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Wilderness Day 5 Purposed Desolation

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 3:13-17
Matthew 4:1-11
Deuteronomy 6:13-16

Wilderness, Day 5

“Wilderness” is woven throughout the Bible.

Hagar’s desperation in the wilderness (Genesis 16:1-16)
Moses’ shepherding in the wilderness (Exodus 3)

Israel’s bitter complaining in wilderness wanderings (Exodus 14:11-14)
These are only a few examples.

Amazingly, God spoke of making a way in the wilderness. (Isaiah 43:20)

The wilderness isn’t a place of comfort, but is defined as a lonely, desolate place. I imagine wilderness as a place similar to the forested place I traveled with my mother as a child to cut firewood. Regardless of the landscape, wilderness is a place of lonely isolation.

Imagine Jesus taken by the Holy Spirit to that place of desolation. (Matthew 4:1-3) Imagine yourself there alone for 40 days and 40 nights without sustenance, and then the devil coming to tempt and taunt you. Some argue that because Jesus was God, He would have not felt tempted, physically weak, or lonely as we might, but Scripture reveals,

“For we do not have a great high priest [Jesus, the Son of God] who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

We know Jesus felt hungry (Matthew 4:2) and tired (John 4:6), because, though He was fully God, He was also fully man.

Jesus’ wilderness was purposeful, a time set aside to fast, pray, and be present with His Father as He prepared to begin His ministry. Directly before this, when He was baptized, the Father testified about Him, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)

In the wilderness, the devil tempted Jesus to use His power in ways inconsistent with His mission as God’s Beloved Son.

The devil took advantage of timing, approaching Jesus at the end of His 40 day fast, when He was hungry. Tempting Jesus to give in to the desires of His body, He urged Jesus to turn nearby stones to bread to satisfy His hunger. (Matthew 4:2-3)

But Jesus answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4, Deuteronomy 8:3)

Undaunted by his failure, the devil took Jesus to stand on the pinnacle of the temple in the holy city, asking Jesus to prove Himself as the Son of God. Misusing Scripture to qualify his claim, he asked Jesus to fall from the pinnacle, claiming angels would save Him. (Matthew 4:5-6)

But Jesus answered, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.” (Matthew 4:7, Deuteronomy 6:16)

The devil still would not give up; he took Jesus to a high mountain and showed Him the kingdoms of the world and their glory, then asked Him to worship Satan, in order to gain ownership of said kingdoms and glory. (Matthew 4:8-9)

Again, Jesus resisted with Scripture, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.” (Matthew 4:10, Deuteronomy 6:13)
Defeated, the devil departed from Jesus.

At times, we find ourselves in our own wildernesses. Even in daily life, we may feel alone in our wilderness, threatened physically, mentally, or spiritually.

In our world, sin and temptation constantly surround us.
Temptation may approach in the form of a threat or that of pleasure,
but always with the same goal: to lure us into sin.
The devil will either use our everyday needs to tempt us, or dreadful condition to submerge us in fear, belittling God’s power in our lives.

Anything shifting our gaze away from God can become our idol. Ordinary things may not appear sinful, but if we prioritize them above God, they become idols. Food is a normal need, but if we allow it to control us, it becomes an idol; likewise money, position, or any hunger of our heart. We are always tempted to pursue that which we think will satisfy our lusts, and the resulting idols always stand between us and God.

Sister, be encouraged; these idols are stripped of their power in Christ!
Through God’s Spirit, we have the capacity to overcome temptation!

The Scripture says God is faithful to sustain us through temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13), and He has given us His Word to fight against the devil’s schemes. Jesus depended on God’s Word during His wilderness time; likewise, our victory over temptation depends on His Word. Among the spiritual weapons apostle and preacher, Paul, lists in Ephesians 6:10-18, “the sword of the Spirit–which is the word of God” is the only offensive weapon mentioned.

Finally, when we find ourselves in the wilderness, let’s believe the desolation can be unto a purpose. Let’s immerse ourselves in His Word, meditating on it day and night, until it abides within us. Then, when we face temptation, let us follow the example set by Jesus and wield it effectively, unto victory!

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Kneel Day 4 Fierce Faith: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Fierce Faith!

The Questions

1) Why does Paul admonish Timothy to be strong in the grace of Christ? (verse 1)

2) What should the reader understand from the examples of solder, athlete, and farmer? How do they relate to Paul’s suffering? (verses 3-9)

3) How do the truths declared in the short hymn in verses 11-13 impact our everyday faith?

2 Timothy 2:1-13

You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of civilian life; he seeks to please the commanding officer. 5 Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer ought to be the first to get a share of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead and descended from David, according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer to the point of being bound like a criminal. But the word of God is not bound. 10 This is why I endure all things for the elect: so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 11 This saying is trustworthy:

For if we died with him,
we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he will also deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.

Original Intent

1) Why does Paul admonish Timothy to be strong in the grace of Christ? (verse 1)
Submitting to God’s will for his life was not easy for Paul. He endured many trials, but he never wavered. Instead Paul persevered. Some of the men who ministered with Paul however, did not persevere. Instead, they deserted Paul (2 Timothy 1:15-18). Paul, who considered Timothy his spiritual son, offered instruction and encouragement to Timothy in his letter. First, Paul instructs him to be strong. According to the Enduring Word Commentary, “This is one of the twenty-five times Paul encouraged Timothy to be strong and endure in his work in Ephesus.” Living his life for the Lord was not easy for Timothy, just as it wasn’t for Paul. But Paul didn’t simply tell Timothy to be strong, He told Timothy how: “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus”. Paul knew from his own experiences the strength Timothy needed in order to endure would not come from himself. Manufactured strength would absolutely not cut it. “Our strength, both as Christians and as ministers, lies in Christ, and not in ourselves.” (studylight.org) Paul declared this truth for himself (Philippians 4:13), and he gave Timothy a gift in directing him to the only One who could sustain Timothy in his ministry work – Jesus. (written by Marietta Taylor)

2) What should the reader understand from the examples of solder, athlete, and farmer? How do they relate to Paul’s suffering? (verses 3-9)
In verse 3, Paul tells his son in the faith, Timothy, to “share in suffering”. He is repeating his admonishment from earlier in his letter. (2 Timothy 1:8) Based on the Greek translation, Paul wants the reader to be encouraged to “suffer hardship together.” He is implying his desire for the saints to be unified in their suffering along with Paul even though they lived apart. (biblehub.com/greek) Through this joint mission of suffering, they would experience the reward of the Lord. He would provide everything they needed to endure. (verse 7) Paul provides three examples he has previously used (read 1 Corinthians 9) regarding endurance. 1) A soldier understood the importance of remaining untethered. He could not be tied to the routines and expectations of normal civilian life. The soldier’s life is not his own as he has committed to serving his commanding officer first and foremost. 2) An athlete trains to deny himself certain things if he desires to win. He competes by submitting physically and mentally to the game. He trains by disciplining his body in regard to food and other pleasures, and then competes by submitting to the rules and boundaries. 3) The farmer may be the least glamorous of the three examples. His reward isn’t a medal or a trophy. His reward is the yield of good fruit resulting from demanding work. The examples Paul gives serve as a reminder to the reader that suffering for the sake of the gospel will require unwavering loyalty, long-term endurance, and humble persistence.  (verse 9) The soldier, the athlete, and the farmer have their eyes fixed on one thing: the reward. The faithful ones of Jesus do the same in their hardships as they focus their lives on Him. (verse 8) Here is where fierce faith is built! (written by Melodye Reeves)

3) How do the truths declared in the short hymn in verses 11-13 impact our everyday faith?
Faith that endures is a faith that has walked into the heat of suffering. (verse 3) Truly tenacious, fierce faith is built one small step at a time as we learn, on repeat, to die to ourselves and our sin, while living for Jesus. This is utterly impossible unless we have first been crucified with Christ. Paul closes this chapter on suffering and strength through His grace by singing of Christ’s crucifixion because His example leads us to do the same with our sin nature. We cannot follow Christ when we do not have His nature within us; our default nature is sin, which is full of lies, lust, and vile rebellion against God. Christ died, but as Paul exhorted Timothy to remember, anchor on, and lean into, “Jesus Christ,[is] risen from the dead…”. (verse 8) Christ died and rose victoriously, conquering death and sin. (Romans 6:9) So are we to die with Christ, crucifying our flesh (Galatians 5:24), that we also might share in His resurrection. (Philippians 3:10) When we daily choose to take up His cross of crucifixion, we become radically freed to walk in new life from the Spirit of God! In this kind of living, we are given power to endure suffering as well as the right to reign with Him in eternity for our relationship with Him has been restored. (verse 12) In Jesus, sin no longer stains us or stands between us and God; we have been clothed in the very righteousness of God Himself! (2 Corinthians 5:21) (written by Rebecca Adams)

Everyday Application

1) Why does Paul admonish Timothy to be strong in the grace of Christ? (verse 1)
Ministry may look glamorous, but it can be hard work. If you try to “muster up” the strength to endure, you will quickly burn out. The apostle Paul knew this well. He told of his source of strength in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” This is the grace and strength Paul encouraged Timothy to tap into for his work at Ephesus. It is no different for us. According to Calveryfullerton.org, “If you expect to just be strong in yourself, you’re going to fail.  If you think that God owes you some strength because you “deserve” it, you’re going to fail. But when you get to the point where you realize that you don’t deserve a thing, but that you desperately need God’s help, then you have a chance.” Timothy was in Ephesus teaching and defending the gospel and making disciples. That’s our job too (Matthew 28:19-20), though it will look different for everyone. Whether we are in full time ministry like Timothy, discipling our kiddos, or volunteering at church, we all need the grace Christ provides to do any of it well and to the glory of God. This was what Timothy needed, and it’s what we need too. (written by Marietta Taylor)

2) What should the reader understand from the examples of solder, athlete, and farmer? How do they relate to Paul’s suffering? (verses 3-9)
Paul did not mean that a believer, specifically a minister or church leader, should never enjoy life or find pleasures in recreation. His goal is the gospel. It’s always the gospel! Whether it’s the mundane or the magical, our hearts are to be single-minded in purpose. This unifies all brothers and sisters in the world around the message of Jesus. It is the Spirit of God through the Word of God who will give us courage and perseverance as we face trial and hardship in life. In our season of suffering, He will provide His grace. “For the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” (verse 7) We can trust Him to provide for us everything we need to endure and grow in our faith. We don’t need to give into temptation even as we suffer. We are not alone in our suffering. (2 Peter 1:3-4) And Sister, praise His Name, we have His word! It is alive and working in us. It “is not bound.” (verse 9) Look to the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer as your example to persevere. Look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our salvation for it is HE who suffered the death we deserve. It’s in His life we have the endurance we need to never give up! (Hebrews 12:1-3) (written by Melodye Reeves)

3) How do the truths declared in the short hymn in verses 11-13 impact our everyday faith?
The closing words of this early church hymn reverberate with ground-breaking freedom, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”  No matter the inky blackness of our sin, or the many times we return to the putrid nature of death despite our new nature of life, God remains ever-faithful to Himself. He cannot abandon His own Life at work in us by His Spirit. He absolutely will not. We can dance in this confidence every moment of our lives regardless of circumstance. He will never prove unfaithful. Do whatever you must, right now, to ensure you remember this truth in the next breath, the next 5 minutes, and the next 5 months. Christ will not prove unfaithful to the work He has begun in us as long as we have surrendered ourselves to Him completely! (Philippians 1:6) However, there is one line we must not overlook, “If we deny Him, He will deny us.” (verse 12) Pause and breathe those words in. Re-read them. Uncomfortable? Me too. To deny Him is to be utterly without hope for He will most assuredly deny knowing us. Jesus’ own words are clear, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in Heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) What is this “will of My Father”? To become like Him in His death that we might become like Him in His resurrection. (Romans 6:5) If we refuse to surrender to the death of our sin nature, we are denying Him, which will result in Him denying us for eternity. The pathway of cultivating fierce faith is strewn with suffering, but it leads to life and the faithful love of God toward us. Choose His life, and sing in victory! (written by Rebecca Adams)

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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Worship VIII Day 8 Who Is Like Our God?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 71:19-21
Psalm 113:4-9
Romans 16:25-27
Jude 24-25
Ephesians 3:20-21

Worship VIII, Day 8

2020 . . . the year of the unexpected and unknown.
In Kansas City, we began the year celebrating a Chiefs Super Bowl victory.
We high-fived strangers wearing red, calling out, “How ‘bout them CHIEEEEEEEFS?!”
We stood UNITED as “MaHOMIES.”

The weather was perfect for the championship parade.
Little did we imagine the storms heading our way.
2020 was the embodiment of “when it rains, it pours.”
Our celebrations turned to confusion as we learned about coronavirus.
High-fives became a thing of the past, as did many of our other daily activities.

Vacations were cancelled.
Schools were closed.
Businesses shut down.

And all too soon, red wasn’t uniting us.
With a presidential election looming, teams were declared and apparently, picking sides was required.
Red or Blue?

Social distancing wasn’t the only thing keeping us 6 feet apart.
Social media became a place to attack each other’s opinions, judge choices, and condemn those with different thoughts.

We seem so divided.

2020 was a year of hard questions and few answers.
So far, 2021 has been more of the same.

Today, though, as I listened to Who Is Like Our God, I found questions with OBVIOUS answers.

I’d never heard this song before, but wow, it’s absolutely perfect for the challenges we’re facing.

Like us, the song is FULL of questions.

“Who was in the beginning before time began?
Who holds all of creation in the palm of His hand?”

The answer is certain, and therefore invaluable in a time of countless unknowns.

“My Father, He is the one who sustains all things
He is the source, the Creator of everything”

As Paul reminds us in Colossians 1:
“For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together.”  

And while an understanding of God as Creator and Sustainer is foundational, it might not feel PERSONAL.
The stars and planets seem far away; the universe, big and overwhelming.

Especially when we’re dealing with job cuts, dwindling bank accounts, and constantly changing plans.
As we try to navigate the nitty gritty of our daily lives, we can find comfort in Psalm 139.

I, too, search for assurance God sees and cares about the details of my life. We are in the process of adopting 2 boys from Haiti. As I write, we have been waiting for 23 months. We are registered and approved for adoption, but we have to wait for a match. It’s excruciating to feel we are so close, and nowhere at all.  We continue to pray, wrestling with the when and why of our loooong wait.

I may not know how God will fulfill His promise for our family.  BUT I know GOD sees and holds our future: my boys here with us, playing in the backyard, reading bedtime stories, eating popcorn during movie night. He sees them wrapped in my arms.

When the ache for my boys is overwhelming, I find encouragement in Isaiah 40:31:
“Those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength;
They will soar on wings like eagles;
They will run and not become weary;
They will walk and not faint.”
And because I can trust GOD sees and cares, I can wait and trust with HOPE.

Similarly, David explains God’s involvement in our lives,
and today’s song reiterates,
“Whose thoughts toward me outnumber the sand?”

God thinks about YOU.
He SEES you.
He KNOWS you . . . the number of hairs on your head, your strengths and weaknesses, the promises on which you’re waiting.

He created you, fearfully and wonderfully, declaring YOU a masterpiece.
He made you ON PURPOSE, for a purpose. (Ephesians 2:10)

So we can REST in believing God knows us and will sustain us.
NO ONE else can do this.

“Who has given Him wisdom?
Who has made Him understand? [. . .]
Who is like our God in all the earth?”

The answer is obvious.
No one possesses His wisdom or understanding.
No one can compare.

He alone sees all and knows all (Job 28:24).
He alone has been since before time began (John 1:1-2),
and He alone knows how all eternity will play out, beginning to end (Isaiah 46:10).
Thus, He alone is ABLE to sustain the world He has created, including YOU! (Psalm 54:4)

“Fill me with knowledge of You, God
(Let me behold more of You, God)
Open my heart to your truth, God
(I have to have more of You)”

So, let’s do as the song invites and behold the Lord.
Let’s intentionally spend time in the Word, grounding ourselves in Jesus and on His promises.

Let’s ask Him to fill us with His knowledge,
and open our hearts to Him so we can KNOW the Truth.
As we do, we will find JESUS is the answer to all our questions.

Even in the hardest, most challenging scenarios 2020/1 could possibly throw our way.

Take a moment to revisit Read His Words Before Mine. As our spirits soak in the majesty and promise and hope of our God, we might just catch some air.

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

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Here’s a link to all past studies in Worship VIII!

Shepherd Day 4 Green Pastures: 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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John 6:27-35 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

27 Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal of approval on him.”

28 “What can we do to perform the works of God?” they asked.

29 Jesus replied, “This is the work of God—that you believe in the one he has sent.”

30 “What sign, then, are you going to do so we may see and believe you?” they asked. “What are you going to perform? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”

32 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, Moses didn’t give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 Then they said, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

35 “I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again.

The Questions

1) What is the “true bread from heaven?” Is it the same as the “bread of God” and “bread of life?”

2) What are the people wanting in verses 30-31?

3) How does verse 29 correspond with Ephesians 2:8-9?

The Findings for Intention

1) What is the “true bread from heaven?” Is it the same as the “bread of God” and “bread of life?”
All three of these phrases point directly to Jesus as the source of life for all mankind. As opposed to physical bread which momentarily sustains our physical hunger, Jesus promises to sustain us for eternity. But we must believe in Him. “These metaphors affirm the fact of eternal security for those who believe in Him. At the very moment of faith, eternal life becomes the secure and irrevocable possession of the believer.” (from The Grace New Testament Commentary, copyright 2010, page 395.)

2) What are the people wanting in verses 30-31?
Firstly, the people wanted to see another miraculous sign from Jesus to prove His authority. “At this point, the people were simply considering whether or not Jesus’ words were true.” (Moody Gospel Commentary: John, copyright 1992, by J. Carl Laney, page 127)
Secondly, they want to be fed. So, the sign they want is for Jesus to provide bread for them again! “They reason that if Jesus is the Messiah, He ought to be able to provide an ongoing supply of free bread just as Moses did for forty years with the manna.” (from The Grace New Testament Commentary, copyright 2010, page 395.) In the book of Exodus, while the nation of Israel was wandering in the desert on their journey to the Promised Land, they complained that they had no food to eat. So, God provided “manna” for them each morning, just enough for that day (a double portion on the day before Sabbath so they wouldn’t have to work on Sabbath). The Jews of Jesus’ day aren’t so much dependent on Him for their provision (as the Israelite nation was), they are simply testing His authority.

3) How does verse 29 correspond with Ephesians 2:8-9?
Believing in Jesus is a work in the sense that it is an act. But it is a passive work…Believing in Jesus is not a work in the Pauline sense (Ephesians 2:9), for Paul has in mind active works (plural) of obedience to God’s commands. (from The Grace New Testament Commentary, copyright 2010, page 395.)
There is something within the fallen nature of human beings that makes working for eternal life more attractive than receiving it as a gift. (Thomas Constable’s commentary, found at studylight.org) This group of people were thinking only in a physical, earthly sense. They thought they had to do something. “Work for the food that perishes” requires physical labor to plow the ground, plant the seed, and harvest…and it must be done repeatedly and consistently throughout our earthly lives. But the work of God – to believe – is a decision, not a physical act, and it must only be done once to receive the sustaining life that Jesus gives.

The Everyday Application

1) What is the “true bread from heaven?” Is it the same as the “bread of God” and “bread of life?”
Food is necessary for life. We all need regular, daily intake of food in order to survive. Likewise, we must have Christ, or we will die in our own sins. He is the Savior that meets the needs of every person, no matter their class, race, or gender. Our bodies function best with consistent, regular, every morning, every evening meals. And we function best with Christ in our lives every day. We need His blood, His righteousness, His intercession, and His grace. Praise Jesus for being our spiritual provision to keep us alive and thriving! Ladies, let’s keep this metaphor in our minds today and every day…we need food, but we need Jesus – the “bread of life” – even more!

2) What are the people wanting in verses 30-31?
I don’t know about you ladies, but sometimes I am just plain TIRED. I don’t want to have to work for the necessary provisions that sustain this earthly life. You know, a home, food, clothing. I just want a handout sometimes! I’ve worked hard and I deserve a freebie every now and then! Maybe this was part of the motivation behind the peoples’ demand for the sign of food. Maybe they figured that, since they were descendants of Abraham and God’s chosen people, they should be given special treatment. I’m pretty sure that’s how I would have felt! But we know for sure that they were testing Jesus’ authority. Heart check: do you (or I) ever test Him in our own ways? OUCH! “I’ll do this if you do…” Yep, turns out we’re not so different from those first-century Jews after all, huh?

3) How does verse 29 correspond with Ephesians 2:8-9?
Jesus tells us to “work… for the food that lasts for eternal life.” He would have us take pains to find food and satisfaction for our souls. That food is provided in rich abundance in Him, but it must be sought after diligently!
In our culture, the reading of our Bibles and wrestling in prayer, the worshiping of God with our whole heart and the daily fighting against sin are most commonly referred to as developing our relationship with Jesus. As we saw, the work of God is belief in Jesus – at that point we have eternal life. We do not get “more eternal life” by reading our Bibles or spending time in prayer. But we do get a greater intimacy with Jesus…we know Him better the more time we spend with Him. David knew God well and trusted Him for “Green Pastures.” We can also trust in His providence when we daily access the Bread of Life and allow Him to shepherd us to our own Green Pastures.
Do you, like me, find it difficult to make time for distraction-free, concentrated time with God? I can’t tell you there is any secret to doing it…just do it! Some people read the Bible cover-to-cover, some read the Psalms and Proverbs each day. Studying with us at Gracefully Truthful is a simple option to keep God’s Word daily stirring in your heart. (If you haven’t signed up, you can here!) There are a multitude of tools to use, but the decision to do it comes from you, dear sister! I pray for you – and for myself – that we will commit to growth in Christ through regular, consistent time spent with Him.

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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
Shepherd Week One!
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.
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Looking for other journeys from this theme?
See all past studies in Shepherd!