Sin

Glimmers Day 1 Hope In The Darkness

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 1:1-5
John 1:12-18
Genesis 3:1-6
Hosea 6:4-7

Glimmers, Day 1

My five year old looked up from the Jesus Storybook Bible he held on his lap. His brow was furrowed and his eyes were a little teary.

“Mama, I don’t understand. If God knows everything and He is always good, then why did He let Eve and Adam sin in the Garden of Eden? If He really loved us, why didn’t He just make that not happen? He could have done it. I KNOW He could have. So why didn’t He just do that?”

I pulled him on to my lap and hugged him. “It’s hard to make good choices, isn’t it?” I asked.

“Yes,” he huffed. He was just coming out of a time out, and his thoughts were centered around a poor choice he had made a little while earlier. No doubt, he was thinking about how much easier life would be without the opportunity to make a bad choice.

I can totally relate to how he felt. And maybe you can, too?

Sometimes, after I’ve said a harsh word or entertained a negative thought, I wish my own fleshly feelings could be cancelled out completely. I mean, how much easier would this life be without any opportunity to do or say the wrong thing? I think I could win that game. Right? How about you? Do you find yourself frustrated when you haven’t made the choice the Lord would have you make?

The kind choice.
The honest choice.
The forgiving choice.
The loving choice.

If we’re being honest? I think we can all agree that this refining fire of the Holy Spirit-filled life stuff is exhilarating and so necessary. We need His constant teaching to shape our hearts as He trains us to turn from sin. At the same time, it doesn’t always feel good. In fact…(and maybe I’m speaking only for me here) often it is painful. As He works and refines us, it’s easy for us to subscribe to the feeling that our sin has hooked us so deep, we will never be able to separate ourselves from it.

But Loves? That’s because we can’t.
No matter how hard or long or mightily we try, we will never be able to remove our own sin.

When we find ourselves feeling trapped under the weight of a sin we can’t seem to escape, or fighting despair as we stand at the altar, wondering how we are in the same place, again, or feeling hopeless in the face of our frail humanity, we must remember Whose responsibility it is to save us from our sins… and turn toward Him.

That sovereign, weighty duty belongs only to Jesus.
He paid a hefty price, and for us to attempt to shoulder the weight of our salvation on our own shoulders is both foolish and wrong.

What my five year old didn’t fully grasp (and many of us may sometimes forget) is that Jesus was always ever “the Plan.” God wasn’t surprised by Adam and Eve’s sin as they chose to live by their rules instead of God’s design. He knew it would happen. And while His heart undoubtedly broke (and continues to break) at that separation, He also wrote glimmers of hope into His story.

I mean, if any of us could have ever walked without sinning, it would have been that first son, Adam, and his Eve, right? They had no outside influences. No violent television shows or easy access to pornography. They didn’t have broken families or spend time with other broken people who might portray broken lives for them.

And yet, they fell.
Just as we fall.

God knew, all along, that the only One who would ever walk this earth without falling would be He, Himself.

Emmanuel, God with us.

God the Son, come down to His people in the form of the weakest of beings: a baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. He was the powerful King Who had been foretold from generation to generation, but He was not the King anyone expected.
He was Jesus: perfect love and our everlasting Hope.

Loves? God never expected us to save ourselves.
He never expected we could live a sinless, perfect life, but He longs for us to choose Him above all else! His passion for us runs deeper than any we can imagine. Read His words about you in the book of Hosea if you have any doubt, and know that the God of the universe feels those things for you and me, His Bride!

From the beginning of His story until now, the fall of Eve and Adam has always pointed straight to the eternal hope we find in Christ Jesus, the sinless Son of God Who gave Himself to pay for our sins and secure our eternal citizenship in Heaven!
Grab hold of this hope and share it today, Sisters!

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

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The GT Weekend! – Incorruptible Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Think about your appetite for God’s Word. On a scale of 1-5 (1 being untrue, 5 being perfectly describes me), answer these questions. (1) Each day I notice that I long to talk with God. (2) Sunday’s sermon feels like plenty of Scripture to fulfill me all week. (3) Just reading a few verses doesn’t seem like enough, I want to know more. (4) Regular prayer and Scripture intake isn’t something I’ve considered before. (5) Regular prayer and Bible reading is something I do, but sometimes it feels like a burden. Use your answers to help you create specific goals for how you want your relationship with God to grow.

2) When you think of “suffering for Jesus”, what images or thoughts come to mind? Do you think anything in your life could be described like that? Now consider what Sara shared to be “pantry-like-encounters” and re-evaluate areas of your life. What areas of suffering do you need to surrender to the Lord, waiting for just such an encounter with Him? Suffering can bring sweetness, when handed over to the One who loves us deeply and intimately. 

3) Are spiritual battles something you consider happening in regular everyday life? If you were to make a shift in acknowledging that reality as Scripture teaches, how might you prepare differently for the battles you could face in your day? Would Scripture reading become a non-negotiable? How might asking the Spirit to clothe you in His love make your everyday life different? Be specific, write it out, and then pray over your day, asking the Lord to arm you with His love as you walk confidently in hope!

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 1 Peter 4:7-11 back to the Lord and let His Spirit speak to you through it!

The end of all things is near; therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer.  Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining.  Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God.  If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer Journal
Lord, I admit that being alert and aware of the spiritual battles raging around me isn’t what I naturally consider. It’s easy for me to believe the tempting, sugary lie that my prayers don’t matter, so I give the time of my inner thought life to other things. I want to grow and change here, Lord. Remind me, Spirit, of the truth that praying is essential to our relationship and is effective in the spiritual realm far beyond what I see.  
 
Fill me with Your strength this week, Your words, Your mind, and Your heart as I go through my days. I long for You to be glorified Jesus; use me and shape me to make Your name known. I love you, Abba! Remind my tongue to praise you endlessly this week! 

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Incorruptible Day 15 Surprised By Hope

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Peter 3:1-7
1 Peter 4:1-12
1 John 4:7-21
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 

Incorruptible, Day 15

“I hate you!” your overly emotional daughter rages, slamming her bedroom door in your face. 

Spiritual swords clash, unheard, but very real, and very loud. 

“I think my husband is cheating on me,” your friend confides, tears of confusion and disbelief falling into her untouched cup of coffee. 

Flaming arrows are flying, unseen, but aimed directly at our hearts. 

In Ephesians 6, Paul clearly tells us we are at war. 

EVERY day is full of epic battles. 

Satan hands us his weaponry:
Anger, fear, frustration, bitterness, and self-righteousness.
He wants us to attack each other instead of fight against him! 

With our enemy in sight, Paul urges us to choose God’s armor, complete with belt, breastplate, helmet, shield, shoes, and sword.  I personally envision a powerful Roman soldier dressed for battle, protected head to toe, armed and ready against any foe. 

Considering how to “stand firm” against the enemy, another word from Paul in Colossians encourages Believers to also prepare in a very different way. 

 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 
And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. (Colossians 3:12-14) 

I picture a woman applying her makeup and carefully selecting her outfit.
She is ordinary, like you and me.
She doesn’t look like a Roman soldier, but she’s just as ready for battle as she cares for her children, interacts with her husband, runs errands, completes tasks at the office, or practices with the worship team. 

In God’s kingdom, 
everything is turned around and upside down
from the world’s perspective. 

As soldiers in God’s army, we are to be characterized by LOVE.
When a disgruntled co-worker complains, again, love responds with kindness, flashing a GENUINE smile or, even better, complimenting him. 
When a rude driver cuts you off, love shows self-control refraining from cursing or flashing a finger.
When your mother-in-law comments negatively about your parenting style, love gently changes the subject, maybe asking the recipe for her delicious apple pie.
When your child wakes up in the middle of the night, scared and screaming, love rocks him back to sleep, joyful you have a baby to hold in your arms.
When a homeless man holds up a cardboard sign, love refuses to make judgments about his situation, but offers him a bag of snacks and hygiene items instead.
When your cousin shares she is transitioning genders, love rejects condemnation, instead inviting her to coffee patiently listening to her story.

Love shares YOUR story of how God’s redemption is transforming your life.
Love ask if you could pray for someone. 

The enemy would have us do battle according to our worldly, fleshly desires.
Our words. Our judgments. Our standards. (1 Peter 4:3) 

God’s Word, however, is consistent, straight forward, and VERY simple.
“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8) 

Love.
No “when it’s convenient, comfortable, or easy” clauses.
No exceptions.
No excuses. 

Just as God has loved YOU, love others. (1 John 3:16-18)
Just as God has forgiven YOU, forgive others. (Matthew 6:14-15)
In the same way God has given you second and third and 435th chances, do to others. 

Love.
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S THE HARDEST TO DO SO. 

Jesus taught that others would recognize His disciples by our LOVE. (John 13:35)
A deep, genuine love REFLECTING God’s own love. (1 John 4:7-12)
JUST as God loves us, SO we are to love others. 

Love for these…
Hormonal child.
Unfaithful spouse.
Annoying co-worker.
Impatient drivers.
Frustrating family members.
Unfair boss.
Obnoxious neighbor.
Persons of a different sexual orientation.
Persons with a different faith.
Those from a different country. 

We have ALL experienced the love of God without regard to race, gender, ethnicity, economic status, age, or any other earthly label. 

“…but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 
(Romans 5:8)
We are called to live out this SAME love.
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
(1 John 4:11) 

God love is inconvenient, uncomfortable and EXTREMELY costly. 

During His final days on earth, Jesus was arrested, mocked, beaten, and crucified. In the most brutal death possible at the time, He was stretched across rugged timber, hands and feet nailed to the cross. 
He died in love that we might live for love.
With this love, love others. (Ephesians 3:14-21)

Love.
With a new battle plan that doesn’t use the enemy’s weapons.
Instead, plan sneak attacks of forgiveness, ambush with kindness, overwhelm even our enemies with compassion, grace, and mercy. 

Peter’s letter calls us to bravely link arms with those around us, joining forces, allowing LOVE to bind us together, making us strong for battle. 

The world is surprised when we live out love. (1 Peter 4:4)
They notice.
The gospel is preached when we lovingly speak gracefully and truthfully of the extravagant love Jesus generously gives us!

The war is real.
The end of all things is near.
And so Peter calls us to arms, urging us to “maintain constant love for one another.”
Constant.
Because the battle never wains. 

Love.
Because it’s the only weapon that has already won the war. 

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Incorruptible Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Here’s a link to all past studies in Incorruptible

Incorruptible Day 12 Food For Life: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Food For Life!

The Questions

1) Putting away malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander… that’s pretty straight forward. Easy peasy, right?

2) What does it mean to be a “living stone”?

3) So, are we all considered little priests?

1 Peter 2:1-5

1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander.
2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that you may grow up into your salvation,
3 if you have tasted that the Lord is good.
 4 As you come to him, a living stone– rejected by people but chosen and honored by God–
 5 you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Original Intent

1) Putting away malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander… that’s pretty straight forward. Easy peasy, right?
Peter knows the people he’s writing to are under extraordinary pressure and are high risk for being overtaken by fear in their surrounding circumstances. Christians at the time are being scapegoated (burned at the stake) for simply identifying themselves with Christ.  According to human reasoning of the flesh, no one would blame them if they decided to turn on each other, disband as a church gathering, choosing instead “every-man-for-himself’. But doing so would mean returning to a life lived for self. 

On the contrary, Peter reminds his readers of the call to be holy even in such drastic situations. He reminds them they are “given new birth into a living hope” (1 Peter 1:3) by a Savior who is “without blemish or spot” 1 Peter 1:19.  Since they are born again “of imperishable” seed they are both called and empowered to love one another differently than the wavering love we attempt to muster up ourselves from our human flesh. Our flesh is weak and crumbles easily. The Holy Spirit is a mighty bond one cannot understand. Peter leads into verse 2, “desire the pure milk of the word” knowing one cannot respond moment by moment in a holy manner without the “meat” of regular intake of Scripture teaching us obedience.  

2) What does it mean to be a “living stone”?
To answer this question, commentaries point to a couple of things. First, who is THE CORNERSTONE? Jesus. Who is Peter writing to? Dispersed Christians under persecution, many of whom are also Jewish.
In recalling the Old Testament, the physical temple where God’s people worshipped and offered sacrifices is a key parallel pointing to God’s ultimate plan of salvation through the blood sacrifice of Christ. Christ proclaimed that He is the temple that was torn down and rebuilt in three days.  

Stones are a parallel imagery to what God is working out spiritually. Christ is the foundation upon which God’s kingdom is built. Christ is both alive and bringing life to dead stones. Those who identify with him are “living stones”; people risen from the dead spiritual state through the life of Christ. These are not inanimate stones of the physical temple, rather these building blocks of God’s spiritual kingdom are believers! 

3) So, are we all considered little priests?
1 Peter 2:4 introduces Christ as the living stone (corner stone is more specific in other Biblical texts). Those who identify with Christ by asking Him to save them from the death brought on by sin are also “like living stones”. Verse 5 then expands that the church of living stones is as “a spiritual house”. Gill’s commentary explains, “these living stones (are) being laid, and cemented together, in a Gospel church state.” Here there is a circling back to 1 Peter 1:22 where Peter instructs to “love one another earnestly from a pure heart”. United in Christ, living out a unique love for our Christian brothers and sisters, God is binding us together in a way that is unbreakable, unending, and incorruptible. 

Peter brings the “royal priesthood” analogy back again in 2:9-10. Again, he uses the language in plural form- “holy nation” and “a people for His own possession”. Verse 5 notes the specific purpose of this is “to offer spiritual sacrifices” and in verse 9, again, states, “that you may proclaim the excellences of Him who called you”. No, this priesthood is not about Christians as individual “little priests”, but rather imagery of the whole church being an example to outsiders that Christ is the living foundation.

Everyday Application

1) Putting away malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander… that’s pretty straight forward. Easy–peasy, right?
Ever think, “Duh, Lord, of course acting this way is not loving. I’ve got this”?
What happens when you start to feel uneasy? Maybe feeling outcast at work, just wanting to bond with those around you, and suddenly “innocent gossip” starts slipping off the tongue.
Or disappointment from a spouse and suddenly harsh words feel justified. 
Living a Holy Life is a struggle and hard work. Seasons of busy mundane, are excellent training grounds to return to the cross daily in repentance, seeking the Lord’s strength. 

1 Peter 2:2 compares the Christian’s need for God’s Word to feeding infants. The Matthew Henry Commentary notes how infants are hungry frequently throughout the day. Every couple of hours they are fervently screaming for more pure milk to fill their bellies and get them through the next couple of hours. Reflect on the last 24 hours. Ask God to help you erase your own justifications for words off your tongue and tones in your heart. Should we be so prideful as to think we do not need the Word of the Lord and strength of the Holy spirit to get us through even the next 2 hours?

2) What does it mean to be a “living stone”?
Christ was rejected as He turned the tide away from physical blood sacrifices and worshiping in the Jewish temple towards Himself as the ultimate sacrifice and living temple. Christ was rejected as His grace, mercy, and sacrifice threatened the assumption of many that they have the power to earn, work for, or “be good enough” to obtain their salvation on their own. Those who identify with Christ and walk freely in His gift of grace, perplex those that are striving hard through good deeds on their own merit. This does not give a Christian freedom to walk in sin, but rather freedom to cast all their cares on Christ, lean on HIM instead of their own understanding and efforts. In the process of becoming loosened from the grips of fleshly desires, we are freed to walk unhindered in the new life of the Holy Spirit.  

3) So, are we all considered little priests?
To state that we are each like a little priest can bring the wrong implication that one has individual power. Or, perhaps, that an individual can have greater access to God than another or is an access to God for someone else. Each of these are false. 

Christ is the High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16)…period. Only in Him is there access to God, a right relationship with Him, forgiveness, and communion with Him. As a whole of believers, when we are bonded together in Christ, we are built up into a “priesthood”. As such we are imploring each other to sacrifices of denial of self, together we gather for songs of praise and prayer, and united, we point the lost world to Christ as head of the church.  God can use us as individuals, but His further purpose is to use us as a whole as we love people around us despite our struggles and shortcomings. That church down the road that does things “a bit different”, the person across the aisle with idiosyncratic habits, the person who seems to argue about theology and the person who is all feels… Christ is hugely glorified and made known to the nations when His church loves each other earnestly with grace and humility.

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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

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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 :-))

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Incorruptible Day 9 Redeemed From Emptiness: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Redeemed From Emptiness!

The Questions

1) Who is Peter writing to in these verses? 

2) Who is the adversary Peter is writing about and how does he attack? 

3) How do we resist our adversary?

1 Peter 5:8-14

8 Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 9 Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world. 

10 The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while. 11 To him be dominion forever. Amen. 

12 Through Silvanus, a faithful brother (as I consider him), I have written to you briefly in order to encourage you and to testify that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it! 13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, as does Mark, my son. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

Original Intent

1) Who is Peter writing to in these verses?
Peter addresses this letter to believers living in exile in 1:1, but in 1 Peter 5:1-4, he specifically writes to the elders and 1 Peter 5:5 addresses young men. However, the second half of 1 Peter 5:5 and following is written to both groups. Who were these elders and young men? Elder is not simply a term to describe age. The Greek word Peter uses, “presbyteros”, refers to those in a position over others or an overseer within the church. They would have been strong believers who had been walking in the faith. The younger men mentioned in verse 5 refer to those who sit under the elders. They would have been men in the church who were not elders and would have probably been less spiritually mature than the elders. After giving them each specific instruction, Peter then turns his attention on both groups. He continues with words of advice and warning intended for both groups of people, which is what we find in these verses.  

2) Who is the adversary Peter is writing about and how does he attack?
These verses are very clear there is an adversary in the devil. Peter specifically describes this adversary as a roaring lion. In order to understand our enemy, we must look to other parts of the Bible to learn who he truly is. Both Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14 introduce the devil as a fallen angel cast from Heaven due to pride, thinking he could become god himself.  Job 1:7 informs us this adversary, Satan, roams the earth going to and fro. Another translation of the Hebrew, “accuser”, tells us he looks for those to accuse. This is precisely what he is doing in the book of Job, looking for one to accuse; this is still his aim! Peter paints a description of a lion ready to attack when he finds the weak, separated member of the pack. The devil will attack when he sees the greatest opening to do maximum damage. These attacks look different depending on each person, but John 8:44 reminds us our enemy is the father of lies. His attacks are not truth and should not be held as such.  

3) How do we resist our adversary?
After describing the adversary, Peter doesn’t leave his readers to wonder what to do. Instead, Peter gives them specific advice on how to deal with this adversary. These elders and young men are to resist him and stand firm. The beginning of verse 8 also reminds readers to be sober-minded and alert. Be on the lookout for the attack that is coming. It’s no secret the enemy is looking ready to attack at the opportune moment; believers must be ready. Peter also reminds them they are not alone in their suffering. Other believers are experiencing suffering alongside them. Matthew Henry writes, “It was the faith of these people that Satan aimed at; if he could overturn their faith, and draw them into apostasy, then he knew he should gain his point, and ruin their souls; therefore, to destroy their faith, he raises bitter persecutions, and sets the grand potentates of the world against them. This strong trial and temptation they must resist, by being well-grounded, resolute, and steadfast in the faith.” These believers must cling to the truth they know of the One True God who saved their souls. They must cling to their salvation in what Jesus has already done on their behalf and not give in to the lies their enemy is aiming at them. Lastly, they must never forget they are not alone. Believers throughout the world experience the similar attacks from their common enemy.

Everyday Application

1) Who is Peter writing to in these verses? 
While these verses are addressed in the original context to the elders and young men Peter was writing to, there is still an application for us. We may not be pastors or hold the specific office of elder within the Church, but Peter’s words are still a warning to us. These words can be applied to those who have been walking with Jesus for many years and those who are new to a relationship with Him. As believers, we are members of the global, timeless Church and we should heed the advice and warnings Peter gives. 

2) Who is the adversary Peter is writing about and how does he attack?
Our adversary is still alive and well just as he was when Peter wrote these verses. Matthew Henry’s Commentary explains that Peter describes the enemy by his character. First, he is our adversary, our enemy, who wants only to hurt and destroy us. Second, Peter calls him the devil or Satan whose role is to accuse believers. Third, he is a roaring lion on the prowl. Lions do not hunt the strong animals who can defend themselves. Instead, they look for the weak or hurt animal, separated from the pack. Satan is the same; he is on the hunt looking for the weak believer separated from community to attack. It’s easier to attack a weak believer without community as there is less chance of defense. The enemy will lie to believers in order to accomplish his goals. We must recognize our enemy for exactly who he is, and respond accordingly with truth!  

3) How do we resist our adversary?
We are to resist our adversary stand firm just as the believers Peter is writing to. The believers in 1 Peter are reminded of other believers suffering and we too must remember there are believers around the world experiencing similar sufferings to us.  Paul Marshall of Freedom House states that 80% of the world’s believers, those who are genuinely walking with Jesus and living out their faith, live in persecution. Just as a lion looks for the one separated from the pack, our adversary wants to separate us from other believers. He wants us to feel alone, not belonging to a larger community of believers. When he separates us from other believers, his attack becomes much easier. We need biblical community around us reminding us we are not in this battle alone. We must also remember that while we may be in the middle of a battle, the war has already been won. 1 Peter 5:2 reminds us we already share in the glory! No matter what lies the devil is telling us, we must cling to the truth and stand firm. Once we place our faith in Jesus, we are redeemed from all we have ever done and will ever do. Jesus did it all when He went to the Cross bearing all our sin and shame then rising from the grave, defeating death and the devil himself. We fight our battles, but we are never, ever alone and never without hope!

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

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 Incorruptible 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.

Incorruptible Day 8 Redeemed From Emptiness

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Peter 1:17-21
1 Peter 5:8-14
Ruth 2-3
Joshua 2

Incorruptible, Day 8

“For you know that you were redeemed (bought back) 
from your empty way of life inherited from your fathers, 
not with imperishable things like silver or gold, 
but with the precious blood of Christ.”
1 Peter 1:18-19

Rahab. 
Ruth. 
Saul. 

And so many others throughout Scripture have been bought back
by the precious blood of Christ.  

Joshua 2 tells the story of Rahab.
A prostitute.
Giving away her body for money, she was used and abused.
Hers was an empty life.
Rahab had heard of the mighty deeds of the Hebrew God called Yahweh, enough to know He was worthy of awe and respectful fear. (Joshua 2:8-11)
Enough to know that if He would provide her protection, she would turn her back on her people.
True to His Word, as the walls of Jericho collapsed around her, Rahab’s house was left untouched and her family was saved.   

Rahab married a Hebrew man, was rescued from prostitution, was welcomed into the blessings of Yahweh, and grafted into the lineage of Christ.
One moment of choosing to be in exile from her people 
brought about new life for Rahab. 

As we come face to face with the reality of who God is, 
we are free to walk confidently into the redeeming grace He offers. 

Ruth was a Moabite widow who followed her mother-in-law Naomi, against cultural custom, back to Israel. She was a foreigner without food and protection of a husband.
An outcast among Jews.
If anyone felt empty, it was Ruth.  

Like Rahab, she chose to be in exile, displaced from her own land to follow Naomi and her God.  

Through events only God could ordain, Ruth became the protected wife of Boaz and mother to Obed, another generation in the lineage of Jesus.
Redeemed from emptiness and vulnerability, 
Ruth found fullness, life, and purpose. 

As we lay ourselves humbly at His feet, the Lord faithfully redeems our empty places. 

In Acts 9, we meet Saul. 
Well-known as murderer and persecutor of Christians, Saul made it his life mission to kill all who claimed the name of Jesus.
Death always leads to emptiness. 

But Jesus interrupted Saul’s crusades in a blinding moment of awe-filled truth where Saul surrendered to radical grace.  

Having been redeemed from his old way of thinking and living life, Saul-turned-Paul spent the remainder of his days proclaiming Christ, forever exiled from the life he’d once so passionately known. 

Emptiness was all he had known, 
but grace captured his heart, exchanging life for death.

As we accept the redemptive grace of God, we become new people.  

Each of these people were exiles in one form or another.
Each heard and understood the character of God through His people.
Each found hope in the midst of their exile because of God’s faithful, trustworthy character.  

Peter reminds us that we are exiles too.
Separated here on earth from the One in Heaven who crafted our hearts to beat in rhythm with His. Aliens here with broken relationships, heartache, loss, destruction, and sufferings coming in all shapes and sizes.
Exile is not forever, Sisters.
We can trust that truth because of our God’s character! 

“And after you have suffered a little while, 
the God of all grace, 
who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, 
will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
1 Peter 5:10
Jesus says He will restore us, confirm us, strengthen us, and establish us!  

Restore – to repair or renovate so as to return it to its original condition.
Confirm – to establish the truth or correctness of something believed. 
Strengthen – to make or become stronger.
Establish – to achieve permanent acceptance or recognition for. 

As we look at those definitions we see redemption so clearly!  

Through the lives of Rahab, Ruth, Paul, and so many more, we see how God
restored the broken places,
confirmed what they believed about Him to be true,
strengthened their faith,
and established them firmly in the incorruptible inheritance that was to come.   

Redemption is such a beautiful thing, 
but it’s only ours to claim if we accept the gift of salvation.  

Salvation is a free gift from God that buys back (redeems) us from the chains of Sin and Death, adopting us as His very own daughters.  

Jesus Christ, the only mediator (1 Timothy 2:5) between humanity and God, wrapped Himself in human flesh (1 Peter 1:20-21), became one of us, was sinless like none of us, and willingly laid His life down on the cross that each of us might know Him, trust His character, and be redeemed from emptiness!  

“For you know that you were redeemed (bought back) 
from your empty way of life inherited from your fathers, 
not with imperishable things like silver or gold, 
but with the precious blood of Christ.”
1 Peter 1:18-19

What’s your emptiness?
Has it been redeemed?!

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

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

Incorruptible Day 7 Inner Shift: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Inner Shift!

The Questions

1)  How does having a mind “ready for action” impact our holiness? 

2) What does being “sober-minded” have to do with hope and holiness? 

3)  Why is it important we set our hope on the grace we received in Christ?

1 Peter 1:13-16

13 Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 15 But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.

Original Intent

1)  How does having a mind “ready for action” impact our holiness?
Peter writes this particular letter, “to those chosen, living as exiles dispersed abroad…” (1 Peter 1:1).  His audience consists of believers who have been displaced from their homes due to their faith, and who are thus familiar with hard circumstances and persecution.  In their time of struggle and need, Peter doesn’t tell them to take a break or that their trouble is over; instead, he tells the exiles to live a holy life within the battle.  How are they to do that?  First, be ready for action.  Peter understands that when God’s people are ready to take action in battle, they will already be on the defensive, looking out for the enemy, and ready to put up a fight.  With the next potential battle as their focus, Peter understands that these disciples will be more likely to resist the schemes of the devil by living lives that are focused on God and His standards for holiness.   

2) What does being “sober-minded” have to do with hope and holiness?
Peter follows his call to be prepared for taking action with the direction to be calm in spirit.  He says that not only do we need to be ready to act, but that those actions should be accompanied by a mind that is even-tempered (see Thayer’s definition).  He calls for the people to refrain from overreacting, even in the midst of difficulty and an uncertain future.  Peter knows that if the people of God fail to be sober minded they will be unlikely to come across as holy to the watching world.  Not only that, Peter understands God’s people would risk detracting from the hope others might find in Christ.     

3)  Why is it important we set our hope on the grace we received in Christ?
Peter’s final admonition to the people is to have the right focus before them: hope in the grace offered through Christ Jesus.  First, Peter desires for the people to have a right view of themselves,  as sinners in need of salvation.  When hope is placed in Christ, Peter understands the people will be less likely to try to save themselves, do enough, or be enough.  Instead, he wants them to know that they can do nothing apart from Christ.  Second, Peter desires for the people to have a right view of Christ:  as the Savior.  Not “a” savior.  Not an option.  THE Savior.  One and only.  Peter grasps the truth that a mind set on the salvation and hope that come from grace through faith in Christ alone offers a much more accurate and appealing image of Christ to others as they watch us navigate difficult times in life.

Everyday Application

1)  How does having a mind “ready for action” impact our holiness?
Looking at this passage begs the question:  am I ready for action?  Peter continues this idea later in this same book when he says we are to be, “…ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for the reason for the hope that is in you,” (1 Peter 3:15).  Are you ready to answer questions others may have?  Are you ready for the next battle you may have to face?  Are you prepared to put up a good fight?  Are there areas of your life and walk with Christ you need to shore up?  Does your response to difficult circumstances in your life cause others to ask why you are different? 

2) What does being “sober-minded” have to do with hope and holiness?
Cool, calm, collected.  It’s a favorite phrase of mine and a friend.  We tend to use it as a joke, but in the context of this scripture, it’s quite serious.  Why?  Because that’s exactly what being sober minded looks like.  When you consider the application of that truth in your life, ask yourself some hard questions.  Do you give yourself space to THINK before you react?  Would people look at your social media and be able to call you sober-minded by what they see?  Or would they see someone who speaks before thinking?  Or speaks to provoke and argue?  Or seeks attention for themselves?  Take a sober minded look at your posts during the last battle or difficulty in your life and ask Jesus to help you see what He sees.  Are you attracting others to Christ in your words, or pushing them away? 

3)  Why is it important we set our hope on the grace we received in Christ?
If my focus is on the grace I have received through Christ, I will understand my place as a sinner in need of salvation.  For some of us, there is discomfort in seeing ourselves as sinners.  We want to think we’re better than that.  Or perhaps we are tempted to believe that though we are sinners, we must work to save ourselves.  Neither of those stand up to the truth of scripture that Jesus is the only one who saves sinners like each one of us.  He is the only one who can do that work.  He is our only hope for rescue.  Are those ideas clear in your mind, or do you sometimes struggle with those truths?  What evidence is there in your life to support your answer?  Do others see and hear you articulate that during the difficult times in your life?  Or do they encounter someone who is constantly striving and working to control or manage life and its difficulties?  Will they see someone who is self-focused, or someone who points them to the hope of Christ? 

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

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 Incorruptible 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.

Incorruptible Day 6 Inner Shift

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Peter 1:13-16 
1 Thessalonians 5:1-8
2 Timothy 4:1-5
Romans 12:1-2 

Incorruptible, Day 6

Ever since writing for Gracefully Truthful,
I’ve been continually amazed how the Lord perfectly aligns Journey Studies I write alongside my spiritual journey with Him.
We choose our Journey assignments months prior to writing,
and even longer before they ever go live on the website.
And still….
the Lord always leads me to write specific Journey Studies He knows in advance He will use to transform my heart.
This journey through 1 Peter has proven, yet again, God’s incredible timing and His miraculous voice through Scripture.  

As Partners at GT, we committed to read through 1 Peter many times before we even began writing. Two weeks ago (which was months ago as you read my words today),
I sat down to read and the tears began flowing as I fixated on the first chapter detailing birth into a living hope.
What I didn’t know when I chose this Journey was when it came time to write,
I’d be swinging from days of great hope to days that left me utterly hopeless.

Hopelessness has been hanging heavy here, Sisters.
But as I sat weeping with His Word, His Spirit breathed, and I was reminded of LIVING hope that is mine in Christ Jesus!
Hope that is moving and breathing and actively working because of Jesus!
Our trials will result in “praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ!”
(1 Peter 1:7) 

And because of that hope, sisters, that massive, freeing, and life-giving hope,
we land at 1 Peter 1:13… 

Therefore 

One powerful word; don’t miss it!  

Therefore means that “hope” doesn’t stop at “initial salvation”.
Yes, our salvation is certain and sure and these Scriptures that proclaim this glorious gospel are fully reliable because they are the very words of God that will not pass away. (1 Peter 1:25)
Yes! Hope is found here!
But “therefore” means it doesn’t stop there.  

Therefore. Because of. For that reason. Consequently. It Continues… 

Because our hope is so assuredly solid,
we are called to prepare our minds for action,
and take an active role in this living hope!  

Our salvation, grounded in hope, is meant to catapult us forward into living with hope
as our inner minds shift. 

At salvation, we surrender all we know of ourselves to all we know of the Savior, trusting Him not only to save us from Sin and Death, but to save us for the fullness of life.
That radical transformation where we begin moving into life, 
comes as a result of an inner shift.
A moving away from conformity to the ways of the world,
and a moving into surrendered transformation as the Spirit remakes us into the image of Christ Jesus.

Transformed into holy.
Just as He is holy.
Un-Fathom-Able!

We can never earn holiness, Sisters.
It’s no secret you and I would never, ever reach the perfection of the Almighty God by our own effort. One little lie, one little lustful thought, and we are sinners.
We are justified and made eternally righteous once we choose to make Jesus the Lord of our lives.
We grow in our like-Jesus-ness through daily surrender as we keep our eyes fixed on eternal hope. This is sanctification through the work of the Spirit.  

If Jesus is ours and we claim His incorruptible inheritance waiting for us in Heaven,
then we are called to conform to this gospel, and His holiness, leaving the ways of the world in the dust.  

That means the TV shows we watch.  

The movies we go to.  

The people we spend most of our time with.  

The places we hang out.  

The way we think.  

The way we conduct ourselves at work.  

Everything about us should be different because of the therefore.
Because of certain hope in the trustworthiness of the Savior. 

Our relationships should look different. 
The way we dress should look different. 
Our marriages should look different. 
Our language should be different.  

Not different because we’re trying so hard to look like Jesus.
Different because when we chose Jesus, an inner shift happened, hope grew,
we were made new. 

We long to look like Him more than we long to look like
that cute mom we adore on social media. 

OOFTAH.  

For me, that’s a hard pill to swallow because I idolize, yes, idolize, other mamas.
Her hair is perfect, her kids look so put together, her house is clean, she’s so talented, AND she loves Jesus?! For a long time, I wanted to look more like her than I wanted to look like Jesus (sometimes I still do). I focused on transforming myself to become more like her instead of my King. Maybe that’s you too?
Hope, Sisters.
Inner Shift.
Eyes on holy. 

When we say yes to Jesus, the radical inner shift begins.
I was about five when I asked Jesus to become my King; that’s when my inner shift began. Small, yes, but it was there.
My focus changed from inward to upward, and I became passionate about others meeting Jesus! Hope grew the fruit of a transformed life.
Hope of salvation is not the end.
It’s the therefore that doesn’t stop there.  

If He gave His life for me to live forever,
surely, I can give my life to serve and love Him.  

We have incorruptible hope.
It’s solid enough to anchor my everyday life and transform my heart toward holy!   

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 Incorruptible 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 Incorruptible!

Incorruptible Day 5 Eternally Trustworthy

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Incorruptible, Day 5

1 Peter 1:10-12
1 Peter 2:6-10
2 Peter 1:16-21

Eve
Genesis 3
I’ve never felt so alone, so ashamed.
So guilty.
It’s like I can feel a sickness spreading through me, through everything around me
It’s ugly.
I shudder.
It’s dark, and terrifying, like nothing I’ve ever experienced; immeasurably different than all I’ve known before this moment.
This moment when I broke the heart of God and became separate from Him.
I feel the vacancy of His holiness and cold seeps in along with shame, fear, and regret.
I was lied to and anger kindled, another new emotion. The husband I’d only adored before, I suddenly want to push against and prove to him how wrong he is.
The world is breaking, even the colors around me are fading fast, as if creation itself is groaning for the loss of flawless holiness.
The Lord God is coming, I hear Him walking towards me and I know the His righteous justice must curse my sin. I deserve banishment.
But hope?
The Lord is giving hope?
The serpent’s offspring and mine, there will be this ongoing dissension between us, but from my offspring, one day, Hope will rise and the head of this serpent will be crushed.
His lies will be defeated forever.
Grace!
For this hope I will wait!

David
Psalm 118
I’ve waited so long, Yahweh!
I was just a youth when You first made it known I would be your anointed king.
All those incredibly dark years as I ran for my life from Saul, so unsure of where You were leading…. I hang my head, admitting I even wondered if You were still leading me at all.
I felt so abandoned.

So many years, God.
None of the circumstances fit what You had told me when Samuel anointed me as King.
I lost my best friend, the nation seemed lost, Your promises appeared to have failed.
My feet sank, my heart sank, those were dark days.

And now, oh Lord God, the works You have done, the mighty intention of Your hand!
I stand here at the pinnacle of Your promise as the fullness of Israel comes under my hand! Abba, my heart trembles at Your goodness and my eyes flood.
You are so good!
Your faithful loves endures forever!

These words I sing, they are born of Your good Spirit, God. I praise You!
I praise You for who You are, for all You have done, for all You will do.
“I will give thanks to You, for You have answered me and become my Salvation!”

The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone!
I was rejected, Mighty God. Rejected by Saul, rejected by my own nation, but You alone are the Lord who takes the rejected and builds something new, something foundational!

Yet, I know my life is fleeting.
I can only rule so long before my hands become feeble and still.
This nation, this people.
Your people, Yahweh, we need an eternal Rescue.
Save us, Yahweh!
It is in You, I put my hope!

Micah
Micah 1, 5
It’s no secret people of great power hate me; I’m not the bearer of good news.
No one likes the prophet who prophesies doom, gloom, and destruction, especially when everything appears up and to the right.

I see the wealth of Judah, the way they rely on the work of their hands, and the way those same hands carve images for their knees to bow to.

The twisting agony of my heart in seeing my nation spurn and reject, as if spitting upon the Holy One, is matched only by my plea to Yahweh for their deliverance.

I literally wail at their putrid idolatry as they’ve turned away from You, the One God who has loved, protected, and shepherded them. Our wound is surely incurable, for You Lord are bringing Your right justice upon us. We will be desolated as a nation, defeated, and exiled.
And rightly so, our sin is vast beyond counting.

Oh, but Lord, have mercy on these, my people!

Hope.
I’ve heard Your voice, Yahweh, You declare that Hope will come.
A deliverer from Bethlehem.
One who will restore us from captivity.
One who break the bonds of slavery.
One who will once again shepherd us in safety and strength by the Name of the Lord.
For this Hope I wait!

Peter
Concerning this salvation, the prophets,
who prophesied about the grace that would come to you,
searched and carefully investigated. (1 Peter 1:10)

For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths
when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ;
instead, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (2 Peter 1:16)

I have lived with Hope.
I have walked beside Him.
Hope is not an arbitrary, distant, abstract, cosmic, wishful thinking concept.
Hope is alive for eternity.
Hope is Jesus Christ, dead, resurrected, and sitting at the right hand of the throne of God!

Since God first spoke creation into existence, He designed for Hope to rescue us, to deliver us, to bring us back to Himself. This plan of redemption is woven into every strand of history, waiting for just the right time to be revealed.

It is time!
Revelation is here!
The mystery has been made known!

Christ
is the offspring of Eve who would crush Satan’s head, killing Death and Lies.
Christ
is the cornerstone, rejected by men, but now the foundation of Hope for eternity.
Christ
is the prophesied coming Messiah, the great Deliverer and mighty Rescuer.
Christ
was born in Bethlehem, born to die, born to rise, born to make us who had been “not a people”, His own people; to draw near those who “had not received mercy” that we as His people might “receive mercy.”

Hope.
Living Hope.
He is here and His message of hope is eternally trustworthy!

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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 Incorruptible 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 Incorruptible!