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Champion Day 12 Just An Ordinary Girl: 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 Just An Ordinary Girl!

The Questions

1) Why was Mary “deeply troubled” by the appearance and greeting of the angel? (verses 28-29)

2) What do we learn about Mary by digging into this overwhelming news she received? (verses 30-33)

3) What reminder did the angel give Mary about the God she served? (verses 35-38)

Luke 1:28-38

[The virgin’s name was Mary.] 28 And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. 30 Then the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.” 34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” 35 The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. 37For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 “See, I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Original Intent

1) Why was Mary “deeply troubled” by the appearance and greeting of the angel? (verses 28-29)
This passage of Scripture parallels the verses immediately preceding it. The similarities are evidenced by Luke, a detailed author and physician (Colossians 4:14), who arranged the passages with intention. We read that Gabriel is the angel who announced the birth of John and Jesus. While there is no exact term in Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic to denote the relationship of cousin, we know John and Jesus were related through their mothers, Mary and Elizabeth. A close reading of these heavenly initiated birth announcements reveals the distinct significance of those being born. It’s interesting to note that in the preceding passage regarding the coming birth of John the Baptist, the father was the main figure, but in these verses Luke spotlights the mother. What occurred with John’s birth was unlikely and shocking. For Elizabeth to conceive at such an old age was not typical. But the news the angel was about to give Mary … now THAT was impossible! We are told in verse 26 that the angel’s news to Mary occurred in Nazareth. I have visited this area in Israel. The guide we had was quick to point out how unremarkable the city was in its day. Which is exactly why it was remarkable to Mary that she was being visited by an angelic being. She was just an ordinary girl in an ordinary town. We tend to underestimate angelic appearances in Scripture as if they happened all the time. Though we read in a very brief span of verses in the gospels about several appearances (Zechariah in Luke 1:5-12 , Joseph in Matthew 1:20 , and the shepherds in Luke 2:8-11), it’s important to note there was always fear involved! Mary knew this appearance and greeting meant something extremely out of the ordinary was happening. As a result, she was “deeply troubled.”

2) What do we learn about Mary by digging into this overwhelming news she received? (verses 30-33)
Can you imagine this news that was shared through an angel? God had chosen a young girl from nowhere to be the mother of the Messiah. Although there’s no real proof, most Christian historians suppose that she was around 15-16 years of age when the angel appeared to Mary. Who really was this one who had “found favor with God.” (verse 30) Incredibly, the Scriptures introduce us to “her” in Genesis during man’s fall after creation. Though not explicit, when the Bible is read as one big story it is apparent from Genesis 3:15 that the mother of Christ was in the heart of God from the beginning. There would be a birth of One who would crush the serpent. Bible scholars tell us that the audience of Genesis would have understood the serpent as representing the spiritual forces of evil. (Genesis 3 Net notes) We also find “her” at the end of the Scriptures in the final chapter of the world before everything in creation is remade. Revelation 12:1-5 seems to confirm for us that the “woman clothed with the sun … and a crown of twelve stars” represents that the promised Messiah would come from Israel. Luke traces Mary’s lineage through Israel’s patriarchs as he names David and Jacob. Her son would assume the title Son of David and be the royal “branch” from David’s family. (Isaiah 11:1-2).Though many virgins may have known God’s favor, and some may have descended from King David’s line, and still others could possibly have a reason to return to Nazareth (Matthew 2:19-23), none but Mary would also have needed to be in Bethlehem with her fiancé at the appointed time of Messiah’s birth. (Micah 5:2-5) It was all part of the sovereign planning of the God worthy of Mary’s worship. (Luke 1:46-55)

3) What reminder did the angel give Mary about the God she served? (verses 35-38)
The angel assured Mary that this news was not to cause her fear. Instead, everything that would happen was from the hand and heart of God. “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” (verse 35) Bible commentators tell us there were three stages to Jewish weddings/marriage. Engagement was the first stage. It was a formal agreement made by the fathers prior to the betrothal and marriage. When a couple reached the second stage of betrothal, they were under the obligations of faithfulness. Not viewed as simply a casual promise, divorce would have been required to break the commitment. (enduringword.com) Mary knew the ramifications of the news she was being told, and though her motives aren’t revealed, I’m prone to agree with commentator David Guzik that “she asked the same question Zechariah asked (Luke 1:18), but his question was asked in skeptical unbelief, and her question was asked in wonder-filled faith.” Later in the passage, her response demonstrates her humility and faith in God’s plan. Some Bibles label verses 46-55 the “Song of Mary,” although the original text does not indicate that she was singing. Whether she danced around and sang it to the top of her lungs or bowed and quietly whispered it under her breath, the posture revealed in her words demonstrated a heart of awe and trust in her God. Through the angel, God assured Mary that “nothing is impossible with God.” And she believed Him. “May it happen to me as you have said.” (verses 37-38)

Everyday Application

1) Why was Mary “deeply troubled” by the appearance and greeting of the angel? (verses 28-29)
I have a confession: I believe in women’s intuition. I don’t have biblical evidence to back it up, but I do have years of experience as a woman! Since there are no Bible condemnations against it, I will continue holding this belief.  So, sister, what would you think if an angel showed up in your room? Before a word was spoken, most of us would begin to create scenarios of what must be next. We would certainly wonder what kind of news would prompt a visit from a heavenly being. When I read the story as if it’s the first time, I am relieved when the angel quickly seeks to make it better. It’s like a surprise phone call you receive. You answer with great hesitation, even trepidation, wondering what provoked the call. Then the person on the other end of the line begins with “don’t worry, it’s nothing bad.” Whew! But Mary’s visitor wasn’t a surprise appearance of a far-away relative. This was an angel standing in front of her. Though the words he spoke were of comfort and joy, you can imagine her shock and confusion as she processed this interruption. I wonder if she began to rehearse the Scriptures about a promised Messiah. Was this appearance related to the coming One? I’m so thankful that the woman chosen to be the mother of Jesus, God in flesh, was just a normal woman responding with usual confusion. She was not all-knowing, but she was all-trusting! Her fear did not cause her to flee. I want to be that kind of ordinary girl. One who waits and believes God for the rest of the story!

2) What do we learn about Mary by digging into this overwhelming news she received? (verses 30-33)
There are different beliefs related to the person of Mary. Nowhere in Scripture does it tell us she was chosen because she was more holy. Though there are certain misunderstandings about her that appear to have their root in tradition rather than Scripture, there is also the tendency by some to dismiss the extraordinary purpose of Mary being chosen to birth the Son of God. The phrase highly favored comes from a single Greek word meaning “much grace.” Mary was a recipient of God’s grace. (bibletools.org) While she was certainly a godly woman, we must not miss the reality that God uses ordinary people for His glory. Mary was a humble servant, willing to do God’s will. When Jesus was older, she attended a wedding with Him. (John 2:1-10) It appears Mary knew the wedding party well enough to be concerned that they faced potential embarrassment. John records her comment to Jesus in John 2:3. She was trying to involve Him in finding a solution. I believe Mary knew what others didn’t. She trusted that Jesus could do something for them. As a recipient of God’s undeserved favor and grace, Luke 2 tells us a couple times that Mary “pondered things”. Since the day the angel announced the big news, Mary’s life would never be the same. And that, my sweet Sister, is good news for us! We, too, are offered the opportunity to receive the gift of Jesus. God promises the believer salvation and peace. “They will live securely for then His greatness will extend to the ends of the earth. He will be their peace.” (Micah 5:4)

3) What reminder did the angel give Mary about the God she served? (verses 35-38)
Mary is exhorting us from thousands of years away to believe the God who chose her. Her example of humble obedience calls out to us. Yes, she was ordinary. Like us, she wondered. Like us, she pondered. Like us, she grieved. But she also worshipped! She was faithful to the God who had sent His message to her through an angel one day. She believed it when the angel told her nothing was impossible with God. Now, let’s fast forward to the cross where we find Mary with Jesus’ friend, John, as they watch Jesus die. (John 19:25) Sister, she is still there waiting, loving, and watching closely. When we find her at the tomb, we realize that for thirty years or so she’s been walking the earth as the mother of God. Now here she is again, aware that angels are standing before her. She must receive and believe another message of hope. “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here, but he has risen!” (Luke 24:5) Can you imagine, my friend, the depth of her emotion?! She has grieved as never before. She’s completely exhausted from watching her son die. Do you think the words of Simeon have rung in her ears? (Luke 2:35) Did she recall the angel’s words so long ago and muster a little hope that another miracle could happen? Oh sister, do you believe God can work through you, an ordinary girl? He can! Nothing … nothing …. nothing … is impossible with God! (Luke 1:37) Lean in close, friend. He is near.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Just An Ordinary Girl!

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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Worship IX Day 9 Misplaced Worship: 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 Misplaced Worship!

The Questions

1) What is the purpose of Isaiah’s questions in verses 12-17?

2) What does the author want us to understand from the turning point in verses 18-20?

3) What is being compared in verses 22-26 and what implications are to be understood from it?

Isaiah 40:12-26

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand?
Who has gathered the dust of the earth in a measure
or weighed the mountains on a balance
and the hills on the scales?
13 Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord,
or who gave him counsel?
14 Who did he consult?
Who gave him understanding
and taught him the paths of justice?
Who taught him knowledge
and showed him the way of understanding?
15 Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are considered as a speck of dust on the scales;
he lifts up the islands like fine dust.
16 Lebanon’s cedars are not enough for fuel,
or its animals enough for a burnt offering.
17 All the nations are as nothing before him;
they are considered by him
as empty nothingness.

18 With whom will you compare God?
What likeness will you set up for comparison with him?
19 An idol?—something that a smelter casts
and a metalworker plates with gold
and makes silver chains for?
20 A poor person contributes wood for a pedestal
that will not rot.
He looks for a skilled craftsman
to set up an idol that will not fall over.

21 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been declared to you
from the beginning?
Have you not considered
the foundations of the earth?
22 God is enthroned above the circle of the earth;
its inhabitants are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like thin cloth
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
23 He reduces princes to nothing
and makes judges of the earth like a wasteland.
24 They are barely planted, barely sown,
their stem hardly takes root in the ground
when he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind carries them away like stubble.

25 “To whom will you compare me,
or who is my equal?” asks the Holy One.
26 Look up and see!
Who created these?
He brings out the stars by number;
he calls all of them by name.
Because of his great power and strength,
not one of them is missing.

Original Intent

1) What is the purpose of Isaiah’s questions in verses 12-17?
The prophet Isaiah begins this section by asking rhetorical questions intended to make his listeners lean in, think, and slow down their patterns of living enough to consider the Lord. Isaiah compares what is impossible to measure with outlandish metrics of measurement to prove His point that there is none like Yahweh, the One True God. Who has measured the earth’s waters, its galaxies, its granules of dust, its mountains and hills? No one. Even by today’s standards of measurements, we still don’t have accurate measurements of the galaxies and grains of sand are mere estimates. What instrument does God use to measure these? The hollow of His hand. (verse 12) Unfathomable, Sister, unfathomable. Just these first questions should be enough to drop every person in the nation of Israel to their knees in worship, but Isaiah continues his prodding questions, moving from the natural world to the spiritual. (verses 13-14) Who gives Yahweh wise counsel, teaches Him justice, and taught Him to create with understanding? “None” is the obvious answer hanging in the air. Every good Jew listening to Isaiah’s beckoning voice would have instinctively known the solitary, non-competing answer reverberating in their souls. There Is None Like Yahweh. (Psalm 86:8-10) Isaiah brings the natural and spiritual together in verses 15-17 as he invites us to consider the natural world through the spiritual eyes of the Almighty. The nations are a drop in His bucket and viewed as a single speck of dust from His vantage point; the entirety of the universe is as absolutely nothing to Him, not in value, but in comparative mass. Where is Isaiah leading Israel? Into deep, authentic worship with their hearts and lives.

2) What does the author want us to understand from the turning point in verses 18-20?
Often in Old Testament poetic works or prophecies, we see a shift in thought where the words that come first are attached like a hinge to the words that follow. That hinge-point is critically important to identify because it helps us understand the true heart issue or the true solution to the outlined problem. Isaiah began this section with prodding self-reflective questions, and will finish with more reasons for worship, but here in the middle, Isaiah turns Israel’s eyes pointedly to the folly of their sin. They love their idols made by their own hands, and the Lord God, through Isaiah, wants Israel to see how utterly foolish it is to worship any but Yahweh. With bold clarity, Isaiah pointedly speaks aloud the question they should all be wrestling with internally by now, “With whom will you compare God?”. (verse 18) None. There is none like You, God. But, Isaiah quickly turns the tide and in essence says, “But your life points to a different answer. You craft idols. You bow down to blocks of wood. Your life reflects tragically misplaced worship.” The answer cuts like a knife, just as it’s intended.

3) What is being compared in verses 22-26 and what implications are to be understood from it?
When studying Scripture, it’s always important to study in context of the circumstances surrounding a passage. Isaiah 40 is full of comfort, encouragement and strong assurance of God and His unchanging character. Yet, without considering the surrounding context, we would miss the significant weightiness of this incredibly beautiful chapter. The preceding chapters describe Israel’s King Hezekiah and the prophecy he was given through Isaiah of coming disater for the nation. Jerusalem would be destroyed, and her people killed by the blood-thirsty Assyrians precisely because of their perpetually misplaced worship. It was no small thing to abhor the first and second commandments of the Law. (Exodus 20:3-4) After news of the coming destruction and exile, the Lord speaks tenderly to His beloved people, ““Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.” (Isaiah 40:1) This chapter doesn’t merely proclaim sweet comfort, love, and strong exhortations for the worthiness of worshipping the Only True God, its comfort and tender loving descriptions of God are set against the backdrop of suffering and devastating loss, making it epically more lovely. Israel would face horrific loss, but the All-powerful God of Creation was present to comfort and was willing to restore them. In the face of devastation Isaiah’s voice calls aloud, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? (…) God is enthroned…”. (verses 21-22) Despite the circumstances and the affliction you feel, the God who never changes continues to remain fully present with comfort and compassion. The same God who holds the earth’s waters in His hand, who stretches the galaxies out like a scant tent flap, who calls every star by its own personal name, knows you. Oh Israel, there is none like God! Come, worship and bow down to the Eternal One!

Everyday Application

1) What is the purpose of Isaiah’s questions in verses 12-17?
Imagine hearing Isaiah’s clear prophetic voice ringing out as you work in your kitchen or till up your garden. It’s clear, it’s piercing. Maybe you know the political vote is against him and you try to ignore his voice. Or maybe the stirrings in your heart can’t be ignored and you drop your work, gathering your small children by the hand, and move towards the voice. Your culture is abuzz with busyness; the religion that once so clearly defined your people has become messy and confusing. The cultural norms around you from other peoples are curious and intriguing; questions plague you. But Isaiah’s voice is cutting through the confusion with its pleading questions. The more you listen, the clearer it becomes and the more the fog around your heart lifts. The busyness and confusion fall by the wayside as your heart is reminded there is Only One who is worthy of your everyday worship. Even saying the words aloud, “There is None Like You O Lord” seem to be an oasis in the midst of a desert. Take some time and let Isaiah’s piercing questions draw out the brokenness and confusion in you. Bring these to the Lord God. Consider His vastness, see your smallness in comparison, then take a breathtaking look at His vast love to come near to you. Worship, Sister, worship the Only One Worthy of your life’s praise.

2) What does the author want us to understand from the turning point in verses 18-20?
Isaiah’s words are meant to prod Israel into self-reflection to consider whether or not their beliefs align with the everyday actions of their lives. Sometimes we can’t seem to face reality, and the sinful dissonance between the claimed worship of our lips and the rolling tide of our everyday life choices with slowing down. Israel worshipped wooden idols that would rot and literally fall over (verse 20), and the Lord longed for them to see the inconsistencies of their misplaced worship so they might repent and return to Him with the full offering of their lives. Isaiah’s words were carefully chosen to point out that Israel was trusting and loving idols that could neither support their faith nor love them back. But Yahweh could do both. Oh Lord, reveal my idols to me just as You lovingly did for Israel that they would return Home to Your heart. It’s painful to stare my foolish love for lesser things in the face, but show me, Lord. I don’t want my heart to pursue that which falls over and rots away. Sure, financial security, strong relationships, success, a perfect home, and the like are all common idols, but when I clear the stage of these, I find the idol I worship most is myself. I love my ways, my rights, my words, my control, and I choose these again and again over You, Lord. Forgive me, Abba, forgive me this idolatry of heart! Only You can sustain. Only You can nourish me. Only You can hear and listen and love. Only You are worthy of my worship.

3) What is being compared in verses 22-26 and what implications are to be understood from it?
Isaiah’s prophecy to King Hezekiah came years before Israel would actually suffer from Assyrian invasion. God’s words of comfort were meant to sustain Israel, be learned and meditated on by them, so they might remember the love of their God when the battle came into their streets. When we intentionally meditate on the truths of Scripture, when we set aside time each day to read it and pray it and dwell with God’s Words, His comfort sustains us. When we face our own struggles, and devastation overwhelms our lives, we can remember the truths we have learned and lean upon them. The same God who hung the stars in place, knows our name, sees our pain, and is present to comfort and restore. Let’s choose to worship Him now, today! Whether our everyday lives reflect heartache or happiness, there remains One God worthy of our worship, and we can choose to adore Him for the God He is and always will be!

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

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship IX 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.

If Day 1 One God?

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If Day 1 One God?

Marietta Taylor

July 12, 2021

Deliver,Faith,God,Holy Spirit,Jesus,Kingdom,Salvation,Scripture,Worship

Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 9:2-7
Hebrews 1
Colossians 1:13-22
Daniel 7:9-14

Years ago, a certain talk-show host sometimes used his show to attack the faith he’d abandoned. During one show he asked, “If God the Father is so ‘all-loving,’ why didn’t He come down and go to Calvary?” This man traded the truth he knew for a what-if question. I myself have heard it in several forms. 

What if Jesus was just a prophet or a great teacher? What if Jesus wasn’t really God? Honestly, I’ve asked myself these questions. It wasn’t from unbelief, but a desire to be able to explain my faith to others.

Those questions have one answer: Jesus was fully God and fully man. Therefore God did come down, teach as only God could, and then endure the cross so we could obtain salvation and eternity in heaven with Him. 

Want to know what’s good about my answer? I can back it up. 

If Jesus isn’t God, then He and John the Baptist would be liars. John the Baptist called Jesus “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) and “the Son of God” (John 1:34). Jesus said of Himself, “before Abraham was, I am,” (John 8:58), echoing God the Father’s statement in Exodus 3:14, “I AM WHO I AM.” But let’s go one step further. 

If Jesus isn’t God, then God Himself would be a liar.
And let’s be clear.
God is holy.
He cannot lie. (Numbers 23:19)

When John the Baptist was baptizing Jesus, the voice of God from heaven proclaimed, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17) We know from Genesis 1 that the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) was present at creation. They work in tandem with each other. We see an example of this in John 14:16, where Jesus asks the Father to send the Holy Spirit to the believers. Three persons, yet one God, working for our good and our salvation.

Salvation means God working on behalf of man to deliver us from sin and death and give us eternal life in heaven. How does Scripture support this? What a great question! I started in Isaiah 9:6, “For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us.” Then it lists His names, “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Who is this Son who is also Mighty God?

Matthew 1:20 says this, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Look, we found Mighty God. It’s Jesus!

You might be wondering why this is important. Well, it speaks directly to several assertions people make about Jesus. Let’s review, shall we?

  •     Jesus was just a prophet or a great teacher
  •     Jesus was a great man, but not God

Colossians 1:13-22 addresses these assertions. Verse 13 reveals God has rescued us from darkness and “transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.”

Who’s the Son God loves? Jesus. 

Who possesses kingdoms and has authority over everything within them? Kings. 

So Jesus was clearly not just a prophet or great teacher. 

He was, and is, an eternal king.

I confirmed this in Daniel 7:14, “His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.” 

Well, what about the “great man but not God” statement? Colossians 1 says this:

  •     “He is the image of the invisible God” (verse 15)
  •     He created everything (verse 16)
  •     He is the head of the church (verse 18)
  •     God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him (verse 19)

Friends, Jesus was a great man. But He was also fully God. 

But not just any “god.” Jesus is the One True God. He’s the God who reconciled His people to Himself by defeating sin and death. Defeating sin requires a perfect, sinless life. In other words, a person would need to be perfectly and absolutely holy. No human fits that bill. But God, presenting Himself in human flesh could and did, in the form of Jesus. Then, He went one better. He took on all the sin of the world so we could be considered clean before God the Father. We should sit with that for a moment.

To defeat death, we’d have to die and resurrect ourselves. Humans can die, but we can’t resurrect ourselves. But Jesus’ human body died and then was alive again. He, Himself, resurrected. No smoke and mirrors. Just the power and authority of God. Thus, Jesus earned the title of Savior. 

God said this about Jesus, “And let all God’s angels worship Him.” 

I say, let all of us worship Jesus, our one True God. He is more than worthy!

Tags :
Authority,Fully God,holy,If,One,questions,Savior,True,unbelief,What iF,worthy
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Ready Day 11 Unlikely Abundance

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Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Thessalonians 1:3-8
James 1:2-4
Romans 5:1-5
1 Peter 4:12-19

Ready, Day 11

Never one to shy away from an uncomfortable topic, Paul begins his second letter to the Thessalonians by writing about the persecutions and tribulations we will endure in this life. His choice is not terribly shocking; in fact, trials and tribulations are common topics throughout the New Testament. As we’ve seen in Read His Words Before Ours, believers are repeatedly instructed to delight in these hardships, for they produce godliness in us and are a part of our sanctification process.

What is a bit shocking, perhaps, are Paul’s words in 2 Thessalonians 1 regarding these sufferings. He asserts our hardships are “clear evidence of God’s righteous judgement that you will be counted worthy of God’s kingdom, for which you are also suffering.” (verse 5)

Did you catch that? Our trials, tribulations, persecutions, and sufferings in this life are direct evidence of the righteous judgment of God.
They are evidence He is considering us worthy of the kingdom of God!
That’s a big deal!

Similarly, in 1 Peter 4:13, Peter urges,
“Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, that you may also rejoice with great joy when His glory is revealed.”

Amazingly, there is a direct connection between the suffering we experience in this world and the abundant level of glory and rejoicing we will experience in the next.

Recently, I wrote a social media post reflecting this idea of life’s hardship leading to a deeper walk with Christ, and how this serves as a precursor to our coming glory.

The concept of the hardships in this life leading to a deepening of our walk with the Lord and serving as a precursor to coming glory inspired a post I recently wrote on social media.

“We have to stop being so myopic and quit looking just at the US. We need to zoom out and look at the world as a whole, both now and down through history.

When we do that, what we see is that the church has repeatedly been strengthened in the hard times. In fact, the church has always proven to be stronger, more faithful, and more able to lean on Christ when times are hard and persecution is rampant than when everything is easy, earthly freedom abounds, and we all become complacent.

It’s not that I’m over here begging God for hardship so that the church would wake up and stand firm and learn what it means to be strong in the faith. But, as I’ve said before, God is always on the move, not the least of which being in those times when the church is persecuted or facing hardship.

While we don’t yearn for hardship and freedom infringement, we can be a little excited about seeing God strengthen, build, and grow His church in amazing ways – and prove Himself the faithful sustainer of that church!- if the church does begin to lose some of its freedoms.

So, brothers and sisters in Christ, please do not lose heart!
Please do not fret or wring your hands or get worried and worked up.

No. Rely on your faith.
Live it out.
Test it.
Prove that it can withstand hardship. And excitedly watch God work!”

We will undoubtedly face hardships in this life. They are promised to us.
Yet, those hardships are never an indictment against God, grounds for disproving the Bible, or trials that render God weak or useless.

Far from it, friends!

While we don’t yearn for hardships, trials, and sufferings, we are able to rejoice when they come because we know they will produce abundant fruit in our lives,
both now and in eternity.

No pain we suffer in this life is purposeless. Rather, it serves a great purpose and provides us with an opportunity to watch Romans 8:28 come true right in front of our eyes.

“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God,
who are called according to His purpose.”

Take heart, my friends! The sufferings of this present life are leading to an abundance of glory unlike anything we can presently imagine.

Hold on. Hold fast. Look up. And keep the faith!

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Ready Day 1 Trade Routes

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Thessalonians 4
2 Thessalonians 2
Acts 17:24-31
Romans 8:35-39
Isaiah 66:1-4

Ready, Day 1

As I sit savoring my tea, I recall learning about ancient trade routes in school. Of interest to me back then was The Tea Horse Road. Now I take particular interest in the most famous trade route linking ancient China to the Roman Empire, “The Silk Road.” It was for more than just trading silk, produce, leather, gold and grains; it also facilitated the exchange of knowledge, technology, arts and intellectual ideas.

Most importantly, it helped spread the Gospel. And Paul was one of the main “traders.”
I learned recently the Silk Road may have been instrumental in the spread of Black Death. How significant then that Paul was spreading the good news of “The Life,” Jesus Christ! (John 14:6)

In the church Paul planted in Thessalonica, there were a few Jews, “a large number of God-fearing Greeks, as well as a number of the leading women.” Paul wasn’t able to provide extensive teaching because the Jews from the synagogue threatened his team’s safety. So, the church sent Paul and Silas to Berea. (Acts 17:5-10) As a result, the new believers in Thessalonica were left . . . alone.

As newcomers to anything, our knowledge is limited and we need guidance. For example, if I don’t read the instructions for steeping time, I’ll brew bitter, nasty tea. Similarly, without experienced leaders present to offer instructions on how to live new life in Jesus, the church fell into discouragement and disarray due to persecution and bad theology. This made Paul’s two letters critical, because they instructed, corrected, and encouraged during his physical absence.

Discouragement. Troubles. Suffering. Even today, first-world Christians have a hard time believing we’ll endure such hardship. After all, we belong to Christ. Surely we should be exempt. Likely, these babes in the faith at Thessalonica thought and felt the same.

Here’s the rub. As a believer, suffering is certain. Jesus told us in John 16:33 to expect trouble in this world because we follow Him. Throughout his letters, Paul mentions the Thessalonians’ suffering and persecution, as well as his own. Consider Romans 8:35, which speaks of affliction, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger and sword. Honestly, by itself, this list scares me a little.

But suffering is not the end of the story. Jesus completes His thought in John 16 by declaring He has overcome the world! Jesus suffered on the cross, but He rose victorious over sin and death. 

For us, we endure “by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:3)
We become imitators of Christ through suffering. (1 Thessalonians 2:14)
We are “counted worthy of God’s kingdom” when we suffer for it. (2 Thessalonians 1:5)
In the end, “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us,” Jesus. (Romans 8:37)

Yes, suffering is certain, but so is hope, for when we suffer well, we imitate Christ and become examples to others. In fact, Paul tells the Thessalonian church, “you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.” (1 Thessalonians 1:7) This was especially significant for the Thessalonian church, because their position as a seaport, allowed influence to reach not only other believers, but also those still following other religions. Recognizing this immense opportunity for spreading the Gospel, Paul sent Timothy to encourage and instruct them. They needed the encouragement to continue to hold strong in their faith. But what about instruction?

Both Paul and Timothy gave instructions on how to live as believers. Thessalonians needed to be anchored in the truth of the gospel so they would not be deceived and influenced by false teaching, flawed doctrine, and a polytheistic culture. There were two particular points of instruction. One was how to live as they waited for their ultimate hope, Jesus, to return. The second was regarding the Day of the Lord (the return of Jesus).

Our hope is in Jesus’ return, for which we expectantly wait. But, like the Thessalonians, we frequently view waiting as passive. They had false teachers who convinced many the Lord’s return had already happened. So why continue preparing for the Lord’s return or live faithfully?

Paul corrected this lie. He said, until Jesus returns, believers are to not be lazy but instead, to love one another, “to seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands” (1 Thessalonians 4:10), to “stand firm and hold to the traditions you were taught, whether by what we said or what we wrote,” (2 Thessalonians 2:15) and to “stay awake and be self-controlled” (1 Thessalonians 5:6).

Sisters, we also need to wait expectantly for Jesus’ return, by engaging in active readiness, not just sitting around twiddling our thumbs. There won’t be time to get ready when He comes. (1 Thessalonians 5:2) We need to be ready!

It’s been over 2000 years since Jesus left earth. Let’s not become lazy in our wait for His glorious return. Instead, let us be humble, submissive, and honor His word, thereby experiencing His favor. (Isaiah 66:2) I encourage us to read Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians and determine how we will go about being ready for His return. How can we be traders of the gospel? Let’s each settle on actions through prayer and study and then live ready!

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Nations Day 7 The Unreached At Home: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out The Unreached At Home!

The Questions

1) Who is “me”, the author who describes his experience in this passage? (verse 1)

2) Why was Israel cut off without hope? (verse 11)

3) Where else do we find “death to life” scenarios in Scripture? (verses 11-14)

Ezekiel 37:1-14

The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by his Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them. There were a great many of them on the surface of the valley, and they were very dry. 3 Then he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I replied, “Lord God, only you know.”

4 He said to me, “Prophesy concerning these bones and say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Lord God says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will live. 6 I will put tendons on you, make flesh grow on you, and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you so that you come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”

7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded. While I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 As I looked, tendons appeared on them, flesh grew, and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. 9 He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man. Say to it: This is what the Lord God says: Breath, come from the four winds and breathe into these slain so that they may live!” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me; the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, a vast army.

11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look how they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore, prophesy and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them, my people, and lead you into the land of

Israel. 13 You will know that I am the Lord, my people, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I have spoken, and I will do it. This is the declaration of the Lord.’”

Original Intent

1) Who is “me”, the author who describes his experience in this passage? (verse 1)
Ezekiel is the author of his book and is the “me” in this passage. He is considered a “major prophet” simply because he had more prophecies than some of the shorter prophetic books. He was often forced to hide from kings who neither cared for Yahweh nor His prophets. Ezekiel was given detailed, and seemingly outlandish, visions of judgments from God. Yahweh didn’t just speak to Ezekiel and give him wild dreams, He also commanded Ezekiel to do unusual things to get God’s message across to Israel. One time, God told him to eat a scroll that represented God’s word of judgment. When he ate it, he said it tasted sweet like honey. (Ezekiel 3:3) During Ezekiel’s growing up years, Jeremiah was Israel’s prophet. Perhaps when God called him into service, Ezekiel remembered the way Jeremiah had been treated and wondered if he would also be poorly received. He may have known Daniel personally, though Daniel was taken captive by the Babylonians a few years before Ezekiel. Ezekiel was in captivity when God called him to be His spokesperson; he wasn’t someone on the outside, he was right with them in Israel’s exile. Sometimes Ezekiel hid in caves for protection, other times he brought food and news to others in hiding. A prophet’s job was not to teach or expound on God’s word, rather, they were hearers of God’s voice and seers of God’s visions. They would then speak the words as given directly from the Lord. Always the truth of God’s heart, whether chastisement or promise, without a prophet’s personal interpretation was to be declared to God’s people. True prophets of Yahweh would also point to the deception of false prophets, warning God’s people not to listen to them. Ezekiel often issued indictments to the people over their broken covenants with God. Ezekiel saw, and prophesied, about the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem before it happened and was also given a vision of the New Jerusalem still to come in Heaven. In this passage, Ezekiel is taken to a graveyard by the Holy Spirit and told to speak life, power, and restoration to dead bones.

2) Why was Israel cut off without hope? (verse 11)
Through the years, Israel allowed evil kings who didn’t follow Yahweh to rule over them. Weakened by giving into their own lusts, vices, and the worship of the pagan gods, Israel’s kings led the nation into deep sin. As a consequence, God permitted them to fall into the hands of enemy nations. Israel was attacked by the Babylonian nation and the vast majority of Jews were taken as captives. The very few who remained in Jerusalem became impoverished and were scattered. While Israel was in captivity, they learned of Jerusalem’s complete destruction and how their beautiful temple, built by King Solomon, had been raided and destroyed. With this loss of their “center” as a people, and the destruction of their physical identifier (the temple of Yahweh), the people of Israel felt as if all “hope had perished.” (verse 11) They saw no source of rescue, felt forgotten by God and cut off from Him as the temple was the physical place of His dwelling with Israel. As a people, Israel was worn down with souls so despairing, they felt as if they were dead. Surely, with such vast destruction and loss, Israel could never regain their footing as a nation or a people chosen by God again. Set against this backdrop of hopelessness and despair, Ezekiel records this conversation of sorts between himself and God. God’s message for Ezekiel and all of Israel is that He will surely restore them. Israel had not been left to perish in their destruction, God would bring His Rescuer to save them and bring Hope to the world!

3) Where else do we find “death to life” scenarios in Scripture? (verses 11-14)
This portion of Ezekiel’s book records one of his many visions during which, the Spirit of God physically brings Ezekiel to a literal graveyard. Decaying, dry bones are scattered everywhere across a valley. The grotesque sight before Ezekiel was strewn with remnants and reminders that what once was living, was now destroyed by death. Just visualizing it in my head makes me shudder! Where Ezekiel saw dried up old bones and decay returning to dust, God saw something entirely different. He saw Israel waiting for the impossible, God as Rescuer. He wanted Ezekiel to know, and declare to every Israelite, that God not only saw their death and decay, but He would surely bring His new life to enter their dried-up hearts. Only once we are assuredly dead can the impossibility of life and restoration be attained by God and God alone! Only Yahweh, the One True God, can bring radical life where death once reigned! Ezekiel breathes on the bones, but it is God’s Spirit in him that causes the bones to come alive and have muscle and flesh restored. There are many more stunning ‘death-to-life’ moments in Scripture! Elijah raised a widow’s dead son. (1 Kings 17:17-18) Elisha raised a widow’s dead son. (2 Kings 4:8-16) Jesus raised Jairus’ dead daughter. (Luke 8:41-42, 49-54) Jesus raised Lazarus, who had been dead for 4 days. (John 11:1-44) Peter raised Dorcas back from the dead. (Acts 9:36-41) Jesus Christ’s own Resurrection from the dead. (John 20:1-17)

Everyday Application

1) Who is “me”, the author who describes his experience in this passage? (verse 1)
Even if Ezekiel didn’t personally know Daniel while they were in captivity together, it was likely an encouragement to know he wasn’t alone. At least there was one other person who still followed Yahweh! Ezekiel was called to be a prophet when he was 30 (Ezekiel 1:1), but despite his age, God chose Ezekiel to fulfill this enormous task. I’m sure there were many times Ezekiel felt inadequate, but God continued using Him for His divine purposes and gave His Spirit to equip Ezekiel. Do you ever struggle with feeling worthy or capable of doing what God has called you to do? Or perhaps you feel as if others view you as too young to fulfill a position you know God has directed you into. We don’t know if Jeremiah was ever in a position to mentor Ezekiel, but even without a face-to-face mentor, Ezekiel knew many prophets had gone before him and God had faithfully preserved His message through them. Of course, God Himself was speaking directly to Ezekiel as well; what stronger encouragement could there be?! When it comes to following Jesus, it’s exceedingly helpful to have someone who has walked ahead of us offer guidance and wisdom. We desperately need community with other like-minded Christ-followers so we can be encouraged and sharpened in our faith journey. Knowing others have faithfully followed Jesus before us and are still continuing to grow in their faith is a treasure indeed! When we hear a word from the Lord, or are given a vision from Him, it is helpful to ask another trusted believer for insight, but it is even more important to study God’s Word for ourselves. Scripture will never contradict what you feel God is calling you to do. Always test your actions and thoughts with His word! (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21) Ask God to confirm the validity of the word or vision we have. If it is from Him, He will confirm and encourage us through His Word and others who seek Him!

2) Why was Israel cut off without hope? (verse 11)
We can certainly feel dried up and hopeless just like the Israelites. We all experience many times when we feel as if we are cut off from God, even for those of us who are committed Christ-followers! We go down paths we thought were good at the time, only to discover we are far from God’s design for us because we have chosen to love and serve other things above God. Are you feeling without hope? Israel did, many times. Jesus’ disciples felt that way occasionally as well, and they walked alongside Jesus in the flesh! Have your circumstances created heartbreak and hopelessness instead of the joy and fulfillment you anticipated? If you aren’t sure where to turn, lean into Christ. The same God who declared His rescue and victory for a destroyed nation, promises rescue and His faithful presence to each of us reading this today! Jesus is always present, listening, and waiting for us to turn to Him. If you’ve never searched the Scripture for words of hope before, you aren’t alone. Perhaps you’ve never cracked open a Bible at all, please hear me, the God of the Bible is for you! Determine to come close to the God who is even now calling you, open His Word, and begin knowing Him in deeper ways. Wherever you are with God, there will always be more of Himself that He is waiting to reveal to you! You could start really anywhere in reading Scripture, but a good place to begin knowing God better is in the gospel of John. What will you discover about the Almighty as you turn to Him as your Rescuer?!

3) Where else do we find “death to life” scenarios in Scripture? (verses 11-14)
Because God is omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipotent (all-powerful) and is therefore able to transcend all of time, the hope that was present for each of these people from the past, is still available to us today. The same Almighty God is just as capable of bringing life from dead places today as He was in the Old and New Testament. While God absolutely still brings physical healing to our bodies today, the grandest stage for “death-to-life” transformations are the hearts and lives of regular people with messy, broken circumstances. Only the Almighty God can take a heart bent on self-worship and rebellion against God and bring it to repentance. People whose love for Christ has grown cold, marriages that are withering away, friendships that have been severed, or the ugly, deep wounds of abuse can all be transformed by the God who specializes in bringing life from “impossible death” scenarios. Freedom and life are available to all of us because of the most pivotal death-to-life moment when Jesus Christ died and then raised to life three days later. He gave Himself as the ultimate sacrifice, paying the penalty required for all sin, for all time, for all people. (John 3:16) In His death, everyone can find life! Christ created access to God for everyone and anyone, but this gift does not come to us automatically. We must believe on Christ, trusting His work to cover for our sin (Acts 2:38, Acts 16:30), then we are to repent and turn away from our sins to follow Him. When we come to Jesus in honest, humble repentance, He is faithful and just to forgive us. (1 John 1:9) In this moment we have life! Our former existence of shame and sin has now died in the death of Christ and, just as Jesus was raised, so are we! (2 Corinthians 5:17) Our new self is alive and well for all eternity!

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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!

Digging Deeper Community

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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Nations Week Two!
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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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Enough Day 15 Promised Land Restored

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 13
Isaiah 65:17-25
Philippians 2:5-11
Revelation 21:1-8
Revelation 22

Enough, Day 15

A friend made a sign for me reading, “You are enough.” She meant to encourage me not to feel burdened to live up to anyone else’s expectations. It sounds great, but not one of us is enough on our own, least of all me.

“You are enough” sounds easy and available for our immediate gratification.
But let’s not settle for the immediacy of what we can muster up
when what God has promised is glorious.

You see, God is love. He is worthy. He is Lord.
God is enough.

Any hope we have should be placed in Him, not ourselves. He alone can satisfy our every desire, heal every broken place, give us victory, and gather us to live with Him forever. Only He can fulfill every promise.

I know I’ve made some lofty statements here. But friends, they aren’t mine. They are God’s, breathed into the hearts and minds of men, and penned on the pages of the Bible. (2 Timothy 3:16) Shall we explore a little?

God is love.
1 Corinthians 13 gives us a picture of biblical love, explaining love is patient. Furthermore, 2 Peter 3: 9 tells us God is patiently waiting to fulfill His remaining promises, so more people may repent and join Him in heaven. Y’all, it’s been over 2000 years since Jesus came. Patient? Check.

We also see love is kind and not self-seeking. During Jesus’ ministry on earth, He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, taught thousands, raised the dead, forgave sins and most importantly, died on the cross to conquer sin and death! Yet, He didn’t go around announcing His miracles and acts of kindness. In fact, He usually instructed people not to speak of their interactions. (Luke 8:56 and Matthew 8:4)

1 Corinthians 13:6 says love rejoices in truth. In the New Testament, Jesus says, “I tell you the truth” over 70 times!

Clearly, God is love.

God is worthy.
There are many verses I could point to, but I’ve settled on two. First is John 1:1-5, where we learn:

  •     God is eternal
  •     Father God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit created everything.
  •     Jesus is the light of men and cannot be overcome by darkness

Then, there’s Revelation 5. Verse 12 gives us a glimpse of the throne room of heaven when the Lamb (Jesus) takes the scroll, thousands upon thousands of angels, the living creatures, and the elders will loudly say, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

In verse 13, we see “every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth on the
sea, and everything in them say,
Blessing and honor and glory and power
be to the one seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

I can’t add anything to this. Quite simply and wonderfully, He is worthy!

Jesus is Lord.
God could have saved us from our sin and from death any way He wanted; He chose to send His Son, Jesus, to die for us on the cross.

Because Jesus was obedient to do the Father’s will,
“God highly exalted Him
and gave Him the name
that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow—
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth —
and every tongue will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

And when we reach the end times, written on the robe and thigh of Jesus will be His name “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” (Revelation 19:16)

Speaking of the end times, did you realize they bring fulfillment of an early promise God made to Abraham? God promised Abraham would be the father of many nations, but He also promised actual land. However, because God’s perspective is eternal, there is an even greater land we’ve been promised! Revelation 21:1-8 tells us of the “land” where God will dwell for the rest of eternity with “those written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27).

In this New Heaven and New Earth, we find:

Gather us to live with Him forever? Check.
Abraham never saw the extent of the land he was promised, but his offspring did. Now we can wait expectantly with the hope of God’s eternal Promised Land.

Friends, I hope you feel the same longing as Abraham. While we wait on the God who is enough, let’s get to know Him better. Let’s share Him with others, so they, too, will be in the Lamb’s book of life.

This world we live in is hard, but it’s not our real home. Can we agree to live in anticipation of the glorious day when everything is restored and we are eternally and blamelessly in the presence of our holy God? Let it be so.

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Worship VIII Day 9 Who Is Like Our God?: 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 Who Is Like Our God?!

The Questions

1) What is the meaning of “the Word” in this passage?

2) How was Jesus’ life the light of men? (verse 4)

3) How does this passage lead us to worship?

John 1:1-5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.  3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.  5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.

Original Intent

1) What is the meaning of “the Word” in this passage?
Perhaps a better question would be Who is the Word. The Word is Jesus. John is explaining in these opening verses of his gospel narrative that Jesus is in fact God; He is eternal, even taking part in creation. Hebrews 1:3 tells us the Son (Jesus) is not only the “radiance of God’s glory”, but also the “exact expression of His character.” John begins his account of the gospel by providing a foundation of Who Jesus is as fully divine as he helps his audience understand this idea of a triune, meaning three-in-One, God. Part of the original intent would have been to link the God the Israelites had studied and worshiped their entire lives to this new guy on the scene, Jesus. John takes his readers all the way back to Genesis 1:1, even using the same wording “in the beginning”, to make the connection. Additionally, the account of creation in Genesis tells us God spoke his “Word” and the world was created. Again, his language points clearly that this Jesus, a man in the flesh, was present at the time of creation as the Word, co-equal with God the Father. The original Greek language used “logos” for “Word”, which signified “a distinct manifestation of God”. Holman Bible Dictionary explains, “John saw that the same agent of God who gave life in the first creation was also giving life in the new creation inaugurated by Jesus’ coming. The creative Word of God became flesh; being divine He embodied divine communication. Now the Word dwells among us revealing the glory of God.” John is leading us towards an understanding of Jesus’ eternal nature, while also providing reasons why He alone is worthy of our praise and worship precisely because He is God!

2) How was Jesus’ life the light of men? (verse 4)
To answer this question, we must first understand what the purpose and essence of light. I know it seems rather silly. Light is obviously an energy source that allows us to see and find our way in the darkness. When we back up to the obvious understandings, we can make more sense of the complicated concepts of Scripture. In this context of seeing in the dark, we can understand that the life of Jesus is meant to provide us with direction, clarity, lighting up the dark paths surrounding us. Up to this point, the Jewish people had been looking to the Law, passed down from Moses to light their path and provide them with instruction and guidance for living. The Law was extremely detailed and confusing, not to mention long, and impossible to keep in its entirety. Nonetheless, the Law of Moses was all the Israelites had ever known. Now, Jesus comes on the scene and things began to change. John tells his readers they no longer need to look to the Law or religious leaders for direction, but to the God-man, Jesus because He embodied the fullness of the Law and the prophets. He was the one who would light their paths and show them how to live. This meant a new way of thinking for the Jews. It was also one of the reasons why the religious leaders (Pharisees and Scribes) didn’t really like Jesus. Can you imagine how freeing this would have been to your average Jew?! Your entire life had been lived under an exhausting set of rules. Then Jesus came to shine the true Light of freedom and forgiveness found only in Him that leads to eternity. There is only One Worthy of our worship, and it’s Jesus, the Life and Light of the world!

3) How does this passage lead us to worship?
John’s readers had been taught their entire lives that you only worshiped the Lord God and this worship happened most often in the temple where the Spirit of God resided. Not only that, but only those chosen as priests could enter the Holy of Holies (inner sanctuary of God), the place where His Presence dwelt. Teaching them to see and understand that Jesus, this guy they could see, hear and follow, was in fact the same God they had grown up worshipping. His Presence was however, no longer confined to the temple, but was walking among them. This was mind-blowing! It meant they no longer needed to travel to the temple to worship, but could worship God wherever they happened to be. It also meant they had just as much direct access to God as did the priests. They themselves could talk to God because He gave His Spirit to live within all who believed on Him! These few verses clearly pointed to Jesus and His eternal nature, His power, and His authority. I mean, talk about a reason to worship!!

Everyday Application

1) What is the meaning of “the Word” in this passage?
As with the original intent, John’s gospel helps us connect the dots so to speak, providing the critically important understanding that Jesus has always existed. There was no “beginning” for Jesus; He was present before, and involved in, the creation of the world. Jesus is One with God. (John 17:21) This “word play” can become confusing for us when we talk about God as our Father and Jesus as the Son of God, because those terms seem to indicate two separate beings in the English language and our minds! Returning to the Greek “logos” and reminding ourselves of the original meaning, “a distinct manifestation of God” is incredibly important as we work to understand the meaning of Jesus’ identity. Christ Jesus is that very distinct manifestation or visual representation of the fullness of God. It’s important to note that this same word “logos” is used in Revelation 19:11-13 speaking of the return of Christ. The Word (Jesus) was, is, and is to come. Someone once asked me, “Isn’t it a good thing that you don’t completely understand God? Do you really want to worship someone you 100% understand?” While at first you might think, “Yes; that would make life so much easier!” But, if we give some time to pondering the idea, we will land in a place of honesty where we realize we would certainly not want to worship One we could fully comprehend. God is utterly unlike anyone we know; His ways and thoughts cannot be understood by mere human beings! His altogether otherness is what makes Him worthy of our worship!

2) How was Jesus’ life the light of men? (verse 4)
As we study this passage and carry its truths into our everyday moments, let’s keep in mind the purpose of light by providing us with the ability to see where we are going. The older I get, the more light I seem to need in order to see clearly. Whether it’s driving at night or trying to read pretty much anywhere, I find it much easier for my old eyes to focus and see clearly when the light is bright. Given a choice, I will always choose the well-lit road to travel. This principle is the same when it comes to following Jesus. The way He illuminates is the way that leads to abundant life! It really is simple; the light Jesus provides is just like the brightness that a lightbulb provides, allowing us to see clearly and pointing out any obstacles that may be in our path. When we surrender ourselves to Jesus, He teaches us how to follow Him where there is shadow or darkness. Even the darkness is light to Him! (Psalm 139:12) Reference after reference in Scripture talk about Jesus being our Light. Psalms 119:105 tells us, “your word is a lamp for my feet and light to my path”. In John 8:12 Jesus says, “I am the light of the world”, and Matthew 4:16 says, “those living in darkness have seen a great light (Jesus)”. The Life of Jesus provides the best Light possible because only Jesus can conquer the darkness of our sin through His infinite Life. His Light never burns out or grows dull, but shines just as brightly today as it did hundreds of years ago.

3) How does this passage lead us to worship?
Allow me to offer perhaps an easier to understand paraphrase of these verses by inserting “Jesus” in place of “Word”. Jesus was in the beginning, Jesus was with God, Jesus was God. Jesus was the Creator of all things, and nothing was made without His involvement. Jesus is life. Jesus is light and no darkness has or can ever overtake the light He alone provides. These are clear and easy to understand facts that lead you and I to understand who Jesus is; our natural conclusion is that He alone is worthy of our worship. Without Jesus, we wouldn’t exist! Without Jesus, we would not even understand Light. Without Jesus, we would have no access to God. Without Jesus, we would still be trying to live up to the impossible standards of the Law. Without Jesus, there would be no hope of being free from the condemnation we deserve because of our sin. Without Jesus, we would be lost, wandering, and constantly searching for something or someone to make our life complete. Without Jesus, there would be nothing. Our everyday lives are flooded with many distractions and loud voices all claiming to have the answers, the product, or the experience we are missing. This world wants us to believe we are our own gods, that we can be and do whatever we want, without consequence. This world elevates celebrities, athletes, politicians, and lately, even medical professionals and vaccines, as the answer. These things simply are not true, and won’t last for eternity. All of these people need Jesus just as much as you and I. We all have one Creator; one Savior and His name is Jesus! He is absolutely the only One worthy of our worship!

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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

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Worship VIII Day 6 Our Beautiful Jealous God

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 34:10-14
Exodus 20:1-6
Isaiah 42:5-8
Jeremiah 10:6-7

Worship VIII, Day 6

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” ― A.W. Tozer

Our Creator God is a jealous God?? In what human relationships is jealousy known to be a good thing? Have you ever experienced the benefits of jealousy?

Upon first consideration, this idea of God as holy AND jealous seems confusing or contradictory, right? Yet, it’s clearly communicated throughout Scripture. So let’s dig into this concept together, asking God to enlighten our spirits.

As you read my words, and more importantly, the words of Scripture, I pray you will recall Isaiah 55:8-9, which reminds us our thoughts are not God’s thoughts nor our ways, God’s ways.

While we are made in God’s image, some aspects of God are wholly “other,” with no human or creature reference at all. For example, His omniscience. Is there any reference point we, in our limited human understanding, have to grasp an ALL-knowing Being? No.

I would urge you to understand the Holy Jealousy of God in this light. It is a perfect jealousy; it is not tainted by insecurity, capriciousness, rage, or malice. 

It is rooted fully in the perfect and sacrificial love of God.

One has only to go to the foot of the cross to see undeniable and compelling evidence for how much God loves us; there, we understand God’s jealousy for our worship of Him alone in the light of His LOVE for us and His zealous desire for our highest good.

Let’s turn to God’s Word to wade into the deep waters of understanding God as other and God as jealous.

“No god was formed before Me, and there will be none after Me.  I—I am the Lord. Besides Me, there is no Savior. I alone declared, saved, and proclaimed—and not some foreign god among you.” (Isaiah 43:10-12)

“I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God but Me.” (Isaiah 45:5)

“Look, I am the Lord, the God over every creature. Is anything too difficult for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27)

“The God who made the world and everything in it—He is Lord of heaven and earth—does not live in shrines made by hands. Neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He himself gives everyone life and breath and all things.” (Acts 17:24-25)

“He is the blessed and only  Sovereign, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see, to Him be honor and eternal power. Amen.” (1 Timothy 6:15b-16)

And finally, Isaiah 53:10 reveals the will of God the Father to crush His Son, Jesus, for our FREEDOM.

When we consider God’s jealousy for our worship is birthed out of His love and passion for us to experience only the highest good, we can rightly frame God’s jealousy as holy. Our worship of God alone brings wholeness and peace, rightly ordering our affections and pursuits.

I have seen this truth within my own life. By the time I reached college, I had an inward sense that I was born a worshiper. (I know now that we are ALL born to worship something.)

For most of my life, I worshipped my own image with greatest devotion. By college, I finally became aware of my self-absorption. I longed for others to think well of me.

I also longed for a boyfriend who would one day become my spouse and (in my Disney-inspired, imagined sense of reality) make all my dreams come true, fulfilling my longings for love and acceptance.

Long story, short, I did marry . . . but not the first man who caught my eye. My husband wasn’t even the second or third man who swept me off my feet and stole my heart. Three times over, I watched my idol of a life partner burn to the ground, its ashes left to demonstrate the hollow and fleeting nature of the object of my worship.

Now, after nearly 2 decades of marriage, I understand no earthly spouse can hold the weight of my needs and expectations to be loved and accepted.
Only God could do this.
Only the God who numbers the hairs on my head (Matthew 10:30) could also be my ever-present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1).
Only God, who knows the words I will speak before they even come out of my mouth, could also demand my whole-hearted affection, devotion, and thanksgiving like no other.

He is jealous for our worship.
Not to satisfy His own need, but to satisfy our hearts in His sufficiency.

He is a worthy, jealous God. 

For further study:
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/god-is-jealous-for-your-joy
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-jealousy-of-god/
https://www.christianpost.com/voices/is-god-a-jealous-god.html
https://gracequotes.org/topic/god-jealousy/

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