Worship

Open Day 11 Messy Hope

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 16:25-34
1 Corinthians 9:15-27
1 Peter 1:3-6

Open, Day 11

Trash littered the ravine.
The small stream that had carved its way through the space trickled over a hodge-podge collection of rocks and discarded waste. The ravine sides rose to host small homes built from cardboard, random pieces of wood, and anything else that could be used to create some sort of barrier from the elements. A small space, think the size of a large walk-in closet, is home for an entire family whose main meal of the day are mud cakes baked as the sun began to rise.
Welcome to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

I had the opportunity to visit Haiti before the massive earthquake in 2010 that caused so much destruction. The impact of which played out in the media for all the world to see, but this is the picture that most readily comes to mind. I pray this vivid memory never fades.

My introduction to the community that lived surrounding the ravine came as I followed the missionary with whom we were working as she delivered medication to those in need. She was a force to be reckoned with and refused to hold back the hope she carried with her. In fact, I sensed the Lord whisper one of the most profound phrases to me as I stood there watching her interactions: messy hope.

Messy hope. My mind whirled as the truth of those words sunk deep into my heart. Spreading the hope of Christ would require my willingness to get messy. I could not reach those who desperately needed to experience Christ if I insistently clung to a mindset of avoiding uncomfortable interactions, being inconvenienced, or being unwilling to engage in conflict-laden scenarios. In that moment in the ravine, I understood the invitation that had just been placed before me. Was I willing to get messy for the Kingdom, to be uncomfortable, and be willing to go the extra step to meet others searching for the Light?

This moment in my history came to mind as I read another moment in history recorded in Acts 16. Paul and Silas found themselves in jail, praying and worshipping the Lord as they awaited next steps. In the midst of this, an earthquake shook the jail, the doors opened, and all restraints released. Now in every action movie I’ve ever seen, this is the cue for the entire prison population to escape as quickly and quietly as possible, especially since the jailer reportedly remained fast asleep through it all.

This, however, was not the response of Paul and Silas.
In fact, when the jailer awoke, Paul announced that everyone was still present.
Everyone.
The Word specifically mentions that the other prisoners were listening to Paul and Silas pray. This means that when those doors swung open and shackles dropped away, all the prisoners refrained from bolting for the door.
But why?

Scripture does not specify, but for me personally, if I had just heard two men praying and worshipping while incarcerated, they would have my attention. When the earthquake arrived and the doors shook open, I may have had the thought to bolt until I realized my chains were still solidly in place. However, when those unfastened — not just loosened from the wall, but unfastened — I would have been captivated to discover what happened next.

Something was different about these two men.
They obviously had some sort of connection to the God to whom they prayed.
So, when they remained in their cell, I probably would have too.
Maybe the reality of that much power caused a pause.
Maybe the story was just too intriguing to ignore.
Maybe God had so arrested the attention of the other prisoners, they simply could not tear their eyes away from the scene playing out before them.
Whatever the reason, all the prisoners were still present when the jailer awoke.

Now the jailer’s first response before hearing Paul’s announcement was to draw his sword to kill himself. Death was likely the outcome for this jailer by his superior had the prisoners truly made a getaway.
All hope was gone.
Until…

Until he heard the voice of Paul from within the jail, the gross, smelly, uncomfortable, foul cell. Instead of a clean escape, Paul and Silas chose the messy hope route.

This hospitality was not about presenting the best meals or making someone feel comfortable in your home. This hospitality was about creating a space for the hope of Christ to be presented, tasted, and seen, even in the midst of deplorable conditions.

The jailer, captivated by their bold declaration of the gospel, opens his own home to Paul and Silas. Through their interaction, the jailer’s hospitality, and Paul and Silas’ willingness to offer messy hope despite their circumstances, the entire household comes to the Lord.

So, my question for you, dear sister, is this:
What are your opportunities to offer messy hope?

We all have them, we just tend to excuse them away as messes to avoid. What if we, as a collective whole of Jesus-following-sisters, decided to intentionally enter into the mess, whatever it was, just like Jesus did for us?
I wonder who just might end up being rescued from their sin for eternity as a result!

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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 Open 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 Open!

The GT Weekend! ~ Kaleidoscope Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Not only is the Lord’s love individually set upon us, uniquely drawing us towards His good, Father heart, God’s love is also patient, waiting for us to come to Him. As you consider the Lord’s patience towards you in your faith journey, where would you place yourself? Are you exploring the faith as He waits for you to accept His invitation into real life? Is He waiting for you to trust Him in deeper ways? Perhaps you waiver between leaning on your understanding while knowing you should trust His ways. His love allows Him to patiently keep on waiting for you, wherever you are. Think through areas in your life the Lord has waited or is waiting for you. Praise Him for never being exasperated, but lovingly extending patience!

2) Kindness is one definition of love that we rather lose in the shuffle of seemingly brighter and bolder definitions, but when we search Scripture, we see God’s loving kindness over and over, never playing second fiddle. How often do you consider the Lord as genuinely kind towards you? Angry at you? That isn’t kind. Annoyed with you? That isn’t kind. Seeking your good? Loving you intentionally? Giving you good gifts? This is the kindness of the Lord! Reflect on even just the last few days and write down the ways the Lord has shown His loving kindness to you and praise Him for that! Want to go a little deeper? Look up a few of the verses describing God as kindhearted in the book of Psalms and let truth wash over you. (follow this link and click “Psalms” under “NAS”)

3) Jealousy tends to sneak up on us in small ways, but before long, it snowballs and consumes us in ways we never considered. In David’s story, he had several opportunities to step away from the pull of jealousy, but he tragically didn’t. The end result was death of relationships, and even people. How much better it would have been for David to walk away from the sin of jealousy and choose to love generously and confidently instead. David’s story is recorded for all of us. Take a hard look at when and why jealousy surges in your life. Take these to the Lord and ask Him to renew your heart, giving you love in place of blinding jealousy.

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 Romans 12:21 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

Prayer Journal
How grateful I am for your conquering love, Lord! By Your gift of righteousness to me, You broke my chains to sin and freed me to walk safe and free in love. Though I’m free to love because of You, I don’t always choose it, still I grab for those ugly weapons of anger, impatience, discontentment, pride, and jealousy. Clearly show me, Spirit, when I am tempted to choose these over love. Remind me how You have freed and equipped me to walk in love with every choice. Take off the blinders I have over my own sin, and fill my hands with Your love!

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Seeds Day 13 Gloriously Broken

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 16:16-40
Esther 3:7-11
Psalm 13
Psalm 119:57-64

Seeds, Day 13

“Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:2-4)

Paul and Silas were no strangers to trials. They knew suffering, intimately. They could relate.

Can you picture them there in the prison at Philippi?

The night dark, the cell damp and cold. Their bodies were bruised and bleeding. Surrounded by criminals and shackled in chains, their future appeared nonexistent. They had what most of the world would consider every right to be discouraged.

Their bodies? Broken.
The God they worshipped? Invisible.
The Savior they loved? Ascended.
Imprisoned and abandoned; to the world, they appeared completely alone.

Their physical reality was bleak.

They could see the way the bruises colored their skin and feel the pain from the beating they had received. They could see the walls that held them and the authority who watched over them. They could see the other prisoners surrounding them. They could see how their lives could be taken at any point.

And still, they believed.
And still, they sang.
And still, they worshipped.

They could see the dire situation they were in with their physical eyesight,
because they were men.
But they were men who were also followers of Jesus,
so they could also see the situation with spiritual eyesight.

The jailer at Philippi was a man, too. He had seen the way these two men had been thrown into his care. No regard for their lives was expressed, and he had been charged with holding them captive with his other prisoners. They should have been discouraged, but the way they were singing…it almost seemed like they had hope. To him…

Paul and Silas were prisoners.
The god they worshipped was impotent.
The savior they loved was dead.
Imprisoned and abandoned, they were completely alone.

His perception was simple.

He could see how their bodies were injured. He could see they were ordinary men. They looked like any others he might pass on the street, save the tattered rags that clothed their bruised bodies. He could see they appeared to be lucid and aware of their situation.

And yet, they believed.
And yet, they sang.
And yet, they worshipped.

When the earthquake shook the prison and the jailer realized there was nothing to keep the prisoners in place, he was ready to die rather than face his failure.

But God saw things differently.

God saw the jailer needed a demonstration of His love. He knew Paul and Silas would follow His lead, even in their suffering. He saw they would worship Him, even though. He saw the family of the jailer, and wanted to invite them into His family through salvation and the spirit of adoption.

Paul and Silas? God placed them in that prison for this purpose.
The God they worshipped? He was with them every moment.
The Savior they loved? He used their suffering for His glory, as a means to offer salvation to the jailer and his whole household.

When we find ourselves in a place we might call suffering,
are we using our physical or spiritual eyesight to view the world around us?

Do we subscribe to feeling abandoned and alone, or are we looking for what HE is doing?
Do we cut ourselves off and focus on ourselves, or are we being Jesus to those around us?
Do we become discouraged and angry that we are uncomfortable, or are we saying “yes” to Him and choosing to bring Him glory in our darkest hours?

Truth, Sister?

Our suffering isn’t about US at all, not really. Suffering is the opportunity He gives us to BELIEVE that He is exactly Who He says He is and that He will do exactly what He said He would do, and to LIVE that reality in a fallen world.
Our suffering will bring Him glory and create space for Him to work through us.

And that, sister?
That’s a vision worth living for!

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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 Seeds 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 Seeds!

The GT Weekend ~ Worship V Week 2

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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) On Monday, Lesley reminded us of the precious, renewing sweetness of telling the story of Jesus while challenging us to keep on telling it. Sit and really settle into this passage from Romans 10, re-reading over and over slowly. Pray specifically, by name if possible, for those you’ve intentionally engaged with for the gospel recently. Ask the Spirit to bring to mind who He is already preparing for you to keep on sharing that wonderful story!

2)  What would it look like to celebrate the day you were made new in Jesus? What kind of song would you sing to your Savior in gratefulness and praise? Would such a celebration cause you to pause and reflect on all the ways the Lord has transformed you into the image of His Son as He gave you real life? Set aside a few minutes this weekend to consider that transformation. How are you new? What sins no longer have the same hold on you? What heart attitudes have shifted? Where have you become more bold for Him? To close out your time, prayerfully ponder where you can go deeper this year!

3) Brianna’s raw, transparent sharing in yesterday’s Journey Study hits on a reality we all wrestle with in some fashion. Do we allow our emotions to dictate our worship? It’s an incredible thing to be swept up in worship, hands held high, and victory washing over us because circumstances are pretty great. It’s quite another to raise a hallelujah when the storm rages fiercely on all sides. But this is the worship that truly matters. It’s what we actually believe about God in the good times that will dictate how we worship in the difficult moments and life feels oppressive. If you want a faith that absolutely will not be shaken when your world crashes, in you must dig in and know this God you claim to trust. Here’s the amazing news, no matter how long you’ve walked with God, there is always more to know about Him! How will you alter the course of your everyday to intentionally lean in to knowing Him better?

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Ephesians 1:18-20 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

…having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead…

Prayer Journal
Oh Lord, keep me from settling in my view of You. Challenge me. Keep me from feeling I have just the right amount of You. Plunge me deeper. Whether storm or calm, use what You will to give me eyes to see you more clearly and a heart to know You in deeper ways.

Teach me to worship You for who You are, not who I see You as from my limited, human, often self-focused, perspective. I praise You for making me new, again and again, every single day from the moment You first rescued me from an eternity apart from You. Spirit, give me the courage to keep telling Your story of freedom!

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

Worship V Day 10 My Jesus I Love Thee

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Read His Words Before Ours!

I John 4:13-21
Romans 1:18-25
Ephesians 1:3-14

Worship V, Day 10

Before we delve into the history, lyrics, and application of this timeless tune, take a few moments to listen in.
Listen to the words as well as the melody.
Consider closing your eyes to remove distractions from your sight, or watch the video as it plays to help you focus.
My Jesus, I Love Thee!

What thoughts came to mind as you listened?
What emotions welled up?
Maybe your thoughts and emotions mirrored the lyrics and you were caught up in a most blissful state of being.
I hope so.

For me, however, my thoughts and emotions often run counter
to the heart and soul of this song.
I have had to do some hard living lately.
My “adulting” game is fierce, and I have more than once questioned my love for Jesus.
By life’s circumstances, I am tired, hurt, and perplexed.
If I were to pen lyrics to this tune they would go a bit more like this:

My coffee at sunbreak is my only hope.
The chocolate at midday is my way to cope.
My children, beloved, for whom I would die
If ever I loved ones, “My kids” is my reply.

Oh fitness, I love you, endorphins you give.
Real food, in your tastiness, my best life to live.
I love you for bringing curves to my wasteline.
If ever I loved a thing, healthy living sublime.

Friendships, how dear to me, those near and far.
Through trials and triumphs, your love above par.
Those new, old, enduring relationships
Have been for me everything, the anchor of my ship.

To food, friends, and family, I look for my hope.
You are my refuge when with life I can’t cope.
My greatest devotion to you I give,
Make you all my god unto whom I live.

Maybe the details are different for you, but my guess is there are as many other things/people/pursuits of which we make God-replacements as there are folks reading this.

What I listed above is not bad in and of themselves. In fact, most are precious gifts from God Himself to help us through life, to encourage us, give us a sense of purpose and a context in which to live out His love. But how quickly and often they go from being a gift from God to Whom we give thanks to idols we demand and think we cannot live without.

When the words of this beautiful hymn cannot be a sincere declaration of our hearts, they can be transformed into a prayerful petition.

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I love Thee because Thou has first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree.
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now

God knows our state of being today just as He knew yesterday’s and tomorrow’s too.
We don’t have to pretend with God.
We can bring our current status directly into His throne room of grace,
covered by the blood of Jesus,
and know God wants to love and transform us at the same time.
In God’s Kingdom ways, these two things are not mutually exclusive,
but mutually inclusive.
One cannot nor does not occur without the other.

William Featherston wrote “My Jesus I Love Thee” in 1864, and I wonder what might have been competing for his attention and affection for God at that time in history. Regardless, Featherstone, at either age 12 or 16 (history is not clear) penned a poem that would eventually be transformed into a hymn; one many still sing today.

Featherston is not known to have written any other poetry or created anything else in his relatively short life time. He died just before his 27th birthday. History legends that Featherston sent the poem to his aunt who believed it was worth publishing. Years after Featherston died, Adoniram Judson, famous missionary to Myanmar, put the words to music and included it in a hymnal where the poem-turned-tune became broadly known.

What impresses me is the fact that Featherston was not seeking fame or fortune;
he was simply expressing his adoration to Christ.
God is the one who ordained events such that Featherston’s adoration evoked the adoration of likely millions more as his words found their way around the world.
The fruit of Featherston’s worship was not made known
until after his life on this earth had passed.

What might that teach us about adoration and fruitfulness in our own lives?
Could it be that our worship, sincere and surrendered,
may bear more fruit than our work for God ever could?

Might it be that the quieter moments between us and Jesus
lead to loud moments of great impact after we are gone?

To close, why don’t you take another few minutes to ponder, pray or pipe out the words to this classic hymn, considering that worship is a choice, not based on feelings or circumstance, but on the precious, unchanging character of the God we serve!

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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 Worship V 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 Worship V!

Worship V Day 9 1,000 Tongues To Sing: 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 1,000 Tongues To Sing!

The Questions

1) Why did Jesus come into the world?

2) How does Paul convey himself in this letter to Timothy?

3) What do we learn about God in this passage?

1 Timothy 1:15-17

This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Original Intent

1) Why did Jesus come into the world?
Jesus, God the Son, came as an act of obedience to God the Father, Who sent Him (John 6:38) for the purpose of “saving sinners”. The most well-known verse in the Bible, John 3:16, describes this perfectly (in concert with John 3:17). Jesus gives everlasting life, therefore “saving” sinners. Jesus saves them from torment and separation from God. In Luke 5:32 Jesus states, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Again, Jesus says in John 10:10, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Who are these “sinners” Jesus came to rescue? The collective “US” across all humanity. “There is none righteous, no, not one, for all have fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:10, 23)

2) How does Paul convey himself in verse 15 to Timothy?
Paul refers to himself as the “worst sinner” in verse 15 and reiterates it in verse 16. In verses 12-17, Paul gives a brief recounting of his “faith story” as he describes who he was, the moment he was eternally changed because of Christ, and how that decision changed everything about him going forward. In his story, Paul openly admits to being “the worst sinner” because he outright persecuted the Church but he received mercy and was made new. He was a sinner, but now he is the recipient of undeserved mercy so that Christ’s patient love would take center stage through Paul’s redeemed life. If Paul, the worst sinner, can be brought back to God, and his core identity change from sinner to saint because of Christ’s great mercy, then no one is too far gone! Paul purposefully emphasizes his own unworthiness of receiving forgiveness to Timothy to encourage him to continue persevering in sharing this freeing gospel to all as he pastored the church in Ephesus.

3) What do we learn about God in verse 17?
Our Great God is King of all time from eternity past through eternity future. He has always been and will always be the True King, the only God. There is none like Him; He has no equal! (Isaiah 40:25) God is immortal, meaning He is not limited to our earthly bodies which die and decay, returning to dust; He lives for eternity and exists outside of temporal time and space constraints. Within Him is found nothing but immortality; not a hint of death or an end. He is also invisible, at least to our fallen human eyes, dwelling in light which no human can approach (1 Timothy 6:16).

Everyday Application

1) Why did Jesus come into the world?
Do you ever find yourself feeling like you and Jesus are “okay” because you do so much? Maybe you serve at church and you’re a homeroom mom at your kids’ school and you also donate to a local food pantry. That’s enough, right?
Friend, no. That’s not enough. Nothing you or I could ever do, even if we worked yourself into utter exhaustion and poverty, could ever be enough to work your way to salvation. God’s economy just doesn’t work that way.
Father God knew we would need a Savior. He knew even before He created anything or anyone that the first humans (Adam and Eve) would disobey (Genesis 2:15-3:7). The sin that entered the world through this couple could only be removed by a blameless sacrifice from The Spotless Lamb.
Jesus Christ’s death on the cross was unlike other crucifixions in a myriad of ways, the most important being that He was innocent of any crimes, yet He took upon Himself all of the sin of the world. All sin. Of all time. Past, present, and future. He took the punishment that every person who ever lived deserved from God.
And then, He defeated Sin and Death by rising up out of that grave!
HE is the reason we can experience salvation and eternal life.

2) How does Paul convey himself in verse 15 to Timothy?
If Paul, being the foremost of all sinners, can experience the mercy Jesus gives when He is trusted for salvation, then anyone can! That was the message for Timothy to take to the church at Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3), and that is the message to you and me today, Sisters. Think your worst is too much for Jesus to forgive? Think again! Just take one step of faith toward Jesus…He’s been waiting for you. He loves you. He wants to give you eternal life with Him and help transform you into the beautiful woman He created you to be. In the same vein, extend that free gospel to all. Pull back from pre-deciding who “will never choose Christ”. Our mission is to extend this grace wrapped truth of salvation, not decide who will or will not embrace its message.

3) What do we learn about God in this passage?
When we open ourselves to Jesus’ powerful mercy and allow Him rule and reign in our life, we experience radical heart changes no one can comprehend unless they’ve also allowed Jesus to transform them.
Wesley’s song lyrics are a wonderfully descriptive account of the salvation experience.
Jesus shines on a dark soul, weighed down by sin, and cleanses it.
The burden of punishment is lifted!
Real living begins!
Praise and worship are natural consequences!
There’s such a glorious freedom in knowing He is forever holding you!
The greatest thing is how surrender opens us to a relationship with God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Our Triune God wants us to talk to Him and, if our hearts are in tune with His, we will sense His leading and guiding.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
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Catch up with 1,000 Tongues To Sing!

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!
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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship V Week Two!
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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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Worship V Day 8 1,000 Tongues To Sing

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 5:6-10
Colossians 2:13-15
I Timothy 1:15-17

Worship V, Day 8

We love reasons to celebrate, don’t we?
Birthdays
Anniversaries
National holidays that close banks and
National donut-days for indulgences

While most of us celebrate our birthday in some way, (or bless their heart, others celebrate it for us!), have you ever considered the day you were born-again?
The day God first opened your eyes and drew your heart into a trusting relationship with Him.

That’s what Charles Wesley, the great English hymn-writer did.
Of the 6,500 hymns he penned in the 1700s, one of his most well-known was written upon the 1-year anniversary of his conversion. Originally titled “For the Anniversary of One’s Conversion”, it quickly became known as “O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing!”.
This is a celebration story of who Wesley was, who God has always been, and how sinners like us can be saved.

Originally, Charles Wesley wrote 18 stanzas, but most hymnals today use 4-5 of those and have shifted the order around. I’m including all but two of the original stanzas (*explanation for omission in footnote), because this version tells Wesley’s full conversion story we may otherwise miss. Let’s dig in!

Glory to God, and praise and love
be ever, ever given,
by saints below and saints above,
the church in earth and heaven.

On this glad day the glorious Sun
of Righteousness arose;
on my benighted soul he shone
and filled it with repose.

Sudden expired the legal strife,
’twas then I ceased to grieve;
my second, real, living life
I then began to live.

The first three stanzas open with exuberance, calling all who hear to praise God! He recounts the very day God’s light shone on his dark heart. He tells us his “legal strife” is now gone, pointing our eyes to Christ’s work in canceling our legal debt. (Colossians 2:14)

Then with my heart I first believed,
believed with faith divine,
power with the Holy Ghost received
to call the Savior mine.

I felt my Lord’s atoning blood
close to my soul applied;
me, me he loved, the Son of God,
for me, for me he died!

I found and owned his promise true,
ascertained of my part,
my pardon passed in heaven I knew
when written on my heart.

Here Wesley lays out the foundation of the gospel.  He knew “faith divine” comes from a God who makes us come alive. (Colossians 2:13) Stanzas five and six speak directly to the atoning sacrifice of Jesus to pardon the sinner. Romans 5:6-8 These weren’t simply theological points for Wesley, they were “written on his heart” in true belief.

O for a thousand tongues to sing
my dear Redeemer’s praise!
The glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace.

My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
to spread through all the earth abroad
the honors of thy name.

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease;
’tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’tis life, and health, and peace!

Like a geyser that can no longer hold back, Wesley springs forth in praise with that most familiar seventh stanza!  It catapults him into the eighth asking God to help him spread this amazing news to others. By stanza nine Wesley gives voice to the truth that Jesus’ love casts out fear (1 John 4:18, Romans 8:15), and surpasses all else (Philippians 3:7-8)!

He breaks the power of canceled sin,
he sets the prisoner free;
his blood can make the foulest clean;
his blood availed for me.

He speaks, and listening to his voice
new life the dead receive;
the mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
the humble poor believe.

Look unto him, ye nations, own
your God, ye fallen race!
Look, and be saved through faith alone,
be justified by grace!

Wesley is not only telling us his story, but THE story of redemption.
It’s as if we hear him say “You want to know how I know? He did it for ME!”
He’s making a strong case here, line by line, that Jesus is all of life, for all nations.

See all your sins on Jesus laid;
the Lamb of God was slain,
his soul was once an offering made
for every soul of man.

Harlots and publicans and thieves,
in holy triumph join!
Saved is the sinner that believes
From crimes as great as mine.

Murderers and all ye hellish crew,
ye sons of lust and pride,
believe the Savior died for you;
for me the Savior died.

Okay now Wesley is writing for the back row – for the ones thinking, “no way this includes me”. He’s hitting it home so every last person knows that every sin, in every form, was laid on Jesus. He came for those who know they need a doctor, (Matthew 9:12) and died for every single crime against a holy God (Psalm 51:4).

With me, your chief, you then shall know,
shall feel your sins forgiven;
anticipate your heaven below
and own that love is heaven.

Wesley closes out with a nod to 1 Timothy 1:15, where Paul calls himself the worst of sinners. He wants to make this invitation clear and show his confidence is not in his morality, but in how far-reaching grace is.

Learning from Wesley
Wesley used a hymn to do it. Some give speeches. Others write books, some preach sermons and others sit across coffee tables with tears streaming down as they listen. Some paint the sky, or make a meal for gathered guests, and someone right now might be throwing in another load of wash for that college kid that needs help.

The question is not how you will do it.
The question is, will you?

Will you choose to celebrate God’s redemption of your life with someone else?
Will you choose to embody it, and then invite others into that free gift?
Decide today, that if there’s anything worth celebrating with our lives, it’s that Christ died for the sins of the ungodly, that we might be reconciled to God forever (1 Timothy 1:15-17, Romans 5:10-11).

Footnote:
*Two of Charles Wesley’s original stanzas were omitted in the writing of this article because they contain language that is both racially offensive and also derogatory toward individuals with physically impairment. It is the conviction that these stanzas not be circulated as they do not hold up the basic premise of the imago dei (Genesis 1:27). We can respect the work of many great men and women in history such as Wesley, and rightly recognize where sin still laced their thoughts, hearts and actions as they do ours today in myriad ways. God, however, is the faithful One, and we look to Him as our guide, knowing He will one day make all things right and new.

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Worship V Day 7 I Love To Tell The Story: 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 I Love To Tell The Story!

The Questions

1) Verse 3 says, “Declare His glory among the nations, His wondrous works among the nations.” What did this mean for the psalmist? Who were the nations?

2) There are several places in this psalm describing how God will judge the earth and its people. What is this referring to?

3) “Ascribe to the Lord” is said three times in this passage. What does “Ascribe” mean? 

Psalm 96

Sing a new song to the Lord;
let the whole earth sing to the Lord.
2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
proclaim his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his wondrous works among all peoples.

4 For the Lord is great and is highly praised;
he is feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

7 Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
bring an offering and enter his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;
let the whole earth tremble before him.

10 Say among the nations: “The Lord reigns.
The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken.
He judges the peoples fairly.”
11 Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and all that fills it resound.
12 Let the fields and everything in them celebrate.
Then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy
13 before the Lord, for he is coming—
for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness
and the peoples with his faithfulness.

Original Intent

1) Verse 3 says, “Declare his glory among the nations, his wondrous works among the nations.” What did this mean for the psalmist? Who were the nations?
An adaptation of Psalm 96 is quoted in 1 Chronicles 16:23-33. In this scene, David and the Israelite army had just defeated the Philistines and returned the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. There was a big celebration with offerings to God and feasting among the people. Then they broke out into song, which was a combination of Psalm 105, Psalm 96, and Psalm 106. The Israelites were often at war with the nations around them, nations that worshipped worthless idols. The Israelites wanted to glorify their God, the one true God, among the nations. His wondrous works includes the victory they just experienced! This was a song the Israelites could look back to over and over to remind themselves God is worthy of the glory and they should declare it to everyone around them!

2) There are several places in this psalm describing how God will judge the earth and its people. What is this referring to?
The psalmist says God will judge the peoples (verse 10), the earth, and the world (verse 13). The use of the word judge isn’t limited to how we think of a judge today, someone that decides right and wrong in court. God as Judge is much greater than that simple definition. This reference to “judge” means to bring justice. Verse 10 says He will judge the peoples with equity, meaning He will judge everyone with equality so that all receive judgement fairly and rightly. Part of God’s character is His need for justice. He is the perfect judge. The people of the Old Testament lived among wicked and godless people. Sometimes the world felt unfair to them when they saw the wicked prospering (Psalm 73). But they knew they would ultimately be judged by God and He would ensure true and righteous justice. The word “judge” can have a negative connotation for us, but for the Israelites, it was good news that God was the ultimate, perfect, and final judge.

3) “Ascribe to the Lord” is said three times in this passage. What does “Ascribe” mean? 
To ascribe is to assign credit to something or someone as the source or cause. Here the psalmist is giving credit to God and encouraging the readers and hearers of the psalm to also give Him credit. He says, “Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength”. In essence, the psalmist declares, “The Lord is the source of all glory and strength! Give Him the credit!” This praise song is about making much of Yahweh: His glory, strength, and wondrous works.

 

Everyday Application

1) Verse 3 says, “Declare his glory among the nations, his wondrous works among the nations.” What did this mean for the psalmist? Who were the nations?
Think of a time you experienced a victory in your life. Maybe it was acing a test, reaching a big milestone at work, or meeting a personal goal. Did you want to give glory to God in that situation? Did you see it as a wondrous work by Him? It’s easy to see our accomplishments as something we’ve done by our own skills or will power. Consider David and the Israelites. They were on the ground fighting the Israelites. They put in blood, sweat, and tears to defeat the Israelites, but when it was all over and they’d won, they still gave praise to God. Shouldn’t we do the same when we experience significant accomplishments? Try praying this song to God the next time you accomplish something great!

2) There are several places in this psalm describing how God will judge the earth and its people. What is this referring to?
It’s easy to for us to feel frustrated when we look at the world and there is so much injustice. In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he reminds them they don’t need to judge others, because God is the ultimate righteous judge (Romans 2:1-11). In the last section of Psalm 96, the psalmist looks forward to when God will judge the earth. He says creation will rejoice! It will be a celebration when God sets all things right through His faithfulness. And the best news of all? We know something the psalmist didn’t know when this song was penned. We know the Gospel. We know Jesus came to pay the price for our sins so we can inherit His righteousness. We stand blameless before God because Christ was the propitiation for our sins (Romans 3:25). We rejoice with creation and tell this good news – this wondrous work – God has accomplished for us.

3) “Ascribe to the Lord” is said three times in this passage. What does “Ascribe” mean?
The psalmist is speaking to you as well! What do you ascribe to in your life? Where are you giving the credit? Evaluate your words, attitude and actions. Do they ascribe to the Lord? Take some time to reflect on what things you are ascribing to in your life. Perhaps it’s a significant other, the culture you live in, your job or place of work, or (most likely) yourself. Ask God to change your heart so that you are quick to ascribe to Him.

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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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Worship V Day 6 I Love To Tell The Story

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 96
Isaiah 55:10-11
Romans 10:13-15
Colossians 3:16-17
1 Peter 3:15-16

Worship V, Day 6

It has become a familiar scene to me…
Children entering the classroom, their faces displaying a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty.  Some are open to discover what lies ahead; others are less enthusiastic.  Then there are those who are just not interested.

They’ve heard they will be learning about the Bible and they’ve already formed their impression that it’s dull, boring, and old-fashioned. Definitely not for them.

The best bit is seeing that perception change!

As we tell the stories and the children participate through music and drama, using props, and trying on costumes, the Bible comes alive.
It seems the children do too.

The sullen begin to smile; the disinterested become engaged; the children who thought it wasn’t for them are desperate to participate.

I love to tell the story
because the transformation is beautiful to witness!

Where I live in Scotland, it’s a huge privilege to be able to teach Christian beliefs along with other faiths. With my job, it’s an even greater privilege to go into schools and lead a series of lessons covering an overview of the story of the Bible.

Although I must have done this around forty times, it never grows old.

“I love to tell the story;
’tis pleasant to repeat
what seems, each time I tell it,
more wonderfully sweet.”

It’s an amazing story!
And in telling it to others, I never fail to be impacted myself.

It truly is a story that “satisfies my longings as nothing else can do”.
It’s a story of truth, which we desperately need to be reminded of in a world of lies.

It’s a story people need to hear!
In Scotland, evangelical Christians make up less than 2% of the population.  Most children are unfamiliar with any Bible stories. Many have no idea what Scripture is.
It’s a joy to introduce them to the God of the Bible and witness their response as they hear it for the first time.

“I love to tell the story,
for some have never heard
the message of salvation
from God’s own Holy Word.”

We all have a responsibility to share this story because so many people, like the children I work with, have never heard.  Paul reminds us in Romans 10:13-15 that people can only be saved if they believe,
they can only believe if they hear,
and they can only hear if someone tells them.

That’s us!

You may not have the same opportunities I do in schools, but the Good News of Jesus is a message we are all called to share. Throughout the Bible, it is clear that our knowledge of God is not something we are to keep to ourselves.
We are called to tell the story of God’s love and saving grace!

“Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
proclaim his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his wondrous works among all peoples.”  (Psalm 96:2-3)

How do we do it?

You may feel inadequate for the task.  I certainly do.
Despite the fact I find it easy to stand and share the story of Jesus with a captive audience of nine and ten year-olds, I find it much harder in friendships with peers or in family relationships.  I worry I won’t explain it well, or that they’ll ask difficult questions, or they won’t want to listen…

At the same time, I want to tell the story
because I know they need to hear it.

If you identify with this feeling, our Scriptures today provide encouragement and advice.

First of all, be ready.
“If someone asks about your hope as a believer,
always be ready to explain it.”  (1 Peter 3:15 NLT)

It can be hard to come up with the right words when we’re put on the spot, so take some time to think about it in advance.

  • What does faith in Jesus mean to you?
  • What difference has knowing Him made in your life?
  • How would you explain the Good News about Jesus clearly to someone who has never heard it?

You don’t have to prepare a speech, but thinking about it in advance will mean you’re more ready to explain when God provides the opportunity.  Another way to prepare is to pray for wisdom to recognise these opportunities, and the courage to speak up.

Secondly, it’s about our words and our lives.
Paul writes, “Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you,”  (Colossians 3:16)
He continues to encourage the believers to “do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.”  (Colossians 3:17)

While our words are important, our actions also play a part in expressing God’s love and grace to others.  Often, it’s our actions and attitudes that cause people to notice something different about us and could lead to opportunities for spiritual conversations.

Finally, we have the encouragement from Isaiah that as God’s Word goes out,
it always accomplishes His purpose.
However faltering our words, when we are willing to boldly tell God’s story, He will use our frailty to impact others and draw others to Him by His strength!

So, step up, and tell that story!

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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 V 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 V!