Broken

The GT Weekend! – Roads Week 3

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!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Hope is something none of us can live without. Total lack of it is the cause of death for victims of suicide all across the world. Though many of us reading this aren’t necessarily suicidal, we all struggle with losing hope in some form. What would it look like to take the hope of the gospel, offered through Jesus Christ in the middle of your seemingly hopeless situation? Journal some areas you are feeling hopeless, then take the truth of Jesus to those areas, laying everything before the Lord. Ask Him to bring you solid, certain hope! 

2) There seem to be so many different belief systems around us and it can feel overwhelming trying to understand them all. Which is why having a solid foundation of knowing truth is a critical first step to engaging someone else. Challenge yourself to write down 4 or 5 main core beliefs you hold about the state of the human heart, God, eternity, and salvation. Why do you believe those? Are you worried those aren’t strong enough to support genuine criticisms? Why or why not? Be willing to dig around and investigate, it will always be worth it!

3) The road home; it sounds so inviting doesn’t it? Jesus is constantly pursuing each of us, calling us homeward, to rest with Him in intimate, deep relationship. As we’ve studied these 9 religions, only one road will bring us home, the way of the Lord Jesus Christ, fully God, fully man, sacrificial Lamb, and perfect mediator between us and God. As believers in Jesus, this gives us great confidence as we look towards eternity! But this good news is not meant to be bottled up. Begin praying intentionally, every day this week, about who the Spirit of God is leading you to engage in spiritual conversations with that they too, might find the road home!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Ephesians 2:1-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and because of his appearing and his kingdom: 2 Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching. 3 For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. 4 They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths. 5 But as for you, exercise self-control in everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Prayer Journal
Lord Jesus Christ, I praise You, O King, for having mercy on sinners like me. Sinners who have marred Your holiness, sought after my own gain, and worshipped other gods before You. How deep and wide is Your gracious forgiveness! Turn my heart to ever sink into the truths of Your Word as Your Spirit reminds me constantly of the Gospel.  
I know this gospel isn’t just a lavish gift for me, You have intentionally called me out to share it. Jesus, I confess I become easily overwhelmed when it comes to sharing my faith. I worry about not having the right answers, offending someone, or turning them away from You. I confess my lack of faith to You now, Abba. Teach my heart to trust Your word and Your way and Your Spirit. Give me opportunities to share Your hope, break my heart for the eternity of others that I might fully love them with grace and truth by sharing about You! 
For Your Glory, my King, Amen. 

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Roads Day 11 The Weight of Hopelessness

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 86:5-10
Matthew 27:45-28:10
Mark 10:17-31
Luke 8:26-39

Roads, Day 11

On one trip to the mountainside in South Korea,
we met up with my husband’s extended family for lunch at their family restaurant.
We were welcomed by the sour-est faced elderly grandma sitting in the back corner,
sulking for no apparent reason.
As lunch was served, I discovered she was my auntie-in-law and we were sitting at the entrance to one of the oldest Buddhist temples in the country.
She was a firm follower of Buddhism and wore her sufferings plainly for all to see.
Her faith permeated every facet of her life, yet she looked so hopeless.

The daily goal of Buddhism is to find an end to suffering through a constant recycling of life by re-incarnation. That is, after death, a soul is “reincarnated” or “comes back to life” as a different life form.
Good works are cornerstone in having any hope of coming back as anything better. The ultimate goal, however, is enlightenment (also known as nirvana); an experience saved only for monks and nuns.
Publically demonstrating sufferings followed by an outward display of good actions becomes an easy way to convince yourself there’s a good chance of returning as a monk/nun in the next life.
There is no thought that any choice you make in this life has the power to improve, change or even alter your current life, only the one to come.
Many Buddhist friends believe the bad things that happen to them are the result of karma. They presume they must’ve done something bad in their previous life and, in hopes of improving their next life, must simply buckle down, grin, and bear it without grumbling.

My auntie passed away last year thinking she had done a sufficient job of enduring the difficulties of her life. She passionately believed that she would come back to life as something better than a female human.
The very sad reality is that she died without knowing the hope found in a relationship with Jesus.

Hope.
We all cling to something as truth, praying it will stand up under fire.

Matthew 27:45-28:10 vividly records the account of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
We see Jesus holding ultimate power over death with the ability to break the chains of sin and bondage.
This is an important truth of Christianity for your Buddhist friend!
There IS something we can do to change not only our current life,
but also our eternal one!

Accepting, believing and confessing Jesus as Lord brings instant hope into one’s life, forever changing the trajectory of our lives.

Most Buddhists do not recognize Jesus as God’s son, co-equal with God the Father in deity. Before they will understand the truth of God’s Word, we must PRAY.

Pray, pray, and then pray again.

Prayer is the most important work to be done in cross-cultural sharing of the Gospel.
We need to rely heavily on the Holy Spirit to lead us as we share truth.
We need Him to guide us to engage with those who are ready to listen, those who have an open heart, and who will respond in faith to the hope we share from Scripture.

Because Buddhist people do not believe there is a God, or that God has any power to influence their life, studying Scripture about the character of God is useful.
Psalm 86:5-10 highlights several aspects of God’s character. Dig into these truths and be prepared to share about the character of our great God!

Forgiving. Good. Abounding in love. Ready to answer. Almighty. Doer of mighty deeds. Father.

In the muck of life when all seems lost, these are truths we, as followers of Jesus, claim and cling to. Truth of God’s character build hope within our hearts, providing solid assurance and calming our fears in the middle of real suffering.

We have hope, Sisters!
Hope that our Buddhist friends have yet to experience.

When your friend watches you navigate the messiness of your life circumstances, seeing you cling to the truth of Jesus and Scripture, they will begin to wonder, “how is it possible to actually find joy in this difficulty” rather than just endure the situation.
Faithfulness to Scriptural truth and actually living it out daily, coupled with intentionally inviting your Buddhist friends into everyday life with you, will influence your friends in a mighty way for eternity!

Buddhist, Zen, or New Age people are our neighbors, our baristas, our librarians, sports’ coaches, teachers, and friends.
Find the ones in your community!
Pray for them to be open to the solid hope the Gospel offers.
Tell them of the power, authority, and victorious freedom of the cross of Jesus.
Explain the character of God and allow them to see firsthand in your life who He is and how He can impact their daily life.
Hold tightly to the truth of Scripture while sharing His love letter with them, remembering He is a God of grace and truth and He expects us to share His forever hope with gracious love and respect!

In doing so, you can help others be
forever free from this heavy weight of hopelessness!

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

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 Roads 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 Roads!

Screenshot Day 9 Go Get The Sheep: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Go Get The Sheep!

The Questions

1) Who was the audience and what was their situation?

2) What is the significance of verse 13?

3) How did this passage affect the audience?

Jeremiah 29:11-14

11 For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “I will restore you to the place from which I deported you.”

Original Intent

1) Who was the audience and what was their situation?
This passage of Scripture is a portion of a letter written by Jeremiah to the Israelites who had been taken into Babylonian captivity. Jeremiah gave them the Lord’s instructions for this period of time away from their homeland. They were to be exiles in Babylon for approximately 70 years (see verse 10) and the Lord wanted to use this time to strengthen His relationship with them. In verses 4-7 He instructed the people – both the kingdoms of Judah and Israel – to build homes and families and to work to prosper the city, but most importantly to pray for Babylon. The prosperity of Babylon would mean that they, too, would prosper. Conversely, if the city suffered, so would the exiles (and all residents).
But God would not leave them forever in this foreign nation. In His grace, He even made it known to the exiles that He would bring them home again after a set number of years. The entire Israelite nation had become “the lost sheep”, but God sought them and would bring them back.

2) What is the significance of verse 13?
Prior to their exile to Babylon, the people of God had been prostituting themselves to other gods, primarily Baal (see 1 Kings 18:18-40; 2 Kings 10:18-28; 2 Kings 21:1-3). They also gave ear to false prophets, believing lies they were told. God reassured His people in verse 13 that He can be found, and He will be found…if they give their whole heart to Him. The Lord would not share His people with false prophets and false gods.

3) How did this passage affect the audience?
The exiled people of God knew, from this passage, that the Lord had not forgotten them. Even though they suffered captivity in a foreign land for their idolatry, God still loved them. He had a plan and a purpose for the Israelites even before the creation of the world, and this little speed-bump would not alter it. God’s reassurance to them allowed them to continue living, even inside of consequences, without being fearful of their circumstance.

Everyday Application

1) Who was the audience and what was their situation?
This passage, especially verse 11, is often plucked from its context and applied however someone wants to apply it. While modern-day Christians can certainly make good application, we must remember the original events and circumstances prompting the inclusion of this text in the body of Holy Scripture. Often, people read “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” and believe God will keep them from any and all pain and their whole life will be sunshine and roses. This is simply not true.
While we, in America, have not experienced foreign conquest and captivity, you may have been relocated for a job or to care for family. During that time, did you feel as though God had forgotten you? Maybe even that He had banished you? I do hope that you were able to take comfort, by reading Jeremiah 29, that the Lord sees your circumstances and uses them to grow you. God’s plans for us go far beyond physical comfort, to our spiritual development in relationship to Him!

2) What is the significance of verse 13?
God wants a relationship with each of us, and He wants us to give Him our whole heart. Let’s put this in perspective: for the married among us, you surely don’t talk to your husbands just one day a week. And surely you don’t share the same kind of intimacies with other men as you do your spouse.
The Lover of Our Souls is jealous for our time, attention, and devotion like our spouses, but even more so! He knows us significantly better than anyone (even a spouse), because He created us. He knows every thought, even if it isn’t verbalized. He knows our desires (even the secret ones), our fears (why do we still have those?), and our insecurities (Lord, help us!). He understands our pain and empathizes; He recognizes our needs and longs to provide. Why do we not go to Him?
Dear one, regardless of whatever you have given priority above Our Sweet Lord, please put it in its rightful place – under His control.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30)

3) How did this passage affect the audience?
God does have a plan and a purpose for every single person…ultimately, that purpose is to bring glory to Himself (John 12:28). Practically, for Christ followers, we are to be salt and light, illuminating the Truth and making it desirable (Matthew 5:13-16). We are His tools, His craftsmanship, to find His “lost sheep” whether they were in the fold, but got lost and need to be returned, or have never experienced Him as Shepherd.
It is good to look to Scripture for guidance regarding your purpose, but don’t expect specific revelation on who to marry, what job to take, or where to live. Those decisions are expected to be made in the context of a living, vibrant, intimate relationship with Him. The more you spend time with the Lord, the more He tunes our hearts to understand His purposes. What you will find in Scripture, sweet sister, is that people from all backgrounds, in all circumstances, both rich and poor, have worshipped Our Lord, proclaimed His name, and lived their lives for Him. May we do the same as we pursue a relationship with Him, as He has already pursued after us, His lost sheep!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Go Get The Sheep!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
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!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Screenshot Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

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. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? 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 :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Screenshot Day 7 It’s Not Fair: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out It’s Not Fair!

The Questions

1) What is the context of this passage?

2) What are the sins of the younger son?  What is his attitude toward his father?

3) What are the sins of the older son?  What is his attitude toward his father?

4) What is the attitude of the father toward each of his sons?

Luke 15:20-32

So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. 21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father told his servants, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he summoned one of the servants, questioning what these things meant. 27 ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’31 “‘Son,’ he said to him, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Original Intent

1) What is the context of this passage?
These verses are the conclusion to the parable of the Prodigal Son.  Jesus tells a story about a man with two sons, the younger of whom asks for his inheritance, then goes away and squanders all of it.  Once the son realizes he has made a huge mistake, he decides to return to his father to apologize and ask to be treated as one of his father’s servants.
There is also a broader context to this verse.  At the beginning of Luke 15, the Pharisees were grumbling against Jesus because they thought it was improper for him to “welcome sinners and eat with them” (verse 2).  In response, Jesus tells three parables about finding something that was lost: the lost coin, the lost sheep, and the lost son.

2) What are the sins of the younger son?  What is his attitude toward his father?
The younger son was overt in his disobedience and selfishness.  He sinned by asking for his inheritance early, which is basically telling the father he valued his father’s stuff more than he valued his father.  He sinned by being foolish with his money and wasting all of it, which involved some sinful practices (v. 30).  In the beginning, his attitude toward the father was sinful and selfish.  But in the end, his attitude toward his father was humble and repentant.  He had decided he would rather work as a servant in the presence of his father than struggle to make his own life apart from him.

3) What are the sins of the older son?  What is his attitude toward his father?
At first, the younger son appears to be the “good” son, since he stayed and served his father when his brother went away.  But these verses give clues to the attitude of his heart.  In verses 29-30, we see that he, too, was more interested in his father’s stuff than his father’s heart.  He didn’t want the fattened calf to be given for his brother, because that calf was part of his inheritance.  He felt more deserving, since he obeyed his father and his brother didn’t.  If he really valued his father, he would have rejoiced with his father.  But since selfishness was in his heart, he could not rejoice at his brother’s return.

4) What is the attitude of the father toward each of his sons?
The father in this story shows great compassion to each of his sons, in different ways.  The younger son had overtly sinned, yet the father forgave him and celebrated his return.  He rejoiced that his son, who had not been a part of his life, had returned to him.  He also showed compassion to his older son.  The older son was also sinful, although less overtly, because of his attitude toward his brother and his father.  Yet the father did not withdraw from him, but gently reminded him of his value and inheritance, and ultimately, of the value of his brother.

Everyday Application

1) What is the context of this passage?
Jesus used this parable to show the Pharisees that we should rejoice when a sinner repents, when a lost person is found!  We can often have the attitude of the older brother, thinking it is unfair that the father’s riches are shared with the overtly sinful. In reality, it’s unfair of God to share His riches with any of us!  It’s good for us to remember that we don’t really want what we deserve, which is death.  We want, and need, God’s mercy and grace.

2) What are the sins of the younger son?  What is his attitude toward his father?
In the context of Chapter 15, the younger son represents the sinners that the Pharisees didn’t think Jesus should eat with.  They were guilty of the sin of licentiousness; that is, doing whatever they want without regard for God.  Do you tend toward the sin of licentiousness?  By your actions, do you tend to tell God you don’t believe His word?  Do you tend to believe you will find more satisfaction in going your own way, rather than loving God, listening to Him, and obeying Him?  Repent, sister, and be free!

3) What are the sins of the older son?  What is his attitude toward his father?
The older son in this parable represents the Pharisees, people who trusted in their rule-following to make them right with God.  This is the sin of legalism.  Do you tend toward the sin of legalism?  In what ways are you tempted to trust in your good-girl status to make you right with God?  Perhaps you add rules and standards, beyond what the Bible says, and look down on those who don’t follow them?  Repent, sister, and be free!

4) What is the attitude of the father toward each of his sons?
The father in this parable represents our Heavenly Father.  Oh praise You, God, for doing all the work of salvation for us, so that we can’t boast about our works!  Praise You for offering the same salvation and inheritance to all of us, whether we tend towards legalism or license.  Praise You for gently rebuking us and reminding us of our value and shared inheritance! Praise You for emphasizing relationship over performance!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with It’s Not Fair!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
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!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Screenshot Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

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. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? 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 :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

The GT Weekend! Sketched IV Week 3

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!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) We speak countless words every day. Think through your day and estimate the amount of time talking versus the amount of time listening. How would your day look if your speech was stopped? Building in intentional time of silence can be a very effective way to hear from God. Curious as to why silence with God is necessary? Check this out!

2) We see several places in the Bible where faith is the space between logic and the promises of Scripture. Which topic in Scripture causes you to squirm? What do you secretly doubt didn’t actually happen? Perhaps there’s a premise of Scripture you think might not really be true? God is bigger than your doubts and He longs for you to trust Him enough to voice your questions. Finding a safe community to explore and find what the Bible actually has to say is important to our continued growth. Needing help finding someone to talk with, email us at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com , we’d love to hear from you!

3) The idea of “there’s no free lunch” permeates our life. It’s difficult to see how salvation could actually be a FREE gift. We don’t need to work and earn our salvation, yet we often consider our perceived value in God’s eyes based on how busy we are doing good things. Where do you see this lie seeping into your life? Are you needing a reminder that Jesus has covered ALL the punishment and paid the price for you to enjoy relationship with Creator God again?

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Hebrews 11:1-3 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

1Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. 2 For by it our ancestors won God’s approval. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

Prayer Journal
O Lord and Ruler of the hosts of heaven, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of all their righteous offspring: You made the heavens and the earth, with all their vast array.

All things quake with fear at your presence; they tremble because of your power. But your merciful promise is beyond all measure; it surpasses all that our minds can fathom. O Lord, you are full of compassion, long-suffering, and abounding in mercy. You hold back your hand; you do not punish as we deserve. In your great goodness, Lord, you have promised forgiveness to sinners, that they may repent of their sin and be saved. And now, O Lord, I bend the knee of my heart, and make my appeal, sure of your gracious goodness. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I know my wickedness only too well. Therefore, I make this prayer to you: Forgive me, Lord, forgive me. Do not let me perish in my sin, nor condemn me to the depths of the earth. For you, O Lord, are the God of those who repent, and in me you will show forth your goodness. Unworthy as I am, you will save me, in accordance with your great mercy, and I will praise you without ceasing all the days of my life. For all the powers of heaven sing your praises, and yours is the glory to ages of ages. Amen.

Taken from the Common Book of Prayers

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

The GT Weekend! Sketched IV 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!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) The desire to stand on our own two feet and move in our own power is strong. Where are your weaknesses? Where do you need to shore up your defense against the enemy’s potential attack on your life? Claim truth from Scripture that you can cling to during temptation!

2) In America, the physical cost of following Jesus is not as dangerous as some of our brothers and sisters around the world. However, the fear of rejection or separation is very real, and readily holds us back from sharing Truth with those around us. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you boldness this week. Who in your sphere of influence needs to hear the Hope of the Gospel?

3) As women in the kingdom of God, we have an important role to play. We can change the course of someone’s life, for better or for worse. Think back on the women in your past that spoke life into you. How did they influence your spiritual development? Looking forward, who in your sphere of influence can you make a difference in? Be ready to speak words that bring refreshment to the soul, encouragement and truth from Scripture!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.”
Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. 10 So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Prayer Journal
O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness during the day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Taken from the Common Book of Prayers

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Sketched IV Day 10 Delilah

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Judges 16:3-20
Proverbs 14:1
Proverbs 22:14
John 8:3-11
2 Corinthians 5:16-6:1

Sketched IV, Day 10

If you ask me, people are too quick to judge.
If other people had been in the same shoes that, I, Delilah, found myself, perhaps they would’ve made the same choices.

Who’s to say?
All I know is that I did what I felt I had to.

I’ll never forget the infamous day I met Samson.
I knew he wasn’t from my area of town, the Valley of Sorek.
No, he was from the dreaded Israelite territories.

The valley I call home is centered directly between Israelite land and Philistine land, so one might imagine how torn I felt. I live in the midst of intense fighting and constant land disputes between the two dueling nations, but then Samson came along.

This strong, rugged, handsome man whose reputation (for……) went before him clearly loved me, and I him, I suppose.
But sometimes a girl has to do what a girl has to do.

Samson was Israel’s hero.
Judge and mighty conqueror, he was their rescuer and our feared enemy.
Philistine leaders approached me in order to trap him and win the upper hand politically.
They gave me an offer I felt I couldn’t refuse.
I went for it.

In exchange for thousands of pieces of silver, all I had to do was find out from whence came all of Samson’s strength. Easy, right?
And I needed the money!
Silver is hard to come by these days. The land is constantly being divided, lives are being lost, blood is being spilt, and the Israelites are taking land that doesn’t belong to them.
Why wouldn’t I cash in on this offer from the Philistines?

Cash in, I did.
I went to Samson to determine the cause of all his superhuman strength. The stubborn oaf didn’t answer me truthfully the first time. He made me look like an idiot in front of the Philistine leaders. He did this not once, not twice, but three times.
What was he holding on to?! And Why?!

Finally, I knew what would get to him. We women can be quite wily and manipulative when the situation calls for it. So, that’s what I did – I harnessed my immense power of influence as a woman, turned on the waterworks, and accused him of not truly loving me since he refused to tell me the truth. That worked, and the “strong” man caved.
I knew he would.
No man can resist the waterworks.

Did I feel bad when I saw the subsequent treatment he endured at the hand of the Philistines as a result of what I had done?
I admit I did for a time.
But I don’t see how the treatment he suffered was any worse than the treatment he had dished out to the Philistines.
Turn-about is fair play, I say.
Meanwhile, I’m enjoying the look of all this silver in my home!
No more wondering where the next meal will come from for me!

~~~~
It’s so easy for me to look at people like Delilah, in the Bible or otherwise,
and instantly jump to judge them.
Perhaps you can relate?
But wait, put yourself in her shoes and consider why she may have done what she did.
Not to say the actions were right, simply that sometimes, they are at least understandable.
Realizing this helps us to approach others
with humility and grace,
even when dealing with outright sin that must be addressed.

In the story of Samson and Delilah from Judges 16,
Samson, the strongest man of his time,
became a weakling in the hands of a woman,
and as he surrendered his vows to the Lord.

We see this happen all the time, even today.
Proverbs 14:1 explains,
“The wisest of women builds her house,
but folly with her own hands tears it down.”

As women, we carry with us incredible power of influence, either for good or evil.
Proverbs 22:14 says,
“The mouth of a forbidden women is a deep pit;
he with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.”

Delilah was a forbidden woman to the Israelite Samson, because God had set apart the Israelites for the purpose of declaring His glory to the nations around them and not becoming like them, worshipping false gods.
Israel was to be holy as God was holy (Leviticus 19:2),
putting the Lord on display.

Samson chose to honor and please himself, forsaking the Lord,
and we see what became of him.

Throughout the Word we are given examples of sinful women who destroyed the men who pursued them. On the flip side, however, we also see wonderful examples of godly women who influenced the men around them for good.

In the Garden of Eden, the serpent went to Eve, knowing that if he could seduce her, turning her eyes from the fullness of God, Adam would come tumbling down as well with her power of influence.
Sure enough, he did. They both did.

So, today, I ask you sweet sisters, how are you wielding your power of influence?
For good? Or for evil?
How are your words and actions impacting the spouse, child, friend, co-worker, boss, neighbor, parent, or grandparent near you?
Are you building up the Kingdom with your own hands?
Or are you, perhaps inadvertently, working to tear it down?

The good news of the Gospel is that even if you have used your power in ungodly ways in the past, by coming to Christ, you are “...a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Cling to that truth and rejoice in it; harnessing it to spur you on to faith and good works!

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

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

A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

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 Sketched IV 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 Sketched IV!

Sketched IV Day 7 Samson: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Samson!

The Questions

1) What is the “therefore” referring to?

2) What was the “thorn” in Paul’s flesh?

3) How is it possible to take pleasure in weakness, insult, hardship, persecution, and difficulty?

2 Corinthians 12:7b-10

…Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. 8 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.”

Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. 10 So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Original Intent

1) What is the “therefore” referring to?
One of the biggest clues for studying Scripture well is wrapped up in this word: therefore. When reading, always look back to see what the author is referencing, literally asking what is “therefore” “there” “for”? When we look back a few verses, we read a potentially confusing text about Paul, who he refers to as “a man” in the 3rd person. Scholars generally agree that this “man” was indeed Paul himself, but downplayed it because the whole paragraph emphasized Paul’s own weakness, not his greatness. “The man” was caught up in a vision from the Lord and was blessed “to see and hear” things too wonderful to even express. Paul was literally beyond-words-speechless at the breathtaking majesty of the vision he received. He used this glorious experience to point out that no matter what wonderful things he had seen or what glories he knew, he still had zero reason to boast about Himself. The vision given to Paul wasn’t about Paul’s glory or edification, it was intended to steadfastly point to the beyond-words-description of the Majesty of the Lord God! After seeing the Lord in His glory, “therefore”, he couldn’t possibly boast about himself or his experience. Paul knew firsthand that everything was rubbish except Christ and Christ alone!

2) What was the “thorn” in Paul’s flesh?
When studying Scripture, it can be so easy to focus in on one particular detail, or a handful of words that really don’t sit well with us that we end up missing the whole point of that passage. When studying, remember to back up first. Read through the entire chapter, or a couple of chapters, making notes of what the big-picture is. What key phrases or themes are often repeated? For this particular section, Paul has been addressing the Corinthian church. On one hand, he is giving them solid reasons as to why he has the Lord’s authority as a true apostle, therefore they would be wise to listen to his instruction. But, at the same time, he is saying that none of the “clout” of accomplishment or “authority” means anything at all to him. Paul insists that it is only knowing Christ that ultimately matters. Even so, Paul admits how easy it can be to fall into human vanity and pride. This being true, the Lord gave Paul a “thorn in the flesh”. Was it an eye problem as some scholars suggest? Was it a physical sickness? Was it an emotional weakness? We have no idea…and that is exactly the point. Scripture records this “thorn” vaguely that we might understand with greater emphasis how none of our accomplishments are worth boasting in on our own strength. 

3) How is it possible to take pleasure in weakness, insult, hardship, persecution, and difficulty?
Strange words, aren’t they? Paul says, “I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Though the words certainly don’t appear to be very encouraging or comforting, the secret of their veracity is cocooned in the middle with one phrase: “for the sake of Christ”. For Paul, for Samson (when he finally “got it” at the end of his life), for Ezekiel (who gave up his life as bizarre illustrations for God’s purposes), for Isaiah (who was killed by being sawed in half), for Peter (who was killed by upside down crucifixion), and for countless others all the way through history, this key phrase has changed everything. “For The Sake Of Christ” Why? Because we are weak. Because we are finite. And He, the Lord God, is not. He is mighty, He is glorious, He is everlasting, He is victorious! Because He Is Worth It!

Everyday Application

1) What is the “therefore” referring to?
Likely, you, like me, haven’t experienced a glorious vision of Christ and His indescribable majesty and power in the same way Paul did, or Isaiah, Ezekiel, or John, but the Lord and His glory is not hidden away waiting, hoping, that you will be able to find Him. His glory is seen in the intricacies of creation, the beauty of relationships, the community of the Church, and in the wonder of a child. Experiencing His glory is meant for 2 things. One, to encourage and comfort us, as He reminds us that we are not alone and He is for us. Two, to expand our desire to search after Him; longing, hungering, thirsting for so much more of Him! As anyone who has truly experienced the Lord knows, the only proper response is worship. Whole life worship. Worship that points steadfastly to the glorious, risen Lord Jesus Christ because we know, we know, we know, that the real life offered by Jesus, is not about us, it’s about Christ and Christ alone! If you’re feeling a little stuck in your walk with the Lord, or maybe you’re curious about this whole “everyday Savior” we like to talk about, take time to slow down, reflect on how you’ve already experienced Him. Silence your thoughts and welcome His voice enough to hear how He wants to take you deeper to know Him better! 

2) What was the “thorn” in Paul’s flesh?
For Samson in yesterday’s Journey Study, his greatest downfall was that he trusted in his own strength. Even when he had given away the secret of his strength and lost his supernatural ability, he still fully believed he could take down the enemies exactly as he had done before, but this time on his own power. Samson epically failed in this endeavor. God had given Samson incredible abilities, just as He had given Paul indescribable visions of glory, and just like He offers Himself to each of us in tender, glorious, intimate sweetness, but the moment we shift our eyes from the majestic glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, we will find our eyes locked onto our own glory. We have traded the worship of the One True God for a “god” of our own making, and it will never be worth it. For Samson, the “thorn in the flesh” was his loss of strength as well as his vision. It was through these “thorns” that he was finally able to see that the Lord wanted more with Samson; He wanted Samson’s total trust and dependence to be on God instead of Himself.

3) How is it possible to take pleasure in weakness, insult, hardship, persecution, and difficulty?
What weaknesses do you see in your everyday life and relationships? What would it look like if you took those instances as opportunities of worship? Opportunities to surrender your weakness in order for God’s glory and strength to be made much of? Wouldn’t it take off the burden of performance? Might it remove the need to control? Perhaps, like the stories of faith in the Bible, these hardships and weaknesses will point steadfastly to the glory of an eternal King of Glory! I have a friend who lost her son, who nearly lost her life due to significant illness, I have a friend who loves Jesus most. When I asked her why she would try again for another baby, or why she would move to another country to proclaim Christ, her answer is simple, but her faith is deep and intricate, “He has been so faithful to us before, why wouldn’t we trust Him for this?”
“For The Sake of Christ”. It’s not a pithy saying, it’s a hard-hitting truth to battle your “weakness, insult, hardship, persecution, and difficulty”. Surrender your weakness, friend, and rest in the faithful, un-ending strength of the God who will always do the incredible with our frailty!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Samson!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
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!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Sketched IV Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

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. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? 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 :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Sketched IV Day 6 Samson

10 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Judges 13:1-5
Numbers 6:1-8
Judges 16:1-31
Jeremiah 9:23-24
2 Corinthians 12:2-10

Sketched IV, Day 6

As I am led out into the temple, the noise of the crowd is overwhelming. It sounds like there are thousands of them there, mocking and jeering as I approach.

Though I am unable to see, as my eyes were gouged out by my enemy’s jealous, fearful hands, my ears work perfectly. Their drunken shouts assault my senses, and I can easily imagine their scornful faces.
To them I am a joke, an object of ridicule.

As they praise their god for giving them victory over me, I rest my hands against the temple pillars, and I wonder:
How did it come to this?

I had such a promising start…
I was marked out even from before my birth as someone special, dedicated to God as a Nazirite. My name, Samson, means “like the sun,” and my future looked bright.

Of course, the Nazirite vow meant restrictions, but this was a high calling as judge and deliverer. I would be the one to finally begin freeing my people, the Israelites, from the Philistines, our relentless oppressors for 40 years.

Then there was the gift of my strength, which was beyond anything people had seen before.  When a lion attacked me, I was able to rip its jaws apart with my bare hands.  I fought off the Philistines barehanded on several occasions.  When they attempted to ambush me at Gaza, I simply picked up the city gates and carried them away.

Outwardly I was strong, invincible even,
but inwardly I was weak.

I failed to keep my Nazirite vow by eating honey from a lion’s carcass, rendering myself unclean.  My pride and stubbornness over a foolish riddle led to the deaths of several people, including my new wife.  At times my anger was out of control; a fiery rage ready to devour anyone or anything that crossed my path.

On top of that, I couldn’t resist a beautiful woman, no matter how unsuitable she was or how many vows I broke in the process. The Philistine woman I insisted on marrying despite my parents’ protests, the prostitute I spent the night with…

…And then there was Delilah.
Beautiful, charming, intoxicating, and highly dangerous.

I should have realised the truth about her when she was so insistent on discovering the secret of my strength, but again, as was my habit, I gave in to my weakness. My self-reliance.

Three times I lied to her about how I could be defeated.  Tying me up with seven new bowstrings would do it, or using new ropes, or weaving my hair into the fabric on her weaving loom and tightening the shuttle. She wanted my secret, no, she wanted my allegiance, but I had vowed it to Yahweh. I flirted with telling her, but I always felt I could stop when I wanted to.

Three times Delilah betrayed me, trapping me and then calling the Philistines to attack, but it didn’t matter. I had the strength to fight them off. Something in me still protected my Nazarite vow.

Delilah was determined.  I’m not sure why I finally told her the truth.  She said that if I really loved her I would share my secret, and eventually her constant nagging wore me down.  I think by this point I believed I was invincible, that my strength would always be enough, but that was the beginning of the end.
My weakness…
it never left, eventually it overtook me and I gave in, only to lose everything.

I confided in Delilah that if my hair were ever cut, I would become as weak as any other man. Before long, my head was shaved as I slept in her lap; the pounding of the Philistines’ awakened me.
Arrogantly, I believed I could free myself just as I always had,
but this time my strength had gone. 

The Philistines chained me up, gouged out my eyes, and forced me to work as a slave, grinding grain.  It was a great triumph for them: victory over the mighty Israelite hero.

But as I stand here, blinded,
for the first time I truly see.

My strength was never my own.
It came from God.

How foolish I was to think my victories were due to my own merit.  I remember my words to God after one of the battles against the Philistines and I cringe:
“You have accomplished this great victory through your servant.”  (Judges 15:18)

How arrogant!
As if He needed me!

Yet, despite it all, He was gracious, continuing to give me strength and empowering me to defeat the Philistines again and again.

At last I see the truth: I am weak; He is strong.
My only power comes from Him.
True strength is found in submission to His ways.

Could it be that God can still fulfil His purpose even in our weaknesses and failures?  Could He use me to defeat the Philistines even now, in this weakened state?

With a prayer for strength, I push against the pillars,
and as I feel them move I know that God has answered.

Arms outstretched, I stand, as the rubble begins to fall, and the temple comes crashing in. I knew death was waiting for me, along with the countless deaths of my enemies drinking to their false god.
But I would die knowing truth: it was my weakness Yahweh wanted most. My weakness as I depended on Him alone!

You can read Samson’s full story in Judges 13-16.  Although he had many faults, he is included in Hebrews 11:32 in a list of examples of people who had faith and were used by God.  His story is a proof that God can work through us, even with our weaknesses and failures, but it also challenges us to remember the futility of self-reliance while holding tight to the importance of trusting in God rather than ourselves.

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

A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

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 Sketched IV Week One! 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 Sketched IV!