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If Day 9 Easy Life: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
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The Questions

1) Even though God had instituted sacrifices and festivals, why was He now tired of them? (verses 11-14)

2) Why does the prophet Isaiah call Israel to pursue justice and look after the vulnerable in society? (verse 17)

3) After all of Israel’s iniquities, why would God still want to settle things with them? (verse 18)

Isaiah 1:11-19

11 “What are all your sacrifices to me?” asks the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings and rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I have no desire for the blood of bulls, lambs, or male goats. 12 When you come to appear before me, who requires this from you— this trampling of my courts? 13 Stop bringing useless offerings. Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons and Sabbaths, and the calling of solemn assemblies—I cannot stand iniquity with a festival. 14 I hate your New Moons and prescribed festivals. They have become a burden to me; I am tired of putting up with them. 15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will refuse to look at you; even if you offer countless prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. 16 “Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from my sight. Stop doing evil. 17 Learn to do what is good. Pursue justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause. 18 “Come, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are crimson red, they will be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land.

Original Intent

1) Even though God had instituted sacrifices and festivals, why was He now tired of them? (verses 11-14)

In the Old Testament, sacrifices were offered for the atonement of unintended sin; to show devotion to God; recognition for God’s goodness; thanksgiving and fellowship; cleansing from defilement, and to make restitution. There were five sacrifices: the burnt offering, grain offering, fellowship offering, sin offering, and guilt offering. The burnt, grain, and fellowship (sometimes called peace) offerings were voluntary, while the sin and guilt offerings were compulsory. God could not allow sin because of His holiness and therefore sin must be punished. The sacrifices were a means of maintaining worship and fellowship with Him so Israelites could enjoy relationship with Yahweh. On the other hand, there were intentional sins that had no sacrifice available. Intentional sins were pre-meditated sins such as adultery or murder or even lying. Check out Proverbs 6:16-19 for a list of these sins the Lord hates. Sacrifices could not atone for deliberate sins of arrogance that insisted on their way over God’s clear path of righteousness. This highlights the seriousness of sin against God! People who sinned intentionally were at the mercy of God. While there are a few instances in Scripture (Numbers 5:5-10, Leviticus 19:20-22) where a clear intentional sin could be covered by a guilt offering, these were rare exceptions. In general, the Law did not provide for forgiveness for premeditated, intentional sin. The only available option was God’s grace. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, God removed all sins, intentional or otherwise with a sacrifice. Take King David for example. After Nathan confronted David about his sin of adultery and murder, David lamented in Psalm 51:16-17, “You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it; you are not pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.” David’s sins were deliberate, and he knew offering a sacrifice would be futile. David knew God wanted a truly repentant heart. Even in all other sacrifices within the system God had set up for Israel, He most wanted their hearts of repentance and worship. He designed the system to provide a visual representation of the high price tag associated with sin, which is always death. (Romans 6:23)

 

2) Why does the prophet Isaiah call Israel to pursue justice and look after the vulnerable in society? (verse 17)

God explicitly commanded His people to treat the fatherless, the widow, and the foreigner justly. (Deuteronomy 24:17) God calls Himself “a father to the fatherless, and a defender of widows.” (Psalm 68:5) Widows and orphans were particularly vulnerable in ancient culture. Without the husband or father present, supporting themselves became difficult. Widows and their families became essentially homeless. Sometimes widows were even abused. (NIV Cultural Background Study Bible). Judah’s disobedience to God included neglect of the vulnerable and God, through the prophet Isaiah as His mouthpiece, implored them to once again heed God’s covenant law and do right by these members of society.

 

3) After all of Israel’s iniquities, why would God still want to settle things with them? (verse 18)

From the time God created mankind, He intended to have a relationship with him. When sin came into the world through Adam and Eve’s disobedience, this separated man from God. However, God immediately began work on restoring that relationship. (see Genesis 3:15)  The Lord set apart Israel to be His people (Leviticus 20:26), to be different. They were to be an example, by not engaging in the horrendous rituals and practices of the nations around them. They were to mirror God’s righteousness and holiness by living as an example of His heart and character in the world. Unfortunately, Israel sinned against the Lord repeatedly; they could not keep themselves righteous. However, God, because he loved Israel so much, sent prophets like Isaiah to speak to them in the hopes they would repent. Once they repented, He would forgive their sins and restore their relationship. Israel’s constant disobedience helps us see that, on our own strength, we absolutely cannot be holy like God. We need God to be holy for us and then offer His righteousness to us in exchange for our sin. This is why Jesus came, to do exactly this!

Everyday Application

1) Even though God had instituted sacrifices and festivals, why was He now tired of them? (verses 11-14)

The sacrifices and festivals in the Old Testament were God’s design for His chosen people, despite their sinful ways, to approach Him in worship and maintain the covenant relationship. However, the people missed the heart of God and His desire for relationship with them, which led them to performing sacrifices as mere ceremonies completed out of duty rather than from a heart broken over sin. This is why God said, “I have no desire for the blood of bulls, lambs, or male goats. (…) Stop bringing useless offerings. Your incense is detestable to Me.” (verses 11-13) It is not much different today. Many people attend church out of duty, but few practice true heart surrender to the Holy Spirit in everyday life. God wants our worship to be pure, true, and from our hearts. I remember having a conversation with a close relative who told me their church had a special collection to purchase a television for their pastor. The way my relative spoke about this pastor gave the impression they actually worship him more than God. While there is nothing wrong with parishioners showing appreciation to their pastors, they must be careful not to idolize and worship them. Our loyalty lies with Jesus, not man. Jesus told us we must remain in Him because we cannot do anything without Him. (John 15:4-5) He desires our whole hearts. In similar verbiage to what Isaiah recorded in verses 11-13, Jesus cleared the temple of Jews who appeared to be worshipping God, but their hearts were actually far from God. “He (Jesus) went into the temple and began to throw out those who were selling, and He said, “It is written, my house will be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves!”” (Luke 19:46-47)

 

2) Why does the prophet Isaiah call Israel to pursue justice and look after the vulnerable in society? (verse 17)

True religion is about caring for the poor and helpless and living a godly life. (James 1:27) I am currently caring for my ageing mother who has dementia, as well as an autistic brother. My mother depends on me and trusts me to do what is right for her and my brother. There is no way I can take advantage of their disabilities for my gain. If I do so, I will be sinning against God, who is their Defender. (Psalm 68:5) There are times I must put my life on hold for them, but it is not about me. John 15:13-14 states, “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do what I command you”. I am doing what the Lord commanded me to do by showing love to Him, my mother, and my brother, in doing what is necessary for them despite the challenges and inconveniences to me. All who claim to follow Christ have an obligation to pursue justice and care for the vulnerable around us because this is God’s heart.

 

3) After all of Israel’s iniquities, why would God still want to settle things with them? (verse 18)

The Bible tells us, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life”. (John 3:16) This divine love is why God wants reconciliation between us, who are sinful, and Himself, who is holy. He wants to restore the relationship broken by sin so we can be with Him in eternity and connected to Him through His Spirit in this life. Jesus became sin for us in taking on our punishment (death and separation from God) so that, in Him, we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Let us love Jesus and commit to having a true relationship with Him. It is only through Jesus we can live a purposeful life. It may not always be an easy life, but one well worth it in the end.

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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Beloved Day 13 Catching Foxes

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Song of Solomon 2:15
Galatians 5:22-26
Philippians 4:8-9
Deuteronomy 6:5-9
Matthew 22:37-40

Beloved, Day 13

“I now pronounce you husband and wife . . . and now present to you, Mr. & Mrs. Brad Daniel.”
[Audience applause as we joyfully exit the church]

Oh, how sweet are the memories of that day! We believed the best in each other, couldn’t imagine what could possibly ever come between us, had no idea that someday we’d have to actually work to make time for each other. And we certainly couldn’t imagine we’d ever be so angry with, indifferent toward, or deeply wounded by one another. We were embarking on a journey full of mystery, knowing and becoming known, memories, and the true meaning of the vow, “til death do us part.”

Marriage is a gift.  How sweet that our Father has established a relationship so intimate, it provides a glimpse of the most intimate relationship of all, God’s relationship with His people, His Church.

I don’t remember the night I met Jesus as my savior as clearly as I’d like, but I do recall wanting to make sure I knew Jesus. I didn’t understand a lot of the Bible at the age of 10 or 11, but I knew Jesus loved me and had sacrificed Himself for my sins. As a child, I couldn’t grasp the gravity of my sin and the costliness of my salvation, I knew I wanted to follow Him with all I had . . . I just didn’t know what that meant.

Beginnings.
We love them.
We dream about them.

Everything seems fresh and fun as we begin to learn something new, whether it’s in marriage or our relationship with Jesus. We start off with stars in our eyes as we experience new love and speak of “forever” as if it’s clearly visible to us.

One of my favorite ways to serve with my husband is to meet couples for pre-marital counseling. It is an honor to walk with an engaged couple, helping prepare them for marriage.

In counseling sessions, we work through various areas in the relationship possessing the potential for conflict, and provide tools to navigate those areas well. We encourage intentional communication and potential resolution before little problems become big ones. We also affirm areas of strength and encourage the couple to keep communicating and working together.

Song of Solomon paints a picture of two lovers, completely enthralled with one another and willing to do whatever it takes to be together.  Song of Solomon 2:15 advises them to “catch the foxes” before they ruin the vineyards. Foxes are known for being cunning, sly, and destructive, an enemy to the vineyards, not only eating the grapes, but gnawing and digging, destroying an entire vine.

What a great analogy when applied to the marriage relationship! In the beginning, everything is new and fun and effortless. It is then we should begin to prepare for the possible “foxes” to creep in, small and seemingly innocent at first, taking just a few minutes of our time or attention, but if left unattended, potentially destroying the relationship.

Relationships require quality time and attention. My husband and I encourage engaged couples to find a recreational activity they both enjoy, and to use its intentional pursuit to provide relaxation and something different to look forward to doing together.

To sustain any relationship requires time. Our culture tends to value busyness, so our spouses . . . or Jesus . . .  can get the leftovers of our day if we are not intentional in planning and honoring our time together.  We all need time alone together to remember the specific reasons we love each other, and to nurture the unique friendship marriage brings.

Distractions come in all forms, including electronic devices, children, and careers, as well as our own pursuits or selfishness. Most of these are not inherently evil; we just have to hold them in proper perspective.

One of the most familiar distractions in our society is the cell phone. I know I am guilty of mindless media scrolling, as my husband is in the room with me, neglecting prime time together. Instead of pursuing genuine connection, I look at the lives of others, comparing myself, my life, and my marriage to those on the screen. This has the potential to evoke jealousy, insecurity, and irritability.

In addition, our scrolling habits tend to rob us of time we could be spending with Jesus, allowing His presence to guide our thoughts and actions. Paul instructs us in Philippians 4:8-9 to think about what is true, honorable, lovely, and worthy of praise.  When we begin comparing and focusing on what we lack, we abandon lovely thoughts toward our spouses, or the truth about ourselves.

Marriage was created by God and is GOOD. Good marriages serve others and each other, out of the overflow of being strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit.  As we spend time with Jesus, we are filled with His perspective, strengthened by His Word, and able to bear good fruit. (Galatians 5:22-26)

Empowered by God, we see the needs of our spouses, and set aside the time necessary to invest in and nurture the relationship. We are able to prevent cute little fox kits from destroying an entire vineyard. With vigilance and intentionality, prioritizing time with both God and our spouses, we can help the vineyards of our relationships to flourish!

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Calling Day 11 The Lens Of Truth

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 5:6-14
Psalm 36:5-12
John 12:44-50
1 Peter 1:13-25
Revelation 6:12-17

Calling, Day 11

A dear friend gave my daughter a delightful pair of purple sunglasses a few weeks ago. She is absolutely smitten with them. Plastic jewels and gems adorn the frames, and they are larger than her last pair, so they fit her better. The tint of the lenses is rather dark, but she feels like such a big girl when she’s wearing them, she’ll insist she can see just fine, thank you very much.

It’s no rare occasion to find her twirling in the sunlight streaming through my front window, wearing those purple, sparkly sunglasses. There’s a shift in her gait when she puts them on; it’s obvious she just feels different.

Take a breath, Christian. We’re going deeper, fast.

Paul’s exhortation to the Ephesians about light versus darkness is an object lesson about delivering truth in love, to say the least. (Ephesians 5:6-14) He didn’t mince words about the dangers to followers of Christ who live in the world. If anything, he underscored the arduous reality of a life surrendered to Christ. He spoke the unpopular truth that those who are disobedient to God will face His wrath. He called out the Ephesians and warned them against even partnering with those who do not obey God. Furthermore, Paul exhorted the church in Ephesus to not only remove themselves from any association with those who do not obey God, but to actually expose their deeds of darkness.

Are you squirming? I am. Talk about high challenge. Not only were the believers at Ephesus not to associate with those who do not follow God, but they were to actually expose the dark deeds of those who were enemies of the Lord.

“Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things. Therefore, do not become their partners.” (Ephesians 5:6-7)

Paul’s words were concise and deliberate. They slice through potential internal or external argument, explanation, and even current cultural caution with razor-sharp, Spirit-led acumen. His challenge left no question about the gravity of their, and our, calling.

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth – testing what is pleasing to the Lord. Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them.” (Ephesians 5:8-11)

His words were filled with truth, but do you recognize what they aren’t filled with? Accusation, or condemnation. No, these words were delivered in love. Make no mistake; there is a high challenge here, but there is equipping and invitation here, too. Paul extended a hand to the believers at Ephesus when he called them out of popular culture and up into Kingdom culture as he reminded them Whose they were.

He’s inviting us, too.

Christian, does any part of Paul’s challenge indicate we have a call on our lives to blend in with the rest of the world, or to value what is valued by those who do not follow our Father? Further, what do you think might be one of the most effective ways the enemy intends to quiet the hands and feet and voice of Jesus on earth today? 

Might it be to keep them so occupied with the day to day things,
and the big, overwhelming cultural things,
and the general state of the world things,
and their very feelings, that they forget they are merely temporary citizens here?

Exhale.

It’s time for each of us to be honest with the God we serve.

Is it possible we have been looking at the world, and our lives, through a darkened worldly perspective? We have been going through the motions of a Christian walk, but is it merely an accompaniment to our worldly life?

Beloved, what drives you?
Are you ruled by your feelings, or by your Father?
Are you more vested in the things the world holds dear, or the things of your Father’s Kingdom?

Hard questions. Typing them wrecks me, too. But we have to ask them. Daily. And more importantly, we have to answer them.

Because this is what Paul’s words mean. 

We are called to be children of light. Just like my daughter needed to take off her sunglasses to see clearly, we are called to remove every darkened lens which affects our judgement. To test all beliefs with the discernment He gives. To speak the truth, and illuminate the dark deeds of the enemy, and to point always to our Father. We are called to be a royal priesthood, a holy nation. A peculiar, set-apart people. (1 Peter 2:9) This world is not our home. We reside here, for a time, as God has ordained, but this life is but a breath.
Paul’s words are true, and they are for us today. 

There is a God in heaven, and in us, if we have given our lives to Him. He will fulfill all He has said He will fulfill, and He has called us to carry His Kingdom throughout all the earth.

Christian, take off your shades and walk in the light!

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

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Calling Day 6 For This Reason

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 3:1-21
Ephesians 2:1-22
1 Peter 3:13-22

Calling, Day 6

For this reason.
These are the first three words in Ephesians 3.

Lean in, sisters. Paul is about to explain the motivation driving his life of incredibly challenging, incredibly impactful kingdom work.

What propelled him to get up after each beating?
What kept him going after shipwrecks?
What urged him to declare the Gospel with the same vigor he once used to attack the church?

For this reason.

Paul knew his why. And that made all the difference.

We discover Paul’s why by reading Ephesians 2. Read it aloud as if you were having a conversation with Paul, keeping in mind the passion saturating his words; this would not be a dull, emotionless speech!

Dear sisters, we share in Paul’s why:

We, too, were dead in our sins until God made us alive with Christ through grace, by faith.

We, too, were once far away from God, but have been lovingly brought near through Christ, who is our peace. (Ephesians 2:13-14) Upon His foundation, we too, together with all believers, are being built into God’s holy temple. (Ephesians 2:19-21)

For this reason, we, like Paul, can experience a similar desire to bow before the Lord, to humble ourselves at the awareness of all Christ has done for us. In this moment, overwhelmed with revelation of the mysterious love of our Father (Ephesians 3:1-7), the busyness and strife of the world around us fade away. The incessant cries for “Now and Must Do!” are wonderfully replaced with an eternal, holy urgency. This life shall pass away and we are assured we will spend eternity with Christ.
For this reason, we live with holy abandon!

But what about our co-workers, our neighbors, or the barista at our favorite coffee shop?

How can we share the good news,
the call from death to life,
and the Father’s heart longing to draw them near?

Are we willing to sacrifice our own comfort, or finances, or status
to invite the lost of our dying world into peace with God?

Paul told the church in Ephesus to not be discouraged over his afflictions on their behalf; he understood how his suffering would further God’s mission of sharing Jesus with the Gentiles.

Sharing the gospel will not be without sacrifice. It may be in the form of intense persecution, as Christians in some countries are currently experiencing. It may look like someone’s laughter after hearing the gospel. It could be a harsh “no” when asked to talk about Jesus. It might even just be the inconvenience of obedience when the Lord nudges us to hold the door for someone several steps behind us.

Regardless of what each day may bring, I desire to live with Paul’s boldness in pursuit of Christ and sharing Him with those around me. I want to trust so deeply in the Lord that even my levels of joy and peace in Him declare His goodness.

For this reason, I echo Paul’s prayer in verses 14-21, with an intense expectancy for the Lord to respond.
Will you join me, sisters?

Oh Lord, teach us to share the gift of the gospel with those around us. Strengthen us with power in our hearts through Your Spirit. Dwell within us and teach us how to love those around us. Help us comprehend Your love, which surpasses simple knowledge. 

Lord, You truly are able to do beyond what we can ask or imagine. May we live our lives for You and Your glory. Solidify our “why” within us and help us invite others to meet you wherever we go. 

Amen. 

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

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Relentless Day 7 Faith Or Fear: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Faith Or Fear?

The Questions

1) How can I wait quietly for the Lord when I am desperate for help?

2) What does it mean that “the Lord is my portion?”

3) Why should God’s love and mercy give me hope?

Lamentations 3:21-26

Yet I call this to mind,
and therefore I have hope:

22 Because of the Lord’s faithful love
we do not perish,
for his mercies never end.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness!
24 I say, “The Lord is my portion,
therefore I will put my hope in him.”

25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the person who seeks him.
26 It is good to wait quietly
for salvation from the Lord.

Original Intent

1) How can I wait quietly for the Lord when I am desperate for help?
The original Hebrew title of the book of Lamentations, ekah, means Alas!  But, according to John McArthur, “rabbis began early to call the book “loud cries” or “lamentations.”  The author, Jeremiah, weeps for the calamity that God’s people have brought upon themselves because of their love affair with sin.  Even in this tragic time, though, the Lord brings hope.  Charles Swindoll notes, “at the center of this lament over the effects of sin in the world, sit a few verses devoted to hope in the Lord (Lamentations 3:22–25). This statement of faith standing strong in the midst of surrounding darkness shines as a beacon to all those suffering under the consequences of their own sin and disobedience.”  Jeremiah determines to wait quietly for the Lord’s salvation.  According to Ellicott’s Commentary, waiting quietly means “wait in silence: i.e. abstain from murmurs and complaints.”  Jeremiah understands that waiting on God without complaining brings him closer to His rescue.  Matthew Henry notes that quietly waiting is “not quarrelling with God nor making ourselves uneasy, but acquiescing in the divine disposals.”  Quietly waiting on God is yielding to His will and trusting He is in control, even when we don’t understand His plans. It is only possible if we love and trust God and acknowledge that His plans for us are for our good, even if it’s a “good” we don’t yet understand. God told Israel in Jeremiah 29:11 that His plans for them included a hope and a future.  Likewise, He promises us in Romans 8:28 that He is working all things out for our good. God promises He has destined true believers for eternal salvation and not for wrath in 1 Thessalonians 5:8-10. We can wait quietly for God’s help, even when we are in distress, because we trust His plan for us.

2) What does it mean that “the Lord is my portion?”
The book of Lamentations was written by the prophet Jeremiah at a time when the great city of Jerusalem was devastated by the Babylonian invasion of 586 B.C.  The book is full of Jeremiah’s descriptions of the pain and desolation around him, but it also contains the hope Jeremiah finds in God. That hope was found in Jeremiah recognizing God as his portion and satisfaction. Author David Guzik points out, “Jeremiah found the key to satisfaction—finding one’s portion in the LORD. Whatever measure he was to receive, whatever inheritance, whatever future, it would all be found in Yahweh.” Having the Lord as our portion means recognizing God as our ultimate source for every need. Bible commentator John Gill says this about the Lord as our portion: ”All he [God] is, and has, is theirs; they are heirs of him, and shall enjoy him forever, and therefore shall not be consumed; he is a portion large and full, inexpressibly rich and great, a soul satisfying one, and will last forever.” Matthew Henry, another theologian, states, “It is our duty to make God the portion of our souls, and then to make use of him as our portion and to take the comfort of it in the midst of our lamentations.” Recognizing the Lord as our portion is important if we are to make it through hardships in life.  With the Lord as our portion, we can always find comfort and hope.

3) Why should God’s love and mercy give me hope?
Some scholars find in the Jeremiah of Lamentations a picture of Christ.  Author Ray Stedman notes, “As you read through this book, you will find many foreshadowings of our Lord weeping over the city of Jerusalem.”   Author John J. Parsons points out that “in many profound ways, Jeremiah pre-figured the prophetic ministry of Yeshua (Jesus).”  Jeremiah also prophesies and previews some of Christ’s main teachings, including salvation and our hope in His unfailing love and endless mercy.  Jeremiah reminds himself that the Lord is always loving and always merciful, which gives him hope knowing God would be with him and help him in the terrible situation the Jewish people were in after the Babylonian invasion and destruction of Jerusalem.  Jeremiah also prophesies about Jesus’ coming, when God will make a new covenant with His people.  God will forgive their sins and write His law in their hearts (Jeremiah 31:31-34).  Author Tim Mackie asserts that Jesus’s life and death announced “the dawn of Jeremiah’s “new covenant.” Jesus would die for the sins of his own people, and simultaneously bring about that great act of forgiveness anticipated by Jeremiah.”  How amazing to see God’s plan for a Savior revealed to His people to give them hope even in their darkest days.  His love and mercy are truly remarkable!

Everyday Application

1) How can I wait quietly for the Lord when I am desperate for help?
Several years ago, I experienced unexplained vertigo.  I was anxious, wondering how I would care for my family if I couldn’t even stand without the room spinning.  I needed to get better fast, not wait on the Lord.  Yet waiting is what Jeremiah recommends in Lamentations 3:26 where he proclaims, “It is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.” Waiting did not seem good to me. But since I was dizzy just lying in bed, there wasn’t much else to do but call on God and wait for His intervention.  I began to understand Andrew Murray’s assertion that God “will never disappoint us.  In waiting on Him we shall find rest and joy and strength, and the supply of every need.”  Quietly waiting on God helped me determine that a prescribed medication was the cause of my vertigo, and I quickly improved.  But waiting on God also taught me I can trust Him with everything.  God showed me that is purpose in the waiting.  Andrew Murray says, “The waiting is to teach us our absolute dependence on God’s mighty working, and to make us in perfect patience place ourselves at His disposal.”  While I waited, my panic abated, and I recognized God was in control and watching over me.  It is not easy to wait when we want the answer NOW, but sometimes it is part of God’s plan.  In Psalm 33:20, David resolves to “wait for the Lord; He is our help and shield.”  In Micah 7:7, Micah vows he “will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.”  Once I calmed down and waited patiently for the Lord, He came to my rescue and became my Refuge.

2) What does it mean that “the Lord is my portion?”
I grew up spending summers with my sister and seven cousins at my grandma’s house.  We had lots of fun, but there were inevitable squabbles, usually over who got to drink out of the favorite green cup or who got the biggest slice of apple pie.  We each wanted ours to be the biggest and the best.  I think of that mindset when I consider the idea of the Lord as my portion.  If I want the best for my life, it is most definitely found in the Lord.  Charles Spurgeon called God’s portion the “infinite possession.”  He said, “It is better to have our good God than all the goods in the world: it is better to have God for our all than to have all and be without him.”  To have the Lord as my portion is to have the hope of eternal salvation and the hope of present refuge in God (Psalm 142:5).  To have the Lord as my portion is to have blessings found only in Christ and hope for an eternal future (Psalm 16:5). When I have God, even when I am weak, He makes me strong (Psalm 73:26). When you accept the Lord Jesus as your Savior from your sin, He becomes your portion.  He takes all of you and gives you all of Him; a trade that works infinitely in your favor!  When God is the Lord of your life, He promises to “supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).  In Matthew 7:8, God promises “everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”  To have the Lord as your portion is to have all that you need . . . the infinite possession indeed!

3) Why should God’s love and mercy give me hope?
In Lamentations 3:21-22, Jeremiah says he has reason to hope because he is reminded of God’s faithful love and his never ending mercies.  We can find hope in God’s love and mercy, too.  Ephesians 2:4-5 tells us, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!”  God, through His grace, extends salvation to us through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus, who took our sins on the cross so we could be forgiven and have eternal life if we believe in Him.  When we have Christ in our lives, we have great hope.  1 Peter 1:3 tells us God has caused us to be “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”  We have the hope of life eternal with Jesus, but we also have the hope of friendship with God while we are living this life here on earth.  Jesus tells us in John 15:14-15, “You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father.”  This communion with God is a wonderful way God provides hope to His children!

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

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 Relentless 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.

Captivating Day 12 Love For The Nations: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Love For The Nations!

The Questions

1) How do you pursue God’s will when you are feeling weak or discouraged?

2) How can this Scripture help us navigate a chaotic culture?

3) Why is it so important to resist revenge?

1 Thessalonians 5:14-18

And we exhort you, brothers and sisters: warn those who are idle, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.  Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Original Intent

1) How do you pursue God’s will when you are feeling weak or discouraged?
The apostle Paul exhorted the believers in Thessalonica to help one another in their daily lives as new Christians.  Paul was very concerned for these new believers.  He and Silas fled Thessalonica because of intense persecution, and he worried about those left behind as they faced hardship.  Paul sent Timothy to check on them and received good word about the faithfulness of the new believers, so he wrote to encourage and spur them on to new growth and deeper maturity.  The new believers were both Jews and Gentiles, and Paul suspicioned that false teachers were likely to come in attempting to sway them from solid truth. Paul knew the believers would need each other in order to mature, so he taught them to be on the lookout for those in need of encouragement or a reminder to work hard and do good towards each other. Paul taught God’s will is to “pray always, rejoice, and give thanks” (verses 16-18) so they would continue growing together as a community of believers with one central focus: God and sharing His truth with the world.  To pursue God, they would need help and encouragement from their brothers and sisters in Christ. The missions of God cannot be accomplished alone! (Historical background from Chuck Swindoll’s commentary at insight.org)

2) How can this Scripture help us navigate a chaotic culture?
The Thessalonians had much to contend with between the time Paul led them to believe in Jesus and the time Paul sent Timothy back to check on them a few months later.  They had to deal with the ongoing, intense persecution that caused Paul and Silas to flee Thessalonica.  Some of their members died, and they were dealing with grief and the confusion about what would happen to their departed friends at the 2nd coming of Jesus.  They also wondered about what would happen to those alive at the 2nd coming.  Some members were also being lazy and living off of the generosity of wealthier Christians, while some were struggling with forsaking all of their pagan ways.  The church in Thessalonica was dealing with struggles particular to their time and culture, but the intensity of need and the desire for answers is something we can relate to today.  They were eager for Paul’s presence, but his letter was welcome instruction on how they should proceed in his absence.  Paul wanted them to keep rejoicing, keep praying, and keep thanking God for everything.  This would help them focus on God and grow in their faith despite the tumult of the times. (Historical background from the Introduction to 1 Thessalonians at thegospelcoalition.org.)

3) Why is it so important to resist revenge?
Paul may have instructed the new Christians in Thessalonica to resist revenge because they were being intensely persecuted by the Greeks in their culture.  Their natural, human instinct would be to get even with those harming them, but Paul counseled them that Christianity does not work that way.  Even in the Old Testament, God commanded the faithful “shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:18) Not only were they to resist revenge, but they were to pursue the good of everyone, even their persecutors. This was a mostly Christian notion that Paul wanted to emphasize to the new Christ-followers as it emphasizes the authority of God over each of us. Since Paul himself had zealously persecuted Christians before his conversion, his admonition held particular significance. We are not to take revenge on others, for God Himself did not take revenge on us, instead He sacrificed for us. We are to do the same as we love all those around us.  (Historical background from commentary on 1 Thessalonians from preceptaustin.org.)

Everyday Application

1) How do you pursue God’s will when you are feeling weak or discouraged?
The exhortation in these verses is important every day, but especially on those down days when we just can’t go it alone. Paul’s writing reminds us how we need to lean on our brothers and sisters in Christ who are looking out for us.  We should reach out for help, encouragement, accountability, and prayer as we pursue the high calling of loving a dying world with the love of Jesus.  Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 tells us, “Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.”  We are also reminded that prayer and praise can change our perspective.  If we are called to rejoice always, there is always something to rejoice over.  If we pray constantly, we are communicating with God about our daily needs.  Giving thanks even in the midst of hard times helps us recognize all the blessings we have that are often taken for granted. Giving praise in hardship is not the norm; when we rejoice, we are giving testifying witness of God’s good character that never changes, regardless of our circumstances.

2) How can this Scripture help us navigate a chaotic culture?
It is easy to get bogged down by our never-ending to-do lists and constant busyness.  We don’t always have time to take a shower or eat a full meal, let alone pray constantly or lend a hand to a friend in need.  These verses call us to be both intentional and singular in our focus on God. The more we cultivate our relationship with the Lord, the more natural it becomes to “pray always” as if breathing. God calls us to invest in our fellow Christians who may need an encouraging word or some extra patience as they face a struggle.  He calls us to always pursue what is good for one another, which flies in the face of our culture’s “me first” mentality.  While it can be challenging, it is one of the best ways we can represent Christ to our neighbors.  John 13:35 tells us, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  We are challenged to make careful choices about where we spend our time and energy, purposing to help our friends in need, to seek support when we need it, and keep our focus on God alone.

3) Why is it so important to resist revenge?
Paul implores us to be patient with everyone, and that includes our enemies, or those we tend to write off ore relegate to “unimportant”. Why is this patience so necessary?  In a way, revenge seems like a great way to ensure that justice, at least our version of it, is served.  If someone is doing evil, they deserve to get some pay back.  God says, “Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.”  (Romans 12:19)  God wants us to focus on forgiveness and doing good toward others, not on how we can make someone pay for their sins. The only one worthy to judge or bring retribution is the Lord God! Romans 12:21 tells us we are able to conquer evil with good; this is how we love those around us! It is vital to resist revenge because by doing so we are taking the first step to overcoming evil with good.  It is a way to get our enemy’s attention and turn their focus to the goodness of God, and it is a way for us to practice being like Jesus.

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

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Cross Day 2 Isaiah: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Isaiah!

The Questions

1) Why did Isaiah say he was “ruined”? (verse 5)

2) Why does God tell Isaiah to “deafen their ears and blind their eyes”? (verse 10)

3) What is meant by “the holy seed is the stump”? (verse 13)

Isaiah 6

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, and the hem of his robe filled the temple.
2 Seraphim were standing above him; they each had six wings:
with two they covered their faces,
with two they covered their feet,
and with two they flew.

3 And one called to another:
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies;
his glory fills the whole earth.
4 The foundations of the doorways shook at
the sound of their voices, and the
temple was filled with smoke.
5 Then I said:
Woe is me for I am ruined
because I am a man of unclean lips
and live among a people of unclean lips,
and because my eyes have seen the King,
the Lord of Armies.

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me,
and in his hand was a glowing coal that
he had taken from the altar with tongs.
7 He touched my mouth with it and said:
Now that this has touched your lips,
your iniquity is removed
and your sin is atoned for.
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord asking:
Who should I send?
Who will go for us?
I said:
Here I am. Send me.

9 And he replied:
Go! Say to these people:
Keep listening, but do not understand;
keep looking, but do not perceive.
10 Make the minds of these people dull;
deafen their ears and blind their eyes;
otherwise they might see with their eyes
and hear with their ears,
understand with their minds,
turn back, and be healed.

11 Then I said, “Until when, Lord?”
And he replied:
Until cities lie in ruins without inhabitants,
houses are without people,
the land is ruined and desolate,
12 and the Lord drives the people far away,
leaving great emptiness in the land.
13 Though a tenth will remain in the land,
it will be burned again.
Like the terebinth or the oak
that leaves a stump when felled,
the holy seed is the stump.

Original Intent

1) Why did Isaiah say he was “ruined”? (verse 5)
Isaiah was the same man, who had done the same things both before His encounter with the glory of the Lord as he was in the moment of the vision. Yet, seeing the Lord’s glory, just the hem of His robe filling the temple, was like looking into a mirror where Isaiah saw the inky, sickening blackness of his own soul. In the presence of pure holiness, Isaiah’s sinful humanity became palpable to him and he cried out, very truly, “I am ruined!” As the psalmist rightly says, “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3) Even one sin separates us eternally as we are less than perfectly holy, let alone sins as countless as the sand on the seashore. Isaiah knew he was not blameless, and he knew he didn’t need to go farther than his lips to point to see his sinfulness. A harsh word, a little lie, speech that tears down, not to mention gossip, or deception, or mockery, or hatred.

 2) Why does God tell Isaiah to “deafen their ears and blind their eyes”? (verse 10)
To understand this verse, we need to understand the context, not just this chapter, but the history of the Jewish nation as a whole. To sum up, the Lord pursues and pursues them over generations and generations. They turn back to Him for in short spurts, but the majority of the time, they rebel and turn against the Lord with ever increasing intensity. They reject Him in small amounts at first, like when they told the prophet Samuel they didn’t want to be a theocracy (ruled by God) anymore, but they’d rather have a human king “like all the other nations” instead. (1 Samuel 8:19-20) They more they turned away from God, the greater their degree of total rejection of Him became. The prophet Hosea (a contemporary of Isaiah) was the last prophet to prophesy to the Northern Kingdom before they fell under Assyrian rule, and he described God’s people as “whores” who had forsaken Him to play the adulteress to pagan gods. (Hosea 1:5-6) In verse 9, the Lord instructs Isaiah to keep prophesying, even though they are a people who clearly do not understand the hope God is offering them. Isaiah is to prophesy, despite the fact that they are “looking” at Isaiah and his demonstrative life, but they are not perceiving what God is communicating. The natural result of hearts that persistently turn away from truth is spiritual deafness and blindness. A spiritual “numbing” happens the more one rejects truth again and again and again. God was not blinding eyes that wanted to see Him, He was grieved over their own choice to perpetually choose not to see what He wanted them so desperately to see, that He held their hope!

 3) What is meant by “the holy seed is the stump”? (verse 13)
You’ve probably seen an old tree stump cut down, yet a new green shoot poking out despite the dead exterior. This is the imagery God is giving to Isaiah in this prophecy. God spent several verses painting an exceedingly bleak picture of the Jewish nation. Though Isaiah would preach hope, they would spurn it. Though Isaiah was being sent with an invitation to repent, the Jews would reject it. As a result, God’s righteous consequence would come upon them and they would be decimated and removed. Even So, God would leave a tenth (not necessarily meant to be a specific number, but rather to indicate a very small percentage of the whole) of the Jewish nation, but even those would reject Him as well. Even so again, “Like the terebinth or the oak that leaves a stump when felled, the holy seed is the stump.” (verse 13) The Holy Seed is the Lord Jesus Christ who would one day come, born a Jew to save the Jews as their Promised Messiah. Jesus is the Promised Hope, even in the midst of rejection.

Everyday Application

1) Why did Isaiah say he was “ruined”? (verse 5)
No one can see God’s face and live (Exodus 33:20), yet Isaiah was given a glimpse of the Lord’s glory and his immediate response was woe for sinfulness. Where have you encountered the glory of the Lord? Not just a good praise song set at church, but time where you have felt so impressed around you by the awe-filling glory and majesty of the King of Kings. When have you literally fallen down prostrate before the Lord, confessing your sin because you glimpsed His holiness? Isaiah didn’t live his life inside of a vision at the temple, and we can’t live in these moments of supreme glory either, but the Lord will give them to us if we seek Him. Study the Exodus passage describing Moses and his request to “please show me Your glory!” (Exodus 33:18) and ask the Lord for the same thing. Seek His word, look for His face, pray with a hunger to know Him and see Him, and He will respond!

2) Why does God tell Isaiah to “deafen their ears and blind their eyes”? (verse 10)
How many times have you heard the hope of the gospel and the forgiveness offered through Jesus Christ because of His sacrifice, and still you haven’t surrendered to Him? How many times have you been convicted of a favorite sin, and chosen to keep doing it because you have every rationale in the world memorized to keep on doing it? How many times have you known exactly how you could be serving your local church, or loving that stranger, or making that change in your marriage, yet you ignore it again and again? Be on your guard! Ask God to make your heart soft to His leadings. Ask Him to open your eyes to see His truth. The more your read His Word and engage Him through prayer, the more your ears will be tuned to hearing His voice, your eyes will be looking for Him, and your heart will be ready to be shaped by His Spirit. He longs for you; He is pursuing you! Turn and let His embrace catch you!

 3) What is meant by “the holy seed is the stump”? (verse 13)
The Lord is a God of Hope in the midst of darkness. Isaiah was called to prophesy about such great coming darkness where Jews would increasingly reject Christ, but even then, God promised Hope would still come. Maybe you’ve turned a cold shoulder to God, decided you wanted to run life your own way, and in light of your past and your heart attitude, you’re pretty certain there’s not a chance God would “take you back.” If He only knew what you have done, right? Or maybe you know someone who fits those shoes. A parent, or sibling, a child, or spouse. Either way, the story of Isaiah, the rebellious Jewish nation, and God’s promise of assured hope is for YOU. As long as you are breathing, peace with God is possible because of Christ. His forgiveness is complete. His hope for life is eternal. It’s not too late to find peace and redemption through a relationship with Jesus!

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

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 Cross 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.

Glimmers Day 6 Hope In The Should Have

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 107:1-22
Psalm 108
Judges 2:11-23

Glimmers, Day 6

“There’s that ‘should’ word again.”
This phrase is forever drenched in the loving sound of my husband’s voice as he makes a move towards me. To which, I insistently pull away.
He dramatically shakes his head and moves forward again, a smile teasing his lips.

“Oh my goodness”, he soothes. “Will you just….relax?!”
Tears threaten on my side, my body tightly unyielding as he works to draw me near.
He doesn’t understand.
He doesn’t know how much I’ve got to finish, how behind I am, and I continue babbling on.

I’m pretty hard on myself; it comes naturally to me.
Always better, always more, I use “should” more often than I…should. Oh wait…
Should have done this.
Should have been better.
Should have made that choice.

“You’re so frustrating sometimes, you know?”
But his voice holds nothing but winsome endearment as he resolutely folds me tight against him with no escape.

I wrap myself up so securely with my ‘shoulds’, it becomes nearly impossible to see clearly. I often can’t even recognize the Love standing right in front of me, beckoning me to stand down and rest.

My husband is a constant reminder of the Lord’s love for me and His relentless pursuit.
Even when, or especially when, I “should” be performing better.

The period of the Judges was a crazy, wacky time for the nation of Israel.
If anyone really should have had a laundry list of should haves and must dos, it was these people!

If you’ve never cracked open your Bible to the Old Testament book of Judges, you should try it! It’s more intriguing than you might imagine. Chock full of strange stories, Judges will make you scratch your head in curiosity, leave your mouth hanging open at the wild true stories, and make you wonder what else might be hidden in the pages of the Bible.
An incredibly obese king who dies when a dagger is plunged into his belly and the whole blade is swallowed up by his fat.
A brave housewife who kills the commander of the enemy army by driving a tent stake through his head after she gave him food and drink.
A woman who rose head and shoulders above male leadership in a male dominant society to guide God’s people with her humble faith.
An ordinary man with no societal favor, leads the entire nation to victory with only 300 men by smashing empty jars, yelling, and using torches.
A rash man’s vow that cost his daughter’s life.
Samson’s incredible strength.
And of course, everyone’s favorite, the talking donkey who saw an angel.

Judges reminds me how God pursues His people by any means necessary.
Regardless of how far we run or how hard we push against Him.
Israel was known for being stuck in a cycle (can I get an Amen? I know cycles!)
Theirs went like this…
1) They abandoned the Lord, did their own thing, and ran furiously away from God.
2) God justly punished them by bringing a foreign power to oppress them.
3) Israel begged God for deliverance from oppression, promising to live for Him
4) God answered by raising up a Judge to deliver them and lead them back to Him.
……and then they did it all again!!

For nearly 400 years this cycle of running away, being punished, returning, and drawn back continued on. Generations died in this cycle.
Yet God kept on pursuing.
He loved Israel again and again. Even though He knew they would again break His heart and turn away, blinded by their own selfish ways.

Sisters, I am exactly the same.
Sure, it’s easy for me to sit here with my hot drink, my journal, and my Bible open to Judges to not only gape at their incredible stories, but also judge their inexcusable, repetitive behavior.
How could they?
What were they thinking?
Were they thinking??
Yet there was the Lord, loving them again. Pursing them again.
Despite every ‘should have’ they never followed through on.

And here our stories cross.
My should haves, my repetitive sin cycles, my insistence to trust myself and my way look just as absurd as Israel’s.
Yet, just like my husband’s insistent arms, the Lord draws me back again and again and again.

The poet of Psalm 107 had this cycle thing figured out. Maybe he had cycle issues too.
The whole psalm is built around 4 repetitive occurrences: people suffering, people cry out, God rescues, their grateful response.  I would quote it here for you, and break it all down, but that kind of steals the fun of discovery from you. So, go read it right now for yourself.

Where do you relate?
Do you see the Rescuer?!
Sit with the people’s heart response.
And when it happens again, think of the deeply loving pursuit of arms that refuse to let you go.
No matter all the should haves you pile up, the sins you hide, or the shame you carry.

Maybe one of these times, you’ll decide to fall into the embrace that keeps on waiting.
Maybe you’ll see the God of Freedom for exactly who He is and finally,
you’ll love Him back because you will have discovered that all this time,
He has loved you in the should have.

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

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

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

Pause 2 Day 6 The Sword & The Scalpel

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Pause 2, Day 6

The wound refused to heal.
The flesh surrounding the wound was hot, pink and tender.
The doctor’s brow furrowed as he poked around, speaking in low tones to the nurse, who scurried away. The wound was deeply infected, needing to be lanced, infection drained, cleansed and perhaps packed. The nurse returned with a cart bearing medical supplies in tidy rows,
the silver blade of the scalpel glinting in the light.

The doctor explained the procedure; the patient didn’t hear.
His eyes were fixed on the silver blade.
It was true the wound refused to heal, and intervention was needed, but the scalpel?
Yes, the scalpel.
If the wound was ever going to heal, the scalpel must be part of that plan.    

As the doctor lanced, drained and packed the wound to allow physical healing,
so the Spirit of God desires to pursue the healing of our souls.

To do this, He must remove the infectious sins impeding our spiritual healing.
Scripture describes His Word as a sharp, two-edged sword.
Swords lacerate, wound and even kill!
But in the hands of our Great Physician, the Sword of the Spirit is an instrument of healing. 

Due to our innate depravity, besetting sins are imbedded in the deep tissue of our souls like infectious bacteria. Allowed to remain, those sins multiply, leaving our souls riddled with festering infection and rendering the work of our hands ineffective for Kingdom growth.

With truth, our Great Physician cleanses our souls, leading us to repentance and the fullness of a redeemed life. He then packs our wounded souls with the healing balm of grace upon grace. 

“I will walk in my house with blameless heart. I will set before my eyes no vile thing” 
Psalm 101:2-3 

When my flesh cries out for gratification, Scripture’s truth speaks clearly.
As I welcome its healing, I feel the deep slice of the sword of truth and know my self-will must die if I am to be healed and whole. 

Without the sword of truth, our only option is to remain entangled in besetting sins,
observing the abundant life from a distance,
yet never truly partaking.

Without the sword, there can be no healing.
Therefore, I welcome the sword,
for by it I am healed and set free to run in pathways of the abundant life.
1 Peter is a book about solid hope.
It’s also about running fervently away from sin that chokes the lifeblood of our freedom in Christ,
and our effectiveness in building God’s Kingdom. 

Peter’s passion for Jesus and His redemption available to all is woven throughout his first, short letter.
As we continue to Pause this week, walk slowly through the words Peter wrote.
See his heart, hear his passion, run from the world’s enticements, and sink your feet deep into the solid rock of HOPE! 

Today's Invitation

1) Read 1 Peter 1 and answer these 3 questions in your journal:
a) What do these verses tell me about God and His character?
b) What do these verses tell me about others and the world around me?
c) What do these verses tell me about me and my heart?

2) Close your time by praying for these truths to take root in your heart and for the Holy Spirit to remind you and teach you more about these things today.

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I Peter 1

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ: 

To those chosen, living as exiles dispersed abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient and to be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ. 

May grace and peace be multiplied to you. 

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.6 You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who prophesied about the grace that would come to you, searched and carefully investigated. 11 They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified in advance to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.  12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—angels long to catch a glimpse of these things. 

13 Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 15 But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy. 17 If you appeal to the Father who judges impartially according to each one’s work, you are to conduct yourselves in reverence during your time living as strangers. 18 For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was revealed in these last times for you. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 

22 Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth, so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other, from a pure heart love one another constantly, 23 because you have been born again—not of perishable seed but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For 

All flesh is like grass,
and all its glory like a flower of the grass.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.  

And this word is the gospel that was proclaimed to you.

How Does “Pause” Work?
1.Each day, Monday through Friday, for 2 weeks, we will provide you with an invitation to get away with the Savior. Each one is designed for you to engage with the Almighty in a deeper way and perhaps in a new way than you have been recently.

2. Having a journal is a must! You’ll want to take notes as you walk this special Journey of Pause.

3. Each week focuses on one or two passage of Scripture and we walk with you as you study and flesh these out for yourself. As you write your thoughts, read His Word, and pray, questions might come up. That’s Perfect! Ask a trusted fellow believer, a pastor, or send us an email as you work through them!

4. Jumping in at the middle? No problem! Here is the entire Journey Theme.

5. Connect with others on Facebook by visiting our GT Community Group!

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 Pause 2 Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies
in Pause 2!