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Sacrifice Day 12 The Price Of Forgiveness: 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 Price Of Forgiveness!

The Questions

 1) What does Paul’s call for remembrance in verse 11 reveal about the heart of God toward humanity? (verse 12)

2) The words “but now” in verses 14-15 are hinge words. What did Jesus do for those far from Him?

3) Verses 16-18 give us the reason behind Jesus’ actions (note Question #2). Why did He do it?

Ephesians 2:11-18

11 So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. 12 At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, 15 he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace. 16 He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death. 17 He came and proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Original Intent

1) What does Paul’s call for remembrance in verse 11 reveal about the heart of God toward humanity? (verse 12)
“Remember that at one time …” (verse 11) Ephesians is a letter from Paul written to the Christian believers in Jesus in a city which had a considerable population of Gentile (non-Jew) believers. These believers needed to be reminded of their spiritual condition before Christ’s grace rescued them. In chapter 1, Paul shared the good news with the saints by rehearsing for them what they have in Christ through faith. He told the believers they had been chosen and sealed by the Holy Spirit of God, and he prayed for them to deeply comprehend the glorious salvation which God had provided for them in the Lord Jesus. Verses 1-2 of chapter 2 begin with the stark contrast from what they have in Christ to who they once were without Christ. Paul’s words strike a solemn tone, “You were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. (Ephesians 2:1-2) Paul proceeds to offer examples of just how far from God they were before they surrendered in faith to Jesus: uncircumcised, without Christ, excluded, foreigners, without hope, and without God. Circumcision was a sign of covenant that Jews had with God as a sign of His covenant with them. (Circumcision and the Covenant) Those who were not of Jewish decent would have been excluded from this special covenant had it not been for Christ! But exclusion was never the heart of God. (Galatians 3:7-9) Though He had worked in specific ways through His people, Israel, He is a God of salvation to all!

2) The words “but now” in verses 14-15 are hinge words. What did Jesus do for those who are spiritually far from Him?
Since there is no bold lettering or underlined words in Scripture, we are forced to intently read the passage for the author’s intended highlights. After studying these verses, I believe Paul would have designated verse 13 as a key point with an asterisk or underline. The two-word phrase “but now” coupled with the two-word phrase “brought near” in verse 13 give us the crux and the beauty of the gospel message. It is the good news factor! Whenever there is bad news connected with the word “but”, the listener is meant to take note. Harsh words like “excluded” and “without God” are now replaced with glorious words and phrases, “…you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility …” (verses 13-14) The gracious of plan of God from the beginning was for Jesus came to earth to bring everyone near to God, including Gentiles. (Romans 15:7-13) This news was challenging and liberating to the reader. The old way of life was to no longer exist in everyday living. In its place, there was a new life of abundance to be lived out because of their acceptance of forgiveness and freedom offered only in Christ. Remembering their old life was not meant to keep them trapped in condemnation, but to remind them of who God is as their Savior and how He has set them free by His grand rescue and gift of new life.

3) Verses 16-18 give us the reason behind Jesus’ actions (note Question #2). Why did He choose this?
Verse 16 says Jesus “did this so that He might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which He put the hostility to death.” Redemption and reconciliation were why He came. We’ve heard it said about Him: He was born to die. But there’s more! He was born to die to unite us with each other and with God. Jesus lived and died and rose again to offer all those who believe in Him a new identity. In this passage, Paul is referring to all believers as a singular group of people. Jews and Gentiles are joined as one in the one body of Jesus. Though we are each born individually into Christ at salvation (Ephesians 4:20-24), believers  are also joined with other believers, whatever  their origin, to make us all one new person in Christ. This isn’t simply us being changed into a new person; this is two groups of people becoming one Whole Body, the Church. “Early Christians called themselves a ‘third race’ or a ‘new race.’ Early Christians recognized that they were not Jews, not Gentiles, but one new man embracing all who are in Jesus.” (Enduringword.com) What a wonderful and glorious gospel Paul shares with the Ephesians and us. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord for mercy is moved from “you were” to “but God” to “so then”! (Ephesians 2:19-20)

Everyday Application

1) What does Paul’s call for remembrance in verse 11 reveal about the heart of God toward humanity? (verse 12)
Remembering who we were, and/or would be, without Christ is essential to our daily understanding of the gospel message. Some confess Christ as their Savior and Lord as a child because their parents taught them who Jesus is and offered them an opportunity to put their faith in Him. Others come to Him because a missionary shared the truth of the gospel with them they’d never heard. Still others come from backgrounds of long-time sinful behaviors and blatant rebellion. A few even confess Christ at the very end of their lives, sincerely seeing their need for a Savior. But all of these souls are in the same predicament. And sweet sister, so are we! We all find ourselves far away from Christ because of our sin. The Bible says not one of us was born sinless. (Romans 3:22-24) We remember where we were because we want to understand the heart of God toward us. He rescued us only because of His grace. We were far away. He came to us to draw us near to God, paying the debt we were hopeless to repay, and offering us His righteousness in place of our sinfulness. And that’s the gospel! (Colossians 1:13, 2 Timothy 1:9)

2) The words “but now” in verses 14-15 are hinge words. What did Jesus do for those who are spiritually far from Him?
“There is nothing we can do to make God loves us more, and there is nothing we can do to make God loves us less.” I’d heard that statement many times, even sung similar sentiments, but honestly, I didn’t really believe it because I didn’t fully grasp the work of Christ on my behalf. Although I would never have admitted it, I subtly carried the belief that my goodness somehow added to God’s favor toward me. I was a born “rule follower”; this belief in earning God’s love blinded me to my desperate need for God’s grace. I knew I sinned sometimes and needed God’s forgiveness and grace. I also understood that only one sin would keep me from God because I am a sinner. (James 2:10) But I had this sneaky suspicion God loved me most when I was good. Oh, sweet friend, how wrong I was for years! I simply couldn’t comprehend that goodness was not mine to offer to God. Being a circumcised Jew wasn’t what made Jews accepted by God and being Gentiles didn’t keep them from being accepted by God. Christ was all they needed! We need to be reminded that it is God’s work in creation and in salvation. A little boy made a boat he floated downstream, billowing way beyond his reach and out of sight. One day he saw his boat in a store window and explained to the man about his boat. As he walked out the door of the store with his boat he purchased, he declared, “Little boat, you are twice mine. First I made you, now I bought you!” (2 Corinthians 5:17-19) So it is with us as Christ made us, then paid for us, freeing us from the prison of sin and death!

3) Verses 16-18 give us the reason behind Jesus’ actions (note Question #2). Why did He choose this?
Jesus brought peace by bringing Himself to us. He IS our peace. It is Jesus Himself, God in the flesh, who brought reconciliation to humanity. We were God’s enemies. He still loved us and desired to rescue us from ourselves and Satan’s power. The resurrection of Jesus we celebrate at Easter is the event that disrupted the world forever. Its power was known from Heaven to Hell, and what was accomplished on the cross was timeless. Jesus’ work of salvation through His death was sufficient for all who had lived before Him and believed, for all who lived at the time of His death and believed, and for all who would believe through all time! It is Christ who draws us, Christ who saves us, and Christ who keeps our souls for eternity! (Ephesians 2:4-10)
Upon the cross of Jesus mine eye at times can see
the very dying form of One who suffered there for me.
And from my stricken heart with tears, two wonders I confess:
The wonders of redeeming love and my unworthiness.
(Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane)

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Catch up with The Price Of Forgiveness!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Sacrifice Week Three!
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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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Build Day 10 Building Restoration

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Nehemiah 8
Romans 3:21-24
John 1:1-18

Build, Day 10

Before Nehemiah began his quest to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem, his friend Ezra was on the scene to bring the Israelite community back together after years of exile in Babylon. (Ezra 7) Ezra gathered exiled Israelites from Babylon, uniting them with those already in Jerusalem to bring spiritual restoration as a community to the nation.

As Nehemiah governs God’s people in Jerusalem and works to rebuild the wall, he finds a partner in the spiritual leader, Ezra. When the wall is finally rebuilt, Ezra and Nehemiah join forces to point their people back to God. (Nehemiah 8) What a refreshing view of spiritual and governing leaders coming together for the benefit of their people and the glory of God!

For seven days, Ezra and other spiritual leaders read the Torah and taught its meaning to the people.

And the people began responding.

After years of being unable to hear God’s word and celebrate their religious holidays, the Israelites began repenting. They listened and followed instructions to build the same festival shelters their forefathers had built; they began celebrating God through feasting together, and they began worshiping the Lord with JOY.

Joy was restored.

Can you imagine, after 70 years of slavery and exile, doing anything but grumbling and throwing yourself a pity party? I don’t know about you, but I’d be attending that pity party, table for one!

But this is the power of God’s Holy Word: to build back up what has been torn down, to transform us and restore us to the beautiful, joyful creation He intended us to be.

It’s easy to read this story on the other side, thousands of years later, and quickly pinpoint where the Israelites made mistakes. Yet, we are in need of the same restoration God graciously offered them in their renewed city, for we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23-24)

Just as the Israelites were exiled from Jerusalem, so in our sin, we were exiled from a relationship with our Creator and Father.

But then God’s Word was made flesh in the form of Jesus, and a whole new era of restoration began. (John 1:1-18) Just as Ezra and Nehemiah made space for the Word of God to be heard, taught, and practiced, Jesus was God’s Word incarnate, dwelling among us, teaching us how to live and turn back to God.

Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus was the way for restoration.

Now, as we live on the other side of restoration, in relationship with God, we wait for the second coming of Jesus and the restoration of the world as we know it.
Don’t we see it around us?
Don’t we see it in ourselves?
We’re living in “the now and the not yet” of restoration.

So, what do we do as we wait for our final restoration?
Where do we find our joy in the meantime?

We remember the dedication of Ezra and Nehemiah and we turn to God’s Word. We seek it, and we allow others to teach us. We learn and practice what it says. We gather together as brothers and sisters in Christ and we celebrate all God has done.

Here, we find joy.
We find daily renewal and restoration.
We find hope when it seems all is lost, and we feel like we’ve endured 70 years of exile.

Will you join me in continuing to dig into God’s word? (Look at you, doing that right now!)
Will you seek understanding?
Will you do what His Word says?
Will you gather your friends and family to delight in God together?
Will you remember to find Joy?

Because you, my friend, have been Restored.

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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 Build Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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The GT Weekend ~ Calling 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) What is your “why” as a follower of Christ? As we consider the magnitude of our eternal blessing of eternity in the presence of God, everything else in life seems to fade in comparison. When we grasp the depth of this truth, we ought to be stirred to invite others to share in the blessing with us regardless of any struggles we may experience as we share. When you read this study, did a name jump to your mind of someone you want to share Christ with? Maybe you have a friend who is far from God or someone who has drifted away from your church body in the last few months, realizing she doesn’t really miss the Lord. Maybe there is a college student you know who is struggling to reconcile her faith and her doubt. Set up a time to get together with this friend with the express purpose of sharing your faith and how God is working in your life. Commit to pray through Ephesians 3:14-21 for your friend every day leading up to your appointment. If you are struggling to come up with a name, have a conversation with God in your journal about what would keep you from setting this kind of appointment and ask Him to send someone into your life with whom you could share the gospel.

2) In Ephesians 4:1, Paul urges the Ephesians to live in a manner worthy of their call. Those who have been called to follow Jesus have the honor, privilege, and responsibility to live focused on God, becoming the people He wants them to be. By practicing spiritual disciplines, we can learn and grow in our faith so we can walk in a worthy manner. In Galatians 5:19-23, we see two lists of behavior patterns and character traits to help us visualize and grasp what our way of living ought (and ought not) look like. Take some time to read these two lists again. Did any traits from the first list stand out to you as ways you have been living and need to change? Honestly evaluate your life before the Lord and write down the specific ways you have been living outside of a manner worthy of your calling. Repent of those things, and ask God to help you walk in a new way. As you look at the second list, consider how you have grown in your walk. Name a specific fruit of the Spirit God has developed in you. Write down a prayer of thanksgiving to God for the work He has done in your life.

3) The book of Ephesians talks frequently about living in unity with the body of Christ. When we trust Jesus as our Savior, we become a part of a new family, the family of God. With this new family comes a new set of expectations and a new way of living. This new way of living can only be authentic when it comes from the Holy Spirit working in our lives, changing us from the inside out. We can try to force outward actions, but true change can only come from imitating Christ and allowing Him to change our inner selves. Where in your life have you been forcing an outward change without submitting your heart attitudes to the Lord? Take some time to write a prayer asking God to reveal the heart attitudes you are holding onto that need His redemptive work. As you see those attitudes in your life, confess them and ask for His changing power in your life. Take part in your spiritual family by telling a trusted friend what you are struggling with and asking her to pray with you for true and lasting life change.

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 Ephesians 3:20-21 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer Journal
You, oh Lord, are able to change lives. You have come down from Your holy hill and made a way for Your people to be united to You and be one in You. You have given Your children great gifts and blessed us with a new way of living. Help me, merciful Father, when I fall short. Search me and reveal the ways I am trying to fix myself or make myself better without relying on Your power and transforming work. Help me to leave behind my old way of life, my fleshly desires, and my sinful tendencies. Make my heart soft to the spiritual fruit You are growing in my life. Help me to live my life so others see Your changing work. Thank You for the many ways you have already changed me. Thank You for setting me free from my old ways of life and for bringing renewal to my relationships. You have shown up for me in ways I could never have imagined. Give me courage to speak your truth to those around me, so they may also experience the life-changing work You do every day.

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Focus Day 3 Wisdom’s Way

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalms 119:140-145
Proverbs 21:19-23
Isaiah 32:17-20
Ephesians 6:10-17
James 1:19-27

Focus, Day 3

“Stop shouting at each other RIGHT this MINUTE!”
The words forced their way across my lips, piercing the air over our dining room table before I even realized I was shouting. Three sets of wide eyes stared at me, and one toddler mouth hung open in surprise.

I expelled the mouthful of air I didn’t realize I’d been holding in one great whoosh.
Perfect, I thought. I did it, AGAIN. Shouting at your children to stop them from shouting at each other…way to effectively parent. Lord, HELP. My spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak.

Have you been there, Love?
You try to juggle all the balls, and somehow you are almost completely unaware of how stressed you feel until the very moment your angry outburst bubbles up and over to scald the nearest person. Adding insult to injury? The person (or in my case, little persons) you scald, has absolutely nothing to do with whatever is your breaking point.
Oh, how the instant regret cuts deep.
And often, Regret is accompanied by her hovering little sister, Shame.

There’s an old saying, “There’s nothing new under the sun”, which is entirely true for the history of humans who struggle to refrain from angry outbursts. We can trace all the way back to the first set of brothers, Cain and Abel, and find the bitter, dangerous fruit that grows from unchecked anger.

In the New Testament, James provides sound advice for believers, gently admonishing us to both hear the Word (Scripture) and obey it. Isn’t it fascinating that as he expounds on this topic, his first instruction is:

“This you know, my brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” James 1:19b-20 NASB

Everyone who has ever lashed out in the heat of the moment knows that when anger begins rising, quelling it is incredibly difficult. Here’s where James’ divinely dictated instruction truly shines. We are challenged to do two things before we even reach his instruction to be slow to anger.

First, we are to be quick to hear.
James doesn’t mean merely listening to spoken words. He means listening with understanding of another’s heart behind their words, but James is also calling us to keep an ear tuned to Holy Spirit’s voice. What is God speaking to us in that very moment when what is happening in the natural, as well as what is happening in the spiritual, verges on angry explosions.

When we begin living and responding from a position of listening first to Holy Spirit’s truth, we will naturally follow the second instruction from James and find ourselves slow to speak. As we slow, we process what we see with our eyes and hear with our ears, as well as listen attentively to what Holy Spirit is showing us. As we test everything we think against Scripture, this slowing down practice will result in new pathways as our thought patterns shift to become more like the Lord’s.

As we continue through James’s instructions, a constant theme begins emerging:
we are called to more than knowledge; we are called to obedience.

For the people in the back, I’ll say it again.

Sister, we are called to more than knowledge.
Every one of us is called to obey.

We are called to hear what the Bible says, and then called to action.
We are called to humbly receive the Word, and then allow transformation to happen.
We are called to gaze at the perfect law of freedom, and then called to persevere in it.
We are called to stay in living relationship with the Lord, and remain unstained by sin.
We are called to recognize position, and then called to honor all.

So, how do we go about doing these actions which are counter-culture, stretching, and one hundred percent opposite of what we might naturally strive to attain. Further, we are talking about a shift in heart posture here.
This is not something we are capable of manufacturing on our own.

Proverbs 2 gives us rock-solid wise counsel that goes hand in hand with James’ words. When we accept and study Scripture, meditate on the Lord’s instructions and allow them to sink deep into our souls, the Lord responds with favor.
When we ask the Lord to speak; He will reveal Himself through the Bible.
Then, we listen.
We press in and place value on the wisdom He freely gives.
As we turn our hearts toward Him, Scripture says He draws near to us, protecting us and blessing us with wisdom, knowledge, discretion, and understanding.
He will guard us from paths leading to destruction and danger by setting our feet on Wisdom’s Way.

You might be thinking, “This all sounds great in theory…but if I were honest, the truth is I simply do not desire to study Scripture. I try. I read it. I want to know what it’s like to long to soak in it, to hear directly from Him. But He’s just not speaking to me.”

Sweet sister-friend. I’ve felt the same.
Can I encourage you to do something different today?
Something that might feel outside your comfort zone?
First, carve out a few moments and find a quiet space.
Talk to the Lord. Have a real conversation with Him.
Tell Him where you are and ask Him to help you, then trust He is faithful and will respond to His beloved daughter!

Lord, thank You for Your Word that brings life and light. Thank you for giving us a way we can hear directly from You. Forgive me for the times when I have not valued Your instruction. Father, I want to hunger for your Word; I want to be the kind of daughter who is transformed when I hear You speak. Show me any areas of my heart and life that aren’t in alignment with Your heart. I yield every part of my life, time, and schedule to You.
Teach me to be more like You.
In Jesus’s Name, amen.

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Focus 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 Focus!

The GT Weekend! ~ Kaleidoscope 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)The Lord shows His love by rejoicing with truth. He celebrates when truth is shared, when it is embraced, and when His children choose to walk in this truth, anchoring their lives on it. Where do you celebrate and welcome truth? When someone confronts you with truth, this is love! When the Holy Spirit brings Scripture to mind to teach and train you, celebrate this act of love! Ask the Lord to make your lips and life and conduit for love to speak truth with grace!

2)Audra wrote of God’s “bearing up” love, His love that “believes”, “hopes”, and most importantly “endures”.Where do you see Christ’s love displaying these traits in your life? How does that reality of His present love encourage you for the future you face? Be specific as you think of your answer, refusing to give a glib response. Where do you desperately need Christ’s love demonstrated with these traits in your life? Thinking differently, who do you know who needs these traits demonstrated to them? Pray specifically over the names the Lord brings to mind, asking how you can extend His love to them.

3)Sister, where are your broken places? The ones coming to mind as you read this.The sore spots that ache with wounds going deeper than most, if anyone, realizes. Scripture reminds that because God’s essence of love, He Will Never Fail. Never fail to redeem the broken, never fail to stay committed, never fail to always be present. How does this picture of God re-frame how you see your circumstances? What if you took the Lord at His faithful promise to never ever ever fail on His love for you? Who loves you as the Lord does?!

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 Romans 8:38-39 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Prayer Journal
Father, Your love is vast. Too wide, too deep, too limitless to even begin to comprehend. Yet, somehow, I still manage to place Your love in a very small box. Too small for my broken relationships, too small for the huge tasks in front of me, too small to comfort my aching heart, too small to bring real comfort. And as I dwell on “small love” lies, my love for others shrinks also. Lord, pour the truth of Your unconditional, never-ending, grace-filled,all-patient, good, kind, generous, hope-filled lavish love over me! Remind me I can never outrun Your love. Fill me up with these truths that others might experience Your love through me! With the smallness of my love, just as a small child would mimic back love to a parent, ‘how I love Thee, Abba!”.

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

Worship V Day 4 How Deep The Father’s Love: 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 How Deep The Father’s Love!

The Questions

1) Who are the persons referred to as “Every family in heaven and on earth” in verse 15?

2) In this intercessory prayer, what purposes is Paul praying for the Ephesian believers?

3) How are these lofty purposes realized?

Ephesians 3:14-21

For this reason I kneel before the Father 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. 16 I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, 19 and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Original Intent

1) Who are the persons referred to as “Every family in heaven and on earth” in verse 15?   
The concept of family is extremely important in the Bible, both physically and theologically. Jesus makes it very clear that in the kingdom of Heaven, the most important family connection is spiritual, not physical. In Matthew 12:46-50, He uses “family language” to describe the connection God intended for Believers to share with each other and the Lord. “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother…”
Of course, we understand “family” as a group of persons sharing a common father. Jesus directed His prayers to God the Father and He taught us to do the same. It is to “our Father God” Paul directs his prayers on behalf of those who are members of the family in Christ. Those who have received the “Spirit of His Son“ evidenced by calling Him “Abba! Father!”. (Galatians 4:6)
The family referenced in verse 15, therefore, are all those who are a new creation in Christ. This family is The Global Church consisting of all who call upon the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. This family is drawn from “every nation, tribe, people, and language”. (Revelation 7:9) A defining characteristic of this spiritual family is love one for another which John writes, “A new command I give you, love one another, as I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know you are my disciples if you love one another.”

2) In this intercessory prayer, what purposes is Paul praying for the Ephesian believers?
Paul prays for the church to know, in a deeply intimate and experiential way, the vast love of Christ which surpasses all knowledge. He prays this on their behalf in order for them to be fulfilled and overflowing with all the fullness of God. This deep knowing of Christ’s love is at the pinnacle of Paul’s prayer. Before this peak, Paul first prays for the Ephesians to be strengthened in their deep “heart” places within through the Holy Spirit. This strengthening leads to an ever-increasing faith for everyday living, which produces this pinnacle lens through which we are able to grasp in continuously greater degrees the vast richness of Christ’s love. (Ephesians 3:18)
Paul couches this precious exposition in the context of harmonious unity. This experience of Christ’s love explodes when the Global Church (all believers) live and grow together, going steadily deeper into understanding who Christ is through the Holy Spirit’s revealing power.

3) How are these lofty purposes realized?
In verses 14-19, Paul points to the source of a believer’s growth being the strength-imparting Spirit of Christ who dwells within every Christ-follow as teacher (John 14:26), comforter, and counselor (John 14:16). The Holy Spirit enables believers to flourish in an ever increasing, never complete, realization of the love of God the Father. The pathway of growth is discovered through prayer, faith, and submission to God’s revelation found in Scripture. The more we are willing to go deeper in trusting the Spirit of God living and active within us, the more we will discover, with awe and wonder, the glorious riches of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord! None of Paul’s prayed for purposes are possible apart from the work of God the Spirit; we cannot do it on our own strength or determination. He works in the believer’s heart and, in the process of our growth, obedience, and humble submission, He brings glory in the Church and to all generations for the sake of His Name! (verses 20-21)

Everyday Application

1) Who are the persons referred to as “Every family in heaven and on earth” in verse 15?   
The physical family is the most important building block in human society and should be nurtured and protected. When we are born again in Jesus, we are birthed into a spiritual family and are adopted as God’s children and He is our Father. (Romans 8:15)
The spiritual family is not bound or described by ethnicity, gender, or social standing. As Paul says, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed , and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:26-29)

2) In this intercessory prayer, what purposes is Paul praying for the Ephesian believers?
New Testament scholar and author of several commentaries, William Hendriksen, writes, “God is glorious in all His attributes, His power, His infinite Love, His mercy, His grace, His wisdom (…) Paul prays that all of God’s attributes be richly applied to those who are followers of Jesus Christ”. Hendriksen emphasizes how God’s character is embedded, nurtured, and grown to flourish within the heart of every believer through the work of the Holy Spirit when a person chooses to accept Christ as Lord of their life.
Just as Paul prayed for the Ephesians, so should we pray for one another within this family called Church as brothers and sisters, all children of our Father God. To know Christ deeply and experience His love, we begin with simple faith. Faith to receive Christ, faith to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit as He leads us deeper, and faith to continue leaning into the character of this God who calls us Beloved.
Let the Spirit of Christ transform in glorious ways!
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good, acceptable, and perfect.” (Romans 12:2) Be made new! “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature, the old has passed away; behold the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

3) How are these lofty purposes realized?
EASY! Well, probably not easy, but the process is simple and uncomplicated; the choice rests on us whether we will follow or not.
We begin with the knowledge that God’s Word, the Bible, is what we hang on to daily for wisdom and guidance and is the means by which the Holy Spirit transforms us and makes us new. The psalmist writes, “Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105) This Word of God is for real, everyday life!
In verse 14, Paul notes, “I bend my knees to the Father”.  It is in honor to be welcomed into the presence of the Almighty God! Submission and worship to God the Father is the heart attitude allowing us to draw close to Him through faith. The more we give ourselves over to studying His Word and listening to the Spirit, the deeper faith will root our lives. As we lean into the Father, He grows our understanding of just how deep, high, wide, and long is His love for us as His children. His love is limitless!
Don’t let another day pass before becoming more intentional in your faith walk with God. Whether you have never asked Jesus to be your Lord, or if you’ve been trusting Him more every day for the last 80 years, keep on growing! There is more the Lord wants you to discover about His love! Read His Word. Pray continuously, all day in all situations. Worship God as Father, Son, and Spirit, praising Him for His plan to grow us, root us, and delight to show us His love! “Therefore, be imitators of God as beloved children; walk in love just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” (Ephesians 5:1-2)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with How Deep The Father’s Love!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship V 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.

Awaken Day 12 Victorious Wonder: 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 Victorious Wonder!

The Questions

1) What is it about “dwelling” with the Almighty that brings such protection and rest?

2) How can we reconcile the protection spoken of here and the reality that everyone, even believing Christians, struggle so much physically, emotionally, mentally, and relationally?

3) What are the three perspectives we hear in this psalm?

Psalm 91

The one who lives under the protection of the Most High
dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say concerning the Lord, who is my refuge and my fortress,
my God in whom I trust:
3 He himself will rescue you from the bird trap,
from the destructive plague.
4 He will cover you with his feathers;
you will take refuge under his wings.
His faithfulness will be a protective shield.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
the arrow that flies by day,
6 the plague that stalks in darkness,
or the pestilence that ravages at noon.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side
and ten thousand at your right hand,
the pestilence will not reach you.
8 You will only see it with your eyes
and witness the punishment of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord—my refuge,
the Most High—your dwelling place,
10 no harm will come to you;
no plague will come near your tent.
11 For he will give his angels orders concerning you,
to protect you in all your ways.
12 They will support you with their hands
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the young lion and the serpent.

14 Because he has his heart set on me,
I will deliver him;
I will protect him because he knows my name.
15 When he calls out to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble.
I will rescue him and give him honor.
16 I will satisfy him with a long life
and show him my salvation.

Original Intent

1) What is it about “dwelling” with the Almighty that brings such protection and rest?
The Hebrew word for “dwell” literally means “to sit” and “remain”. A few months ago, a lovely saint in Christ invited me to lunch in her home. She prepared a delicious soup and bread and set the table with cloth napkins and delicate silver. As she invited me to sit down and eat with her, the intention was that both of us would be fully engaged and remain with one another until the conversation had pleasantly ended. We weren’t in a hurry or thinking about all the “nexts” of the day. We had no agenda other than enjoying the gift of being with each other. This is the meaning of the Hebrew word for “dwell”. When we abandon everything else about life with all of its burdens and aches and pressing insistences, coming to the Lord with His Word for the purpose sitting and remaining, He delights in extending His gracious presence to us. He fills us with good things, He teaches us to trust His heart, and He leads us into righteousness. He protects us at the very core of who we are in our hearts when we choose to dwell with Him.

2) How can we reconcile the protection spoken of here and the reality that everyone, even believing Christians, struggle so much physically, emotionally, mentally, and relationally?
Yes, Scripture itself teaches that trials, persecution, and burdens are indeed the reality of life lived here on earth, but we cannot possibly know the depth and breadth that the Lord has protected believers from. This psalm isn’t a promise that nothing “bad” will ever happen to a believer, but it is promising that even in the midst of “bad things”, He is still for us. He uses all things, good and bad, as if they were tools to shape us to become more like Him. While the reality of present danger cannot be ignored, neither can the very real testament of believers who have received innumerable protections from the Lord. God is intimately acquainted with our lives, our comings and goings, and, holding all power, protects us constantly. We are never outside of His gentle, fatherly hands of love.

3) What are the three perspectives we hear in this psalm?
Verses 1-2 are the psalmist’s personal testimony of his own experiences with the Almighty One as he has chosen to make Him his dwelling place. The Lord is “my God, my refuge, and my fortress”. He then proceeds in verses 3-13 to prompt his listeners to do the same. He sees the busyness, the unrest, the destruction, and the pain happening in their lives and pleads with them to just dwell with the Lord. “He will rescue you…He will cover you…you will not fear…pestilence will not reach you…no harm will touch you…..no plague….He will protect….He will support.” But it is not the protection believers who receive this gift are seeking, it is simply to dwell with the Lord, to know Him in ever deepening ways. His protection is a gift overflowing from the relationship. (verse 9) The final perspective is of the Lord Himself in verses 14-16 which depict that precise intimate love between Most High God and us, the Beloved of God. Protection is given because the one who seeks after Him “has his heart set on Me” says the Lord. God extends loving protection “because he knows My name.” Relationship is central! These last 3 verses are precious indeed to the one who daily chooses to dwell with the Lord!

Everyday Application

1) What is it about “dwelling” with the Almighty that brings such protection and rest?
If we are to truly “sit and remain” with the Lord, we are to do it regularly, daily, and consistently. We benefit from the Lord’s protection and His presence when we are immersed in it, daily choosing Him over all other, lesser loves. A curious philosopher holding a chirping sparrow in his hands, wanted to discover the source of the sparrow’s song, and sliced open the bird to find the reason it sang. Of course, the song ended with his life. Similarly, the love, intimacy, and buoying protection shared between the one who dwells with the Almighty and the Lord God Himself, is also one of mystery. It simply is not fathomable or searchable unless it is experienced for one’s self. Have you discovered that rich delight that comes with dwelling with the Almighty? The intimacy that protects your heart, guards your mind, and teaches you the path of right living? Come away with Him! Dwell with Him! Know Him as He already knows you and delight in the rest and protection He brings!

2) How can we reconcile the protection spoken of here and the reality that everyone, even believing Christians, struggle so much physically, emotionally, mentally, and relationally?
An unexpected check in the mail during a difficult financial time, encouragement when we were tempted to give up, a friend offering to get groceries for us when we ran out of time, an easing of the schedule because of a cancellation, these are all protections from the Lord. Sometimes we take these things for granted as just a “coincidence of life”, but it is the Lord who sees and knows, and acts to protect on our behalf because we love Him and He loves us. Praise Him for these! The Lord is so mighty that even in the midst of intense suffering, as the believer draws near to dwell with the Father, enough strength and peace are given to bring rest and encouragement because while the Lord does indeed give protection in this life, His protection into life eternal is immutable and permanent! Rest here in His presence and find unspeakable treasure!

3) What are the three perspectives we hear in this psalm?
We bring glory to the Lord when we tell of His deeds in our own life. The act of writing down His faithfulness in our own personal faith story not only encourages our own faith because we can see on paper the mighty hand of the Lord, but it also equips us to better share with others how the Lord has been our sheltering refuge. If you’ve never done this, take the challenge to do it this week! Consider upping your personal challenge and sharing it here with the GT Community by emailing your story to Faces of Grace. When you get the chance in everyday, regular life, implore those around you to find shelter with the Lord by dwelling with Him. Speak of His goodness, share of little moments when He has protected you, boldly declare Him! For the last 3 verses in Psalm 91, take them in deeply. Savor them. Memorize them. Pray them out loud over yourself, your friends, your spouse, your children, or even your enemies. Experience the precious gift of truly dwelling with the Almighty and being hidden in Him!

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

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 Awaken 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.

Glimmers Day 8 Hope; It’s Coming!

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Habakkuk 2:2-3
Jeremiah 29:11-13

Glimmers, Day 8

Throughout the last few years, I have had a bit of a love/hate relationship with hope.

There were times when hope was the water level that buoyed me up and allowed me to keep moving forward. Other times hope felt like the very anchor that kept my head just barely above the crashing waves.
Those were the moments when hoping that better was coming
hurt more than enduring the pain of the season.

Yet, hope is a powerful resource, and truly without it I would have given up on the plans the Lord has for me long, long ago.
So, from where does my hope come?

First and foremost, the Lord as He speaks through the Bible and the Holy Spirit’s voice (Matthew 4:4). Beyond that, hope may rise from the encouragement of fellow sojourners, reflection on previous hopes fulfilled, and the decision to live life with a hope-filled mindset. What increases your hope?

For me, the words of the Old Testament prophets bring me hope.
Several times throughout my life, the Lord has brought verses to mind that come directly from the books of the Bible that are named after these prophets.

In Scripture, there are 17 books categorized as prophetic (written by prophets).
Five of those are called major and 12 are minor. This is due to the length of the books rather than the importance of the content. The five major prophet books are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel. The 12 minor prophet books are the last books of the Old Testament beginning with Hosea and ending with Malachi.

I find myself visiting these books frequently, receiving encouragement from the men who obeyed the Lord in announcing His will so many years ago.
The basic definition of a prophet is a person who declares the will of God.

Believers today have something those living during Old Testament times didn’t have: the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the role of the prophet was incredibly important as through these voices, lives, and written words, God’s people could know the Lord’s direction and desire. Without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, His will had to be vocalized from an external source rather than an internal one.

The lives these prophets lived and the words they spoke are captured in those 17 books at the end of the Old Testament. Throughout them you will find deep wisdom and truth applicable for today just as much as it did then. These prophets spoke the words the Lord’s Spirit gave them without knowing the big picture, but they obeyed regardless. The Lord challenged them to obey in ways that guaranteed social norms were at the minimum bent and in some cases shattered.

The examples of faith and obedience the prophets displayed is one way
hope grows in me.

The backbone of my faith is strengthened when reading their stories and, in turn, my hope rises.

I don’t know the full pictures of my life,
but just like the prophets of old,
I am to obey regardless.

I can discover the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living
as I follow Him,
even if He asks me to move outside my comfort zone.

(Side note: The Lord will never direct me to do something that contradicts His character as proven in the Word.)

Hope rises as we witness the faithful obedience of these ancient prophets.
Hope rises through the words the prophets spoke.
The words God ordained to be preserved for us to take in.

Several verses tucked into the pages of prophecy have become lifelines in the dark and clear directives for my next steps.
Hope rises here, anchored in truth!

“The Lord your God is among you,
a warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will be quiet in His love.
He will delight in you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17

“The Lord my Lord is my strength;
He makes my feet like those of a deer
and enables me to walk
on mountain heights.”
Habakkuk 3:19

“Mankind, He has told each of you what is good,
and what it is the Lord requires of you;
to act justly,
to love faithfulness,
and to walk humbly
with your God.”
Micah 6:8

Isaiah.
Jeremiah.
Lamentations.
Ezekiel.
Daniel.
Hosea.
Joel.
Amos.
Obadiah.
Jonah.
Micah.
Nahum.
Habakkuk.
Zephaniah.
Haggai.
Zechariah.
Malachi.

These are prophets who faithfully obeyed the Lord, despite great cost to themselves.
Prophets who allowed the Lord’s hope to rise through their surrender.
Prophets who pointed, directly and indirectly,
to the Eternal Hope of the coming Messiah.

Challenge yourself to read through some of these hope writings in the coming weeks. Take note of the verses that bring you hope.
Who inspires you in your faith journey?
Is it Daniel in his obedience and faith as he stands amidst the lions?
Is it Hosea marrying a harlot as a representation of the Lord’s love for us?

May hope rise as you read of events declared before they would happen and then their fulfillment. Look for the glimmers that point to a coming Savior and take comfort in knowing that exactly what God declares, He brings to pass.
Hope; it’s coming!

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

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

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

Glimmers Day 2, Hope In The Darkness: 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 Hope In The Darkness!

The Questions

1) Who is the serpent and what is his tactic?

2) What does Eve’s response reveal about humanity?

3) God said they would die, the serpent said they wouldn’t, but no one died after eating the fruit. Who lied?

Genesis 3:1-6

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?”

2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. 3 But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’”

4 “No! You will not die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

Original Intent

1) Who is the serpent and what is his tactic?
In reading the Bible, it’s crucial to correctly understanding it by remembering that the whole of it is one magnificent story. In verse 1, a cross-reference (the tiny hyper script letters) links the serpent reference to Revelation, the very last book of the Bible! Revelation is the apostle John’s record of his visions from God and His angels. In Revelation 12, John is recounting a war in Heaven (verse 7) between the angels. The angels are divided between Michael (and his angels) and the Dragon (and his angels). Michael’s angels win and the Dragon is cast out from Heaven forever. The serpent is here described as being “ancient” and “called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world.” Going all the way back to Garden, we now have a fuller picture of who this “serpent” is as Satan himself! Satan’s tactic was to ask a penetrating question of Eve, making her question what she thought she knew of God. “Did God really say…” (verse 1) Eve replied and then Satan prodded her farther, completely contradicting what God had told Eve, “No! You will not die…” (verse 4). Going in for the final move to win Eve over, Satan goes beyond contradicting God, to make himself appear superior by having greater insight, “In fact, God knows that when you eat it…” (verse 5).

2) What does Eve’s response reveal?
This was God’s original command to Adam and Eve regarding the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, “you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17) Here is Eve’s response when Satan questioned her as to what God had said, “God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’” (Genesis 3:3) See the addition Eve made? “Or touch it”. Her words reveal that in her prideful humanity, Eve was willing to believe that God was more stringent and stingy than His character displayed. He had given a vast kingdom of beauty to Adam and Eve and showered them with delightful attention, generously providing them all of creation with only reasonable, loving boundaries. Yet in a moment of pressure, Eve willingly allowed her fear and pride to win over truth and God’s proven character.

3) God said they would die, the serpent said they wouldn’t, but no one died after eating the fruit. Who lied?  
In Genesis 2:17 God says, “you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” In Genesis 3:4 Satan insists, “No! You will not die…” To help us understand this confusion, we first need to remember the truth of Scripture’s teaching that Satan is the Father of Lies (John 8:44) and no truth is in him. That is our first anchor. Secondly, we look to the context of the Garden originally. It was designed for life, flawless, perfect, eternal life existing in the context of a beautiful and intimate relationship with God. In the midst of Eden was the Tree of Life, of which there was no prohibition to eat from until after Sin.(3:22) The Garden’s design was for eternal enjoyment of life, but for it to continue, sin could have no place. Innocence of evil must be maintained in order to enjoy the pure delights of righteousness, so a boundary was placed and a command given to not eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. In that moment, Death would occur, because eternal righteous life would no longer be possible. The life they had known would forever be gone. With even one drop of sin, perfect righteousness could no longer exist. Death would enter, their physical bodies would no longer be immortal, and the spiritual death would be the most severe as it would sever the sweet intimacy of union between God and humanity. Yes, Death would reign. Adam and Eve died that day, along with the rest of humanity to come after them.

Everyday Application

1) Who is the serpent and what is his tactic?
The serpent in the Garden, the Dragon in Revelation, the devil, and Satan the Deceiver, are all names for the archenemy of every believer. Revelation 12 also describes him as the “accuser” who accuses believers “night and day before God.” (verse 10) Peter says the devil is our adversary who “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) Don’t be deceived, this enemy is very much real and alive and seeking to steal, kill, and destroy us. (John 10:10) The more we know about Satan, the better we can be prepared for his attacks and the quicker we can recognize his schemes in our everyday lives. Knowing that he is an accuser, helps us notice the lies of accusation. Phrases like “not enough”, “God doesn’t want you”, “you’re unlovable”, and countless others point to the deception of an accuser, not the truths of the God who died to save you. The more familiar you are with truth, the easier it will be to discern the enemy’s lies when he attacks. Be on guard, just as he did with Eve, Satan’s goal is to get you to question the goodness and reliability of God and His Word. Cling to truth!

2) What does Eve’s response reveal?
How deeply do you cling to truth? I mean, not your own version of truth when you’re arguing with your spouse or coworker, but the actual truth. It’s one thing to mentally attest to a truth statement like “God is good”, but quite another when circumstances appear to cast doubt on that belief. When you lose a beloved one, when the marriage dissolves, when the gossiping lies spread, when the bank account runs low, the deceiver’s voice comes in low and haunting, “Did God really say….”? Every time, we have a choice in our response, be anchored in truth or grab for an easy lie. A.W. Tozer said, “What come into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” If Eve had chosen to stay anchored in truth, rather than doubt what she knew of the Lord, she would have been kept from sin and its damning affect. The amount of Scriptural truth we take in and cling to will keep us from sin too!

3) God said they would die, the serpent said they wouldn’t, but no one died after eating the fruit. Who lied?
As noted earlier, the Bible is the compilation of one grand story, woven beginning to end with one incredible theme: the redemption of mankind. It all began here, in the Garden of Eden where the heart of God created a space for mankind to enjoy Him for all eternity and for Him to endlessly delight over them. As goodness and kindness demand, God would not force their love, He was present to be enjoyed of their own choice, and so He gave the gift of choice by planting the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. If His creation hungered to experience beyond what He, the Giver of Life, had given, they could choose to know the existence of Sin and the pain it would bring. And they chose it. What a tragedy it would have been for God to leave His treasures in that state of sin and separation from Him! But by His incredible grace, God said, “Since the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, he must not reach out, take from the tree of life, eat, and live forever.” (Genesis 3:22) The Lord could not bear the thought of His beloved ones living forever in sin. So He banished them, not because He hated them, but that they might be preserved and have the opportunity to choose Him again. See, Hope was coming. Jesus would one day be their Rescuer and bring them back home. Extravagant Love!

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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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