Blog - Do Not Depart

Speak Life

May 31, 2011 by ScriptureDig 1 Comment

This post by Stephanie Shott deals with an issue we – at least me! – can never hear enough about. My tongue has done more damage than I like to admit. This is a great reminder for me today! (This is an abridged version. Read the original post here.)

The words we say are packed with power; they can speak death into a person’s life; they’re like a flame of fire; they can corrupt our entire body OR they can speak life into someone’s life. The sobering truth is, as Christians, the choice is ours.

Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” and in the NLT, James 3:6 says, ” And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.”

Today, we have the opportunity to choose life – not just for yourself, but for those in your sphere of influence – the ones you have the opportunity to speak to.

Recently, I was at the grocery store when I heard a mother cussing at her little boy, telling him to shut up and snatching him by the arm. He just asked her if he could sit in the cart. An innocent question, but I think I could see the flames of fire coming out of her mouth as she spoke death to her own son. Every time she chided that child you could almost see a little piece of his heart shriveling up.

Maybe you’ve been the recipient of death words and know how they can crush your spirit, derail your dreams, skew your self-image and hurt your heart. Maybe you don’t see yourself as you really are because you believed it when someone else told you you were someone or something you really aren’t.

Oh, sweet friends, I wish I could hug every one of you reading this right now, because I know what it’s like to find yourself somewhere in the middle of believing you are who and what others have said about you or trusting you are exactly who Christ has created you to be. The place where you try to believe with your heart what you know with your head to be true because Jesus said it was true. Nothing more. Nothing less.
The way to find healing for the heart that has been hurt by the callous, the critical and the cruel is to immerse yourself in the Word of the Living God. There you will find the truth about who you are as you allow Scripture to speak life to your life. I’m not sure why we would believe anyone else when the God who spoke life into this dark and empty world is the same God who tells us we were created in His image – fearfully and wonderfully made – that we are perfect in His sight – complete in Him. We are the objects of His affection, the apple of His eye and inscribed upon the palm of His hands. It doesn’t get any better than that! Don’t you dare believe you are anything less than our Savior died to make you!

Unfortunately, the flipside is also true. We’ve all been guilty of slicing and dicing people with our tongues. We’ve all said things we shouldn’t. Whether out of anger, arrogance or ignorance, we’ve all cut others with our sharp tongues. Intentionally or not, it doesn’t change the fact that we have wounded others with our words.

If you’ve ever been hurt by hurtful words, you know how it feels. You may not be able to control what others say, but you have the power, through the Spirit of the Living God, to overcome an unbridled tongue. But as we studied Monday, it begins with filling our coffers with good stuff.

Today, I pray you will evaluate your word choices to your husband, your children, your family member, your friends and your coworkers. Are you speaking life into theirs or are you wounding them with your words? Are you stirring the pot and causing division or are you speaking peaceful words of encouragement and forgiveness?

Top Ten Application Tips

May 30, 2011 by Katie Orr 8 Comments

Studying God’s word means nothing if it doesn’t affect our days. Here are some helpful tips, as we focus on what to do as a result of what the Lord is teaching us through His Word.

1. Consider this: You already know more than you can ever obey.

Too often we can find ourselves looking for the “next best Bible Study” to revive our spiritual life. Instead of trying to find something to “fix” you, look and listen to what you have already been taught. Oftentimes God is wooing us to apply something, through a few different people and places but we can be too busy or too stubborn to hear what He is saying. Obey what you already know and you will see life change.

2. Focus on one thing at a time.

Focusing on too many things is a sure way to fail. We can only do a few things well. Prayerfully search for what God wants you to focus on, pick one and move forward.

3. Give yourself time…

Monthly focuses work for me. If I move on to the next thing too quickly, I find myself quickly losing ground I made in the last thing I was working on. Establishing new habits and breaking the old ones take time.

4. …and grace.

Discouragement brings us to a halt in our efforts to apply scripture to our lives. You will fail. I will fail. By God’s grace we can get back up and try again.

5. Take baby steps.

The steps we take towards change must be specific and realistic. Take small, intentional steps towards what God is calling you to.

6. Make a plan, and share it.

Whether it be in a journal, with a friend or spouse, on Facebook, Twitter, or all of the above! Share what God is leading you towards. This helps bring clarity as you process it with others, as well as brings solidarity to your plans. Of course, sharing your plan is also a great source of accountability.

7. Surround yourself with others who are heading in the same direction.

My favorite thing about Twitter is the community that I have found from others who are working on the same thing I am. #HelloMornings has been fuel to my efforts in getting up early to meet with the Lord. #HideHisWord is a great source of encouragement and accountability from others who are memorizing scripture. Of course, you can do this without Twitter. Find two or three others who will commit to praying for you, and invite them to join in on what God has challenged you to.

8. OBEDIENCE is the key.

Regardless of our well-laid plans we must pay attention to the Lord’s leading. He may later lead us to stop, be still, or focus on something else well before we feel like we are “ready” to move on. If our efforts are not out of obedience, then it is impossible to apply scripture to our lives in a way that will bring life change.

9. Pay attention to what is driving your efforts.

Are you driven primarily out of your own strength, or out of an overflow of all the Lord is doing in you through His great grace?

10. Remember who is ultimately the One who brings change.

Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Galatians 3:3

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

I am sure of this that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ…for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippians 1:6;2:13

God started the work in you. God is working in you. God will complete this work in you.

Linking up!

and Thought Provoking Thursday

This is an edited repost from the Do Not Depart archives.

Jesus: Immanuel

May 30, 2011 by ScriptureDig 1 Comment

{Steph was the first of the Scripture Dig team I met in person. She lives just an hour or so from me and has the most genuine heart of anyone I know. If you are looking for an encourager, Steph is one of the best I’ve ever known! I love this post from her Christmas series about the names of Jesus. And I love her heart – which longs to know Him and to share His love with others. ~ Teri Lynne}

“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” Isaiah 7:14

In the Old Testament, the Lord promised King Ahaz that He would give His people a sign. The sign was not only the blessing of the birth of the Messiah, but it was also the promise of His presence. It was all wrapped up in the name “Immanuel”.

In the New Testament, we find the fulfillment of that promise lying in a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes. His name was Jesus – and He is Immanuel.

“All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel,which means ‘God is with us.’”

I can think of no more penetrating truth than the fact that God is with us. He is not some distant being who has plopped us down on planet earth to try to figure this thing out on our own. He hasn’t left us here without hope or direction. He is with us.

There’s an unmistakeable comfort in the fact that the God who spoke this world into being is personally involved in our lives and assures us of His presence no matter what we’re going through. There’s also an unshakeable reality that His presence calls us to live holy lives. Knowing we can’t escape the view of God reminds us of our ultimate accountability to Him. But it also enourages our fearful and hurting hearts to know we are not alone. We have never escaped the view of God – not even for a second.

I’m not sure where you are in this season of your life? Perhaps you’re afraid, lonely or feel as if you’re invisible. I want you to know that God is with you. You are not alone – not even for a second. Curl up at your Savior’s feet and allow Him to lift you up and wrap His loving arms around you. He loves you with an ever lasting love. You are enscribed on the palm of His hand. You are the apple of His eye and the affection of His heart. He is with you.

Like the disciples in Matthew 8 who feared they would be swallowed up by the sea, Jesus is with you to speak peace to your storm and to speak peace to your heart in the midst of your storm.

Perhaps you need to be reminded that He is with you because you’re dabbling with sin and His presence is a reminder that it’s not worth it. I pray you will listen to the still small voice that may be calling you away from that which will never satisfy to that which will never let you down.

We don’t always know how to do this thing called life. We don’t always get it right. We struggle with living well. But God is with us (Immanuel), my friend. And that’s all we need to know.

What does God’s presence mean to you? Have you been feeling far from God lately?

Sitting in the Dust Together

May 27, 2011 by ScriptureDig 2 Comments

One of my favorite series from Kristi’s blog was her study “How Could a Good God…” It was hard to pick a favorite from her posts on Job and Ecclesiastes. I finally decided on “Sitting in the Dust Together” because this is truly the type of friend Kristi is, one who will sit in the dust with you!

I don’t know about you, but there have been times in my life when my dear friends are experiencing such deep and gripping agony that I just have no idea what to do. I want to offer words of comfort… I want to help… and then later on I feel like a fool for saying what probably came across as trite rather than comforting.

We have good friends who lost a child several years ago. A few months later I was talking with her about their experience; she told me that some of the most painful things to deal with were the well-intentioned words from others. Words that were meant to heal left deeper wounds in their path, because those who were trying to comfort could not fathom the depth of their pain.

I wince and wonder if some of those unintentionally cutting words came from me.

For this reason, Job 2:11-13 is so profound to me.

When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite,

heard about all the troubles that had come upon him,

they set out from their homes and met together by agreement

to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.

When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him;

they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads.

Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights.

No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.

Now, Job’s friends end up not being terribly helpful or encouraging… but they started out great. They saw the depth of his suffering and sat on the ground in silence for seven days and nights.

When we see those we love experiencing unimaginable pain and despair, we would be wise to follow the example of these three men. We need to keep our “helpful” words to ourselves. Weep with them. Mourn with them. Sit on the ground in silence with them.

Because sometimes no words can help.

Have you been the bearer of too-quickly-spoken words? Have you been hurt by the “comfort” offered by others in times of loss? What would it look like to sit in the dust with someone you love?

Philippians :: Week 2 :: God’s Purpose in Paul’s Imprisonment

May 27, 2011 by Patti Brown 12 Comments

I am thrilled that Katie and Lara chose Philippians for this summer’s Maximize Your Mornings bible study, and I am privileged to be able to share a few thoughts with you here.

It seems to be my year for Philippians. I started meditating and journaling on Philippians in May of 2010. In August, my children and I decided to memorize Philippians. In September our church began a study of Philippians. And now, a year later, I am still reading this little book, and still discovering new gems!

How true it is that…

…the Word of God is living and active…
Hebrews 4:12

God’s Word meets us where we are and reveals fresh truths to us every time!

If you followed along with the study plan, you have read Philippians 1:12-18 many times this week. You have looked for truths about God, Paul and your identity in Christ. You have discovered promises and commands. And you have sought God for how to apply to your own life what you have gleaned from your study of this passage.

In Chains for Christ

We learned last week that Paul was imprisoned while he was writing his letter to the Philippians. This fact is a central point of Philippians 1:12-18.

Paul has been imprisoned because He is preaching the good news about Jesus Christ …

…my imprisonment is for Christ.
Philippians 1:13b

But against all human inclination, Paul speaks of his imprisonment in nothing but positive terms…

…what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,
Philippians 1:12b

According to Paul, his imprisonment advanced the gospel not only because it received a lot of publicity (v. 13), but also by causing his brothers in Christ to trust in the Lord more fully, thereby strengthening them to speak the Word of God fearlessly (v. 14).

Sadly, some people used the situation to preach Christ for the wrong reasons (v.17) but Paul was able to see that despite their impure motives, he could still be thankful that the good news was being preached (v. 18).

Paul understood that the gospel was progressing not despite his difficult circumstances, but because of his difficult circumstances. He was not dismayed by how things appeared. Instead, Paul used his spiritual eyes to see God’s good work through his trials.

Did you notice that Paul ends this passage about his imprisonment and others’ selfish behavior by rejoicing? It will come as no surprise that when he was imprisoned in Philippi Paul spent his time singing praise songs!

Friend, are you feeling imprisoned right now? Can you, like Paul, look at your situation with spiritual eyes? Does God want you to allow Him to use your sufferings for His glory to advance the gospel?

God’s Word in Your Life

You have spent time each day studying God’s Word this week. Because His Word is living and active, what has stood out to you will be uniquely applicable to your own life. And just as Paul’s boldness in sharing his faith encouraged his fellow believers, your gleanings will bless us!

I hope you will share with us how God has spoken to your heart through Philippians 1:12-18. What new truths have you discovered? What action is God prompting you to through these verses?

Please leave us your thoughts in the comments… we look forward to hearing from you!

A God I Cannot Understand

May 26, 2011 by ScriptureDig 3 Comments

{If you follow Kristi’s blog, you know she does an awesome job of walking women through the Word! I love her gentle spirit and strong faith that seem to radiate throughout each post. When I read, “A God I Cannot Understand“, I couldn’t wait to highlight it as one of my KristiStephens.com favorite posts. We all face things that bring us to a crisis of belief – circumstances that cause us to trust God even when we don’t understand. In “A God I Cannot Understand”, Kristi helps us find clarity even when everything around us seems unclear.}

A God I Cannot Understand

Originally posted March 14th, 2011 by Kristi Stephens

There is much discussion these days about theology, about what God would or would not do, of how God would or would not judge – as limited human beings we kick against Scripture that describes a God who is bigger than we can understand, more wrathful at sin than we feel comfortable with, and at the same time more gracious than we can fully comprehend. We reinterpret the Bible to make it comfortable, to reduce God to a size more understandable, to try to represent Him in ways that seem more appealing to a culture repulsed by the idea of being told our sin makes us deserving of punishment.

Here’s the thing: I do not understand God.

Yesterday I sat in church and rejoiced with our body as we welcomed a pastor who has obviously been sent by our sovereign and gracious God into our midst. He has heard our prayers. He has seen our need. He has provided. We worshiped Him with glad hearts and recognized His very tangible work in our midst.

I sat in my seat and pondered: God is good, yes. He absolutely is good and gracious and a God who hears the prayers of His people. He is also the sovereign and omnipotent God who is with our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering unimaginably in Japan. The earth is groaning, His people are crying out to Him, they are learning to worship Him from a place of lamentation and loss. His goodness, His character is not different in different parts of the world. His strength is not limited. We are no more deserving of His grace and care than anyone else.

I do not understand God.

There are many things I cannot fully explain to you about my God. I cannot wrap my feeble, small mind around His bigness. But I can know with certainty what I read in God’s Word.

I open my Bible and read of a great God who is unlimited in power and knowledge, unbound by time and space. I do not fully understand, but I know it with certainty to be true: His Word says it clearly.

I read of a God who is one and also three, who has existed from eternity past and will never end. When I ponder these things my brain hurts. I cannot wrap my mind around it, but I know it with certainty: His Word says it clearly.

I see in His Word and His plan that He is utterly and unspeakably holy. That no sinful man can stand in His presence. The descriptions of His holy wrath and judgment against sin make me shudder in awe – I cannot fathom this kind of holiness, this consuming fire that is my righteous Creator, but I know it with certainty: His Word says it clearly.

In my Bible I find a God who loves the lowly creatures He made. That even when they outright rebelled against Him He refused to turn His back and abandon them to their chosen path of rebellion. I meet a God who would provide a shocking way to pay the penalty for sin that His holy nature demanded, as God the Son willingly wrapped Himself in limited flesh and sacrificed Himself on our behalf. What kind of loving God is this? My heart aches at even the glimmer of recognition of this kind of love, but I know it with certainty: His Word says it clearly.

I do not fully understand my God. I cannot understand or put into words exactly how God’s sovereignty and man’s choice intersect, nor can I fully grasp the weight of eternal punishment for sin that our Bibles clearly describe. I cannot completely explain why God would allow devastating natural disasters like what we are witnessing in Japan.

But there is much I know: My God doesn’t just do good things – He IS good. My God doesn’t just love us – He IS love. He is a just, righteous, merciful, holy, sovereign, omniscient, omnipresent, indescribably awesome God. Through Him all things hold together and have their being, and nothing, NOTHING, is out of His control.

I don’t understand Him. I open my hands to Him and accept with deep gratitude the gracious gifts He has given us. We do not deserve firm ground beneath our feet and safe families more than anyone else. I do not understand why He has chosen to bless us in this moment and why His plan includes such deep suffering in Japan. I do not understand. But I trust Him. I know with certainty that He is a trustworthy God.

I’m glad He is too big for me to fathom. A God small enough for me to understand… would not be God at all.

You need to decide! Five scriptures to the rescue

May 25, 2011 by Lisa Burgess 20 Comments

How many decisions do you make in a day?

You breeze through most without much thought. But occasionally one will paralyze you.

You want to make the God-honoring choice, if only you knew what that was! You’ve already prayed and prayed (right?). But now you’re stuck.

What do you do next?

Here are five principles from scripture that help:

1. Tune out distractions and tune in God’s voice

The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.
~ Psalm 119:130

Ask yourself if the world is shouting so loudly—through the internet, TV, shopping malls, friends, etc.—that it’s drowning out God’s answer to your prayer. First, turn off ungodly influences (Romans 12:2).

Then, press in hard to hear God.

If your hearing has gone bad from poor spiritual habits, build those back up. Search the scriptures for biblical principles that apply to your dilemma. Use reference tools to study verses in full context. Look for God’s character in the stories you read and see how you can best mirror His character with the choice you need to make.

2. Seek godly counsel from others

Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.
~ Proverbs 19:20

After you’re internally preached the Word to yourself, listen to external preaching from godly mentors around you. Who in your church has walked this path? Has God intentionally placed someone in your path? Is there a mature Christian in your family who can advise you? Are there experts in the field—in person, in print—that can give you additional information?

After receiving this extra input, ask God again for clarity in sorting through it.

Look for threads of similar advice and principles that you may have overlooked in your initial thinking.

3. Narrow down your choices

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
~ Colossians 3:17

After laying out your options, cross out the ones least likely to honor God, and circle the ones that could bring Him the most glory. Humbly confront your motives: do certain choices appeal more to YOU than to Him (James 4:3)? Eliminate options that are more about saving face and keeping control than about pleasing the Father.

Remember: choices that honor Him will ultimately be in your best interest too.

If certain choices are time-contingent, and the pace seems out of God’s timing—either too rushed or too prolonged—discard those as well. While waiting on the Lord may be difficult (Psalm 27:14), He can build up your strength during the wait (Isaiah 40:31). And His outcomes are always worth waiting for.

4. Do something

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
~ James 1:22

On the other hand, if you’re only waiting because you’re too scared to act, set fear aside and step out in faith (Joshua 1:9).

If you’ve sought God through prayer, Bible study, godly counsel, and appropriate pacing, place your confidence in Him and quit delaying the decision. Just make it! Trust that God is true to His word—you ask in faith for wisdom; He generously supplies it (James 1:5-6).

He is more than willing and able to accomplish His works through you (Philippians 1:6).

5. Give thanks for the results He’ll bring

The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.
~ Psalm 28:7

Instead of second-guessing the decision you’ve now made, give thanks for it. Look forward to how God will bless it. Believe that He will work good out of your choice (Romans 8:28). Rest in the peace He’s sent you to guard your heart and mind (Philippians 4:6-7).

As you enhance your spiritual sensitivity to follow God’s guidance, making decisions still may not always come easily, but you can grow in your confidence that the Lord is leading you.

He will bless your obedience as you strive to honor Him with your choices.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
~ Proverbs 3:5-6

What about you?

Do you have a hard decision you’re trying to make right now?
What helps you decide when you don’t know what to do?
Are there special scriptures you turn to? Please share!

Emotional Modesty

May 25, 2011 by ScriptureDig 13 Comments

Since modesty is described as “regard for decency of behavior, speech, dress, etc,” I would say we live in an immodest world. As technical platforms of communication have been added (fancy way of referring to blogs, Twitter, Facebook and the like) we have been slow in applying Biblical wisdom to new arenas of conduct. When Kristi shared this on KristiStephens.com for GatherInSpirit last fall, it seemed timely for me and for our world. I passed it on then, and I’m happy to pass it on today. And if you’re looking for more on this topic, Kristi just added some helpful new thoughts this week about: Questions to Ponder Before You Post. How will you “dress” and “behave” online today?

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Originally shared on September 3, 2010.

Modesty. The word, for me, typically conjures up mental images of women wearing turtlenecks, floor length skirts (with no slit, of course), and knee length socks.

I’m kidding. Sort of.

While we might all differ slightly on our interpretation of what, exactly, modest dressing is, we all understand that there are certain things that are appropriate and inappropriate in various situations. I might not be wearing a floor length skirt with coordinating turtleneck to church, but I also am not going to wear my swimming suit.

I dress modestly because it is a protection for me, shows respect for the unique relationship I have with my husband, honors the God who made my body, and guards against inappropriate thoughts and behavior with others.

Lately I have been pondering an interesting phenomenon I see everywhere in the online world – facebook status updates, tweets, and blog posts are brimming with something I call “emotional immodesty.” These online venues have given us an uncensored outlet, a place to share things that often should not be said, with a veneer of privacy as we sit alone with our laptop or iphone and share our every thought with thousands of strangers. To make this even trickier, we often do it and call it “being real,” as though it was a virtue.

There are natural levels of intimacy built into human relationships. Within marriage, both my body and my soul can be safely and freely shared – and they should be, if the marriage is to be healthy. Within close relationships in the body of Christ, there is much that I can share freely and safely, especially with my husband by my side. I can sit in our small group and be very much myself – discussing Scripture, sharing burdens, laughing and crying and joking. But even here, there is a distinction between what I will share in this venue and what I would share with my husband. I will share more with these small group members than I will with a new friend, and I would share more with a new friend than I would with a stranger in the grocery store.

There are proper concentric circles of intimacy in my life – and if I let anyone “jump boundaries” and become as intimate or more intimate with me emotionally than I am with my husband, relationships will be marred. If I pour out my every longing and struggle to a stranger, I have built an awkward, unnatural, and unhealthy connection with this person – any potential of us having a functional healthy friendship is pretty much gone! Just as modest dress is a protection for me, shows respect for my husband, honors God, and guards against inappropriate thoughts and behavior with others, these circles of emotional modesty do the same. They must be there – even online.

Just as our standards of what it means to dress modestly will differ, our definitions of what is appropriate and inappropriate to share in various circumstances will differ, as well. As you think through how to guard your own emotional modesty online, here are some points to consider:

“Being real” does not excuse sin. Slander, causing petty strife and division, and complaining (among other things) are SIN. As our society falls farther from truth, we have begun to flaunt our shame instead of allowing it to prompt us toward true repentance. Flippantly sharing issues of sin, openly complaining, or attacking another person are not acceptable online or in person. Sharing these things lightheartedly with a thousand twitter followers is no more of a true confession than is Brittany Spears singing “oops, I did it again.”
If I am sharing something very personal on my blog (which frankly is rather rare), I have my husband read it first and am open to his feedback. I want to build trust with him, not tear it down by sharing things he is uncomfortable with strangers knowing about our lives. If you are often having your husband, kids, or friends ask, “you’re not going to put this on your blog, are you?,” that is a flag that you are probably crossing some boundaries.
Is the dynamic between you and your online friends radically different than the dynamic between you and real-life friends? Online friendships can be deep and sweet and very real – but they can also give you a false sense of intimacy if you share far more with them than you would with people you interact with personally.

There are many other guidelines that could be added to this list. How do you monitor your online “modesty?” Do you need to work on this area, or are there guidelines you use for yourself that might help someone else?

God in Concert

May 24, 2011 by ScriptureDig 1 Comment

I love the picture Kristi paints in the blog below of corporate worship. Sometimes we forget that worship is both personal and corporate. We absolutely need both. God absolutely deserves both.

Originally posted on October 14th, 2010 at Kristi Stephens.com

“Experiencing God in the midst of an assembly, the gathered people of God – His church – is like hearing God in concert. We all, in different ways, experience God throughout our day as individuals: in our private devotional life, in the beauty of nature, and in our acts of service to the poor. But as wonderful and necessary as these experiences are, they do not replace the experience of God in concert. Like an iPod or portable music player, they replicate the music of the concert experience, but they cannot replace the concert itself. God is a master musician, and He is best experienced live in concert.

I’d like you to think about heaven for a moment. When the curtain is pulled back and we get a glimpse into the world of heaven in the book of Revelation, we see an enormous assembly- a concert of living creatures, elders, and people of every tribe, nation, and tongue gathered together around the throne of God (Rev. 4-5; 7; 14). Heaven is not presented as a private recital of God’s glory. It’s not an individualistic experience. When the Bible speaks about the end-time return of Jesus Christ, we are told it is the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19) – a giant, celebratory, communal feast, not a series of private picnics. It’s a community experience…

When we assemble together as the church, we re-create the concert of heaven here on earth. Hebrews 12:18-29 teaches us that the gathering of God’s people is a re-creation of this heavenly experience. Just as Israel gathered around the temple and the tabernacle to re-create their foundational assembly at Mount Sinai, we do something similar when we gather as an assembled church. Instead of re-creating the assembly on Mount Sinai, we join our worship to the eternal worship of the assembled in heaven (Heb. 12:22-29).

Because we have come near to God in this heavenly assembly, we should ‘worship God with reverence and awe.’ (v. 28)” [Samra, 32-33]

This quote comes from an excellent book written by my parents’ pastor and friend, pastor Jim Samra from Calvary Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His book, The Gift of Church, is an excellent read – highly recommend it!

Top Ten Online Bible Study Tools

May 23, 2011 by Katie Orr 15 Comments

We are blessed tremendously by the loads of online tools we have at our fingertips! Here are the top ten sites I use to help me study the Bible.

The ESV Online Bible This is my favorite version of scripture to study from. Love that this site also has an audio version!
DesiringGod.org This is a treasure chest. Seriously. Decades of sermons, articles and even free books. There are over 50 books by John Piper and other authors that are free to download. This is my go-to place when I am studying something and want to hear good teaching on it. If you are wondering about how to interpret a particular passage, you can look up the passage by reference and find tons of resources.
BlueLetterBible.org I really like this site. You can look up a verse and see the original greek for each verse. No, I don’t know greek! This site makes it easy to find the original greek word (just click the “C” box to the left of the verse.) There is much to be opened up to us, as we read the original meaning of the word choices by the authors of scripture. This site also has charts, diagrams and maps that are helpful towards understanding the original context of the text. Highly recommend this site!
Theopedia.com This is like Wikipedia, but all about the Bible, theology and the history of Christianity. From the site: “Theopedia is a growing online encyclopedia of biblical Christianity. Theopedia uses wiki technology, which is essentially a community-driven, information-management system.”
Bible.cc An online parallel Bible. Great for when you want to see one verse in a bunch of different translations, quickly.
BibleGateway.com I like this for a quick lookup of a verse, or a key word. Just about any version you would be looking for is here. It also has a topical index and a few commentaries
Crosswalk.com This is very similar to biblegateway.com, but you may find you prefer the layout of one over another.
BibleStudyTools.com This is “sister site” of crosswalk.com. It has commentaries, Bible encyclopedia and dictionary, parallel Bible…loads of stuff here!
PreceptAustin.org A new-to-me site, but I like what I see so far. Especially helpful if you are looking for commentary on a specific verse.
What online sites do you use to help you study scripture? Leave a comment and share them with us!