promises

Sacrifice Day 9 Singular Love: 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 Singular Love!

The Questions

1) What does “after these things” refer to in verse 1?

2) Why did God ask Abraham to sacrifice his only son? (verse 2)

3) Why did God stop Abraham from sacrificing Isaac and instead provide a ram? (verses 12-13)

Genesis 22:1-13

22 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he answered.

2 “Take your son,” he said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

3 So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac. In his hand he took the fire and the knife, and the two of them walked on together.

7 Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father.”

And he replied, “Here I am, my son.”

Isaac said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of them walked on together.

9 When they arrived at the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.

11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”

He replied, “Here I am.”

12 Then he said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.” 13 Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son.

Original Intent

1) What does “after these things” refer to in verse 1?
In order to understand this narrative in full we must first understand the events leading up to this moment. In Genesis 12, God called 75-year-old Abraham (called Abram until Genesis 17) out of his homeland and into a relationship with Him and Abraham obeys. He marries Sarah (called Sarai until Genesis 17) and, as they travel, God promises to provide land to Abraham. (Genesis 12:7) Time continued and Abraham and Sarah remained barren. God promised to give Abraham a son and promised his descendants would outnumber the stars. (Genesis 15:5) Abraham and Sarah grow impatient and Abraham had a son with his wife’s servant, Hagar. Eventually, when they were both quite old and long past childbearing ages, God visited again and promised Sarah a son within the year. True to His word, the long-awaited son, Isaac, was born. These events are important because they provide context to the relationship between Abraham and Isaac as well as Abraham’s long-standing relationship of growing faith with God. When we study the backstory, we can better understand the depth of this particular narrative between God and Abraham.

2) Why did God ask Abraham to sacrifice his only son? (verse 2)
God chose Abraham for a reason (Genesis 12:2-3), with plans to use his surrendered life for eternal purposes. God had invited Abraham into an inheritance that would reach far beyond his imaginings but joining with God always requires active faith. Often, until we face a testing of our faith, we don’t even know our own heart position before the Lord. Do we really trust Him? God tested the quality of Abraham’s faith to see if he would choose God as his sole love or if his affections were divided. Through the testing, God was at work to continue molding Abraham into the man of mature faith He desired. Abraham’s faith failings in the past had proven he would place his desires above God’s, but this test was about obedience. Abraham had waited so long for a son, would Abraham love God or Isaac most? Had he made an idol out of his son? Only a test of obedience would prove the depth of his faith and love for God.

3) Why did God stop Abraham from sacrificing Isaac and instead provide a ram? (verses 12-13)
God’s intent was never for Abraham to shed Isaac’s blood; He is absolutely set against child sacrifice as He repeats often in Scripture. (Jeremiah 19:5) The Lord who knows all things, tested Abraham’s free-will decision to choose Him or choose his selfish desires. Heart passions are laid bare in the place of hardship and testing. The Lord brought Abraham to the point of no return in his obedience. With knife held high, Abraham proved with his actions that his first (and only) love was focused on the Lord God. Here, the Lord stopped the sacrifice and set Isaac free. However, there was still need for bloodshed in order to come before the Lord, which was a practice that began in the Garden of Eden when God spilled the blood of an innocent animal to provide covering for Adam and Eve’s bodies in the wake of their sin. (Genesis 3:21) Therefore, God provided His own sacrifice, a ram for Abraham and Isaac to offer together on the altar built for Isaac. This practice of bloodshed for sins remained in place until Jesus’ death on the cross hundreds of years later. God stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac because this moment wasn’t about the death of a son, but the heart of a man. Later, when it was Jesus’ body on the altar of the cross for the sins of the world, it would be about the death of the Son redeeming the hearts of man. And God would do the slaying of His only Son that we might forever be free when we, like Abraham, surrender our hearts to love Him first.

Everyday Application

1) What does “after these things” refer to in verse 1?
In studying Abraham’s life, we begin to understand how his relationship with God had grown and deepened over time into mature, solid faith willing to obey God even in what seemed an impossible command. We also glimpse a sneak peek into his sin. Though Abraham grew in his faith, it wasn’t a straight line “up and to the right”. Abraham tried to take matters into his own hands instead of waiting on God on more than one occasion. Likewise, there are times in our lives when we are tempted to take control, forging our own path according to our vantage point, instead of patiently waiting on God to move, act, and fulfill His promises in His timing. We also gain a much better perspective on why Abraham would have loved Isaac so much and we are able to put ourselves in Abraham’s shoes. Any parent can see how easy it would have been to disobey God’s command instead of follow through in obedience, but we appreciate Abraham’s faith all the more when we understand how many decades he had waited for this only son.

2) Why did God ask Abraham to sacrifice his only son? (verse 2)
God’s request would have been extremely difficult for Abraham to obey. He was asked to sacrifice his one and only son whom he loved. It’s never easy to be asked to give up what we dearly love. However, our understanding of God’s call to follow Him isn’t necessary, our obedience is the required component. God simply desires for us to put Him first in our lives just as Abraham did, for He knows that any lesser focus of our lives will lead us into sin and suffering. God will ask us to surrender what we hold dear in order to ensure He is our only love. This is painful! His purposes are not to wound us, but to refine our hearts, clear out our idols, and teach our hearts to settle for no lesser love than the best, Himself. He calls us to trust Him and obediently follow Him where He leads even when it increases our suffering. It’s in these moments our relationship with God deepens and matures into a steadfast faith that supports real, everyday life.

3) Why did God stop Abraham from sacrificing Isaac and instead provide a ram? (verses 12-13)
God saw Abraham’s heart and stopped his sacrifice, providing a ram in Isaac’s place instead. This event foreshadowed an event to come hundreds of years later when God would send His One and Only Son, Jesus, to earth to live a perfect life for us. Every human being has failed to live perfectly, which is the requirement to be in relationship with God. Jesus would end His life as a sacrifice on a cross, paying the debt we each owe. However, when Jesus hung on the Cross there was no “replacement sacrifice” for the Son. Jesus was the intended sacrifice. Jesus came to accomplish what only He could because He, as God, was perfectly righteous. Only the blameless One could pay the penalty for sin, which is death, and purchase the price of righteousness for everyone who would put their faith in Him. This time, God would not call it off at the last second to spare His Son. Instead, He would look on, knowing His Son was finishing the work we never could. (Isaiah 53:10-11) Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, God’s relationship with mankind, which was ruined in the Garden as a result of sin, was forever restored. The debt owed became the debt paid. The Lord offers the credit of bill, which is righteousness, to each of us if we will acknowledge our sinfulness and His willingness to take our sin on Himself. In His death, we find life, for He rose from His own grave, defeating sin and death forever! If that isn’t enough reason for us to have the same heart of worship as Abraham that solely belongs to God, nothing will ever be enough. God stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac because he wasn’t the son who needed to be sacrificed for the redemption of mankind, Jesus was.

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

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 Sacrifice 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.

Sacrifice Day 5 Don’t Miss The Boat

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 6
Genesis 9
Joel 2:12-13
John 3:16-17
Revelation 21:3-5

Sacrifice, Day 5

Noah and his ark are infamous from infancy onward in American culture, from infants sleeping in rainbow-decorated nurseries to preschoolers scribbling pictures of the ark.

The rainbow reminds, “God keeps His promises.”

We focus on Noah and family safe in the ark, and feel warm and cozy.

We don’t want to consider people being washed away as waters sprang up from the earth while rains rushed down.

So, we make jokes like, “Need a boat? I NOAH guy.”

What happened in Genesis 6-9 is no laughing matter, and though it’s uncomfortable to discuss, I encourage you to stick this out. I pray as we study together today, we will marvel at the gracious faithfulness of God.

Let’s view this story from a VERY different perspective, GOD’s.

“When the Lord saw that human wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every inclination of the human mind was nothing but evil all the time, the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and he was deeply grieved.” (Genesis 6:5-6)

If we’ve ever loved someone deeply, we may understand how God felt. As a mother, my heart breaks when I see one of my children make a bad decision resulting in pain.

One of my favorite books is the Jesus Storybook Bible; I’m often moved to tears as I read to my kids. Lloyd-Jones does an EXCELLENT job of helping us see God’s heart overflowing with a “never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever love” for each and every one of us.

From the moment sin first entered the world, God’s LOVE moved Him to act. Yes, He made Adam and Eve leave the garden, but not before He promised one day He would make right all that was wrong.

And from that day forward, God has been at work to restore His broken creation and redeem all that has been lost.

Noah’s cultural setting was grim, and ripe for redemption.

“God saw how corrupt the earth was, for every creature had corrupted its way on the earth. Then God said to Noah, ‘I am going to put an end to every creature, for the earth is filled with wickedness because of them[.]” (Genesis 6: 12-13)

God’s pain-filled heart knew His people would destroy themselves by their own wicked ways. Out of love, He stepped in to stop them.

Mercifully, BEFORE He carried out His just consequence of destruction, He told Noah of His rescue plan, and invited Noah to preach rescue to those around him. (2 Peter 2:5)

In the book of Joel, the prophet describes God’s unrelenting desire for His people to RETURN to Him.

“Even now–
This is the Lord’s declaration–
Turn to me with all your heart,
With fasting, weeping, and mourning.
Tear your hearts,
and not just your clothes,
And return to the Lord your God.
For he is gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger and abounding in faithful love,
And he relents from sending disaster.” (Joel 2:12-13)

God WANTS us to choose Him.
But He never forces us to do so.
As Noah obediently built the ark, those around him continued to reject God’s call to return.
It’s as if we watch Psalm 14:1 unfold before our eyes:

“The fool says in his heart, ‘There’s no God.’
They are corrupt; they do vile deeds.
There is no one who does good.” 

Noah received God’s instruction to build a never-before-known ark, and he and his family spent years completing the project. (Genesis 6:14-22)

Perhaps God was giving the people more time to repent.

But no one did.

Finally, in the fullness of time, God’s final instructions came to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation.” (Genesis 7:1)

Still, for seven more days, God waited. (Genesis 7:10)

Was He aching for someone, even one, to return to Him?

Just as we cannot plumb the depths of God’s love, we cannot know the expanse of His pain at our rejection. The time had come, the Lord’s hand closed the door to the ark, and the floodgates unleashed their justice. (Genesis 7:11-16)

Amidst the destruction, the prophet Joel reminds us God always longs for restoration.

We see evidence of this as finally, the waters recede, and Noah and his family, along with allllll the animals, set foot on dry land. (Genesis 8:15-19)

NOW comes the rainbow, and God’s promise to never again destroy the earth with a flood. (Genesis 9:12-17) Each time we see a rainbow, we can remember God is faithful.

We see His faithfulness and longing for restoration again when God Himself carried out the Ultimate Rescue Plan, sending Jesus to bear the penalty for OUR sins, dying so we could live. (John 3:16-17) He then rose from the dead, conquering sin and death forever!

Jesus has provided the way of salvation, extending His grace freely to all who will accept.

The choice is ours.

Noah’s story ended with a fresh earth and a rainbow, testifying to God’s faithfulness.

For all believers, our story on earth transitions to eternity, to a new heaven and earth where Christ Himself is enthroned with an un-ending rainbow. (Revelation 4:3)

From His throne, Christ declares, “Look, I am making everything new.” (Revelation 21:5)

If you haven’t trusted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, please don’t miss the boat (pun intended). Reach out to someone TODAY and ask how you can be certain of spending eternity in God’s glorious presence.

I can’t wait to feel the warmth of His embrace!

More than anything, I would love for you to spend eternity with me, with JESUS!

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 Sacrifice Week One! 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 Sacrifice!

Kaleidoscope Day 4 Kindness Of Love: 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 The Kindness Of Love!

The Questions

1) What does it mean to be “one who pursues righteousness and faithful love”?

2) Is this verse a guaranteed promise?

3) What does it mean to “find” life, righteousness, and honor?

Proverbs 21:21

The one who pursues righteousness and faithful love
will find life, righteousness, and honor.

Original Intent

1) What does it mean to be “one who pursues righteousness and faithful love”?
The Hebrew word for pursue carries the meaning of “chasing after a dog, always being in front of, never dragging behind”. This imagery is the same concept Jesus used in His famous sermon on the mount when He said, “For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” (Matthew 7:8) The same Hebrew root word is also used in Jeremiah 29:13-14 when the Lord declares, “You will seek Me and find me, when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you…” This pursuit of righteousness is not a chasing after making yourself better, worthy, or “good” in the sight of God, rather it’s a pursuit of the only One who is righteous, the only One who is faithfully loving, God Himself. To be this kind of person is to be fully intent on passionately chasing after the righteous, faithful God, just as if we were chasing a runaway dog. Whereas you may not catch the dog, the Lord promises He will be found by all who relentlessly chase after Him.

2) Is this verse a guaranteed promise?
When reading the book of Proverbs, it is important to note that these are a collection of wise sayings. The wisdom and insight is from the heart of God, it was intentionally recorded through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and it has been preserved for millennia that we might know God and His heart better. However, because of this particular style of writing, many proverbs are exactly that, “proverbial sayings”, and are not guarantees. Rather, most are general realities for practical living. In the course of your life, if you pursue, or set out, to be a righteous (read: good) person, faithfully loving those around you, then you will be living a full life. This proverb, however, has a profoundly deeper meaning because we know that true, flawless righteousness can only be found in One person, the Lord Jesus Christ. The reality is that if we work to be good and righteous all on our own, we will never attain it because we are sinful beings. This verse points decidedly towards the reality of our eternal salvation and the forever declaration that we are made righteous by Christ’s own righteousness alone.

3) What does it mean to “find” life, righteousness, and honor?
Jesus had quite a bit to say about finding life and living an abundant, full life; being clothed in righteousness was always a prerequisite to grasping this fullness of life. If anyone chooses to accept the open offering of Jesus to exchange His pure righteousness for his or her own filthy rags of “trying harder” and “just not enough”, then they have crossed over from death to life. (Ephesians 2:6)

Everyday Application

1) What does it mean to be “one who pursues righteousness and faithful love”?
Because God promises He will be found by those who call on Him, this verse calls us to reflect on the kind of heart we have. Is it our passion to pursue His righteousness? Do we look for Him in the middle of our mess? When we are fighting a spouse, do our hearts cry out in pursuit of the Righteous Loving God? When we grieve over a child’s choice, watching their steps turn from good paths, are we passionately chasing the Righteous One who answers when we call? He promises to be found if we pursue! With similar language, James reminds, “draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Regardless of where we are in our faith journey, whether we’ve walked for years with the Savior, or never actually crossed the line of faith, if we will chase after Him, He will be found by us! What are you chasing?!

2) Is this verse a guaranteed promise?
One thing that makes Scripture so precious is knowing it is absolutely unshakeable. The truth of the Bible never fades (Matthew 24:35) because its author never changes like shifting shadows (James 1:17); the Word of Life is forever trustworthy (Psalm 33:4). Our salvation for eternity rests securely in the firm foundation of God’s trustworthy promise that what He says He will do, He will do. Scripture is replete with God’s own assurances that all who seek Him, will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13-14). All who trust Him as Lord of their life will be rescued from sin (Acts 16:31). All who call on the Name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:9). There is no hiding with the Lord, no place you can run or situation you can find yourself in that He is ignorant of (Psalm 139:1-12) Where do you land when it comes to trusting the Lord and His Word? Unsure with a lot of questions? Girl, that was me too for quite the season! Finally, I realized I didn’t have to “hide” my questions from God and I wouldn’t offend Him in poking what I felt were big holes in His assurances. He allowed my questions, He was there in the middle of the asking, and He grew my trust and dependence on Him as I walked through the seeking out season; I know He will do the same for you! Even if you’ve walked with the Lord for years, trusting Him in every moment is still a challenge, but every time we call, He answers. Guaranteed!

3) What does it mean to “find” life, righteousness, and honor?
Being raised to walk in new life found through the righteousness of Christ alone and leaving behind the dead decaying ways of our former selves means that we will inherently walk differently. 1 John 3:14 says, “We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death.” Once we’ve accepted Christ’s righteousness on our behalf, the Holy Spirit begins His work of making us new and transforming us into the image of Jesus. When we love like Jesus, the evidence of our transformation is being made known, and we can be assured we are walking in the fullness of life, righteousness, and honor this proverb speaks of.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with The Kindness Of Love

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 Kaleidoscope Week One!
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.

Incorruptible Day 13 Sweet Sufferings

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

James 1:2-18
Romans 5:1-11
1 Peter 4:12-19 

Incorruptible, Day 13

I distinctly remember standing in the pantry searching for an after-school snack. I absent-mindedly looked at my options and stood there for quite sometime trying to decide what would satisfy. In hindsight, I can see that the indecisiveness probably stemmed largely from the fact that I sought something to soothe my wounded heart more than something to fill my snack desire. I don’t remember what age I was but guess I was in late elementary school or early junior high. I lack the details now of what had caused the heart wound, but I do know it was fresh enough that I had not yet decided how to respond to the pain.

As I stood there in indecision, I clearly remember these words coming to mind: “Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” (James 1:2-3)
In that moment I decided to choose joy, to look at my current situation and invite the Lord into it. The hurt did not go away, but joy and hope bloomed alongside it filling that void in a way that no fruit snack or granola bar ever could have. I remember leaving the kitchen knowing I’d just made a choice that pleased the Lord. Little did I know how foundational this decision would be throughout my life.  

A short while later, still pondering this encounter, I told a friend from church about it. Her response both shocked and surprised me. “That is not a trial,” she said with a finality that ended the conversation. I knew she was right as calling it a trial may have been a stretch in the grand scheme of things, but at the same time, I knew her response was horribly wrong.  

Yes, most trials are categorically more horrific than my Jr. High experience.
Abuse, natural disasters, persecution, heavy responsibilities, and health problems are all items that come to mind as trials. Scripture promises we will have trials and suffering. My friend had wisdom in her young age to remind me of the power of perspective and the need to be aware of my word choice as others may not view my situation as a trial at all.  

However, I also knew that my pantry encounter with the Lord
was not one to be dismissed.

While not necessarily a trial, the wound proved to be the perfect platform for the glory of the Lord to be both displayed and rooted in my life.  I walked away from that moment in the pantry with an understanding of the Lord’s response to a heart surrendered to Him regardless of the cost.
A heart that chose to believe Him at His Word.

I had made the decision to let Him take the pain of my current scenario and use it for His glory, a lesson that prepared me for much harsher circumstances to come. My friend may have closed the conversation between us with a somewhat brunt statement, but the Lord has kept the conversation alive between Him and me in the years since, though quite often I discovered this by reflecting on those hard choices to trust Him in the dark.

Lord, am I really failing they way they keep saying that I am? My future resides on passing this year. I keep trying my hardest and I keep praying for You to come.  

Are you enjoying our times together as you read My Word? I specifically chose that verse to come to life for you today to help you. Yes, your love for Me and My Word will be multiplied by the end of this season.

Lord, that person just mocked me for believing You are the only way to heaven. What am I supposed to do with that?  

Did you see the way they watched you to see your reaction? Did you catch the surprise in their eyes that you did not lash out in anger? Another seed planted. 

Lord, my coworker just yelled at me in front of the office for something I did not do. I wanted to correct them in front of everyone just to prove my point.   

What if you are the first person to show them My love for them? What if you are the last? 

Jesus has taken the short conversation with a young girl and transformed it into a lifelong invitation to know Him. Intimately. Deeply.
Suffering, by its very nature, seems to be something to avoid and despise.
While I have never reached the point of loving suffering, especially while in the midst of it, I have come to love more deeply the One who leads me through the pain, the One who redeems it.
Each time I embrace the suffering, He makes me more like Him.
Sweet sufferings for Your glory, Jesus.
  Behold, Daughter, nothing given to Me will be in vain. I redeem all things! 

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 Incorruptible 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 Incorruptible!

Sketched IV Day 9 Peter: 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 Peter!

The Questions

1) Jesus asked those following Him, “What are you looking for?” and they replied with another question, not really answering His question. What do you think Jesus was really asking and what did His followers really mean?

2) What was significant about Jesus telling Simon Peter that he would be called Cephas?

3) Peter’s call to follow Jesus is further described in Luke 5:1-11. How has Peter’s journey with Christ changed between these two scenes? 

John 1:35-42

35 The next day, John was standing with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37 The two disciples heard him say this and followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and noticed them following him, he asked them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come and you’ll see,” he replied. So, they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed him. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated “the Christ”), 42 and he brought Simon to Jesus. When Jesus saw him, he said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated “Peter”).  

Original Intent

1) Jesus asked those following Him, “What are you looking for?” and they replied with another question, not really answering His question. What do you think Jesus was really asking and what did His followers really mean? 
Jesus had a habit of asking people questions with a deeper meaning than what appeared on the surface. He asked the disabled man, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6) He asked blind men, “Do you believe I can do this?” (Matthew 9:28) and later “What do you want me to do for you?” (Matthew 20:32) As we read yesterday, He asked Simon Peter, “Do you love me?” (John 21:15-19)  

Instead of answering Jesus’ heart-question, they responded with an easy-answer: “Where are you staying?” Enough to indicate they were interested in Jesus, but nothing revealing their hearts’ desire. In verse 40, Andrew answers Jesus’ question, “What are you looking for?” with “We have found the Messiah.” They were looking for the Savior, the Promised One, the Messiah that was to make all things right. Jesus knew all of this. When He asked what, the heart of His question asked who.

2) What was significant about Jesus telling Simon Peter that he would be called Cephas? 
In the Old Testament, God would give an individual a new name when He commissioned them for His purposes. He changed Abram’s name to Abraham when He called him to be the father of many nations (Genesis 17:5). He changed Jacob’s name to Israel signifying he would father the 12 tribes of Israel (Genesis 32:24-32). Here, Jesus tells Simon He will be known as Cephas, which translated to Peter. Like Abraham and Jacob, Peter had an encounter with God that changed the trajectory of his life.  

His relationship with Jesus gave him an all-encompassing new identity, from how he spent his time and money to his very name. Not only did his name change represent life change, it represented how his life would change. Matthew 16:18 says, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” Jesus chose the name Peter, which means Rock, to directly call out how God would use Peter for His greater purpose and plan. Peter went on to write two books of the New Testament, first and second Peter. Not only was Peter a rock of the early church, but his letters still serve us today with foundational teaching about Jesus and the Christian life.

3) Peter’s call to follow Jesus is further described in Luke 5:1-11. How has Peter’s journey with Christ changed between these two scenes?
When we meet Peter in John 1, Peter and Jesus had just recently met. Peter was just getting to know Jesus, although Jesus already knew Peter. In Luke 4:38-39, Jesus healed Simon Peter’s mother-in-law. After that, Jesus spent time preaching in the synagogues (Luke 4:43-44), where Peter was likely present. When we get to chapter 5 of Luke, Simon Peter has met Jesus, had his name changed by Jesus, witnessed Jesus perform a miracle by healing his mother-in-law, and heard Jesus preach the good news about the kingdom of God. Whew! It’s no wonder that when Jesus told Peter, (the professional fisherman), to put out his nets, he obeyed. After seeing yet another miracle, Peter falls humbly before Jesus, calling Him Lord. In verse 11 we read how they left everything and followed Jesus. Peter fully left his fisherman profession behind to become a “fisher of men” (Matthew 4:19).  

Everyday Application

1) Jesus asked those following Him, “What are you looking for?” and they replied with another question, not really answering His question. What do you think Jesus was really asking and what did His followers really mean? 
How many times have you replied a quick, “Fine!” or “Good!” when someone asked how you were doing, when you were really drowning? How often do you give a surface-level answer when a friend checks in on you, when you are actually struggling? No matter how well we put on a cheery smile and no matter how #blessed Facebook posts you make, Jesus sees your heart. He knows what you are looking for. He knows who you are looking for. Instead of giving those around us (and Jesus for that matter), a surface-level reply, let’s be real. We are looking for the Messiah! We are looking to Jesus to make us new everyday!

2) What was significant about Jesus telling Simon Peter that he would be called Cephas? 
Peter had highs, and a lot of lows, in his journey with Jesus, as we read yesterday. Yet, Jesus calls him a Rock. Jesus knew Simon Peter would deny Him, even when He named him Cephas. But He also knew Peter would boldly proclaim the Gospel and grow the early church in extraordinary ways (Acts 2). Jesus knew everything about Peter, his sin and doubts as well as his unique giftings. Jesus continually invested in Peter, teaching him, encouraging him, and ultimately dying for him. Like Peter, we have highs and lows in our walk with Jesus. One moment we are singing along to worship music in the car on the way to work, then the next moment, we’re gossiping to our coworker. Despite knowing all of our sin and failures, He has a plan to use us, as imperfect people, to carry out His perfect plan. Be encouraged by reading Peter’s life and his letters; his story is so much like ours! We sin and we fall, but Jesus loves us and died for us anyway.

3) Peter’s call to follow Jesus is further described in Luke 5:1-11. How has Peter’s journey with Christ changed between these two scenes?
Think back to your first encounter with Jesus. Was it like Peter’s? Did a friend or family member, like Peter’s brother Andrew, introduce you to Jesus? How has your life changed since then? Reflect on significant moments and events in your journey with Jesus. Have you had a moment like Peter’s in Luke 5? A moment when you understood the gravity of your sin and the power of Jesus? Have you left everything in pursuit of God’s will for your life? Spend some time thanking God for the ways He has moved in your life and ask Him what you need to leave behind to live more fully for Him.  

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

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 Sketched IV 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.

The GT Weekend! Sketched IV Week 1

2 Comments

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) Nehemiah was faithful to the task before him and didn’t waver when he was mocked or when division crept in. What is God asking you to be faithful to? Are there places you know you are doing what God asked, but it’s getting difficult to carry on? Cling to Scripture for your encouragement; our God’s promises and His character are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow!  

2) Life can feel mundane and ordinary very quickly! Scripture says we are to offer our lives to God as a sacrifice. Its our way of stopping what we want to do and following in faith that God will lead us well into whatever is coming next. Where is your life feeling boring? Offer that space to the Lord and watch Him use it to further His kingdom! 

3) Our past mistakes can hold us down like a ball and chain, constantly taking us back to where we’ve sinned and messed up. However, if we’ve repented of the sin and asked forgiveness, we can hold tight to the truth that we’ve been forgiven. God isn’t holding those mistakes over our head, taunting us with our failures. Where are you holding on to old history that God has set you free from? Where do you need to ask for forgiveness? Any places you need to walk forward in victory? 

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 Hebrews 13-14-16  back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

14 For we do not have an enduring city here; instead, we seek the one to come. 15 Therefore, through him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 Don’t neglect to do what is good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices. 

Prayer Journal
O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth, Have mercy upon us. 
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy upon us. 
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful, Have mercy upon us. 
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God, Have mercy upon us. 
Remember not, Lord Christ, our offenses, nor the offenses of our forefathers; neither reward us according to our sins. 
Spare us, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and by thy mercy preserve us for ever.
Spare us, good Lord. 
From all evil and wickedness; from sin; from the crafts and assaults of the devil; and from everlasting damnation, Good Lord, deliver us. 
By thine Agony and Bloody Sweat; by thy Cross and Passion; by thy precious Death and Burial; by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension; and by the Coming of the Holy Ghost, Good Lord, deliver us. 
In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment, Good Lord, deliver us. 

Taken from the Common Book of Prayers
https://www.episcopalchurch.org/files/book_of_common_prayer.pdf  

 

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