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Steadfast Day 3 Not In Vain

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Steadfast Day 3 Not In Vain

Lesley Crawford

March 29, 2023

Believe,Christ,Discipleship,Equipped,Freedom,Glory

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 15:8-11
Galatians 1:11-20
Acts 9:1-20
Isaiah 55:6-11

Often, progress in the Christian life can seem slow. Sometimes it can feel as if we’re pushing forward, trying to do the right thing day by day, without really getting anywhere.

It can be tempting to look at the lives of Jesus’ followers in the Bible and think the process of spiritual growth was different for them, especially when it comes to someone like Paul.

Paul has the honour of being designated an apostle. An apostle is a messenger, someone sent on a mission, commissioned to represent another. In Biblical terms, the word usually refers to Jesus’ twelve disciples who knew Him and were taught by Him personally.

Paul’s situation is slightly different, though. When Jesus was living on earth, Paul was not one of His followers. In fact, following Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, Paul (or Saul, as he was also known) was one of the fiercest opponents and most relentless persecutors of those who tried to spread the Good News of Jesus. 

But everything changed when, on the way to Damascus to arrest the Christians who had travelled there, Paul encountered Jesus for himself. (Acts 9:1-20) Blinded by a dazzling light, Paul heard Jesus’ voice speaking to him personally, and he was appointed to preach about Jesus to the Gentiles.

It was such a powerful calling that Paul described himself as “one born at the wrong time.” (1 Corinthians 15:8) Although he did not know Jesus in the same way the other apostles, there was no question he had encountered Jesus in a very personal way.

Paul was clear he was called by God and “not from men or by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead[.]” (Galatians 1:1)

Despite Paul’s dishonourable past, when we consider his life after he encountered Jesus, it can be tempting to think of him as some kind of super-apostle. He spread the Gospel far and wide, establishing many churches; he wrote thirteen letters which are included in the New Testament; he saw countless lives transformed. His life seems to be full of excitement and success.

However, Paul understood his calling and his accomplishments were not because of his own worthiness. In fact, he clearly knew he was unworthy. “For I am the least of the apostles, not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” (1 Corinthians 15:9) He knew the credit for all he achieved must go to God. “By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain[.]” (1 Corinthians 15:10)

Paul’s dramatic conversion story didn’t mean every aspect of his growth in faith happened quickly. He still had a lot of learning and growing to do along the way.

After Paul’s conversion, he spent three years in Arabia. The Bible doesn’t provide details, but it is likely he spent significant time with God, studying the Old Testament Scriptures in the light of his new relationship with Jesus. 

He wrote later, “[T]he gospel preached by me is not of human origin. For I did not receive it from a human source and I was not taught it, but it came by a revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 1:11-12) Only after this three-year period did he go to Jerusalem to meet with Peter and James and begin his ministry.

Throughout his life, Paul worked hard (1 Corinthians 15:10) and endured much hardship. (2 Corinthians 11:23-27) There were times he doubted himself and needed reassurance from others. (Galatians 2:1-2)

It was not always easy for Paul to follow Jesus, but he was clear that, just as he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus by God’s grace, it was God’s grace that also sustained him and empowered him in his work. 

May this be an encouragement to us on days when our progress seems slow. 
Just as Paul was not transformed into a super-apostle overnight, neither will we be. 
Just like Paul, we have God’s grace to help us and sustain us as we keep moving forward, and all our little baby steps forward can add up to a great distance over time.

“Your labour in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)

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God extended incredible grace to Paul, one of the worst sinners (1 Timothy 1:15), so that His redemptive power would be displayed, and Paul used that lavish grace to change his life around.

He became one of the most faithful Christians of all time, dedicating his life to sharing the Gospel. Paul allowed God’s grace to empower his life, ensuring that God’s grace was not given in vain.
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Questions 2 Day 1 Let’s Party

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 10:23-33
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
John 15:1-8

Questions 2, Day 1

As humans, we are constantly in search of satisfaction and pleasure. We want to feel good. One easy way to feel good is through partying. “Let’s have fun!”, we say. After all, we are social beings; doesn’t God want us to “have fun” together?

But, as Christians, should the pursuit of fun be our top priority?
Can it satisfy the yearning of our souls?

To answer these questions, we first need to understand what fun is, and what God’s Word says about it. A quick online search defined fun as:

Based on these definitions, we might decide fun is all about enjoyment and pleasure, but what does the Bible say? Unfortunately, the specific word “fun” seems to be scarce in some translations of the Bible. However, one study suggests that within Scripture, fun is synonymous with pleasure.

For example, consider Luke 8:14, when Jesus uses a story of seeds falling into different types of soil to illustrate how the Gospel is received by different audiences.

The Message translation actually uses our English word fun:

“And the seed that fell in the weeds–well, these are the ones who hear, but then the seed is crowded out and nothing comes of it as they go about their lives worrying about tomorrow, making money and having fun.”

The same passage in the New International Reader’s Version uses pleasure, instead:

“The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear the message. But as they go on their way, they are choked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures. So they do not reach full growth.”

Not only does this verse demonstrate the synonymous nature of fun and pleasure within Scripture, but it answers an important question on the role the pursuit of fun ought to play in our lives.

Are fun and pleasure inherently sinful?

Not at all! In fact, God designed us to live in community, as a reflection of the perfect community He experiences within Himself (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Enjoying, or finding pleasure, in doing life together is a gift.

However.

When the pursuit of momentary pleasure becomes our top priority,
when we leave the bounds of healthy relationships in search of an ever-more-fleeting emotional high,
or when we shift our hearts away from gratitude to our Father as the source of the blessings of community and pleasure,
the work of the Spirit within us is choked, or crowded out.

As believers, when we are considering a fun activity or choice, we can ask ourselves:
Is it beneficial?
And does it glorify God?

Scripture explains, “‘Everything is permissible,’ but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible,’ but not everything builds up [. . .] So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:23, 31)

Perhaps someone may say in light of giving up certain pleasures for the glory of God, “If that is all about the Christian life, then it is a dull life”. I also thought that way when I had not known Christ well.

Steering clear of fun as an end unto itself can leave us feeling dull, or deprived, or even resentful, until we turn our gaze from our abstention to all the Father offers instead.
It is in knowing God in ever increasing fullness, we find He alone provides a life overflowing with abundance of joy, abundance of intimacy, and abundance of everlasting pleasure.

Even the best of earthly pleasures pale in comparison to knowing God. King Solomon, the wisest and richest king of Israel, states succinctly, “I said to myself, ‘Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good.’ But it turned out to be futile.” (Ecclesiastes 2:1)

Fun cannot give us fulfilment; we may feel excited for a moment, but as our feelings fade, we are left more frustrated. And that was the experience of Solomon. He had the money, time, and influence to try whatever he liked. Therefore, he experienced fun through a steady stream of entertainment, amassing unimaginable wealth and accomplishments, and pursuing every whim of momentary pleasure . . . but at last, it was all meaningless.

When we remain on our own, we are bound to feel empty and depressed; as a result, we seek things to amuse us. But if we are sincere with ourselves, how satisfied have those fun things left us? Haven’t they left us emptier and more depressed?

What we truly need is not momentary pleasure, but that which makes us more like our Father and deeply satisfies the yearning of our souls. True transformation, true satisfaction, and true pleasure are only found in a consistent relationship with Jesus Christ, and submission to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus said He came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly (John 10:10); in Him alone do we find the sacred path for our lives, fullness of joy, and eternal pleasures (Psalm 16:11).

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Incorruptible Day 11 Food For Life

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Peter 2:1-5
1 Peter 5:1-6
1 Corinthians 3:1-3
Hebrews 5:12-13
Ezekiel 36:22-38 

Incorruptible, Day 11

My husband has the biggest sweet tooth I’ve ever known.
Actually, the second biggest.
My Papa had him beat by just a little bit.

Because of Matt’s love of all things sweet and mouth-watering, I knew our twin daughters would be exposed to delicious desserts sooner than most babies, and I chose to embrace that and laugh whenever the time came…

At six months old, their daddy gave them a taste of his strawberry ice cream. I can still remember their big eyes as that freezing goodness slid onto their tiny tongues. They continued opening and closing their mouths as trying to figure out exactly what they were experiencing, because it certainly wasn’t their mama’s milk… it was better!
Their big eyes shifted into a sparkling gleam and the corners of their mouths turned upwards into grins, as they savored the new delicacy.

Eventually, their teeth came in and as they grew and developed, so did their love for food, expanding from mama’s milk and strawberry ice cream to vegetables and protein.
With that first taste of ice cream, they knew that “grown up food” was good and they began their journey into developing their palates for solid food. 

It is natural in our physical lives for the food we eat to change and broaden as we grow.  

Just as with our physical palates we grow and broaden in flavor profile and food choices, so it with our spiritual lives. As we spiritually mature, our spiritual taste for spiritual food deepens and widens, moving from beginner’s milk to nutrient rich “meat and potatoes”.  

But sisters, we can’t do it alone or overnight.  

I never expected my daughters to transition from milk to solid food in the span of 24 hours, or without my guidance. They needed me to provide them with milk, then they needed me to cook and mash their food for them, and now, I still need to cut their food into small pieces before they can digest it.  

We cannot grow deep in our faith on our own. 
We cannot live a holy life by sheer will power and determination.  

Scripture teaches this truth, but I also know it to be true from experience. 
Trying to live like Jesus on my own strength is not only exhausting,  

It is impossible.  

We MUST have Jesus living in us and transforming us from the inside out.
We MUST surround ourselves with biblical community, walking alongside brothers and sisters who also are being transformed by God’s Spirit, who can encourage us and hold us accountable to grow deep.

A simple Google search on the importance of community reveals hundreds of results on the significance of surrounding yourself with people who are encouraging and uplifting.
That age-old quote, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with,” is hard to argue with.

To grow in maturity with Jesus, it’s simply a non-negotiable to surround ourselves with a community who reflect 1 Peter 2:1, people who have “rid themselves of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander”.  

Yes, Jesus loves the lost and broken, the slanderers, the liars, the gossip, the adulteress, and the murderer, but He never intended them to remain in their sin.
He came to free us!
He offers depth and maturity and full redemption!

Jesus spent plenty of time with people who weren’t walking in God’s redeemed grace.
These were who He came for!
But these were not the people He made His community.  

Redeemed people, those who have intentionally crossed the line of faith and said yes to Jesus, were designed to grow.
We were given a new heart and the Spirit of the Living God inside us,
we were made for more! (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

The Lord designed our palates to move beyond mushed up carrots and peas,
but to get there, we must consistently spend time in His Word.

Just as any relationship, growth means investment.
We invest by joining community groups and small groups at church, studying the Bible, consistently worshipping at church, and in our own precious time with our Father through Scripture and prayer.  

When we invest like this, we’re moving beyond milk, growing our appetite for maturity in Christ. We’re starting to get the really good stuff! 

Sisters… if you’re wondering,
“There has to be more? This isn’t everything I thought it would be?”
THERE IS!
There is so much more.

If you feel your walk with the Lord has plateaued, or maybe even slowly dwindled,  then you’re still just drinking milk.

Are you craving His Word like sweet strawberry ice cream?
Taste and see that the Lord is good, His food is rich for life! 

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Incorruptible Day 10 Love That Lasts

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Peter 1:22-25 
1 Peter 2:11-16
Leviticus 19:16-18
John 13:34-35 

Incorruptible, Day 10

As the children got off the bus there was a buzz of animated chatter.
Just arriving for a week at camp, they were full of excitement and eager to get started. 

Well, most of them were... 

At the back of the line were two brothers, fear and apprehension written all over their faces.  Their response to the leaders’ friendly greetings was monosyllabic, their manner hesitant and uncertain.  It was all new to them and they had no idea what to expect. 

Fast forward a week, and children were piling back onto the bus to return home.  Again, the two brothers hung back, but this time their behaviour wasn’t motivated by fear and anxiety, but by reluctance to leave a place of happiness and a desire to say individual goodbyes to each leader. There were hugs, tears, and smiles, as we stood amazed at the radical transformation in such a short space of time. 

I’m convinced the reason was love.   

We had quickly discovered the two brothers had a difficult home situation.  They had never experienced a loving Christian community before, and the impact on them was profound.  It’s said that actions speak louder than words, and it’s true. The way we treat others and our attitudes towards them have more impact than we often realise. 

In his letter to the first-century Christians, Peter highlights this truth.  He writes to the believers about how to behave towards one another, towards their unbelieving neighbours, and those in authority.
He emphasises the lasting impact of their conduct. 

Peter implores, “show sincere brotherly love for each other,
 from a pure heart, love one another constantly.”  (1 Peter 1:22)
As these believers lived in difficult circumstances, facing opposition, persecution, and suffering, it was important they stood united. 

Peter tells them this unifying love springs from their new life in Christ.
They have been born again into His family as brothers and sisters and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).  This love isn’t the mushy, romantic, feelings-based love the world portrays in songs and movies, but the committed, selfless, sacrificial love Jesus displayed in His life, death, and resurrection.  

Jesus Himself taught that loving one another was a mark of following Him, which would impact those who witnessed it. One cannot remain unchanged by love. 

Let’s be real though.
Loving others, even other Christians, is hard sometimes.
Opinions and personalities clash, we rub each other the wrong way,
we can act thoughtlessly and selfishly, and sometimes hurt one another. 

But we are still called to love.
Not because we have the ability on our own, but because, as Peter says, “we have been born again….(by) imperishable seed.” (1 Peter 1:23)

In 1 Corinthians 13 and Colossians 3, Paul details what it means to love with our new, incorruptible nature.
And it’s radically different from the world’s image of love.
Paul describes a patient, forgiving, enduring love that allows us to live in harmony even when it’s challenging. 

This love is impossible to work up by ourselves.
Love is a fruit of the Spirit, not our own efforts.
It is the result of God working within us enabling us to love.
However, it is also a choice we make to cooperate with God’s work in us, and be committed to this kind of love.

The word translated as “constantly” in verse 22 is rendered in other versions of the Bible as “earnestly“, “fervently“, or “with all your heart,” conveying the sense that this is a love we must choose and actively pursue.   

In chapter 2, Peter goes on to write about the importance of believers conducting themselves honourably before the unbelievers around them.  He encourages them that their actions and attitudes are a witness, pointing others to God! 

For the same reason, and with the same love, believers are called to submit to figures of authority, “for it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good.“  (1 Peter 2:15) 

These must have been incredibly challenging instructions in a culture where the believers faced ridicule and intense persecution from authority, but they were called, by their love and their honourable behaviour, to glorify God and make Him known. 

The same challenge is for us today. 
How well do we love our Christian brothers and sisters?
How well do our actions witness to those around us?  
Are we truly known for our love?   

The impact of putting Jesus’ incorruptible love on display is great! 

I doubt that the two brothers who came to camp went home remembering much of what they heard about Jesus that week, but I do know they went home having experienced, probably for the first time, a loving community where they were valued, accepted, and deeply loved. 

For those brothers, that week was only the beginning.
The two boys returned year after year, gradually they began truly taking in what was being taught. Eventually they came to faith in Jesus for themselves! 

Our little acts of love may not seem like much, but their impact can be eternal.
Incorruptible love produces incorruptible results.
As Peter reminds, so much around us is fading,
but God’s Word, and the new life we have in Him – this life of love – remain forever!

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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!

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Dwell Day 1 Resting In His Promises

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 119:1-12
Psalm 119:33-38 
Psalm 119:169-176

Dwell, Day 1

I am not a morning person.
I’m also not a night person.
Anybody else a middle-of-the-day person like me? 

Regardless of my three-cup-of-coffee, loving-the-lunch-time-grind, kinda’ gal,
I intentionally choose quiet, early mornings.
Why?
Time with the Lord before the craziness of the day begins.

I’ve come to cling to these times in the morning when the house is silent, everyone is asleep, and I get to welcome the presence of God into my living room. On days when I choose to sleep in or don’t get that precious time as a kick-starter, it throws me off.

I need
that time; just He and I.

Taking time to sit, meditate, and dwell on Scripture allows the Holy Spirit to speak to us all throughout the beautiful tapestry of the Bible. Consistent time devoted to reading and studying Scripture will equip us to live in purity, victory, and intimacy with God.

As we flip through the Psalms, we watch a transformation happen with the authors. They walk through highs and lows,
poor decisions and the results thereof,
as well as victories and celebrations.
The Psalmists knew the power of God’s word.

The author of Psalm 119 beautifully proclaims truths of God and His character.
With elegant strokes, the psalmist paints an
elaborate picture of the
priceless treasure
that is dwelling daily in God’s Word.
It gives us instructions on how to live a prosperous life devoted to the Lord.

“I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.”
Psalm 119:11

Hiding His word in our heart looks a lot like memorizing Scripture and thinking on it throughout the day. As we memorize more Scripture, hiding it in our hearts, the Holy Spirit will use those verses to remind us of solid truth in desperate moments when we need to hear God.
When we daily put into practice what God’s Word teaches us,
we will soon move from memorizing words on a page
to forming life-changing habits in our everyday life!

In these real-life-moments, those small choices to spend time in His Word
shape our future.

For example, I’ve hidden Psalm 141:3 in my heart:
“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.”

The Holy Spirit often reminds me of His ways when that person cuts me off on the highway, is rude to our children in the grocery, or posts that comment on social media.
Ask me how many times I’ve prayed that prayer!   

This daily discipline of studying and dwelling in God’s Word
is crucial for rich, intimate, growing life with God! 

“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to Your word.”
Psalm 119:9

David was called “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14),
not because he was perfect,
but because he was repentant in his heart.
He longed for the things of God.
He knew the power of God’s word.
He knew that abiding by God’s laws were the pathway of real life.

“Be good to Your servant while I live, that I may obey Your word. Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law.”
Psalm 119:17-18

When we pray, let’s pray God would open our eyes to see as He sees.
His perspective.
His path.
His truth.

“Teach me, Lord, the way of Your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. Give me understanding, so that I may keep Your law and obey it with all of my heart.”
Psalm 119:33-34

Lord, we pray for understanding!
When life doesn’t seem to make sense, teach us to choose to yield to Your wisdom and understanding above our own.

“My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.”
Psalm 119:50

We can rest in God’s promises all the days of our lives because His word says He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)
Therefore, when we find promises from Him in His word,
we can rest assured they are true.

David, shepherd, king, psalmist, and follower of God,
clung to the power of God’s Word.
He “meditated on it day and night.” Psalm 1:2 

For some, morning isn’t the most ideal time to spend with Jesus. If this is you, try making time in the afternoon or evening to get away with God, even if it’s only for a few minutes.  God longs to be found by His children!

Another option is to post notes throughout your house reminding you to pray or memorize Scripture as you’re doing dishes, folding laundry, or getting ready in the morning.

That’s the beautiful thing about a relationship with God: it can happen anywhere!
Let’s be women who cling to Jesus.
Women who dwell deeply with Him through His Word.
Women who rely fully on His faithful, sustaining strength to get us through each day.
Women who rest in His promises!

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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!

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Prayer Day 13 All Of Everything

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 6:9-13
Matthew 3:1-3
2 Samuel 7:10-16
1 Chronicles 29:11
2 Chronicles 20:6 

Prayer, Day 13

“For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory…” 

Loves, will you receive some truth in grace today? (Deep breath, here we go.)
Truth? When I received this writing assignment for Prayer, I was not super thrilled. 

I know what you’re probably thinking. Prayer should be as natural as breathing when we are in Christ. I agree. In fact, it is through this daily, constant conversation with our Father that breathes His new life into and through us.
I believe that to be wholly, wonderfully, irrevocably true…
but this particular topic in our Prayer series made me squirm. 

The thing is, there is some controversy around that last line in “The Lord’s Prayer.” This might be the first time you’ve heard this, or perhaps you are already nodding in agreement with my remark. Like many of you, I committed those words above to memory along with the rest of the lines at an early age…so you can imagine my surprise as an adult when I first discovered that the line was not actually a part of the earliest original Biblical manuscripts. (Can I get a WHAT?) 

While the phrase does still exist in a few versions of the Bible (King James, New King James and Holman Christian Standard – all with annotation that the latter part of verse 13 differs from other versions), it has been omitted from most other translations because that final doxology was likely not a part of Jesus’ actual verbal instruction to the disciples regarding how we should pray. (If you’re anything like me and this is news to you, you may commence squirming now. I’m with you. It’s okay. Stay with me and we’ll work through this together.)  

This may present a bit of a conundrum for us as believers, at first thought. We say we believe His Word is living and active, that His instruction is inerrant. 

We believe His Word is true, transcribed by divinely inspired human hands.  

That through Scripture, He speaks to and moves in us to bring about conviction, transformation and renewal in our hearts and minds.  

But wait, here’s a heaping dish of contradiction for you: That last line of the Lord’s Prayer you’ve known and quoted all your life? Well, they are not actually the words of Jesus.  

While all of this is true and may reflect our first feelings about the matter, it’s vitally important that we unpack the how and why this phrase was added to Scripture. Only then will we understand that while the words may not have been part of Christ’s verbal instruction for how we should pray, they are still a reasonable addition to our prayer model that lines up with other Scriptural truth and can be applied in our prayer life today. 

In the gospels, we find that there are two instances in which Jesus tells His disciples how to pray: once in the book of Matthew, and once in Luke. Upon examination we can see several differences. From this we can infer that He was not giving them, or us, a prayer we should pray verbatim, but rather a form to follow and personalize.
(Thank you, Jesus, for being a personal God!)

He never intended for us to pray through the Lord’s Prayer every day by recitation.
No! Instead, He was conveying that in our conversations with Father God, we should emulate His example by expressing adoration, confessing our sins, and giving thanks before making our supplications. 

At that time, it was common practice for Christians present during public prayer times to respond verbally together. Much in the same way that we might nod in agreement or add an enthusiastic “amen” during our pastor’s moving prayer, they would respond individually (but in a group) at certain points. It was in this type of forum that the phrase “for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory” was commonly used. The assertion was a passionate proclamation – of God’s kingdom being ushered into the earth through Jesus, His supernatural power and all-encompassing glory. The phrase was so well accepted, that it was actually scribbled onto the margin of the Scriptural text…and eventually transcribed as part of the original text.  

While we now know that the final proclamation of the Lord’s Prayer wasn’t uttered from Jesus’ actual lips, we can be confident that expressing our adoration for God through our prayers is exactly in line with His word. The practice of making prayer “our own” – individually and corporately – is fulfilling exactly what Christ modeled for us in instruction and action! 

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Bride Day 7 Faithful Pursuit: 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!

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The Questions

1) When was this passage written,
and to whom?

 2) What is the meaning of verse 15?

    3) How does God pursue His people?

Zephaniah 3:12-20

12 I will leave
a meek and humble people among you,
and they will take refuge in the name of the Lord.
13 The remnant of Israel will no longer
do wrong or tell lies;
a deceitful tongue will not be found
in their mouths.
They will pasture and lie down,
with nothing to make them afraid.
14 Sing for joy, Daughter Zion;
shout loudly, Israel!
Be glad and celebrate with all your heart,
Daughter Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has removed your punishment;
he has turned back your enemy.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is among you;
you need no longer fear harm.
16 On that day it will be said to Jerusalem:
“Do not fear;
Zion, do not let your hands grow weak.
17 The Lord your God is among you,
a warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will be quiet in his love.
He will delight in you with singing.”
18 I will gather those who have been driven
from the appointed festivals;
they will be a tribute from you
and a reproach on her.
19 Yes, at that time
I will deal with all who oppress you.
I will save the lame and gather the outcasts;
I will make those who were disgraced
throughout the earth
receive praise and fame.
20 At that time I will bring you back,
yes, at the time I will gather you.
I will give you fame and praise
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes before your eyes.
The Lord has spoken.

Original Intent

1) When was this passage written, and to whom?
The prophet Zephaniah made these proclamations shortly after 622 B.C., the year of King Josiah’s partial revival of Judah (the southern kingdom). In 605 Judah, under Jehoiakim, became a servant of Babylon and many of Judah’s best young men were deported. Under Jehoiakim’s equally wicked successor, Jehoiachin, the city was again attacked by Nebuchadnezzar in 597 and some 10,000 Jews were deported. Under Zedekiah the city was under a long siege by Nebuchadnezzar and was finally destroyed in the summer of 586. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary)
The prophecy was written to Judah as the remnant of the nation of Israel. This passage was meant to provide hope that the Lord would restore; He would restore the nation’s purity and righteousness, He would restore Himself as their King, and He would restore Israel – all of Israel, the nation of people – to the land He had promised to Abraham and his descendants (see Deuteronomy 30:1-10). 

2) What is the meaning of verse 15?
When Israel did not keep God as rightful King of their nation, they fell into rebellion, idol worship, and all sorts of evil practices including infanticide. Because of this, God used their enemies to punish them as means of grabbing their attention. God used pagan nations to accomplish this purpose, including Babylon. Verse 15 speaks of a coming time when all will be made right. The enemies will forever be banished, the Lord will be their rightful King once more, peace will reign and there will be no fear.

3) How does God pursue His people?
In the centuries prior to Jesus coming to this earth as a baby in Bethlehem, God pursued people by direct communication (Adam – Genesis 3:9, Abram – Genesis 12:1-3, 7), through visions (e.g. Abram – Genesis 15:1), and angels (Hagar – Genesis 16:7-12, Gideon – Judges 6:11-22). He also spoke through leaders like Moses and Joshua and through prophets like Isaiah and even Zephaniah. God appointed specific people to be His mouthpiece as He issued instruction or warning upon warning to remove idols and turn back to Him.

Everyday Application

1) When was this passage written, and to whom?
Although this passage was specifically written to the nation of Israel, the hope that it offers is the same hope that we, as believers in the One True God, also have. If we ask Jesus to be our Savior, He sets us free from sin and its eternal consequences, giving us the hope of future restoration as well as living with fullness and peace on earth. Oh, dear ones, our lives in these decaying bodies (no matter how hard we try to stay young and vibrant) and these decaying homes (no matter how much renovation we do) will forever be hard. But we are encouraged by remembering that our trials are “light, momentary afflictions compared to the coming glory.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) In the power of the Holy Spirit we can follow God and be obedient, bringing us great joy in the Lord. God Himself rejoices over us with victorious singing!

2) What is the meaning of verse 15?
Israel experienced punishment from God when she ventured willfully into idolatry and pagan worship despite centuries of God calling her back into relationship with Him. She is not the only one. I have certainly found myself engaged in war with an enemy being used by God to get my attention. Lately it has been traffic and parking. Ugh. God is punishing my self-righteousness and need for control. Can you point to an area in your own life, dear one, where God is using an enemy to bring you back to Himself? Or do you find yourself on the other side of punishment with the King back on His rightful throne?

3) How does God pursue His people?
It is true that no one on earth has any excuse for denying God because He has made Himself known in creation. But what does He do when we shuffle our feet on the path to relationship with Him, whether it be the beginning (salvation), a return to Him (rededication), or anywhere else on the path (sanctification)?
Personally, I find that He often pursues me in song, but the Holy Spirit also tugs at my heart with Scripture. Occasionally, a Christian friend will be telling about an instance in their life and their response that grabs my attention and shakes me about.
God knows each of us intimately, including the best way to get our attention. For one it’s the pages of Scripture, for others it’s a sunrise. But regardless of the method, the motivation remains the same…He desires us. Let yourself be caught today, sister, and delight in the Lord as He delights in you.

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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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Woven Day 5 The Rescuer

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 6
Psalm 139:13-16
John 3:16-18 

A few months ago, I shared with you sweet sisters some of the struggles I had been facing in my marriage, as well as how I was doing my best to put one foot in front of the other. I opened up about how I was worshipping through this trial and standing on God’s Word, even through the darkest time of my life.

Choosing to trust God, even when my life was in shambles wasn’t an easy choice to make. I wanted so desperately to stick my fingers in my ears and pretend like I wasn’t hearing God ask me to continue to push forward, and to honor and respect my husband through the trials we were walking through, but I didn’t do that. (Not to mention I’d probably look a bit silly.)

I knew in the back of my mind that God had my best interest at heart and that He wanted redemption for us. So instead of acting like my nineteen month old, I listened to what God was asking me to do.

Silently, I obeyed the Almighty.
I prayed.
I cried.
I served.
I worshipped.
I was respectful.
I honored.
I didn’t give up.
God saw.
And our marriage was spared.  

Noah was a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries.
Noah walked with God.

I was recently gifted a Charles Spurgeon edition of the Christian Standard Bible and the way Charles describes Noah was too good not to share. He states:
God keeps His eyes on the sons of men, and He searches among them for certain individuals on whom He delights to fix His gaze.
When God speaks of having seen Noah, he speaks of having seen the kind of man for whom He was looking, namely, a righteous man.
There is not a righteous man on the earth whom God does not see.
He may be anything but famous, but as long as he is righteous, God delights to look on him.
In an age of violence and oppression, Noah alone was a righteous man.
He was no oppressor.

How incredible is it that those are the words that began Noah’s introduction to us?
He is described as the son of God that he is and God delighted in him.
Noah wasn’t chosen because he was a prince, or famous, or had a ton of talent.
He was chosen because he was consistent in his walk with the Lord.
He believed in communion, prayer and meditation and knew right from wrong.

In the end, it was because of his faith, lived out in obedience and righteousness, that Noah found favor with God and was chosen to build the ark and ultimately, be saved from the destruction of all mankind.

The flood, which admittedly can be viewed as devastating,
still paints a beautiful picture of God’s love for us.
It’s a picture filled with promise that continues, even to this day,
that shows us we are worth pursuing,
and that we needed to be rescued.

My marriage was worth the pursuit, so redemption could take place.
The baby you will hold one day is worth the pursuit, so redemption can take place.
The family member you’re praying for is worth the pursuit, so redemption can take place.
The spouse you’re saving yourself for is worth the pursuit, so redemption can take place.

I imagine those who saw Noah building an ark in the middle of the desert ‘because God told him to’ would’ve made fun of his actions. No one wanted to admit that Noah was right and their world was corrupt, full of sin, and in desperate need of rescuing.
So, instead of listening, they pointed and laughed.

It’s true of my story, and I’m sure some of yours as well.
We’ve been on both sides.
The side where we are listening to God and following His directions.
The side where we watch someone we know make radical choices for the Kingdom and internally point and laugh because surely, they’ve gone insane.

But here’s the good news friends.
God wasn’t surprised when everything went wrong again after the flood.
So, before the beginning of time, He had another plan, a broader plan.
A plan not to destroy the world, but to rescue it.
A plan to one day send his own Son, Jesus, the Rescuer, to save us all.
From Noah to Jesus to You and me, the story is all woven together.
There isn’t a B.C. or A.D.
There is simply Jesus in the midst of every story written.

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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 Woven Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Eve Day 11 Eve of Judgment

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Eve Day 11 Eve of Judgment

Merry Ohler

December 18, 2017

Believe,Broken,Excuses,Faith,Flawless,Forgiven,Freedom,Generous,God,Gospel,Grace,Hope,Jesus,Life,Prodigal,Redemption,Relationship,Restored,Return,Sin,Truth

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 1:1-18
Luke 23:26-43
Matthew 13:16-23

Marcus groaned. Every muscle in his body protested as he shifted uneasily. He stretched slowly and searched for a comfortable position before resigning himself to the same posture he had just abandoned. He crossed his arms and his brow furrowed as he glanced out the small window.

He listened intently for the man he had seen escorted into the house across the way, but could hear nothing. No surprise there. The other man had practically been carried through the door, and even in the dim light Marcus could see that he had been beaten.

The damp, cold air seemed to seep into his bones and he shivered. The tossing and turning of another prisoner caught his attention and he glanced through the darkness toward the other side of his small cell. The younger man snored blissfully just a few strides away, and Marcus regarded his apparent ease with wonder. He shook his head slowly as his mind replayed the life that had led to this moment, this night. Snapshots of memories flitted through his mind with razor sharp clarity and he settled on one with eyes wide open, stepping into the moment as if he were living it again…  

Marcus pressed his back against the cold stone wall and willed himself to fade into the shadows there. Shouts echoed as soldiers hurried past, heavy armor clanking as their sandal-clad feet slapped the ground. One of the centurions slowed and paused, glancing in his direction. The soldier was no more than ten feet from him! Marcus held his breath and closed his eyes as the centurion peered into the deep shadows. The soldier looked down the alley to his right, then back toward his comrades. He glanced into the shadows once more, then turned and jogged in the direction of the group. Breathing a sigh of relief, the thief called Marcus stealthily crept along the wall in the opposite direction, silent and sure-footed in the dark. He turned the corner and paused to survey his surroundings. One path led to his left, into the dark, foreboding hills and away from the city. The other path led to his right, twisting between homes and other buildings. He swung the heavy pack from his right shoulder to his left and shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he silently deliberated.

The hills to the left offered relative safety from the soldiers…but thieves and robbers far worse than he had made those hills their home. If they found him, they would beat him, strip away his clothing and loot, then throw him into some dark and desolate ravine. If he escaped unnoticed, maybe he could start over somewhere.

But if they caught him…death.

The city to the right held a rich network of alleys, homes and businesses. Plenty of ways to slip away unnoticed. The soldiers would be watching, yes. However, the city held a thousand dark corners and places to vanish. He was quick-minded and light on his feet, for his age. If he could find someplace to hole up for a while, maybe he could forge a friendship with someone, catch a ride somewhere else. There might be safety in numbers.

But if they caught him…death.

Weariness overtook him for a moment and he wavered, undecided. Soft strains of music and the sound of a woman’s tinkling laughter drifted through the night breeze, and a sudden longing filled him. Marcus turned in the direction of the noise and stole into the night.

The sense of sharp pins and needles laced through his left leg, pulling him back to the present. Wincing, he stretched, then slowly stood as the remainder of that night played out in his mind.

Marcus crept toward the source of the sound, drawn by something he couldn’t quite define. Cloaked in shadows, he peered through the nearby opening to see a group of Jewish friends dining. Except…as he observed them, he couldn’t help but notice that there was something different about them. They didn’t seem like just friends. They feel like a family. Nothing like his own…but perhaps something like the family he had always wished for. Laughing and joking over a meal. Breaking bread and talking over the events of the day together. Joy was evident in every voice, and Marcus was amazed at the overwhelming sense that they all belonged. Something he didn’t recognize stirred deep in his chest, and he crept closer to listen.

“Did you hear what Yeshua did the other day? Just when I think I’ve heard it all, He pulls something like that! Wow! Can you imagine what it was like to see a dead man come walking out of the tomb…and his sisters! What an incredible thing to experience in the face of such loss, such grief! To have Lazarus back!”

The man’s voice faded away as another more energetic voice interjected, “Sometimes, I can’t even remember what life was like before He came. It’s hard to describe…so much of what’s happened lately has felt like a dream… but really, it’s more like I finally feel awake. Alive. He is changing everything.”

Another voice piped up, “He is Everything! He is Who we’ve been waiting for all this time! All the stories, the prophecies… It’s all about Him. It’s always been HIM. HE IS the Christ…”

The voices faded from his memory and Marcus stopped pacing and stood in silence. His cell mate’s slumbering breath was the only audible sound. No one has ever talked about me that way, he thought. And no one ever will.

He glanced back out the window and strained his ears. Still nothing.

His heartbeat quickened. What kind of man could inspire that kind of conversation, that kind of relationship, in his absence? Was it possible? Could it be that they had spoken the truth that night? Had he really raised a man from the dead? What did that mean? What kind of power did he have? And more importantly – who was he?

Marcus’ stomach churned along with his thoughts as they raced back over the past three decades. Broken vows. Broken intentions. Broken relationships. Broken laws. A broken life.

Days…months…years… All wasted. And now, tomorrow, his pathetic whisper of a life would be over. Whatever potential he may have buried inside himself long ago, would be snuffed out, gone forever. And whatever happened to him after… he held little doubt that he would pay handsomely for the life he had carved out for himself.

A lump welled in his throat, and he worked to swallow as he choked back a sob.
Too little, too late.

And yet, he thought. HE is here.

The man, Yeshua. Jesus.

Marcus had seen a group of men take him into the house down the way, just a few hours ago. As two of them walked back up the road, Marcus had heard them speaking in hushed and hurried tones. They said he had healed a man right in front of them. One of his followers had cut someone’s ear off, but Jesus had picked it up and healed him like nothing had even happened. Their wonder was obvious and their fear was tangible. They had no reason to lie… the two men didn’t even know Marcus could hear them.

His mind hummed, working to reconcile what he had heard with what made sense.

What kind of Man is that?

What kind of power does He have?

And, most importantly,

Who is He?

Marcus stood motionless, his dark eyes trained on the door of the house where the Man, Jesus, was being kept.

And for the first time in his life, on the last night of his life, he felt something like hope.

Scripture doesn’t tell us much about the men who were crucified with Jesus. We know that one of the two mocked Jesus, but the other acknowledged Him to be the Son of God. This Journey is a fictional account which explores what could have transpired in the life of the penitent thief leading up to the Eve of the Crucifixion.

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faith,gospel,grace,hope,Sin,transformation,Truth
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