Adoring Day 15
The Overflow of Adoration

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Corinthians 5:18-6:10
2 Corinthians 2:15
Jude 1:20-23
Leviticus 2:11-13 

Nothing blows me away and sinks into my heart quite like the uniqueness of generosity.
Especially when I know how much it cost the giver.

Last December, my 6 year-old daughter came home from Store Night at Awana, a club where she learns Bible verses and core biblical truths. For every verse she memorizes, she earns a “buck”. She walked into Store Night with a pocket full of 20 bucks and an excited twinkle in her eye. Later, after much debating on what to buy, she rushed home to show me her treasures. A plastic ring for her sister, a car for her brother, a candy for her other brother, candy for her other sister, a sucker for herself, and a tea light candle holder with a Bible verse on it….for me.

My heart ached from exploding. Why would she buy me something? These were her bucks, she’d waited months for Store Night and worked so hard to earn them.
With teary-eyes, I held her close and told her thank you as her own eyes lit up with delight.
Then the price tag caught my eye.
$10
And tears flowed as my heart broke with love.
She had spent half of her earnings on me and got herself a sucker.

I looked at my daughter, who glowed with giddy happiness at buying me something, and I felt like I was touching a piece of Heaven.
I couldn’t pay her back.
I couldn’t give her more “bucks” or do a single thing to return this favor.
It was priceless.
And I caught God’s view of generous living as I kissed my girl’s sweet cheeks.

The generosity He shows us is boundless.
His kindness, His compassion, His forgiveness, grace, comfort, and love, are everyday reminders of it, but the greatest outpouring is found in the gift of His own Son.
See, He spent all He had when His Beloved hung naked on a tree,
taking the punishment He hadn’t earned.
We can’t pay Him back.
It’s priceless.
His blood is precious.
And the more we lean into that gift and see just how priceless it is, the more often we will find our hearts adoring Him.
And the more we adore, the easier it is to extend His embrace, by giving it away.
I read an interesting verse today in my time with Jesus.
“You are to season each of your grain offerings with salt;
you must not omit…the salt of the covenant.” (Lev 2:13)

Um, what?!
Yes, this is a tiny rule that applied to Old Testament Israelites about sacrifices, but the why is what made me curious. We all know salt is a preservative, and in biblical times, a “salt covenant” meant that the agreement would not end. In Middle Eastern culture, sharing a meal together was also a critical part of entering into a salt covenant because it meant that a deep sense of friendship was involved. The covenant was more than just a contract that couldn’t be retracted; it was about an intimate friendship being preserved as well.
The Grain Offering for the Israelites? It was a “meal” between God and the priests. The portion that was to be burned up for God was only a handful, the rest of the offering was given to the priest as their portion of the “meal”.
The covenant between God and Israel was a “salt covenant”; it couldn’t be broken.
And it was much more than a contract; it represented a restored relationship, a mutual friendship.

But wait, there’s more!
After Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and all of these Levitical offerings were no longer needed, the idea of salt remained. I promise this has a tieback into generosity, bear with me! 🙂
In Colossians 4:6, Paul is in the middle of talking about various relationships (marriages, workplace, fellow Christians, and unbelievers), and he concludes by urging everyone to allow their conversations to be seasoned with salt, no matter who they are talking to or interacting with.
Our lives are meant to reflect that original “salt covenant”!

A covenant we couldn’t possibly keep because of our sin,
so God keeps it for us by His grace.
A grace we are called to extend to everyone within our reach.
“Don’t omit the salt.”
It’s a covenant of deep friendship, a friendship we are to invite others into.
“Don’t omit the salt.”

We’ve looked at so many ways and reasons to give Adoration to the Lord in this series, but the one that honors Him most, is the one that overflows onto others. As we bring praise to the King, look deep into His heart, get wrapped up in His love, stand in amazement at His grace and goodness, His intention is that our conclusion is to give ourselves away.
By sharing grace.
By inviting others in.
By not omitting the salt.

God doesn’t need our adoration;
He wants us to see Him for who He is
so that it motivates us to extend His grace to everyone around us.

My daughter’s generosity affected me so deeply because I knew there was no way to repay her.
The gift God gave us by restoring our relationship with Him is one we could never repay.
And because it was so precious,
I want to give it away just as He gave to me.

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Adoration Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies in Adoring!

Adoring Day 14
Even Now: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days...are a pretty big deal at GT!

We search God's Word together, ask questions as we read, dig around to find the original intentions at the time of writing, and then make some applications to our everyday lives.
Along the way, we hope you'll pick up some new tools to study Scripture and you'll see truth in a new and accessible way!
Dig In!

The Passage

Looking for yesterday’s Journey Post? Check out Even Now!

Psalm 125 English Standard Version (ESV)

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people,
from this time forth and forevermore.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
their hands to do wrong.
4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
and to those who are upright in their hearts!
5 But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
the Lord will lead away with evildoers!
Peace be upon Israel!

The Questions

1) What is a “Song of Ascent”?

2) What analogy does the writer use in verse two to explain God’s character?

3) What two types of people are described by the Psalmist?

The Findings for Intention

1) What is a “Song of Ascent”?
The Psalms referenced as the “Songs of Ascent” are Psalms 120-134. This description means just as it says, songs that “ascend” or go up! One thought of study suggests these songs (Psalms) were sung by Jews going up to Jerusalem during the three major festivals because they traveled “up” into the mountains. Others think they were songs speaking spiritually of our progress and maturity in a person’s spiritual life. (www.biblicalresearch.info.com) There are actually several schools of thought about what the titles given to these songs actually means.

2) What analogy does the writer use in verse 2 to explain God’s character?
In verse two, the Psalmist compares God’s protection of His people to the mountains that surround Jerusalem. If you were to look at a map, you would see clearly the mountainous terrain that is found in the Judean countryside. As a traveler, it was not easy to navigate, but with this comparison, we see God’s protection around His people like the mountains around Jerusalem.

3) What two types of people are described by the Psalmist?
In the last part of this Psalm there are two different people that are described: righteous and evildoers (those who have turned aside). The Psalmist is asking for God to show goodness for those who do good and He answers! We are told of the protection in v. 2 afforded those who are of God. The wicked, or evil doers, do not share the same blessing. The Lord leads them away and for those who do wrong, the “scepter of wickedness shall rest upon them.”

The Everyday Application

1) What is a “Song of Ascent”?
We are reminded in this psalm of the promises of God for those who follow Him. We know that if we trust, despite circumstances, we will not be moved. The constant joy and hope is eternal and “abides forever”, regardless of what our “now” looks like. No matter what the original intention was behind, “Song of Ascents”, we can be encouraged by the Psalmist’s words.

2) What analogy does the writer use in verse two to explain God’s character?
God’s protection is like a mountain that protects a city. The mountains rise up and don’t move. Likewise, the Lord is a God who never moves and is not shaken by life’s tragedies and burdens. We are reminded in this Psalm that “the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forevermore.” There is no end to His mercy and protection. Our feelings of whether God is with us doesn’t drive the Truth that He is there. Whether we feel Him or not, we are surrounded by Him!

3) What two types of people are described by the Psalmist?
We can praise God in loss and trail because we have previously made the choice to follow Him. In making that choice, we are afforded the promises that He offers. God desperately wants to be in relationship with all people, but when we read this Psalm, it’s evident that there are those who have not made that choice. When trial and circumstance, loss and death, joy and defeat come our way as believers, we can stand firm knowing for all eternity, God will not be moved and there is NOTHING that can take us away from His presence. (Romans 8:37-39).

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!

I Can Do That!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read through it (always more than a verse or two).
3) Write down your questions as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God in your everyday!

The Community!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Adoring Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

The Tools!

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

The Why!

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus.
Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
See all past studies in Adoring!

Adoring Day 13
Even Now

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 125
1 Peter 1:1-8
Psalm 118:22-24

The floor creaked as I walked towards the bedroom and slowly turned the doorknob. Before me was the perfect little girl’s bedroom; pink and green walls, dolls and stuffed animals, and a closet full of little clothes. If I didn’t know better, it appeared she had just gone to school for the day, and would return soon. “Miss Kendra!”My thoughts were interrupted by her big sister’s call, and I headed back downstairs.

I began nannying for the Rechtien family when their oldest daughter was 10.
Their youngest daughter, Annie, had passed away almost two years before.

I didn’t know what to expect the first time I met them. Openly, the Rechtiens talked about Annie, showing me her bedroom as we toured the house and telling me about Mary Cate, their oldest girl. Through our conversation, there was nothing but peace and steady joy.

I learned a lot about Annie while I nannied. She was a bubbly girl who followed the rules and loved giving hugs. I watched videos of Annie in her preschool performances and singing about going to heaven one day. I heard Mary Cate tell me that she missed her sister, and watched as she ever-so-sweetly chose a Christmas ornament for her parents in memory of Annie. I rejoiced with the Rechtien family as they adopted first a baby boy, followed by a baby girl. I saw Mary Cate’s big sister arms filled with a little sibling to love and hold again.

Throughout all of this, there was peace and steady, deep joy.

One morning while Kathleen was reading her Bible, she shared the verse that had anchored her despite her grief.
“Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved,
but abides forever.”
She had memorized it as a little girl, never knowing that these words would carry her as her own little girl fought brain cancer.

Every morning I found Kathleen, coffee in hand and Bible before her. The family’s evenings were filled with church small groups, gymnastics, and Wednesday night services. They weren’t just going through the spiritual motions. No.
Praise was constant on their lips and in their hearts.
Peace was always there and joy was always steady.

Annie got sick at just five years old and Kathleen and her husband had a choice to make. Abandon the faith they’d grown up with or choose to trust God even when.

Annie passed away ten months after her battle began. She was at home, with her family surrounding her and her big sister laying next to her. As Annie took her last breath on earth and her first in Heaven, Kathleen knew that there was no going back. Her baby girl was gone.

They buried Annie that week, and went to church the day after, because that’s who they are. Before this moment came, they had already decided to trust God even now in the darkest storm.

Kathleen stated at Annie’s funeral that they were shaking.
They ached to hold their little girl.
Their world had changed overnight.
They were shaking, but their faith was not.
When life was easy, Robert and Kathleen had made Jesus their cornerstone,
so their foundation was set when tragedy came.
They could praise God, even when everything was crumbling,
because their foundation was the only thing not crumbling.

Loss comes in many different shapes and sizes.
To me, loss looks like losing my Papa.
You may have lost your marriage, a baby,
a relationship, a job, your home, or something else.
Loss will come to all of us, but we can choose now to build a foundation
that will allow praise in the tragic.

Robert and Kathleen never would have chosen this road.
But with joy,
not a bubbling over dancing kind of joy,
but a steady, deep joy,
they can say the Lord has used Annie’s life in incredible ways.

Praise might not look like standing with widespread arms.
Praise may look like ugly tears before God.
Praise may look like a choice to love, to welcome, to extend grace even now when your heart breaks.
Praise, just like loss, comes in many shapes and forms.

The Rechtiens still grieve.
They still miss their precious girl,
but because they chose to hide away in the shelter of Jesus,
praise, peace, and joy are theirs even now.
And because of their choice,
they remain unshaken, even now.

“How would you look at eleven
If God hadn’t called you to heaven?

Tall like your sister, or short like me?
Soccer, gymnastics, or cheerleading?

Your classmates all grow and change every year,
But you are my forever kindergartener in your uniform so dear.

Our family of four, now a family of six
A brother, a sister, I think you helped pick!

Six years was our gift, how we wish we had more!
Happy Birthday, sweet Annie, on the day you were born.”

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Adoring Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies in Adoring!

Adoring Day 12
Worship In The Waiting: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days...are a pretty big deal at GT!

We search God's Word together, ask questions as we read, dig around to find the original intentions at the time of writing, and then make some applications to our everyday lives.
Along the way, we hope you'll pick up some new tools to study Scripture and you'll see truth in a new and accessible way!
Dig In!

The Passage

Looking for yesterday’s Journey Post? Check out Worship In The Waiting!

Exodus 3:13-22 English Standard Version (ESV)

13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel:

‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. 16 Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt, 17 and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.”’ 18 And they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go. 21 And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, 22 but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.”

The Questions

1) What’s the big deal about God’s name and why does He call Himself “I AM”?

2) What is the significance of God “observing” in v 16? Is He a casual onlooker?

3) What does this passage reveal about God’s character?

The Findings for Intention

1) What’s the big deal about God’s name and why does He call Himself “I AM”?
In biblical times, the giving of a name was meant to give a definition of that person, either by occupation or by characteristic or perhaps the circumstances they were born with. God gives Himself a name that defines Him with Himself. He simply is. He is timeless, the beginning and the end of all things. There is no other definition for God except “God”. He holds the supremacy in all matters.
He also refers to Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, which is the name He had been known by since cutting the covenant with Abraham and his offspring from that covenant promise. God wanted to be known as the covenant-keeping God, for Abraham, for the new covenant that would come in Jesus, and for the fulfillment of the covenant with Christ’s return. He is trustworthy to be the same, yesterday, today, and forever! Check out these references!
John 8:58, Psalm 68:4, Psalm 83:18, Revelation 1:4, Revelation 1:8

2) What is the significance of God “observing” in v 16? Is He a casual onlooker?
“Observe” here does not have the same implication we may take in our western culture. The Hebrew meaning is much stronger being defined as, “caring for, looking after, or attending to”. We get the idea of an attentive parent caring for the needs of a child, definitely not a casual onlooker who just happened to suddenly notice the Hebrews being enslaved.

3) What does this passage reveal about God’s character?
So Much!! He promises freedom from slavery and bring them into a homeland rich with inheritance. Which we see Him act faithfully on and keep His word. He is honorable, steadfast, and completely trustworthy. God tells Moses flat out that He knows Pharaoh “will not let (the people) go without being compelled by a mighty hand” (verse 19). Which later proves true in 5:2 and 7:4. He is all-knowing, seeing past, present, and future, and able to work and intercede throughout time. He is all-powerful as He tells Moses, again in advance, that He will stretch out His hand and do wonders in order to free His people (verse 20). We also see that He is a providing God, both physically and spiritually. He allowed the Hebrews to plunder the Egyptians as they escaped slavery (verses 21-22).

The Everyday Application

1) How does God calling Himself the “I AM” impact my everyday?
God gave Moses his intimate, personal name. “I Am” was referred to as Jehovah, but was such a personal name, the Israelites would never say it or even spell it completely, out of respect and awe. In our modern Bibles, every time you see LORD with all capital letters, it indicates this personal name for God, Jehovah, the “I Am”. Back to Moses….there he stood on holy ground, with his head bowed low before the mightiness of the timeless, infinite God, and the All-Powerful told Moses to call Him by His intimate name. What an incredible picture of God’s passionate heart! He is both Almighty and intimate, personal Savior. Ruler of the universe, and yet He is the same one present with us when grief washes over us, when relationships fail, and sadness overwhelms us. The God OF all, is the same God IN all.

2) What is the significance of God “observing” in v 16? Is He a casual onlooker?
God’s observance or “attentive looking after” isn’t limited to large nations, but rather He carefully watches over each of us. Even tiny sparrows aren’t overlooked in God’s observance, how much more so the everyday lives of the beloved people He died to save?

3) What does this passage reveal about God’s character?
We aren’t slaves of cruel taskmasters in ancient Egypt, but we can easily become slaves to a myriad of other masters. Fear, shame, the past, a relationship, financial loss, failing health, anxiety, or even monotony, but the character of our God reminds us that He Is All In. He is for us and not against us. He isn’t outside our reality with hands bound, He’s present, He’s caring, He’s trustworthy, He’s powerful, and He is our great provider, whatever the situation is. Rest easy in who our God is!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!

I Can Do That!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read through it (always more than a verse or two).
3) Write down your questions as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God in your everyday!

The Community!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Adoring Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

The Tools!

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

The Why!

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus.
Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
See all past studies in Adoring!

Adoring Day 11
Worship In The Waiting

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Galatians 1:11-24
2 Peter 3:1-13
Exodus 3:13-22adobe-spark

I have 7 kids at home from newborn to teenager. Besides the obvious fact that I live in crazy town sprinkled with hilarity and wrapped in sweet love, I also live in monotony. Schedules keep us sane. Everyone has a job and each day flows pretty much like the one before it and the one before that and the one before that.

Some evenings, as I take scrub brush to dirty plate or fold that 3rd load of laundry or pick up the same toy I had already put away or repeat the same directions I’d already said 10 times, I wonder…is this all there is? Is this my big calling in life? Monotony?

Whether your days are full of mommy-moments, school classes, deadlines for work, or something else entirely, I bet we’ve both wondered the same thing.
Is this everyday-life-stuff really mattering?

I read about the apostle Paul and all that he did….and I feel kind of…lame.
Reading Acts straight through, it seems like Paul really had it all together for Jesus. Preaching, getting persecuted, risking his life for the gospel, proclaiming Jesus at every turn, writing letters to the churches, traveling abroad as a missionary.
It’s like every single day in the life of Paul was spent doing something incredible for God.

My everyday? Well, seeing as how I’m on my 10,000th diaper (yeah, that’s not an exaggeration, I calculated out an average over 7 babies), I’m not so sure I’ll ever have a day that looks like one of Paul’s.

But then I read a teeny, tiny little phrase that began changing my super-human perspective on Paul. “But I went away to Arabia and returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem…” He points out his calling to the Gentiles and then takes just a few words to tell us that, before he began his work of preaching in Jerusalem, there were 3 years. Three years we know nothing about. Three years of waiting. Three years of day-to-day regular life.

Then there’s Moses. Pretty big Bible character, right? Brought down plagues on the Egyptians, freed the Israelites from Egypt, parted the Red Sea, and led the entire nation through the desert. But before he became a hero, he was a fugitive for murder, which left him in another desert, shepherding stupid sheep for 40 years. Forty years of waiting, of wondering if this was it. Forty years of everyday, ordinary work and marriage.

But God wasted none of this.
Timing is huge for God. It’s exact. It’s precise. It’s His.
He sent His Son at the perfect time in history.
Jesus will come back at the perfect time, decided and known only by God the Father Himself.

Just as we are waiting here in the everyday, God is waiting also.
And He’s using the wait.

Though we don’t know what Paul did in those three years, based on his ministry later, it clearly wasn’t wasted, no matter what his everyday looked like. Paul walked away from the duties of the law, everything he was, and all he had known, and spent time being transformed and taught by Jesus.

And Moses’ forty years? The prince turned pauper, was learning how to shepherd. And when he was ready, when the Hebrew people were ready, when the time was just right, God moved him into shepherding people instead. His arrogance was gone, his head had cleared, and he probably had learned a great deal about patience. He learned about relationships when he married and lived in a tent with his father-in-law, and he had become an expert in the ways of the desert. Along the way, he discovered the holiness, the tenderness, the compassion, and the authority of God.

Even in my life of dishes and dinner and dirty laundry, I can look back and see God shaping my heart, teaching me patience, teaching me love, teaching me about Himself even here in the mundane. I’m closer in my walk with Jesus now than I was even six months ago
….because God is teaching me to worship.
See, worship is the lynch pin in life. What you worship speaks to what your life will become. It’s the deciding factor in whether the waiting will be wasted or not. We can either worship self or the Savior, the choice is ours, but it is a choice.
Moses’ life ended and the torch of leadership was passed to Joshua, who led Israel faithfully and after nearly 3 decades of conquest and leaning into God, Joshua’s final call to the people was about worship. “Choose this day whom you will worship.” (HCSB)

The same choice is ours.
Our every day moments, will be here again tomorrow and will be here as soon as you finish reading this, the choice is the same too. What will you worship in the now?
Like Paul, like Moses, like Joshua, like you, like me,
when we give Him our worship,
there’s no telling how He will build His kingdom in and through us!
He will never waste your worship, or the waiting.

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Adoring Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies in Adoring!

The GT Weekend – Adoring Week 2

Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer, rest your soul in reflective journaling, and spend time worshiping the Creator who longs for intimacy with each of us!

Journal With Us!

Journal Prompts

1) It’s easy to pursue Jesus’ face in the midst of difficultly as our “lifesaver” and ignore him when all is well. What has been helpful in keeping you accountable in seeking Father when things in your life are moving along nicely?

2) What’s your word; your one thing that comes to mind when you hear talk of deep seeded, I’ve-never-told-anyone fear? There is so much freedom in pinpointing it and sharing it. Take another moment to think again of what you fear. Find a close friend to share with or email us at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com to share with us.

3) Our Good Father is always with us and ready for us to commune with him. Write out a reminder for you and post on your mirror. Some examples are:
You pursue me passionately.
Father, You love me deeply.
Jesus, You provide perfectly.

Worship In Song

Music Video: John Mark and Sarah McMillan’s, “King of my Heart”

Pour Out Your Heart

Jesus, I come to You in repentance. Forgive me for turning from You and not following hard after You when my life is easy. Draw me closer to You, keep revealing more of Your face as I look to You when my life is going well.

Father, as I lean into the things I fear, let me choose faith over fear. Remind me of how big You are in the midst of the chaos of life. Let me be reminded of how deeply You love me, how You long to go deeper with me, and how You are faithful to Your own character. Lead me closer to You, my Lord.

Pray With Us!

In everything, with praise and thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God!
Click here to comment and pray with the GT Community!
Want to connect with a GT Partner?
Send your prayer request to prayer@gracefullytruthful.com
We are committed to praying over and walking with you!

Journey With Us

Sign up to have GT Journey Studies sent to you!
What were your thoughts from the GT Weekend?
How were you drawn near to the Father and encouraged in your faith?
Share with the community and encourage other women!

Adoring Day 10
In The Face Of Fear

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 John 4:13-18
Psalm 34
Psalm 37attachment-1-39

Almost 5 years old. That’s generally when my kids start leaning in to their imaginations and letting fear have a hold on their young hearts. Shadows are spooky, dreams are scary, the dark is overwhelming, and frightful things are waiting for them under their beds.

But they do have an “out”. Run to Mommy and Daddy’s room.
They know compassion waits in our arms, even if we can’t make the nightmare end.
They know they are safe to tell us they are scared.
Security is found in knowing who they run to.

Fear.

It twists our insides, making us shudder, forcing our eyes to quickly avert the scene in our mind’s eye.

I’ve lied because of fear.
I’ve pretended fear doesn’t affect me.
I’ve ignored people.
I’ve driven away the ones I love out of fear.

But nothing I’ve tried has healed my heart or offered me hope.

Like you, I know the insides of fear. I’ve lived in its shifting shadows and wished desperately for an escape.
I’ve feared the unknown.
I’ve feared for my changing marriage relationship.
I’ve feared for the life of my child.
I’ve feared my past.
I’ve feared the consequences of failing.
I’ve feared loss.
I’ve feared people.
I’ve feared the image of an angry God.
I’ve feared the truth.

Pause and let your heart draw it out. That fear. The one that you run from.

Whatever the name of your fear or the feelings it brings,
the grip of its claws sink into us all the same, enslaving us like heavy chains.

Fear pulls back the shades of our insides making us shiver with the exposure of our terror.
But God’s goodness is found even here because He designed that
everything in life,
every fear,
every tragedy,
every wound,
would point us towards Himself.
He’s waiting in every breath, every tragedy, every heartbreak, every fear come true. Waiting with arms of compassion spread wide, beckoning you to go deeper with Him, to see His face more clearly, to know His heart more fully.

Fear is either the doorway through which we see and love Jesus more deeply or it’s the dark, back alley by which we run farther away from the intimacy He offers.

Choosing to walk through the doorway instead of running down that alley starts with something simple.
Adoration.
It’s not a feeling.
Not a sadistic look at our fear-filled circumstances and giving a “thumb’s-up-awesome.”
Rather, it’s a hunker-down here in the dirt of my fear, and choose to gaze unswervingly upon the face of the Jesus who loves us.
It’s honest.

Because here’s the crazy thing about placing our affections and adorations on Jesus rather than our fears,
adoration frees us.

Adoration.
It doesn’t even start with something we are “thankful for” like water or air or another list of “blessings”. It’s rooted in God’s unchanging character.

You are the God of all comfort.
You are the God who sees me.
You are the God who has counted every hair on my head and knows where each strand lies.
Your love for me is boundless.
Your forgiveness is unsearchable.
You are a shelter.
You are the Deliverer.
You control the winds and the waves, the seasons, the tide, the universe and yet You know me.
You are the God who is intimate with details.

The honesty of bringing all fears before the God who sees all, knows all, and loves beyond comprehension gives us the freedom
to adore Him for who He is
because we know we are lavishly loved.
Adoration. It frees us from fear.

Sincere adoration isn’t something we can just conjure up though; it grows in the fertile soil of an intimate relationship. When we want any relationship to grow, we invest in it by getting to know that person.
We stalk their social media accounts, we join them in recreational activities, we talk to their friends, we make notes of what they like to drink and where they like to go for fun.
We study them.
The same is true in getting to know God. Sure, He sounds intimidating, as He should.
But deciding to make “studying Him” a priority will be an investment you will never regret, yielding unfading benefits both for this life and the next.
It’s reading His word deeply,
it’s getting to know other Christians authentically,
it’s being committed to a local church,
it’s worshipping whole-heartedly.

The more you know Him, the more you love Him.
The more you love Him, the more you trust Him.
The more you trust Him, the more quickly you run to Him with your fears.
And the less power your fears hold over you.
Study Him. Know Him. Adore Him.

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Adoring Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies in Adoring!

Adoring Day 9
Worship on Purpose: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days...are a pretty big deal at GT!

We search God's Word together, ask questions as we read, dig around to find the original intentions at the time of writing, and then make some applications to our everyday lives.
Along the way, we hope you'll pick up some new tools to study Scripture and you'll see truth in a new and accessible way!
Dig In!

The Passage

Looking for yesterday’s Journey Post? Check out Worship On Purpose!

Psalm 9:1-8 English Standard Version (ESV)

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

3 When my enemies turn back,
they stumble and perish before your presence.
4 For you have maintained my just cause;
you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.

5 You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish;
you have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins;
their cities you rooted out;
the very memory of them has perished.

7 But the Lord sits enthroned forever;
he has established his throne for justice,
8 and he judges the world with righteousness;
he judges the peoples with uprightness.

The Questions

1) According to verses 1-2, what are five ways David praises God?

2) What does the phrase “with my whole heart” mean?

3) What is the main theme of the “deeds” that the Psalmist recounts in verses 3-8? What does this tell us about God?

The Findings for Intention

1) According to verses 1-2, what are five ways David praises God?
David gives thanks, recounts His deeds, is glad in Him, exults in Him, and sings praise to His name. Giving thanks, singing, and recounting the things God has done are fairly common, but what exactly does David mean by being glad and exulting in God? The word “exult” comes from a root word that means “to jump for joy,” and means “to rejoice, triumph.” Be glad just means to be glad (no hidden meaning there!). We are given the example by David of praising God by rejoicing in Him.

2) What does the phrase “with my whole heart” mean?
Just as it does today, the heart represented the center of emotions to the ancient Hebrews. David praised God with his whole heart—that is, with the emotions to go along with the actions of praise. He didn’t simply go through the motions, but his inner self was involved in worship, as well.

3) What is the main theme of the “deeds” that the Psalmist recounts in verses 3-8? What does this tell us about God?
David tells of God’s righteous judgment, that He has made the wicked perish, that his enemies have stumbled in God’s presence. These describe the justice of God. Verse 8 tells us that God judges with righteousness and uprightness. God is a good judge. He always deals with evil in His time. David was speaking for his current day enemies being defeated, but his words hit at the final battle between Christ and Satan where the Enemy truly will come to an “everlasting ruin”. Satan’s destruction will be final in that last judgement where the righteousness of God will supremely reign!

The Everyday Application

1) According to verses 1-2, what are five ways David praises God?
These five ways to praise are given to us as an example. Honestly examine your own praise of God. Do you breeze through a few things you’re thankful for or do you sit and contemplate the gracious goodness of God with David’s 5 steps? Spend some time today praising God by giving thanks, recounting His deeds, being glad in Him, rejoicing (exulting) in Him and His character, and singing praise to Him.

2) What does the phrase “with my whole heart” mean?
It is all too easy for us to be caught up in the pressure of what needs to be done next. We can so easily make prayer, Bible study, church attendance, worship simply one more thing to check off our to-do list. But God wants our whole hearts! Pray and confess your sin of “going through the motions,” and think of one tangible thing you can do to prepare your heart for your next opportunity with God. While our “whole heart” includes our emotions, we don’t always “feel” like praising God, but if we truly set aside intentional time to honestly worship God, the feelings will most definitely follow. Try David’s 5 steps to get you going and see what you discover along the way!

3) What is the main theme of the “deeds” that the Psalmist recounts in verses 3-8? What does this tell us about God?
God’s justice is perfect! This is such a wonderful and terrifying truth. When we are on the right side of His justice (by being saved by grace through faith), we have nothing to fear, and we can trust that He will deal with our offenders and be a righteous judge on our behalf. But when we consider God’s justice from the perspective of the sinners that we are, a righteous judge is frightening. We deserve punishment for our sins. Praise God that He sent His Son to take our punishment, so that justice could be satisfied without destroying us! If you have not yet trusted in Christ to take away the debt of justice that you owe for your sins, please do not delay!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!

I Can Do That!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read through it (always more than a verse or two).
3) Write down your questions as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God in your everyday!

The Community!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Adoring Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

The Tools!

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

The Why!

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus.
Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
See all past studies in Adoring!

Adoring Day 8
Worship On Purpose

4 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalms 9
Hebrews 12
John 4:21-24adobe-spark-24

The winter, though long and cold, was full of merriment and memories. My husband and I had finally settled into a rhythm with our new little one. Only 17 months had passed since the all-too-brief life of our firstborn, and we marveled at every moment we had with our son, Zai. We spent every minute we could with him. Playing, laughing, teaching, learning. We celebrated every first and cried at every second. We took down our Christmas decorations one night and boxed up the clothes he had already outgrown the next. Life had been difficult for a while, but it seemed like things were finally good.

One night in February, we spent some time reflecting over the previous year…both highs and lows. With happy hearts, we discussed our plans for the months to come as we tucked our Tiny into his bed. I stole back downstairs to switch the laundry over and decided to finish some reading and write in my prayer journal for a little while as I waited for the cycle to end. I skimmed through the passages halfheartedly and began to write. Several sentences later, I paused and looked over what I had just written. My brow wrinkled with concern. There wasn’t anything wrong with the words…but there was a definite lack of sincerity. I had written the words only moments prior, but I couldn’t even recall them until I read over them again. As I thought about what that implied, I felt a gentle nudge in my spirit.

Why is it that when your life is hard, you seek Me with everything in you…
but when your life feels easier I become just another task on your to-do list?

My heart ached suddenly with conviction and remorse.

Such a gentle question. Such a gentle Father.

As always, He was right. I had been going through the motions, but my heart was removed from my words of praise.

We can all recall moments when we have done the same.
Faced with circumstances or events that knock us on our heels and take our breath away, it is all too apparent that we can’t cope on our own. Our dependence becomes painfully and beautifully obvious. Transparent and hurting, we kneel before Him, desperate for His light. We worship Him in our brokenness. Our very spirit cries out for connection with Immanuel, God With Us.

And He IS Immanuel.  He is with us.

But what about when our pace of life becomes easy?
How do we worship when
our health is good,
our relationships are flourishing,
our children are obedient,
our bank accounts are large,
our career is advancing,
we are “in a good place?”

Relieved at our new normal, we celebrate our “change of circumstance” and jump into this new rhythm wholeheartedly. So easily, we become caught in a cycle of busy as we flit from one good thing or experience to the next.
We fail to recognize that our behavior has become another form of worship
…to ourselves.
Slowly but surely, our agendas and plans edge their way forward in our thoughts until we suddenly realize
we haven’t even talked to Him in a few days…
Or has it been a week?

If we’re being honest, not one of us can say we haven’t been there.

So…how do we change the reality of our nature?
By purposing to live a life of worship.

As we intentionally seek to live with a heart of worship and incorporate worship into our daily routines, we will begin to see the fruit of that decision reflected on our
worst,
best,
every days,
because the truth of His goodness will be written on our hearts
and in our habits,
regardless of our situation, circumstance or reality.

Father, thank You for Your loving correction.  Thank You for loving us enough to speak to us and show us Your heart. Show me when my motives and habits begin to shift so that I can remain tuned in to You and give You the worship that only You deserve. Help me to live a life of worship in spirit and in truth.

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Adoring Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies in Adoring!