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Friday Favorites: Study Resources {Online}

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Last week we shared some of the best resources and tools we have offline, this week, here are some of favorites online.

Teri Lynne:  Rarely does a day pass that I don’t find myself at www.biblestudytools.org.   The site is easy to navigate and filled with useful information and explanations.   I also use www.just1word.com for looking up specific passages and switching between translations.

Julie:  I find myself going to Biblegateway.com most often. I really like the easy to read format, the options for side by side version comparison, and the audio tools.

Kathy:  The internet overflows with great resources for Bible study and devotion, so it’s so hard to share just one with you! However, I recommend you check out Crosswalk.com because of its scope. It’s full of Christian-living articles, news, devotionals, and links you through to BibleStudyTools.com.

Stephanie: My “go-to” online Bible study resources are www.biblegateway.com and www.blueletterbible.org. I love the variety of tools they both offer.

Kristi: I also love BibleStudyTools.com, as the other ladies have mentioned. Biblegateway.com is my favorite for looking up Scripture online – I find it the easiest to navigate, but there are so many great options available!

Thirsty Worship

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I don’t know about where you live but here in North Alabama, it’s hot.  I mean h.o.t. HOT.    I cannot get enough to drink.  I stay thirsty.   Can anyone relate?

image via Microsoft Office

The truth is though, we should stay thirsty spiritually too.  Consider these verses from the Psalms:

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.  Psalm 63:1

I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.  Psalm 143:6

 

Often I believe we miss the depths God has for us in knowing Him and growing in Him because we fail to ask Him to make us thirsty.

We’ll end this week with one final truth about thirsting for God:

Keep thirsting! The more we long for Him, the more He reveals Himself to us.

Today, can I just simply offer you a challenge … When you feel thirsty physically, will you pray for a spiritual thirst as well?

Same Thirst, Same Grace

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As we’ve explored these truths about thirsting for God, so far we have identified two:

1.  We were created to thirst for God.

2.  Our thirst can only be quenched from the inside out.

Today, we’re going to look at a familiar story from the Gospels as we discuss the third truth about thirst:

Each of our thirsting is quenched by the same grace.

Before we begin, please take a moment to read John 4:1-43.

Image via www.freebibleillustrations.com

The woman at the well … one of my favorite accounts in all of Scripture.    I absolutely love this passage of Scripture.  There is much rich truth in here about so many different aspects of a believer’s life.  Today, though I want to focus on just a few verses and what we can learn about thirsting for God in them.

First, look again at verse 4.   Jesus had to pass through Samaria, it says.  Like me, you’ve probably heard countless sermons about  how He really didn’t *have* to pass through because the Jews always took the long way around Samaria. But in this one phrase, I have gleaned something so precious – Jesus longs to quench our thirst.   It’s what He left heaven to do.

Next, read over verses 7 through 10.   We don’t normally see Jesus as demanding but He said to this woman, “Give me a drink.”  Why?  Because Jesus longs to help us see our need for Living Water.   The whole conversation was designed to point her to her need for Him.   He does the same thing for us … asks us to do those things we cannot do outside of Him – from loving our enemies to living in the fruit of the Spirit.   Christ continually draws us closer to Him through revealing the depth of our need for Him.

Look again at verses 16 – 26.   This is my favorite part!  Here is where we see the most beautiful picture:   Jesus offers us all the same grace!   Yes, this woman had been married to five men and she lived with a man outside of marriage.  But that wasn’t really the point … the point was grace.   She knew her sin just like we know ours.  And undoubtedly she’s had her sin pointed out by others as many of us have.   The beauty of grace is this … is the same no matter what.   Whether we’ve had five husbands or just treated the one we have with contempt … the same grace covers it.   Whether we’ve lived in public sin or gossiped about the sin of others … the same grace covers it.   Whether everyone sees and knows our sin or even if it’s hidden and no one around us is aware … the same grace covers it.   That Living Water is grace!  And grace quenches the thirst!  Always.

Finally, though, let’s look at the end of this story, verses 39-42.   The result of that grace is this:  When Jesus quenches our thirst, we tell others about the Living Water.   Her shame was replaced with joy and she could not wait to tell others.   I wonder about me, about us … we’ve received that same grace, drunk deep from that same Living Water … and yet, how many people are drawn to Christ – believe in Him – because of our testimony?

Perhaps you need to be sharing the sweetness of quenched thirst with someone you know … in fact, I’d imagine, that for many who read this, a name has already popped into you head and heart.   Will you respond?  Will you be obedient?  

 

What are You Thirsty For?

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Yesterday we looked at the first truth about thirst:

We were created to thirst for the Lord.

Did you learn anything from our exploration in Genesis?  Whenever I read those first few chapters in Genesis I always get stuck on the reality that Satan wants us to believe God isn’t enough.   So often I find myself believing that lie … I need to do more, be more, learn more … more, more, more.   It’s a dangerous lie that can lead us straight down the path of a works-based faith and ultimately into legalism.   

Because I have learned that I slip into this “more” mentality, I have also learned several Scriptures to counteract that lie.   Today, we’ll look at one of my favorites as we explore the second truth about thirsting for the Lord:

Truth #2:  Our thirst can only be quenched from the inside out.

Two years ago my daughter got a stomach bug.   Within thirty-six hours she was completely dehydrated.  No matter how many cool baths we gave her or cool cloths we put on her forehead, she didn’t get better … she needed to be hydrated.   In the emergency room, they began treating her with IV fluids and grape popsicles.   By the time that first bag of fluids was gone, she looked and felt a hundred times better.   The only cure for her dehydration was to be rehydrated.

This concept applies to our spiritual lives … We cannot quench the thirst within us from the outside in.   Our thirst for the Lord can only be quenched from His work on the inside of our hearts and minds.   We can’t do enough Bible studies or visit enough sick people.   We can’t  spend enough time with others who are thirsting for God to have that rub off on us.  Jesus spelled out clearly the answer to quenching our thirst in the Beatitudes:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.  Matthew 5:6  

In this verse I find three attributes of this quenching from the inside.

  1. Blessing.   Jesus said there is a blessing in this thirst.   Basically He was invoking God’s favor upon those who thirsted in this way.   I don’t know about you, but experiencing God’s favor and goodness in my life is of utmost importance to me.   I long to experience the blessing of living within the Lord’s desires for my life.
  2. Righteousness.   As we thirst (and hunger) for righteousness, we align ourselves with what God’s desires and purposes.  The result of this alignment is a deeper understanding of Who He is … and a more intimate relationship with Him.
  3. Filling.   When we thirst for Him, when we realize He is sufficient and simply long for more of Him, not more of anything else, we find ourselves filled.  Our thirst is quenched.   Far too many believers are living unfilled, unfulfilling lives.   Christ said that in Him we can experience abundant life, life to the full … this happens when we thirst for Him and believe He alone is sufficient to quench our thirst.
Today, as you are making beds, answering questions, driving to work, or fixing meals, will you also recognize your thirst can only be filled from the inside, through a relationship with Christ?   Tomorrow, we’ll look at someone familiar who learned that lesson as we explore the third truth about thirsting for God.
How have you experienced the quenching of your thirst?   

Created Thirsty

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In April the Scripture Dig team was all together.   These women amaze, inspire, and challenge me.   Sometimes I find myself in shock that they all said, “Yes!” when I asked them to join me in writing a blog designed to help others dig into the depths of God’s Word.    While we were meeting and planning in April, I shared with them that the Lord had laid Psalm 42:2 on my heart as a guide for us here on the site over the coming year.  My desire is that Scripture Dig is a place that leads you to have a greater thirst for the Word of God and deeper longing for relationship with Him.

As I’ve prayed about what to share with you all during “my week,”  I’ve gone through at least five different topics.   From preparing our hearts for revival to understanding Sabbath, all sorts of themes have been considered and even outlined.  But, this afternoon (Sunday), it just clicked!   Thirst!

Several places in Scripture reference being thirsty … from the physical thirst of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness to Christ’s promise of blessing to those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.   Over the next four days, we’ll examine what it means to thirst for the Lord.

Truth #1:  We were created to thirst for the Lord.

While this may seem elementary, it is important for us to begin with this simple understanding … We all thirst for something.   Within each of us is a longing and desire for something more.   The Bible clearly teaches that from the beginning, God intended us to have relationship with Him – that we would thirst for Him.   Sin, however, affects how we fulfill that longing within us.  Some attempt to use relationships or achievements to fill the void.   Others may use work or addictions and I’ve even seen people try to fill this God-given desire with church.   But the truth is:  We were created to thirst for God.

Read Genesis 1:26 – 31.   Humans were created in the image of God.   How does that communicate the truth that God desired relationship with us?

Read Genesis 3:1-7.   The serpent (Satan) introduced to Adam and Eve the idea that God might not be enough.   He led them to question God’s goodness and as a result their own desire for Him.   Have you found yourself in that same type of place?  Wondering if God is enough?  Questioning if there is something more?  Looking around to fill your thirst with other things or people?   How does this one lie affect all of us, even today?

Read Genesis 3:8-10.   One of the main results of sin is shame.  Always.  And that shame often pushes us farther away from the Living Water of the Lord.   We begin to feel unworthy of relationship with Him.   Have you experienced those feelings of shame and unworthiness?   Notice this from these verses:   God sought Adam and Eve – though He already knew they had sinned.  He seeks us as well.   When have you been pursued by God?  How can you see that He has drawn you back to Him?

The beginning of thirsting for God is realizing our need for Him.   Perhaps you have never quite grasped what it means to have a relationship with the Lord.  If you are uncertain about this or want more information, please – PLEASE – email us at scripturedig{at}gmail{dot}com.  We would love to share with you and answer, as best we can, your questions.

Come back tomorrow for the second truth about thirst!

Friday Favorites: Study Resource {Off Line}

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Perhaps you have wondered what books line our shelves.  What are the tools we use for our personal study and preparation to write and speak.  Well, here are some of our “must haves.”

Teri Lynne:   I LOVE the Women’s Evangelical Commentary.  Currently only the New Testament is available but I am anxiously awaiting the Old Testament’s release.   This commentary is easy to understand and provides a wonderful blend of historical information, contextual knowledge, and Greek word analysis.

Julie:   How to Study Your Bible by Kay Arthur provides a solid start in understanding how to study the Bible inductively. This resource has been valuable for me and has been a helpful gift to pass along to other women who want to study the Bible for themselves.

Sandra:  Second to my ESV Study Bible, I use the Women’s Evangelical Commentary edited by Patterson and Kelley (two of my professors from seminary!) most often for studying. Written by biblical scholars with hearts for women, I find it has the right balance of deep thoughts and practical application.

Kathy:  Picking one favorite study resource is almost impossible, so I will tell you about the two-volume resource The IVP Bible Background Commentary. The Old and New Testament volumes provide historical, social, and cultural background for every passage in the Bible. Indispensable!

Stephanie: The Complete Word Study (both Old and New Testaments). Since I’m a word girl, little else makes my heart smile more than when I dig deeper and discover the significance of a word from the Word.

Kristi: I have an affinity for John MacArthur’s teaching style, so I turn to my MacArthur Bible Commentary often. I appreciate the cultural and historical insights, background on the original language, and his thoughts on difficult passages.

{You can find other resources we commend on our Resources page.}

Blessings for Fear

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Many Christians today are far too casual with God. We often treat Him like a celestial vending machine, popping in prayers when we need something and expecting Him to respond with just what we ordered. We must consider His holiness! He is the Almighty God, Creator of the universe who deserves our reverent fear.

But the proper fear of God is not an attitude that keeps us shaking in a corner or running away from Him as fast as our weak little legs can carry us. No, if we have trusted in Jesus as our Savior, then His blood has granted us access to the very throne room of God. We can draw near to our holy God “with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:19-23).

Yes, we have access, but God is still holy. Malachi 1:6 reminds us that God is both our Father and Master, which makes us both child and slave. This dual role creates a tension that helps us better understand what it means to fear God A proper balance will keep us from either treating God too casually or remaining too distant.

We will obey God out of fear. In his book, Holiness, Henry Blackaby says, “Where there is no fear of God, there is no fear of sin.” When we do fear God as we should, then we will begin to obey Him. Our obedience will then foster a deeper intimacy and closeness with God than we have ever experienced. Jesus understood this connection:

If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed the Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  John 15:10-11, NIV.

The Bible is full of passages showing the blessings associated with fearing God. Below are just a few from the Psalms. For space sake I will list the reference and the blessing. I encourage you to look them up and read them for yourself when you have time!

  • Psalm 25:14 – God confides in those who fear and makes His covenant known to them.
  • Psalm 31:19 – God bestows His goodness on them.
  • Psalm 33:18-19 – God’s eyes are on those who fear Him to deliver them from death.
  • Psalm 103:13 – God has compassion on those who fear Him.
  • Psalm 115:11 – God is their help and shield.
  • Psalm 145:19 – God fulfills their desires; He hears their cries and saves them.

These are just the beginning and they are all glorious! But my favorite passage about the blessings of fearing God is Malachi 3:16-17a:

Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. “They will be mine,” says the LORD Almighty, “in the day when I make up my treasured possession.

We have only touched the surface of what it means to fear God. Here are a few resources that will help you better understand God’s holy nature and what it means to fear Him.

How has your understanding or view of fearing God changed this week?

God Deserves our Fear

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Picture with me for a moment the scene in the desert of Sinai when God descended on the mountain top and revealed Himself to the children of Israel. (If you have time read Exodus 19.)

Before God’s visit, Moses warned the people not to touch or even approach the mountain or they would die. When God arrived, a dense cloud enveloped the peak. Fire and smoke billowed upward almost blocking the sun. The ground shook violently. Thunder pounded. Lightening streaked across the sky. God’s holy presence so frightened the Israelites they begged Moses to be their mediator with God. They promised to listen and obey everything Moses passed along. (See Deut 5:23-27.)

Obedience was the exact thing God wanted from them. He revealed Himself to them for that very purpose:

Never forget the day when you stood before the Lord your God at Mount Sinai,where he told me, ‘Summon the people before me, and I will personally instruct them. Then they will learn to fear me as long as they live, and they will teach their children to fear me also.’ Deut 4:10, NLT

Israel responded in fearful obedience to the holiness of God. In his book, The Holiness of God, the great theologian R.C. Sproul says the word “holy” can be used as a synonym for God’s divine nature. “When the word holy is applied to God, it does not signify one single attribute. On the contrary, God is called holy in a general sense… holy calls attention to all that God is.”

It was God’s holiness revealed (His glory) that caused the Israelites to fear Him. God’s very nature is the basis for godly fear. The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament refers to the holiness of God as “totally good and entirely without evil… By definition, holiness is separate from all that is sinful and profane.” Because God is holy, He is “above the weaknesses and imperfections of mortals.” This truth is expressed in First John: “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” 1 John 1:5b, NIV.

The holiness of God is the essence of His being. All the things we consider the attributes of God – like love, mercy, faithfulness, and righteousness – are expressions of His holy nature. God is good because He is holy. God is gracious because He is holy. And God is just because He is holy.

We should fear God because He is holy. Our holy God deserves our highest reference, awe, respect, honor, and obedience! God wants us to fear Him so we will obey Him. When we obey God we will be right in the center of His will for us. And the center of His will is always what’s best for us!

“Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!” Deut 5:29, NIV

Tomorrow we will see how godly fear operates in the life of a believer who has gained access to our holy God through the blood of Christ.

How could contemplating God’s holiness expand your view of Him?

We are Commanded to Fear God

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I came across a list on the internet of more than 500 phobias, indexed alphabetically. Some, like pteronophobia (the fear of being tickled by feathers) are rare and unusual. Then there are others, like atomosophobia (the fear of atomoic explosions), I think we should all have.

By definition, phobias are abnormal fears. But the Bible teaches it is normal for believers to fear God. In fact, God promises some incredible things to those who do. And when we do, we don’t have to fear anything else!

I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Psalm 34:4-7, NIV

Isn’t it ironic that the one fear the Bible consistently encourages us to have is one we sorely lack?

Here are just a few of the passages in the Bible that command us to fear God and depict godly fear as the correct, positive attitude towards God.

  • The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. Ps 25:14, NIV
  • The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Ps 110:10a, NIV
  • Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. Ps 112:1, NIV
  • He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge. Prov 14:26, NIV
  • Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28
  • Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. 1 Peter 1:17, NIV

I could list many more, but these few show that God does indeed expect His children to fear Him. And if you missed the promises in these verses, go back and look again!

Here is the definition (from the Online Bible Greek and Hebrew Lexicon) for the Hebrew word, yare’, that is translated as “fear” in these passages:

To fear, be afraid; to stand in awe of, be awed; to fear, reverence, honor, respect

Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words elaborates on the meaning of yare’. “Used of a person in an exalted position, [yare’] connotes ‘standing in awe.’ This is not simple fear, but reverence, whereby an individual recognizes the power and position of the individual revered and renders him proper respect.”

The Bible often equates the fear of God with living rightly and obediently before Him. (See Deut 4:9-14, 5:22-29, 10:12-13 for examples.) In fact, as you read through the Bible you will see that the fear of God and obeying Him are almost synonymous ideas.

In his book, The Joy of Fearing God, Jerry Bridges states that people who continue to live in sin and stubbornly refuse to obey God apparently have no fear of God or His discipline. “Anytime we sin with the thought lurking in the back of our minds that God will forgive us, we aren’t living in the fear of God.” I know I have been guilty of trying to take advantage of God’s grace in this way.

The proper fear of God is based on who He is. Based on my study and observation, I believe the primary reason we fail to fear God as we should is because our view of God is limited. Tomorrow, we will take a closer look at God’s holy nature and expand our view of God!

Have you ever been guilty of “taking advantage of God’s grace?”

Do You Fear God?

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Do you fear God? That’s not an easy question to answer for most Christians. If you’ve spent any time reading the Bible you know that it is full of passages that tells us we should “fear God.” But you’ve also read about God’s love, kindness, mercy, and grace. So why should believers fear the One who has forgiven our sins, indwells us with His Spirit, and daily pours His grace into our lives? And what should godly fear look like in our lives?

Today through Thursday we will explore the answers to those questions. We will define “godly fear” and see how that attitude should affect our relationship with God. Here are a few of the misguided understandings of godly fear I’ve seen:

  • Some Christians don’t believe we should fear God. Because the word “fear” has a negative connotation for many of us, we focus primarily on the truth that God is loving, merciful, and gracious. We take 1 John 4:18 out of context and argue against the need to fear God by quoting “perfect love drives out fear.” (In context, this passage is talking about the fear of God’s judgment.)
  • Others of us agree that God should be feared, but we have a watered-down understanding of what “fear” means. We rely on that old explanation I heard numerous times as a girl: “To fear God means that we should respect Him and be in awe of Him.” While that is partly true, in our contemporary society our “respect” and “awe” is usually far less than God expects or deserves.
  • Then there are others who have kept their distance from God because of His “fearsome” characteristics. They recognize His holiness, righteousness, and justice and are afraid to draw near. Some don’t understand His grace and others refuse to repent and receive it.

I began to study what it means to fear God about ten years ago. I was teaching new believers who had been told that “God is love.” When they began to read the Bible they saw passage after passage depicting the fear of God as a positive attitude believers should have. They asked me what it meant. I gave them the answer I had always been given, but the Holy Spirit kept whispering to me that there was more to it than that! My 9-week Bible study “Before His Throne: Discovering the Wonder of Intimacy with a Holy God,” was the result of my study.

I know we haven’t really answered any questions today. I simply wanted to set the stage! But here are a few truths about godly fear to whet your appetite for the rest of the week:

  • When we fear God we don’t have to fear anything else!
  • Proper godly fear will draw us closer to God, not push us away.
  • When we fear God, we will find joy and intimacy in our relationship with Him.

Tomorrow we will look at some Bible passages that teach us that the fear of God is not only the right attitude towards Him, but is also a positive, life-changing attitude. Wednesday, we will see why God deserves our fear. Thursday, we will discover a few of the blessings of a “fearful” life.

What are some of the things you’ve heard about what it means to “fear God?” Does your church teach that you should “fear God?”

Friday Favorites: Devotional Books

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Tried and true, the daily devotional book is generally a staple in most everyone’s home.  From classics like My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers to newer examples such as Don’t Make Me Come Up There by Kristen Welch, these are wonderful tools for beginning your day and refocusing yourself on God’s Word and His plan.   What’s Your Goal? gives a detailed description of the differences between devotional reading and Bible study, as well explaining other ways of interacting with God’s Word.

image from microsoft clip art

Teri Lynne:   I tried to have only one, I really did!  But I couldn’t choose between Jesus Calling and Streams in the Desert.  They are both different in tone and style, but both have proven instrumental in helping me understand and grow in my knowledge of the character of God, especially in times of difficulty.

Julie:  Part of the One Year Book series, the One Year Book of Hymns offers a historical explanation of what inspired great hymns to flow from the lives of the authors. Scripture accompanies each day’s devotion, along with the lyrics of a great hymn of our faith. Many have long been forgotten, but their timeless truths challenge my thoughts and prayers to go deeper.

Sandra:  I have to admit, if it’s popular I tend to think it’s not good. Or at least not deep. So when I saw Jesus Calling by Sarah Young was the #1 best-selling Christian book in 2010, I assumed it was “easy reading.” But Teri Lynne shared quotes from it and I thought I’d check it out. I put it on the Kindle app on my phone and can read it when I’m waiting to pick up my son from school or while dinner is cooking. It’s good for quick encouragement!

Kathy:  I rarely use a devotional book for my time with God. Instead I use a Bible reading plan so I can hear what God has to say to me directly. However, I do love Oswald Chamber’s My Utmost for His Highest because it is spiritually meaty and not fluffy.

Stephanie: My Utmost for His Highest. During my 24 years as a Christian, I’ve probably read through it more than 10 times and it always seems to speak to me in the midst of my circumstances every time. I also love to use Oswald Chambers’ quotes.

Kristi: If I read a devotional, I enjoy My Utmost for His Highest , too. I also enjoy C.H. Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening, revised and updated by Alistair Begg – you can receive these free in daily emails by subscribing here.

For Further Reading:  

Each of the Scripture Dig writers as well as other guests have shared what their morning quiet times {personal Bible study times} look like.  You can see a list of all the different posts by under the category My Time to Dig.

The Older Brother & The Father’s Love

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We saw that the older brother didn’t see himself as a sinner, wanted to dispense justice rather than forgiveness, and felt entitled based on his good works. But the last words in the parable are from the father–an invitation. We don’t know what the older brother decided, but we can look at the real life of another Pharisee and see how he accepted the invitation from the Father.

Paul wrote, “…though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness, under the law blameless” (Phil. 3:4-6).

Look at all the reasons he had to boast, feel proud, and even feel entitled. How did Paul keep from sinning after looking at his impressive resume?

He wrote, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus as my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith–that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his suffering, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Phil. 3:7-11).

Paul combated the sins of pride and entitlement with the power of the cross. He goes on to say in Philippians that he is not perfect and forgets what had already happened, focusing on what was to come. Like Paul, my list of accomplishments pales in comparison to the life of Christ. When I compare all my good deeds to His death on the cross, I am reminded of what a sinner I am. I’m also reminded of His grace and love. I must continue to preach the gospel to myself.

At the end of the story of the prodigal son, we know the younger brother returned home, repented, and was forgiven by his father. We don’t know if the older brother repented and joined the party. But when I see myself in this story, I can make the choice to stay in my sin or be restored to a right relationship with God.

The Older Brother: The Sin of Entitlement

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The sin of the older brother that hits me most personally is that of entitlement. The older brother felt he was entitled to more from his father. He saw the party in his brother’s honor and felt he deserved a party with his friends too. He was so angry and resentful, he stood outside the celebration and refused to go in (Luke 15:28). I struggle with this too, friends. I look at the lives of others and think I deserve what they have. Entitlement in my life sounds like, “This isn’t fair,” “You owe me more,” and “I deserve better.”

Entitlement has its roots in pride. You look at something in your life that God says is a  “good and perfect gift” (James 1:17) and tell Him it’s not good enough. God has really brought me through sanctification in this area. When our youngest son was diagnosed with autism my pride and entitlement rose to the top. I told God, “I have a special needs sister. I’ve been a Christ-follower since I was a child. I went to seminary. I’m married to a pastor. I’ve done everything right and this is how you repay me–with pain, struggling, and a son who will likely live with me forever (in addition to a sister who will live with me forever when my parents are no longer able to care for her).” And I haven’t totally overcome this sin. It creeps up when I see a typical three year old doing typical three year old things that my son cannot do.

“Elder brothers’ inability to handle suffering arises from the fact that their moral observance is results-oriented. The good life is lived not for delight in good deeds themselves, but as calculated ways to control their environment.” –Tim Keller. The Prodigal God

Like the older brother, our Father comes to us in the middle of our pity parties. He hears our complaints and lovingly reminds us, “You are always with me and everything I have is yours” (Luke 15:31). Trust those words today. Repent with me if you’ve felt entitled based on your spiritual resume. Find God’s grace through repentance and the freedom that comes with not having a performance-based relationship with Him.

The Older Brother: Justice over Forgiveness

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The younger brother is the primary character of the beginning of the story in Luke 15. But the older brother is the primary character of the end. Let’s focus in on the end of the story together today.

When the younger brother returned, he was met with his father’s forgiveness and grace, “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” (v. 20). The younger brother was also met with his older brother’s plea for justice. Speaking to his father, the older brother said, “Look, these many years I have served you and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!” (vv. 29-30).

How do I see evidence of that same behavior in my life? When I refuse to forgive and call for justice instead. When I ask myself, “How will she learn her lesson if I am nice to her after what she did to me?” The problem with this demand for justice is that it is not ours to give. Isaiah 30:18 says, “For the Lord is a God of justice.” We cannot execute justice because we are not the ultimate Judge. As we learned yesterday, we often compare our “righteousness” to others’ “sinfulness” and think we are qualified to dispense justice. But only God is holy, and therefore able to be truly just.

(image from microsoft)

So if we aren’t called to provide justice, we are we called to do? The command we are given is to forgive, “Forgive so that your Father may forgive you” (Luke 11:25). When our desire for justice over shadows our ability to forgive, we sin. Forgiveness is not easy. Gary Thomas writes, “Forgiveness involves the total person–everything, in fact, that makes us human.” That is why he says it is a process by which we replace negative thoughts, emotions, and behaviors with positive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors toward the other person.

Can you join me today by putting this into practice? If there’s an area of unforgiveness in your life, ask the Holy Spirit to help you forgive and not seek your own justice. The older brother disrespected his father and missed out on a relationship with his brother because he could not forgive. Let’s not make the same mistake.

Lessons from the Life of the Older Brother

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A few weeks ago here at Scripture Dig we shared our favorite Bible characters. My favorite is Paul, because I can relate to his struggle with wanting a works-based salvation to realizing he’s the chief of sinners who is fully dependent on God’s grace. There’s another Bible character I can empathize with also. But he wasn’t a real person. He’s the personification of so many of us who grew up in church, following all the rules. He is the older brother in the story usually referred to as “The Prodigal Son.”

This week I’d like to take a fresh look at this story from Luke 15:11-32. But we will look at lessons we can learn from the older brother’s actions and responses. If you are like me, it will be convicting. But it is also a story of God’s grace–and that is always good news!

When we look at this story from Luke in its context, we see that the audience was not only a group of “prodigal sons,” but also “Pharisees and the teachers of the law.” It was the second group who was grumbling about Jesus’ relationship with sinners. So Jesus tells them a story about two brothers and their father.

“The parable of the two sons takes an extended look at the soul of the elder brother, and climaxes with a powerful plea for him to change his heart.” (Timothy Keller, in his book The Prodigal God)

The first lesson from the life of the older brother is a lesson the Pharisees and teachers missed when Jesus told this story–we are all sinners.

The “older brothers” in the audience were mad because Jesus was eating with sinners. Those sinners. People who do x, y, z….. Not people like us who do everything right. When you compare yourself to others, it’s easy to become prideful. You don’t struggle with the same obvious sins they struggle with. You make a check list that you know will make you look good:

Go to church- check.

Read my Bible- check.

Pray- check.

Volunteer- check.

Be faithful to my husband- check.

Love my kids- check.

And even on those rare bad days when maybe you don’t read your Bible or pray, at least you do it more often than that other guy. Maybe you did complain about your husband and kids to a friend, but at least you cooked them dinner and served it with a smile.

But God doesn’t judge you on a sliding scale. Matthew 5:48 gives His standard, “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” So even on those days you’re feeling “better than _____”, you’re still not perfect.

The audience listening to Jesus’ parable that day didn’t get it. But we can get it. We can see through the wall between “us” and “them” and realize we’re all sinners. Sinners in need of God’s grace. When we realize that need we are able to experience God’s forgiveness and love.

Please have an open heart this week as we look at lessons from the life of the older brother. We can rejoice that not only did the prodigal son return to the open arms of the father, but that there’s room for the self-righteous older brother as well.

Friday Favorites: Bible Verse

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This one might have been the most difficult for each of us … narrowing down to just one verse!  For Bible teachers this was a tough challenge.  But here you go … as of today, these are our favorite verses.

Teri Lynne:  Psalm 19:14.  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. {ESV}

This is my daily prayer:  That what is seen and unseen in my life will be pleasing to God.

Julie:  Psalm 121. Part of our current ministry involves traveling around the world in missions. In so many places around the world, I’m reminded of this declaration from Psalm 121:1-8 :   “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”  The rest of the Psalm gives specific examples of how our God “keeps” us. What comfort in any place!

Sandra:  Isaiah 43:4.   I don’t have a favorite verse really. I have verses that are my favorites for a certain season or a specific situation. Right now I’m reading through Isaiah and really meditating on 43:4, “Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you…” Even though God is speaking to Israel in this passage, He loves me with the same redeeming love. I need to hear that. Every day.

Kathy:  Galatians 2:20.  I have too many favorite verses to list, so instead I will share what I consider to be my “life verse.” Galatians 2:20 clearly teaches the biblical truth I try to live by. Because Jesus gave His life to save me, my life belongs to Him, not to me.

Stephanie: Philippians 3:7-14. If you’ve ever received any emails from me, you know I write “Phil 3:7-14” under my signature. Obviously, it’s more than one verse, but this segment of Scripture reminds me that there is nothing that can compare to knowing Christ; that there is nothing better than being apprehended to do that for which He has apprehended us and that there is nothing better than forgetting what is behind and pressing for the mark. These verses echo the cry of my heart.

Kristi: Revelation 21:3-4 – “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He will dwell [tabernacle] among us – complete physical, emotional, spiritual restoration. Knowing the end of the story puts everything in between in context!

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