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Worship IV, Day 7 Praise You In My Pain: Digging Deeper

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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 Praise You In My Pain!

The Questions

1) A conjunction at the beginning of a sentence indicates a connection point. What is Paul connecting together in verse 9 when he uses the word “but”?

2) What did God’s answer reveal about His ultimate purpose for Paul’s life, as well as His purpose for ours?

3) What does Paul mean when he says in his weakness he is strong?

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

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) A conjunction at the beginning of a sentence indicates a connection point. What is Paul connecting together in verse 9 when he uses the word “but”?
In the previous chapters (10-11), Paul defends his authority as an apostle of Christ by referring to the trials and successes he had experienced. He does not boast for his own glory, but he apparently senses the need to remind the Corinthians of what makes his opinion credible. In the verses at the beginning of the chapter 12, he details a marvelous vision he had received from the Lord. But just in case they think he’s placing himself on some sort of spiritual pedestal, he includes in his account that he was also given a “thorn in the flesh” (verse 7).  Although we are never explicitly told in scripture what Paul is referring to, we can confidently surmise it was some sort of trial he was experiencing in which he had prayed for relief (verse 8). The conjunction “but” connects Paul’s suffering with God’s answer.
Although the phrase “but God” (or something similar) appears many times in the Old and New Testaments to contrast the bad news of sin/suffering with the good news of God’s powerful sovereignty and rescue, “but He” in verse 9 precedes an answer that may not have been the one Paul was expecting to receive. It was however, the answer that led Paul to discover the deeper grace of the God he worshipped.

2) What did God’s answer reveal about His ultimate purpose for Paul’s life, as well as His purpose for ours?
“My grace is sufficient.” Did Paul have to wait days, or even years, to fully grasp the depth of the truth found in these four words? Commentator Albert Barnes gives us some insight into this, reminding us we don’t know the timing between Paul’s suffering, his request, and God’s answer. (studylight.org) What we do know is that at some point Paul accepted God’s answer. As we position these words within the context of his life, we have the benefit of a zoomed-out perspective. The gladness in Paul’s response reveals his heart of worship. He chose a lifetime of thankfulness even though he was bruised and battered by many hardships. (2 Corinthians 4:8-11). In Paul’s letters to the church at Corinth he rehearsed the reality of suffering several times, always emphasizing the sufficiency of God’s grace. (1 Corinthians 1:8-9; 10:13; 15:30-31; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, 11:23-30) His faith in God’s bigger purpose was the very essence of the gospel he had been set apart to proclaim. He wanted all people to know this grace so that God would be worshipped forever! 1 Timothy 2:7-8

3) What does Paul mean when he says in his weakness he is strong?
Paul reminds us many times that the weakness of his frame was meant to amplify the message of God’s grace. “Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.” I Corinthians 4:8
From Question 1 above, we see Paul connect two things that don’t typically fit together in today’s way of thinking. “Power” and “weakness” would not both be words on someone’s resume. Yet Paul makes it clear that his weakness was the very thing that demonstrated his strength because his strength was from God. Paul’s continual focus on the gospel reveals his heart to communicate that God chose to save sinners because of His grace. It has always been by God’s might and God’s power that we are saved and sustained in grace. Ephesians 2:8-9  Paul accepted God’s answer and he preached it to himself as he suffered. It’s as if verse 9 was the sermon and verse 10 is Paul’s worshipful response. Paul found pleasure in God’s ways! God had shown Himself to be more than enough in every way! 2 Corinthians 9:8

Everyday Application

1) A conjunction at the beginning of a sentence indicates a connection point. What is Paul connecting together in verse 9 when he uses the word “but”?
When we see faith lived out during trials and suffering, we can either walk away angry at God or awed by Him. Paul ultimately chose awe. In the Old Testament story of Job, we find a different story play out. Though Job’s friends attempted to comfort him, they eventually talked too much and their speculative opinions about God’s purpose in suffering was skewed. Their responses contained many inaccuracies about why God allows people to suffer. (Job 42:7)  When we connect Paul’s response with his request (12:8), it indicates he had chosen to rest in the answer (or to some, a non-answer) he was given by God. Paul had asked for relief from his suffering, “but [God] said” instead of healing, His presence and power would be enough to sustain him through it. As we walk through difficult days, we may also call out to God for rescue. The psalmists sure did! (Psalms 40, 69, 80). But if we receive an answer we didn’t hope for, we can pray for the kind of faith response that will eventually lead us to say: Your will, God, not mine.

2) What did God’s answer reveal about His ultimate purpose for Paul’s life, as well as His purpose for ours?
Paul saw his suffering as part of his sanctification (ie: “the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.” Westminster Shorter Catechism). As he came to the realization that he would not be released from this particular burden, Paul had come to know that the power of God’s grace was able to sustain him through it. Walking through the trial would best serve God’s purpose this time instead of being removed from it. God’s foundational purpose for creating us and saving us is that we would reveal His glory so that all would worship Him. Sometimes God’s answer for us is simply: “I AM ENOUGH.” And that answer requires faith and trust on our part.  “And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” (Hymn, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus)

3) What does Paul mean when he says in his weakness he is strong?
James Boice wrote, “If you understand the two words ‘but God’ they will save your soul. If you recall them daily and live by them, they will transform your life completely.” Often, we find paradox in scripture, two seemingly contrasting ideas. We especially notice it in the gospel message. We die to live. We get low to be raised up. And here, we see that we are strong when we are weak. These two verses (9-10) begin with “but” and end in “I am strong”. Verse 10 says Paul’s pleasure in his sufferings was all due to Christ, His Redeemer. We don’t really know what Paul’s thorn was, but Paul’s thorn itself was never really the point. Given the various possibilities, we can make Paul’s situation applicable today. We can all identify with Paul in some way or another, whether it’s a season of trial or personal physical suffering. Along with Paul, we can pursue a thankful heart. Our worship comes when we make our way to our inner sanctuary, the place of soul rest. “When I tried to understand all this, it seemed hopeless, until I entered God’s sanctuary.” (Psalm 73:16-17)
It’s in that place where God reveals that His grace is more than enough to strengthen and sustain us in our weakest moments!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Praise You In My Pain.

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 Worship 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.

Dwell Day 10 Clearing The Clutter

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 7:1-6
Acts 13:1-3
Esther 4:13-17
Joel 2:12-17 
Ezra 8:21-23

Dwell, Day 10

Here’s a fun confession for you: I sometimes wish I was a nun. Granted, this desire tends to flare up in those especially chaotic moments of life. You know the ones: all the kids are crying, the oven timer is beeping, the dog just ripped open his food bag… In moments like these, the idea of dedicating my life to quiet servitude sounds very appealing.

While God clearly had other plans for my life, I do find myself longing to dwell in His presence amid the mundane. But with all the distractions of work and motherhood, I have struggled to discover a way to do this. How can I dwell in His presence while still being fully present here on Earth?

I believe these two spheres collide within the practice of fasting. When we fast, our physical needs and longing ushers our souls into His presence; and it is in His presence all our needs and longings are met.

May I share one more confession with you? Until writing this article, I never fully understood or practiced fasting; so please know, I am not an expert.  However, what I share with you below has changed my heart and I now understand it’s place and power.

Why should we fast?
Matthew 9:14-15 is perhaps the clearest picture of Christ’s stance on fasting.
“Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come with the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

According to these verses, there are two reasons we fast.
First, Christ expects it. In these verses, He makes it clear it is not a question of “if” His disciples will fast, but “when”. Sister, hear this: as disciples of Christ, we should be fasting. It is an integral part of our walk with Christ.

Secondly, we fast because we are waiting expectantly for our bridegroom. One day He will return, and we will no longer fast. Instead, we will be brought to His table and together we will feast! Until that day we will watch, wait, and fast.

John Piper once said fasting adds an exclamation point to our prayers. Daily we petition Him with our needs: “Lord, we need healing! We need guidance! We pray for your return!”. Fasting physically demonstrates our spiritual longing. It shows God we desire those things, we desire Him, more than we desire worldly comfort and sustenance.

Ultimately, fasting reminds us who is our true source of life and comfort. Food can easily become a sort of idol. We turn to food when we are hungry, celebrating, sad, and bored. We even have a term for what happens to us when we don’t get enough food: hangry. When we step away from this crutch, even for a short amount of time, we can lift our eyes up and glance at the One who we ought to turn to with all our emotions. This practice keeps us dependent on the true Bread of Life.

When should we fast?
Christian fasting is not simply done for the sake of fasting. It is done with a specific purpose in mind. Before you begin, you need to determine what you are bringing before God during your time of fasting. Are you repenting from a deep-rooted sin? Are you seeking His guidance through major transition? Are you simply trying to clear out the mental clutter and hear His voice?

Queen Esther called for a fast just before she dared approach her husband, the King, to save the Jewish people. She does so by telling her friends, “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16)

She was desperate for God to act on behalf of her people. She knew lives hung in the balance. To demonstrate the intensity of her need, she and her people fasted for three days.

Must it be food?
No, 1 Corinthians 7:5 makes this clear. You can fast from anything you find yourself clinging to. Perhaps that is technology, television, sleep…sex. As 1 Corinthians suggests, fasting from sex for a short time to petition the Lord together as a married couple is quite powerful.  It is not what you fast from, but what you move towards that is important.

Here is my challenge for you today: start small. Ask the Lord what He would have you fast from and when. When I did this, I determined I would give up one lunch, once a week. I would use this time to seek the Lord in whatever way He laid on my heart that day.

I believe if we obey Christ in this way, we will see some of our deepest prayers answered. Through regular prayer and fasting, we will find ourselves dwelling in His presence even in the mundane.

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
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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 Dwell 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 Dwell!

The GT Weekend! Sketched IV Week 3

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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! Tabernacle Week 3

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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 invitation to worship is an open one; we can meet with the Lord any time or place. Make a notecard with the model of worshiping at the Tabernacle found in this Journey. Use it as a reminder to regularly seek the face of God through worship.  

 

2) In the busyness of our lives, it’s easy to ignore the actual state of our soul. Stopping seems counterintuitive but deep, honest soul assessment is a means of being most effective in the ministry and relationships God has put us in.  Spend some time today to sit with the Lord. What do you need to share with Him? Where do you need Him to breathe life back in your soul? 

3) The offer of life with God both now and eternally is available to us all if we would accept it. If you have decided to live life with God through a relationship with Jesus, what helped you accept that free gift? Who in your life is ready to hear the Good News? If you haven’t decided life with God yet, what is holding you back? What questions do you need to wrestle with before you choose to believe? Email us at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com to talk those questions through, we would be honored to “listen”. 

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 Psalm 62:5-8  back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

5Rest in God alone, my soul, 
for my hope comes from him. 
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, 
my stronghold; I will not be shaken. 
7 My salvation and glory depend on God, my strong rock. 
My refuge is in God. 
8 Trust in him at all times, you people; 
pour out your hearts before him. 
God is our refuge. 

Prayer Journal
Father God, I praise You for the offer of new life with You through Your son Jesus. I long to sit with You. Let my soul rest in You because my hope comes from You. You are my rock and salvation, my stronghold; I WILL NOT be shaken. As I claim these promises in my life, Lord, awaken my faith in You. In Your faithfulness, in Your character, in Your pursuit of me. God as You work in my life, let that overflow into the people around me that need You. I desire the words of Your Good News to be evidenced in my life; that my actions and words might align. Less of me, more of You, God.  

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

Misunderstood Day 12 Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness: Digging Deeper

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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 Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness!

The Questions

1) Why is important that Mary sat as Jesus’ feet?  

2) How was Martha distracted with “much serving”? 

3) What is the “right choice” mentioned in verse 42 and how can it be taken away?

Luke 10:38-42

While they were traveling, he entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So, tell her to give me a hand.”
41 The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Original Intent

1) Why is important that Mary sat as Jesus’ feet?
When Jesus entered the city of Bethany, He was needing a place to rest. Mary was enthralled with the truth of Scripture being shared and wanted to learn more. Her position at Jesus’ feet displayed a posture of eager anticipation. As a servant sits at the master’s feet, hungry to learn every last detail of the trade, so Mary was ready to grab onto every nugget of truth being shared.

2) How was Martha distracted with “much serving”?
Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus were friends of Jesus’ and He frequently stayed at their home when traveling through Bethany. Martha was quite concerned about the business of her house; she had a standard to uphold and was consumed with having it done well. Martha knew the house needed cleaned and food needed prepared, but instead of completing the tasks and being satisfied, she “was distracted with much serving.” She was striving to go above and beyond her call of duty and as a result missed a chance to sit with the Son of God.  

3) What is the “right choice” mentioned in verse 42 and how can it be taken away?
Where Martha saw laziness and poor use of time, Mary saw a golden moment of deepening her relationship with the Almighty God in the flesh. The choice was open for both sisters to either sit with the Lord or be busy, but only 1 was the “right choice” for relational growth. Martha directly asked Jesus to “tell Mary” to help her, but here, Jesus says no. He refused to tell Mary to get busy “doing” rather than sit still “being”.  Jesus would not take away her choice to be with Him. Mary chose as the psalmist did, “The Lord is my chosen portion.” (Psalm 16:5) and she was protected by the Lord as He guarded and honored her decision to put their relationship above her busyness.  

Everyday Application

1) Why is important that Mary sat as Jesus’ feet?
When we spend time with the Lord, we are choosing to sit at His feet. He longs for relationship with us and hurrying through our devotional time compromises our ability to commune with the Living God. Sitting in a posture that shows our readiness to receive His word is important. We show that receiving the Word, being obedient to the Word, and submitting to the Word is a natural progression of our interactions with the Most High. The more we filled with the fruitful knowledge of God’s Word, the more deeply we will walk in intimate relationship with the Savior. If your spiritual life is feeling “lacking”, consider asking yourself how your time with the Lord is? Are you devouring His Word, hungry for more of Him? Or are distractions around you pulling you away, convincing you that time with God is boring and pointless?   

2) How was Martha distracted with “much serving”? 
Many earthly cultures value the habit of being busy, of doing good things because it’s expected. Heavenly Kingdom culture, on the other hand, says going slow, meeting the needs of others around us, and spending time with the Father are more important. Our commitment to spending time daily with God is a mirror of what our heart holds most valuable. Take a moment to assess what is distracting you by enticing you to serve beyond what the Lord has asked you to do. Ask the Holy Spirit to draw you back to the throne of God; sit and linger with Him today!  

3) What is the “right choice” mentioned in verse 42 and how can it be taken away?
While Jesus protected her choice, Mary could have felt unnecessarily guilty and chose to hop up and help her sister, but she didn’t. Neither Jesus nor Mary “took away” her choice to stay in communion with the Lord. How often do we “take away” our own choice to sit with God because of self-imposed guilt or a mis-prioritization on what is truly important?! Finding balance in life feels like an elusive fish to catch, but if we are to function well as healthy Christ-followers, feasting on the bread of life is absolutely critical! Jesus says, “Don’t work for the food that perishes, but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you…” (John 6:27) The temptation to emphasize “busy, but important, stuff” over consistent, regular, lengthy time with Jesus is strong, which is why over the ages, time with God has fallen under the category of “spiritual disciplines”. It’s not easy to choose Jesus first, but denying our self-importance and learning to truly see Christ and our relationship with Him as supreme, will create a beautiful rhythmic dance for your life and ministry! Don’t take away the “good choice”, guard it just as Jesus did for Mary! 

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness!

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 Misunderstood Week Three!
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.

Misunderstood Day 11 Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 10:38-42
Matthew 25:35-46
Hebrews 13:1-2  

Misunderstood, Day 11

“I have a gift for your girls! Are you home?” 
“Yes! Come over any time.” 
“Wonderful. I’ll be there soon. And Kendra? Do not clean a thing!”  

I sighed with relief as I looked around at my lived-in home. There was always laundry to be done, diapers I forgot to throw away lying around, and toys scattered about. It used to bother me much more, but when company comes over my stomach still turns a bit when they see… 
This is what my “real life” actually looks like.  

 That sweet friend came, armed with presents for my girls, and conversation about her days of young motherhood. With her son in college, her days of picking up toys are long gone.  

As I showed her my twin toddlers’ infamously messy room, with books and dolls strewn about, she laughed and told me something I will remember for the rest of my life. 
My friend is known for her immaculate house.
Her Christmas presents are wrapped in October with large, gold bows tied with precision.
So, I was stunned to hear her tell me this.  

“Kendra, if I had it to do over again,
I would spend less time worrying about how clean my house was,
and more time with the people who came to visit.
I can see now that I may have made family members and friends uncomfortable with my constant running around and picking up.
I wish I hadn’t cared so much about how clean my son’s room was.
I wish I would have just spent more time playing with him.”  

I smiled as I let her words run over me,
knowing I would return later to process what she’d shared.  

I began to think of Martha and Mary, the sister duo who welcomed Jesus into their home when He came to visit.  

Imagine that! 
Imagine Jesus literally knocking on your door.
What would you do?!  

I would probably pass out, which is totally biblical so that reaction would be justified. 🙂
Then, I would honestly welcome Him in,
while apologizing for my house being such a mess. 
I would excuse the clothes in the foyer, still needing to go into storage.
I would laugh off the toys on the stairs.
I would explain how I still needed to paint the top of the wainscoting we added.
Then I would invite Him to sit on my couch, while laughing about the fact that I was actually going to clean the cover tonight, so that’s why it was dirty.  

How do I know how I would respond? 
Because that is literally what I say any time anyone comes over. 
But sisters… Jesus doesn’t even care!  

How do I know?
Martha’s story. She began serving Jesus as soon as He stepped in the door.
Which sounds totally acceptable!
Except… she spent so much time serving Him, she wasn’t actually being with Him.

She offered Him coffee (Or chai or whatever they drank… Wine?)
She asked Him if He was hungry.
She swept up after Him, hurriedly cleaning,
and getting herself in a tizzy.
Soon, as it usually does, that tizzy turned into frustration. 
“Jesus! Don’t you care that I’m working so hard to make You comfortable? 
I’m working hard and Mary just sits there!”  

Jesus turned compassionate eyes on her, telling her she was getting herself in a tizzy.
He said she was anxious and worried and frantic and none of it even mattered.
He just wanted her to sit and to be.
THAT was her best service.  

There’s an age-old saying (which, incidentally, is not in the Bible!), that became popular thanks   to Martin Luther:
“Cleanliness is next to Godliness.”  

But is it?  

A pure heart, washed in forgiveness by the God of all righteousness?
Absolutely; that IS godliness!  

Having a clean home? Being a clean person?
Not. A. Chance. 

Honestly? Jesus was probably a pretty filthy man, physically speaking.
Barely bathing and walking everywhere, mixing sweat with dust will do that to a person.
(And you can’t get more Godly than Jesus because He IS God…so…) 

I digress… 

Having a clean home says nothing about your godliness.
Only the status of your soul determines that.
We will NOT get to Heaven and be drilled for those seven loads of laundry we didn’t do.
God will not ask why we didn’t put away that bin of clothes before our guest arrived.  

Instead, His Spirit is ready to prompt us now, just as He did with Martha….
Why are we spending so much time cleaning, serving, running, and doing
that we have a hard time slowing enough to listen to our guest?
Why not take the time to pray with them or show them HOPE?
Why work ourselves into an anxious tizzy (I’m clearly loving that word today)
by expecting perfection in our own appearance,
when the Lord has always cared only about the contents of our heart. 
God cares about our hospitality, NOT our house. 
Whether brick and mortar or skin and bones. 

I am so guilty of this, guys!
If Jesus came today, I would be Martha.
Trying to prove my worth by the appearance of my home and my ability to serve Him.
I would completely miss the opportunity to actually be enthralled with Him.  

Cleanliness is NOT next to Godliness. 
Cleanliness can get in the way of Godliness. 

The need to clean, the urge to perform, it can fill our minds, consuming our actions,
even becoming our idol. 
And that isn’t godly at all.

Don’t let pressure and performance hinder you 
from investing in people and being at peace with Jesus.  

*In my struggle to spend more time with people rather than focus on performance, I’ve found the app “The Fly Lady” to be a helpful reset. Give it a try! 

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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 Misunderstood Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Misunderstood Day 5 God Helps Those Who Help Themselves

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Daniel 4:28-37
Philippians 2:3-4
James 4:1-10
Isaiah 66:1-2
Luke 10:38-42 

Misunderstood, Day 5

We are a society of the Self-Made. We pride ourselves on being the DIY-ers.
We are those with a gritty, “git’er done” work ethic.
Accomplishment appeals to our ingenuity, our “pull ourselves up the bootstraps” mentality,
our self-sufficiency…..our pride.  

Perhaps you, like me, have thought some of these, though we would never admit them out loud:
God helps the self-starters, builders and creators who are industriously solving problems.  

The more we accomplish, the more valuable we are.
I accomplish more than anybody, therefore, I’m more valuable.  

God probably likes industrious people better because we actually accomplish something, while others sit around and talk about it.  

When I see my own thoughts on paper they sound terribly prideful,
mostly because they are.  

While it’s true, our world is indebted to the industrious, we tend to take the very good, biblical premise of a strong work ethic and apply it just as intently to our spiritual lives as we do our physical lives.
And suddenly, we are off course.  

Remember Martha and Mary in scripture? The two sisters had a squabble in our Lord’s presence about this very issue. Here’s a thumbnail sketch of it:
Martha is busily cooking, prepping for an event she is hosting. Mary is not helping, she is sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to His teaching. Martha is miffed; can’t Mary see there’s work to do be done?
How dare she sit on her backside when I’m slaving in the kitchen! 
I’d love to sit at Jesus’ feet too, but someone has to clean and cook if anything is going to get done around here!

Clearly Martha feels superior to Mary in that moment; she’s busy and busy is best.
Finally, Martha’s outrage boils over. She asks Jesus to tell Mary to get off her duff and help in the kitchen.  And then Jesus’ reply:
“Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, 
but only one thing is needed. 
Mary has chosen the better thing that won’t be taken from her.” (Luke 10:39-42) 

Besides the tender, yet straight-forward rebuke to Martha, the implication is that Martha was choosing the temporal things of life while Mary was choosing the eternal.
When we sit with the Lord, it forces us to slow.
There is absolutely nothing we can do to bring about better, other than just be.

Jesus commended Mary for her choice.
The implication for us is obvious as well. Rather than making sure we are “doing our part to show God we are serious” or “going half-way so God will do His part”, Jesus invites us to choose the eternal over the temporal.
Busy isn’t always better.
Sometimes Busy points to our self-reliance instead of our God reliance. 

God’s glory is reflected best in our rest.
There once was a man, a king, who built a vast empire. Later his capital city would be listed among the seven wonders of the world. His work was grand and impressive, but this king’s boast was in the mightiness of his busy.

In the Old Testament writings of Daniel, we meet Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. Though he ruled a vast kingdom he was ruled by pride.
Daniel served in Nebuchadnezzar’s administration and one night the king had a weird dream. As the ancients believed the gods spoke through dreams, Nebuchadnezzar called for an interpreter.
Enter Daniel. God did speak in that dream. He told Nebuchadnezzar:

Your hubris will lead to your humiliation. I am God; not you.
I will relent if you repent.
If you repent, I will restore your honor.  

A year of grace passed; Nebuchadnezzar did not repent.
Judgement fell as he strolled about his lavish gardens; within an hour he lost his sanity, and lived like a wild animal for seven years.
Finally, he repented; his honor was restored.

Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom was built in spite of him and his busy-ness.

The super-apostle, Paul, boasted in his weakness, that Christ might be glorified.
…on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses…. for My (Christ’s) power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:5, 9)

The psalmist insists, if our work is done in our name and for our glory, it’s all in vain.
Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
(Psalm 127:1)

And our sweet Martha was invited into a better that didn’t involve busy.
“Mary has chosen the better thing that will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:42) 

To all the DIY-ers and Self-made sisters, a word from our Lord:
REST!

To meet God halfway, to attempt to pull our share of the load, is a mockery.
No one can do enough to please God, except for one, single, solitary thing:
Faith.
And without faith it is impossible to please Him,
for whoever would draw near to God must believe 
that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

That faith is found, and grown,
not in the busy, but in the being;
the being still. (Psalm 46:10)

Martha had the Incarnate Christ sitting in her living room,
yet she chose meal prep over Him.   

It’s easy to cluck our tongues at Martha, wondering how she could trade such an eternal moment for cooking. However, anytime we believe we’re superior because we’re busier, and surely God must owe us, or certainly the Lord must be impressed by our busy, we’ve made Martha’s prideful error.
Anytime we choose the temporal over the eternal, we stand in Martha’s sandals and live in Nebuchadnezzar’s mad legacy.

Rest, sister, you have no need to impress the Almighty.
You can’t possibly succeed in that endeavor.
Instead, rest, and let Him to do the work of crafting your soul and bringing you rich life! 

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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!

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Shepherd Day 10 In the Presence of My Enemies

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 23:5
2 Samuel 22
1 Samuel 21:1-9
Mark 6:30-44 

Shepherd, Day 10

As an extrovert, nothing sounds better after a long and difficult week than a dinner party surrounded by dear friends. I look around the table at my friends laughing and swapping stories, and I forget about the “enemies” I’m facing:
stress from work, family drama, unexpected expenses, and all of the other weights of life. God has prepared a table for me and my heart overflows.  David knew all about enemies, but in a very different way than me.
He had a long list of people chasing after him, including the king and his own son! He faced many hardships in his life, but he always sought refuge in the Lord and praised Him for his success (2 Samuel 22).

Before David was a great warrior, he was a shepherd.
He knew how to take care of his sheep.
He kept them from danger, he provided food and water for them, and he made sure they found rest. It’s no surprise that when David was in danger, when he needed food and water, and when he needed rest, he called upon the Lord as his Good Shepherd.

David knew that God would provide his every need.
After learning of the king’s plot to kill him, David fled and sought out a priest. The priest provided holy bread for sustenance and the sword of Goliath for protection for David on his way (1 Samuel 21:1-9). In the face of his enemies, God provided just what David needed.  

During Jesus’ ministry, He lived out David’s comparison of God to a Good Shepherd. He provided for people in all kinds of ways.
Like a shepherd, Jesus protected the disciples when they were in danger (Mark 4:35-41),
He made sure they found rest (Mark 6:31),
and He ultimately sacrificed His own life for all people.  

One of my favorite examples of Jesus as a shepherd was when He fed 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two fish. Mark says,
“when He went ashore, He saw a large crowd and had compassion  on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then He began to teach them many things.” (Mark 6:34)
Jesus and His disciples were in pursuit of rest, but the crowds found them anyway. Instead of brushing them off and sending them along their way, He had compassion on them.
He saw their need.

He saw that they were looking for someone to care for them.
First, He fed their souls with his teaching.
Then he met their physical need with fishes and loaves.
Jesus prepared a table for the people that day. 
Like David’s cup that overflowed, baskets were literally overflowing with extra food!  

What I love about Psalm 23:5, and each of these stories, is how they demonstrate that God not only prepares a table for us, but He does it in the presence of our enemies.
David’s psalm doesn’t say that we won’t have enemies.
He doesn’t say that God will make our enemies disappear.
And he doesn’t say that facing our enemies won’t be hard.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

Even when life is hard, even when things are confusing,
even when it feels like nothing is going right,
God provides.
God is not just a shepherd, but a Good Shepherd.
Do you trust that He is truly good and will provide, even in the presence of difficulty?  

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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 Shepherd Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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The GT Weekend! Shepherd Week 1

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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) What areas of life are you needing the Lord, our Shepherd, to hold you up in? He cares for you deeply and is ready to take your burden. His word says, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-29 Come in silence before the Lord today and let His healing hand cover you.  

2) God works in different ways, often in ones we don’t understand or enjoy, to show us something. Think over the trauma, loss, and hurt you have experienced. How have you seen good come from those dark times? If you haven’t seen the good yet, cling to the hope in Jesus’ return when He will restore the world and all creation to perfection.  

3) ‘Developing leadership skills’ is a hot topic currently. Choosing to develop our spiritual leadership is also a worthy use of time. Quiet Waters talked about the need to focus on being led by the Lord so we can lead from love. The challenge this week is to choose your next step. Find something you’re not currently doing that you can commit to for seven days. Examples might include spending time in the Word, unvoiced acts of kindness, 15 or 30 minutes of prayer, etc. Share with us at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com how you’ve committed to investing in your relationship with the Lord. We would love to pray for you!  

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 1:18-19 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it! 

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength. 

Prayer Journal
Father God, the community You offer is amazing. You provide perfect rest, but often I’m so busy being dissatisfied with my current hardship that I miss Your invitation to rest in You. Forgive me Lord for those times, open the eyes of my heart that I would remember the hope I have in You. Remind me of the coming day when You, Jesus, will restore order and heal all things completely. There is so much hope in that truth!  

This week Lord, I commit to doing a generous act that costs me money every day. You know that money is not in excess for us; I’m stepping out in faith that we can sort the budget and pinch somewhere else to be generous this week. Deepen my faith in your provision as I see you leading us into (financially) uncomfortable things. Bless my sister Mary as she keeps me accountable. Take this next step of mine and multiply it Lord, for Your glory!  

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music