on the Lord, he knows that he himself is not capable of calling the fire, but God is outside of himself.

God was the Source of power, Elijah was meant to use his life to reflect God’s glory back to Him. What are we giving ourselves to that doesn’t have the power to sustain us like God? Which idols are your favorite?
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Posted in: Believe, Broken, Courage, Faith, Glory Tagged: comfort, glory, hope, power, prayer

Sketched XI Day 6 What Do You Have Against Me?

June 26, 2023 by Marietta Taylor Leave a Comment

Sketched XI Day 6 What Do You Have Against Me?

Marietta Taylor

June 26, 2023

Bold,Brave,Faith,Glory,God,Help,Hope

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Kings 17:17-24
Psalm 119:74-77
Mark 9:14-24
Romans 10:14-17

Elijah
Yahweh revealed Himself to the widow every day as He kept the flour jar plentiful and the oil flowing, just as He’d told me to speak to her. (1 Kings 17:8-16) She did not worship Him before (1 Kings 17:12) so I had hoped that through me, she would believe and worship the One True God.

Since starting my journey, I have come to know the Lord more deeply and I long for her to know Him just as I do. I’ve seen the shape of His sovereign heart as He led me to prophesy against Ahab’s wickedness, I’ve seen Him be enough in the never ending supply of basic necessities, and omnipotent as the God who commands even unclean birds to feed me.
There is none like Yahweh.

But now this tragedy has happened with her son. What she thinks of my God, she is placing on me. How Lord do I show through a dead son that You are still the truth she seeks? I have nothing against her and I don’t believe Yahweh does either. Though the gods she worships might be shifting shadows, my God is not. (James 1:17)  

I should believe without a doubt, but I cannot understand why, after such a grand display of power and faithfulness, this loss would befall her. Help my unbelief! (Mark 9:24) Only the Lord can fix this. I am the messenger and God’s vessel. May I hear and obey how He plans to bring new life to the seed of faith that was planted in her. (Matthew 17:20-21)

Widow
This God of Elijah’s. How can I trust Him? Yes, He showed great favor by not allowing me and my son to die that day I met Elijah by the city gate. (1 Kings 17:10-12) I began to think maybe He is truer and more powerful than my gods. But now, my son lies dead. Just like the Baal gods, Elijah’s God also put his anger at my sins on my son and sent Elijah here to kill him. (1 Kings 17:18)

I cannot take back my sins, but watching my son die, I wish I could. All I can do is weep over my son and how my shortcomings have surely caused his death. I feel this is the suffering I’ve earned, but I struggle to reconcile my sin with the loss of my son. Is this the right punishment? (Psalm 119:75) How can the man of God help me? Do I believe he or his God can do anything? Is He even willing?

Elijah
I have taken the boy and will go to the Lord in private to not harm what little faith the widow might still have. (Matthew 13:20-21) I fear the Lord and so I put my hope in His word, praying the widow will see and rejoice. (Psalm 119:74) “Lord my God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow I am staying with by killing her son?” (1 Kings 17:20) The Lord is not like the gods of Baal, but how can she know the truth of who my God is when the outcomes can look the same? How can I be reassured of that truth? 

Dare I be bold like Abraham (Genesis 22:1-18) and believe for that which has never been done? (Mark 9:23) What if the Lord does not do it? But…what if He does? Stretching myself over the boy three times, I pray, “Lord my God, please let this boy’s life come into him again!” (1 Kings 17:21) The Lord’s “faithful love comfort(s) me” (Psalm 119:76) and the boy’s life returned to him and he lived again! (1 Kings 17:22) 

Widow
My son lives! Elijah has done this!
No; my heart pulls back at those words. It is his God, his Yahweh. Recognition and realization of truth washes over me as my heart and voice affirm what my eyes have seen, “Now I know you are a man of God and the Lord’s word from your mouth is true. (1 Kings 17:24) Were my sins overlooked? Discarded? I do not know. But I know Elijah’s God gave me “a crown of beauty instead of ashes, festive oil instead of mourning, and splendid clothes instead of despair.” (Isaiah 61:3) Though my grief was great and my sins were before me, my joy overflows abundantly more. This God works so differently, so graciously. 

The gods I have followed all my life do not operate in truth and compassion. But this God, He had compassion on me and now my son lives. If I follow Yahweh’s instruction I will know the truth and I will LIVE. (Psalm 119:77) Blessed be Elijah whose beautiful feet brought the good news of The One True God. (Romans 10:15) Now I will tell of this God to my son, who lives because of Him! May my son also follow Him. 

Elijah
I wept as I saw the seed of faith grow in the widow; my own faith grew alongside hers. As she embraced Truth for the first time, I thrilled all the more in the veracity of Yahweh’s Name and character. Because I have delighted in God’s instruction, His compassion came to me by granting of my bold prayer (Psalm 119:77), solidifying my faith and growing hers. I think forward to our promised Messiah. He will be the Living Truth. (John 14:16) He will rescue us from all our sins and He will fulfill all the Lord has told us about Him. When He comes, we will worry about nothing for He will be God with us. But while we wait for the Promise, I will testify to all people of the unchanging truth of Yahweh, who continues to shape my heart as He has done for this widow and her son. 

A Note About Sketched

In Sketched themes, we imaginatively step 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 viewed God, themselves, and the world around them.

Perhaps we will find parts of our story reflected in theirs!

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Digging Deeper

I know, Lord, that your judgments are just and that you have afflicted me fairly.

May your faithful love comfort me as you promised your servant.

May your compassion come to me so that I may live, for your instruction is my delight.
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Posted in: Bold, Brave, Faith, Glory, God, Help, Hope Tagged: death, faith, hope, life, prayer

Sketched XI Day 2 One Light?: Digging Deeper

June 20, 2023 by Melodye Reeves Leave a Comment

Sketched XI Day 2 One Light?: Digging Deeper

Melodye Reeves

June 20, 2023

Adoring,Affectionate,Dwell,Joy,Know,Praise,Prayer

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "One Light?"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 16

A Miktam of David
1 Protect me, God, for I take refuge in you.
2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have nothing good besides you.”
3 As for the holy people who are in the land, they are the noble ones. All my delight is in them.
4 The sorrows of those who take another god for themselves will multiply; I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood, and I will not speak their names with my lips.
5 Lord, you are my portion and my cup of blessing; you hold my future.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
7 I will bless the Lord who counsels me— even at night when my thoughts trouble me.
8 I always let the Lord guide me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my whole being rejoices; my body also rests securely.
10 For you will not abandon me to Sheol; you will not allow your faithful one to see decay.
11 You reveal the path of life to me; in your presence is abundant joy; at your right hand are eternal pleasures.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Against whom or what is David asking God for protection? (verse 1)

David. That shepherd boy turned king. His name and story were a significant part of Israel’s religious and political history long after his reign. Bri’s Journey Study yesterday sketched him well as “… a king whose sinful humanity was undeniable, but who remained a man after God’s own heart, worshiping God alone.” It is he who penned this psalm.

Commentators are unsure of the original meaning of the psalm’s Hebrew title, “A Miktam of David.” So, without certainty of its title’s meaning, we read it and learn it is a prayer-like reflection of David. It centers on what he had come to know about his God and how this knowledge had so often brought him comfort. Verse 1 is a prayer for protection from an unidentified distress. Though it may leave us curious, it appears this psalm is more of a general prayer rather than a request regarding a specific situation or person. Herein lies its beauty.

David’s plea for protection is not about his circumstances. It is about his God! David’s confidence in God’s character isn’t conditional. The Lord is his refuge. Always. Although he is not identified, the writer of Psalm 91 repeats this sentiment. The psalmists saw refuge, not so much in a place but in a Person.

“The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say concerning the Lord, who is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2, emphasis mine) It doesn’t appear David was looking to God for protection from anyone or anything particular. Rather, He was requesting God Himself to be near, which is a reflection of his personal desire to abide (dwell) in God’s presence.

Just as Moses desired. (Psalm 90:1-4)
Just as Elijah desired. (1 Kings 19:11-13)

The Everyday Application

1) Against whom or what is David asking God for protection? (verse 1)

What a joy to remind myself and you, my Friend, that God is so present. It’s who He IS and who He has always been.

It’s the reason we can cry out to Him right along with David as if no time has transpired in these thousands of years. Emmanuel: God with us. (Isaiah 7:14) This is our confidence.

We are not facing a crisis too big. We are not too broken to approach Him with our request for His nearness. Jesus is our place of refuge. (Matthew 11:28-30)

There is no right or wrong time to plead with Him to receive us in our weariness or woundedness. When we cry out to Him, it isn’t necessary to define the who or the what in our prayers.

All we must know is this: The Lord will always be who and what we need most. It will never ever be about the circumstances behind our need. It will only and always be about the One to whom we go.

HE IS our hiding place, our song in the night, our deliverance.

Listen in to Selah’s “You Are My Hiding Place”!

The Original Intent

2) What is the importance of the declaration David made to the Lord? (verse 2)

In verse 2 David reminds himself of what he knows about the Lord and has confessed previously. In the Hebrew text, two different words are used for “Lord”. He repeats what he knows: The LORD (Yahweh, Exodus 3:11-15) is his Lord (Adonai, Blue Letter Bible) and is the only truly good thing in his life (Mark 14:60-62).

David has already declared Yahweh as his master. He is now rehearsing his very own declaration of dependence. He had pre-determined that amid his troubles he would speak the truth to himself about His God. It was a practice he observed throughout most of his life.

David does not underestimate the value of speaking to his own soul. Other psalm writers did the same by preaching songs to their souls. The sons of Korah were leaders of music in the tabernacle during the time of David’s reign.

Their prayers of reflection offer more insight into the relationship the Old Testament writers and singers had with God, their God. (Psalm 42:4-8) The musician Asaph led the people to sing, “Who do I have in heaven but you?” (Psalm 73:21-26)

The importance of this declaration is seen in David’s posture toward Yahweh. I have nothing good besides You. God was all the world to David. This didn’t mean David wasn’t aware of, or thankful for, his many other blessings. He had simply come to know God as incomparably greater than all other things in his life.

His LORD was the all-sufficient, all-satisfying joy, truth, and purpose of David’s life. (2 Samuel 7:18-24)

The Everyday Application

2) What is the importance of the declaration David made to the Lord? (verse 2)

Oh, my Sister, this declaration of David is ours too! His confession exalts the Creator God as the only God while acknowledging a personal connection to Him. It was David’s regular practice to consider the Lord as his personal source of peace and strength.

Many of us may have one of his well-known psalms memorized, “The LORD is my Shepherd. I have everything I need.” (Psalm 23)  David knew the Good Shepherd was his only truly good thing. His very best thing!

Jonathan Edwards said, “God is the highest good of the reasonable creature. The enjoyment of Him is our proper happiness, and is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied.

To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here: better than fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children, or the company of any or all earthly friends.

These are but shadows; but God is the substance.
These are but scattered beams; but God is the sun.
These are but streams; but God is the fountain.
These are but drops; but God is the ocean
.” (The Works of Jonathan Edwards, 17:437–38)

There is nothing more important in our lives than to practice dwelling in the presence of God by rehearsing who He constantly is.

The Original Intent

3) What necessary comparison is David making in verses 3-6?

David delighted to consider others who also shared in thirsting after God in the same way as himself. Again, we see the evidence of David’s confidence in the Lord as he chose to keep company with these.

In contrast to sincere worshippers, David pondered the false worship of the pagans to their idols. These traded worship of the true God for what they believed they would gain from following other gods. Sadly, they only received multiplied sorrows. David found their godlessness and despicable habits so distasteful he refused to mention their names. (verse 4)

Unlike them, Yahweh was David’s “portion”. He was ascribing to God the reward of a valued inheritance passed down to him by his family. His God was like a choice wine in a cup that brings great joy and pleasure to the one who drinks it. (verse 5 Isaiah 25:1-10)

He also recognized God as the One who supported him in his “lot in life”. (Proverbs 21:1) The life ordained for David was pleasant in as much as God was in it. The lines marking the boundaries of David’s inheritance had turned out to be good lines, offering him joy and pleasure because of Yahweh. (verse 6)

He viewed his inheritance as lovely, and he was pleasantly content with God who had provided so generously. These images of land and food communicate David’s feelings of peace, prosperity, and safety which were all grounded in his personal relationship with God.

The Everyday Application

3) What necessary comparison is David making in verses 3-6?

Psalm 2 is filled with the promises of inheritance made to David at his coronation. The blessing for us is that the promise is made to all of the children of God because of Jesus. (Acts 2:29-36)

David delighted in being in the presence of those who, like him, were set apart to be in communion with God. It’s good to remember the fellowship we have in the family of God as believers together following Jesus.

Elijah felt alone. Oh, but he wasn’t! The New Testament says sorrow isn’t limited to the unbeliever. The difference is our sorrow is temporary, and future glory is for all the saints! (1 Thessalonians 4:13)

We have a united hope that refreshes our souls amid whatever we face that brings us pain right now. The reason we rehearse the blessings of God is because it reminds us of our future inheritance.

The apostle Peter included David’s words from Psalm 34 to remind the believers to let their sure and certain hope be the bold testimony to those who are looking for a real, lasting kind of hope. (1 Peter 3:8-15)

Friend, it is a testimony to our God’s good sovereignty when our lives are filled with hope instead of despair or dread. It points to His glorious promise which WILL BE fulfilled because He is a promise-keeping God!

It may look like “the bad guys” or “the wrong side” is winning, but the enemy’s doom is sure. We have a never-failing bulwark WHO is the LORD of all creation. What is true about God is always true. His kingdom and rule are forever.

(Listen to “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God by Martin Luther sung by Matt Boswell)

Praise His name with me, my Friend, as we rejoice that our “boundary lines have fallen for us in pleasant places; indeed, we have a beautiful inheritance”! (2 Peter 1:5-11)

The Original Intent

4) David’s confidence does not come from his circumstances. How does his perspective shape his outlook? (verses 7-11)

David proclaims his trust in God even as he is praying, “I will bless… even at night.” (verse 7) He has purposed to put his confidence in his God whatever day or night brings. He is aware that negative thoughts may tempt him to despair, so he makes a commitment to preach to himself.

David makes a bold claim in verse 8 as he says he “always” lets the Lord guide him and “will not” be shaken. Other translations say he “constantly” or “continually” trusted the Lord. (biblehub.com) Attentive Bible students know David better than to think he was bragging about his ideal faith; he wrote too many psalms admitting his weakness, his doubt, and his fear to read a spirit of vanity into this psalm.

Based on prior knowledge of David’s struggles, he was not attempting to communicate that he had attained perfect trust in God. (Psalm 56:3) He was spotlighting God’s character! God had never failed to be a God he could trust. David rejoiced greatly and rested securely because of who God is!

This was the reminder to himself, “For You will not abandon me to Sheol; You will not allow Your faithful one to see decay. You reveal the path of life to me in Your presence is abundant joy; at Your right hand are eternal pleasures.” (verses 9-10) 

 When faced with difficult circumstances, Elijah began to tell himself all the wrong things. (1 Kings 19:10)

Thinking on God’s character brought David the perspective he needed to face the potential struggles to come.

The Everyday Application

4) David’s confidence does not come from his circumstances. How does his perspective shape his outlook? (verses 7-11)

Can you hear David’s heart, sweet Sister? I really can. Maybe it’s because I’m going through a season of heartache right now in which I simply need to know a few things for certain, beyond my circumstances.

This is David’s confidence; He was persuaded that his God was holding him fast forever. This is our confidence, as well. Paul reminded Timothy to keep this truth in mind as he suffered, or when he heard of Paul’s suffering. (2 Timothy 1:9-12)

We may wonder and doubt and even have moments of fear. Neither Elijah nor David were strangers to all of these feelings. But we must continue to preach to our souls the truth of who God is. On every page of our story as believers is the watermark of His goodness and love.

It isn’t about our circumstances. It’s about our God!!

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God;
born of his Spirit, washed in His blood.

Perfect communion, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight.
Angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Savior am happy and blessed.
Watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

This is MY story,
this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.
This is MY story,
this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

(Listen to the Getty version of this classic hymn!)

Tags :
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December 1, 2023

Sketched XI Day 1
Journey Study

Despair settled over me like a too-heavy yoke.

I’d secured my sandals, slung a pack of provisions over one shoulder, and caught up my walking staff. Then, with hand on door, I froze, unable to push through the dread into the sunlight outside.

I can’t do this, my mind protested. I’m only one man.

Go, the small voice whispered.

Groaning, I straightened my shoulders and set out to Samaria.
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Posted in: Adoring, Affectionate, Dwell, Joy, Know, Praise, Prayer Tagged: beloved, comfort, daughter, father, prayer, worship

The GT Weekend! ~ Worship XI Week 3

June 17, 2023 by Katelyn Palmer Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Worship XI Week 3

Katelyn Palmer

June 17, 2023

Adoring,Affectionate,Captivating,GT Weekend,Hope

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

This Week's Journeys

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Friday's DD

Pray His Words Back To Him!

Psalm 119:149-154

In keeping with Your faithful love, hear my voice. Lord, give me life in keeping with Your justice. Those who pursue evil plans come near; they are far from your instruction. You are near, Lord, and all your commands are true. Long ago I learned from Your decrees that You have established them forever.

Resh
Consider my affliction and rescue me, for I have not forgotten Your instruction. Champion my cause and redeem me; give me life as You promised
Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Yahweh, You are the greatest teacher. (Psalm 32:8) You are wise (Proverbs 3:19); You are loving (1 John 4:8), You are honorable (Revelation 4:11); You are just (Psalm 89:14). Yahweh, You taught me to learn from other godly people, as well; to leverage their tough seasons of life in order to avoid similar mistakes and to understand that I am not alone in my struggle. Hear our voices as we cry out to You, Lord, for help and in praise! 

My strength is so weak, unbelievably weak, and yet I still try to do it on my own.
Forgive me.

God, I need You desperately. I want You to use me, grow me, keep me humble.
Please help me obey.

I don’t deserve the blessed life I live; I am overwhelmed with gratitude!
You are so kind.

Lead me in Your ways today, Lord. Keep me from wandering away distracted from the path You have laid. (Psalm 16:11) May I follow You more closely (Matthew 16:24), love You more dearly (Matthew 22:37), obey You more willingly (John 14:15), and trust You more fully.

Lord, I am filled with thanks as I consider the blessings and lessons You have bestowed upon me. I am overwhelmed by your relentless pursuit of me.
In Your Son’s name I pray, Amen.

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

Psalm 139 tells us God knows our thoughts from afar and our words before we utter them. While this may feel intimidating or even shameful, because we know our thoughts are not always pure, it provides a fuller picture of God’s vast love for us.

There is none who knows us like He does, still He sacrificed His Son on the cross to redeem us. (Isaiah 43:1) I cannot imagine a love greater than this. God is with us in every moment of this life; we have only to turn to Him. The image of turning away from a neighbor offering kindness, slamming the door in her face, is heartbreaking.

How much more so, then, when we realize that neighbor has God’s face? Yet He does not leave. (Isaiah 43:2) In fact, He invites us over and over again to give Him our pain, our questions, our doubts, our fears, our frustrations in return for His peace, love, grace, mercy, confidence, and strength.

He whispers love into our dark places, because shouting is for fools. His magnificence speaks for itself. (Isaiah 40:26) The devil shouts, he puts on a show, because he has no real power. Thus, his greatest influence is in distraction. How is the prince of darkness distracting you from God’s truth, today?

JOURNAL TWO

This week, our study on Qof and Resh, verses 145-160, hit me like a ton of bricks in the most wonderful way. Sara brought me to tears with her transparency and vulnerability, a very scary thing to do indeed. Oh, but how I could relate to her story in so many ways! This is the beauty of our testimonies!

We are oftentimes more alike than we are different, but when we use filters and choreographed poses and select only the most pristine pictures to share with the world, we abandon those opportunities to connect with others, cultivating our own loneliness.

In addition to a beautiful example of vulnerability, we were shown the power of divine perspective and the power of hope, both of which are anchored in God’s Word. In using a divine lens to assess our lives and analyze the situations in which we find ourselves, we are better able to see God’s purpose in allowing a particular trial.

He could be teaching, protecting, exercising judgment, refining, preparing, and more. Sometimes literally clutching His Word to our chest, figuratively tucking it into our hearts is all we have strength to do, but through His Word, the Spirit comforts our very souls. He is mighty in our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

JOURNAL THREE

To understand the treasure that is God’s Word (Psalm 119:162), we must choose daily to seek Him, to study Scripture, and let the Holy Spirit soften our hearts. In Psalm 119:164, the psalmist says, and not for the first time, that they praise God many times a day (7 to be exact!).

The beautiful thing about regular, authentic worship is that it not only brings glory to God, but it changes our perspective. There are days when praising God even once seems like a hardship, but what we must realize is that in the act of praising, the act of worshiping, we find healing, peace, and joy. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Just as God doesn’t need our prayers in order to know our need (Matthew 6:8), He also doesn’t need our praise to know He is the great I AM. Yet again, His instruction is for our good and His glory.

Furthermore, when we intertwine our cries for help with gratitude for God’s character, we align our hearts with His, allowing us to recognize that God is good even if our circumstances aren’t and reinforcing our faith and confidence in His promise of deliverance.

Our expectations are then founded in God’s character rather than our own desires and ideas of how a prayer should be answered.
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Worship XI Day 15 Shin & Tav: Digging Deeper

June 16, 2023 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

Worship XI Day 15 Shin & Tav: Digging Deeper

Rebecca Adams

June 16, 2023

Attention,Captivating,Covenant,Freedom,Fullness,gentle

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Shin & Tav"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 119:161-176

שׁ Shin
161 Princes have persecuted me without cause, but my heart fears only your word. 162 I rejoice over your promise like one who finds vast treasure. 163 I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your instruction. 164 I praise you seven times a day for your righteous judgments. 165 Abundant peace belongs to those who love your instruction; nothing makes them stumble. 166 Lord, I hope for your salvation and carry out your commands. 167 I obey your decrees and love them greatly. 168 I obey your precepts and decrees, for all my ways are before you.

ת Tav
169 Let my cry reach you, Lord; give me understanding according to your word. 170 Let my plea reach you; rescue me according to your promise. 171 My lips pour out praise, for you teach me your statutes. 172 My tongue sings about your promise, for all your commands are righteous. 173 May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. 174 I long for your salvation, Lord, and your instruction is my delight. 175 Let me live, and I will praise you; may your judgments help me. 176 I wander like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commands.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What is to be consumed in “Shin”? (verses 161-168)

The Hebrew letter “Shin” denotes “consuming, devouring, or eating” as the shape of its letter “resembles flames of fire and teeth”. (Tanya Remkiv)

Unique from the other octets of Psalm 119, Shin records no specific prayerful pleas whatsoever. In the absence of requests, we glimpse the beauty left in the wake of our desires being consumed by the God who is Himself Satisfaction and Delight.

Shin is marked by the quiet, calm, yet firmly decided insistent knowing and shared intimacy with the One for whom every octet has been written.

Listen for this sweetness in the psalmist’s carefully chosen words, “…My heart fears only Your Word.” (verse 161) “I rejoice over Your promise like one who finds vast delight.” (verse 162) “I love Your instruction.” (verse 163) “I praise You seven times a day.” (verse 164)

Go read the remaining 4 verses of this octet and see the pattern the psalmist models of quiet, decided delight! Fear, anger, anxiety, pride, the desire for control, insistence on one’s own way, complaint, and all other forms of self that actively fight against perfectly satisfying love have been consumed and drowned out by the Lord’s ways, wisdom, and good presence.

Praise, rejoicing, adoration, peace, and delight have taken their place; there is secret joy here!

The Everyday Application

1) What is to be consumed in “Shin”? (verses 161-168)

In reflecting on these delightful verses of praise, I recognize four responses in myself.

1) I feel drawn in to the intimacy found between the psalmist and the Satisfying Savior.

2) I feel encouraged and urged forward to continue seeking the depths of relationship available to me in the Lord.

3)
I’m convicted to use my prayers not only for pleading and interceding, but also for praising and rejoicing.

4) I’m reminded of the pure delight and peace found in simply basking in knowing and trusting the goodness of the Lord.

One of my favorite verses in the psalter is little known and rarely quoted, but it speaks volumes of the relationship that is readily accessible to all who would give themselves to knowing the Lord God through His Word. “I do not get involved with things too great or too wondrous for me. Instead, I have calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like a weaned child.” (Psalm 131:1-2)

This level of depth in trusting relationship with the Lord does not come overnight or by reading snippet verses on social media or even regularly attending church or listening to excellent biblical podcasts. It is only slowly discovered over time of intentioned pursuit of the Holy One by meeting regularly, daily, yes, but moment by moment, in the secret place of the soul known only to the Holy Creator and the Beloved Creation.

Have you met Him here? He’s waiting to be known and consume your fears, your sin, your vile things, and draw you into blissful satisfaction that knows no bounds!

The Original Intent

2) What is the theme of “Tav”? (verses 169-176)

“
Let my cry reach You, Lord; give me understanding according to your word. Let my plea reach You; rescue me according to Your promise.” (verses 169-170) Do you hear the psalmist’s urgent fervor in his pleading? Do you feel his desperate longing for the One he has learned to love and trust with all that is within him?

Read his plea again until you’ve connected with his prayer in a way that mirrors some part of your own desperation. Have you ever felt as if your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling? Have you ever begged the Lord for His ear and attention while sobbing on the floor or screaming at the sky or with shoulders shaking and fists clenched? The psalms are filled with moments of raw honesty when the one praying is pleading for justice, begging to be seen, grasping at Hope that the Lord will be faithful to answer, but this is not the theme of this octet.

It isn’t desperation that drives the author’s words, it’s trusting dependence. The author knows exactly what is on the other side of the door on which he bangs, and he can’t wait for it to open because of the deep love he has found in knowing the Lord God.

There is none who satisfies, as the previous octet declares, but there is none other in all creation on whom the psalmist would rather lean for utter dependence in every season the Lord God, His Word, and His wise ways. On the heels of his pleas, “Let my cry reach You… Let my plea reach You…”, (verses 169-170) the author can’t stop the grin spreading across his face or the joy shooting from his hands, “My lips pour out praise… My tongue sings…”. (verses 171-172)

The Lord and His ways have proven a faithful anchor and steady harbor in which to moor his life and he chooses praise and worship for the gracious goodness of the steadfast Lord.

The Everyday Application

2) What is the theme of “Tav”? (verses 169-176)

Where does your heart lean when you think of the Lord? How have you seen Him prove faithful, steady, and true? When was the last time you banged in His “door” just to shout His praise and declare His goodness and pour out your heartfelt praise? When was the last time you shared His praise on whatever platform the Lord has given you whether it’s social media, friendships, or simply standing in line at the check out stand?

Jerry Bridges is quoted as saying, “And yet who of us are fit to praise, except those whom God has taught? The ‘new song’ ill accords with the old heart.” The psalmist spent 176 verses declaring what he had been taught by the Lord’s Word, commands, statutes, precepts, and ways. The end result was a giddy tongue that delighted in singing of spontaneous praise that could not be held back.

Herein is rich encouragement for each of us regardless of where we are in our faith journey. If you’re looking for more joy and delight, no matter how much you have or have not already experienced, the answer is found in allowing the Lord to teach you more of His ways.

How to begin? By reading His Word! (Psalm 119:9) Want an excellent place to start? Try Psalms! Read 1 to 150 and then start again!

The Original Intent

3) What tension exists in the final verse of the psalm? (verse 176)

Have you ever felt caught between “both and” or the often difficult and murky “time between”? For me, I most often find myself in the “now and not yet” where I often cry out “I believe! Help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

This tension was also the dwelling place for the psalmist of 119, and as he closed his alphabet song intended to teach and train and remind himself and his son of truth, he grew reflective of this reality.

He had penned 175 verses declaring the kind, gracious goodness of the Lord and His ways, but also spoke frequently of his own passionate desire to follow those ways and be forever marked by them. He often boldly declared how much he loved the Lord and His wisdom while others spurned God. (verse 161)

Yet, in the very last verse, in keeping with the Tav theme of utter dependence, the psalmist states, “I wander like a lost sheep.” He recognized his own very desperate need for a shepherd God.

No amount of love for God, no matter how great or impassioned, could keep him from straying from the Lord. He was human. He erred. He wandered. Though claiming a love that would outlast all others, he knew in his heart, he was still prone to wander.

His final plea is stunning, “seek Your servant”. He cast himself wholly upon the Person of God. Not even God’s laws could seek him out and bring him home to the heart of God, only the Shepherd could seek what was lost.

Turning full circle, knowing with confidence that he would surely wander, but would certainly be sought after and brought home, he penned his final words in light of his assured reinstatement and continued growth in deepening relationship with the Holy One, “for I do not forget Your commands.”

The Everyday Application

3) What tension exists in the final verse of the psalm? (verse 176)

Doesn’t this raw, tender testimony give you hope and comfort?! It surely does for me, because, sisters, I know I’m a wanderer.

Oh, I’ve learned there is nothing sweeter or better than my Jesus. I will trust Him for all my days and want nothing more than to sit and know Him more and more; He is that precious. But, like the psalmist, I also wrestle grievously.

With doubt. With fear. With lust for (perceived) control, or (my version of) perfection, or worshiping my schedule, or my children’s wants, or the stability of my marriage relationship or 100 other idols that deserve absolutely nothing compared to the Lord God. Still, I know I will wander, chasing them down only to be left empty handed, disappointed, and frustrated.

How encouraging it is to know my status with the Lord, and the stability of our relationship doesn’t heave and sway based on my ability to follow all the magnificent, wonderful ways of the Lord I truly love so much.

The Lord knows I will leave Him. He also knows I will long to be back at His side, but not as much as He longs for me to be more fully His. He loves me enough to chase me down, not recklessly mind you, for nothing the Lord does is reckless, but with a passionate pursuit that refuses to relinquish His relationship with me.

With Yahweh, Sisters, breathe this gracious truth in with me, I am safe. You are safe.

Every single time I’ve wandered away and the Lord has brought me home, I’ve sung His praises all the louder and decided a little more firmly that He alone is worthy of my worship and, like the psalmist, I’m intent to “not forget Your commands”!

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Journey Study

Faithful and dedicated servant.
A wandering sheep needing rescue, understanding, and assistance.

Which one am I?
Both.

Though redeemed, my flesh still wins some battles. This makes me grateful for God’s Word, which is “profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
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Posted in: Attention, Captivating, Covenant, Freedom, Fullness, gentle Tagged: forgiveness, joy, peace, prayer, rejoicing, relationship

Worship XI Day 15 Shin & Tav

June 16, 2023 by Marietta Taylor Leave a Comment

Worship XI Day 15 Shin & Tav

Marietta Taylor

June 16, 2023

Amazed,Broken,Captivating,Faith,Fellowship,Glory,God,Grace,Heart

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 119:161-176 
2 Timothy 3:10-17
Psalm 23
Romans 7:14-25

Faithful and dedicated servant.
A wandering sheep needing rescue, understanding, and assistance. 

Which one am I?
Both.

Though redeemed, my flesh still wins some battles. This makes me grateful for God’s Word, which is “profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) 

ש Shin means to consume, destroy, eat. 

“Our God is a consuming fire.” He purifies and refines us. Therefore, He will “consume” our idols and destroy strongholds that exist in our lives. It is the truth of the Word that burns up anything that is against His will, promises and plans. 

“I rejoice over Your promise like one who finds vast treasure.” (Psalm 119:162)

We know God’s promises by reading His Word. We can claim them when we belong to Him. From my prayer journal:

Lord, You promise to strengthen, help, and uphold me. (Isaiah 41:10) You promise to keep me in perfect peace if I fix my mind on You. (Isaiah 26:3) You’ve said You will never leave nor forsake me. (Deuteronomy 31:8) I love this because, sadly, I tend to wander like a lost sheep. But You will never lose me. You said You would instruct and teach me, showing me what to do. (Psalm 32:8) I praise You Lord for loving me through these and other promises. 

We should praise Him continually for all His promises because “The Lord is faithful in all His words and gracious in all His actions“. (Psalm 145:13)  

“I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love Your instruction.” (Psalm 119:163)

Abundant peace belongs to those who love Your instruction; nothing makes them stumble. (Psalm 119:165)

Let me share two different perspectives of Shin. 

Father God, thank You that Your grace is sufficient for me and your strength is made perfect in my weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) I repent of the sins of boasting, worrying, doubting, and deceiving. I seek Your grace and forgiveness, for without it I would surely perish. I love You and I know You delight in Your children. I pray that You will cleanse me, praising You in advance for Your mercy and grace. 

Lord, You commanded we walk before You and be blameless. I must intimately know You and be instructed in Your ways to do this. I need Your mercy and grace because it is impossible in my own strength…but Your Holy Spirit lives in me. I’ve given the throne of my heart to You. And I read, study, and follow Your Word, which allows me to grow in faith and toward blamelessness. I have no worries or anxiousness because I know You are guiding me. 

The Word is “able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:15) I pray we allow God’s Word to burn up and destroy our desire for anything that doesn’t line up with His instructions for our lives. Let it purify, refine, and rescue us from our own flesh. Psalm 23:3 says, “He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me.” May His Word lead us where He would have us go. 

ת Tav means mark or seal.

Seals protect and preserve. Jesus bears the seal of God. (John 6:27) When we accept the free gift of salvation, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, preserved for our entry into heaven and God’s holy and glorious presence. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

While salvation is a one time event, transforming us into new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17), the sanctification that happens after is a lifelong process. It is how God grows us and teaches us His ways. 

“Let my cry reach You, Lord; give me understanding according to Your word.” (Psalm 119:169)

John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.” God teaches us by His Word. We gain godly wisdom and understanding by reading, studying, and following these truths.  By this, we also know we need the Lord to save us from our own sinful ways. We cry out and He answers. 

“My lips pour out praise, for You teach me Your statutes. My tongue sings about Your promise, for all Your commands are righteous.” (Psalm 119:171-172) 

I wrote this prayer in my journal:           

Lord Jesus, I praise You for setting me free from the tight clothes of this world to be dressed in Your righteousness instead. 

I don’t exactly remember the circumstances here, but my journal entry speaks to intentionally choosing something godly over something worldly. None of us has any righteousness besides the righteousness of Jesus. (Romans 3:10-12, Romans 5:19) As we continue to choose the godly way, we are sanctified all the more. From this sanctification springs our worship of the One who continues to lovingly transform us. 

“I wander like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I do not forget Your commands.” (Psalm 119:176)

We will wander from what is right and good, because we still have a sin nature. (Romans 7:14-23) But praise God, He always knows where we are and what state we are in and He will rescue us. (Romans 7:24-25)

I was once lost. Now I am found, loved, sealed, and transformed by The One whose Spirit lives in me!

“Blessing and honor and glory and power be to the one seated on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” (Revelation 5:13)

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Digging Deeper

Fear, anger, anxiety, pride, the desire for control, insistence on one’s own way, complaint, and all other forms of self that actively fight against perfectly satisfying love have been consumed and drowned out by the Lord’s ways, wisdom, and good presence.

Praise, rejoicing, adoration, peace, and delight have taken their place; there is secret joy here!
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Posted in: Amazed, Broken, Captivating, Faith, Fellowship, Glory, God, Grace, Heart Tagged: awe, compassion, Consume, love, prayer

The GT Weekend! ~ Worship XI, Week 2

June 10, 2023 by Katelyn Palmer Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Worship XI, Week 2

Katelyn Palmer

June 10, 2023

Adoration,Design,Glory,Heart,Mercy,Scripture

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
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and worshiping the Creator who
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Monday
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Friday's DD

Pray His Words Back To Him!

Proverbs 2:1-6

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, listening closely to wisdom and directing your heart to understanding; furthermore, if you call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Yahweh, this week I have seen transformation in my perspective and mindset. I see the power of Your wisdom and pray You would “deal with your servant based on Your faithful love; teach me Your statutes!” (Psalm 119:124)

Lord, I long to run back to Your arms when I stumble, “hurrying, not hesitating” (Psalm 119:60) as I seek Your forgiveness, grace, love, and wisdom. Make my spirit like a new wineskin, ready to accept the life-giving wine of the gospel. (Luke 5:37-39) Teach me, God, to praise you in the storm and “sing about Your faithful love forever.” (Psalm 89:1)

I know Your ways are above my own (Isaiah 55:8) and there is purpose in Your every move. El Shaddai, You are enough! You have created this world with its mountaintops and flourishing valleys, its myriad grains of sand in all the deserts, its vast oceans and beautiful waterfalls. Lord, there is none like You! Your Word is honey (Psalm 119:103) and Your faithfulness is for all generations (Psalm 119:90).

You, my Lord, are the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords! (Revelation 19:16) It is in Your name that I pray, Amen.

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

Psalm 119 beautifully illustrates the joy we receive from God’s wisdom, His instruction, and His character, but its length can be quite intimidating. A simple tactic to ensure we get the most out of our studying is to break the psalm into smaller chunks and meditate deeply.

In our first study of the week, we looked at sections Khet, Tet, & Yod (verses 57-80), where the psalmist touches on confession (verses 59, 67, 71, 75), worship (verses 57, 62, 64, 68, 72, 74), prayer (verses 58, 66, 78-80), and delight (verses 70, 72, 77). As we see how to confess our sins and the perspective we should have as we handle their consequences, we must also note the psalmist’s urgency in returning to the Lord, “I hurried, not hesitating to keep your commands.” (verse 60)

The longer we continue in our sin or hide our faces in shame, the more time we allow the enemy to put greater distance between us and God, making our fight back to the righteous path increasingly more difficult. After the psalmist is delivered from his afflictions, he genuinely worships the Lord for being true to His word and for His wise and just handling of the psalmist’s sin.

We must seek to maintain the same perspective when we face our own afflictions, knowing there is purpose in what God chooses to allow in our lives. (verse 71)

JOURNAL TWO

The second section of Psalm 119 we covered this week was Kaph, Lamed, & Mem in verses 81-104. Immediately, the psalmist speaks of his exhaustion in waiting for the Lord to answer his prayers.

It is easy to grow weary in trusting and waiting as God operates on His own time and in His own way, which requires two things from us: patience (Psalm 27:14) and faith (Hebrews 11:1). In the waiting, God will renew our spirit and increase our wisdom (verses 92-93, verses 97-100). In leaning into faith, we tear down the limits we place on God’s power and become more adept at discerning His answers to our prayers. (Romans 12:2)

Upon reading further, we see the psalmist is still in trouble, feeling surrounded by the wicked and deceitful. (verses 85-87) We may feel this way right now in our lives. When the arrogant and deceitful appear to have the upper hand and we feel them closing in on our lives, perhaps spreading lies about us just as the psalmist experienced, we are not left defenseless.

We are to follow his example and center ourselves on the promises of the Lord. (verses 94-95) If we practice leaning into the Lord in the midst of our storms, He will bring true understanding to our hearts; there is no greater gift than the Lord’s wisdom, which straightens our paths and brings blessings to not only ourselves, but those around us. 

JOURNAL THREE

We ended our week studying Nun, Samek, & Ayin in verses 105-128. These sections highlight the essence of the book of Psalms. I delight in how quickly the psalmist shifts from lamenting to praising to rejoicing and back again.

How accurately this reflects real life! In every cycle of trials, praise, and deliverance the Lord is ready to patiently and kindle teach us wisdom. As we embrace this gift, He draws us closer to His heart and molds us more closely into the image of Christ in preparation for His return.

The book of Psalms teaches us how to pray, how to see God’s light in our struggle, and that it’s okay not to have it all together. Life is messy, complex, painful, and challenging; God asks us to bring it all to Him.

In Psalm 119 we discover God as our light (verse 105), our source of life (verses 107 and 116), our shield and hope (verse 114),  our protector (verse 119), our source of wisdom (verse 125), and ever-faithful God (verse 124). When this broken world becomes too much, center yourself on His truth and rest in the knowledge that He is enough (Psalm 46:1-2) and we are safe in Him (Isaiah 41:10).

Tags :
adore,hope,prayer,scripture,teach,worship
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Mission Day 5 Living On Mission

May 12, 2023 by Malinda Fugate Leave a Comment

Mission Day 5 Living On Mission

Malinda Fugate

May 12, 2023

church,Faith,Focus,Follow,Grace,Journey

Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 28:16-20
Acts 1:1-11
Romans 10:8-15
Romans 12:1-8
1 Samuel 12:23-24

Eleven men trekked up the mountain to meet their Teacher. For three years, they had devoted themselves in discipleship to the Son of God. Now, after witnessing the miracle of His death (Matthew 27) and resurrection (Matthew 28:1-10),
they were about to receive a life-changing assignment.  

They were slightly out of breath when they reached the top of a familiar ledge and saw Him, Jesus, their Friend and Savior. Their hearts overflowed with worship, but some also doubted. The road they’d traveled had been long, full of miracles and mystery. Suddenly, each man fell silent as Jesus spoke.

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

These instructions, often called The Great Commission, would direct every day of the rest of their lives. As they shared the good news of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, more people knew God’s love and understood His powerful forgiveness and salvation. These new believers also received the same commissioning call to share this gospel message. The new disciples would then make more disciples, spreading the message far and wide, to the ends of the earth, generation after generation. 

They were given a mission. Though we didn’t walk the dusty roads of ancient Israel alongside Christ, we, too, are disciples. His words were recorded for a reason because we’ve also been assigned these instructions.

Often, we think of “missions” as traveling to a distant land to deliver sermons and meet physical needs. Intimidating visions of missionaries living far from the comforts of home persuade us to stick to something safer. Meanwhile, we regard people in vocational ministry as the disciple-makers, and we frequently join them for an event like an after-school program, outreach to the unhoused, or a supply collection for the local pregnancy center. All of these are good things, but they don’t fulfill the Lord’s Great Commission.

The key word is disciple.
Discipleship involves a great deal of time and dedication, much like being an apprentice. The disciples who walked with Jesus devoted their entire lives to serving and learning to be like Him. Deeper than students, they were also Christ’s friends. Their relationship with the Lord transformed their hearts. We are called not only to share the words of God’s story, but to create and nurture disciples, followers of Christ who dedicate their entire lives to deeply knowing Him. To do so, we are required to be disciples ourselves.

When we live out the love of Christ, God in us puts the gospel on display in remarkable ways. Demonstrating God’s Word speaks to the heart as well as the mind, a testament to His truth. The apostle Paul wrote a letter to the church in Colossae explaining discipleship as life in community. In Colossians 3:12-17, he describes compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness. Teaching and worshiping together as a community are key, as are peace and gratitude. 

God gives each of His disciples unique gifts and purpose. (Ephesians 2:10 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-31) The pages of the Bible are full of ordinary people living for the Lord, like Joseph, Esther, Priscilla and Aquila, or the woman at the well.

Their mission was to love their neighbors.
Their tools were the abilities and experiences God gave them. 

Similarly, we can make disciples right where God places us, with what He’s given us, when we’re filled with and empowered by His Holy Spirit, which comes through true repentance from our sin and faith in Jesus as our Savior from the deadly consequences of sin. As we tell the story of Christ’s love and salvation, we care for relationships, modeling God’s relationship with each of us. Through this, we can bring others into the Lord’s community. Our family, coworkers, neighbors, and friends are right here, and they need Jesus just like we do.

Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth telling them to “Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. Do everything in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14) This tells us we must ditch the notion our discipleship mission is an event or project; instead, it’s a lifestyle. Paul explained to the Romans that we are to serve God with every ounce of our being; our bodies are a living sacrifice to Him. (Romans 12:1-2) Our mission is in every moment. 

Like Jesus, our entire lives are made to emanate the love of God and the message of the Gospel when we surrender to His ways being lived out in us! We demonstrate this by consistently caring, listening, and being a friend. Praying for our neighbors is an incredible way to faithfully serve as God transforms lives. As we genuinely invest, the Lord will provide natural conversations as means of sharing the Gospel authentically. When our everyday living matches the words we share, we powerfully display the good news.

Dear friend, I invite you to live out the assignment God has given you, right where He’s placed you, with the gifts He’s given you. May you live with so much of His love that the people around you see the Lord in all you do. Pray for your community as you nurture relationships, seeing people through the eyes of Christ. We’ll watch as He moves and delight in being part of His incredible mission. 

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hope,mission,prayer,purpose,real life
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Sister, may the desire of our hearts be like Paul: that our confession of Christ would be from a sincere heart that would inspire other people to come to know God in their hearts and truly be saved!
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Mission Day 2 Praying For Purpose: Digging Deeper

May 9, 2023 by Merry Ohler Leave a Comment

Mission Day 2 Praying For Purpose: Digging Deeper

Merry Ohler

May 9, 2023

Neighbor,Purpose,Rescue,Shepherd

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Praying For Purpose"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 9:35-38

35 Jesus continued going around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness. 36 When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What is the “good news of the kingdom” Jesus preached? (verse 35)

Jesus Christ was the Son of the living God (Matthew 6:13-20), Emmanuel (God With Us, Isaiah 7:14), Messiah (John 4:25-26), and King (Zechariah 9:9). Fully God, wrapped fully in flesh, came to earth to bridge the gap sin had caused between created beings and their Creator God. Promised from the moment the Lord God dealt with the introduction of sin in the garden of Eden, the Saviour had been prophesied to God’s chosen family over and over throughout all of time. Every part of Jewish history pointed toward the fulfillment of promise and prophecy.

The “good news of the kingdom” that Jesus would one day preach in person was echoed in every page of Scripture. From that initial curse of Satan and promise that the woman’s offspring would crush him beneath His divine heel (Genesis 3:14-15), to the law delivered to Moses on the mountaintop (Exodus 20-24; 31-35), to the sign of Jonah and his three days in the belly of the great fish (Jonah 1:9-2:10), and countless other types and historical arrows pointing straight to the promised Saviour: Jesus Christ.

The good news of the kingdom Jesus preached was that the promise was indeed fulfilled; their long awaited Saviour had come, and Jesus was He! The law served its intended purpose: to illustrate what sin was, show the holiness of God and the utter un-holiness of people, and demonstrate their desperate need for a Saviour.

They didn’t need to keep trying to save themselves by their own merit, or by tiptoeing their way around countless additional rules manufactured by people and tacked on to God’s law. Just as promised in the moment the serpent was sentenced, Jesus came to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:13-20) in the way that human beings never would (Romans 3:21-26), and He did it perfectly.

The Everyday Application

1) What is the “good news of the kingdom” Jesus preached? (verse 35)

As a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, it can be embarrassing to admit that the simplicity of the gospel, or the “good news of the kingdom” can be challenging to easily share. When I consider the overarching story of the Gospel written through every page, chapter and book of the Bible, sometimes my words get jumbled. It all seems too big, too wonderful, too miraculous to share in simple terms. But the Holy Spirit is faithful to remind me that the reality of the wonderful mystery of the gospel is simple enough for a child to understand and rich enough to change every aspect in my life, and the lives of all people, if they choose to receive it.

When there is an opportunity to share the gospel, the Holy Spirit will work with us to communicate the good news; we can bring glory to God by sharing the gospel with believers, too. We all need to hear and preach the good news, daily! The good news of the kingdom is this: there is a holy, righteous God, and we can have a personal relationship with Him because of His Son, Jesus Christ. Because of His Word, the Bible, I know I can never do enough, be enough, say enough or give enough to earn my salvation or pay the price for my sins. (Ephesians 2:4)

There is no list of rules or behaviors I can follow to prove my holiness, or right the wrongs I’ve committed. I am a sinner, and I know this because God’s law shows me what sin is. But Jesus Christ, the son of the living God, came to earth as a man. He lived a perfect, sinless life, then laid down His life when He was crucified on a cross to pay the price for my sins and the sins of all people, was buried in a tomb and was resurrected to bodily life three days later. He is now seated at the right hand of the Father, and He also lives through me because I have put all my trust in Him.

This good news changes everything about my life, because it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. (Galatians 2:20-21) 

The Original Intent

2) What is the significance of “sheep without a shepherd,” and why did Jesus feel compassion for the crowds of people? (verse 36)

The reference of crowds of people being compared to sheep without a shepherd would not have been lost on the original readers of Matthew’s gospel. Shepherding was common in that region and age, and the characteristics of sheep would have been inferred and understood easily.

Jesus, and those with Him, knew that sheep are completely dependent upon their shepherd for survival. They knew a shepherd provides for his sheep in every way, from caring for the sheep’s wool and ensuring there are no pests or infestations, to maintaining the sheep’s hooves and ensuring they are able to move without injury or interference. A shepherd leads his sheep to pastures with suitable grazing, protects his flock from predators, and goes after sheep that wander off.

Sheep have strong flocking tendencies, and if one sheep begins to wander, the rest will follow…even if the wandering sheep falls into a ravine or off a cliff. This is why it is so important for the shepherd to retrieve the wayward sheep; it is for that sheep’s safety, but it is also to prevent the rest of the flock from following their fellow sheep into danger.

When Jesus saw the crowds of people, He recognized their humanity, their confusion, and their hopelessness. The Good Shepherd knew that without faithful shepherding, the people were vulnerable and in danger of falling prey to false teaching and a false Gospel. (John 10:11-18)

The Everyday Application

2) What is the significance of “sheep without a shepherd,” and why did Jesus feel compassion for the crowds of people? (verse 36)

Shepherding may not be common in our culture, but it doesn’t require much to look around and recognize the hopelessness, fear, and dejection our peers without Christ feel, does it? Can you imagine navigating a devastating loss, terminal diagnosis, broken marriage, financial ruin, or other earth-shattering life change apart from your Good Shepherd?

Sometimes it’s easy to fall into the mindset that I am self-sufficient and capable of handling the different valleys and challenges life brings my way, but the reality is that we are called to live our lives completely dependent upon Christ for all things. Christ is my provider (Philippians 4:19), my shelter (Psalm 27:5), my protector (1 John 5:18-19). He brings me back when I wander and keeps me from following others who go astray. Day by day, he provides exactly what I need. By the same token, I can trust him to care for His flock when other believers (myself included!) wander astray.

We are called to live in willing responsibility to one another in godly community and hold ourselves accountable to the word of God and each other, but I mustn’t forget the Lord of the harvest is also the Good Shepherd. He sees and knows every need; He alone provides for each one. He knows exactly where His sheep are at all times and He can be trusted for their care, just as I trust Him for mine. 

The Original Intent

3) Why did Jesus tell His disciples to “pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest”? (verse 38)

Throughout His time with the disciples and ministering to people, Jesus repeatedly pointed to God as the one who orchestrated all things. Jesus was fully God, yet Jesus told His disciples He only did what He saw His Father doing. (John 5:19-23) Here, He again pointed to God the Father as Lord of all. In this case, Jesus wasn’t referring to a harvest of wheat, but to a “harvest” of people who were ready to receive the good news of the kingdom. (Matthew 13:24-30)

His words “pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest” made several points clear. First, He stated God the Father was the Lord of the harvest. No person could step outside the sovereign rule and reign of the Lord God, even the exact places they lived were under His sovereignty from generation to generation. (Acts 17:26) Promise and prophecy after promise and prophecy, all fulfilled. All pointing to Jesus as Messiah, all perfectly fulfilled in spite of human fallacy and sin by the hand of God alone.

Next, He rightly pointed to God as the only one capable of sending out Gospel-spreaders who would deliver the good news of the kingdom and point a lost and weary people to their true Savior. The commissioning of faithful workers could only come from God Himself. He had prepared the circumstances, He had prepared the people, and He had prepared their Savior. Only He could send out partners who would labor in His field to bring in His harvest.

Last, Jesus affirmed the harvest was God’s alone. No self-righteous additions to God’s law had brought about this turn of events. No devoted Pharisees or Sadducees could claim the ripe hearts of the crowds as the fruit of their labor. This harvest was first and only God’s.

The Everyday Application

3) Why did Jesus tell His disciples to “pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest”? (verse 38)

Jesus only ever did what He saw Father God doing, and He knew it was time to commission the disciples to go and preach the gospel. Jesus exemplified a lifestyle of constant prayer, and He knew God desires for people to partner with Him in prayer. There have been times I have stumbled with getting caught up in the temptation to fixate on my personal “calling” or purpose and have missed accepting the invitation to pray for opportunities to partner with God’s purpose.

It’s not a sin to desire to operate in a certain sphere or field, but when we place such an emphasis on our individual role, it is only a stone’s throw to slip into elevating self over our Savior. As a believer, I trust God will fulfill His ultimate will through my life, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t invitations He extends that I sometimes overlook or ignore. Ultimately, God’s purpose is clear: to spread the good news of His kingdom to all the world and teach new believers to obey Him in everyday life.

He fulfills this through His Church, the family of believers operating together in cooperation with him to further His kingdom and point everyone to Jesus Christ. We can and should partner with Father God in the same way: by praying that the Lord of the harvest will send out workers into His harvest!

When we pray in agreement with His will, we can trust that He will fulfill His purpose through us and make us ready workers in his field!

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Early apostle and preacher, Paul, expressed similar encouragement in his letter to the church at Galatia. (Galatians 5:22-26)

We are image-bearers of Christ (Genesis 1:26-27), reflecting Him to our world. This mission isn’t just to get people to Heaven, but to show them the grace and hope they can have as believers while they still inhabit the earth.

This is why we pray for a mission. Pray to our Lord of the Harvest, who sees the fields ripe and needing workers. Pray for workers, pray for a field to work in, pray for open doors and divine appointments to share the Gospel.
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Posted in: Neighbor, Purpose, Rescue, Shepherd Tagged: evangelism, gospel, mission, prayer, purpose, share
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