restoration

Follow Day 6 A Time To Act

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Nehemiah 1:1-2:5
Nehemiah 4:1-14
Nehemiah 6:15-16
Luke 10:30-37

Follow, Day 6

Life seemed to be going well for Nehemiah. As cupbearer to the Persian king, he was in a well-paid and influential position. He was highly respected, trusted enough to be privy to the king’s most important conversations, and even responsible for the king’s life. For a Jew in exile, his success was remarkable.

Yet when his brother arrives with news from Jerusalem, Nehemiah’s heart breaks.

After years of displacement, the Jewish people have finally been freed from captivity and permitted to return home, but all is not going well. Although the people are back in their land, the city walls remain in ruins and the gates have been burned to the ground. They are “in great trouble and disgrace.” (Nehemiah 1:3)

Presumably, Nehemiah’s success in Susa had led him to remain there, rather than choosing to return to Jerusalem, but the impact of his brother’s words is profound, revealing the concern Nehemiah still has for his homeland and people.

“When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of the heavens.” (Nehemiah 1:4)

His prayer is passionate and heartfelt, appealing to God’s unfailing love and pleading for restoration.

Nehemiah’s compassion for the Jewish people and his grief over their situation also prompt him to act, and he asks God to grant him the king’s favour.

It is not until five months later that his opportunity comes, but it is clear the situation in Jerusalem has remained on his mind and in his heart. On this particular day, the depth of his sorrow becomes evident to the king, and as Nehemiah begins to explain the situation and request the king’s help, he demonstrates he has also thought through the details. He has a plan to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and he knows exactly what he will need from the king to turn his vision into reality.

It is a costly plan, one which means leaving the luxury of the palace to go on a long and arduous journey. It will involve effort and sacrifice.

Yet there seems to be no doubt in Nehemiah’s mind his passion and calling have come from God, and he knows his plan will only succeed by God’s grace. His compassion for the Jewish people and his desire for restoration mean he is willing to follow wherever God leads.

What about you? Is there a situation where you feel sorrow and compassion? A longing for justice or restoration?

Often, that’s a sign God is moving.

For me, one of those areas of compassion is women who have experienced childhood sexual abuse. It breaks my heart to see the wounds inflicted on so many, and I long to point them to hope in Jesus and to see restoration. This passion has built over the years, even when I had no idea what to do with it. As with Nehemiah, it has involved seeking God, praying about each step, and waiting for the right moment.

One day, as I listened to the parable of the Good Samaritan, the familiar story struck me in a fresh way.  Just like the Samaritan, I was moved by compassion to take action, to do what I could to help the bruised and the broken, to be willing to inconvenience myself to help them to a place of healing. I knew I had to find a way.

Eventually, I completed a mentor training course with Journey to Heal Ministries and launched the programme in my church. Like Nehemiah before the king, I was terrified. It is difficult to raise a topic no one wants to talk about yet, I couldn’t let go of the call to “speak up for those who have no voice.” (Proverbs 31:8)

And like Nehemiah, I experienced God’s favour. I was able to begin mentoring someone straight away and I witnessed God’s healing power. Others came forward to offer help and support in various ways, and I saw God at work in ways I would never have imagined . . .

. . . And then COVID . . .

As I write, it has been six months since lockdown restrictions paused our work, and it may be several more months before it can resume.

In some ways, it’s comforting to recognise Nehemiah faced challenges, too. In his case, the difficulties came not from a global pandemic, but from people who opposed the rebuilding.  As soon as the work began, so did the mocking and reviling, and it continued throughout the rebuilding process.

Yet Nehemiah persevered. Despite facing ridicule, mocking, and even death threats, he was determined to keep looking to God and he encouraged the people to do the same. (Nehemiah 4:14)

He kept taking the next small step of obedience and,
one brick at a time, the wall was built.

What a day that must have been when, after 52 days of hard work (not to mention the months of prayer and preparation), the wall was finally finished!

Following God brings no guarantee of an easy life or a straightforward path, but Nehemiah’s story encourages us to keep seeking God for the next step, to follow where He leads, and to trust He will bring to completion the work He has begun.

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Reveal Day 4 Heartache’s Hope: 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 Heartache’s Hope!

The Questions

1) Who has been anointed and sent in these verses?

2) What needs rebuilding, restored and renewed in verse 4?

3) Who is Isaiah addressing in these verses?

Isaiah 61:1-4

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.

Original Intent

1) Who has been anointed and sent in these verses?
There is speculation on who the speaker of these verses could be, but what is clear is their connection to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. Isaiah 6:1-8 paints the remarkable picture of Isaiah’s calling. He was willing to go and speak as the Lord’s mouthpiece to His people, Israel. God had anointed Isaiah to go and do the work of the Lord because Isaiah was willing. In the first half of Isaiah the prophet foretells the judgment to come against Israel, but this section of Isaiah provides flourishing hope. The prophecy proclaims a time yet to come when Israel would be taken captive by Babylon, but then delivered from their captivity. However, Isaiah’s good news does not end there; He is also telling of a time when Jesus would walk on earth and forever release God’s people as captives through His sacrifice on the cross as He would take the penalty of our sin on Himself. Centuries later, Jesus quoted Isaiah’s words in Luke 4:18-19 proclaiming that the fulfillment of Isaiah’s words had finally transpired. Regardless of whether the speaker is actually Isaiah, the hope-filled message declaring a coming Rescuer is certain. There is a promise of a future blessing for God’s people, and Jesus adds a new layer of promise to these verses when He comes in fullness as God and man.

2) What needs rebuilding, restored and renewed in verse 4?
Isaiah prophesied of the coming destruction of both the Northern and Southern Kingdom of Israel. The Assyrians would take Israel, the Northern Kingdom, captive in 722 BC and Babylon would conquer Judah, the Southern Kingdom, in 586 BC. Jerusalem would be destroyed, and God’s people would be dispersed. However, captivity and destruction were not the final destiny of God’s people. God had no intention of abandoning His promise to Abraham generations before, but instead uses the destruction and captivity to usher in a time of spiritual renew for His people. Isaiah tells of a time when Israel would be restored to glory both as a city and as His people. They would no longer be a place of ruin and destruction but a thriving people chosen for His purpose. Nehemiah tells the story of a portion of this rebuilding as he leads the re-building of Israel’s wall and the city begins to be reestablished. Later, the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) tell of the ultimate restoration when Jesus is born through the promised bloodline of Judah and King David.

3) Who is Isaiah addressing in these verses?
Isaiah was a prophet to the Southern Kingdom. He prophesied the punishment coming to Judah because of their sinful rebellion against God. The entire book, not just this section, is a call for Judah to return to God as His people while also telling of the coming Messiah through His people just as He had long ago promised to Abraham. These verses continue to be aimed at this audience who, yet again, strayed from their True Love, Yahweh, and would face destruction so God could lovingly regain their attention. God would use their redemption to continue moving history towards His ultimate purpose of redeeming all of Creation.

Everyday Application

1) Who has been anointed and sent in these verses?
Isaiah’s calling and anointing in Isaiah 6 has always been amazing to me. God gave him a vision and Isaiah was immediately willing to go and proclaim God’s words. God uses Isaiah to proclaim judgment Israel would soon face, but the promise of redemption was also included. Isaiah’s glimpse into the coming salvation of all people through the person of Jesus, the anointing of our Savior is astounding! We have the blessing of living on the side of history after both of these events, Israel’s captivity and Jesus’ coming to earth. Jesus fulfilled God’s promise through Isaiah to “set the captives free”, and it is now our calling to proclaim the same good news Isaiah so willingly declared. While the redemption work of Jesus was completed on the cross, there is still work to be done until He returns. Will we echo Isaiah’s words with a willing heart, “Here am I. Send me!”?  (Isaiah 6:8)

2) What needs rebuilding, restored and renewed in verse 4?
Jerusalem is in ruins from Babylon captivity and is no longer a place of prominence. The city, and the hearts of the people, are desperately in need of restoration to the One to Whom they belong. While Jesus was the fulfillment of the restoration for Israel, God’s plan did not end there. Jesus came to redeem and restore every human heart’s broken relationship with the God of the Universe because of our sinful choices. When our faith is in Jesus, and we accept Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, we are restored, and made righteous, in His sight. However, even this is not the end! There is still a coming renewal promised in the return of Jesus. He will come again in all His glory to rebuild, restore, and renew humanity. He will establish His Kingdom in the perfection it was intended to be from the beginning. Isaiah’s prophecy is a multi-layered-prophecy. Just as it has been fulfilled in part, we can trust the ultimate fulfillment is indeed coming. The destruction we see in our current world is not forever. There is the promise of a day when “every tear will be wiped away and death will be no more… and everything will be new” (Revelation 21:4-5); what a glorious day that will be!

3) Who is Isaiah addressing in these verses?
While Isaiah’s prophecy was originally addressed to the people of Judah, his message is just as important and relevant for us today. We are a people who, time and again, choose to live for ourselves instead of for Him. No matter how long I walk with Jesus, my heart is prone to stray. I am never immune to thinking I can do it on my own, and I need redemption just as much as ancient Israel did. Thankfully, God doesn’t leave me, or any of us, on our own or stuck forever in our sin without providing a way out. He offers each of us eternal redemption and forgiveness through Jesus and gifted us His Holy Spirit to empower us to walk this journey of life as beacons of Jesus’ hope for others. There will be consequences when we go astray, but Jesus always offers redemption and grace when we choose to trust Him.

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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!

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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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Worship VII Day 9 By Faith: 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 By Faith!

The Questions

1) What is the proof we cannot see? (verse 1)

2) What is true faith according to this passage?

3) What benefit do obstacles and struggles have on our faith in everyday life?

Hebrews 11:1-12:2

11:1 Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. 2 For by this our ancestors were approved.

3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.

5 By faith Enoch was taken away, and so he did not experience death. He was not to be found because God took him away. For before he was taken away, he was approved as one who pleased God. 6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

7 By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents as did Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11 By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the one who had promised was faithful. 12 Therefore, from one man—in fact, from one as good as dead—came offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and as innumerable as the grains of sand along the seashore.

13 These all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. 14 Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. 16 But they now desire a better place—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He received the promises and yet he was offering his one and only son, 18 the one to whom it had been said, Your offspring will be traced through Isaac. 19 He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead; therefore, he received him back, figuratively speaking.

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and he worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones.

23 By faith Moses, after he was born, was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn’t fear the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter 25 and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin. 26 For he considered reproach for the sake of Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since he was looking ahead to the reward.

27 By faith he left Egypt behind, not being afraid of the king’s anger, for Moses persevered as one who sees him who is invisible. 28 By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites. 29 By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after being marched around by the Israelites for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed.

32 And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received their dead, raised to life again. Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. 38 The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

39 All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.

12:1 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Original Intent

1) What is the proof we cannot see? (verse 1)
To see our Savior face to face! To enjoy His in-person-company forever! To be freed forever from the entanglement of sin! This is the coming hope for every believer! This is yet unseen and un-experienced, but we wait with anticipation, knowing it is indeed coming. No matter our everyday trials, we can choose to focus on His promise that heaven is our eternal home for all who have trusted in His name. It is our place to be with Him. The Christian life is purposefully moving toward certain hope. Hebrews 12:1-2 paints a beautiful picture, “Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus.” For the early church believers who received this letter of Hebrews, the imagery of finishing a race was easily understood as the Greek Olympic games were in high gear. In their race towards hope, their finest example of endurance was Jesus whose goal was to purchase our freedom from sin. He endured horrific suffering in order to win the restoration of our souls. If Jesus could endure for the prize of a relationship with us, so are we to run with endurance towards the Hope He died to give us! Christ is the goal of our journey and through the power of His Holy Spirit, we are strengthened to press on towards the unseen victory coming ahead. We are surrounded by saints who have gone before us and we are urged to reject the pull of sin while reaching toward Hope. Jesus encourages us, “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:1-3) The goal of our faith is God Himself who waits to welcome us at the end of our race on earth. Keep running! It’s worth it!

2) What is true faith according to this passage?
The word faith in the New Testament has many definitions based on the context of that passage. For example, when Judean Christians, whom Paul had sought to kill, spoke of their belief in Christ, they said “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy” (Galatians 1:23) Here, faith is meant as a confession or belief statement, similar to what believers have long held to in the Apostles’ Creed, which summarize the Christian beliefs. However, the author of Hebrews is conveying something different than a creedal statement of belief held by faith. As theologian Guthrie, notes, “For the evangelists that wrote the gospels, Jesus Christ is the object of faith.” John describes this aspect of faith in his gospel when he writes his summary mission statement for his letter, “That you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31) A personal faith in Jesus is the hallmark of Christians. The writer of Hebrews provided true, historic examples of Christians who lived out their everyday lives from a place of faith. (Hebrews 11:4-38) This faith is firmly anchored in an unchanging hope that transcends the current struggles. This faith is gained by claiming for ourselves the salvation Jesus offers to everyone. His salvation is freedom from the condemnation of sin, complete forgiveness for every offense, and the sweet promise of eternity with Him. Faith in Jesus is the doorway by which we gain access to God Himself. “The righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” (Romans 3:22) The heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 had one thing in common, their undivided confidence in God. The writer of Hebrews wants his readers to witness and experience that which cannot be seen by witnessing the faith of believers who trusted in Jesus. Their testimony brilliantly paints the definition of what it is to truly live by faith, even though their faith is fully in the God who cannot be seen and in His faithful promises, which are equally unseen. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and for certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)

3) What benefit do obstacles and struggles have on our faith in everyday life?
If we follow the world’s standards we may have short term ease and comfort, perhaps even prosperity. If we follow God’s standards we are guaranteed suffering, loss, and unpopularity. Astoundingly, it is the conviction of Christians it is better to suffer with God than to prosper with the world. The book of Daniel tells of three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who were confronted with the choice of public worship to King Nebuchadnezzar, or obeying God. The men chose to worship God alone, which earned them the consequence of being thrown into a fiery furnace. Yet, without hesitation, these men chose to fear the Lord God over fearing a human man.  Human experience tells us seize the moment and experience everything good we possibly can, but the Spirit of God, active within every Christian, teaches us only the Lord God is worthy of our worship and following His ways are always best. The Lord allows struggles in life so we can see how faithful HE is in spite of our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) James instructs believers to “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:2-3) Paul says we can actually boast in our afflictions! For the Christian, God uses trials to “produce endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5) Our coming Hope of real life with Jesus gives us a raised platform by which we can see how even trials can be considered pure joy. Every struggle has been allowed by God for a purpose; they are not random.  Abraham was called to sacrifice his son Isaac, Samson was crushed by the Philistines, Sarah was barren, heroes of the faith were sawed in half, slain by the sword, and the list continues, not just here in Hebrews 11 but, throughout God’s entire Word. These fiery, heavy burdens are producing faithful maturity in us as we learn to trust our God, His character, and look with eyes upon the coming “unseen” glory that is still to come and will last forever. Our trials here are merely temporary. “For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

Everyday Application

1) What is the proof we cannot see? (verse 1)
Like those who first received the letter of Hebrews, we too are Jesus’ disciples and we are urged to run the race of faith. Similarly, the apostle Paul said we are to “fight the good fight”. (1 Timothy 6:12) The battle is arduous, but worth it! We don’t need to look far into our everyday lives and schedules, our hurry and our deadlines to find distraction everywhere. Keeping our eyes on the unseen goal of Christ is difficult! If we keep our focus on the countless distractions, we quickly grow weary in our everyday battle. We must renew our minds to stay in the fight (Romans 12:2), to focus on the unseen coming reward of dwelling with our God! We are urged to remain faithful to Him by “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2) Finally, when our race in this life is over, we will be able to say together with the apostle Paul and all who have trusted Christ, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8) Ahhh! We will finally SEE the proof of the unseen! Here is the moment we, as believers, have eagerly waited for, the mighty, in-person presence of the Holy God! Suddenly, the unseen will be made tangible as eternal life begins and peace-filled joy is made perfectly complete. Fear will have no place as we stand immoveable in His magnificent love. As blissful as this coming hope will one day be, He offers us access to these gifts of peace, joy, love, and life without fear even now in our everyday. How? By fixing our eyes on what is to come. He is our Savior, Sustainer, Healer, and Redeemer in eternity, yes, but also in the now. Let’s fix our eyes on the unseen, and run with endurance for the hope set before us as we fight the good fight!

2) What is true faith according to this passage?
Simply put, true biblical faith is a personal trust in Jesus and His work on the cross. This faith is proven in our everyday obedience to God’s Word as the Holy Spirit renews us, making us more like Jesus, who is “the author and perfector of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2) This faith is exercised in everyday life quite simply. God speaks through Scripture, we hear His Word, trust Him, and act upon His teaching. Those who have true faith are both “hearers and doers of the Word”. (James 1:22) The author of Hebrews provides us with three descriptors of biblical faith, substance, evidence, and witness. Faith is to a Christian what the foundation and framework is to a house. Faith provides the substance and essence of what it looks like to follow Jesus. The faithfulness of God is our blessed assurance and confident hope, to which we cling through faith. “Faith is the reality of what is hoped for…” (Hebrews 11:1) True faith will produce convincing evidence in the believer’s life, proof that what is coming (eternal life with Jesus) is both worth it and the One promising it is worthy of our faith. What God has promised, He will indeed bring to fruition. We evidence this faith when we live out faith-filled lives that point towards the true genuineness of God’s unchanging character. Finally, faith is described as having a witness, which is referenced in Hebrews 12:1, “…a great cloud of witnesses….”. These witnesses are those whose lives testify of God’s faithfulness in the storyline of their lives. God has redeemed their lives, renewed their hearts, and saved them from separation from God, and their lives now give witness to this remarkable change! Faith enables us to accept salvation through Jesus, makes us wise in how to live out our lives, and gives us hope for a coming glory where we will dwell with God and other believers forever. Dr. Oswald Sanders puts it perfectly, “Faith enables the believing soul to treat the future as present and the invisible as seen.” We can cling to our certain “for sure” future life with God because we can trust Him at His Word. This kind of faith can only truly be experienced or understood by those who have chosen to place their faith in Jesus Christ and what Jesus did for us. On the cross, Jesus took our identity of “sin” upon Himself and gave us His identity of “righteousness” instead. As a result, we cannot brag about what we have done to earn salvation because we know only Jesus could make us righteous, trading our identity for His.

3) What benefit do obstacles and struggles have on our faith in everyday life?
Think of trials as training! God trains His troops, where the highest end goal is to trust Him, love Him supremely, and enjoy Him forever. When we walk in faith, God is always building us up to become more mature in Him even when it seems we are broken or our circumstances are impossible. (1 Peter 2:2-5) HE never leaves us! Psalm 138:8) Sometimes we suffer because we followed the wrong voice, doing our will instead of God’s will. Hosea 4:6 tells us we will be destroyed by insisting on our way, rejecting God’s ways and His knowledge. We cannot blame God for our wrong choices, but as we submit our lives to His hand and His ways, He will take even our erring ways and use them to teach us to trust Him, love Him, and enjoy Him. Many times, struggle happens even when we aren’t choosing sin. We may not understand the “WHY” of our trials, but we CAN trust God’s unchanging character of love towards us. Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us the Lord has always been faithful to show kindness towards His people; He has always given them hope. The heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 understood that no matter the trial, they could be anchored firmly in faith in God, knowing “for sure and for certain” He was in control. They confidently knew their trials were achieving for them something far greater than temporary happiness would. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) The Lord declares to His people, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways. (…) For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9) Wow! Obviously, God is in control and we can trust Him! We must not throw away our confidence in Him, His promised hope is coming and it is certain! (Hebrews 10:35-38)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
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Catch up with By Faith!

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!
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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship VII Week Two!
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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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Treasure Day 8 The Gift Of Laboring

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 127:1-2
John 15:4-8
Colossians 1:16-18
Matthew 11:28-30

Treasure, Day 8

As treasures of God, created by and for Him,
we have been given the gift of work. 

Whether leading a corporation or a family, God has given each of us unique talents and opportunities to glorify Him and draw others to Himself. He has also provided guidelines to protect us and to help us learn to trust Him. As our Creator, God invites us into a working partnership, one in which He is both guide and co-laborer.

Psalm 127:1 explains,
“Unless the Lord builds the house,
the workers labor in vain who build the house;
Unless the Lord watches the city,
the watchmen watch in vain.”  

Our work should begin with God in mind.
Colossians 3:23 reminds us to do everything for the Lord. We are to seek Him first, allowing Him to guide our decisions and processes. When we do this, our priorities line up with His and we make decisions based on the principles He’s given His followers. Then, He can bless the work of our hands and we can step back and celebrate His work through us!

However, our identities can get tangled up in the work we do, instead of who God says we are.  When this happens, we become greedy, prideful, critical, and absent from those we love.

When we don’t view our work as God’s purposes through us, we begin micromanaging and hovering over every project instead of trusting those assigned to the work. Rather than working as a team, allowing all members to learn and thrive, decisions are made to feed the ego of the leader.

As we continue to find identity in our work,
we are consumed with busy-ness,
eventually neglecting regular meetings with our Father,
and further becoming enslaved to the success of the job to prove our worth.

We were made for work, but not for constant work.
Our bodies were made for a balance of work and rest. How kind of our Creator to model this for us! He spent six days creating, then spent the seventh day resting.

As God, He doesn’t need rest, but He showed us the importance of stepping back, seeing all we’ve done, and resting. As we practice regular Sabbath, lovingly given for our good, we demonstrate the trustworthiness of our God, who designs our work and holds all things together.

In addition, as Jesus modeled, we need to take time away daily to connect with the Lord, He who loves us best and in Whom we find our true identity. When we allow ourselves to be filled with Him first, the work we do is fueled with His purpose and energy.

As we consistently abide in Him, our work bears fruit as God intended, glorifying Him. He also reminds us how deeply He loves those we lead, and we learn how to lead them well.

Perhaps the greatest obstacle to getting time away from work is our devices. Our phones are no longer connected to the wall, but accompany us wherever we go, making us constantly, immediately accessible. With the ease of remote work comes the double-edged sword of always being “on” and consumed by work.

In addition, our devices make it all too easy to trade quietness and reflection in favor of unceasing preoccupation with social media or even games. Peeking at the screen “just this once” becomes an entire vacation lost, or a day with the family plunged into electronic isolation.

Be assured, sister, if you identify with any of this, you are not alone.

I am currently working to build limits for my own cell phone use and lack of true rest. Though I don’t work outside the home, I can get lost in the search for dinner ideas, recipes, or ways to more effectively manage my home.

The too-high cost is precious time with my family. I end up feeling more frustrated about my lack of productivity, lack of time to pursue creative outlets, or inability to rest and connect with Jesus. If you find yourself there as well, take heart and be reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28-30,

“Come to me all you who are weak and weary,
and I will give you rest.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Our Savior knows we need rest.
The Holy Spirit gently reminds us true rest, like our true identity, is found in Him.
When we seek Him first, trusting Him with the details of the job, He is faithful to provide restoration to our weary souls as He blesses the work of our hands.

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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 Treasure 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 Treasure!

Prayer Day 8 Forgive Us

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 6:12-14
Matthew 9:1-8
Psalm 32:1-7
Exodus 34:6-8
Ephesians 4:31-5:2 

Prayer, Day 8

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12) 

There are some concepts that are easily grasped, and there are others that are difficult and may take quite a bit of additional effort to adopt.
In my humble opinion, forgiveness is at the top of the list.

A friend of mine asked a very important question regarding this concept,
“Why do some people find it hard to forgive?”
Well, forgiveness isn’t always straightforward friends; it is as nuanced as the individuals involved on either side. Forgiveness takes effort and intention, often meaning that the end result may simply take time.
Maybe if we let ourselves off the hook by thinking of forgiveness as a journey,
rather than a destination to be reached,
we can release some of the difficultly associated with it. 

Our central verse is at the heart of a teachable moment Jesus is having with the disciples who have just asked him how they should pray. The prayer ends with Jesus’ plea for forgiveness of debts, but not just forgiveness on its own.
It is coupled with,
and dependent upon,
the action of the pray-er.

“And forgive us of our debts,” Jesus says,
“as we have also forgiven our debtors.”

Jesus has instructed His disciples to
1.) forgive others
2.) then ask God for our forgiveness
3.) repeat as necessary.

Forgiveness is one of the bookends of the model prayer,
which places it at a high importance for how we should model our lives.
Why exactly would Jesus end the prayer with forgiveness rather than begin with it? Maybe He wanted it to be the last thing they heard.
Maybe it held the greatest weight.  

Forgiveness is mentioned in various forms (forgive, forgiven, forgiveness, forgiving) in the Bible many times (at least 150 times).
Why?
Because forgiveness is at the root of restoration and healing.

A man who came to Jesus for physical healing, found himself hearing that his sins had been forgiven (Matthew 9:2).
A woman caught in the act of adultery and brought before Jesus, realized she had been restored, when He told her to “go and sin no more” (John 8:11, ESV).
Jesus Himself embodied and represented to us the ultimate act of forgiveness in our restoration at Calvary, when He pleaded with His Father to “Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”. (Luke 23:34) 

Forgiveness is also about relationship.
Peter needed some clarity on this also. In Matthew 18:21 (NIV), he asks Jesus how many times he must forgive someone (most translations say brother or sister) who has sinned against him. He throws out what he probably feels is an acceptable number: Seven. Jesus counters back and astonishes all within earshot, that he would need to multiply that number times 70 (verse 22).
Why?
Because we shouldn’t be able to keep count of the times we are called to forgive others, unless we are willing to have God do the same for us. 

Forgiveness is the work of a lifetime, and it frees us from emotional bondage. Sometimes it is immediate, and sometimes years pass before we can admit to ourselves, and to others, that we have forgiven them. I must raise my hand and admit that I am still struggling with how this practically looks and feels in my life. This rings especially true in areas of great vulnerability for me such as friendships and family relationships.
I have given myself grace, because that’s what God does for me. 

Just as Jesus calls us to forgive others before we ask forgiveness for ourselves, He reminds us that we are only able to forgive because we have been forgiven much. Our sinful nature places us precariously in the line of righteous judgement, but God through the blood of our advocate Jesus Christ, extends forgiveness to us.
How can we not do the same for others?

We would be no better than the wicked servant Jesus describes in
Matthew 18:23-35.
The man was forgiven much more than he could repay,
but refused to offer that same forgiveness to his brother, who owed him little. 

Sisters, I do not in any way want to trivialize the hurt we encounter along life’s journey.
I want you to know God doesn’t either.

In fact, Psalm 56:8 lets us know how important our pain is to Him.
He keeps track of our sorrow,
He collects our tears in a bottle and records them in a book.
What a loving God! 

There are some events and people that may seem beyond forgiveness,
yet forgiveness isn’t just for them, it’s also (often to a great degree) for us.

I can tell you what un-forgiveness is like.
It’s a prison of your own making.
Work toward forgiveness daily, being mindful of how you have been forgiven,
and renew your commitment to forgive even if it hurts – actually as often as it hurts.
We’re in this together! 

Forgiveness is still working in and through me seventy times seven.
What about you? 

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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 Prayer 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 Prayer!

The GT Weekend! Sketched III, Week 2

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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) We all want to belong, to feel valued. We want our lives to matter and leave an impression on those around us. Reflect back over your last few months. How are you feeling? What are people remembering you for? Praise Father if you are in a place that you are comfortable with. Ask the Holy Spirit to change your impact. He will use your obedience to grow you in new ways!

2) It’s easy to feel that we should “fix” our sin before we come to the Lord in repentance. There is nothing we can do to purify ourselves, nor does the Lord expect us to; that’s why He sent us Jesus! He is ready to redeem us and restore us if we’re obedient. Turn your face to Him today!

3) The Lord, in His might, can use our weakness for His glory. His word says “my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” What weakness of yours can you surrender to allow the Lord to work in your life? Journal through that idea and offer yourself in open-handed submission.

We journeyed into the life of Fanny Crosby this week. Prolific hymn writer, true, but mostly, lover of Jesus. Slow down as you read these words of “Draw Me Nearer” by Fanny, then write your own song of praise for the Savior. There’s no “right” way, just pour out your heart to Him. Be still before the Lord and enjoy His presence!

I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.

Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.

Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.

O the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,
I commune as friend with friend!

There are depths of love that I yet may know
Ere Thee face to face I see;
There are heights of joy that I yet may reach
Ere I rest in peace with Thee.

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

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Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Sketched III, Day 7 Bathsheba: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days...are a pretty big deal at GT!

We search God's Word together, ask questions as we read, dig around to find the original intentions at the time of writing, and then make some applications to our everyday lives.
Along the way, we hope you'll pick up some new tools to study Scripture and you'll see truth in a new and accessible way!
Dig In!

The Passage

Looking for yesterday’s
Journey Study?
Check out Bathsheba

2 Samuel 12:24-25 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba; he went to her and slept with her. She gave birth to a son and named him Solomon.  The Lord loved him, and he sent a message through the prophet Nathan, who named him Jedidiah, because of the Lord.

The Questions

1) How did David offer comfort to Bathsheba?

2) What was the significance of Solomon’s name?

3) What was the purpose of Solomon’s second name: Jedidiah?

The Findings for Intention

1) How did David offer comfort to Bathsheba?
Following a series of one poor choice after another (2 Samuel 11-12) David spent days fasting, weeping, and crying out to God, asking that He would spare the life of his son with Bathsheba.  However, God’s mind would not be changed and the child died as a consequence of the sins committed (2 Samuel 12:13-18).  David’s mourning likely looked very different from Bathsheba’s.  He had grieved over his son the week before, and once the baby was gone, David was resolute and matter of fact about moving forward (2 Samuel 12:20-23).  He could have expected Bathsheba to do the same. Instead, David went to her.  He offered her his presence.  They shared their pain with one another.  He did not ignore her or leave her to figure out her feelings on her own.  He could have…but instead, he held her and offered her comfort through the ministry of sex, one of the many beautiful purposes for which God intended it to serve within the marriage relationship.

2) What was the significance of Solomon’s name?
First, God used David to offer comfort to Bathsheba through his presence.  Then God extended even more comfort to her through His forgiveness and restoration.
Before he was born, God promised David that a son would be given to him as a man of rest, that the child would live in a time of peace, that he would follow David on the throne to rule Israel, and that this son would construct the house for the Lord that David longed to build.  God declared to David that the baby would be named Solomon (1 Chronicles 22:6-10).  His very name was a play on the Hebrew word “shalom” which means “peace.”  David then shared that news with Bathsheba.  David made a promise to her that their son would follow in his footsteps as king  (1 Kings 1:11-21), before David’s older sons and rightful heirs.  Sharing this news with Bathsheba would have served as a daily reminder that God’s forgiveness would not be taken away.  The woman who had lost a son as result of poor choices had been given another who would bring peace into her life.

3) What was the purpose of Solomon’s second name: Jedidiah?
Once Solomon was born, God sent Nathan to give the boy the second name Jedidiah, or “beloved of the Lord.”  In Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary he says that this gesture by the Lord serves to show “…that those who were by nature children of wrath and disobedience should, by the covenant of grace, not only be reconciled, but made favorites.”
And the boy who grew up knowing he was beloved by God extended that same love to his mother.  The interaction recorded between Solomon and Bathsheba just after the death of David in 1 Kings 2 is a beautiful snapshot of their relationship.  As Bathsheba goes to speak with her son, the newly crowned king, he responds with incredible respect.  “The king stood up to greet her, bowed to her, sat down on his throne, and had a throne placed for [his] mother,”  (1 Kings 2:14).  Can you imagine?   A woman who faced such grief and pain was allowed to see her hurt come full circle in a legacy left in the hands of this incredible young man. God gave her the comfort of knowing that His promises were true.

The Everyday Application

1) How did David offer comfort to Bathsheba?
“He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God, “ (2 Corinthians 1:4).
God gave us the people and relationships in our lives as a source of comfort for the trials and difficulties that will inevitably come our way.  Our simple presence is one of the most powerful offerings we can give.  Simply being there to hold someone’s hand when they cry.  To sit in silence when words don’t come.  To watch a movie and laugh.  To talk over coffee when needed.  But we are wise to allow those in need of comfort to direct what form comfort takes.  Not everyone will respond the same, or need what we ourselves might choose.  And for those of you who are married, please, don’t miss in this story the powerful ministry of sex as a means of comfort to your spouse.  It’s an often overlooked need and purpose of the most intimate time in a relationship we will ever know.  We are given the opportunity to serve our spouses at a level that none other on this earth can.

2) What was the significance of Solomon’s name?
No matter the depth of our sin or the length of our despair, we have a Father in heaven who offers us the same forgiveness and restoration He gave to both David and Bathsheba.  When we are in need of forgiveness and willing to confess our sin, He is faithful (1 John 1:9).  No.  Matter.  What.  That is how God extends peace – shalom –  into our everyday lives.  He gave His son as a pathway to our peace (Romans 5:1).  And when we are brokenhearted and in despair, needing His restoration, He gives generously to His children.  He brings life to us through Christ.  The Messiah offers us beauty, peace, comfort, healing, freedom, favor, justice, provision and so much more (Isaiah 61:1-4).  Where are you today?  Where do you need to know God’s peace and forgiveness?  Where do you need restoration?  

3) What was the purpose of Solomon’s second name: Jedidiah?
“…I will call Not my People, my People, and she who is Unloved, Beloved…” (Romans 9:25).  Through God’s re-naming and legacy of Solomon, Bathsheba experienced the truth Paul references in Romans.  The literal comma between unloved and beloved  contains the uncontainable grace and mercy of God; it’s the transformation that Matthew Henry noted:  not only reconciled, but also favored.  For years, I knew that God loved me and that my eternity was secure through Christ.  But I also lived my everyday Christian life as a second-class citizen…believing His love for me only went so far because of the greatness of my sin.  In my mind I limited His love.  But God opened my eyes to the truth, and my subsequent beloved-ness.  His love isn’t limited like the love of humans or bound by my sin or defined by my lack of understanding.  He gives His love freely to even the worst of us.  Even me.  And you.  Do you know the difference between being loved through the action of God and being the beloved in your very existence?  The comma is subtle, yet bold in its power to transform – let this truth wash over you today, beloved.

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
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I Can Do That!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read through it (always more than a verse or two).
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!

The Community!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into
Sketched III Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion. 
We’d love to hear your thoughts!

The Tools!

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

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. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? 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 :-))

The Why!

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.

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

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
See all past studies in Sketched III!

Sketched III, Day 6 Bathsheba

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Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Samuel 11:1-26
2 Samuel 12:15-25
Proverbs 31:25
James 1:12-15

Sketched III, Day 6

“Precious son, don’t cry,” I whisper, and I gently bounce and sway back and forth.
A song breaths through my lips as I hum into my little one’s ear. His fuzzy head and sweet, new-baby smell engulf my senses. So much joy, and yet, still remembrances of a deep sorrow…

He is not my firstborn.
He wasn’t the first I had labored into this world.
Will I get to hold him beyond his first week?

The road to now hadn’t been easy.
And while I try to forget, the memories flood back.…

I was a young wife – a wife.
Everything I had dreamed about was unfolding before me.
I was married to an incredible warrior. He was valiant, noble, and a hard worker.
I dreamed of our future, and prayed for his safety while at war.
Uriah. How I loved him!

It was at war, when the dreams began crumbling.I was bathing, cleansing myself from my monthly flow as is required by the Law. This was my time for purification before the Lord.

As I was finishing, royal messengers were pounding at my door.
My heart hammered furiously with anxious unknown.
You know the kind perhaps? A twisting in your gut?
They had a summons from King David, for me.

The King does not summon just anyone.
Was it Uriah?
My heart beat faster with fear, as I prepared myself for the worst.
But not this.

The King…. he had seen me bathing, enjoyed my beauty, and even though he knew I was married to one of his own warriors, who was at this moment in battle for the King himself, he had sent these men to bring me to him.

He clearly didn’t care whether I was married or not.

I knew, just as everyone else, that he was not even supposed to be here in the city.
All kings go to war at this time of year.
Why would our trusted king pull back from his responsibilities like this?

And so, I went.
Because who could refuse a king?

Just a short time later, I realized I was pregnant.
I tried to ignore the lingering “knowing”.
I just ate something that didn’t settle well, I would tell myself.
But I knew.
Deep down inside, I knew life was forming inside me.

I remember telling King David I was pregnant. I had sent a messenger with a note.
I didn’t know what he would do, or how he would respond.
But I knew that I had to do something. If my baby was born while Uriah was away, I would be a disgrace to my family; Uriah would certainly divorce me.

Weeks passed and I never heard from him.

But then news came…
Uriah, my dear husband, who fought so hard, and remained faithful to me, was dead.
His death plotted by the King as he tried to cover his own sin.
Sin brought death.

King David took me as his wife, again hoping to cover for his sin that no one would see how he had chosen his own heart’s desires over God’s.

I remember feeling my stomach grow; the baby kicking and turning.
First those movements felt of butterflies, then they began to jab just a little more until some days, my breath would catch.

Reminding me, this wee baby was part of me.
I grew to love him, even before he was born. The deep love I carried for him, steadied me.
Despite his beginnings, this little life needed me;
and I knew I needed him.
The labor was intense; I’d never felt pain so great, but then, neither had I felt such intense joy as when my eyes saw the one I already loved: my son.

But he became ill.
Though my body ached from labor, my heart’s pain for my baby was a hundred-fold more intense.
Just as I knew I was pregnant with him,
I knew I was going to lose my sweet baby.
I wrapped my arms around him and sang to him.
I whispered in his ear, “I love you, son, know that! You are mine. I am yours. You will always be part of me.”

He looked up at me, one last time.
And I knew he loved me, too.
And he was gone.

That pain is still so fresh.
That precious week I had to hold my son will never be enough;
yet I am thankful I had a week at all.  

The sharp pain dulled little by little and one day, I realized I was with child again. My emotions were a muddled mix of fear, joy, and still… sorrow.

I begged the Lord to keep this child safe: to let this child live.
“Lord, give my baby wisdom beyond measure.
Let my little one to grow to be a great leader; a warrior of warriors.
Let this baby grow to know Your love.”

I was almost afraid to grow close to this new baby.
I was afraid to dream for a future with this little one.
My pregnancy crept along, but almost too soon, it was time.
When that time came, instead of fear, gracefully, I felt peace.
Throughout labor, peace consumed me, a peace I had not felt in several years.
Peace came with this baby.
Solomon.
—

Bathsheba is a well-known wife of King David, but the process by which she became his wife is ear-marked by David’s moral failure. Whether Bathsheba was a willing partner or not, Scripture doesn’t clearly say, but what the Bible does focus on is David’s own path of sin. Sin that started in his heart as he lusted after a woman who was not his wife.

And sisters, sin always gives birth to death.
This can mean death in relationships, death in advancements, or even physical death, like when David killed Uriah.

James 1:14-15
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
Then desire, when it has conceived gives birth to sin,
and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

But Bathsheba’s story highlights God’s gracious redemption!

God redeemed Bathsheba and David’s loss as she birthed the future king of Israel, who also authored part of the Bible: Solomon. She was the Queen Mother, having wise influence on Solomon’s decisions, and helping Solomon become King, which brought peace from chaos as King David neared his death. And amazingly enough… God even used her in the lineage of Jesus!

Heartache marked her life, but God’s redemption overshadowed her grief as she became a woman of valor!

Whatever our sin, whatever our circumstances, the God of redemption sees us, knows us, and loves us deeply. Let’s give Him our stories and let Him be our Redeemer!

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

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

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

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

Chase Day 10 The Chase That Restores

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Jonah 2
Psalm 51:10
Matthew 18:12-14 .   

res·to·ra·tion- the action of returning something to a former condition.

Around seven years ago after returning from my first trip to Kenya, I felt the Lord tell me that my time on the mission field wasn’t finished yet. I had just gotten used to the feeling of warm water, flushing toilets, sleeping on a mattress, and air conditioning again when I heard from Him, and to be honest, I wasn’t surprised.

I was called into missions at thirteen years old and now that I was old enough to pursue this calling, I felt as if I was ready to go wherever the Lord was going to lead.

About two months later, I was approached with the opportunity to be a junior leader that summer on another overseas trip with the same organization and I said yes instantly.
But then something unexpected happened.
I started to run away from God’s calling.

Just as Jonah was anxious to flee to Tarshish after hearing what God had asked him to do, I decided that financial stability, leaving my job, and saying goodbye to my family and friends was going to be too hard to give up again. Ultimately, these were more important than what God had called me to do. I made up excuse after excuse and ran in the opposite direction.

While I’m happy to report that I never physically ended up in the belly of a whale,
I did feel as if I had spent some time feeling similarly to Jonah during that season.

I was distressed in a dark place, with no one to turn to except for the Lord,
and even that felt unfamiliar and awkward.

My life was not over because I did not lead that summer,
but being outside of the will of God is not a place we should strive to be or choose to linger.
The months following my decision to not go,
God continuously pursued me.
Because His reach of grace doesn’t fall back when we choose another Love.
His chase on my heart and life showed me that He cared for me, and that He wasn’t going to give up on me. He knew that following His heart, was the most abundant life for me, and He refused to just “let me go my way”. One of the ways He chased me was by the people He was placing in my path.

A few of the teammates I had gone to Kenya with surprised me that summer and all flew to Atlanta for a mini reunion as well as to celebrate my 19th birthday. Towards the end of their stay, we turned on worship music and had a night of prayer and singing praise to Jesus together in my basement.
It was a holy and beautiful moment I’ll remember forever.
It was during this time, one of my former teammates bravely asked me why I was resisting God’s calling over my life so much.

Whoa.

He told me that he felt the Holy Spirit’s prompt to ask the question
and when the crocodile tears began to fall,
I couldn’t hold it in any longer.
I explained the entire situation, start to finish, and the very next morning I woke up and applied to lead another trip.
Through this night of praise and worship,
a night I wasn’t expecting,
God began to restore me from the inside out
as His chasing heart caught up to me.

Looking back on that moment from seven years ago,
I’m reminded of how beautiful it is to be pursued by a loving Heavenly Father,
especially when we don’t deserve it.

I was downright disobedient towards God,
yet He never stopped loving me.
He never stopped chasing me.

Worship is the key to restoration. Through those desperate moments of weariness,
God invited me into restoration as I chose worship to be my sacrifice of love.

While writing this, I’ve been listening to Reckless Love by Cory Asbury on repeat. The chorus and bridge go like this:

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights ‘til I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine
I couldn’t earn it, I don’t deserve it, still You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God

 There’s no shadow You won’t light up
Mountain You won’t climb up
Coming after me
There’s no wall You won’t kick down
Lie You won’t tear down
Coming after me.

After Jonah had been inside of the whale for three days and three nights, he was vomited onto dry land. Upon this, Jonah heard from the Lord for the second time and ran straight towards Nineveh, never looking back.

Through worship and restoration, there is redemption in the Father’s embrace!
He’s chasing after you, Beloved.
And It’s okay to be caught.

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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 Worship Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Chase!