Battling Intrusive Thoughts

Learning Through Studying the Bible

READ: PSALM 119:12-16; JOHN 20:31; 1 CORINTHIANS 2 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=PSALM%20119%3A12-16%3B%20JOHN%2020%3A31%3B%201%20CORINTHIANS%202&version=NLT] It can be difficult to make time to read the Bible, and it can also be tough to understand some of the things the Bible has to say. But the good news is, God has not left us alone in studying His Word. Once we know Jesus, He provides us with the Holy Spirit to help deepen our understanding of the gospel as we dig into the Bible (John 14:26; 2 Timothy 3:14-16). As you seek to learn through studying the Bible, here are some tips to get you started: First, read Bible passages slowly. We don’t need to feel like we have to rush through what we’re reading. Instead, we can take our time. There’s no rule about the amount of chapters or verses we need to read in a day. Instead of trying to read a lot, sometimes it’s better to try to get a lot out of what we read. Even if we only get through a couple verses, going slowly can help us learn more than we would if we sped through. Second, do some research. If we’re not sure what a certain passage is trying to say, it’s wise to do some searching. We can look for other Bible versions of the same passage and compare how each one is worded. We can also read commentaries on the passage that’s confusing to us. It’s important to look into a variety of sources and see what they have to say about what we’re reading—and, of course, to always be discerning about what or who we trust in our research. Third, don’t do it alone! It’s vital to be part of a local church body that loves Jesus and preaches His Word. And, especially when we’re stuck on a certain passage, it can be helpful to talk to trusted Christians in our lives, asking them to read the passage with us and talk together about what it means. As we study the Bible, the Holy Spirit will help us understand more and more deeply God’s message of good news, and what He has done for us in Jesus. He is eager to reveal His boundless love for us (Ephesians 3:14-21), and to help us “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). • Emily Acker • Consider taking some time to reread today’s Bible passages. Why is it so important that the whole Bible points to Jesus? (For more about the gospel, the good news of Jesus, see our "Know Jesus [https://unlocked.org/knowjesus/]" page.) • What questions do you have about the Bible? Who are trusted Christians in your life you can bring these questions to? Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. Romans 15:4 (NLT)

God Still Speaks (Part 2)

READ: 2 TIMOTHY 3:14-17; HEBREWS 1:1-4; 4:14-16 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20TIMOTHY%203%3A14-17%3B%20HEBREWS%201%3A1-4%3B%204%3A14-16&version=NIV] Wouldn’t it be great to have God speak to you today as He did to Elijah in 1 Kings 19? Sometimes, when I have a particularly pressing concern, I just want God to speak audibly to me so I can know exactly what He wants me to do. A gigantic, neon sign—instead of earthquakes or fire—would suffice. Although God may not speak to me in the dramatic ways I would like Him to, He does still speak. In fact, God wants so much to speak to His people that He came to earth and lived among us. When Jesus spoke to us, He taught us that God created us for relationship with Himself, but then our sin separated us from God. Jesus came so we could be close to God again. He was willing to suffer and die on a gruesome cross so we could be with Him forever. But what about after Jesus rose from the grave and ascended into heaven? Jesus explained in John 14, “These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (verses 24-26). Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus as our Savior, we can know that we have access to God Himself, always. The Spirit of Christ lives in us! Hebrews 1:1-3 really gets to the heart of the matter: “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son [Jesus]…The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” How incredible that we can listen to the God of the Universe through His Word, the Bible, and that we can talk with Him any time through prayer! In the Old Testament, God spoke to the prophets and His people in various ways. When God the Father sent God the Son to us, He spoke in the most powerful way of all: showering upon us His mercy, grace, and unfailing love. In Christ, God speaks. • Savannah Coleman • The same God who created the world and spoke with Adam and Eve wants to speak to us too. Even before sin entered the world, God had a plan to bring us back to Himself. Through Jesus, God made the way for us to have fellowship with Him and receive the forgiveness we desperately needed. How could you set aside time to listen to God in His Word and in prayer? The Son [Jesus] is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. Hebrews 1:3 (NIV)

God Still Speaks (Part 1)

READ: 1 KINGS 19:1-18 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20KINGS%2019%3A1-18&version=CSB] Fear gripped Elijah’s heart as he made his way toward the mouth of the cave. Forty days of traveling to the mountain of God. Forty days ago, he had prayed to God that he might die. Forty days ago, Elijah had fled to the wilderness because King Ahab and Queen Jezebel were hunting him down to end his life, just as they had done with the other prophets of God. Elijah was fleeing because of the events on Mount Carmel. On that mountain, Elijah and all the people had seen God’s power over Baal, the favored false god of the time. Only the One True God could prevail in sending fire from heaven and burning up the sacrifice—not to mention the stones, the dirt, and even the water that had drenched everything (1 Kings 18:17-46). But, after that victorious yet intense confrontation with the prophets of Baal, Elijah fell into despair, fleeing from the King and Queen’s certain wrath and begging for death. But even then, God was with Elijah, sending an angel to strengthen and refresh him. Now, Elijah rested in a cave on Mount Horeb, known as the mountain of God. “What are you doing here, Elijah?” the Lord asked (1 Kings 19:9). Elijah proceeded to pour out his heart as he curled up on the floor of the cave. God responded, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the LORD’s presence” (verse 11). Suddenly, a mighty wind began to tear the mountain apart. But God was not in the wind. Then, an earthquake came. Then, fire—fierce and sudden. But God was not in these two either. Abrupt and intense as the fire had come, silence fell over the mountain. There was only a gentle whisper—light and musical as a bubbling brook. Elijah knew this was the Lord. His God had chosen a whisper to speak to His servant. • Savannah Coleman • Today’s story is how one author imagines 1 Kings 19. Instead of reprimanding Elijah, God met him right where he was in his fear, giving him rest. God meets His people in the same way. While we were still sinners, Jesus—God in flesh—died and rose again so that everyone who puts their trust in Him could rest in His finished work, knowing we are secure in His love and forgiveness. What questions do you have about 1 Kings 19? What can this passage reveal to us about what God is like and how He interacts with us, His people? (If you want to dig deeper, read Matthew 11:28-30; John 3:16-17; Romans 5:6-10; 1 Peter 5:7; Hebrews 4:14-16) “Though the mountains move and the hills shake, my love will not be removed from you and my covenant of peace will not be shaken,” says your compassionate Lord. Isaiah 54:10 (CSB)

A Bronze Snake in the Wilderness

READ: NUMBERS 21:4-9; JOHN 3:13-18; ROMANS 3:25-28; EPHESIANS 2:4-8 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=NUMBERS%2021%3A4-9%3B%20JOHN%203%3A13-18%3B%20ROMANS%203%3A25-28%3B%20EPHESIANS%202%3A4-8&version=NLT] On the surface, the Old Testament passage about the bronze snake might seem like an odd story. While the Israelites were in the wilderness, they complained about the lack of bread and meat. They complained A LOT. They were grumbling against the Lord instead of bringing their concerns to Him. And they were forgetting how He rescued them from slavery in Egypt and how He was leading them to a Promised Land flowing with milk and honey. In response, the Lord sent dangerous snakes that killed many of the people. Then the people repented and asked Moses to intercede for them. And God is so rich in mercy and He loved them so much that He answered their prayer by providing a remedy. Under direction from the Lord, Moses made a bronze snake replica, mounted it on a pole, and held it up before the people. All who had been bitten and looked on it were healed! But why a bronze snake on a pole? Think about it. It’s not that the pole or the snake had magic powers. It was about an act of faith. The snake mounted on a pole likely resembled a cross. Looking forward to Jesus’s death at Calvary, God lovingly told His people to look at the cross-shaped image. All who looked up in faith were saved. And saved from what? From the harm of the serpents who bit the people. This hearkens back to the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve were deceived by the deadly serpent, Satan—and where God promised to crush that serpent through Jesus, the Savior descended from Eve (Genesis 3:15). Whatever ills the serpent can inflict from the Garden of Eden until today, there is one who has overcome. The whole of the Old Testament points to the work of Jesus on the cross. When Jesus took our sin upon Himself and died the death we deserved, He made the way to forgive all our sins and rescue us from all the death and brokenness sin causes. It’s not some sort of magic made by humans like Moses. It’s the sacrificial work of God the Son to provide a remedy for our sin. Just as the Israelites were saved in the wilderness when they looked up in faith, so too will we be saved when we put our faith in Jesus Christ. • Mike Hurley • Can you think of a time God helped you, even after you complained against Him? • For more about what it means to put your trust in Jesus, see our "Know Jesus [https://unlocked.org/knowjesus/]" page. [Jesus said,] “And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.” John 3:14 (NLT)

A Lifestyle of Worship

READ: 2 SAMUEL 12:19-20; PSALMS 51:4; 142:1-5; HEBREWS 13:8 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20SAMUEL%2012%3A19-20%3B%20PSALMS%2051%3A4%3B%20142%3A1-5%3B%20HEBREWS%2013%3A8&version=NIV] David’s identity changed a lot over his lifetime—from shepherd to outlaw to king. Through it all, we see his heart in the psalms he wrote. Even when he hid from King Saul in a cave, even when remorse overwhelmed him after murdering Uriah, even as he grieved the death of his son, he could focus his heart on worshiping God because of God’s unchanging identity. What’s significant about David’s lifestyle is that he didn’t reserve his worship for the good seasons. He didn’t worship only when playing his harp for Saul or when writing songs alone in the fields with the sheep. He worshiped even in life-threatening situations. When we look at David’s life, we see a very freeing truth—worshiping God is a lifestyle choice. There’s a story in 2 Samuel 23 when David craved water from a certain well. His strongest men broke through the Philistine camp, got the water, and brought it to David. Overwhelmed, David offered it to God by pouring it out on the ground (verses 13-17). His actions echo Lamentations 2:19: “Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord.” There’s a difference between half-heartedly singing songs on a Sunday—and pouring out our hearts to God, choosing to remember His character even when we feel defeated. Worshiping through songs is a wonderful and important part of our walk with Jesus. But singing is only part of worship. Choosing a lifestyle of worship means focusing on God’s character even when others are against us, even when we’ve sinned against God and need to repent, even when our world is falling apart. It means coming to Jesus and pouring out our hearts—in good times and bad—relying on His steadfast love and forgiveness (Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 Peter 5:7). As we do, we are buoyed with hope in our Savior. Worship as a lifestyle means our worship isn’t based on our feelings but on God’s character. This can encourage us: though our feelings will come and go, His character stays the same. He is always worthy of worship! • Sarah Rexford • When you hear the word worship, what comes to mind? How does it make you feel? • God wants us to come to Him just as we are, with all our messy thoughts and feelings, and to behold His great goodness, mercy, and love. He invites us to open our hearts to Him, and to praise and thank Him for who He is and what He’s done for us. How could you worship today? Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. Psalm 33:3-4 (NIV)