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Follow Day 12 Question, Follow, 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 Question, Follow, Faith!

The Questions

1) Why does God say His ways and thoughts are not ours? (verse 8)

2) How can we follow God’s ways when they do not align with our own ideas and wishes?

3) What biblical events can encourage us to have faith in God’s ways?

Isaiah 55:8-11

8  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration. 9 “For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return there without saturating the earth and making it germinate and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, 11 so my word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.”

Original Intent

1) Why does God say His ways and thoughts are not ours? (verse 8)
We all have a sinful nature (Romans 3:9), meaning we can never please God on our own, but God is divine and perfect. He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10); God intimately knows everything. We, on the other hand, have gone astray like sheep and turned to our own sinful ways. Our continual choice to serve ourselves over God by choosing sin is why Jesus came to earth to bare our iniquities on the cross by His death. (Isaiah 53:6) Therefore, His thoughts and ways are much higher and better than our own. Just like the heavens are higher than the earth (Isaiah 55:9). Only He has ultimate understanding, authority, and complete righteousness!

2) How can we follow God’s ways when they do not align with our own ideas and wishes?
In Moses’ time, the Lord had commanded the Israelites to “love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, keep his commands, be loyal to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” (Joshua 22:5) They were familiar with His laws and ways, yet the people often wandered off His path of wisdom. When Moses stayed too long on Mount Sinai, the people resorted to creating and worshipping a golden calf, a thing strictly forbidden for only God is worthy of worship! (Exodus 32:1) They were released from bondage in Egypt, yet they grumbled they didn’t have water or nice food like in the city. (Exodus 17:3; Exodus 16:2-3) Even His chosen people struggled to come to terms with God’s ways and plans. Wise followers of Jesus know that God’s way alone is perfect. (Psalm 18:30). They understand that His plans are for their well-being, to provide a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11) Whenever it feels like God is pushing them into a direction opposite where they want to go, the righteous person remembers God’s ways are higher. They remember that, although a way may seem right to a person, its end might lead to death. (Proverbs 14:12)

3) What biblical events can encourage us to have faith in God’s ways?
An excellent biblical account of someone whose plans were different than God’s plans must be Joseph from the Old Testament. (Genesis 37:1 – 47:12) Jacob had 12 sons, of whom Joseph was his favourite. His favoritism was lavished on Joseph in the form of a beautiful coat of many colors, and he even received dreams from God. Then one day, he was sold as a slave by his own jealous brothers! He was taken to Egypt away from his beloved father, not knowing what would happen to him. Perhaps he even felt as if God had abandoned him. Nothing could be further from the truth, however, for God had amazing plans for Joseph that went far beyond anything he could imagine on his own. Joseph eventually became governor, acting as second in command to none but Pharaoh. Eventually, God brought redemption through Joseph to the brothers who had disowned him and used Joseph’s place of influence to provide for his family during a time of immense drought. Not only did God use one man’s story to rescue his immediate family, but through these divinely ordained plans, God planted “His Family” the Hebrews, from Joseph’s family. You might know them from a different name, as Jews. An entire nation was birthed because God’s plans overtook man’s plans!

Everyday Application

1) Why does God say His ways and thoughts are not ours? (verse 8)
Although we’d like to think our ways and thoughts are just as perfect as God’s, they’re simply not. The Bible tells us we’re all sinners, not one of us is righteous. (Romans 3:9) None of us will attain to God’s level of holiness on our own without Jesus. We don’t even know what we should pray for and need the Spirit’s help to pray correctly! (Romans 8:26) In contrast, God is perfect! His Son, who is God’s exact image (Hebrews 1:3), never sinned in His time on earth although He was tempted in every way as we are. (Hebrews 4:15) His divinity was able to withstand the devil. We are not able to do so alone. Our human nature is more willing to surrender to evil than to good (Romans 7:18-19), and it’s only through Christ we have the hope of eternal life with God. In other words, our ways and thoughts are wicked on their own. Only God’s ways and thoughts are perfect, and therefore, they’re not ours.

2) How can we follow God’s ways when they do not align with our own ideas and wishes?
Jesus is very straightforward to us in saying, “If anyone loves me, he will keep My word.” (John 14:23) We already read in Isaiah 55:11 where God said, “So My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do”. In other words, if we love Him, we will be able to keep His Word through the power of His Spirit living within us. His ways and His thoughts are active in us when we submit to following Him. If we trust Him, we will obey and follow the Lord even though we cannot see where He’s leading us. God knows all things and knows exactly how everything will work out. We need to have faith in Him for He is faithful (Hebrews 10:23) and His ways are perfect. And they always accomplish what they were supposed to do. His plans are never in vain. Remembering this can help us abandon our own thoughts and surrender to God.

3) What biblical events can encourage us to have faith in God’s ways?
When we look in the New Testament, we can be inspired and encouraged by all the disciples of Jesus (and obviously Jesus Himself). Each life was flipped upside down from the moment they met Jesus, and even more so after His crucifixion and resurrection. They were imprisoned (Acts 12:3), beaten (2 Corinthians 11:25), and eventually killed (Acts 12:2) for following Christ. Saul was on his way to Damascus to bring an end of the spread of Christianity. Instead, the Lord stopped him on his tracks and blinded him (Acts 9:1-9). Saul, then became Paul, left his old life of persecution behind and influenced the early church, (and our own modern lives!), by his preaching and writing. In fact, the majority of the New Testament consists of Paul’s letters to encourage and strengthen the church! I’m sure his life didn’t really play out the way he had initially planned. Yet, he trusted God every step of the way, whether free or imprisoned, he sang praises to the Lord (Acts 16:25) and continued to follow Christ until death. Reading their stories and experiences as often as we can will encourage us to remain faithful as we pursue Christ in everyday life. Even if God rearranges our plans in different ways than we had hoped or dreamed, surrender to his hand, acknowledging His plans are necessary for our growth in faith and the work for His glory.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Question, Follow, 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!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Follow 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.

Worship VII Day 4 The Wonderful Cross: 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 The Wonderful Cross!

The Questions

1) Who is Isaiah describing in these verses and what event is he foretelling?

2) Why is there a comparison to a sheep in verse 7?

3) What is the beautiful promise made in verse 11?

Isaiah 53

Who has believed what we have heard?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a young plant
and like a root out of dry ground.
He didn’t have an impressive form
or majesty that we should look at him,
no appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of suffering who knew what sickness was.
He was like someone people turned away from;
he was despised, and we didn’t value him.

4 Yet he himself bore our sicknesses,
and he carried our pains;
but we in turn regarded him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced because of our rebellion,
crushed because of our iniquities;
punishment for our peace was on him,
and we are healed by his wounds.
6 We all went astray like sheep;
we all have turned to our own way;
and the Lord has punished him
for the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth.
Like a lamb led to the slaughter
and like a sheep silent before her shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
8 He was taken away because of oppression and judgment,
and who considered his fate?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
he was struck because of my people’s rebellion.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
but he was with a rich man at his death,
because he had done no violence
and had not spoken deceitfully.

10 Yet the Lord was pleased to crush him severely.
When you make him a guilt offering,
he will see his seed, he will prolong his days,
and by his hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished.
11 After his anguish,
he will see light and be satisfied.
By his knowledge,
my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will carry their iniquities.
12 Therefore, I will give him the many as a portion,
and he will receive the mighty as spoil,
because he willingly submitted to death,
and was counted among the rebels;
yet he bore the sin of many
and interceded for the rebels.

Original Intent

1) Who is Isaiah describing in these verses and what event is he foretelling?
It is important to note this section of Scripture actually begins in Isaiah 52:13-15 and continues in Isaiah 53. Isaiah, through divine inspiration from God’s Holy Spirit, provides an incredible picture of the promised Savior, Jesus Christ. Isaiah paints a picture unlike anywhere else in Scripture of what Christ would endure as He took upon the sins of the world in all of His innocence. These verses describe the mission Jesus came to accomplish in dying sinless in order to offer rescue to sinners.

2) Why is there a comparison to a sheep in verse 7?

The reference to a sheep, or lamb, would have been a familiar one for Isaiah’s Israelite audience. From the first sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, God has required the shedding of innocent blood for atonement. Genesis 3:21 describes how God made garments of skins to clothe Adam and Eve. He sacrificed the first animal and innocent blood was shed, as He made clothing to cover their shame. Later, God called Abraham to sacrifice His son, Isaac, and at the last moment God provided a ram for the sacrifice instead. (Genesis 22) During the plagues in Egypt, the final plague required an innocent lamb’s blood to be shed. This blood was to be painted on the doorposts, allowing the angel of death to pass over their homes sparing the life of the eldest son. (Exodus 11-12) During the days of the temple, the high priest entered the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement, and presented blood from an animal sacrifice to atone for the sins of the Israelites, a practice established in Leviticus 16:11-14. Isaiah uses language familiar to his audience to tell of a day coming when animal sacrifices would no longer be needed. There would be a day when the perfect, final sacrifice would come in the form of the promised Messiah. He would take the place of the innocent animal sacrifice; He would be led to slaughter for all sins.

3) What is the beautiful promise made in verse 11?
These verses are filled with an incredible promise. The Israelites likely didn’t grasp the entirety of this promise as they lived centuries before its fulfillment. However, Isaiah tells of a time that would indeed come when the promised Messiah would fulfill what God had put into action in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 3:15) Isaiah tells of a coming time when Jesus would take the sins of  the world upon Himself and exchange them for glorious salvation and restoration for His people through the work only He could accomplish. Isaiah tells of the Suffering Servant who would “justify many” (verse 11); this is the hope-filled promise Isaiah describes! Through Isaiah, God promises that one day, animal sacrifice would no longer be necessary because the final price would be paid in full. At that time, all who choose to accept His sacrifice would finally be justified before the Holy God because their sin would be paid for in Jesus.

Everyday Application

1) Who is Isaiah describing in these verses and what event is he foretelling?

Isaiah, hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth, describes Jesus for us with vivid imagery of all He would endure as He took my sins and yours to the cross where He would die in our place. Because of our sin, we deserve death and eternal separation from God. We are utterly incapable of becoming righteous on our own; our sin is too great, so we are stuck in eternal death. But Jesus, in magnificent love, took the punishment we deserved and offers us His righteousness in place of our sin, if we are willing to trust Him. None of us are deserving of this gift! God chose to lay all our guilt for all of our sin on Jesus as He went to the cross for us. (Isaiah 53:6) Isaiah’s words in these verses lead us to a new understanding of exactly what Jesus did for you, me, our neighbor across the street and across the world, all those years ago. As we read Isaiah’s God-inspired prophecy, we can sense the anguish Christ lovingly chose to endure for all of us so we might be in right relationship with Him.

2) Why is there a comparison to a sheep in verse 7?
Atonement for sin has always required bloodshed. Since Adam and Eve first sinned in the garden, God has required innocent blood for those sins, but He has also faithfully provided a way for sin to be atoned. Even the Old Testament sacrificial system of bloodshed from an innocent animal was given by God as a grace gift. During Passover in Egypt, God provided lamb’s blood to spare lives, painting a clear picture of His provision that would one day come as Jesus poured out His blood in exchange for our eternal souls. We have the privilege of living on the other side of Isaiah’s prophecy foretelling a coming Messiah because Jesus has already fulfilled this promise. We are no longer called to sacrifice an animal to present as atonement for our sins. Jesus became flesh and offered Himself as the perfect Lamb who sacrificed Himself for all sins of all people on the cross. He willingly went to the cross of suffering although He was innocent. We have been given the opportunity to receive the gift of salvation because of the incredible sacrifice of Jesus’ life as He became the final, perfect sacrifice to atone for all sins. (1 John 2:2)

 

3) What is the beautiful promise made in verse 11?
“This verse tells of the enormous family of believers who will become righteous, not by their own works, but by the Messiah’s great work on the cross”. (NLT Study Bible) There is nothing you or I can do to be justified and become righteous on our own, but Christ willingly carried our iniquities to the cross, taking our punishment and, in return, providing us with His righteousness and forgiveness. He did what we could never do on our own account and permanently intercedes for us. This means, in Jesus, every one of our sins, past, present, and future, has already been paid for in full by the perfectly innocent Lamb of God! What an incredibly beautiful promise! When we choose to accept the gift of forgiveness and salvation offered to us in Christ, we agree to turn from our sin and are fully washed by the blood of Christ, becoming a new creation and part of the family of God forever!

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

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 Worship VII 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.

Pause IV Day 12 Worthy

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Pause IV, Day 12

God had come to Israel before.
He had delivered them from slavery.
He had shaken the earth with His mighty glory as He descended on Mt. Sinai to deliver the Ten Commandments.
He had gone before Israel as she was welcomed into the Promised Land, Canaan, and given victory after victory. (verse 3)

In the dark land of Canaan, filled with heathen worshippers of false gods, the Lord’s righteous glory shone brilliantly as He moved His people in, clearing the way before them. (verse 4) Even though His display of power over all Canaan’s inhabitants and armies was lucidly evident, Habakkuk knows this demonstration was as nothing to the Lord. His power is infinite.

When Israel sinned against the Lord, He brought them to repentance with pestilence and plague, leaving no doubt He alone held all authority. (verse 5) Even the “eternal mountains” crumbled before the Lord God, the Everlasting One, El Olam. (verse 6)

This God who announced coming punishment and exile in Habakkuk’s day, was the same God who had walked beside Israel before in love, compassion, justice, and power.
This same God would continue to remain faithful to His character.

His power had not weakened, nor had His authority waned.
He was worthy then, and He is worthy now!

Today's Invitation

1) Pull out your Bible and read Habakkuk 3:1-15 fully through 2 times. Then focus in on reading verses 3-6 several times through. Go slow. Emphasis different words each time you read it. Savor the message, and pray as you read. Write out verses 3-6 in your journal.

2) Each time you re-read verses 3-6, write down everything that pops out at you, makes you curious, or wonder “why?”. When you’re finished, go back through and you’ll be amazed at the new things the Spirit is leading you into knowing about Him!

3) Pay special attention to how Habakkuk planted himself in the truths he already knew about God, even if he hadn’t experienced those specific instances for Himself. How can you do the same?

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Habakkuk 3:1-15

A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk. According to Shigionoth.

2 Lord, I have heard the report about you;
Lord, I stand in awe of your deeds.
Revive your work in these years;
make it known in these years.
In your wrath remember mercy!

3 God comes from Teman,
the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah
His splendor covers the heavens,
and the earth is full of his praise.
4 His brilliance is like light;
rays are flashing from his hand.
This is where his power is hidden.
5 Plague goes before him,
and pestilence follows in his steps.
6 He stands and shakes the earth;
he looks and startles the nations.
The age-old mountains break apart;
the ancient hills sink down.
His pathways are ancient.
7 I see the tents of Cushan in distress;
the tent curtains of the land of Midian tremble.
8 Are you angry at the rivers, Lord?
Is your wrath against the rivers?
Or is your fury against the sea
when you ride on your horses,
your victorious chariot?
9 You took the sheath from your bow;
the arrows are ready to be used with an oath. Selah
You split the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains see you and shudder;
a downpour of water sweeps by.
The deep roars with its voice
and lifts its waves high.
11 Sun and moon stand still in their lofty residence,
at the flash of your flying arrows,
at the brightness of your shining spear.
12 You march across the earth with indignation;
you trample down the nations in wrath.
13 You come out to save your people,
to save your anointed.
You crush the leader of the house of the wicked
and strip him from foot to neck. Selah
14 You pierce his head
with his own spears;
his warriors storm out to scatter us,
gloating as if ready to secretly devour the weak.
15 You tread the sea with your horses,
stirring up the vast water.

How Does “Pause” Work?
1. Each day, Monday through Friday, for 3 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 Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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

Pause IV Day 9 No Sin Unseen

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Pause IV, Day 9

Today’s reading in Habakkuk sounds strange to our ears and can be difficult to follow, understand, and make sense of in today’s culture, which is why it’s imperative to first read it through the lens of then-current-day culture.

Go ahead and read verses 6-14 to gain an initial footing in the passage!

As we’ve already studied, Israel was rebellious against God. As consequence, the Lord was using the wicked Chaldeans (or Babylonians) to overtake Israel, taking them into captivity in Babylon. Habakkuk struggled with this consequence of using an evil nation to overtake God’s people who were supposed to be set apart as His holy and chosen people.

In today’s passage, God addresses this tension as He speaks in detail about the sinfulness of the Chaldeans. Their sin was not hidden from God any more so than Israel’s sin, and their day of experiencing the righteous justice of God would also come.

In verse 5, “He” is the arrogant one we read about in yesterday’s Journey. His appetite to fuel himself and his own pride is insatiable; this person is always thinking about more of himself and his own pleasure and desires while also justifying himself to be in the right.

Still sitting in arrogance and a resistance to God’s promised word that consequence would come, the arrogant one feels confident in himself. He believes God would surely never punish him because he feels justified in self-righteousness before God. From this position of self-security, he arrogantly “looks down” upon the evil Babylonian Empire.

From his place of pride, the self-righteous one feels he can securely mock the Chaldeans/Babylonians because he judges himself as far superior to them; surely, God would never judge him. (verse 6) These arrogant ones in Israel are “they” in verse 6.

To help you have greater understanding in reading verses 6-14, you can replace “him” and “you” with “Chaldeans” or “Babylonians Empire”.

The Chaldeans were a wicked people, violent, dishonest, and murderous. Even the stone walls cried out, testifying against their atrocities. (verse 11) Their greatest sin, however, was just as evil as Israel’s. Arrogance and pride were rooted deep in their hearts, as they thumbed their nose at God, “(Babylon) place(s) his nest on high.” (verse 9) Like the very first inhabitants of Babylon (Genesis 11:4), this nation was still reaching for equal status with God, high and lofty above all others.

Babylon’s sin. Israel’s sin. My sin, and yours, are all on equal footing. When we seek our ways over God’s we usurp His authority and crown ourselves as our own little god.
This is the arrogance that brought on Israel’s captivity, Babylon’s ruin, and our own eternal death and separation from God.

The word of the Lord closes out today’s reading with a powerful reminder of the Only True God. Just as water fills the seas, so the whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory! (verse 14) One Lord of all. One just King. His glory supersedes all things.

Today's Invitation

1) Be a scribe and copy the precious words of Scripture down word for word. Make space in your journal to write down Habakkuk 2:6-14. As you copy, lookup a cross reference or two as you come to them (they are the small letters next to certain words in your study Bible or online at www.biblia.com). As you write, think of the incredible gift it is to be invited into God’s presence through His word!

2) Choose one of these options to radiate Jesus’ love to others as you hold tightly to the anchoring truth of the eternal confidence we have only through Christ!

  1. a) Pitch in to do something extra at church. Whether it’s helping with cleanup, opening doors, trimming weeds, or offering to help in a child’s classroom, step up to loving deeper by serving in a new way.
                b) A note of genuine kindness and specific encouragement goes a long way in showing love and support to your pastor. Consider sending your pastor(s) an email or card!
                c) Check out some local ministries in your area and make plans to serve with them for an afternoon. Maybe it’s organizing school donations, serving soup, or stuffing backpacks for kids. Even better, get some friends to join you!
                d) Prayer walking is a simple way to begin shifting the eyes of your heart to truly see others. Walk around your neighborhood, some city streets, the aisles of your grocery store, or intentionally sit at a local coffee shop and pray, pray, pray. Pray for the people around you, pray for hearts to turn towards Jesus, pray for your own heart to be ready to share the full gospel if given the chance. Don’t worry about seeing results, that’s God’s job!
                e) Strike up a conversation with a random stranger. It may move to spiritual topics, it may not, but showing love to those outside our immediate circles always begins with a simple conversation. “What have you been doing today?” “Do you live nearby?” “Where do you go to church?” “What are your favorite local restaurants?” “What a cute handbag! Where did you get it?” These open-ended questions work well!

3) Share the exciting, bold ways you are living out your eternal confidence today with the rest of the GT Community! Our Facebook community page is always open! Or snap a photo and tag us on Instagram @gracefully_truthful

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Habakkuk 2:6-14

Won’t all of these take up a taunt against him,
with mockery and riddles about him?
They will say,
“Woe to him who amasses what is not his—
how much longer?—
and loads himself with goods taken in pledge.”
7 Won’t your creditors suddenly arise,
and those who disturb you wake up?
Then you will become spoil for them.
8 Since you have plundered many nations,
all the peoples who remain will plunder you—
because of human bloodshed
and violence against lands, cities,
and all who live in them.

9 Woe to him who dishonestly makes
wealth for his house
to place his nest on high,
to escape the grasp of disaster!
10 You have planned shame for your house
by wiping out many peoples
and sinning against your own self.
11 For the stones will cry out from the wall,
and the rafters will answer them
from the woodwork.

12 Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed
and founds a town with injustice!
13 Is it not from the Lord of Armies
that the peoples labor only to fuel the fire
and countries exhaust themselves for nothing?
14 For the earth will be filled
with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory,
as the water covers the sea.

How Does “Pause” Work?
1.Each day, Monday through Friday, for 3 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 Week IV 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 IV!

Pause IV Day 5 A God Of Justice

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Pause IV, Day 5

No one likes a consequence.
But we all want justice, don’t we?
Justice on our terms.

God was bringing punishment on His own people, His chosen nation of Israel who He had fashioned, and brought out of slavery, and entered into a covenant relationship with.

Do we really want justice where all are punished for their evil ways?

If so, then we must include ourselves.
Because we are not faultless.

There is a strong message for us in our culture today; we all deserve consequence from the Lord. None of us are blameless before a holy and righteous God.

Justice for some is a much more palatable message, isn’t it?
The Bible teaches we have all turned to our own ways, just like Israel was guilty of doing. (Isaiah 53:6)

As you read and reflect on the consequences coming towards Israel at the hand of the Babylonians, who literally took their prisoners by hook and pulled them into captivity (verse 15), consider how sin pulls us into imprisonment as well. Pause to consider what the Lord is revealing about your heart and the consequences each of us earn as a result of choosing sin.

There IS very good news in spite of all this sin, judgment, and consequence!
It’s coming next week in Pause 4, but if you just can’t wait, here it is in a word: FAITH!

Grab your Bible, a journal and pen,
and open your heart to bask in the presence of the Almighty!

Today's Challenge

1) Read through Habakkuk 1:14-17 out loud today twice. Slowly. Explore deeper by studying some cross-references or looking through some commentaries to provide more insight into Habakkuk’s words about the Chaldean, or Babylonian, nation. A great place to start is studylight.org and type in any verse, then click “study tools” and click on a commentary to read their insights.

2) We are so excited to share this hand-crafted Spotify playlist! We created it as we prayed over *you*. Put this playlist on repeat this weekend and be reminded of the rich truths God has shown you this week in Pause 4!

Join the GT Community on Facebook!

Habakkuk 1:14-17

14 You have made mankind
like the fish of the sea,
like marine creatures that have no ruler.
15 The Chaldeans pull them all up with a hook,
catch them in their dragnet,
and gather them in their fishing net;
that is why they are glad and rejoice.
16 That is why they sacrifice to their dragnet
and burn incense to their fishing net,
for by these things their portion is rich
and their food plentiful.
17 Will they therefore empty their net
and continually slaughter nations without mercy?

How Does “Pause” Work?
1. Each day, Monday through Friday, for 3 weeks, we will provide you with a simple challenge. Each challenge 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 IV Week One!
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 IV!

Pause IV Day 1 The Outcry

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It’s difficult to read Habakkuk’s words and not feel an inward groan,
an ache of knowing that so much is deeply broken.

Pause IV, Day 1

Certainly, each of us, have echoed Habakkuk’s cries.

Everywhere I look, I see brokenness, God!
Fighting in the streets.
Marriages dissolving.
Children being abandoned.
Babies murdered.
People groups oppressed because of the shade of their skin.
Justice doesn’t even have a chance of prospering because the governing systems are so broken.

And we wonder where God is.
Does He see?
Can He not hear?
Doesn’t God care?!

Strange, isn’t it? To read ancient writings and watch them fit so perfectly in our own time as if they flowed from our pen.

Habakkuk had watched the slow degradation of his beloved nation for years. He had studied Israel’s history and traced her moral decline. He waited for God to move. He cried out for God to hear, and see, and do something!

Even as he threw his angry fists at the sky, tossing up his big, audacious questions, he also knew in his core, that God was real. He was present. He did see. He had not forgotten His people and walked away. Habakkuk knew truth.

This reality of God’s unchanging character both soothed and irked him. He knew God saw all the brokenness, yet Habakkuk was angry that God had not yet chosen to act as Habakkuk felt He, the Lord God, should act.

That’s a painful glimpse in the mirror for me, Sister.
Because Habakkuk is me.

Sit still with me here in the tension of an unchanging, always present, always loving God and the sinful, rebellious world we live in.

Consider the message the Lord had for Habakkuk, and ask what He has for you.
Choose to limit your words, and read His words before ours.

Grab your Bible, a journal and pen,
and open your heart to bask in the presence of the Almighty!

Today's Challenge

Today’s Challenge
1) Read Habakkuk 1, then circle back and re-read verses 1-4 a few times through.
Answer these 3 questions in your journal from verses 1-4:
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. Be sure to write out any questions you have as you read! If you’d like to send your questions to us, we’d love to study with you!

Join the GT Community on Facebook!

Habakkuk 1

The pronouncement that the prophet Habakkuk saw.

2 How long, Lord, must I call for help
and you do not listen
or cry out to you about violence
and you do not save?
3 Why do you force me to look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Oppression and violence are right in front of me.
Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates.
4 This is why the law is ineffective
and justice never emerges.
For the wicked restrict the righteous;
therefore, justice comes out perverted.

God’s First Answer
5 Look at the nations and observe—
be utterly astounded!
For I am doing something in your days
that you will not believe
when you hear about it.
6 Look! I am raising up the Chaldeans,
that bitter, impetuous nation
that marches across the earth’s open spaces
to seize territories not its own.
7 They are fierce and terrifying;
their views of justice and sovereignty
stem from themselves.
8 Their horses are swifter than leopards
and more fierce than wolves of the night.
Their horsemen charge ahead;
their horsemen come from distant lands.
They fly like eagles, swooping to devour.
9 All of them come to do violence;
their faces are set in determination.
They gather prisoners like sand.
10 They mock kings,
and rulers are a joke to them.
They laugh at every fortress
and build siege ramps to capture it.
11 Then they sweep by like the wind
and pass through.
They are guilty; their strength is their god.


Habakkuk’s Second Prayer
12 Are you not from eternity, Lord my God?
My Holy One, you will not die.
Lord, you appointed them to execute judgment;
my Rock, you destined them to punish us.
13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil,
and you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.
So why do you tolerate those who are treacherous?
Why are you silent
while one who is wicked swallows up
one who is more righteous than himself?
14 You have made mankind
like the fish of the sea,
like marine creatures that have no ruler.
15 The Chaldeans pull them all up with a hook,
catch them in their dragnet,
and gather them in their fishing net;
that is why they are glad and rejoice.
16 That is why they sacrifice to their dragnet
and burn incense to their fishing net,
for by these things their portion is rich
and their food plentiful.
17 Will they therefore empty their net
and continually slaughter nations without mercy?

How Does “Pause” Work?
1. Each day, Monday through Friday, for 3 weeks, we will provide you with a simple challenge. Each challenge 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 IV Week One!
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 IV!

Ten Day 9 Worth Of One: 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 Worth Of One!

The Questions

1) What was the effect of sin on the image of God on Earth?

2) How did sin defile the relationships between the image-bearers of God?

3) How did God intend for mankind to rule as a reflection of His image?

Genesis 1:26-27

Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Original Intent

1) What was the effect of sin on the image of God on Earth?
“In the beginning, God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27) Perfect! Then sin came, and everything changed. This oral history would have been passed down to the Israelites during their 400 year period as Egyptian slaves. During the day, the Israelites were valued lower than human beings as they were slaves to their Egyptian masters. But at night, God’s words would have reminded everyone they were more than just slaves. An idol, or image, is carved to reflect the characteristics of the god it is dedicated to. In similar thought, both the slave working the field and the slave master holding the whip are the actual image of the one true God because they were both human beings. God crafted them to bear His image. Sin had defiled the relationship between God and people. With that defilement came rebellion against God,  slavery, hatred, and death. Thankfully, God declared how the events of time would play out from the very beginning. “The past events have indeed happened.

Now I declare new events; I announce them to you before they occur.” (Isaiah 42:9) Yahweh’s redemption plan to once again restore man as an image-bearer, and restore the relationship between Himself and each of us continued at Mount Horeb with the giving of the law and Ten Commandments.

2) How did sin defile the relationships between the image-bearers of God?
When God created mankind in His image, part of the intent was to reflect how the Godhead relates to each other. The Spirit gives glory to the Son, and the Son submits to the will of the Father. The Godhead works as a unit to rule the universe with love, honor and respect with each other as one, single God. When sin came, the first relationships to be broken were between God and Adam and Eve, and between husband and wife. Where once there was trust and unity, betrayal and separation now existed. Separation broke the sweet intimacy of oneness. The corruption that affected the unity of the image-bearers now corrupted how mankind ruled the Earth as well. Instead of honoring the reflection of God in each other, mankind enslaved, robbed, and killed one another instead. Every intent of man’s heart was evil (Genesis 6:5) When God established the system of the law, it was another step towards His coming restoration. The first four commandments centered around restoring the relationship between God and man. Commandments 5-10 focus on restoring relationships with fellow humans. For example, do not murder, was a clear affirmation of human life to former slaves after 400 years of oppression.

3) How did God intend for mankind to rule as a reflection of His image?
When God created man and the world for him to rule. He first placed Adam in the garden of Eden to tend to it and keep it. (Genesis 2:15) In a garden, one learns when and how to use power. If Adam had some seedlings to transplant, the wrong thing to do would be to handle them roughly and damage the roots. (Isaiah 42:3)  However, Adam would need to use just the right amount of power to pull up weeds and dig into the earth. Ruling the environment with love ensures that the earth under mankind’s domain will grow and prosper. Fast forward to Exodus 20, God was teaching the Israelites how to rule by first establishing a set of laws on how to govern their plot of earth. God taught them through the Old Covenant (10 commandments and Levitical law) how to rule with love, justice, and righteousness.

Everyday Application

1) What was the effect of sin on the image of God on Earth?
This week has been one of the most emotionally draining weeks I have experienced so far in 2020. Two videos came out today. In one, a white woman threatened a man in a park with potential police brutality for asking her to leash her dog. In another video, George Floyd is begging for his life as a police officer crushed his neck for 8 minutes. When God created mankind He loved diversity so much He made black, white, brown, and yellow people. This week, the effects of slavery in America still say the black man created in God’s image is dangerous by default of his skin color. The truth is we all have a sin problem, and that sin has made us each of us slaves. God has confined us all under sin, for there are none who are righteous. (Romans 3:9-10) Christ offers righteousness through faith for ALL. (Romans 3:22) In Christ, all who surrender to Him, are made into a new creation in Him. All races, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, and Nigerian are slaves of sin just like the ancient Israelites were slaves to Egypt, but God stepped forth as our Redeemer! In Jesus, we are no longer slaves, we are free in Christ! “For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17)

2) How did sin defile the relationships between the image-bearers of God?
Sin prevents us from seeing outside of ourselves to witness how our actions affect fellow believers in Christ. This is a heart issue, and for me, at one time, it was a root of bitterness that led to hatred. I needed to repent and ask God to forgive me for not loving my white brother and sister in Christ. Because God can’t use petty people that hold on to grudges, I still find myself in situations ministering to all people. As much as it depends on me, I will make peace with all men. (Romans 12:18) Sometimes peacemaking involves having difficult conversations and being in difficult environments, we are called to make peace anyway. Even if making peace costs you relationships and opportunities, as much as depends on you, make peace because God made a way for peace with us. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’s sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:9-10) If the Lord puts you in a situation that requires you to make peace, do not fear and wonder, “what will I say?”. The Holy Spirit will give you the words to say at the moment when you need them. (Luke 12:12) As representatives of Christ, it is on us to make peace and usher in reconciliation. “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

3) How did God intend for mankind to rule as a reflection of His image?
Just like God gave Adam the power to rule and govern in Eden, so too has God given His church power (the authority to rule). “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm you.” (Luke 10:19) Each one of us has our own “plot of land”, or sphere of influence, God has placed in our care. As a representative of the kingdom of God, how do you choose to use your power? I urge you brethren to plead for the fatherless and seek justice for the downtrodden, especially among the members of the body. (Isaiah 1:17)  “For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering. I will direct their work in truth, and will make with them an everlasting covenant.” (Isaiah 61:8) There is a reason why Christ called the church His body, with Christ occupying the head. How can a body function properly or rule, if the feet have been injured and no salve has been applied to heal the wound? Imagine trying to live your life in perpetual pain as the foot, while the hands say, “your problems do not concern us we have our work over here.” If the wound is never healed, the whole body will become sick, weak, and feeble. (2 Corinthians 12) “Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed instead.” (Hebrews 12:12-13). For too long, the body has been dislocated, and now is the time for healing to take place. Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord. Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many. (Hebrews 12:14-15) Consider your “plot of land”; where can you begin actively pursuing peace to make the Body of Christ stronger?!

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

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Blessed Week 3

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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) Several years ago, a slogan became popular, “Know Jesus, Know Peace. No Jesus, No Peace.” It’s simplicity speaks volumes of the only path to attaining true, lasting peace. We chase after many things in attempt to be at peace. If I just have this amount of money in my budget. If only my husband would make these changes. If my child could just stop this, or start doing that. If everyone would just let me off the crazy train every now and then, I could have peace!! Am I right?! Alas, none of those things have the capability of bringing lasting peace, only the illusion of cessation from all the other noise. Where are you chasing peace? What series of events are you waiting for before you can finally have peace? Choose to stop the mad race to grasp at handfuls of wind, and sit with the one and only peacemaker. Jesus didn’t come to drop spoonfuls of peace from the sky when we behave. Rather, His peace is available in full at every moment, in every situation. Welcome the Peacemaker, then live as His ambassador as you extend His invitation of peace to others!

2) No one wants to suffer, right?! Often, when we, as believers, experience difficulty or intense struggling in our faith journey, we pray for the Lord to remove it, to heal us, to get us OUT of our trial! As Sara referenced Wednesday on the process of making diamonds, it’s only through intensity that rocks eventually glisten as jewels. A wise friend once shared with me this simple phrase, bringing deep clarity for me, “Believers will suffer because they follow Jesus. The only way to end persecution is to stop following Jesus.” Wow! Truth like that cuts straight through all my defenses. Jesus promised suffering for those who truly follow Him, and so the logic follows, “stop following Him, end persecution of the believer.” I want to follow my Savior more than I want my comfort. I know there are many times where I choose comfort, but pray with me for both of us to choose Jesus over and over, even in the face of adversity!

3) If persecution is guaranteed for every believer who truly follows Jesus, what should our response be when persecution comes our way? The Bible shares story after story of the early church responding to attack and trial with prayer, and perhaps most surprisingly, thanksgiving for who God was and continued to be. Their prayer was neither to remove the persecution, nor give them the upper hand, but for boldness and endurance to honor Christ and preach freedom in Jesus amidst intense struggle. When have you encountered persecution, on some level, for what you believe? Ask the Lord to grow your heart in boldness for Him, and willingness to speak of Him and of His truth! Spend time praising Him for His unchanging character of kind goodness towards you!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Matthew 5:13 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

Prayer Journal
You’ve rescued us from ourselves, and our eternally condemned state because of our sin, by giving us Your righteousness instead of our rightly deserved death. You’ve lovingly embraced us, adopting us as Your own children, giving us the right to reign with You. You’ve given Your own Spirit to dwell within us to teach us to become more like You. Your love knows no boundaries. Your welcome casts off all disgrace. Your forgiveness makes all shame flee. You prepare a perfect eternity for us to dwell with You forever, face to face. Lord! It’s too astounding to take in! Yet, in the meantime, in our right now, You’ve called us into a life of purpose knowing it will be met with difficulty, persecution, and struggle. You’ve promised to never leave, Your Almighty Presence is indeed the richest blessing of a truly “blessed life”. Encourage our hearts to live with love, to remain deeply connected to Your truth, that we might be salt and light to a world around us, so desperate for truth and grace!

Worship Through Community

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

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

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Blessed Day 12 Blessed Are The Peacemakers: 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 Blessed Are The Peacemakers!

The Questions

1) What does Paul mean in verse 1 when he relates being “justified” with having “peace with God”?

2) How does the peace mentioned in these verses teach us about the peace Jesus spoke about often in the four Gospels?

3) Jesus was the ultimate Peace-Maker. What does this mean for us? (verse 11)

4) What is the “much more” of having peace with God? (verse 15)

Romans 5:1-15

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, 4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. 5 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. 6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 How much more then, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from wrath. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 And not only that, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation. 12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned. 13 In fact, sin was in the world before the law, but sin is not charged to a person’s account when there is no law.
14 Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam’s transgression. He is a type of the Coming One. 15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by the one man’s trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift which comes through the grace of the one man Jesus Christ overflowed to the many.

Original Intent

1) What does Paul mean in verse 1 when he relates being “justified” with having “peace with God”?
Humans were created to live in peace with God. At the beginning of time, all of creation was in sync and “it was very good.” (Genesis 1:27-31) Sadly though, the enemy of the human soul was hell-bent (literally!) on robbing us of our peace. (John 10:10, 1 Peter 5:8, Ephesians 6:12) Satan convinced the first man and woman they were missing something. They bought the lie that knowing more was better than knowing God, and the unrest and chaos of humanity began. (Genesis 3:1-7) Since that moment, every human has been searching for more. In Romans, Paul reminds his readers of their ancestry through Abraham. Their spiritual patriarch had been convinced in his heart of God’s faithfulness to His promise to redeem and restore peace to the descendants of Abraham. This promise was an eternal one, good for every person who also believes the only way to reconciliation (peace now) and eternal life (peace forever) is through the perfection of God Himself. We are beneficiaries of this lasting peace as a direct result of our justification. Jesus’ death on the cross defeated the enemy’s power to continue to wreak havoc in our lives. His resurrection proved that by being God, He was declaring our reconciliation with Himself. (Romans 4:20-25)

2) How does the peace mentioned in these verses teach us about the peace Jesus spoke about often in the four Gospels?
In verse 1, Paul tells those who are justified we have “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Commentator Harry Ironside says this peace is “not a state of mind or heart. It is a prevailing condition between two who were once alienated. Sin had disturbed the relations of Creator and creature. A breach had occurred that man could not mend. But peace has been made by the blood of Christ’s cross. There is no longer a barrier. Peace with God is now the abiding state into which every believer enters. The sin question is settled.” (preceptaustin.org/romans) The Greek word used here is derived from the verb eiro which means “to bind together that which has been separated.” In Matthew 5, Jesus speaks about those who bring peace, “Blessed are the peacemakers …” (Matthew 5:9) The same Greek word translated “peacemaker” is used by Paul, and it speaks of the reconciliation for which Christ came and died. (Colossians 1:19-20) Jesus laid down His life to make peace between God and sinners. Those who receive His peace are now sons and daughters of God: “… for they will be called sons of God.”

3) Jesus was the ultimate Peace-Maker. What does this mean for us? (verse 11)
The reconciliation believers have with God, through Christ, is the reason for our boasting! The crushing weight of our own guilt was placed on Jesus when He was on the cross. (Colossians 2:13-14) The shame we deserve to feel over the sin we commit against God was taken by Jesus. As those who trust in Jesus, such mercy we receive that we are not affected ultimately or eternally by Adam’s sin! Though we still struggle with sin, and will until we reach heaven, we are assured that Christ has rescued us and restored us to God. (Romans 7:18-25) Confession of our sins is not to establish peace with God. Jesus has already accomplished that. It is a demonstration that we rest in His reconciling work on the cross and depend on that work to produce daily desire, daily obedience, and daily peace with God. Even now, sin disrupts our fellowship with God. But we have an advocate who assures us our relationship with the Father will never change! The Peacemaker, Jesus, went to the cross so we could enter an ongoing and permanent entrance into Father’s presence. 

4) What is the “much more” of having peace with God? (verse 15)
It was a common expression in biblical times to use the term “much more”. We find the phrase scattered through the gospels. In Romans 5 it is used five times in some translations. Paul wants us to understand that Christ’s single act of obedience was infinitely greater than Adam’s single act of rebellion. God’s grace is substantially superior for our ultimate good than Adam’s sin was for our bad. Understanding this is essential. We must acknowledge our previous human condition. We inherited a nature that brings automatic distance from our Creator. (Genesis 3:22-24, Romans 5:12). In that sinful state, we are unable to attain peace with God. (Romans 3:23) Yet, even in our pitiful and detached condition, God took the initiative of reconciliation. Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), offers us peace with God. Scripture calls this reconciliation message the “gospel of peace”. (Ephesians 2:13-16, Ephesians 6:14-15). God, in the Person of Jesus Christ, became one of us. The angels of heaven gave the glorious announcement of His coming to shepherds, proclaiming “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors” (Luke 2:14). THIS peace offers us much more. It offers us salvation and everything else we need to live godly lives! (1 Timothy 1:14, Colossians 3:15-17)

Everyday Application

1) What does Paul mean in verse 1 when he relates being “justified” with having “peace with God”?
Peace is something most everyone desires, but does not easily obtain.  Wikipedia says it is a concept of “tranquility, harmony, or security.” Various forms of the word are found over 400 times in Scripture! The Bible mentions false peace, inner peace, peace with one another and most importantly peace with God. In the Old Testament, the primary Hebrew word for “peace” is shalom, and it refers to relationships between people and God’s relationship to us. In the New Testament, the primary Greek word for “peace” is eirene, and it refers to rest and tranquility. A key emphasis of peace in the New Testament is the coming of Jesus. At the moment we trust Christ as the only means of reconciliation to God, we are justified. That is, we are declared righteous. It is not the justification that makes us righteous, but it does pronounce that we are now at peace with God. We are kept in a relationship with God eternally. The peace that accompanies our being made righteous keeps our hearts and minds secure as we grow in spiritual maturity and discipleship.

2) How does the peace mentioned in these verses teach us about the peace Jesus spoke about often in the four Gospels?
There is a peace of God that is a more subjective peace in which believers experience daily assurance that their known sin is confessed and their consciences are clear. This inner peace is only available to those who have experienced reconciliation with God. Once we enter a relationship with God, that comes from a personal belief in Christ’s fully atoning and finished work on the Cross, [“When Jesus gave up his life as an obedient, deliberate, and purposeful sacrifice, He bore away the sins of His people once and for all.” Alistair Begg], we are able to walk in consistent peace that is beyond human understanding. (Philippians 4:6-7) Jesus called His followers to be people of peace, peacemakers. Once we have experienced the mercy of God, we are able to demonstrate mercy to others and to be vessels of reconciliation in a world of disorder, confusion and conflict.

3) Jesus was the ultimate Peace-Maker. What does this mean for us? (verse 11)
Jesus came to bring peace. The believer’s hope is secure, grounded in the knowledge and faith that Jesus has done all that was essential to make us right with God. After He ascended into heaven, we were gifted with the presence of the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 1:20-22)He has been given to us to remind us of the peace and reconciliation provided to us. The Spirit of God convicts us of sin so we will seek God’s forgiveness and peace, He comforts us with deep peace in sorrow or suffering, and He reminds us of Jesus’ completed sacrifice on our behalf that brings us near to God. The reminders from God’s word to our hearts stir us, and the prompting we receive from the Spirit is evidence we are at peace with God.

4) What is the “much more” of having peace with God? (verse 15)
We had a good thing going with our Creator, but the thief of joy and peace destroyed what was good and pure and right. Thankfully, the Creator had a redemptive plan. He loved the people He had created and did not want us separated from Him. (2 Peter 3:9) Our good and merciful Father appointed His Son to accomplish what Adam could not. And now, anyone can call out to Jesus, sincerely believing and trusting He is the only way to be at peace with God. As we surrender our lives to Him, fully relying on His death, we can have a peace with God that holds us fast through eternity. This confidence in God’s sustaining salvation daily provides us with the means to take the message of reconciliation to a world so desperately in need of good news. We all need the good news that God’s mercy provides much more than we could ever imagine.
What riches of kindness He lavished on us.
His blood was the payment, His life was the cost.
We stood ‘neath a debt we could never afford.
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more.
So much more! (His Mercy is More, Matt Boswell)

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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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