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Rest

Pause 3 Day 3 Living Word & High Priest

October 23, 2019 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

Pause 3, Day 3

It is a mercy to be cut by the Word of God.  
The beginning of Hebrews 4 is spent pleading listeners to not miss this opportunity of grace. Eternal rest is offered freely, but the offer will not last forever. Only while it is called today; only while breath is in our lungs do we still have the rich grace to be welcomed into His arms of rest.

The chapter closes with the sweetest of invitations to those who have entered His forever rest from the burden of working hard to attain our own salvation. The doors of Heaven’s throne room are flung wide as we are welcomed with lavish love into His presence where we are known and tenderly loved, cared for, and empathized with.

Sandwiched in the middle of these abundant graces, lies the sharpness of God’s Word, fueled by His own Spirit. His Words are alive, quick, and adept at its task of penetrating our souls and exposing our hearts. A pastor once shared, “if we allowed God’s Word to cut us more often, perhaps we would be spared the pain of greater discipline.”

Is His Word so precious to you that you hold it close enough to allow it to cut your heart and pierce the sins you love so dearly? Is it close enough to allowing His surgeon hands to heal you, and bring you life by His Spirit through the same Word?
It is a mercy to be cut by the Word of God.

Grab your Bible, a journal and pen,
and open your heart to bask in the presence of the Almighty!

Today's Challenge

1) Be a scribe and copy the precious words of Scripture down word for word. Make space in your journal to write down every word of Hebrews 4:12-16 today. And as you copy, lookup a cross reference or two as you come to them (they are the small letters next to certain words in your study Bible or online at www.biblia.com). As you write, think of the incredible gift it is to be invited into God’s presence through His word!

2) Choose one of these options to answer the invitation of going deeper into biblical community! 
a) 
Take a photo of your journal time this week and share it, or share a quote from it.
            b) Do a Facebook Live on the GT Community group and share how God has been working in you.
            c) Leave a comment here about it.
            d) Share something God has been showing you in a comment at the GT Community Group 
            e) Plan a coffee or lunch date with a friend and share what you’ve been learning and soaking in as you have hit Pause.
            f) Write a note of encouragement to a sister who has been through the nitty-gritty of real life with you. Let her know how deeply she has impacted your walk with Christ.
            g) For some of us, having a “2am friend” to build biblical community with is a new concept. If that’s you, this is an exciting, fresh place to be! Connect with our Facebook Community, send us an email, reach out to your local church body, seek out a small group and plug in! 

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

Join the GT Community on Facebook!

Hebrews 4

Therefore, since the promise to enter his rest remains, let us beware that none of you be found to have fallen short. 2 For we also have received the good news just as they did. But the message they heard did not benefit them, since they were not united with those who heard it in faith. 3 For we who have believed enter the rest, in keeping with what he has said,
So I swore in my anger,
“They will not enter my rest,”

even though his works have been finished since the foundation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in this way: And on the seventh day God rested from all his works. 5 Again, in that passage he says, They will never enter my rest, 6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news did not enter because of disobedience, 7 he again specifies a certain day—today. He specified this speaking through David after such a long time:
Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. 10 For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.

12 For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

How Does “Pause” Work?
1. Each day, Monday through Friday, for 2 weeks, we will provide you with a simple challenge. Each challenge is designed for you to engage with the Almighty in a deeper way and perhaps in a new way than you have been recently.

2. Having a journal is a must! You’ll want to take notes as you walk this special Journey of Pause.

3. Each week focuses on one or two passage of Scripture and we walk with you as you study and flesh these out for yourself. As you write your thoughts, read His Word, and pray, questions might come up. That’s Perfect! Ask a trusted fellow believer, a pastor, or send us an email as you work through them!

4. Jumping in at the middle? No problem! Here is the entire Journey Theme.

5. Connect with others on Facebook by visiting our GT Community Group!

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 Pause 3 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 Pause 3!

Posted in: Discipline, God, Grace, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Love, Mercy, Pause, Rest, Welcome Tagged: abundant, eternal, high priest, lavish love, Living Word, throne room, Word of God

Pause 3 Day 2 Intended For Rest

October 22, 2019 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

Pause 3, Day 2

Rest.
We all need it, but most of us push back from it, not wanting to be found lazy, weak, or ineffective. We stay awake until the wee hours working, press ourselves to exhaustion during the day, or move from one activity to the next without a breath.
Yet, we were designed for resting.

Resting.
Pausing.
Breathing.
Being.

As often is the case, the physical realm mirrors the spiritual in order to accentuate it. Just as our physical bodies were made to literally live off of rest, so were our souls. This is the emphasis of chapter three in Hebrews. The only safe haven of rest for our souls is found in Christ Jesus, the author of our hearts.

Grab your Bible, a journal and pen,
and open your heart to bask in the presence of the Almighty!

Today's Challenge

1) Pull out your Bible and read Hebrews 3 fully through 3 times.

2) Each time, write down everything that pops out at you, makes you curious, or wonder “why?”. When you’re finished, go back through and you’ll be amazed at the new things the Spirit is leading you into knowing about Him!

3) 
Pay special attention to the kind of rest we are made for. Who is able to ensure we will be given the inheritance of rest? What kind of rest is the author wanting us to make sure we enter? How do we enter it? What keeps us from this specific rest?

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

Join the GT Community on Facebook!

Hebrews 3

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession. 2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was in all God’s household. 3 For Jesus is considered worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder has more honor than the house. 4 Now every house is built by someone, but the one who built everything is God. 5 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s household, as a testimony to what would be said in the future. 6 But Christ was faithful as a Son over his household. And we are that household if we hold on to our confidence and the hope in which we boast.

7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:
Today, if you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
on the day of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your fathers tested me, tried me,
and saw my works 10 for forty years.
Therefore I was provoked to anger with that generation
and said, “They always go astray in their hearts,
and they have not known my ways.”
11 So I swore in my anger,
“They will not enter my rest.”

12 Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception. 14 For we have become participants in Christ if we hold firmly until the end the reality that we had at the start. 15 As it is said:
Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.

16 For who heard and rebelled? Wasn’t it all who came out of Egypt under Moses? 17 With whom was God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

How Does “Pause” Work?
1. Each day, Monday through Friday, for 2 weeks, we will provide you with a simple challenge. Each challenge is designed for you to engage with the Almighty in a deeper way and perhaps in a new way than you have been recently.

2. Having a journal is a must! You’ll want to take notes as you walk this special Journey of Pause.

3. Each week focuses on one or two passage of Scripture and we walk with you as you study and flesh these out for yourself. As you write your thoughts, read His Word, and pray, questions might come up. That’s Perfect! Ask a trusted fellow believer, a pastor, or send us an email as you work through them!

4. Jumping in at the middle? No problem! Here is the entire Journey Theme.

5. Connect with others on Facebook by visiting our GT Community Group!

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 Pause 3 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 Pause 3!

Posted in: Christ, Holy Spirit, Inheritance, Jesus, Pause, Rest Tagged: author, being, breathing, For, hearts, intended, rest, safe haven, soul

Sketched VI Day 11 Marsha

October 14, 2019 by Guest Writer 4 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 22:34-39
John 7:53-8:11
1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Sketched VI, Day 11

Pastor John E. Brown read Matthew 22:34-39 to the congregation from the church stage.  A part of verse 39 reverberated in my head as the Spirit prompted my heart with His Word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Yeah, Lord. I know.
I’m supposed to love others.
I do Lord.
You know I do.
In fact, I’m the ultimate people-pleaser.
I seem to live my life for others.
I give and give.
To everyone.
It exhausts me.
Lord, I try to fulfill this verse to the best of my ability.

“No, you do not.”
I felt, rather than heard, His response.

No, I do not? What more can I do? I protested in my continued inward dialogue with the Lord. I’ve knocked myself out for people.

“The last part of the verse you’re forgetting,”

Love your neighbor as yourself.
I pulled out my Bible and reread the verse.
As yourself, I repeated.
The download came upon me with force.
It’s equal! 

Loving neighbors = Loving yourself.

My engineering background came forward. If it’s equal, then one end of the sentence is equal to the opposite end of the sentence.  It’s also equal, in reverse.

Loving yourself = Loving neighbors.

Oh my! This put a whole new slant on the verse.
I’m to love myself as much as I love others?
Give love to myself? No—that’s not me.
The Lord’s right —I’ve never before fully understood that simple verse. I thought it was only about the amount of love that should be bestowed on others.  This was a life-changing difference, especially for this people-pleaser.

I have not equated loving myself with loving my neighbor. Others were more important, isn’t that what the Bible teaches? I have spent a lot of time learning to love others, especially the ones who are really hard to love. However, I had never felt it important to learn to love myself. More often, I struggled with self-condemnation.

And this was the Lord’s purpose in speaking to me through His Word that day.
Yes, He intends us to love others with as much care and concern as we love ourselves. But we are also called to love and accept and care for ourselves just as He loves us. Jesus isn’t pointing us solely towards self-focus or others-focus, but a dual “both-and” dynamic.

I pondered this for a while and wondered at what the Bible says about self-condemnation.
Especially for those who have been forgiven by Christ,
but still fight a daily battle to actually live in that freedom of being forgiven.

For me, the voices of shame and guilt and “should have” swirl around me on a regular basis, and are quick to speak condemnation over me, even though I’ve already been forgiven.

John 7:53-8:11 is the story of the woman caught in adultery: …the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?”  

Jesus’ reply was amazing, especially for that era. In verse 8:7 He said, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Verses 9-11 tell how those who heard dispersed, the more mature first, then the less mature, until only Jesus remained with the woman.

Jesus then asked, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, ”I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on, sin no more.”

None of us are without sin, except Jesus, and Jesus did not condemn the woman. Likewise, neither are we to condemn others who sin. The beauty of the gospel is that the perfectly sin-less One took our condemnation and punishment on Himself that we might be free.

These are truths we all need, but there was one more person at the scene who hasn’t been mentioned.
The woman.
What about the woman herself?
Do you think she found it easy to drop her own condemnation? 

I’m not so sure I would have just dropped my own guilt.
I’m more likely to have beaten myself up over and over.
Can we forgive and love ourselves, as easily as we forgive and love others?
Yet, we are commanded to do just that in Matthew 22:39!

Jesus, above every other example, poured Himself out for others.
Listening. Healing. Preaching. Becoming weary for another.
And yet, He still cared for Himself, His needs, and His private relationship with God the Father.

Does God intend for me to meet my own needs for peace and downtime?
As much as I try to be uplifting to others, I am to allow refreshment for myself?
As much as I make time for others, does accepting God’s grace over me mean making space for myself?

YES!

We are called to rest, care for ourselves, and cease harsh condemnation of ourselves.
Love yourself as you love others.

With this revelation, my faith journey took a new direction.
For the first time, I understood why I shouldn’t be a people-pleaser,
neither a pleaser of myself, nor a pleaser of others.

Instead, not trying to please men, but God (1 Thessalonians 2:4),
I should be a God-pleaser.
If we obediently offer Christ’s grace to others and ourselves,
both parties will be well cared for.
What a wonderful God to love us so well!

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 VI 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 Sketched VI!

Posted in: Christ, Forgiven, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Love, Rest, Sketched Tagged: God-pleaser, love yourself, Marsha, people-pleaser, poured Himself out, self-condemnation, Your Neighbor

Sketched V Day 5 Saul, All Of Us

February 1, 2019 by Stacy Daniel Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Galatians 5:16-25
Psalm 62:5-8
Luke 10:38-42
Matthew 11:28-30

Sketched V, Day 5

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, and self-control.”
I remember when my life didn’t reflect these words I’d penned through the Holy Spirit’s power.
I was so devoted to the law I missed it’s point.
I missed Jesus.
I chased everything except Christ.
Though He came to save me from working to achieve righteousness,
I savagely continued insisting on preserving the law in me.
Futile though it was.
How hard I worked! Yet how great the price!
How grateful I am for that blessed day Jesus met me on the road to Damascus as His grace arrested me! A grace so great, it freed me to walk in step with His Spirit, unleashing me forever from the heavy chains of performance and not enough.
I am Paul, freed to live by the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, and self-control.”

As I shared these words with the congregation this morning, I remembered the past week and its obligations. It was packed with meetings, counseling appointments, decisions, and of course, sermon preparation. I moved as if on autopilot.
Regrettably, I wonder how many times I overlooked the opportunity to show kindness or love.  I know my family would say I’ve been more impatient, but they know I’m busy, it’s simply the reality of being a pastor.
I know I didn’t spend the time I normally do on the sermon, praying through each word, asking for a fresh perspective from the Spirit and letting my words be His.
Will He still do His work without my strivings?
I am thankful for the gift of speaking and the calling of my job,
but the cost is too great to do this without Jesus.
These words from the Lord are vitally important. I will choose to rest in the fresh word He has for me daily.
I’m your pastor, freed to live by the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, and self-control.”
When I read these words today, I can’t help but reflect upon my actions the last few days realizing how little they describe me.  I have looked forward to the opportunity to share God’s word with others, but with a deadline looming, I’ve felt less inspired and more stressed, impatient and insecure.
I’ve shown irritability toward my family and neglected precious time with Jesus
in order to “get things done”.
How subtle the shift has been from Christ’s righteousness to self-reliance!
How easy it would be to begin writing without asking for guidance from Jesus as I share His grace with others who need Him as well.
I wrote this Journey Study; I’m Stacy, freed to walk in the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, and self-control.”
As I am confronted with these words, I don’t recognize the person I’ve become.
If I’m honest, I’m bitter, angry, selfish and sad.
Every day is a flurry of activity as I get the kids up and fed, off to school and then attend to the needs of the little ones. Lunch, naps, housework, planning dinner and grocery trips, keeping up with the ever-changing demands of raising kids, and striving to be the best wife possible. Date nights, family Bible studies, teachable moments, small group, church responsibilities, my list goes on.
I see other moms thriving, or so it seems from their social media accounts.
How do they have happy kids and husbands, clean homes, and deep spiritual lives
when I feel like I’m drowning?
I miss the days when I could spend long periods of time in God’s Word.
There is so much to do now, I don’t always make the time.
When I do steal a few moments away with the Lord, my mind is always elsewhere and guilt is everywhere. I must get everything done, but at what cost?
My kids hear me speak of Jesus, but my tone doesn’t always reflect His peace.
These words invite me to a different pace. How I need to be reminded to keep in step with the Spirit and not my own frenzy!
I’m the mom you see in the car line, freed to walk in the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, and self-control.”
Hearing the pastor share these words this morning, I notice how “accomplishing”, “striving”, and “doing” aren’t included.
Oh, neither is “exhausted”, which is my personal definition of life.
The kids are gone, but life never slowed down.
After all, they still have needs such as babysitting, and I love spending time with those precious grandbabies! There are so many volunteer needs at church or lonely friends, it seems I can never do enough.
At home the needs of my husband are greater after his injury. Taking a part-time job became a necessity to help with bills. I know I need to spend more time personally with Jesus, but He has called me to take care of the ones I love.
What if these words are calling me, inviting me, to spend time in a way that won’t leave me empty. What if learning the rhythm of the Savior is the answer to walking in peace?
I’m the grandma down the street from you, freed to walk in the Spirit.

~~

Dear friends, it’s so easy as capable, busy women to speed through our days “doing all the things” we feel we must without acknowledging our necessity for Jesus.
As in Mary & Martha’s case,
dinner does need to get on the table,
but Jesus commended Mary for choosing the better thing.

Jesus invites us to sit at His feet, learning from Him as we center our lives around dwelling with Him. Here, in this sweet spot, “all the things” fall into a more pleasant pattern and our souls are lightened instead of burdened.
They key isn’t in what we do or don’t do, it’s found in the fuel we do it by.
The more time we spend in the presence of our Father,
the more we will exude His fruit and find His peace.
Come, Daughter, become freed to walk in the Spirit.

His invitation awaits our acceptance….
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take up My yoke and learn from Me,
because I am lowly and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light
.”
Matthew 11:28-30

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!

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!

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 V Week One! 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 V

Posted in: Busy, Dwell, God, Jesus, Love, Rest, Saul, Sketched Tagged: free, Freed, Fruit of the Spirit, rhythm, Self-Relieance, Walking in the Spirit

Awaken Day 7 Still, Small Voice: Digging Deeper

January 15, 2019 by Shannon Vicker 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 Still, Small Voice!

The Questions

1) Why is Elijah in the cave?

2) Why does God choose to speak in “a soft whisper”?

3) Why does God leave 7,000 in Israel?

1 Kings 19:9-18

He entered a cave there and spent the night.
Suddenly, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Armies, but the Israelites have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are looking for me to take my life.”

11 Then he said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the Lord’s presence.”

At that moment, the Lord passed by. A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

Suddenly, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

14 “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Armies,” he replied, “but the Israelites have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they’re looking for me to take my life.”

15 Then the Lord said to him, “Go and return by the way you came to the Wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael as king over Aram. 16 You are to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. 17 Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu. 18 But I will leave seven thousand in Israel—every knee that has not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

Original Intent

1) Why is Elijah in the cave?
Beginning in 1 Kings 18:20 we see the set up for why Elijah ended up in a cave. Elijah was the only faithful prophet to God and he challenged Ahab and all the others who were worshipping the false god Baal. More specifically, Elijah attacked the beliefs of the worshippers of Baal, set up an impossible-to-win stand-off to prove Baal had no power while the One True God was all-powerful. God, of course, defeats the prophets of Baal. However, this action brings about a threat on the life of Elijah from Queen Jezebel. Upon receiving the threat Elijah is afraid and runs for his life. God remains faithful to Elijah, providing for his basic needs and, after 40 days, he eventually ends up in the cave.  Elijah is in a cave as a direct result of his decision to run away.

2) Why does God choose to speak in “a soft whisper”?
In 1 Kings 19:11-12 God displays His power over creation. There is a great, destructive wind, an earthquake, and a fire that all take place before God finally chooses to speak. God could have shown up and spoken to Elijah in any of those moments, instead He chooses to wait. God displays His power for Elijah once more and then, in the small whisper, God finally speaks. God waits for the intimate moment when He has Elijah’s full attention to speak, and when He speaks, He asks a question reminding us of the question God asked Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. In Genesis 3:9 quickly following Adam and Eve’s decision to sin, God comes into the Garden and asks, “Where are you?”. God doesn’t ask this because is ignorant, He asks to re-establish the relationship that once was. In a similar way God comes to Elijah in the quiet whisper and asks, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”. Again, God doesn’t ask because He doesn’t know the why, He asks because He is restoring the relationship God and His prophet Elijah have had.

3) Why does God leave 7,000 in Israel?
During the intimate conversation between God and Elijah we learn Elijah feels alone. He feels there is no one left who is faithful to God. He essentially wonders why the Israelites are still God’s people despite their unfaithfulness. God chooses to show Elijah that he is not alone and there are 7,000 believers who had never abandoned the faith. In these same verses we see the consequences of those who have been unfaithful, as well as the love of God in sparing those who remained faithful to the covenant between God and Israel. God encourages Elijah there would be another prophet to follow in his footsteps when He instructs Elijah to anoint his replacement, Elisha. Even though Elijah felt alone God showed him he has never really been alone.

Everyday Application

1) Why is Elijah in the cave?
It has always amazed me that in one moment Elijah displays such faith in God that he stands up to Baal without fear knowing his God will be victorious and in almost the next breath Elijah is running away fearing his life from a human queen. Just like Elijah, there are times in our lives where we will fear the circumstances in our lives. The decision before us in those moments is whether we will lean in and trust God, or run in fear of what might happen. While the decision to ask God into our lives is a one-time decision, the decision to trust God in all circumstances and situations is one made moment by moment, day by day.

2) Why does God choose to speak in “a soft whisper”?
God is a God of power who controls all of creation. He can choose to show Himself and speak through anything. Yet, many times in our lives God does not speak to us through big huge billboards we can’t miss. No, instead, He comes to us in the quiet moments when we choose to set the noise of the world aside and draw near to Him. It is in the moments of intimate relationship that God often speaks to our hearts. You see, above all God prioritizes our relationship with Him. He wants us to draw near, to sit and be still, to lean in ready to hear what He has to say. The question is, will we be still long enough to hear the soft whisper?

3) Why does God leave 7,000 in Israel?
Just like Elijah felt alone, how many times in our lives do we struggle with the same feeling of loneliness. There will be times in our lives we look around and may be tempted to think there are no faithful believers around us or there is no one left to keep the faith when we are gone. However, just as in the life of Elijah, we are never truly alone. If we look hard enough, there are those around us who are clinging to faithfulness and living their lives devoted to the One True God. There are those being raised up in the faith that will continue to grow in faithfulness and who will carry on the faith once God calls us home. No matter how hopeless circumstances may look, we must remember that just as Elijah wasn’t alone in his faithfulness neither are we. Like Elijah, we serve not only a faithful God, but also a just God and those who are faithless will one day have to answer for that faithlessness. However, we must also remember that faithfulness does not equal perfection. As believers, God is continuously at work in our lives to make us more like Him as we choose to cling to Him in faith.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Still, Small Voice!

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 Awaken 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.

Posted in: Broken, Character, Comfort, Deliver, Digging Deeper, Enemies, Faith, God, Grace, Hope, Love, Pain, Peace, Rest, Truth Tagged: darkness, hope, love, sad

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

December 4, 2018 by Melodye Reeves 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 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.

Posted in: Accepted, Adoring, Broken, Digging Deeper, Faith, Forgiven, Freedom, Fullness, Grace, Healing, Hope, Pain, Peace, Power, Praise, Prayer, Promises, Redemption, Relationship, Rest, Scripture, Trust, Truth, Worship Tagged: broken, dependence, faith, flawless, hope, righteous, strength, weak, worship

Dwell Day 10 Clearing The Clutter

October 12, 2018 by Mary Kathryn Tiller Leave a Comment

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!

Posted in: Believe, Busy, Comfort, Dwell, Excuses, God, Gospel, Jesus, Life, Marriage, Meaning, Need, Overwhelmed, Prayer, Provider, Purpose, Relationship, Rest, Sacrifice, Scripture, Seeking, Service, Significance, Struggle, Truth, Wisdom Tagged: believe, chaos, comfort, dwell, fasting, God, life, needs, plans, Return, scripture, seeking, struggle, Truth

The GT Weekend! Sketched IV Week 3

August 18, 2018 by Michelle Promise 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

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Posted in: Accepted, Broken, Desperate, Dignity, Excuses, Faith, Follow, Forgiven, Future, Grace, Heaven, Holiness, Hope, Peace, Rescue, Rest, Scripture, Trust, Truth Tagged: believe, doubt, fear, hope, rest, solid, trust, Truth, unbelief

The GT Weekend! Tabernacle Week 3

July 7, 2018 by Michelle Promise 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 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

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Posted in: Busy, Faith, Forgiven, God, GT Weekend, Jesus, Life, Relationship, Rest, Sacrifice, Seeking, Worship Tagged: busy, cleaning, forgiveness, gift, God, relationship, sacrifice, seek, tabernacle, worship
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  • Worship VI Day 10 Do It Again December 6, 2019
    When I read the story of Joshua, it all seems so easy... Admittedly, God's instructions to Joshua and his army are strange…
march around the walls of Jericho once a day for six days 
and seven times on the seventh day

But they're clear and easy enough to follow. 
What's more, the outcome is entirely predictable. As […]
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