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Kaleidoscope Day 7 Strength of Humility: 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 Strength of Humility!

The Questions

1) Why is this recalling of the Israelite’s desert wanderings being spoken of here in Nehemiah?

2) What character of the Lord is highlighted in this passage?

3) Why would the Lord be so extravagantly benevolent and generous (verses 19-21) in the face of Israel’s blasphemies and abandonment (verses 17-18)?

Nehemiah 9:16-21

But our ancestors acted arrogantly;
they became stiff-necked and did not listen to your commands.
17 They refused to listen
and did not remember your wonders
you performed among them.
They became stiff-necked and appointed a leader
to return to their slavery in Egypt.
But you are a forgiving God,
gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in faithful love,
and you did not abandon them.
18 Even after they had cast an image of a calf
for themselves and said,
“This is your god who brought you out of Egypt,”
and they had committed terrible blasphemies,
19 you did not abandon them in the wilderness
because of your great compassion.
During the day the pillar of cloud
never turned away from them,
guiding them on their journey.
And during the night the pillar of fire
illuminated the way they should go.
20 You sent your good Spirit to instruct them.
You did not withhold your manna from their mouths,
and you gave them water for their thirst.
21 You provided for them in the wilderness forty years,
and they lacked nothing.
Their clothes did not wear out,
and their feet did not swell.

Original Intent

1) Why is this recalling of the Israelite’s desert wanderings being spoken of here in Nehemiah?
It had been hundreds of years since Israel’s initial freedom from slavery in Egypt at the time of this writing. Hundreds of years earlier, the Lord God had led Israel straight through the desert to the Promised Land in only a few days’ time, telling them to go up into the land and take possession of it for He was with them and would go before them. But in fear, holding tight to their doubts and their inabilities, they refused. So, the Lord God turned His people around, marching them into the desert for the next 40 years until all but two men from the generation who doubted His goodness had died. Then, true to His faithful character, He triumphantly brought His people into Canaan, the Promised Land. Was the new generation flawless and somehow deserving God’s faithful love more than their fathers? Not in the slightest! They bowed down to other gods, they disobeyed, they complained and ignored the Lord at every turn. Still the Almighty faithfully loved them. Now in the time of Nehemiah, Israel is on the heals of her exile. Again, being punished because she repeatedly forsook the Lord who loved her and rescued her and saved her for Himself. Because scrolls were cumbersome and there weren’t many libraries at this point in history, oral tradition was the means for the masses to know, remember, and pass on her history. The story of Israel’s wandering, the Lord’s faithful love, mercy, and undeserved grace were pivotal components of Israel’s historical narrative and were often repeated aloud corporately and privately. In these verses, Israel is repeating her history, confessing her sin, and re-committing herself to worship the Lord God and Him alone.

2) What character of the Lord is highlighted in this passage?
“You are a forgiving God”. (verse 17) The Lord alone has the right to hold all offenses against us, for He is blameless and holy while we are sinful and wretched. Yet, precisely because love is the very essence of who He is, He is a “forgiving God”.
“Gracious”. Extending love despite how there is absolutely nothing we can do or have done to deserve it. While our sin enshrouds us like filthy menstrual rags, God’s grace gave Jesus as a sacrifice for our sin on our behalf that we might have a right relationship with Him. Grace that shows up not just once when we surrender to Jesus, but daily, moment by moment because Christ Jesus is indeed the everyday Savior.
“Compassionate.” His grace and forgiveness and tender love are not merely handouts. The Lord God does not set His love upon us because it is required of Him. No, His heart loves to love. His heart is moved with deep compassion, emotional feeling, and rock-solid commitment.
“Slow to anger.” His love does not react angrily at our foolish sin and self-focused actions leading us away from His heart and towards our own death. He would have every right to be the “fire breathing god” in the sky, ready to smite people for plunder when they disobeyed Him. But the God of the Bible is nothing like that description. He is slow to anger, giving us time and opportunity to repent and come to Him because He loves.
“You did not abandon.” Not leaving us as He finds us, too wretched to even consider saving, let alone loving. Not beginning a work in us and transforming us partially, but then deciding we are too difficult. He is the God who absolutely will never abandon His beloveds.
Finally, in “abounding in faithful love”, we find the root of every other character trait, all stemming from this one vastly variegated descriptor, love. God is love. There is no deeper, hidden quality you will ever uncover, yet the depths of this one definition are beyond our ability to comprehend. God is love!

3) Why would the Lord be so extravagantly benevolent and generous (verses 19-21) in the face of Israel’s blasphemies and abandonment (verses 17-18)?
Israel had spurned the God who loved her and set her free from slavery. They had crafted an idol made of lifeless gold and worshipped it instead of the living God. Such a horrendous trade! Still He Loved. They had exchanged the lavish love of God for empty lies and vain conceits and words that meant nothing. Still He Loved. They stepped out of their birthright, sidestepping God’s very best for them, as they chose their fear and pride and arrogance instead. Still He Loved. His love showed up with deep emotional, relational, and spiritual ways through compassion, grace, and forgiveness. But He also cared deeply for their physical needs, even in their punishment of being in the desert for 40 years! Even here, as He lovingly disciplined, He did not abandon! He loved them by healing their diseases (Exodus 23:25). He loved them by guiding them and giving them clear direction they could see with their eyes through a cloud by day and fire by night (Nehemiah 9:19). He gave the Holy Spirit to bring truth to specific prophets so they would clearly hear the Word of the Lord with their ears. (Nehemiah 9:30) He gave them food for their bellies, meat for their pallet, and water to quench their thirst (Nehemiah 9:20, Exodus 16:13). Neither their clothes nor their sandals wore out in their 40-year pilgrimage (Deuteronomy 29:5). They literally lacked for nothing (Nehemiah 9:21). Only one answer can be given as to why the Lord would act so extravagantly in the face of such idolatry: unconditional love.

Everyday Application

1) Why is this recalling of the Israelite’s desert wanderings being spoken of here in Nehemiah?
Oral tradition isn’t something our western culture hinges on, but we do record our history both corporately as a people as well as individuals. Maybe for you this comes in the form of journaling where you can look back and see how you’ve grown and changed. Or maybe it’s the process of sitting down and sharing those pivotal moments out loud to someone else. Or maybe you’ve never thought about how those big, forming moments have shaped your life. Make some space this week and take the challenge to begin writing your own history. What were the low points, the big, game-changing moments, the highlights of euphoria, and all the in-between that shaped you into who you are today. Looking back, where did you find yourself lost and wandering in sin, where did you experience the love of God through other people or circumstances? What happened when you asked Jesus to be your Rescuer from sin? Often, as we look back, we find the fingerprints of God etched all throughout our story. And just maybe, after you’ve written your story down, you’ll feel led to share it with other women to encourage them. If so, we’d love to give you that opportunity! Send us an email at facesofgrace@gracefullytruthful.com to get started!

2) What character of the Lord is highlighted in this passage?
Whenever you read passages that highlight character traits of the Lord, take the opportunity to slow down, read them on repeat, consider other passages in Scripture where you see these traits of the Lord, and look for how He has shown them to you in your own life! The very end of verse 17 here is so lush with depth and beauty as it describes God! These descriptors alone can shift our perspective at any given moment of the day, raising our chin, reminding us we are lavishly loved by a God who is forgiving, gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, never abandoning, and faithfully loving. This is a love beyond compare! As you pause and think on these lovely gifts, write out precisely how the Lord is each of these to you, even if you don’t feel it or see it, He is always this kind of love towards every believer who has trusted Him for eternal life and rescuing from eternal damnation apart from Him!

3) Why would the Lord be so extravagantly benevolent and generous (verses 19-21) in the face of Israel’s blasphemies and abandonment (verses 17-18)?
Israel was recounting her history as a wonderful, glorious reminder of truth about the God who loved her. Israel had turned away again, forgetting this loving, gracious God, and had found themselves in a literally broken place. The walls of Jerusalem were broken and Israel was utterly defenseless. Their crops were failing. Their families weren’t safe. People were dying. But God drew them back to Himself and they responded. They re-committed themselves to Him, to worship Him, to choose Him, to honor Him, to love Him and Him alone. The same is true for us! Though we run away, He still waits for our return. When we fall, He is our rescuer. When darkness seems to surround us, He is our light. As God provided visibly, emotionally, relationally, and tangibly for the Israelites in the desert, so He still provides for us in our everyday living. The apostle John writes of this full experience in his letter, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it!” What life was John describing? Jesus Christ! All the fullness of God is experienced in Jesus Christ and He is available for each of us, at every moment, every single day! Such unconditional love!

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

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Kaleidoscope Week 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.

Tabernacle Day 2 All About Relationship: 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 All About Relationship!

The Questions

1) What does it mean to “remain in love” (verse 16)?

2) How is “love made complete” in us
(verse 17)?

3) Why was John addressing a seeming confusion regarding a blend of fear and love (verse 18)?

1 John 4:13-21

This is how we know that we remain in Him and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit. 14 And we have seen and we testify that the Father has sent his Son as the world’s Savior. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God – God remains in Him and He in God. 16 And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.

God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. 17 In this, love is made complete with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears is not complete in love. 19 We love because He first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother or sister whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And we have this command from him: The one who loves God must also love his brother and sister.

Original Intent

1) What does it mean to “remain in love” (verse 16)?
Suppose a new home was purchased for you; you became the homeowner on paper, but until you are actually living in the house, you aren’t “dwelling” there. In John’s letter, to “remain” is to “dwell” or “abide”. More than just a title, it’s a way of everyday life. When we ask Jesus to be our Savior from sin, we are made new and “born again” into love. The Holy Spirit is deposited into us and we are the Lord’s and He is ours forever, nothing can take that away. (John 10:28) We are born into love, we are made new in love, we are saved because of love, and we were created to love. When we choose to “abide” or “dwell” or “remain” in love, it first and foremost looks like loving God, then is followed closely with loving others.

2) How is “love made complete” in us (verse 17)?
The Greek for “made complete” here carries the idea of reaching perfection. Whatever has been lacking, is now here in fulfilled perfection, not one piece is missing. John is describing true love here, helping his audience to see how several elements of love, coming in at different times, are all brought together and is made “perfect” or “complete”. God’s love itself is fully perfect; He does not need us to bring perfection to His own love, but He wanted to share His love with us and invite us to experience the perfection of His love. So, God brought love to us by sending Jesus as a sacrifice for our sin. (verse 9). Our receiving of this love is one aspect of experiencing His “perfect love”, but it isn’t until we “remain” in His love, rooting ourselves in it day-in-and-day-out, that we experience His love perfected in us. God’s love, already perfect outside of us, find perfection in us, when we submit to both loving Him and others.

3) Why was John addressing a seeming confusion regarding a blend of fear and love (verse 18)?
The Day of Judgement, a time of reckoning and final justice for all, was on the horizon for John and the churches of his day, just as it is for us. In Jesus’ culture, to please God, there were hundreds of laws to follow. Not obeying them resulted in needing to make sacrifices, be considered unclean, or even, if the offense was significant enough, be cast out from the community of faith and your family. God’s design was for these laws to help the people see their very obvious need for forgiveness because they would never be able to attain to righteousness by obeying laws. Paul says in Romans 9:31-32, “Israel, who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness, did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works.” Israel had missed the point. They missed that it was never about good works, but always about a relationship. John brings his readers back to this point when he ties having “confidence on the Day of Judgement” to the idea that “there is no fear in love.” Following Jesus isn’t about performance or a long list of expectations or a lofty measure of good appearances, but it is about love. Perfect love that casts out fear. Love that invites us into a relationship where we can find freedom from fear right alongside the deep satisfaction of experiencing perfect love!

Everyday Application

1) What does it mean to “remain in love” (verse 16)?
What does loving God first and foremost look like? It means intentional and consistent time with Him, reading His Word, having a longing for more of Him, praying, fasting, serving the Body of Christ, and adjusting your life to His rhythms. When we choose to love God as He has loved us, the Holy Spirit awakens our hearts, which again, have been made new, to radically love others. Practically, it looks like living with open hands and open hearts towards others, ready to invest and give ourselves away because we too have been radically loved by the sacrificial Savior! Bottom line: when we choose to love God deeply and love others well, we are flinging wide the door to that home we have been given, which is new life in Christ. Confessing Jesus as Lord doesn’t stop when you finish a prayer, or walk the aisle of a church, it’s only the beginning of what will take eternity to discover….the incredible working out of what it means to ”remain in love”.

2) How is “love made complete” in us (verse 17)?
The rich theology packed into these brief verses in chapter 4 are loaded with priceless treasure. Do yourself a favor and read all of chapter 4 several times in 1 sitting, letting the words run deep into your heart. Write down your questions, allow yourself to be curious! The Lord is inviting you to know Him better! How are you rooting yourself in His love, allowing His Spirit to lead us deeper into what it means to live out a perfected love? When we are committing ourselves to consistently knowing God better and loving others, the Holy Spirit is free to move about in our lives. He teaches us in the little moments and the big ones of everyday life what it means to have complete, perfect love. The more we surrender to His leading on how to love, the more fulfilled and deeply satisfied like never before we will become!

3) Why was John addressing a seeming confusion regarding a blend of fear and love (verse 18)?
Do you wonder if you’ll ever be “good enough” for God? Have you ever considered if God was angry with you? It’s easy to fear something we don’t understand, and it’s even easier to fear judgement when we are already sure that we aren’t good enough to pass. John’s letter is clear, the perfectly loving God is inviting each of us to know Him better, and in that knowing, to discover that, through the sacrificial blood of Jesus that covers our sins when we cling to Him, and Him alone, to be our “good enough”, we are free from fear! Fear has no place in God’s economy of love. If you fear judgement from God, either 1 of 2 realities are at play. Either you haven’t explored enough of God’s character to know how deep and wide His unfathomable love is. Or, you have never truly and genuinely surrendered control of your life over to Him. If you’ve never claimed Him as your personal Savior, the Bible is replete with warnings that yes, you should indeed fear judgement, because it’s only through Jesus that we are free from condemnation. Have questions as we’ve studied these truths today? Explore those! Resist the urge to shove them down. Instead, reach out to a pastor or believing friend, or send us an email here, we’d love to encourage you to keep growing in truth and grace!

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

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 Tabernacle 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.

Misunderstood Day 1 The Root Of All Evil?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 20:1-6
Proverbs 3:1-10
1 Timothy 6:6-16
Luke 18:18-30

Misunderstood, Day 1

Money is a huge part of our lives. We need it to live! Most of us spend the majority of our waking hours, during the most productive years of our adult lives, working for money.

Money appears to represent so much that is evil in our world.
The rich exploit the poor to gain excessive wealth.
Consumerism and materialism grip so much of the world.
Spending more than we earn, and more than we can afford, on things we don’t need is normal.
We measure success by the size of our house, the make of our car, and the width of our television screen.

The Bible talks about money often.
Jesus preached on the topic of money more often than my pastor dares to.
Jesus knew the powerful temptation that money represents.

It is no wonder that Jesus taught that money is the root of all kinds of evil!
Right?
Well, not exactly…

Rather, it is the LOVE of money
that is the root of evil.
And not even “all” evil at that, as is often misquoted!

The Bible never teaches that wealth is in itself evil.
It is not sinful to be wealthy, or have a high income.
However, when we devote our heart to money,
when we love money more than God,
it is an idol, and it becomes a stronghold of the devil in our lives.

God cares about what we love.
The greatest commandment is, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart.”
God must come first.
God must be the one who captures the fullness of our heart and our devotion, not just a piece of it.

The second of the Ten Commandments, “Do not make an idol,” is as equally relevant for us today as it was to the children of Israel thousands of years ago, as they were surrounded by pagan nations worshipping man-made statues of wood and stone. In our modern culture, we worship man-made possessions with just as much devotion, and it is just as dangerous to our relationship with God as it was to God’s first chosen people.

God has been teaching me to trust in Him, not my money.
He wants my full heart.

My husband has always been a small business owner and entrepreneur. Throughout our 25 year marriage, we have known seasons of plenty and of need. Our last season of need lasted for three, long years. We made the difficult decision to sell our large, beautiful home, and move into a much smaller rental property. We sold around a third of our furniture and other possessions so we could move comfortably into a much smaller space.
At the time we felt like we had failed our family,
and we grieved for our loss.

That happened over a year ago now, and we have learned so much from the experience.
God is very good, and He always knows what is best for us.

We didn’t expect to enjoy the freedom of being out of debt. It was a weight that we had been carrying for so long that we didn’t realise how heavy it was to hold. We weren’t aware of the amount of time, work, worry and stress it was taking for us to maintain and manage all of our possessions.
There is a peace and contentment in our lives now
because we have learned much from owning less and needing less.

Money has a way of capturing our hearts
and giving us a false sense of security.

Without recognising it, we put our security in money.
We rely on the material possessions we acquire for our stability.
We put our trust in ourselves, and our ability to supply our needs, to protect ourselves, and be completely self-sufficient and independent.
When we have plenty of money, we don’t need God.

One night, Jesus met a man who found his security in his wealth. He was a fine, upstanding young man; the kind that I would be happy for one of my daughters to marry. He was a good man; he carefully followed the Old Testament law to the letter, and he was very wealthy. He came to Jesus earnestly seeking. “What must I do to have eternal life?”

Jesus knew his heart.
He knew his wealth had captured the devotion of his heart,
so Jesus asked him to give it away.
“Sell everything you have and give it to the poor”, invited Jesus.
Sadly, this rich young man left heavy-hearted.
He couldn’t give it up.
He loved his money more than God.

There is nothing innately wrong with money. It’s just a thing. There are many examples of wealthy people in the Bible, Old and New Testament. God promised the Patriarchs wealth as a sign of blessing if they followed Him faithfully (Genesis 17:4-6). There were new converts in the early church who sold property to share their wealth with the poor (Acts 2:44-45).

The issue isn’t money.
The issue is love.
What do you love?

God is still slowly teaching me, day by day, to love Him above all else.
I can be tempted by the illusion of prestige and comfort that money provides,
but I am becoming more aware that
real security and peace comes from the presence of God in my life.
True contentment is found in His promise to provide everything I need.

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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 Misunderstood 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 Misunderstood!

Shepherd Day 10 In the Presence of My Enemies

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 23:5
2 Samuel 22
1 Samuel 21:1-9
Mark 6:30-44 

Shepherd, Day 10

As an extrovert, nothing sounds better after a long and difficult week than a dinner party surrounded by dear friends. I look around the table at my friends laughing and swapping stories, and I forget about the “enemies” I’m facing:
stress from work, family drama, unexpected expenses, and all of the other weights of life. God has prepared a table for me and my heart overflows.  David knew all about enemies, but in a very different way than me.
He had a long list of people chasing after him, including the king and his own son! He faced many hardships in his life, but he always sought refuge in the Lord and praised Him for his success (2 Samuel 22).

Before David was a great warrior, he was a shepherd.
He knew how to take care of his sheep.
He kept them from danger, he provided food and water for them, and he made sure they found rest. It’s no surprise that when David was in danger, when he needed food and water, and when he needed rest, he called upon the Lord as his Good Shepherd.

David knew that God would provide his every need.
After learning of the king’s plot to kill him, David fled and sought out a priest. The priest provided holy bread for sustenance and the sword of Goliath for protection for David on his way (1 Samuel 21:1-9). In the face of his enemies, God provided just what David needed.  

During Jesus’ ministry, He lived out David’s comparison of God to a Good Shepherd. He provided for people in all kinds of ways.
Like a shepherd, Jesus protected the disciples when they were in danger (Mark 4:35-41),
He made sure they found rest (Mark 6:31),
and He ultimately sacrificed His own life for all people.  

One of my favorite examples of Jesus as a shepherd was when He fed 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two fish. Mark says,
“when He went ashore, He saw a large crowd and had compassion  on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then He began to teach them many things.” (Mark 6:34)
Jesus and His disciples were in pursuit of rest, but the crowds found them anyway. Instead of brushing them off and sending them along their way, He had compassion on them.
He saw their need.

He saw that they were looking for someone to care for them.
First, He fed their souls with his teaching.
Then he met their physical need with fishes and loaves.
Jesus prepared a table for the people that day. 
Like David’s cup that overflowed, baskets were literally overflowing with extra food!  

What I love about Psalm 23:5, and each of these stories, is how they demonstrate that God not only prepares a table for us, but He does it in the presence of our enemies.
David’s psalm doesn’t say that we won’t have enemies.
He doesn’t say that God will make our enemies disappear.
And he doesn’t say that facing our enemies won’t be hard.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

Even when life is hard, even when things are confusing,
even when it feels like nothing is going right,
God provides.
God is not just a shepherd, but a Good Shepherd.
Do you trust that He is truly good and will provide, even in the presence of difficulty?  

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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 Shepherd Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

Battle Day 15 Faithful Rescuer

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Daniel 3:8-30
Matthew 14:22-33
Romans 8:31-39

It was a freakish storm seemingly coming out of nowhere. What was once a beautiful sunny day, suddenly grew pitch black with fast moving clouds that covered the area within just a few minutes. Pattering drops soon became sheets of cold rain accompanied by loud claps of thunder, whistling wind, and brilliant lightning bolts flashing through the now dark sky.

I was about 10 years old at a Christian summer camp.
A full week of games, sports, water activities, and awkward moments with people I barely knew. Unlike most people at camp, I didn’t have any friends with me. I was new in my faith, lacked self-confidence, and had a million misconceptions about the God of the Bible. I was wrapped up in performance-driven love, but that sudden summer storm has re-played itself in my mind’s eye countless times since, becoming a solid anchor that shaped my view of God.

I was on a trail hike with other campers when the storm hit, and, like every other pre-teen girl, I ran as fast as I could towards the cabins, screaming all the way.
But everyone passed me up and I was left running alone.
Everything was so dark.
The heavy, chilling rain bit into my skin and eyes as I ran.
I screamed for everyone to wait, but no one heard, or cared.
And then my foot found an enormous black hole, and my leg was swallowed with cold mud.
I was stuck and terrified with no one to hear or see me.
Lightening was everywhere and to my freaked-out-10-year-old-self, I was pretty sure I was going to die there in that mud hole. Alone and forgotten, despite my screams.
Dramatic, I know.
But real to me, nonetheless.
Suddenly, I saw a tall figure emerge from the wooded area far ahead of me. Tall and running towards me, a counselor grabbed me from the mud, hefted me to his shoulder, and carried me to the cabin.
In that one moment, the storm no longer mattered to me.
The torrents and flashes could continue their barrage all day, it didn’t matter.
I was safe.
I was valuable.
I was worth rescuing.

I have no other memory of that counselor, no idea what songs we sang that week, and I don’t remember one spiritual conversation, but the image of being rescued has bound me to my view of God ever since.

The prophet Jonah, just thrown overboard in a tumultuous sea and rescued by an unlikely, swimming hero, prays, “I called out to the Lord, out of my distress.”
Safe. Valuable. Worth rescuing.
God knew where Jonah would be drowning, knew where to send the hungry sea creature, and then directed that nautical giant to Ninevah’s shores where God wanted Jonah to go.

The disciple Peter, bravado turning to fear when the storms threatened to overtake him as he walked on the water towards the Savior,
“…and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
Safe. Valuable. Worth rescuing.
Jesus knew He held all authority over the wind and waves.
Jesus knew He alone could rescue Peter, not just from physically drowning, but from living a life without fear.

Three young men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being thrown into a fiery furnace for their refusal to bow down and worship a golden statue. Their declaration?
“…our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.”
Safe. Valuable. Worth rescuing.

Thunderstorms are special for me.
I love their magnificent display of my Creator’s power, the scent of the raw earth, and the
reminder that my God is a rescuing God.
He is “for me and not against me.”

I don’t know what your battles look like.
I do know that I’ve had plenty of them, as I’m sure have you.
And with every passing storm, I’ve learned a bit more about the God who holds all authority over it.

God’s response to Jonah’s distress call?
“….and He answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and (He) heard my voice.”

How did Jesus respond to Peter’s faithless fear?
“Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him.”

God’s answer to the three men in the furnace?
“But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

This battle of yours?
It has nothing on your Rescuer!
Trust the heart of the God who wrapped Himself in flesh to save you from the sinking mud hole of your sin that you might have life to the fullest.

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Freedom Day 12 Slave Owners: Digging Deeper

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

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

The Passage

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Psalm 132 English Standard Version (ESV)

Remember, O Lord, in David’s favor,
all the hardships he endured,
2 how he swore to the Lord
and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
3 “I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place;
let us worship at his footstool!”

8 Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let your saints shout for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

11 The Lord swore to David a sure oath
from which he will not turn back:
“One of the sons of your body
I will set on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant
and my testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
shall sit on your throne.”

13 For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his dwelling place:
14 “This is my resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless her provisions;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16 Her priests I will clothe with salvation,
and her saints will shout for joy.
17 There I will make a horn to sprout for David;
I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
18 His enemies I will clothe with shame,
but on him his crown will shine.”

The Questions

1) Why is this psalm labeled as a “song of ascent”?

2) What are verses 1-7 talking about?

3) The Lord swears an oath in verses 11-12, how does it relate to David wanting to build a temple in verses 1-7?

4) Verses 13-18 speak of “Zion” being God’s dwelling place. Where is this?

The Findings for Intention

1) Why is this psalm labeled as a “song of ascent”?
There are 15 psalms labeled this way, and they all appear in order from Psalm 120-134. At least 4 of them were written by King David. These songs were likely sung by the Jewish people as they made their way “up” to Jerusalem three times a year, as commanded by the Lord for sacrifice and corporate worship. (See Exodus 34:24) Other scholars note that the songs could also have been sung by the Levite singers as they ascended the steps into the temple at Jerusalem. Either way, these were songs of worship, of unity among the Jews, and meant to refocus their hearts onto the Lord.

2) What are verses 1-7 talking about?
This section of the song is a call to remembrance; it’s purpose is to remind the people how earnestly David longed for a place to house the Ark of the Covenant (which was the location of God’s presence) so that David, and all of God’s people, could worship the Lord.

3) The Lord swears an oath in verses 11-12, how does it relate to David wanting to build a temple in verses 1-7?
In response to David’s deep desire to honor the Lord with a physical place to worship, God gives a promise to David that “one of the sons of your body” would both sit on David’s throne and, as we see in 1 Kings 8:18-20, would build the temple that David longed for. There is such beauty in this! The intimacy that envelopes us through worship would not come by the work of David’s hand, but by God’s provision. This Is The Gospel!! We cannot attain a relationship with the Lord through our own work, or our own desire, no matter how much we might long for it. This deep pleasure is only accessible through the work of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on our behalf! How thrilling it is to see the fullness of the gospel story overflowing even in the pages of ancient Jewish history, long before Mary, Joseph, and Jesus!

4) Verses 13-18 speak of “Zion” being God’s dwelling place. Where is this?
When God chose David to be king, He also ordained that Mount Zion, located within the boundary lines of the tribe of Judah (which was the tribe of David, and eventually, Jesus), would be the location for His temple. (see Psalm 78:67-72) This would become the city of Jerusalem, which is where the temple would be built by Solomon, David’s son. It was here that the Ark of the Covenant would be placed and where God’s presence would dwell. This portion of the psalm details out the delights of being in God’s presence, of worshipping Him, and belonging to Him.

The Everyday Application

1) Why is this psalm labeled as a “song of ascent”?
“Church” looks quite a bit different for us today than it would have for the Jews of David’s time. We meet at least every week for corporate worship, but the ancient Jews didn’t have that privilege. We are quick to be critical of the song choices, the sermon, the duration of service, or even the attire of those on the stage. Next time you’re walking into church, ask the Spirit to bring your heart into focus on HIM. We join with other members of the Body of Christ to worship Him. The focus is Jesus, the purpose is glorifying Him, and the how we do it, by promoting unity (and not being critical), is extremely reflective of our true heart.

2) What are verses 1-7 talking about?
This Psalm poetically describes how David “would not sleep” until He had found “a dwelling place for the Lord”. He was desperate to honor God and would sacrifice whatever it took to bring Him the worship He deserved. When it comes to worshipping the Lord, whether corporately at church, or in private worship when you read His word or sing to Him, does the same desperate longing to honor Him fuel your heart? When we lay aside ourselves: our worries, our complaints, our fears, our annoyances and criticisms, for the purpose of truly honoring the Lord, we are both blessed and freed as we worship!

3) The Lord swears an oath in verses 11-12, how does it relate to David wanting to build a temple in verses 1-7?
In yesterday’s Journey Study, we talked about being slaves to the Enemy Satan and how God longs to break our chains and set us free to dance in His fullness. Verses 11-12 speak of that ultimate freedom! God vowed that David’s son, Solomon, would sit on David’s throne and build the temple, but God went on to say that someone from David’s line would always hold the throne. This was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who was from the lineage of David! This Lord of the Kingdom, does not reign on earth, but reigns over the all creation and is intimately ruling in the hearts of believers. His rule does not bring chains and slavery in the way we think; rather we are bound to Him in love, which naturally produces….deep worship!

4) Verses 13-18 speak of “Zion” being God’s dwelling place. Where is this?
In the Old Testament, Mount Zion references Jerusalem, but it also foreshadows the New Heaven and the New Earth. When this present earth has passed away and we are ushered into eternity. we will delight in the presence of the Lord God in ways we can’t even begin to imagine! In David’s time, they could only experience a sliver of God’s presence by coming to the temple and worshipping Him, but today, as New Testament believers, we have the Holy Spirit living directly within our hearts. The heart of every believer is the Lord’s “Mt. Zion”! Read those last few verses and personalize them like this:

For the Lord has chosen (your name;
he has desired (her) for His dwelling place:
14 “(Her heart) is My resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired (her).
15 I will abundantly bless her (needs);
I will satisfy her poor (places) with bread.
16  I will clothe (her) with salvation,
and (she) will shout for joy!
18 (Her) enemies I will clothe with shame,
but on (her) My crown will shine.”

You, daughter, are no longer a slave! 

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I Can Do That!

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

The Community!

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

The Tools!

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

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

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

The Why!

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

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

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

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

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The GT Weekend – Inheritance Week One

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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!

Journal With Us!

Journal Prompts

1) Have you thought of what it means to have the inheritance of Christ? We have been justified, our suffering has purpose, and ultimately, we have been reconciled back to the Father! Your past has no hold on you and provides no direction for your future. Belief in the Father has changed all of your life!

2) Where do you need God to breath abundance into your life? He is not a stingy God, rather He is more generous than we could imagine. Don’t be afraid to ask Him in faith for a greater pouring out of His Spirit in your life!

3) Think for a moment of several ways you can practice agape love this week. Comment below or tell us about it at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com We’d love to hear how you’re being intentional this week!

Worship In Song

Music Video: “A Street Called Mercy” by Hillsong United

Pour Out Your Heart

Praise is due to You, O God, in Zion! I praise Your mighty name O Lord. God You have given me the greatest gift in Your son Jesus. You offer me the same inheritance you’ve that belongs to Christ! God, You give me more than I could ever think to ask. Give me boldness to approach You and ask for more of You, for bigger things as You lead me, Lord. Beyond the little day to day things that I can see with my eyes. Let me ask You for God-sized meetings. For God-sized encounters with Your Spirit.

Father, guide me this week as I choose to be more intentional with showing Your love to others. Prepare me for not getting anything in return; break my spirit from that expectation. I want to live boldly for You, show me how that can look this week as I step out of my comfort zone, trusting in faith that You’ll be leading me!

Pray With Us!

In everything, with praise and thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God!
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We are committed to praying over and walking with you!

Journey With Us

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Passionate Day 13
Into Your Hands

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 23:32-49
Matthew 27:45-50
Psalm 31:5  

How do I even begin talking about the death of Jesus?
if we only focus on the joy of His resurrection, we miss the pain Jesus endured and the magnitude of His suffering. We have to talk about His death, we have to talk about His final words, because, if we just try to wrap our minds around everything that Jesus went through in His final hours, only then will we be able to try to comprehend how mighty and vast His love is for us. When we begin to understand His love, we can then understand the Gospel.

“Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit.”

Father
Jesus has referred to God the Father throughout His entire life. The only story we have of Jesus during His youth, He says, “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” Later, He instructed His disciples to pray, “Our Father in heaven.” Jesus made it clear who His Father is. In this very moment, when Jesus is in more pain than you and I could ever imagine, when He literally has to use every ounce of energy just to breathe, He calls out to His Father. His Daddy.

I have an amazing relationship with my earthly daddy. He has demonstrated the love God has for me my entire life. The only way I can even begin to try and understand Jesus calling out to His daddy is by remembering a time when I called out to mine. I’m sure there were many times I called for him when I fell down or stubbed my toe as a little girl. However, when I was 17, I found myself in a pain that was deeper than I’d ever experienced before or since. I was wounded and hurt with battle marks that covered my heart. I sat on my parents’ bed and they watched me crumble as the hurt and burden became more than I could bear alone. And there, my daddy saw my pain, he heard my hurt, and he held me. When I imagine Jesus’ relationship with His Daddy, I can hear the desperation and the hurt in His voice when He calls out, “Father”.

Even further, just moments before, Jesus called out, “My God, My God! Why have You forsaken me?” God had to separate Himself from Jesus because Jesus carried sin’s consequences for the entire world on His shoulders and God literally cannot be a part of sin. Yet, Jesus still called out to His Father.

Into
The definition of “into” is “expressing movement or action with the result that something or someone becomes enclosed or surrounded by something else.” His life was ending, He knew just as He had taught and lived, that the only safe place for an eternal soul is when we are not claiming our life for ourselves, but rather entrusting it to the Author of Life. Out of His control, and into the Eternal Keeper’s.

Your
God. Elohim. The beginning and the end. The Author of Life, the One with whom Jesus and the Holy Spirit shared the godhead. The Father, with Whom Jesus shared community and oneness, but had now been severed.

Hands
God’s hands. His great and mighty hands. The hands I pictured as a little girl when I blissfully sang, “He’s got the whole world in His hands.” Now, I picture hands that are worn with age and hard work, but hands that are gentle and can mold the most delicate piece of art. Wise hands. Hands that have been intricately weaving His redemptive love into the cloth of history.

I
Jesus. The Son of God and a young man who grew up with an earthly mama and daddy who passionately loved Him. A young man who had never felt shame, guilt, or the weight of sin until this moment. Almighty Jesus.

Commit
“To pledge or bind”.  In His last moments, Jesus handed over His life in full commitment to the Father, not for the first time, but as a continuation of what He had already pledged from the beginning.

My
His. Jesus’s. Just as He calls us to surrender of ourselves, giving our all to Christ, so led us by His example. Giving up His own will, His own volition, to save us.

Spirit
In this sense of the word, it means Jesus’ physical spirit, His breath. He set aside His rights as God to be wrapped in human flesh, and now, as His body dies, He relinquishes Himself fully, knowing that there is much, much more than physical life.

Jesus, covered in so many wounds and drenched in so much blood that He doesn’t even look human, is hanging on the cross grasping for each breath. As He breathes in, He lifts His head and with everything in Him, just loud enough for those around Him to hear, “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit.” In this moment that seemed the most hopeless, Jesus speaks hope. He is binding His spirit to His Father, trusting His spirit to be surrounded by the mighty hands of God by doing what He has done His entire life: quoting scripture. That’s right, even in this moment, Jesus is quoting a Psalm.

Psalm 31:5
“Into Your hands I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.”

In these last moments, Jesus is speaking truth. Jesus is reminding us that His Father is faithful. He is a redeemer! And in this moment, as Jesus draws His final breath….
WE. ARE. REDEEMED.

Jesus is DECLARING THE GOSPEL even in His last few heartbeats.

Without His death, there is no Gospel.
Without His redemption, there is no Gospel.
Without His love, there is no Gospel.
Without His victory, there is no Gospel.

These last words before His death, remind us of the redemption coming, displaying His love, and pointing to His victory.
“Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit.”

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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 Passionate Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Space Day 5
Space To Know Him

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ezekiel 34:22-24
Matthew 2:1-12
Exodus 30:34-36

My husband is ridiculously difficult to buy gifts for. Let me explain, he’s a tech guy and a genius. So, even *if* I find the right gift, and *if* it’s within a reasonable price range, he will absolutely, without fail, find out what I’m getting him. Easily the most frustrating person on my shopping list! Year after year of very un-cool, “oh that’s nice” gifts, I went all out and found a helicopter he could control with his phone. It was epically cool! And I went to great lengths to cover my tracks of searching and purchasing it. Christmas day arrived and his response was so awesome, exactly what I’d been hoping to evoke for years! He took his insanely expensive helicopter outside for a spin. Flying down the street, he accidentally pushed the “emergency” button and down went the copter, smashing into the pavement, never to soar again. Defeat.

Gifts are hard!
(Unless you’re buying for me. I like coffee and running clothes and good books. Just throwing that out there :-))
I love finding the perfect gift that will make the recipient feel loved and cared for, but it does take time. Last-minute gifts generally aren’t the ones we’ve carefully thought over as we’ve considered the person we’re buying for. The gifts that mean the most are the ones that reflect a sense of knowing. I’ve received so many presents, but only a few have really impacted me deeply….not because of their price, or the surprise, but because the gift demonstrated that I was known and loved.

Jesus was presented with gifts that displayed an incredible knowing behind them that could only have been divinely revealed. Enter, the Wise Men.

There’s quite a bit of mystery surrounding these magi from the East. They had studied the same prophecies you can read about in your copy of the Bible, they studied the stars, and had quite likely been influenced by the prophet Daniel and his faith in the one true God. After a lifetime of studying prophetic scripture, it’s possible that these gentiles, known as the “wisest of the wise”, understood what the Jews were blatantly missing.
Their King would come in an unlikely city, without riches or fame, and would save His people by laying down His life in the most brutal of ways at the hands of the government the Jews were so desperately hoping to escape.
Curious. Strange. A King who served. A King who would give up His life.

This coming King was worth their time.
He was worth their study.
He was worth their worship.
He was worth their space.
These wise men became engrossed with finding the “One born King of the Jews” because the more they knew Him, the more space they naturally gave Him in their lives.

The more they studied, the more consumed they became until they were ready to spend significant amounts of money and time to find this King who had become more than just a passing curiosity.
This God, with the heart of a shepherd, had taken up residency in their space, changing them along the way. They came ready to worship, ready with gifts that spoke of who they knew Him to be.

Gold
A gift for royal deity. The wise men recognized Jesus as King.
Not just king of the Jews, but King of creation, King of the Universe, King over sin and death. Why else should gentile kings seek out and bow down to a child-king?

Frankincense 
A gift for the Mediator. God instituted the burning of frankincense in front of the Tent of Meeting, where He would meet with the High Priest to commune with His people. Jesus became that High Priest as He once and for all became our intercessor, the perfect mediator between God and man because sin no longer stood in the way of our relationship.

Myrrh
A gift for burial. Myrrh was a spice used in embalming the deceased. This gift spoke of His coming death, His sacrifice that would pay the debt of sin for all humanity. Not because he died like any other human, but because He rose again and conquered the grave for all who believe in Him!

The magi’s gifts reflected what they knew to be true about Jesus because of their intentional studies.
We can do the same.
As the days get closer to Christmas, let’s create intentional space to simply know the Messiah, and let our gifts flow from that intimacy.

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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

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

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