Who wrote Deuteronomy and who did they write it to?
Moses wrote Deuteronomy for the new generation of Israelites that would inherit the land promised to their ancestors by God.
When did the events of Deuteronomy happen?
Deuteronomy covers the timeline of approximately 1446BC-1380BC and is said to have been written while the Israelites were camped across from the Promised Land, right before entering the land.
What is the setting of Deuteronomy?
On the plains of Moab, across the Jordan River from the Promised Land where they camped after their 40 years of wandering the wilderness.
What is the purpose of Deuteronomy?
Moses reviews the history of the Israelites (Deuteronomy 1–3)
The fifth book of the Pentateuch; the books of Moses.
Summary of the whole Pentateuch, and the first book of prophecy.
Tells of Israel's disobedience, destruction, and eventual restoration.
Reminds us that we are called to love and obey God, that God is a promise keeper, and that there are consequences for disobedience as well as the promise of hope to come.
Updates and expands on the laws for the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land.
Focuses on the generation of Israelites that were not present during the events on Mount Sinai.
Lessons for the Israelites in how God wanted them to live in the land He had been promised to them in their ancestors' lifetime.
Tells of the last days of Moses' life, and the choosing of his successor.
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Have you accepted the grace of God?
If you have not accepted the grace of God and chosen to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to pray to God now and invite Him in, accept Jesus as the sacrifice for your sins, and repent of your sins. Submit it all to God, lay it at His feet, seek the forgiveness of God, welcome Him into your life, and believe that Jesus died and rose again to save you from your sins.
If you would like to learn more aboutsalvation, you can find a couple of studies that may help here:
Summary of Journey from Egypt to Canaan (Numbers 33)
Boundaries of Canaan and distribution of the land (Numbers 34-36)
How does the book of Numbers apply to my life?
The fourth book of the Pentateuch; the books of Moses.
Accounts for the gradual fulfillment of promises made to Abraham regarding his descendants being the people of God and occupying Canaan.
Displays the reality of God’s presence with the Israelites and their constant doubt, unbelief and grumbling that costs many lives and the delay of entering Canaan by 40 years.
Underscores the importance of obedience in the life of Christians and reminds us of the value of learning from the ways in which God has worked in the past.
Highlights God’s discipline when His people choose to disobey.
If you have not accepted the grace of God and chosen to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to pray to God now and invite Him in, accept Jesus as the sacrifice for your sins, and repent of your sins. Submit it all to God, lay it at His feet, seek the forgiveness of God, welcome Him into your life, and believe that Jesus died and rose again to save you from your sins.
If you would like to learn more about salvation, you can find a couple of studies that may help here:
Leviticus is part of the Pentateuch, and one of the five books of the Torah.
Ordination established for Christ to fulfill the Law.
Displays the faithfulness of God toward His people throughout all of history.
Reveals the holiness and love of God toward His people in ways not found anywhere else in scripture.
Teaches the importance of knowing and applying God’s Law.
Encourages Christians about faithful obedience to God through cleanliness and worship.
Instructs about the importance of giving back to God.
Teaches about the way to God and the walk with God.
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Have you accepted the grace of God?
If you have not accepted the grace of God and chosen to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to pray to God now and invite Him in, accept Jesus as the sacrifice for your sins, and repent of your sins. Submit it all to God, lay it at His feet, seek the forgiveness of God, welcome Him into your life, and believe that Jesus died and rose again to save you from your sins.
If you would like to learn more about salvation, you can find a couple of studies that may help here:
Who wrote the book of Exodus and who did they write it to?
The book of Exodus is widely believed to be primarily written by Moses and some content was likely added in by others later. The immediate audience would have been the Israelites.
When did the events of the book of Exodus happen?
The Exodus occurs between approximately 1915 BC to 1406 BC.
What is the setting of the book of Exodus?
Exodus covers the events of the Israelites in Egypt, as well as their journey out of Egypt to Mount Sanai.
The book of Exodus is filled with important information about the history of God's people and the world. It is not only important, but so many of the lessons we can learn are relevant to each one of us as children of God. Dive in as we explore Exodus chapter by chapter.
If you have not accepted the grace of God and chosen to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to pray to God now and invite Him in, accept Jesus as the sacrifice for your sins, and repent of your sins. Submit it all to God, lay it at His feet, seek the forgiveness of God, welcome Him into your life, and believe that Jesus died and rose again to save you from your sins.
If you would like to learn more about salvation, you can find a couple of studies that may help here:
If you have not accepted the grace of God and chosen to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to pray to God now and invite Him in, accept Jesus as the sacrifice for your sins, and repent of your sins. Submit it all to God, lay it at His feet, seek the forgiveness of God, welcome Him into your life, and believe that Jesus died and rose again to save you from your sins.
If you would like to learn more about salvation, you can find a couple of studies that may help here:
Do you ever feel a bit restless? Like your heart is not quite on fire for Jesus and you're struggling to rekindle it? Maybe you've grown a bit comfortable in your faith and you don't feel like you've grown in a while.
Maybe life is crazy and you're feeling drained, depleted, and drifting away with the current. Psalm 46:10 tells us to "be still and know that [He] is God" and maybe that spiritual stillness is what's missing for you today.
Spiritual stillness for me is when I quietly sit at the feet of my savior, humbled and patient, lifting my hands and bowing my head in loving submission. It happens when I recognize I cannot do this on my own and I need His intervention and control.
I am still with God when I feel restless and life is a whirlwind around me, spinning out of control. I refocus on Jesus and remember He is my anchor to peace and rest, and even while life is crazy with Him I know I can hang on tight and not get carried away by stress and worry.
For a long time, I thought being still meant just chilling in front of the TV and being a potato. I would shut down and just veg out for a while, but when I got back up I wasn't feeling closer to Jesus, nor was I feeling rested. In fact, often I felt like I'd drifted further away and was even more exhausted.
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This is where God began to show me that stillness is about rest for my soul. Being still and knowing He is God is about resting in Christ. Sure, being a potato can help you physically, but if you're not handing yourself over to Christ for Him to work in you and restore your soul, you'll never be made into potato chips, salted and ready to bring flavor to the world.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
If you're feeling disconnected from God or overwhelmed by life, come back to Him, rest at His feet, meditate over His Word, talk to Him as you would talk to a friend, pour your heart and soul out to Him so He can pour Himself into you and give you the rest you need that only He can provide.
When we make the decision to give our lives to God believe that Jesus died and rose again to save us from our sins, and commit to living like we believe, we must seek God, confess our sins to Him, ask forgiveness, and receive Christ as our Lord and Savior. This is done through passionate prayer. Praying for strength is a beautiful way to surrender to God when we lack our own strength to keep going.
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Every relationship with God begins with prayer and shouldn't stop there
Once we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we now have the Holy Spirit within us, guiding us every day. We do our best to learn and grow in God's ways as this new person we've suddenly become, but how do we know when we are on the right track? How will we know what to do, how to do it, or when?
In order to hear God we must open up the lines of communication through spending time in His Word and prayer.
Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
Prayer is not something we do to check a box for the day. Prayer is a primary and necessary means of staying connected, in tune, and in communication with God. When we pray with intention, powerfully and passionately, truly seeking God out we open ourselves up more to hearing His answers and seeing Him working in our life. We allow Him to empty us again of ourselves and fill us up with more of Him. Prayer gives us a way to seek forgiveness, help, peace, provision, and even comfort from the Lord. Prayer is having a conversation with your Heavenly Father.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Life gets tough sometimes. We will face trouble; He knows it better than we do and tells us to give Him our worries, present our requests to Him, and be faithful in prayer. God wants us to talk to Him and trust Him with our struggles. There is incredible power in passionate prayer. Seeking God out and bringing our troubles to Him is a faith practice that helps us to both act out our trust and faith in God, and also to strengthen it as we break down the barriers and let Him in.
Prayer is not only something we do for ourselves or when there is trouble. We should give thanks to God, pray for others, even including our enemies, and praise the Lord in our prayers. How we talk to our Heavenly Father has a huge impact on our attitudes and heart. When all we do is bring our wants and needs to God we tend to get stuck in despair and create the breeding grounds for selfishness.
When we are praying to check a box we let ourselves become distant from God and it becomes easier for our faith to waver. When we give Him our heart, thank Him even for the smallest things it breaks through the despair, rekindles the fire, and we begin to see and hear Him clearer. When we pray for others we help them lift their burdens and open our eyes to seeing what God is doing in the lives of others.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Every relationship with God begins with prayer and shouldn't stop there. Pray everywhere, in all things.
Putting our heart into our prayers, truly desiring to communicate with Him and see what He will do in and around us will reap such powerful blessings. This is an essential part of our ever-growing relationship with Him and a constant faith exercise. All relationships require healthy communication and this is true of our relationship with God above all others. There is never a time, situation or place where prayer is not needed. No circumstance is ever inappropriate for prayer. You have never gone so far, so long, so bad that He will not hear your prayers and welcome them. Develop relationships with His people as well and help one another lift your burdens and praises to Him. You are not in this alone, and you don’t have to know what to say, but reach out to God from your heart and you will open yourself up to a deeper relationship with the One who is bigger than all of it.
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
A - Adoration: Begin your prayer with praise. Praise God for who He is. Praise Him with a grateful heart. This aligns our heart to Him and serves as a great reminder why we pray to God - because He is who He says He is. Thank Him for who He is to you right now.
C - Confession: Open up to God about whatever you want forgiveness for. Sometimes we won’t know what we need to be forgiven of but don’t skip this - seek forgiveness anyway and ask God to work in you and open your eyes to where you need to change. Be honest with God about your confessions. He knows all that we do, think, and feel already and bringing it to Him for forgiveness has such freeing and healing powers.
T - Thanksgiving: Thank God for what He is doing in your life, as well as in the lives of others. There is always so much to be thankful for. All we have is from Him, so all we have deserves thanks to our provider. Even thanking God for waking you up today, for choosing you, for being who He is has power and let all the thanks of your heart no matter how big, small, mundane or ridiculous it may seem just flow out to Him. This helps us to open our eyes and see how He has blessed you and those around you.
S - Supplication: Pray for yourself. Bring to God whatever is on your heart for yourself, your needs, your wants, healing, guidance, help, peace. Pray for others as well, bringing their requests to Him. Whatever it is you need or want, bring it to Him. Notice this is the final step of prayer after you have set your heart on praise, forgiveness, and thanks. Submit your heart to God and accept that His will be done, not yours.
'Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. '
We are living through a very chaotic time right now. The world around us feels tense, people are experiencing heightened anxiety, anger, and frustrations, and society does not feel like a joyful place at all. How could we possibly find joy in a time like this? How could Christ possibly be glorified in all this pain, sickness, and division? How can we rejoice in the middle of all this suffering?
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. '
Lately I have been on a roller coaster. Life seems to be going up and down, and I know most if not all of us are experiencing the same in our own ways. This week has been tough, but as I struggled in moments of anxiety I realized that I have begun to understand Paul’s words in these verses. He tells us that in every situation when we seek God out, bringing every joy, pain, and all the in-betweens to Him He does not sit idly by. When we’ve emptied ourselves out to Him and made space for Him to fill us, fill us is precisely what He does.
'Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. '
A vital way to make space in our hearts for more of Him is to remember what we have to be thankful for. These days it seems a bit harder to see those things, but even Paul, while he is imprisoned for his faith, points out that there are always things to be thankful for. Paul says at the end of verse 8 “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
What is praiseworthy in your life right now?
Think about that. Don’t focus on what is going wrong; focus on those bits of light, patch them together, and see that there is so much more light than you realize. There is so much more to rejoice over than it seems. Let that light fill you and overflow from you, strengthening you.
'I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
No matter what phase of life you find yourself in, whether you have much or little, whether you are in peace or suffering, whether you have more questions than answers, you can get through all of it with Christ. Christ is in you, strengthening you, building you up from the inside out. Paul is calling on you to change, to empty yourself, to be transformed by the power of Christ.
'Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. '
No matter what tests you face or waters you wade through you will always have His glory and promises to look forward to, and His love and provisions to be thankful for. You can rejoice in your responsibility to imitate Christ and bring others to Him. You have a mission while you are here, and an incredible inheritance to look forward to. Never forget how worthy of praise this is. Rejoice always, because there truly is so much to rejoice over.
'The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”'
Last week we discussed what it means to be emptied. When we are emptied of ourselves, we clear out our old selves and sinful nature, and with this clearing out we are making room to be filled up. This process of being emptied and filled is a constant process we need to repeat over and over throughout our lives. When we empty ourselves to God, we need to leave ourselves open to Him so He can fill us up with Himself; with all that He knows we need.
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
When Christ came to earth, He humbled Himself in becoming a man like us. He set aside His privileges in order to prioritize the needs of others; of us. He didn’t hold His status of being one with God over anyone. He emptied Himself of His privileges and allowed Himself to be filled with the spirit of a humble servant, obedient to God’s will and glory.
'Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. '
Jesus remained steadfast, humble, and obedient in all He did. He served people all around the world, loved them, did not complain or slander, and in this servitude, He was then placed in the highest place above all others. If we are called to be like Christ, we, too, are called to empty ourselves of our perceived and assumed privileges, our selfishness, our complaining and slandering, and our old, sinful selves and allow God to make us new in Christ, filling us up as well with the spirit of servitude for His Kingdom and obedience to Him.
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
He calls us to love others, to display patience, kindness, humility, mercy and grace. This is what He wants to fill us up in, but we must be emptied of what our culture expects of us, what our society demands of us, the norms and stigmas we face, and instead become a beacon for Christ.
'Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky '
Philippians 2:15 says we “... will shine among them like stars in the sky”. We can choose to be a beautiful light spreading love, joy, truth, and healing or we can choose to be a broken light that spreads darkness, hurt, and harm. You have an identity in Christ and a responsibility to spread His light rather than the broken lights and darkness of this world. Empty yourself to God, let Him change your broken bulb, and be filled with His light so that you can spill over into the lives of others.
And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp-stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
The other day I found myself asking “what sin do I struggle with most?” This isn’t something people are likely to ask themselves often if at all, but it reminded me of a similar question I have been asking myself; “What have I been saved from?” It led me to explore the additional questions "what has God emptied me of?"
'In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Each question is unlikely to come up in everyday conversation, but all are questions I wholeheartedly believe God wants us to be asking ourselves often. These aren’t questions to condemn, or make you feel guilty or ashamed, but are rather questions to steer you in the direction of emptying yourself.
In the book of Philippians, we see a theme of three key principles to answer these questions. We are going to break these principles down and look at why we should be asking ourselves these questions, as well as the importance of being emptied, filled, and rejoicing always.
What does it mean to be emptied?
To be “emptied of yourself” means to cast off your old self, or your sinful nature. When we make the decision to follow Christ we undergo a transformation. We go from “believing” to applying that belief. We are made new in Christ and must empty ourselves of how we once lived before we knew Christ, of who we were before we gained our new identity as a child of God. The answer to these questions we are asking can be found within this transformation and will continue to shift and change as you continue to be transformed by God.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
In order to be emptied, it can be helpful to know what we need to be emptied of. Christ died to save us each from our own specific sins. We all face our own struggles. Some of us battle with pride and esteem ourselves higher or better than others. Some of us fight with sloth or gluttony, some with idolatry, wrath or violent behavior, lust, and even envy or jealousy. The sins we face come in different forms, depths, and names, but we all fight sin.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
I determined that sloth is my weakness. I am not intentionally lazy, but man do I lack motivation sometimes. Sometimes I just purely have a hard time correctly prioritizing tasks and then more important things can sometimes fall through the cracks or become delayed. Knowing this about myself makes it easier to give my laziness to God, empty myself of it, and strive to let that nature go.
We will always be faced with temptation for our weaknesses, but in allowing God to empty that out time and again I’m better able to resist, avoid, and become stronger against it. It's not a one and done or quick fix, but each time we lift it up our yoke is lightened.
For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
Look at where He is transforming your life as you give yourself over in faith. Lift your hands up and give it to God. Allow yourself to be emptied, so that you may be filled again, and rejoice always.
'For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; '
And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
How do we know when we are blessed by God? What does it mean to be “blessed”? One definition, according to Dictionary.com, says “a favor or gift bestowed by God, thereby bringing happiness.” So by definition being blessed is when God gives us favor and gifts.
Throughout this series, we have looked at how we are tested in day-to-day life, what to do when we struggle with God’s plan, how to face conflict, and the importance of standing firm in our faith in the midst of it all. But what comes of all this hardship? Why is standing firm and remaining faithful so important?
When we remain steadfast, constant, and firm in our faith it does not go unnoticed. God sees us keep faith and blesses us through the muck and grind of life in so many different ways. So often we think that being blessed means we will have more money, more ‘things’, perfect relationships, or fewer struggles. We think that by being blessed life will somehow just be easier. This is not what it is to be blessed, though.
Being blessed starts inwardly
Throughout scripture we see a constant theme that explains as we remain steadfast in faith we will experience increased peace and joy that surpasses our human understanding. This peace and joy then overflows out of us into our outward selves and henceforth to other areas of our lives, provisions, and relationships, which are then increasingly blessed as well.
So, to be blessed is really to receive God’s peace and joy, and to be loved, cared for, provided for, and transformed by God. It is God’s fingerprints on every day of our lives. Not only in the big things but also in every little detail of every day, shaped and molded for you by His hands. It is all a blessing.
As we let the blessing of God’s goodness transform our hearts, we begin to see all the additional ways God blesses our lives every day. Soften your heart, open your eyes, and see the wonders God has placed in your path, and through your faithfulness watch those blessings grow.
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You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in God.
But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
There is a strange peace in knowing that any moment could be your last and trusting God with your life nonetheless. This peace has the power to heal, humble, transform, and bring you closer to your calling than you ever imagined was possible. When faced with this strange peace, we must stand firm in it, knowing God is with us and will carry us through in His will and way.
The story of Job tells of circumstances where Job needed to make a decision to trust God, look forward to his heavenly fate whenever it may come, and put his family, friends, and self in God’s hands without wavering. God had taken care of him all his life and now all that he had was stripped away, his friends turned on him, his wife told him to curse God and die, his health was in terrifying condition. Job lost everything, was faced with what seemed to be certain death, and even still Job did something exceptional. Job stood firm in his faith and trust that God was in control, even in his terrible circumstances.
This week I found myself looking to Job for guidance in my own circumstances. I realized that God was trying to teach me to trust Him with my life and with my death, whenever that may come, and even beyond that; that whatever comes, my faith must stand firm in who God is; and that I must always trust God to be in control, no matter what my circumstances are.
I asked God what He wanted me to do and I kept hearing a resounding “do you trust me?” I chose to stand firm in my faith, in who I know God to be, and in the fact that God is in control of everything. No matter where He leads me I am going there with His blessing.
When we are faced with a challenge, suffering, fear, or even possible or certain death in this life we must stand firm in the fact that God is in charge. Oftentimes when we’re seeking it too much we do not see the point, blessing, or lesson and we fail to give God the reigns and let Him handle our situation.
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Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you."
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
When Christ walked the earth it was incredibly dangerous to be a follower of Jesus. Even before Christ came people faced peril and ridicule when they talked about God and their faith in Him. When Christ gave the disciples their great commission, He told them they would face trouble in this world while following Him. They would be challenged.
Our culture is what we call the "1st world" may not be a threat of death at every turn when we follow Jesus, but we still face challenges in our walk with Him. We face loved ones, friends, enemies, and strangers alike who will try to sway our faith in God. We trudge through slander, ridicule, loss of relationships, harassment, bullying, assaults, and all kinds of abuse from people because we choose to believe that God is God, scripture is truth, and Jesus died and rose again to save us from our sins. The world around us is ripe with those who will gladly rip your faith to shreds if you let them.
What do we do when we face challenges?
So what do we do when we face these challenges? How do we respond when loved ones and friends discourage us in our faith? What do we do when we face loss and hurt for the sake of our relationship with our Creator?
Rejoice when you are challenged
The first thing we do is rejoice. Rejoice because when we face hostility and suffering for the sake of our faith, generally that means we're doing something right. We are called to be different, to be set apart. One of the best ways to know you're set apart for Christ is when others who don't walk with Jesus notice and lash out because of it. Just as Christ suffered we will suffer, and through it we will glorify God when we respond with praise to our Father in the midst of the hurt and danger.
Pray when you are challenged
The next thing to do is pray. Be grateful to God for the opportunity to shine His light, and lift that gratefulness to Him. Just like we discussed last week, tell Him all that you're feeling, experiencing, and struggling with. Suffering for His sake is by no means easy. When we lift our hurt feelings, struggles, and sins to Him, and pray over our relationships that are tough or at risk, we allow Him to give us His grace, mercy, and love so that we may exemplify Him to those who try to condemn us. Seek to empty yourself to God so that He can fill you up with Himself, equipping you for the battle ahead.
Set the example when you are challenged
Lastly, set the example. Now that you've rejoiced and given it to God, use what God fills you up with to live in the image of Christ. Don't just walk the walk; talk the talk. It's not an easy thing to be loving toward those who seek to tear you down, but do it anyway because that is what Jesus would do, and what God calls on us to do.
Praise God for trusting us with these opportunities to glorify and exemplify Him. Let go and let God fill you up with His goodness. Use what God fills you up with to glorify Him, strengthen you, and share the love, truth, mercy and grace of Jesus.
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'“Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty. But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams, as the streams that overflow when darkened by thawing ice and swollen with melting snow, but that stop flowing in the dry season, and in the heat vanish from their channels. ' Job 6:14-17
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Luke 22:41-44
Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 2 Timothy 3:12
But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:13
For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, Philippians 1:29
At the end of what shouldn’t have felt like a stressful day, I felt so depleted, defeated, and just utterly exhausted both mentally and physically. There was no reason at all for it. I had spent the whole day relaxing with my family, taking in those little snuggle moments, taking advantage of the couch and our newfound love of Disney+ for the day. When bedtime came around, I was so ready for bed I felt impatient for it. I made a conscious effort not to rush my kiddo off to bed, but to take our time, got her newly washed sheets on her bed, and looked forward to crawling into my own newly washed sheets and getting sucked into a good book. I was trying to intentionally be aware of how blessed I was even though my mind was total chaos.
The ups and downs of anxiousness for sleep but patience for the little moments all at once really made me stop in my tracks. As soon as the kiddo was tucked into bed, the house was silent. The noises of clothes drying and dishes washing added to a comforting stillness that had suddenly washed over my home. At that moment I was no longer anxious for my bed. All at once I had a sudden peace wash over me and it hit me - I was not anxious for sleep, I was anxious for peace.
I’d been praying for peace all day long, asking God to please slow me down and help me take full advantage of this gift called time. Help me to be still and trust in Him and His grace and provisions. I had it in my mind from the moment I woke up that I would take the whole day to relax with my family, and many times that was tested and temptations arose to completely strip my focus from the precious moments.
In all, though, at the end of the day, I see that the wash of exhaustion was a couple of things. It slowed me down today and gave me a sense of ease, even when tough stuff came up it was not the kind of exhaustion that made me overly emotional; it was the kind that made me stop and think more before responding to difficulty. It was also an answer to my prayers; for God to help me be still.
Pin me for later!
It's so important we remember that God rarely answers our prayers the way we expect Him to. Sometimes God gives us an answer in a way that at first seems like a burden, but when we stop and clear the complaining away, get past the groaning, and allow ourselves to be realigned with Him we see that it was a blessing all along.
Now as I get ready to tuck myself in for the night, I am thanking God for answering my prayers in ways I didn’t notice or comprehend at the time. God is always with us, always working, always helping and guiding. The closer we get to Him, the more natural it is to hear Him and follow His guidance without even necessarily realizing we are doing it. But also, the closer we get to Him the more we see the blessings in the chaos.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Last week we dove into some different ways we are tested throughout life, and how we should respond to being tested. Another important thing we can learn from the story of Job is that we will not always understand why we're going through what we're going through.
Job does not hide the fact he is confused, upset and in pain. In fact he expresses it straight to God. Throughout the turmoil Job continued to seek God and remained firm in what he knew about God's nature and promises. He was upset about what he felt God was doing to him, confused about why he was being so brutally treated, and in great agony of many kinds but he still clung to what he knew about God.
What do you know about who God is?
What do you know about His character?
God is faithful, always keeps His promises, never leaves or forsakes us, is in control of everything, loves us without fail, is patient, merciful, our provider, and always has a bigger plan than what we can see.
When you don’t understand your circumstances, talk to God about it. It's okay to not understand and to be honest with God about our feelings, and above all we should cling to what we know to be true about God’s character and promises when we don’t understand His ways. When we accept that His plan is higher than us we're better in tune with Him, more at peace with our God-given path, and more thankful for our God-given purpose, promises and provisions. When we try to understand His ways we get distracted from what we know already.
Share your worries, frustrations, confusions and pains with God and lean on who you know He is instead of His ways that you don't understand.
' "Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul, who long for death, but it comes not, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures, who rejoice exceedingly and are glad when they find the grave? Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? For my sighing comes instead of my bread, and my groanings are poured out like water. For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, but trouble comes."'
'Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. '
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
I am a wife, mom, writer, crafter, and above all, a Child of God. I love to study the Bible, fellowship with other Christians, and serve God. I am thrilled to invite you to join me in seeking to satisfy our thirsty souls with the Living Water of Christ, which is what Water On Thirsty Land is here to do.
