Safe

Redeemed Day 10 Steps Of Faith

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Ruth 3:1-5
Proverbs 27:9
Exodus 33:12-23

Redeemed, Day 10

“I’m home.” Flinging open the door to our small house, I called out to my mother-in-law. She looked up with joy in her twinkling brown eyes. I knew she loved me every time she looked at me.

“Ruth!” she exclaimed, looking up from her mending. “You’re home early!”

“The barley harvest is over,” I explained.  I’d been gathering grain in the barley fields of Naomi’s relative Boaz for the past month. He was so kind to me and everyone who worked for him. I had spent the morning picking up the final grains and cleaning up alongside the other working girls.   While eating lunch, I recalled that first day when I began working in Boaz’s fields. Naomi and I had just moved back from Moab, my homeland. We were destitute. Boaz, in his generosity, had shared his wine and toasted grain with me. Naomi was so excited when I showed her the barley I’d collected from his fields.  It was the happiest I had seen her in years!

Now, as she took the final bag of barley and placed it into the storage bin, she turned to me with a familiar intensity in her eye. It was the same look I’d seen when she decided to return here to Bethlehem after my husband, Kilion and his brother had died.

Naomi had a plan.

She reached for my hands, gripping them with tender love as she spoke,
“My daughter, I must seek rest for you and find a home for you,
where you will be well provided for.”

Naomi’s passionate gesture brought back an instant visual of when my sister-in-law, Orpah, and I last held Naomi’s hands. Naomi had decided to leave Moab and return to her homeland, Bethlehem. Through tears, she’d encouraged Orpah and me to stop following her to Bethlehem and instead return to Moab. She blessed us, saying, “May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.”

Orpah pulled her hands from Naomi’s grip and wrapped her arms around us. She would return to her parent’s home, but I couldn’t leave Naomi. I knew this decision was more significant than where I lived; it was an opportunity to leave the gods of Moab and follow Yahweh. Naomi had taught me of Yahweh and His goodness. Though she had suffered the loss of her two boys and her husband, she still believed Yahweh was kind. Though our life was hard and bitter, she taught me to see Lord’s kindness in our friendship, safety on our journey to her hometown, and provision in Boaz’s fields.  Even though I was now a foreigner and an outsider, she knew the Lord could answer her prayer for a home with security and a husband and kids. It wasn’t too much for the Lord.

She paused and looked me up and down, but her hold on my hands intensified with a fire of love in her eyes. My hair was straggly with husks stuck to my clothes, and I smelled like sweat and barley. It wasn’t a pretty picture, but that didn’t stop her.

“Tonight, our relative, Boaz, will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there. When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.” (Ruth 3:3-4)

My mouth dropped open. I couldn’t believe Naomi’s plan. Sneak onto the threshing floor while Boaz was asleep, uncover his feet, and lie down!

Only men went to the threshing floor.  What if someone saw me?

I was shocked. I did not expect Naomi to come up with a plan like this!

Since moving to Bethlehem, Naomi had spent much time teaching me the Law. There were rules about food, keeping the Sabbath, our clothing, and appropriate relationships. Since Boaz was our relative, she had explained the role of the kinsman-redeemer. Meaning, Boaz had a special responsibility to protect the family and the land.  She also explained why such a kind and faithful man was still single.  Though Boaz’s father was Naomi’s relative, his mother was a former Canaanite prostitute. No parent in Bethlehem would allow their daughter to marry Boaz. To do so would risk Yahweh’s anger burning against them according to Deuteronomy 7:3-4, “Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods, and the LORD’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you.”

As Naomi shared her plan, she noted how she had heard of Boaz’s kind character through conversation with the women of Bethlehem at the town well. The women’s testimony of his character and my stories of working with him had convinced her Boaz was a good man, who reflected Yahweh’s kindness. She believed God had saved him for me and brought me back from Moab for him.

Wow!  What a surprise.  I never imagined remarrying after Kilion died, but here was a gift of redemption. Naomi was giving me a life-changing choice just like she had with the choice to return home or move to Bethlehem.  She would love me regardless of my decision. She was more than my mother-in-law, she was my friend. We cooked together, laughed together, and learned Scripture together. Long before my husband died, she held me and cried with me every month I wasn’t pregnant. I trusted Naomi’s wisdom and perspective.  I trusted her heart and advice more than I trusted my own.

It was time to get cleaned up and put on my perfume.
It was time for me to take one more step of faith.

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

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Redeemed 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 Redeemed!

Pause 3 Day 5 Sure & Certain

2 Comments

Pause 3, Day 5

Strong encouragement and a sure refuge.  
It’s not flowery or poetic or Instagram worthy, but these truths have been, and continue to be, deep wells of safety and, more importantly hope.

When relationships are unsure, He is certain.
When financial plans plummet, His refuge will not fail.
When anger, hurt, or sadness envelopes on all sides, the anchor of the Lord will hold steady.

Regardless of what I do, or don’t do, the ways I live out love, or the times I love myself more than others, nothing will change the hope I have in Jesus.

See, my God cannot lie.
And He has promised safety for me.

Not a safety within this physical realm, though He often provides exactly that, but a safe harbor for my heart forever.

There is no “alone” with the Lord.
There is no “I’m too far gone”.
He is sure.
He is certain.
His anchor for every soul entrusted to Him will hold firm and secure no matter the storm!

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

Today's Challenge

1) Read through Hebrews 6:13-20 out loud today twice. Slowly. Linger over that verse (or verses) that stick out to you, slowing and listening as God’s Spirit speaks to your heart! Choose 1 or 2 to write out on notecards and post them around your house – then post a picture of your reminder cards on Instagram or on our Facebook Community Page. Take the weekend to memorize these and forever hide them in your heart!

2) We are so excited to share this hand-crafted Spotify playlist! We created it as we prayed over *you*. Put this playlist on repeat this weekend and be reminded of the rich truths God has shown you this week in Pause 3!

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 6:13-20

For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater to swear by, he swore by himself: 14 I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply you. 15 And so, after waiting patiently, Abraham obtained the promise. 16 For people swear by something greater than themselves, and for them a confirming oath ends every dispute. 17 Because God wanted to show his unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. 20 Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner, because he has become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

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!

Relentless Day 10 The Lord’s Victory

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Judges 7:3-23
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Ephesians 6:10-12

Relentless, Day 10

“I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the one who gave the horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. I was the lion who you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that I came to shore where a man sat wakeful at midnight, to receive you.” 

My eyes began to water as I read (and by read, I mean listened to, because I absolutely listened to this in audio-book form) this paragraph Aslan spoke to Shasta, the hero of this story.

That realization that rushes over each new reader of “The Horse and His Boy”, is the same realization that rushed over me just a few months ago, when God gave me a revelation that altered my perspective on the last ten months of my life.

As I’ve been in my own kind of battle for months, I’ve been amazed every time I’ve seen God’s fingerprint show up in an unexpected way, just like the lion for Shasta. I imagined myself climbing this exhausting mountain with God occasionally choosing to reach out and touch me to give me a push along the way. But one day, God showed me the reason I kept seeing His fingerprints around my life isn’t because He was choosing to reach for me here and help me there…

It was because He was holding me.
And when things are held, fingerprints naturally end up everywhere.

I wasn’t being lightly touched.
I was being tightly held.
Ah-Ha Moment! 

Shasta, the presumed-to-be orphan boy, who was journeying from the land of slavery to the land of freedom on the back of a talking-horse, could see, at last, that he wasn’t the most unfortunate boy, with his continual run-ins with lions and life as the son of a cruel fisherman. Shasta’s life was held by Aslan; the great Lion of Love.

There was love amidst every battle. 

Oh, how I’ve seen God’s love amidst my own battles!

Not-so-coincidentally (thanks to God, who always seems to make things like this happen), the writing of this journey coincided with my reading of C. S. Lewis’ third book in the Chronicles of Narnia series. So, it is easy to compare this book and battles fought and won with Gideon, the prophet of old who defeated a 120,000 army with only 300 men.

In Judges chapter six, we read about God calling Gideon, and Gideon testing God… several times. Our ever-patient Father responded to Gideon’s tests each time, displaying how God would indeed deliver Israel by Gideon’s hand.

Gideon felt small.
Inadequate.
The odds were stacked against him.
He could hardly believe that God would use little ol’ him to bring victory to the Israelites.

I’ve felt that way, too.
Small.
Inadequate.
Stupid and weak.
I’ve felt like the odds were completely stacked against me.
I’ve believed that there was no way God could use me to bring glory to His name.

And yet.

God chose to use Gideon…
God chooses to use me.
And you.

So there Gideon was…
Feeling like he was already a lost cause.

The troupes gathered together, 32,000 in number, significantly smaller than the 120,000-member opposing army. Still, God told Gideon he had too many.
If God handed Midian over to Israel, Israel would only praise themselves and their own strength. Victory must obviously belong to the Lord God.

22,000 men left for home when Gideon commanded only the fearless to remain, and his small army dwindled even smaller to 10,000.

Still not small enough for God.
He needed to be sure that it all pointed back to Him. There could be no way anyone could ever assume victory was won by human strength. 10,000 turned to 300.

300 men.

Against 120,000.
Ridiculous odds.

Remember, God had already promised Gideon Israel would win this battle…
But oh how Gideon must have quaked inside. He’d already doubted God calling him into the battle, and now he entered with a 1 to 400 soldier ratio.

Gideon and all 300 of his men were upheld by God.
He used the weakness of their numbers to showcase God’s magnificent strength.

Sisters, God uses us when we are at our weakest.
He will use that season of feeling small and weak to demonstrate how He is our strength, which ultimately brings Him glory because our story….it really points to HIM!

We’ll never be “strong enough”, if we were, we wouldn’t need Jesus to save us,
and that’s the whole point of the Gospel right there!

Jesus + nothing = salvation.
God + a measly army = victory.

He is the lion pushing us towards our calling,
bringing comfort when we are trembling,
strengthening and upholding us to be all He has called us to be.
His mighty strength surrounds us, holds us, and chooses to use our woeful weakness to make His name known!

He is the God who doesn’t look at odds being in our favor,
– because there are no “odds” with Him –
He just always wins.

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

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Relentless 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 Relentless!

Captivating Day 3 Community Calling

2 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Ruth 1:15-18
2 Corinthians 2:4-17
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Galatians 5:7-15

Captivating, Day 3

Sadly, we in the church today oftentimes have a wrong view of friendship. I hear sentiments like the following all the time (and perhaps they will sound familiar to you as well):

I’m too busy to cultivate friendship.

Did you hear what she did? Did you hear what he said to her?

That person hurt me, and I have had enough. I’m cutting my friendship ties with her.

I’ll pursue friendship when I’m in a less busy season.

Spending time with mom friends is too hard and impractical in this season of raising littles.

Friend, may I gently remind all of us, myself included, that the Lord has never once viewed friendship as optional or as something we can safely let go of, refuse to pursue, or not take seriously?
“Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts.
For if either falls, his companion can lift him up;
but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.
Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm? And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him.
A cord of three strands is not easily broken.”
(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

Biblical friendship was intended by God to fortify, sustain, encourage, sharpen, grow, and equip us in our daily walk with Christ. We see a beautiful example of this in the story of Naomi and Ruth, a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law who were also dear friends. Following the death of their husbands, widows Naomi and Ruth faced seemingly impossible challenges and yet, through their friendship and commitment to each other and their mutual faith in God, were able to overcome them.
Ruth gives us a beautiful picture of their friendship in Ruth 1:16-17 when she says to Naomi, “Wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live;
your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.
Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried.
May the Lord punish me, and do so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”

This is what the winsome institution of friendship is designed to be, a captivating fragrance and picture of Christ and His love for His people. Our friendships are to be the kind of relationships wherein we present the watching world with an example of what it looks like to love each other with the unconditional love of Christ. In these friendships, we are to create a place of safety where others can share thoughts and feelings without fear of harsh or critical judgement. We were designed to walk alongside, carrying one another’s burdens, rejoice with one another’s victories, and intentionally investing in one another, and pointing each other to Christ all along the way.

We are not too busy for friendship.
Rather, the responsibilities on our shoulders are too cumbersome to not have friends to walk along the journey with us. Frankly, the stakes are too high for us to live outside biblical community, only feigning at true friendship.

This type of solid, Christian friendship is not easy to cultivate.
I have learned this myself in deeply personal ways over the past year as I experienced a friendship be nearly destroyed as a result of gossip, judgment, and legalistic expectations. Another friendship has become challenging as narcissism has been brought into the mix.
It’s been a rough year for my friendships.

Yet, far from throwing in the towel, I am inspired by the passages above to pursue the ministry of reconciliation and extend the love and grace that covers a multitude of sins. While boundaries are important in relationships, and sometimes friendships with unsafe people must come to an end, these instances are oftentimes fewer and further between than we think in this age of un-forgiveness and criticism.

I don’t know what your friendship experiences have looked like thus far, dear reader, but I do know this: the Lord desires for you to enjoy friendships throughout life that will inspire and encourage you in your relationship with Him.
He wants to see your faith strengthened, your heart sustained,
and your mind invigorated through these friendships,
and He wants the watching world to be pointed to Him when it sees you and your friends.

Yes, it’s a high challenge to intentionally cultivate friendships like these, and they sometimes take years to deepen to this level, but it is worth the work and investment!

I can honestly say I would not be the woman I am today,
with my faith in Christ matured to the point that it is,
or my heart encouraged and invigorated to joyfully follow Him as I am,
if it weren’t for the dear friends in my life who are more like family to me now.
After years of intentionally and regularly pouring into them (and vice versa!),
it is resoundingly worth it!

You may have been burned in the past.
You may find yourself with a seemingly lack of time in the present.
Your future may be uncertain.
All the more reason to invest in friendships and begin building biblical community!
Pray and ask the Lord to send godly Christian friends your way.
That is a prayer He delights in answering!

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

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Captivating 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 Captivating!

Awaken Day 13 Awake My Soul

2 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 91:1-4
Psalm 94:16-19
Romans 8:31-39
Hebrews 4:14-16

Awaken, Day 13

Her back against the wall of the dark corner, she slid to her knees. Forehead met floor as she clenched her arms tighter around her waist, trying desperately to muffle her cries. Despite her efforts, the roiling within couldn’t–wouldn’t–be contained, and her keening echoed in the emptiness around her.

Barely able to string words into thought, she flung a desperate plea to the heavens.

“I can’t do it anymore.
It’s too big, too hard, hurts too much.
I can’t.”

Never had the Throne of Mercy seemed more distant. The disappointment He must surely feel thundered in the silence, its weight crushing.

Exhausted, her sobs spent, one final whisper escaped her lips:
“ . . . help . . .”

Into the void, He spoke.

“My sweet girl,
I
am
here.”

She felt a hand on her back, and instantly her frenetic shaking ceased. Lifting her head, squinting through her tears, she saw Him. There. In her dark corner, His other hand reaching out to smooth damp hair from her face. He was there.

He pulled her into His lap, encircling her in the strongest, most gentle embrace.
Peace began to creep into her soul . . . until she remembered.

Remembered what had driven her to this place of desolation.

Overwhelming troubles.
Mountains she had tried again and again to scale, only to fail and fall and crumble.

Or perhaps rejection.
Barbed reminders that she didn’t belong, wasn’t good enough,
and therefore was destined to be alone,
piercing her soul until she was too wounded to stand.

Or injustice might have flung her into this pit,
blindsided and bleeding.

Whatever the root cause, its oppression began to close in again.
Hopeless, she cried out, “I don’t know what to do!”

“Beloved,” He murmured, shattering the encroaching darkness, “it’s time to worship.”

“Worship?” she echoed in confusion . . .

Dear sister, perhaps her puzzlement reflects our own?

Surely heartfelt hymns of praise spring from mountaintop moments,
not deepest, darkest valleys.

And yet, His Word shows us
life and hope and peace
in the midst of
death and hurt and despair
are found in the place of worship.

Praise . . . when it hurts.
Speaking truth we know and believe . . . when we don’t feel it.

When the giants of OVERWHELMED and FEAR and FAILURE loom large before us,
He reminds us:

He is the One Who created our universe (Psalm 95:1-5).
Whose dominion is absolute and glory is all-surpassing (Psalm 97:2-6).
Who performs wonders on behalf of His beloved (Psalm 99:1-3).

He is bigger, stronger, and victorious over
the obstacles we are powerless to surmount on our own.

When the bitter seeds of rejection begin to wither our spirits,
He uproots their lies with His hope-full truth:

We are intimately known by and called to belong to the flock of our Maker (Psalm 95:6-7).
We are deeply loved and faithfully cared for (Psalm 98:3).
We are His (Psalm 100:3-5).

We are never alone: we are the little sheep of His pasture,
created for and belonging to Him, always.

And when the devious cruelty of another leaves us
suffering, despairing, and crying out for vindication,
He is our justice:

He alone is Judge, and His faithfully righteous words speak joy into our aching souls (Psalm 96:10-13).
He sees the truth and will judge fairly (Psalm 98:9).
He loves justice (Psalm 99:4).

He promises to end our story with justice,
turning the wicked intentions of man against us to good,
for the glory of His name.

Truth begets life.
When we are helpless and hopeless in the place of deepest pain,
speaking the truth about our God revives our dying spirits.

Because the truth is, He is still worthy of our praise.
When we are overwhelmed, alone, wronged,
He is still God.
He is still good.
He is still for us.
And if God is for us, what can stand against us?

Remember that thing, that ugly hurt that drove us to our dark corners?
The truth we access in worship is because of who He is, because of His crazy love for us, He’s got that thing covered.

Drawing in a deep breath, she paused for a moment, biting her lower lip.
In a barely audible whisper, she began, “You are my God. You made me, and I. Am. Yours.” Words of life spoken in her own voice built her courage.

Stronger, now. “I come to You with thanksgiving and praise. Thank you for all that You are, and for being here with me now.

“You are my way through. You are my Good Shepherd and I belong to You.
You are my justice and my vindication.
You are good, and Your faithful love endures, forever.”

The mountains still rose before her.
The pain of brokenness with man remained.
But her Guide was at her side.
His very presence was salve to her wounds.

Slipping her fingers into His, she stepped forward, her soul awakened to deep life.

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

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Awaken 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 Awaken!

Glimmers Day 4 Hope In Surrender: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Hope In Surrender!

The Questions

1) How does this story point to a “glimmer of hope”?

2) What are the similarities between this sacrifice of Isaac and Jesus’ sacrifice?

3) What is the connection between faith and provision?

Genesis 22:1-18

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he answered.

2 “Take your son,” he said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

3 So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac. In his hand he took the fire and the knife, and the two of them walked on together.

7 Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father.”

And he replied, “Here I am, my son.”

Isaac said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of them walked on together.

9 When they arrived at the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.

11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”

He replied, “Here I am.”

12 Then he said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.”13 Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 And Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide, so today it is said: “It will be provided on the Lord’s mountain.”

15 Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn,” this is the Lord’s declaration: “Because you have done this thing and have not withheld your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the city gates of their enemies. 18 And all the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring because you have obeyed my command.”

Original Intent

1) How does this story point to a “glimmer of hope”?
Admittedly, there doesn’t appear to be any glimmers of hope here. The God who had decades before called Abraham out of his homeland, away from false worship, blessing him abundantly with land, servants, wealth, military power, and the promise of a son through whom he would have countless descendants, was now the same God who called Abraham to sacrifice his son. Not the son of his maidservant, Ishmael, not a sacrifice of wealth or power, but a total surrender of the son whom Abraham loved (22:2). On top of the ask to sacrifice, God told Abraham to travel to Mt. Moriah, which was three days away (22:2). Abraham had three days to mentally and emotionally consider the cost of sacrifice. Three days to wrestle with his fear and his grief, and his love. It’s one thing to obey in a split second, but another to think through all the pros and cons and wrestle within yourself when it comes to obedience. Who would Abraham love most? Isaac or Yahweh? The glimmer of hope is found in the character of God Himself. Abraham had learned to trust God over the course of a lifetime of following Him. He’d learned to trust His heart, proving even in his conversation with Isaac that his faith was in the Lord and His character of provision (22:8).

2) What are the similarities between this sacrifice of Isaac and Jesus’ sacrifice?
There are many, but here are the main ones.
The love Abraham has for Isaac is unmistakable, but so is the love shared between God the Father and God the Son. The love they share is deeper and more intimate than we will ever have the capacity to understand. It’s easy to be self-focused and consider how God loves us, but we forget how lavishly the Beings of the triune godhead love and delight in one another, which makes the agonizing sacrifice of the cross unbearably difficult to comprehend.
Isaac carried the wood for his own altar upon himself just as Christ carried His own cross to His place of sacrifice.
After three days of gut-wrenching waiting and internal wrestling, Abraham obeyed and offered his son as a sacrifice. Likewise, after three days of emotional loss, fear, and cowardly hiding away because it looked as if the enemy had won, Christ rose victoriously, having become “obedient to death”. (Philippians 2:8)

3) What is the connection between faith and provision?
Decades before this story of unswerving faith, God had invited Abraham to trust Him. The Lord told Abraham He would give him a son through whom all nations would be blessed and his offspring would be innumerable. (Genesis 15:5) Abraham believed, and because of his faith the Lord counted Abraham’s belief as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6) In our story here, Abraham trusted the Lord would still fulfill His promise, even if he had to sacrifice his son. His confidence in God’s Word is breathtaking. When Isaac questioned where the sacrifice was (which was Isaac), Abraham answered with faith, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” (Genesis 22:8) And again, Abraham told his servants, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy1 will go over there and worship and come again to you.” (Genesis 22:5) Though God had commanded a sacrifice that seemed to end all hope of the promise God Himself had made, Abraham repeatedly proved his faith in the integrity of the Lord God. Because of that faith, God provided.  He provided Isaac’s birth, He saved Isaac’s life, He provided the ram for sacrifice, and He reassured Abraham of His unchanging covenant promise to make him into a great nation. All of this because Abraham believed the Lord and chose to set Him apart as the only One worthy of the worship of his heart and life.

Everyday Application

1) How does this story point to a “glimmer of hope”?
Does Abraham’s story seem impossible? How could God ask him to sacrifice his son? But take into account Jesus’ words, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:26) In both instances, God is not condoning hating your family in the manner we think, He is asking us to consider how deep we love Him. Does our love for Him ring truer and run deeper than any other love, even those we love the most? If the Lord asked us to follow Him somewhere, would we obey despite the cost or would we elevate anything or anyone above Him? The cost of discipleship asks every Christ follower if we would rather trust ourselves or the heart of God. Following Jesus has nothing to do with feelings, but everything to do with trusting His heart. Notice that this test of Abraham’s love for God didn’t happen at the beginning of his faith journey, or somewhere in the middle, or even right after Isaac had been born. The test came when the Lord had proven His unending faithfulness over and over to Abraham with every obedient choice he made. Every step of obedience we take in following the Lord is one more step the Lord will use to teach our hearts to trust His own. Wherever you are, whatever your circumstance, today is an opportunity to trust Him. Will you hold onto Him or yourself?

2) What are the similarities between this sacrifice of Isaac and Jesus’ sacrifice?
Perhaps even more interesting than the striking similarities are the obvious dissimilarities. Where Isaac, Abraham’s only son, was offered, but saved from death, Jesus, beloved Son of the Father, was offered and sacrificed. Jesus actually died and Death had its way with Him.
Where God called out to Abraham to stop the sacrifice, Jesus cried out to the Father, “Why have you forsaken me?!” and heard nothing in response; Jesus was utterly abandoned as He took on Sin for us. (Matthew 27:46) A ram caught in the thicket was provided by God to take Isaac’s place, and centuries later on a hill not far from Mt. Moriah, the Lamb of God laid Himself down as God’s provision, taking our place and dying the death we deserve because of our sin. Through Isaac’s lineage, Jesus Christ would one day be born. One almost-sacrifice of Isaac that tested the faith of Abraham as he proved he would choose to worship the Lord God alone painted an incredible picture of a total-sacrifice that would redeem all who came to Christ through faith, choosing to worship the Lord God only. Incredible!!

3) What is the connection between faith and provision?
God made an incredible promise to Abraham and rather than scoff at it, mock it, or simply not believe, Abraham trusted God at His Word, as a result god credited Abraham with righteousness. Abraham hadn’t done anything. He hadn’t built a temple, proved he was an upstanding citizen with high morals (in fact, Abraham’s integrity had room to grow…see Genesis 12:10-20), or given away his wealth to the poor to earn God’s declaration of “righteous”. No, he simply believed God at His Word. In exactly the same way, our faith in God’s Word that Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself for us on our behalf and in our place, is credited to us as righteousness. Faith in the saving, atoning work of Jesus provides eternal redemption from sin as God declares us righteous! (Romans 5:1) Will you take the Lord at His Word?!

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

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 Glimmers Week One!
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.

Worship IV, Day 6 Praise You In My Pain

3 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Peter 2:21-25
Matthew 5:38-48 
2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Worship IV, Day 6

In my Christian journey I’ve learned a lot about myself, about God, and how those two go together. I’ve learned more of who God is and the intricacies of His character.
The more I know Him, the more I crave to be like Him.

How?
The answer is always follow Jesus’ example.

How again?
The answer is always taking in Scripture.

In 1 Peter 2:21-25, we see Jesus reviled by people, but He didn’t choose retaliation.
There were no evil threats spewing from His mouth.
He chose to entrust His life to the Father.
And then died for the salvation of the very ones who reviled Him.

In my everyday life, this example is just one Jesus is calling me to follow.
He’s teaching me to sit and be still in His presence.
He invites me not to worry about peoples’ opinions of me.

Because if He, the perfect spotless Lamb of God, was persecuted
then I should expect the same.
And if He upheld His testimony, boldly declaring unfathomable love for me
then so should I.
So should we.

And because He trusted His life to God,
then I should do the same.
So should we.

“But continued entrusting Himself (Jesus) to Him (Father God) who judges justly.”
1 Peter 2:23

It’s easy to lose sight of entrusting our lives to God in the middle of suffering.
It is as if our pain blinds us to the deeper spiritual battle,
keeping our sights set on our selfish entitlement.

Where is your suffering, Sister?

Maybe you’re fighting for a precious relationship, facing rejection, grieving a loved one, having your dreams crushed, or undergoing character assassination.

Regardless of your suffering….
Jesus’ example is to worship through it.
So should we.

Worship is not simply singing a song,
but entrusting our lives to the Almighty God.

When I was younger, I would listen to worship songs day and night.
One of my favorites was Casting Crowns’ Praise You In The Storm.

And I’ll praise you in this storm
And I will lift my hands
That you are who you are
No matter where I am
And every tear I’ve cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise you in this storm

“That You are who You are… no matter where I am.”

Sisters, Our God is constant!
Who He is today is exactly Who He will be tomorrow. Hebrews 13:8
He will never leave us or forsake us. Deuteronomy 31:6
He will uphold us with His righteousness. Isaiah 41:10
We will never be tempted to sin without a way out from it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Throughout experience I’ve come to understand what praising God in my pain means, through all kinds of stages and seasons of suffering.

I’ve been the girl sitting in the bathroom stall during lunch crying because no one wanted to sit with me.
I’ve been the girl grieving the deaths of those closest to me.
I’ve been the girl sexually assaulted multiple times.
I’ve been the girl lying awake with nightmares from the trauma I’ve experienced.
I’ve been the girl ready to take her life
because I felt like death would be better than the pain.

But, Sisters.
I’m also the girl whose life was interrupted by the God who saved me and walked with me in every single one of those seasons of suffering.

God has wrapped me in His arms so tightly I had no other option but to
praise Him through my pain.

And as I look back on my suffering, I see how God used it.
Not to accomplish what I wanted most.
But to bring me closer to Him.
To shape my heart like His.

I don’t know about you, but for me I experience God in an entirely different dimension when I am cloaked in painful suffering.

I crave His presence
I crave His love
I crave His promises
I crave His comfort

Suffering is the sweet tool the Shepherd of our hearts uses to point away from our weakness and towards His everlasting strength.

“But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content
with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

When we worship Him through our suffering we declare His Name.
When we worship Him through our suffering we find peace and comfort.
When we worship Him through our suffering we tell the world our God is good and worthy of praise!

He is still good, gracious, merciful, and just even when life is not. Therefore, He is worthy of our praise.  

So Sisters, let’s choose worship, just as our Savior did as He gave His life for us.
Let’s choose to praise Him in our pain, entrusting our lives to the One who loves us best!

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

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

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

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

Incorruptible Day 10 Love That Lasts

10 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Peter 1:22-25 
1 Peter 2:11-16
Leviticus 19:16-18
John 13:34-35 

Incorruptible, Day 10

As the children got off the bus there was a buzz of animated chatter.
Just arriving for a week at camp, they were full of excitement and eager to get started. 

Well, most of them were... 

At the back of the line were two brothers, fear and apprehension written all over their faces.  Their response to the leaders’ friendly greetings was monosyllabic, their manner hesitant and uncertain.  It was all new to them and they had no idea what to expect. 

Fast forward a week, and children were piling back onto the bus to return home.  Again, the two brothers hung back, but this time their behaviour wasn’t motivated by fear and anxiety, but by reluctance to leave a place of happiness and a desire to say individual goodbyes to each leader. There were hugs, tears, and smiles, as we stood amazed at the radical transformation in such a short space of time. 

I’m convinced the reason was love.   

We had quickly discovered the two brothers had a difficult home situation.  They had never experienced a loving Christian community before, and the impact on them was profound.  It’s said that actions speak louder than words, and it’s true. The way we treat others and our attitudes towards them have more impact than we often realise. 

In his letter to the first-century Christians, Peter highlights this truth.  He writes to the believers about how to behave towards one another, towards their unbelieving neighbours, and those in authority.
He emphasises the lasting impact of their conduct. 

Peter implores, “show sincere brotherly love for each other,
 from a pure heart, love one another constantly.”  (1 Peter 1:22)
As these believers lived in difficult circumstances, facing opposition, persecution, and suffering, it was important they stood united. 

Peter tells them this unifying love springs from their new life in Christ.
They have been born again into His family as brothers and sisters and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).  This love isn’t the mushy, romantic, feelings-based love the world portrays in songs and movies, but the committed, selfless, sacrificial love Jesus displayed in His life, death, and resurrection.  

Jesus Himself taught that loving one another was a mark of following Him, which would impact those who witnessed it. One cannot remain unchanged by love. 

Let’s be real though.
Loving others, even other Christians, is hard sometimes.
Opinions and personalities clash, we rub each other the wrong way,
we can act thoughtlessly and selfishly, and sometimes hurt one another. 

But we are still called to love.
Not because we have the ability on our own, but because, as Peter says, “we have been born again….(by) imperishable seed.” (1 Peter 1:23)

In 1 Corinthians 13 and Colossians 3, Paul details what it means to love with our new, incorruptible nature.
And it’s radically different from the world’s image of love.
Paul describes a patient, forgiving, enduring love that allows us to live in harmony even when it’s challenging. 

This love is impossible to work up by ourselves.
Love is a fruit of the Spirit, not our own efforts.
It is the result of God working within us enabling us to love.
However, it is also a choice we make to cooperate with God’s work in us, and be committed to this kind of love.

The word translated as “constantly” in verse 22 is rendered in other versions of the Bible as “earnestly“, “fervently“, or “with all your heart,” conveying the sense that this is a love we must choose and actively pursue.   

In chapter 2, Peter goes on to write about the importance of believers conducting themselves honourably before the unbelievers around them.  He encourages them that their actions and attitudes are a witness, pointing others to God! 

For the same reason, and with the same love, believers are called to submit to figures of authority, “for it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good.“  (1 Peter 2:15) 

These must have been incredibly challenging instructions in a culture where the believers faced ridicule and intense persecution from authority, but they were called, by their love and their honourable behaviour, to glorify God and make Him known. 

The same challenge is for us today. 
How well do we love our Christian brothers and sisters?
How well do our actions witness to those around us?  
Are we truly known for our love?   

The impact of putting Jesus’ incorruptible love on display is great! 

I doubt that the two brothers who came to camp went home remembering much of what they heard about Jesus that week, but I do know they went home having experienced, probably for the first time, a loving community where they were valued, accepted, and deeply loved. 

For those brothers, that week was only the beginning.
The two boys returned year after year, gradually they began truly taking in what was being taught. Eventually they came to faith in Jesus for themselves! 

Our little acts of love may not seem like much, but their impact can be eternal.
Incorruptible love produces incorruptible results.
As Peter reminds, so much around us is fading,
but God’s Word, and the new life we have in Him – this life of love – remain forever!

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

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Incorruptible 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 Incorruptible!

The GT Weekend! – Dwell Week 2

Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) God’s Word is amazing, rich, and deep with layers of insight and fullness of life awaiting us as the Spirit makes His words come to life!  Take time to linger with the Lord today by choosing a few verses, reading them slowly, several times through. Pray while you read, and ask the Lord to speak to you. Try emphasizing a different word each time you read aloud the Scripture section. Consider speaking your prayers out loud to God, sharing your heart response to His Word. Ask the Lord to stretch you as you focus on growing your relationship in deeper ways!

2) Corporate worship, when a large body of believers come together to adore God is beautiful, life-giving, and an important part of every Christian’s life. If you’re in a pattern of regular attendance to a local church, the opportunity for corporate worship is available every week. How often are you engaging in private worship, time alone to focus solely on Him? Spiritual disciplines of the Christian faith like silence and solitude, prayer, worship, fasting, and Scripture study, date back all the way to the Garden of Eden as Adam and Eve walked with God daily. Choose 1 new spiritual discipline and begin incorporating it into your time with God this weekend!

3) These week, each of our Journey Studies was woven with an undercurrent of thankfulness and worship. Journal your thoughts on fasting, its purpose, benefit, and why it’s always coupled with prayer and worship in Scripture. Consider Mary’s challenging remark that Jesus expected His followers to include fasting as part of their regular journey with Him. Spend time praying and asking the Spirit to lead you into fasting.

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 3:16-19 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, 19 and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Prayer Journal
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace. (Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, hymn)

Father, Your Word is precious. The gift of intimacy You so graciously give us as You personally and corporately invite us to experience You is beyond description! Lord, it’s so easy to shift our eyes to the temporal, the right now, the long list of ‘must do’s’ and ignore Your invitation. Remind me, Spirit, teach my heart, to desire You in my deepest parts. I praise You for your love, good Father! Amen.

Worship Through Community

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

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

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music