Deeply Rooted (When I Read Your Word)

R EAD THIS:  1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 9 Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY? I can be pretty bad about minding my own business... I love knowing what's going on with other people! When one of my friends is texting someone, I really wanna peek over their shoulder and see what's up. When I think I hear my name in someone's conversation, I am all ears. When I hear strangers talking about something super interesting, there's a not-so-small part of me that wants to know what's go...

R EAD THIS:  1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 1  As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit. WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY? Let's talk about s...

R EAD THIS:  1 Thessalonians 3:6-13 6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. 7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith. 11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Fa...

R EAD THIS:  1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:5 17 But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18 For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way. 19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20 Indeed, you are our glory and joy.  3:1 So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 5 F...

R EAD THIS:  1 Thessalonians 2:13-16 13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews 15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last. WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY? On the first day of Thessmas, Paul thanked God for the Thessalonians' faith, love, and endurance, and now Paul is going back to thanking God! This time, he is thanking God for letting the Thessalonians s...

R EAD THIS:  1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 1  You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. 2 We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. 3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. 7 Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with y...

R EAD THIS:  1 Thessalonians 1:4-10 4 For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY? WELCOME TO THE SECOND DAY OF THESSMAS!!! ...

R EAD THIS: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-3 1 Paul, Silas and Timothy,  To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:  Grace and peace to you. 2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY? Welcome to 1 Thessalonians!!! You can figure out two things by the name of this letter alone: it is written to the Thessalonians (people from a place called  Thessalonica ), and it is the first of two letters written by Paul to these people! Thessalonica was a city built near two major Roman roads, so it soon became a wealthy trade center in Europe. Paul had come to visit Thessalonica during his journeys, and after he left them, he sent one of his closest partners in ministry, Timothy, to give him a report on how things were going there. Timot...

R EAD THIS:  Proverbs 31:10-31 10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. 11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. 12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. 13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. 14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. 15 She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. 16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. 17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. 18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. 19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.  20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. 21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. 22 She makes coverings for ...

R EAD THIS:  Proverbs 31:1-9 1  The sayings of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him. 2 Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb! Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers! 3 Do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings. 4 It is not for kings, Lemuel— it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer, 5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights. 6 Let beer be for those who are perishing, wine for those who are in anguish! 7 Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more. 8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. 9 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY? When we have authority, it is our duty to take care of those under us, of those who are looking to us for guidance and assistance. Back in the day, they would drink alcohol to hel...

R EAD THIS:  Proverbs 30:29-33 29 “There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing: 30 a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing; 31 a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king secure against revolt. 32 “If you play the fool and exalt yourself, or if you plan evil, clap your hand over your mouth! 33 For as churning cream produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife.” WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY? If you haven't noticed, this chapter has featured several groups of 4 things... 4 groups to be precise! In this case, he writes about 4 "stately" things. Another word for stately is majestic , so the author here is trying to give us 4 things that are wonderful and majestic in his eyes!   Verse 30 certainly makes sense... lions are powerful, majestic creatures that receive respect from all the animals around it! But what on earth is going on in verse 31? I don't know a...

R EAD THIS:  Proverbs 30:20-28 20  “This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’  21 “Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: 22 a servant who becomes king, a godless fool who gets plenty to eat, 23 a contemptible woman who gets married, and a servant who displaces her mistress. 24 “Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: 25 Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer; 26 hyraxes are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags; 27 locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks; 28 a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces. WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY? There are two different ways in these verses to do something that others think we shouldn't. The first way is by doing something that is morally/socially wrong, while the other way is by working excellently beyond...

R EAD THIS:  Proverbs 30:15-19 15  “The leech has two daughters. ‘Give! Give!’ they cry. “There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’: 16 the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’ 17 “The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures. 18 “There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand: 19 the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a young woman. WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY? You may be wondering, “what on earth are these verses talking about?” Don’t worry, I was too! Let’s break it down into 2 sections: verses 15-16 talk about things that are never satisfied, and verses 18-19 talk about things that are so amazing that we can’t fully understand them. Verse 17 is super similar to ...

R EAD THIS:  Proverbs 30:10-14 10 “Do not slander a servant to their master, or they will curse you, and you will pay for it. 11 “There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers; 12 those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth; 13 those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful; 14 those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among mankind. WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY? Man... this passage got heavy quick. These verses give us a description of people who are certainly not living wisely or righteously, and there are two parts of the body in particular that seem to be the source of their struggle: their mouths and their eyes! From their mouths, we see slander (also known as gossip), curses, and words being used as weapons that hurt the poor and needy. From their eyes, we see hypocrisy (seeing themselves as better than how they really ar...

R EAD THIS:  Proverbs 30:7-9 7 “Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: 8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY? These verses are SO powerful, and they truly show that the author of these words (a man named Agur, who is someone that is never mentioned again in the Bible) learned a lot from Solomon, the author of a lot of these Proverbs.   In case you don't know much about Solomon, he was the son of King David and ruled his kingdom after David died. One day, God appeared to Solomon and said He would give him anything he wanted... all he had to do was ask for it. Solomon, who could have been given infinite riches, power, or anything else he could desire, asked for wisdom instead. He understood that God knew what was best ...

R EAD THIS:  Proverbs 30:1-6 1  The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh—an inspired utterance. This man’s utterance to Ithiel: “I am weary, God, but I can prevail. 2 Surely I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding. 3 I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One. 4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know! 5 “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. 6 Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar. WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY? Here is the Dan/Liz translation of what we just read (Remember, this is one interpretation, if you have a different take that you got when you read the actual verses, then that doesn't mean you're wrong!!! Feel free to post below on any different takes!)...

R EAD THIS:  Proverbs 29:18-27 18  Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.  19  Servants cannot be corrected by mere words; though they understand, they will not respond.  20  Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them.  21  A servant pampered from youth will turn out to be insolent.  22  An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.  23  Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor.  24  The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies; they are put under oath and dare not testify.  25  Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.  26  Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.  27  The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright. W...

R EAD THIS:  Proverbs 29:1-17 1  Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy. 2 When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan. 3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth. 4 By justice a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down. 5 Those who flatter their neighbors are spreading nets for their feet. 6 Evildoers are snared by their own sin, but the righteous shout for joy and are glad. 7 The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern. 8 Mockers stir up a city, but the wise turn away anger. 9 If a wise person goes to court with a fool, the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace. 10 The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity and seek to kill the upright. 11 Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. 12 If a ruler list...

R EAD THIS:  Proverbs 28:17-28 17  Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder will seek refuge in the grave; let no one hold them back.  18  The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe, but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit.  19  Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.  20  A faithful person will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.  21  To show partiality is not good— yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.  22  The stingy are eager to get rich and are unaware that poverty awaits them.  23  Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor rather than one who has a flattering tongue.  24  Whoever robs their father or mother and says, “It’s not wrong,” is partner to one who destroys.  25  The greedy stir up conflict, but those who trust in the Lord will prosper....

R EAD THIS:  Proverbs 28:1-16 1  The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion. 2 When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order. 3 A ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops. 4 Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked, but those who heed it resist them. 5 Evildoers do not understand what is right, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully. 6 Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse. 7 A discerning son heeds instruction, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father. 8 Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor. 9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable. 10 Whoever leads the upright along an evil path will fall into their own trap, but the blameless will receive a good inheri...

R EAD THIS:  Proverbs 27:19-27 19 As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. 20 Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes. 21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise. 22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding them like grain with a pestle, you will not remove their folly from them. 23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; 24 for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations. 25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in, 26 the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field. 27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family and to nourish your female servants. WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY? These verses talk all about what comes naturally to us as well as how important it is to live differently than what is natural!...

R EAD THIS:  Proverbs 27:12-18 12 The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. 13 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider. 14 If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse. 15 A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm; 16 restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand. 17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. 18 The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever protects their master will be honored. WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY? People are interesting. It is hard to know when to trust whom. That being the case, it is important to think deeply about the people we decide to trust. If there are danger signs, then we should probably decide to trust them less (v12). When we don't know a person, we should be more guarded and take extra measure to m...

R EAD THIS:  Proverbs 27:7-11 7 One who is full loathes honey from the comb, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet. 8 Like a bird that flees its nest is anyone who flees from home. 9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice. 10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you— better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away. 11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart; then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt. WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY? There's a lot of good lessons in these proverbs, but they don't necessarily relate. We're going to deep dive into verse 9 because it ties into what we were learning about yesterday. Before we do that, though, we'll do a quick Liz/Dan translation of the verses in case there was something that confused you! (Remember, this is our interpretation, so always take what y...

R EAD THIS:  Proverbs 27:1-6 1  Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. 2 Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips. 3 Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both. 4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? 5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love. 6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY? All these verses (except for verse 4) answer the following questions: Who should we accept praise from? Who should we accept rebuke from? How should we respond to rebukes?  And here are the answers: We should accept praise from others. When we praise ourselves, it can get dangerous. It shows that we are focused on ourselves instead of on serving the Kingdom, and it can lead us to becoming too attached to our own accomplishments and goals. Nothing about tomorrow or our goals is promised...